After an absence of some years this popular pianist made his reappearance at St. James's-hall on Saturday afternoon, when the size of the audience gave good augury for the revival of the vogue which he formerly enjoyed. He began his programme with a number of pieces by Schumann, of which the sonata in G minor was in parts quite beautifully played. In the slow movement a good deal of the old poetry and tenderness was exhibited, and in the first section, and again in the finale, much intelligence was shown. "Warum" was given after this, in ultra-sentimental style, but not unpleasingly; and the player's performance of "Grillen" would have been the best thing of the afternoon had it not been for the exaggerated way in which the last eight bars were taken. So famous a player of Chopin's works could not but lay stress upon them in making his reappearance, and accordingly a larger number of these than usual were in the programme. The ballade in A flat, the impromptu in F sharp, there [three] preludes, three studies, two mazurkas, and the D flat valse were given, as well as the "berceuse", played as an encore. M. de Pachmann has a strong affinity with Chopin's music, and in the rendering of many of these pieces there were moments of exquisite beauty, more especially in the more "intimate" and expressive passages. Liszt's naïve Légende, "St. François de Paule", and his tarantella completed the list of works performed, which were listened to with some enthusiasm. M. de Pachmann's playing is so meritorious that all the more regret must be felt for the absurd affectations of manner which seem to have grown upon him even more strongly of late, and which cannot fail to destroy for every judicious amateur all pleasure in hearing him play.