Year: 1875

BOSTON, OCT ~, 1870


Hans Won Bnlow appeared for the third time al the
Boston Music Hall this evening, The works selected
by him for the occasion were the Fourth Concerto, opus
6s, in major Of Beethoven the First Concerto in
E fiat OF List, and three preludes and fugues
illustrations Of the widely different styles Of
Bach, Mendelssohn aud RaGi The Beethoven concerto
placed the pianist better light than did its brother
work, the one in fat Monday evening The Fourth
Concerto opens with brief theme for the piano, in ye
measures, which is followed by the orchestra in y
major, modulating afterwards into G. Beethoven
in this work INDUCES in strange phrases and introduces
unlocked for episodes every The subjects which
are subsequently enriched with all the embroidery and
effect that the piano is capable of first introduced by
the orchestra The clear, robust style OF playing char
acteristic OF Won BIlow, and the distinctncss
of his phrasing, gave Interpretation Of
tho FIRST movement OF tho concerto that
inteDigiole to every musician present Considering
the intricate and Kaleidoscope character Of the
movement the pianist deserves high praise for such
Q result The double trils for the night hand were
given with unfang precision, and the chronac pas
sages, with the staccato in tho bass,
stood out in bold relief Tho cadences,
which were introduced In two different parts
OF the movement and which arc the work
of the pianist, entirely In accord with
the spirit Of tho movement They short and TO
tho purpose. There is not tho slightest attempt at
rtrtuoSo display, but very ingenious and artistic de-
veopment OF the ideas Of the composer. develop
ment OF Becthoven's ideas may appear an impossi-
bility; but in this instance, without ntruding
his Individuality, Won BIlow managed 10
condense the many subjects OF the first OF
this grand work, and to present them as a summary
OF the sublime thoughts that gave being to tho work.
In this instance he was moro Successful than
Rubinsten who wrote cadences for another
concerto OF Beethoven, which, although clever
to the subject Rubinsten's cadenccs might DO
called Rubinstcn concert for they stamped with
Beethoven.


The second movement andaAte con raoto, is work OF
inspiration There are violent contrasts between the
orchestral and piano parts The dcclamatory
nature OF the orchestral passages serves as
foil TO the prayerful uttcrances OF the
piano. Won Bnlow failed to give the desired
expression to the passages Tor the piano in this
ment In the succeeding rondo, most wonderful speci
men of piano writing, his disciplined method
shown to advantage. Every phrase was photographed
with fidelity. The chiarooscuro OF this remarkable
movement suffered not in the Interpretation. 1t was
as perfect in detail as MISSIONER painting In his
Interpretation of Beethoven, Won B1ow may lay too
much stress on acccntuation where little freedom of
touch and tempo would be desirable but no can find
fault with his accuracy. No metronome, conduc-
tors baton, be more precise than this Prussian
pianist's. Exactness and precision however, do not
make up all the qualities necessary for great Bcetho
ven player The Colossus of music did
not write according to measure His works, to be


interpreted properly, require deep and long research
Won B0low plays them eonscientously but even he
has yet explored their inmost recesses, where the
pure gold lies IN heaps TO reward the finder perfect


Interpreter of Beethoven must have of the divine
air and must commune with the spirit of the greatest
of composers. Such being has yet been
is given TO until the desired interpreter


is found Won Blow certainly gives an intelligent read
ing of Beethoven, unocks the door many mysteries
which have heretofore existed But he only increases
the desire of the hearcr TO know Of these sublime
sworks 10 penetrate further into those inexhaustbe
mines that comprise all that is worth knowing
In music | have heard Beethoven played correctly,
too, In regard to technique, by pianiss of emnence,
and the audience seemed 10 be bored and many de-
claimed against such dun music. Beethoven is either
charm or bore No greater compliment can be
paid to a pianist OF the present day than TO be
\ able to assert that Won Bdlow presented the G
major concerto in such light that those present
charmed and interested and that he revived in
the Boston mind love for the great master IL isa
mistake to think that tho average Bosonian is a clas
/ sicst music. He she is as democratic ms the
4 verest New Yorker; but few assume classical airs
4 and talk wildly about authors, conloundng Mendels-
| sohn with Gl1ck, Wagner with Mozart Hans Won
Bnlow will do great service If he succeeds In sending
i them back TO their musical catechsms and in
stlIng in their minds true love for
\ vigorous effective work. was entirely
1 congenal to Buows nature His Interpretation Of it
was superb. The short theme Of seven which
/ went through the hrst movement, now with the full
I force of the orchestra, again like echo from
peculiar hue The piano part is declamatory to de-
gree. Even the cadencesand there many OF them
are stormy enough for the most nveterate FOUNDER
Pianists would weep on hearing tho FIRST movement
account of its audacous liberties with the laws of
harmony In the second movement. addagio Won Bllow
gave reading that changed all received notions Of IT,
1t the Liszt himself could scarcely
be more explicit


II would be well for pianists who affect to play
this piece to take lesson from tho to whom Liszt
communicated his mmost thoughts regarding IT, Won
Bhow in the second and third movements surprised
every by his interpretation giving accentuations
and changes of tempo. In this ho effective and
inelligible even beyond Rubensten, and the Boston
mind will study the again in a very different
BIlow played three solo pieces preludes
\ fugues by Bach Mendelssohn and Rale


The sturdy good naturod measures of the father of
| fugues John Sebastian Bach in his minor work ar
ranged for the piano by the irrepprcssibe List
| ceived magnificent rendering at the hands OF
/ Won Bnlow Very different from the Bach
1 work and with ring of spurious metal
about 1t the prelude and ugue In OF Mendelssohn
Even the choral which In it does not save 1t
| from inelectiveness The prelude and fuguc OF Ran
\ cannot be considered as attractive In any
/ Of tho word. They extracts from his suite
in minor Eccentricy takes the place Of real art in
this composition. The pianist did all he
could to make tho two works palatabe
and played them admirably, but thero was
not enough of material for HIM utilize any artistic
extent and 1t is to bo hoped that he will drop them
! from his repertoire Won Bhlow promises host OF
musical novelties for next week.