Music Trade Review

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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
OACRAMENTO, Cal., does not appre-
ciate the gifts of Paderewski. This
week he refused to play there, when he
learned, upon his arrival, that only one
hundred and twenty-two, tickets for his
concert had been sold.
\ 1 7 I T H the Porto Rican sitting on the
cold, cold door step, where he seems
to be not fish, fowl, not even good red
herring, and with Admiral Dewey out as
a Presidential candidate, who shall say the
spring is not opening out with sensations ?
New Pianists this Year.
PERFORMERS HEARD FOR THE FIRST TIME IN
NEW YORK HAMBOURG THE FIRST TO
COME, BREITNER NEXT, THEN DOH-
NANYI — SOME WOMEN PLAYERS.
Every season brings before the New
York public a certain number of new mu-
sicians who come here to sing their way
into the profitable favor of this city or to
get into that same fortunate place by
means of their skill with the piano, the
fiddle, or whatever instrument they have
devoted their time and talents to. The
musical season just closed introduced the
customary number of new virtuosos, arid
as a.whole, the new arrivals met with favor.
A generally high average of excellence
was reached by all of them and it can
scarcely be said that one was heard who
will not be welcomed again with pleasure.
It is, of course, true that some would be
more heartily welcomed than others; but
to admit that a cordial welcome awaits the
return of any musician at the close of this
long season is a sign of great appreciation.
Mark Hambourg, the Russian pianist,
was the first of the virtuosos of the key-
board to present himself before a new pub-
lic last fall. In a season that brought for-
ward some notably fine pianists and the
overwhelming Paderewski, as well as De
Pachmann with his beautiful playing of
Chopin's music, this young man made a
distinct impression. His technical powers
were tremendous and the brilliancy of his
playing was scarcely equalled in certain
respects by any of his colleagues who fol-
lowed him this year. One criticism
frequently heard of this young player
was an objection to the lack of poetic
feeling and sentiment that was always
noticeable in his playing. The qual-
ity was undoubtedly absent. He revelled
in his useful strength and his marvellous
powers of execution with little thought of
the mental and emotional qualities that
give such charm to the work of pianists
who are not nearly his equal in the merely
technical side of their art. It is doubtful
if Hambourg will ever play with the charm
that conies with the possession of a poetic
spirit. Paderewski plays as he does be-
cause he is a poet as well as a pianist.
Hambourg does not seem likely to acquire
the poetic spirit at any time. And it is a
question, if there is not compensation for
the lack of this to be found in the won-
derful virility, freshness and physical
exuberance of his playing. These are
charms that he certainly possesses now in
a high and a unique degree. Maturity
and development may rob him of these
wholly youthful characteristics without
offering in their place the intellectual
and emotional qualities that are now
lacking in his playing. It seems, indeed,
as if the nature of Hambourg's touch made
it impossible for him ever to acquire as
fully as some other players the sensuous
quality that would supply what is now
found to be deficient in his work.
Ludwig Breitner, who came second in
this season's series of new pianists, was a
complete contrast to M. Hambourg. He
is an extremely finished and musicianly
pianist, who lacks utterly the qualities that
made Hambourg's playing unique. His
technical equipment is good and his manner
of playing uninteresting only through its
lack of variety and the absence of any flash
of brilliancy to relieve its placid finish and
elegance. Good taste and sound musician-
ship are the most striking features of M.
Breitner's art, and they are not the kind to
create a lasting impression on the general
public. Mr. Breitner's work seems to be
pedagogic, rather than that of a virtuoso,
and in that field he will doubtless find suc-
cess here. M. Hambourg has repeated al-
most everywhere the popular success he
made in New York. All pianists who se-
lected this year for a trip to the United
States struggled against the public interest
ia Paderewski. That always absorbs the
patronage which the public is able to give
a pianist to a degree which makes great
profits impossible. Artistic interest, it
must be admitted, also centres in the per-
formances of the distinguished Pole. For
that reason Hambourg's success was the
more remarkable.
Ernst von Dohnanyi, was the last of the
new players to come before a New V'ork
audience and he succeeded in winning suc-
cess in a way different from that of any of
his predecessors. He is as young as Ham-
bourg and like him in no other particular.
M. Dohnanyi is very unlike the average
piano virtuoso. His purpose is evidently
to do the fullest justice to the composer's
work. He makes no attempt at personal
display and devotes every resource of his
art to the revelation of the innermost spirit
of the composition he is seeking to inter-
pret. His tone is large and his technique
equal to any demands upon it. Without
being dry, the quality of his playing is dis-
tinctly intellectual in the best sense of the
word. It was in his performances of Bee-
thoven's music that he reached the highest
level of excellence here. His playing of
Brahms's variations showed his complete
technical equipment at its best and his
reading of Chopin, while possibly not the
one most to be preferred, gave further
proof of the pianist's versatility. M. Doh-
nanyi is a pupil of Eugen d'Albert, and his
methods are similar in many particulars.
He is not unlike Signor Busoni in his thor-
ough musicianship and serious musical
character.
A group of women pianists includes
Ethel Newcomb, a pupil of Leschititsky
and one of the most promising young per-
formers heard here in several seasons, who
plays with intelligence, taste and real
musical appreciation and feeling; Frieda
Siemens, who was heard for the first time
since* she appeared as a child and proved
that her talents had been developed and
brought out by her study in retirement;
Catherine Churchill, who for a woman
showed the possession of an unusually
robust style; and Julie Geyer, who at her
concert last week demonstrated that she
was a pianist of fine training, musical in-
stincts and intelligence. At least two of
these performers are likely to be heard of
in the future.
The pianos used by these artists included
the Steinway, Weber and Knabe.
A Busy Action Plant.
The Geo. W. Seaverns Piano Action Co.,
of Cambridgeport, Mass., speak very cheer-
ingly of business conditions. Orders are
coming in in large numbers, and spring
trade so far this year has exceeded any for
the same period on record. An idea of the
activity of this firm can be gauged from
the fact that in several departments they
have been compelled to work overtime.
A Superb Kranich & Bach.
A superb Kranich & Bach concert grand
was shipped last week to Mrs. N. L. Wil-
let, one of the leading musicians and teach-
ers of Augusta, Ga. The instrument, an
unusually fine one, by the way, will be
used in recitals and concerts by its owner.
Fire Destroys Buttell Plant.
[Special to The Review.!
Detroit, Mich., April n , igoo.
The Buttell Piano Co.'s factory, at
Schoolcraft, Mich., in operation only three
months, was burned last night, with 100
pianos in course of construction. Loss,
about $25,000; insurance, $3,000.
nUSIC MANUSCRIPTS.
Prompt examination, highest prices, liberal
royalty, old established house. Address Music
Manuscripts, The Review, 3 East Fourteenth
street, New York.
POSITION WANTED
By a well-known sheet music and small goods
man. Either responsible position in house or
road. The latter preferred. Very best refer-
ences. Address B , Music Trade Review.
WANTED A PARTNER
A man with experiemce and some capital to en-
large an established piano manufacturing busi-
ness; goods well known and trade established.
Address A. B. C, care of Music Trade Review,
3 E. 14th St., N. Y
SALESMAN
20 years experience as Traveler and Manager,
will be at liberty April 15th ; desires to arrange
with first-class piano or organ manufacturer.
Salary or commission. Must be first-class house.
Address, "MANUFACTURER"
Care of Music TRADE REVIEW.
REEDS, ETC., WANTED.
Reed organ maker in Great Britain would like
to communicate with dealer in Reeds and other
materials, also with Reed organ case makers.
Write in first Instance to C., in care of J. Q.
King& Sons, Advertising Agents, 10 Bolt Court,
London, E, C, England.