CHOPIN, BY SMETERLIN
"LJATS off, gentlemen: a genius!" pronounced Robert Schumann after hearing Chopin’s Opus 2. "As _ pianist and composer he is an artist apart. He bears no resemblance to any other musician I know." Schumann’s generous tribute may well be echoed by Wellington concertgoers during the coming week. A complete recital of Chopin’s works is to be given in the Capital on Saturday, June 5, by one of the foremost interpreters of Chopin, the Polish pianist Jan Smeter-
lin. "Of all possible interpretations of Chopin," one critic has written, "Smeterlin’s appears to me to be the most comprehensive and at the same time the most reasonable. They are beautifully planned as regards climax, and yet leave the impression of utter spontaneity; they ate full of emotional significance, yet are never marred by overstatement." Smeterlin’s Chopin recital will consist of the Fantasie in F Minor, Four Mazurkas (Nos. 37, 41, 23, 25), the Sonata in B Flat Minor, Scherzo in E Major, Nocturne in D Flat Major, Four Etudes (Opus 25, Nos. 8 and 3, Opus 10, Nos. 2 and 11), and the Scherzo in B Flat Minor. If the critics are correct, these Chopin works will be played in a manner not dissimilar to that adopted by the com--poser~ himself. An English critic has analysed Smeterlin’s piano stlyle as follows: "He likes to’make things glitter, though he can make the piano sing. Characteristic of Smeterlin is the delivery of every detail with a high finish ‘tather than an unduly impulsive surrender to mood." Chopin himself is said to have enchanted his hearers by his unerring sense of ‘style, his exquisite | phrasing and his remarkable singing tone. What he lacked in volume, he made up in nuance, substituting the most delicate tonal effects for his want of dynamic strength. In addition to the Chopin recital, Jan Smeterlin’s itinerary for the programmeweek covered by this issue calls for a concerto performance with the National Orchestra at Auckland on Tuesday, June 1, and a solo recital at Dunedin on Thursday, June 3. The Auckland concerto performance will be broadcast by all YC stations, the Dunedin recital by 4YC, and the Wellington recital by b> 4on
Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/periodicals/NZLIST19540528.2.57
Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka
New Zealand Listener, Volume 30, Issue 775, 28 May 1954, Page 26
Word count
Tapeke kupu
363CHOPIN, BY SMETERLIN New Zealand Listener, Volume 30, Issue 775, 28 May 1954, Page 26
Using this item
Te whakamahi i tēnei tūemi
Material in this publication is protected by copyright.
Are Media Limited has granted permission to the National Library of New Zealand Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa to develop and maintain this content online. You can search, browse, print and download for research and personal study only. Permission must be obtained from Are Media Limited for any other use.
Copyright in the work University Entrance by Janet Frame (credited as J.F., 22 March 1946, page 18), is owned by the Janet Frame Literary Trust. The National Library has been granted permission to digitise this article and make it available online as part of this digitised version of the New Zealand Listener. You can search, browse, and print this article for research and personal study only. Permission must be obtained from the Janet Frame Literary Trust for any other use.
Copyright in the Denis Glover serial Hot Water Sailor published in 1959 is owned by Pia Glover. The National Library has been granted permission to digitise this serial and make it available online as part of this digitised version of the Listener. You can search, browse, and print this serial for research and personal study only. Permission must be obtained from Pia Glover for any other use.
Log in