Ferruccio Busoni in the dual role of pianist and composer was the chief attraction of this week's Boston Symphony Orchestra concerts. As pianist Mr. Busoni selected the seldom played C minor concerto of Beethoven for his vehicle of expression, while as composer he was featured in the program with his suite for orchestra, from the music to Gozzi's "Turandot." The well known aphorism that great gifts are only recognized after a man is dead hardly applies to Mr. Busoni, who has surely come into his own while still in the prime of life, with the musical world lauding his genius. But to laud almost unthinkingly because swept off one' feet by sheer stupendous greatness, and to be able to recognize the fundamental reason for the greatness, are two diametrically opposed conditions. In this way much of Mr. Busoni's work is apt to be beyond the comprehension of many who confound artistic reticence, which is the birthright of strong natures, with temperamental coldness. Again, too, the attitude of impersonality which a deep thinker and interpreter unconsciously assumes in order to do the utmost justice to the composer, by becoming the mediator between the creator and his hearers, is also one which must be taken into consideration in judging Mr. Busoni's playing. A virtuoso of the most exalted rank, it would be an impertinence to consider technical feats in one and the same breath with this master's art - a colorist, yes, decidedly; that is, not the opulently glowing colors of gorgeous sentimentality which many, for lack of a better definition, call "soul," but the soft grays intermingled with the more clearly defined black and white, and an imperishable aura of strength and virile tenderness interpenetrating all - that is the keynote to Mr. Busoni's art. The Beethoven concerto, one of his earlier ones, has an almost Mozartian simplicity with the naive beauty so expressive of that period. And nowhere in the whole number was that more evident than in the lovely largo, in the playing of which the artist wove a spell that will not soon be forgotten. The closing movement and its brilliant climax called forth a storm of applause which did not cease until Mr. Busoni was called back some half dozen times or more to bow his acknowledgments. As a composer, again, the great artist revealed another side of his nature. A lovely Oriental exoticism, a riot of coloring and a sense for orchestral values that displayed a master hand, were everywhere evident. Although the program was over long the audience remained until the close, nor moved from the hall until Mr. Busoni came back several times in answer to the frantic applause. A memorable reading of Strauss' "Don Quixote," by Conductor Fiedler, in which Mr. Warnke as solo cellist and Mr. Ferir on the viola shared the honors, and the prelude to "Lohengrin" completed this admirable program, admirably performed. As the orchestra will be away on its travels during the next ten days, there will be no concerts until the week following, while the next big event scheduled comes with Mr. Busoni's recital appearance in Jordan Hall on February 28.
