HERR FRIEDENTHAL'S RECITAL.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 11524, 9 September 1899, Page 6

HERR FRIEDENTHAL'S RECITAL.

A rich musical feast was presented last night to the.audience that.attended Herr Albert Friedenthal's piano recital in the Garrison Hall. The size of the "house" was naturally affected by the heavy downpour of Tain, but Herr Fricdenthal was nevertheless faced by a considerable number of lovers of music,; whom, by his own unaided efforts, he entertained for close on two hours. A rare compliment to the abilities'of the performer was conveyed in the fact that the audience not merely listened without the slightest symptom of impatience to a, succession of pianoforte pieces, unrelieved by a single item of any other description, but craved for and received more than was comprised in the programme. Herr Friedenthal is, : however, an exceptional artist. No one who was present at liis recital can-have carried . away from the hall any other conviction than : that. ' "We have had here before this pianists : whose claims to fame rested on their ■ sion, of brilliant executive powers. We have ; had pianists whos6 representations have been [won'by their wonderfully sympathetic playing. .- lii Herr.Friedenthal wc'have.a combination of , these two. He is a brilliant executant, and he is also'aji exceedingly soulful player .with .the most silken touch. He carries with him a beautiful instrument—a Bechstein piano—with the softest and most responsive of notes, which is particularly adapted to the interpretation of compositions that call for delicate treatment, aiid probably that was a factor in producing the imnression that in his rendering oil pieces of this" class Herr Friedenthal reveals himself as a master oi the piano even more than in his remarkable displays of manual pyrotechnics. Opinions may differ as to that, but they will agree aSvto his being a markedly accomplished : artist. They will also agree as to his ability.'to: I: frame a programme thatj composed though it is of what may be termed classical pieces, yet will satisfy and gratify even those who have no .taste for classical music. His programme last night was an admirable one, full of choice com-, positions, each of which,.had its own special beauty, and secured the rapt attention of his audience. The opening number of the concert w[as Beethoven's . '-Moonlight Sonata,"- which served. at once to illustrate the exquisitely sympathetic quality of Herr Friedenthal's'pluying, and also his 'marvellous executive power.?. Nothing more impressive than his delicate ren-. derir.g of [the melancholy adagio sostenuto. movement could be wished for, and in sharp [contrast with this was the extraordinarily rapid [ finger-work of the final movement. Instinct with poetic feeling was his interpretation of Chopin's ..noble "Funeral March," and a dain-tily-played nocturne by the same composer and a brilliant performance of his Polonaise in A flat were bracketed with this number. The. sxiggestion.iii the polonaise of the approach of airoop of Polish cavalry was a vivid tone picture, and the demonstration of delight which the "piece evoked from.the audience did not subside until Herri Friedenthal returned a ..second time to the' stage,' and, resuming his scat at the, .piano, . ;played as one piece a couple of preludes by Chopu>— one in B Minor and the other in A Major. . A Norwegian dance by Grieg, served to show, to advantage the beautiful singing quality of Herr Friedenthal's playing, and along with-it w.ere given an exquisite morceau by'Thome and-the quaint; composition by the pianist himself,'to which he has given the title, [of ..".Csar'daba|L. i Eu3ztaba«.".. This was also warmly, redtnianded,. and' Herr Friedenthal •played•" what •; .everyone . .present must have ,regarded :..s"-: 'as- '~an. y exceedingly ■ beauti-ful-composition.. It- proved, on subsequent inquiry to be an improvisation. An intensely' dramatic number was, Herr Friedenthal's transcription of the storm-scene and the helms-, man's song from , " The ■ F.lying Dutchman " (Wagner), .and" a,.vividly, realistic performance, was given in which .the.most puzzling effectswere obtained by, the pianist with the left hand. Liszt's fine setting of Schubert's serenade, a: melody in. F by Rubinstein, and the latter's[

"'".Waltz caprice formed a delightful.trio of bracketed pieces, the rendering of which so impressed the • atidienee that another encore' v.7as insisted upon, and Herr. Priedenthal delighted his listeners; with a wonderfully clever performance, with the left hand only of-an., arrangement, by himself of "The last rose of summer." The audience was obliged'also with a repetition of Herr Priedenthal's transcription■of a gavotte nutioue by Corelli— 6. delightful' composition . played., with masterly, skill—and. the concert was concluded twith the rendering of Liszt's " Hungarian rhapsody "■ that 'was full: of high •technical qualities. Herr Friedenthal : will give aiiother concert hi Dunedm on Wed-'j nesday night next. He should bo .able, to count t on a very large audience.- , .' ''■'.':■'

MR OUTRAM'S PENSION", -. --:.,: TO;-THE EDITOit. *■/?■ \ \

Sin.^Wheri. I-.-.learned ,'tliat; .thq .iriombers -for.^iinedin :.were moyiiig re:"this::nirtlier I tcok' for ' granted' :that' Mr Outram's" enemy would, as in previous years, again have his fling. And so it is. Two, letters, breathing no friendly spirit, have already appeared in your columns. Because Mr Outram has been, and is, the victim of spite he is sympathised with by. honourable men, among them the City members who waited upon the Premier the other day. Hence their action, and strong assertions. Allow me, Sir, for the informa-

.ion of those who do not knov?', to re-state

the: facts. ; Mr Outram was.sergeant-overseer of works, and during his later years, of service Bell Hill was reduced; and with it a. large portion of the city abutting: the bay was formed. TTpon "the conclusion of that work, and in consideration of .the way in. which lie had carried it on and accomplished it, a public.testimonial was given him. When .through exposure' lie received: thd injuries'which disabled him,'arid being;'declared unfit for further duty, and. therefore, deprived of his means ■ 0f... livelihood,.'he'.'-was recommended for a pension by the late Mr Strode and Captain Fraser (visiting, justices), Mr Jas. Macaiidrew : (Superintendent ;of Otago "Province); and the gaol governor,; rind the pension was granted. It was intended to be put on the State list in the usual way, but through, some oversight that was-not done. But for that failure it would" have been paid regularly to this day, and never., a word heard about it. By-and-bye Mr Outram. made an effort and sacrifice to visit the Home country with a,daughter, who suffered from a serious afflic: tion. Taking advantage of his absence, and another Pharaoh, who knew not Joseph having arisen, a man to whom he had given mortaloffence by publicly speaking the truth, and who knew that the pension had not been put on the State list,; availed himself of the; opportunity to be revenged. With the assistance of another, he .succeeded in getting the pension stopped when - the- person concerned was not present in the colony to defend himself. Su'bsoquen'tly the question was remitted to r thp,Petitions Committee, who certified to th'e'Gbyei'nment's moral obligation, and recommended an annual allowance of £50 to Mr Outram in lieu of the larger amount lie -had previously, received. That recommendation, made years ago, has never been acted upon,:andit is with' reference to it that thp'.'Gity,-members; interviewed the Premier the i.other clay. .Without .expressing any opinion on': the subject'of .-pensions generally, lam free to' say,"as "every honourable man will, tliat.tb;Mr Outram a 'grievous wrong has been dene—a--wrong: out of sheer vindictiveness.-', " . . ' I

I write this letter,of my own accord, and without consulting ;Mr -Out-ram, with all the circumstances of whose: case I am quite familiar, as are the City members who recently took action.—l am, etc,

A: Baegaijt is a Bargain.