ENTERTAINMENTS, ETC.

Evening Post, Volume LXXIV, Issue 27, 31 July 1907, Page 8

ENTERTAINMENTS, ETC.

MADAME CARRENO'S SECOND RECITAL. Madame Carreno's second recital,, last night in the Town Hall, was no less brilliant than the first — in fact, every item revealed new beauties ; but there was no noticeable increase in the attendance of the public. As before, however, there was no lack of enthusiasm and hearty appreciation. Following her usual order, she opened with a Beethoven sonata (opus 55, "Waldstein"), the performance of which, -sven bad it been in no other respect remarkable, was an amazing exampb pi musical memory. It is divided into three movements — allegro con brio, largo, and -rondo allegretto, and, like most of the sonatds of the great master, touched on almost every mood. The solemn and luijestic march of the second part was in splendid contrast to the brilliant passages of the, opening and closing sections. As- on the iiist night, four bracketed pieces by Chopin followed. In his lifetime^ this composer v/es often charged with effeminancy of style, and declared that he would prefer to be ridiculed for soft flaying than be guilty of "pianothumuing," and gain the applause of lovers of nois-3. It may be that tho average player may be in danger of producing a weak icsult, tho composer's strength lying" not in theme, but in his masterly . and ovi yiiiel handling of harmonies ; but no one could hint at effeminancy in any of .Madame Carrena's interpretations of a compqser who is evidently one of her favourites. Her four selections wero the lovely and meditative Nocturne (opus 37, No." 2), a Study in A-fiat, a BaJtadc in G-minor (opus 23)," and Waltz in A-flat (opus 42). All these pieces. w«re given, with strpngth and 'force, every point sympathet.icallv developed ; ' and as for the. Ballad-:, under tho touch of the musician, "tho thing became a trumpet." An encore was given to this number. The second part opened ■with Rubinst'in's gieat Concerio in D-minor. This piece bciltEg .composed tor orchestral accompaniment, the accompaniment was supplied by- Herr Benno Scherek on a '.second grand pianoforte, thus introducing ' a new and interesting feature. Herr ; Scherek is well known as a fine player, luxul his accompaniment was fully worthy ;of the work he adorned. Tho concerto ;was really a wonderful piece of work. I Opening with tho grand and massive i chords of the majestic allegro, it passed 'into an andante of completely different 'mood, and closed with an allegro in 'which the tempo was accelerated and- the , harmonies piled one on another till tlw .pace was ''fast and furious," tho whole closing with a line seiies of mighty chords, t In answer to a. general call, sfyz gavo a 3Tveet and tender little melody, in ■marked contrast to tho ttmpastuous close of the concerto. There were two more items — Schubert's Impromptu (opus 90, ,No. 2), and the great Marche Miiitaire (Schubcrt-Tansig), a stirring composition, gathering force* with one brilliant I cres^ndo after another to its triumphant close, which evoked a tumult of applause. Th-3- third recital takes place to-night, and will open with the most popular of Beethoven's scnatas, the beautiful opus 27, No. 2, commonly and conveniently known as the "Moonlight Sonata," though" the title is purely fanciful, and was not given by the composer.