The Sunday Oregonian., March 08, 1908, Magazine Section, Page 2, Image 46

THE SUNDAY OREGONIAX, PORTLAND, MARCH 8, 190S.
WITH .THE
11 AjE
Francis Ricliter of Portland Now a Pupil
Under the Guidance of Lesclietizky ,
in une lear ne is
Expected to Develop Into An
Artist by His Own Right
r . m ii xmm Sys
BY ALMA A. ROGERS.
ANOTHER milestone Jn the musical
career of Francis Rlchter has
been successfully passed.. . His
first 'lesson with Professor Theodot
Lchetizky took place January 6, to
the great satisfaction of all concerned.
Mr. Rlchter. who has spent several
months In acquiring the technique of
the new method, was prepared some six
weeks previously, but owing; first to
the absence and 'Illness of the master,
and later to the Illness of hie vor
beieiter,. the lesson had "to be post
poned. '.
, Considerable anxiety was felt by .his
friends regarding whatjvas practically
an examination not only in the Leavne
tlzky method but In general musician
ship, for upon Its outcome depended his
acceptance or rejection as a. pupll of
the master.' furthermore, the Hcrr
1'rofeseor has never had a blind, pupil,
and had expressed himself as diffident,
at his 1re. with his many pupils, about
undertaking tho change of teach-hig
necessarily involved.:-
These various considerations made us
leaUae that merit aloue could carry
Sir. Riohtor through.. That he not only
proved himself equal to tho test, but
covered himself with honors as - well;
proclaims once again the genius which
the master, was quick to recognize. It
also evidences the splendid work done
by Fraulctn Frentner, whom Mr. Rlch
ter regards as one of the greatest
teachers in the world, and I have .no
doubt she Is. Mr. Richter has also had
the assistance of her best pupil, a
young Russian, Heno Moss, who comes
for an 'hour dally tto drill him In the
notes and fingering and various other
details which require a, student of the
method. Mr. Moss is expected to rank
with the greatest In a few years, and
very plessant friendship ha sprung
up between these two gifted young
men. s .
Happiest Moment of His Life.
To go back to tho lesson: I was not
permitted to enter the musk--rsom. as
th master does not like strangers to
be present, and spent the. hoar and
mora of waiting in the same ante
room lined with the photographs of
famous people, where we waited so'
long on that July day last year for a
first Interview. But the delighted coun
tenance of Fraulem Prentner when she
and her pupil entered told tho result
before words. As to Francis Richter, I
tlouht if he was ever so happy in his
life as at that moment
The lesson consisted of numbers one
and thirty from, Cxerny'a Art of Fin
gering, the second movement of Beeth
oven's Pawtoral Sonata, and the Scherzo
in K Minor of Mendelssohn. The mas
ter elucidated points by comment on
the artistic principle involved, and il
lustrated his meaning by playing -certain
passages in the manner he wisheij
them rendered, the pupil repeating af
ter him.
Learning Braille System for Blind.
Francis Rlchter has accomplished an
other advance since coming to Vienna
which in some repects is perhaps the
most Important thing he has done. He
has taken up the study of Braille, the
language system for the blind, both in
reading and In musical notation. . The
effect of the latter art will be to make
Mnj independent in his study of music.
For with the compositions of the masters
transcribed in Braille, he can Sit at his
piano and read by finger touch almost as
-readily us If he had sight. In a sense,
therefore, the Braille haa given him eyes,
and has Jruly opened a new. world to him.
His joy in being able thus to express
himself without -dependence on a second,
person has been veryt great. He i has
already begun a sketchbook in which he
writes down in the Braille the musical
id"- that occur to hiirf, which at some
future day -will appear as motifs in his
operas.
When we called- on Herr Labor last
Summer to make arrangements for Mr;'
Rlchter's lessons in composition, he im
mediately said that the young man- must
take up the' Braille, and sent him home
with a slate, a stylus and the alphabet
pricked on a piece of paper. It'was bard
work at first, and alow. To train the
sense of toueh to. distinguish, the direction
of lines and angles composed of punctures
like a pin point, required much patience
and persistence on the part of the pupil.
Discouragement jcarne, of eo'urse, but it
has long since, passed. Mr. Rlchter now
haa considerable facility in both the read
ing and writing of the musical notation.
Noto much attention has-been given to
the language, the musical notation being
the mora essential at this time. For
many weeks past his teacher has given
him as part of his regular lessons in
harmony front J2 to 15 examples to be
read .and worked out ln-the Braille.
There Is a very fine institution for the
blind here. "Mr. Rlchter called, arid was
most kindly received byythe superintend
ent, who gladdened his heart by grant
ing permission to play on the organ m,
the concert saal. When the pressure of
other Btudies cut short , his time, the
organ had to be given up, but only temporarily.-
-, f ,;-
The Bitter With' the Sweet. .
To reach the pwnt- where Francis
Richter now .stands- has required not a
little sacrifice on his part. Until the
peculiar- technique of .the Leschetisky
method was fairly well acquired, he was
under, strict orders not to play anythii)
but the given exerftses. This is a neces
sary . discipline to which alt stu
dents of . the- method have to sub
mit. But in the case of the blind
boy, tho interdict wa particularly severe,
cutting off as It did his one aienue of ex
pression. To spend hours, weeks, indeed
months on monotonous exercises calcu
lated to make the fingers stand up when
one's mind Is full of - musical pictures
which are pressing fr expression Into
melody, requires self-restraint. It ended
sometimes in nervous harassment that
made the rule better honored in the
breach than in tho . observance. But on
the whole he kept to the discipline very
well.
The bitter must come' with the sweet,
and Francis Richter - has found it so
even in the midst of his great opportuni
ties,. But -all these things that were so
hard and new and strange at first hap
pily Tielong in the past. The next six
months will undoubtedly mark a great
progress in his art. .
' Having now the technique,) there re
main the fine points to be -. perfected
nuances,, pedaling, the legato; non-legato,
and all the rest of the factors in artistic
expression., When this Is brought to-a
finish, Francis Rlchter will be ready to
go before the world, mot as a blind
prodigy, but as an artist who ranks with
the greatest bf his generation." His teach
ers say it can be done in another year
of study.
It so chanced that Gabrllowitch who
i a. pupil of Lescbeiiky, Wasmaking a
farewell call on his friend, and teacher
and was present at Mr. Riclfter'a lesson.
By the way. he gave' a concert during his
visit . to Vienna. The attendance was
very small and criticism nor very favor
able. Godowsky. Rosenthal. Sauer an'd
other piano giants familiar to the Ameri
can public have also played .here this
Winter.' ;
Hubermann. a yjung virtuoso- of tha
violin and rival of Kubelik, so well known
in America, appeared- to a rapturously
enthusiastic house a short time ago. This
week Y&aye gives a concert.-
The Schubertbund, with -WO men sing
ers, sang Strauss' waltz songs to an im-
... I t :V ' 1
men8 audience last week. The proceeda
are to be devoted to a -fund for anotbev
dentinal " to Strauss. Her has one al
ready which is one of the most beautiful
rnonuments of Vienna's public-art. - I
refer to 'the Matue in the Ratnaus gar
dens Strauss and Lanner, another favorite-composer
.ot 'waltzes, stand in
life size before a marble colonnade on
which are carved in low relief the whirls
ing -figures -of men and women waltzing.
The lines of the sculptures are exqui
sitely beantifuK and cut with a grace
and . delicacy which portray the -literal
poetry ot motion.
The rhythm of the Strauss waltzes is
characteristic of music here of the lighter
sart. Everywhere you turn you are lf
nainded 04 Strauss; -he is literally em
balmed in Viennese music. The operettes;
of today, such as the "Walts Dream.' u
popular favorite, abounds in the rhyVm
that sets the feet -of the Viennese into
the seductive measures of the waits.
Speaking of the "Waltz Dream" recalls
an absurdity The composer,, who is - a
son of Strauss, has written a parody on
his . own produotion.' It is entitled a
"Polka, Dream" and is a gather clever
musical' caricature. It is high In popu
lar faror. 1 mean with the audiences
that pack, the variety theaters. At one
of these, the Coliseum, the ' "Polka
Dream" has been running for weeks.
Arthur rtmtman- an excellent eomedin
makes the greater park of the perform
ance. One clever- touch that set every
body laughing was the introduction in
the catahy chorus beginning "Piccolo,
piccolo." (In . the "Waltz Dream' the
word- refers to a flute: it also means a
little waiter)- of' a dozen tiny boys.- the
last not much mora titan a baby, all
dressed 'In waiters' evening clothes, who
march across the stage, each holding to
the coattail of the piccolo in front, and
singing with all their might.
The music of "The Merry Widow," an
operate which is now known in both
hemispheres, has the true Viennese
swing. It has made its composer, wno is
of this city, Jl.O0u.W0.
A concert of unusual interest because
of rite reputation of the artist was that
given last week by Busoni, an Italian,
fey
Bixsom, vmo now fills saveeJs
-PLACE A3 TEACHER. OF THE PMNO
IN 'THE '.TZENZ&L caWSERTXlTGRX
who now fills Bauer's place as professor
of piano in tho Conservatory. Just look
at-his picture and you will know how ne
plays. For he plays Just as he looks
a big, powerful man, with muscles
trained to astonishing technic, but lack
ing Jn Bentiment and really fine feeling.
He makes a vast amount of noise and
won still more in return frpm his admri
Ing auditors, who shouted themselves
hoarse with bravos, and called him back
again and again. For ' my part I had
rather heard Sauer play once than Buso
ni a hundred times. Music-lovers of
Portland may remember the little pre
lude of Chopin which Rosenthal played
so perfectly. Busoni rendered this in a
quick, tripping time that almost turned it
into dance music, and entirely robbed it
of t its exquisite grace and charm,. xxc
is a pupil of Liszt.
The general public of Vienna seems to
ba mad on technique. We have again and
again been surprised at the public taste
as evidenced by applause. In America
we are. brought up to think that the
Europeans1 have some mysterious and di
vine right to an intuitive understanding
of music, and some of the other fine arts
which the civilization of the Western
wbrld is too young or too drude to grasp.
I came here with that notion. But it is
passing. From what we have seen I am
Inclined to the opinion that the public
taste of the Americans la quite as good
as that of the Viennese. And it is a
cleaner taste, too. ' -
I waa told by a musician long resident
In this city that the musical status Is de
teriorating, and that the present genera
tion haa not had - opportunity to hear
music equal to that to which their fath
ers and mothers listened. The lack of
good voices in the Imperial opera waa
instanced. That , point is certainly well
taken. I believe this Is the phrase that
Americain .women use in their clubs.. It
is hard to believe here that" such bodies
as women's clubs exist. All that the Vi
ennese ladies seem to have In the way of
developing their minds is to put on their
best clothes and a superfluity of Jewels
and sit for hours drinking jroffee in the
coffee-houses watching who comes and
goes and growing stout la the diversion.)
Much Aid Comes
His Mastering the Braille
tem for the Blind
ARTHUR. G-T7TT2&W, 227 THE
CSQRJ7S "JPZCCODO, JZCCOLO
Well, about the point. The opera singers
are certainly not stars. If by chance one
appears an American manager Is eure to
swoop down and transport that one to
New York, as has happened to Frauleln
Kurtz, who is the bright particular star
of the Hofoper. Next year she goes to
the Metropolitan. ,
The voice of Brie Schmedea, a favorite
tenor, has been impaired by a bad meth
od. However, his voice is big 'and his
acting excellent, two points which carry
him through. Slezak, who ranks as first
tenor, is said to have a wonderful organ,
but that also Is at the disadvantage of a
faulty training.
The same criticism is passed on Anna
von Mildenburg, who was one of the
Brunnhildes in the holiday production of
tho Wagner Ring. Demuth, the big bari
tone, is very good, also Mayr, the basso.
I sometimes wonder if it is but the
glamor of a first happy Impression or a
really sound Judgment that makes me se
cretly believe there are no singers in the
Vienna imperial opera equal to those of
the royal opera in Dresden, that lovely
little city like unto a dream of peace and
beauty. No, I am sure we have heard no
voices here equal to the Wederklnd and
Karl Burriam. But you mustn't say these
things in Vienna, where "you are supposed
to have the cream of the ualverse. We
almost offended one-musician by reckless
ly expressing an unfavorable -comparison
of the Hofoper orchestra with that of
Dresden. But of all the music in Vienna,
it Is safe to say that the orchestral is
the beet. It comes so close to perfection
that it is enough. '
' The criticisms which have been made
On the vocal methods of the opera singers
remind me that there is one person in Vi
enna who really knows how to train the
voice. There may- be more. I do not
know. There are plenty of teachers with
reputation. But I personally know of but
one, and that is Frau Giampietro, who is
herself a finished artist. She has the true
Lilil Lehmann and Jean de Reszke meth
od, which not only develops the finest
qualities of voice, but preserves it remark
ably in age. I happen to know several
American students, the work she has done
with them, and also to kpow her person-
y ..
OSCAR. STRAUSS. THE? COMPOSER
OF" THE "TVALTZ VZEAMT TVITHZ
THE jZnnr'r,
ally through her Interest in Francis Rlch
tei. - . :
Mr. Richter was invited to Frau Giam
pietro s beautiful home last week, and
played before a company of ner friends.
She Is giving a series of receptions, at
which the young pianist will also play. It
Grandmothers Now in Fashion
They Are the Social Leaders of Today's High Society.-
GRANDMOTHERS are fashionable.
It Is fashionable, to be a grand
mother. 1 Society concedes these
facts, and. In truth, bows down en masse
before tho modern grandmother, who is
synonymous with the social leader of
today. She is not the gwandinother of old
time, this grandmother of the year 190S,
but if the truth be told she has many
fine traits in common with" that individual
of history with whose name are asso
ciated snowy puffs of hair, a foldejl
kerchief around the neck, a marvelous
cap of finest texture, which must needs
always be carried by a faithful- maid in
a basket woven especially to suit the
cap- The grandmother of today knows
nothing of caps or of the insignia that
were formerly associated with the title
role. But. in fact, she does not need'
any such insignia of rank to mark her as
being noteworthy. She stands supreme as
the leading lady of the time, as well as
the social leader, and the woman of
affairs Indeed, in truth, he who must
be obeyed.
In New York society .today there are
many members of the most prominent
families' who are grandmothers and yet
who look scarcely older than the de
butantes, and this not through any artifi
cial aids to beauty,-hut simply through
being themselves. They may be larger
and their figures built on more generous
lines, although many of them are ex
tremely slender, but it la their appearance
of perfect health and beauty which marks
them as notable examples 'of the best
type of our American aristocracy.
The grandmother of 60 years ago may
have been vigorous and alert mentally
and physically, but it was the fashion of
those days to relegate her to the back
seat. In these days there Is no grand
mother of importance whom anyone
would for a moment Imagine relegated
to that position. She would be so obvi
ously out of place that the mere idea
would seem an absurdity. No, a front
place in the front rank- Is where she be
longs, a place accorded to her by uni
versal consent of her own contempora
ries, as well as of those of their next
generation. In truth the next generation
must needs take the back seat In prefer
ence,, and to their credit be It said they
make no- demur thereat, but accept it as
proper and fitting. '
It la so fashionable to have- a grand
mother, one who can be called upon in
emergencies, pointed out as really being
one, that the position must of necessity
be pleasing. It would aeem as though
the grandmother of today, realizing that
point, took special pains to always look
her best, to be always well gowned, and
to also always be thoroughly at ease.
It Is the poise, the assurance and the
charm of the true woman of the worldi
who has attained, who knows full well
what life - means, but who through life
has gained life's knowledge and with it
sympathy and breadth of though that
come only from association with the best
and from experience of the best. The
charm of a social leader Is indescribable.
She is born, not made, and. the palm of
leadership is accorded to her by common
consent In any and every walk of life.
But the grandmother who at the same
time Is the social leader has attained a
-v v
1
JJ JWJZxG- FEOTLE
is a very good opportunity for him to
meet some of Vienna's musical people of
rank. Patronage seems to be almost as
necessary here today as It waa In Beetho
ven's time.
Since everybody In Portland knows
Francis Richter and is more or less inter
ested in his progress, perhaps I may be
excused for writing open letters to his
friends, as that is the only kind possible.
I must tell them, then, that a few days
after the Giampletro reception he gave a
recital at our wohnung, to about 30 guests
whom a friend Invited to hear him play.
Here la the programme:
Rondo capriccioto. G-major Beethovsn
Andanta and variation". F-minor. .. .Haydn
Paraphrase on the waits, "Southern Robs"
k Shytte
"GranS Polonaise." A-flat Chopin
"Berceuse" Chopin
"WooJiar.d" eketch McDowell
a. "Ignis Fatuus"; b, "To a Water Lily"
"Hungarian Rhapsody" Liszt
XIV - Hungarian Rhapsody" Lint
A good story is being told of Hamburg,
the pianist, also a .pupil of Leschetizky.
Recently he made a concert tour in Po
land. While in the City of Warsaw he
was seized by the revolutionists and car
ried blindfolded into, a cellar, whera he
was placed before a splendid piano and
told to play. He did play, and never to a
more appreciative audience. They gath
ered around him at the last and told him
his next concert would be an unsurpassed
success. When the day came the hall waa
packed with an elegant and fashionable
audience, who fairly rent the air with
their plaudits. Of course the inference of
the story is that It was the revolutionists
themselves who formed his audience, this
time not In disguise.
Vienna, Feb. 9.
position in the world of society and fash
ion which is much to be desired. Her
word is law, - her precepts are followed,
she Is given the respect due to ago with
the admiration due to youth, and even
the love that falls to the lot of het
daughter In so far as .years are concerned
For some time it has been fashionable
for parents to be interested In their chil
dren. Children may not have taken the
same Interest in their parents, but that
has mattered little, and to be the proud
possessor of offspring has been quite the
thing in fashionable society. It is an
open question as to whether their pater
nal Instinct is very strongly developed
when the children are young, but as they
grow older and are perhaps more pre
sentable, the American father joins with
the American mother in his interest in
the welfare of their sons and daughters
and in plans for their future.
The grandmother apparently takes even
more interest, especially if the children
be good looking, and openly expresses
her delight in them. It is said one rea
son is that she Is not bothered by the
care of them and consequently can enjoy
them more easily, but, at all events, she
delights In talking about them, JUBt as
did the grandmother of olden time.
Are girls and men marrying younger
than they did a generation ago? Unques
tionably they are, although this may ap
ply more especially to what are ordi
narily known as society people, in whose
ranks within the last five or eight years
have taken place more marriages of
young men and young women than has
been the case since two generations ago,
when it was eminently fashionable for
girls to marry before they were 18, the,
present grandmothers In many In
stances having been married when
they were 16 or a little older. The
modern grandmother, she who is
prominent socially ' today. and her
daughter each naving married young,
the former is of necessity not a very
aged Individual herself, and is, of course,
well fitted o enjoy all the pleasures of
social life. She has been in society all
her life and consequently it holds few
novelties tor her. She has fought her
fight and won honors in the social arena
and consequently is well prepared for
any emergency that may arise (even
that of being a grandmother), so that It
Is small wonder that she can take her
place at the head.
. At all social gatherings of importance
the- woftnen who are the most prominent
are. Invariably the grandmothers; rather
a sweeping statement, it may be thought,
but when in the list are Included such
names as Mrs. Goelet, Mrs. Henry Clews,
Mrs. Luther Kountze, Mrs. Lorlllard
Spencer, Mrs. Douglas Rqbinson, a sis
ter of President Roosevelt: Mrs. Charles
Oelrlchs, Mrs. Charles S. Brown, whose
pretty daughter la a debutante of this
Winter and who so closely resembles her
mother ,they are often taken for sisters;
Mrs. Seward Webb and Mrs. William D.
Sloane, it can readily be understood that
the modern grandmother is of necessity
socially prominent, and these are but a
few of those who have attained the
proud pre-eminence. One and all are
loud in their praises of their grandchil
dren and laugh with thy world at large
that they can be called grandmothers.
New York Herald,