Amazing Boy

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 488, 18 October 1928, Page 16

Amazing Boy

CHERKASSKY CHARMED BIG SYDNEY AUDIENCE A GREAT PIANIST All musical Auckland should hear Shura Cherkassky, the Russian youngster, who opens a season at the Auckland Town Hall this evening. It is said that he is a wonderful pianist, not only as a purely technical player, but with the mind of a mature artist who has become associated with the sublime thoughts of the great masters. Reviewing his opening recital at Sydney, the “Sunday News” stated that his power and reflective propensity were (Remonstrated even in his first effort, the Liszt’s transcription of Bach’s organ fantasy and fugue in G minor, which he played with remarkable smoothness and felicitous expression. There was no suspicion of immaturity, and that was really the wonder of it. 1 % leed, it was only here and there that the youthful mind was suggested in the whole of his night’s work. Closing one’s eyes, one could imagine a Paderewski in one of his best moods. “Beethoven’s ‘Appassionata’ made its usual appeal to the sensitive musical minds, and it was in this that the soul of the boy was reflected. The composer’s dignity, sublimity, and high aspiration were brought out with all the richness of the modern piano. Cherkassky has an enviable gift of illustrating through the means of tonal gradations the trend of a composer’s thought. Following him as he progresses on his flowery way is a sheer delight. "An illustration of his ability to sustain the beauty of melodic pianistic utterance was found in the well known

“Barcarolle” of Chopin. The beauty of the work was felt in the last phrase. Cherkassky has certainly the finish, the polish of the veteran master. He loves Chopin. That could not be doubted, for after the Barcarolle he played with all the warmth of an ardent devotee the studies in E major, opus 10. No. 3, and opus ‘25, No. 12, completing the memorable group with the scherzo in B flat minor, opus 3].

“And so. gathering admiration on his way, he played Josef Hofmann’s Debussy’s ‘Reveree,’ Rachmaninoff’s ‘Prelude in G Minor,’ Liszt’s ‘Liebes—traum,’ and Schulz-Eler’s transcription of Strauss’s ‘Blue Danube’ waltz.”

Back ToTheWaltz

Dance Professors Veto Cheap American Jazz

A revulsion of feeling against Negro dances and a tendency to return to the languorous pace of the Viennese waltz were the two most important features of the \Vorld’s Dancing Congress, held in Paris, which was attended by dele—gates from dancing schools throughout Eurppe _and Amenica.

'The labours of the congress con—sisted of inspecting and judging tho latest dances from all over the world under the eyes of the most critical experts, including M. Plessac, representing the French ‘Lahour Ministry, to which a report will be presented. The new American dances known as the “Heebie—Jeehies” and the “Black Bottom” were both ruled out. the former as being unworthy of civilised society, and the latter as being remin—iscent chiefly of “an elephant trying to {at out of a traffic block in a crowded ‘ew York street.”

The vote of the congress went to the I'Buda Pesth,” a new Hungarian dance which blends the gliding step of the “Boston" with the rhythm of the Vienussg milk-