PACHHMANN'S PRANKS

Evening Star, Issue 19952, 23 August 1928, Page 9

PACHHMANN'S PRANKS

ALBERT HALL SCENES .Six ihou'iinl ilelijjliled people welcomed Pachmauii. Ibo inimitable eighty-year-old Senilis, at the, Albert Hall, ami I’achnwnii, in pcliini, Save tl.cui a. delightful Chopin recit ii I, antics. a (l.mce, iniuunoiablo speeches, ami a record «! op-watch performance oi tho popular ‘ Vala; in D dial Major,' wrote (bo 'Daily INnie.T music critic recently. A smile of Plmnp’a lit bis features as he greeted his audience. Re look out Ids wateli as lie sal, down. Then forth poured the nolos. a flight, of waves of rippling anisic. II was over. Out came J’achmann* watch again. Tie jumped from bis read “ rift v-five scmuch!" be shouted in schoolboy glee. “ Fifty-five seconds.' Only fiftyfive !" . At the cud of the ‘Mazurka in B rla» Minor' ihe womkifnl and eccentric musician took up bis coat tails and danced a slop or two. It was cone as if- it were part of his musical performance. H* whirled from the notes into a dance. After the interval he whispered a great announcement: “1 hav-j bad my hair cut.’ 1 It was trim. There were fewer locks than usual, but the 6,000 loved him all the aanie. am! a. "ills' s-hool in while jumpcis, who lined (luce or four revs against the organ, went wild with delight. There were Miproine dilhculiies that_ had Is: be overcome at, ii'.e Dan. A spotlight, in which the ordinary ailht would have delighted, shed a, ray on the piano. Tachmann would not piav a note until it wn* turned off. Re would rather play in Rm dusk The piano stool, of course, was not the rcmiircd height. This was adjusted. Then’ Is; dived Maidenly info bis afternoon's work His marvellous memory never missed a noie. bis lingers eha<ed each other no and ilown (ho keys, and Ihe soul ot I’aihmann pervaded ail. 7?o rnim* tripping oh in huni'-d ni*-nt i-:> pinv ‘ Prelude in I» Minor/ and then suddenly halted (o show his audience, with main 1 gesticulations, bow lie pro. posed to plav (die twiddly Bit s. Will it, be,' ?.T'lnminn's “ aWnl-lly final anpearatlce in London ? His heart would probably break if be roally realised it was Ho is so Tour.g a soul of music yet. Only eighty.