Show i ewski n Reigns R In Piano Keyboard World Wor-ld I 1 K Iv IGNACE P has come back back back-at at 62 scoring the greatest personal artistic achievement of ot of I the century The worlds world's supreme pianist was 55 when he abandoned his artistic career for forthe forthe forthe the patriotic service of ot his beloved Poland When he had accomplished all he could for his country he de decided decided de- de at 61 to return to his piano But could he regain his former glory Wilson Vilson G. G Smith one of ot Americas America's foremost critics and composers answers answers answers an an- in the following article By WILSON G. G SMITH Famous American Music and end Composer erstwhile premier or of Poland and present premier pianist of ot the world has come again into his kingdom the kIngdom the kingdom of art where he reigns with regal splendor Time was when he sat at the piano and like an wove tonal threads of which dreams are made and cast the glamour o of his poesy like a aspell aspell aspell spell upon all who heard the mechanical means of expression was lost sight and hearing of through the resplendent and ecstatic ec ecstatic ecstatic ec- ec static glory of his Inspiration lIe He was a painter of ot moods clothed In colors glowing with iridescence Iridescence-as as changeable and beautiful as the rain rain- bow To the old masters he Imparted an undreamed-of undreamed import call It inspiration inspiration tion lion If you like for it had a a. subtle quality that differentiated it from all others MOULDS TONE LIKE SCULPTOR He his his tonal phrases with the plastic certainty of utterance with w which the deft hands of pf t the sculptor models his clay In his halcyon days did more to make obvious to the public the essentials of tonal beauty as opposed to mere technical display in piano playing than all the tho horde of pet petty Y tyrants of the keyboard before or since This was In his first es estate estate es- es tate in later years he seemed obsessed with the idea that noise noise or or volume if you like was like was the great perquisite and banged the piano like Hercules at athis athis athis his Augean task or Vulcan at his anvil an an- an- an vil The piano fairly groaned and shrieked under his titanic onslaughts It was frenzied emotionalism carried to the nth degree with but few traces of the subtle beauties that had characterized characterized characterized char char- his former artistry METHODS UNDERGO CHANGE CHANG It was a a most astounding debacle and can only be accounted for through psychological reasoning and analysis complex and subtle But n now w the tale Is a different one Concisely it is the supreme artist o of his first estate with all his engaging charms o of tonal beauty and Interpretative inspiration reincarnated and made audible The master is himself again through tragic experiences his inspirational style has nas become more mellowed and Imbued with an even greater reater appeal and charm Twelve thousand nd people obsessed by enthusiasm rose in mass to do him homage at tho the recital in Cleveland where I heard him the other evening To arouse such e enthusiasm in a mixed audience with a severely virtuosity virtuosity vir vir- but something more far reachIng reaching reaching reach reach- ing and that Is personality and the intriguing In Intriguing intriguing in- in charm of ot Inspirational play play- ing So Sq I make male po Pt mistake in using the term Pad an an artist supreme and unapproachable |