Frederick Chopin, as a Man and Musician — Volume 2 eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 526 pages of information about Frederick Chopin, as a Man and Musician — Volume 2.

Frederick Chopin, as a Man and Musician — Volume 2 eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 526 pages of information about Frederick Chopin, as a Man and Musician — Volume 2.
The performance was certainly of the highest order in point of musical attainment and artistic skill, and was completely successful in interesting and delighting everyone present for an hour and a half.  Visited as we now are by the highest musical talent, by this great player and the other eminent composer, it must be difficult for each successive candidate for our patronage and applause to produce in sufficient quantity that essential element to success—­novelty; but M. Chopin has proved satisfactorily that it is not easy to estimate the capabilities of the instrument he handles with so much grace and ingenuity, or limit the skill and power whose magic touch makes it pour forth its sublime strains to electrify and delight anew the astonished listener.  M. Chopin’s treatment of the pianoforte is peculiar to himself, and his style blends in beautiful harmony and perfection the elegant, the picturesque, and the humorous.  We cannot at present descend to practical illustrations in proof of these observations, but feel persuaded we only express the feelings of all who attended yesterday when we say that the pianist produces, without extraordinary effort, not only pleasing, but new musical delights.  Madame Adelasio has a beautiful voice, which she manages with great ease and occasional brilliancy.  She sang several airs with much taste and great acceptance.  We may mention that all the pieces were rapturously applauded, and the audience separated with expressions of the highest gratification.

Clearly this critic was not without judgment, although his literary taste and skill leave much to be desired.  That there were real Chopin enthusiasts in Glasgow is proved by an effusion, full of praise and admiration, which the editor received from a correspondent and inserted on September 30, two days after the above criticism.  But, without indulging our curiosity further, we will now take our leave of Glasgow and Glasgow critics.

On October 4, Chopin gave an evening concert in Edinburgh.  Here is the programme:—­

Hopetoun rooms, queen street
Monsieur Chopin’s soiree musicale.

Programme.

1.  Andante et Impromptu. 2.  Etudes. 3.  Nocturne et Berceuse. 4.  Grande Valse Brillante. 5.  Andante precede d’un Largo. 6.  Preludes, Ballade, Mazurkas et Valses.

To commence at half-past eight o’clock.  Tickets,
limited to number, half-a-guinea each.  To be had, &c.

Mrs. Lyschinski told me that this concert was chiefly attended by the nobility.  Half-a-guinea had never been charged for admission to a concert (which is probably overstating the case), and Chopin was little known.  Miss Stirling, who was afraid the hall might not be filled, bought fifty pounds’ worth of tickets.  The piano on which Chopin played (one sent by Broadwood, and used in Glasgow as well as in Edinburgh) was afterwards sold for 30 pounds above the price.  Thus, at any rate, runs the legend.

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Frederick Chopin, as a Man and Musician — Volume 2 from Project Gutenberg. Public domain.