ANDRE SKALSKI.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 49, Issue 14959, 10 July 1923, Page 6

ANDRE SKALSKI.

AMAZING PIANO HANDS FEATS OF MEMORY.

Andre Skalski, the eminent Polish pianist, who is to play in Masterton in the Opera House on Saturday next, July 14th, is easily one of the most, successful pianists who ever visited the Dominion. The enthusiasm in the bigger centres was so pronounced that the management felt induced to .postpone engagements of Mr. Skalski in Australia" and to give a limited number of recitals in the smaller but no less important towns of New Zealand as well. Owing to the furore created in the principal towns the originally intended number of concerts had to be doubled and trebled. Taking Christchurch as sample, hundreds failed to gain admission. The critics of the papers were devoting columns to express their admiration for Mr. Skalski’s playing and personality. Here are a few opinions from the season in Dunedin, will ere five concerts during one week were given. Says the Otago Daily Times, June 4: — “Mr Skalski is one of the most interesting of pianists to visit Dunedin. He is no musical showman, tearing the heart out of the piano in prodigious feats of prestidigitation. He inspires immediate confidence. He gives the impression of possessing the poetic temperament, and of being one to whom song is a second nature. This is the dominating side of his art, and it is a great pleasure to make acquaintance with an artist who displays in so pronounced a manner this quality which is both rare and precious. He has all the necessary reserve power to impart tremendous vigour to his work when necessary. It is a noticeable as well as an agreeable feature of his interpretation* that, much less than many pianists who have visited us does he incline to seize the spectacular opportunity. This makes for propriety in proportion find balance. The undiscerning might fail quite fully to realise the brilliance of Mr Skalski’s technique by very reason of its astonishing ease. The initiated will, however, quickly appreciate his command of the keyboard and the facility with which he accomplishes feats of uncommon technical significance. Mr Skalski be it added, is a peculiarly interesting musician by virtue of the chord of sympathy with which Tic holds his hearers. The attitude manifested by his first audience in Dunedin spoke volumes for the appeal exerted by his art.” The Otago-Daily Times, June 7th: — “Mr Andre SknlskiAs pianoforte playing has met with universal admiration during his short stay in Dunedin. His hearers cannot fail to be impressed by the marvellous execution of Mr. Skalski in his playing. Rapid as the movement of his hands are, there is no symptom of tiring, and he finishes in the same calm, easy condition as he begins, no matter how severe the test he has come through. The audience was delighted.” The Otago Daily Times, June 9th:— “Chopin's Polonaise in A Major was a superb performance. It is' rat Tier marvellous. how Mr. Skalski manages to remember with such accuracy all the compositions he plays. It is indeed, a feat of memory.”

' The booking opens at the Arts an Crafts to-morrow morning.