BUSONI IN CHICAGO HAS WARM RECEPTION
Audience Refuses to Leave Orchestra
Hall at Close of Recital Until
Encores are Played
CHICAGO, Feb. 7. - Busoni was heard in recital Sunday afternoon at Orchestra Hall, where he was greeted by a large and very enthusiastic audience whose powers of discrimination were keen. For Busoni to gratify their taste and measure up to the standard of their requirements of an artist pianist, as he did, is an achievement which only a great artist could accomplish. His program was opened with his own arrangements of Bach's "Chromatic Fantasie and Fugue" and two Choral Preludes, "In Thee Is Joy" and "Now Christians, Rejoice." These he played as only Busoni can. As an interpreter of Bach, Busoni stands alone and is pre-eminent. He relieves Bach of his severity and in place of academic accuracy, is found a charming and fluent fancy which would appeal even to those less qualified to understand.
These were followed by the Sonata, op. 11 by Beethoven, and Sonate in B Flat Minor by Chopin. In the latter he brought out the ravishing and intense beauties of the Funeral March, and after many recalls responded with the F Sharp Major Nocturne by the same composer, which he played in a charming manner, with beautiful singing tones. The "Mephisto Waltz" as arranged from orchestral score by Busoni, he executed with brilliancy. The other numbers were: "Wedding March and Elf's Dance," from Mendelssohn's "Midsummer Night's Dream," and the Waltz from "Faust" as arranged by Liszt.
After these numbers, which were the last, the audience refused to leave at once, and in acknowledgment of prolonged and determined applause, he was obliged to respond with an encore. He played Liszt's "Campanella," which in its turn was received with the same hearty demonstration of appreciation that had been given the entire program. G.R.F.
