WILHELM BACKHAUS

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 1018, 8 July 1930, Page 14

WILHELM BACKHAUS

GREAT PIANIST GIVES THIRD CONCERT A FINE PROGRAMME Wilhelm Backhaus gave the third concert of his present Auckland season in the Town Hall last evening. The perfectly arranged programme gave full scope to his genius—-indeed, the works that he chose to perform were so good in themselves, and his playing was so excellent that one was tempted to forget the player in the beauty of the music. THE tw’o Beethoven sonatas, opus 31, A No. 2, in D Minor, and opus 57, in F Minor (“The Appassionata”) were the dominant pieces of the evening, as, of course, in almost any programme Beethoven must be dominant, but the three Chopin pieces, Fantasie Impromptu, Impromptu in F Sharp Major and Ballade in G Minor, claimed for themselves almost as much attention. The G Minor Ballade, in particular, was perhaps the finest piece of music of the evening, with the single exception of the adagio movement of the opus 32 in D Minor, and Mr. Backhaus was supreme in his rendering of it. The programme opened with three Brahms numbers, two intermezzos, and a romance, all from opus 118. His purity and freshness make Brahms an ideal composer for the beginning of any programme—his music opens the mind and clears the brain in preparation for what is to come after—and last evening his work was a fine prelude to the Beethoven sonatas. The first, in E> Minor, that with the lovely sloxv movement and the tiny six-bar coda composed of unrelated material like “a human figure placed in front of the sphinx so as to show its colossal scale,” was Beethoven as Beethoven should be played—that Is to say, by Mr. Backhaus. As in nearly every other number the conscious effort of the player was forgotten, and one could imagine that one heard the music direct from the composer's brain : without the intervention of any interpreting artist. Again, in “The Appassionata.” there was only music; one ‘ forgot that it was being deliberately . and consciously played by a performer a few yards away. BACKHAUS AT HIS BEST From Beethoven the programme moved to Chopin, the Fantasie Impromptu. If fault is to be found anywhere it should be with this. Jt was played beautifully. of course, but somehoxv the music was disappointing. The piece has, perhaps, been too long popular, it has been murdered too often to remain beautiful in itself and yet. thanks to the playing, it was worth hearing. But the Impromptu in F Sharp Major and the Ballade in G Minor! They were examples of Chopin and Backhaus at their bestfirst, a piece of sparkling light and then a smooth-flowing gracious stream of sound that swept out and withdrew, faded and glowed like sunshine on a cloudy day. It was a perfect performance of matchless music. Next came five short pieces by Debussy, which presented vigorouslv the contrast between classical and modernist music. The first two. “D’Un Cahier d’Esquisses” and “La Fille aux Cheveux de Lin.” were vague languid pieces full of a dreaniv mvstical atmosphere; the third, "La Cathedrale Engloutie,” had more of life in it, and painted a definite picture: the fourth, “Minstrels.” flavoured with negro music was amusing to listen to: and the fifth. “Jardins sous la Pluie.” was a wonderful piece of picture painting and tonal atmosphere. Two pieces by Liszt. “Gnomes' j Dance” and “La Campanella,” com- ; pleted the programme as printed, but I the applause after the last was so enthusiastic that Mr. Backhaus con- , sented to play again. Even then the audience would not leave the hall until r he had been recalled several times to ! the stage. EXTRA CONCERT TOMORROW Owing to the great success of the i concerts, Mr. E. J. Gravestock has ar- I ranged for Mr. Backhaus to give an extra concert tomorrow evening in the Town Hall, when his programme will ; include the “Moonlight” Sonata, by Beethoven, a group of Schumann pieces, a Chopin group including Pre- ! lude in D flat major. Three Studies, and * n F major: Bohemian Dance (Smetana>: Impromptu. Opus 142. No. 3. in B flat major. Moment Musical Ao. 3 m F minor and Militarv March ? „ flat major (Schubert): 'and two Preludes and Fugues from the “Well- ‘ Tempered Clavichord” (Bach>. Box plan arrangements are advertised.