Par 1 p.184 Of pianists of the present day few are better known than Vladimir de Pachmann, who was born at Odessa in 1848, where his father was a professor in the university, and a good amateur violinist. At the age of eighteen young De Pachmann was sent to the conservatory at Vienna, where he obtained the gold medal. He returned to Russia in 1869 and gave a series of concerts with much success. Not satisfied with his own performances, he retired for eight years in order to devote himself to hard study, and then tried public performance again at Leipzig, Berlin, and other places. Still dissatisfied with himself, he retired again for two years, after which he gave three concerts in Vienna and three in Paris, which were satisfactory to him. Since that time he has appeared p.185 in almost all the chief cities of the world, and is recognised as a wonderful player of Chopin. His individuality is remarkable and amusing.

Par 2 De Pachmann, at least during his early tours in America, was notable for his eccentricities. It was said of him that he never did himself justice in the opening numbers of his programs. At one recital he found fault with his chair, and when another was brought it was very little more to his liking. He seemed to be annoyed by his shirt collar, and he confided to the nearest members of the audience that it was impossible to play in such a heated atmosphere, and yet the genius shone through it all. "This is an age when individuality is the thing," wrote a critic. "It is perhaps better to accept the strange pianist as he is, with his foibles, his silliness, his surpassing genius, — for the man is a genius. When he came to his better self he played superbly. He makes p.186 remarks to his audience, and seems to be as sincere in his silliness as he is in his playing."

Par 3 In the Fremdenblatt [Foreign Gazette], in 1884, was an article which said: "Anton Rubinstein smote the piano players as Samson did the Philistines. After the leonine paw of Rubinstein came the feline foot of Pachmann. He does not pose at the piano as others do, gazing abstractedly forward in complete absorption; — no, he turns his face to the public, fixing them with his glowing black eyes and holding them in complete control. Let one address but a syllable to his neighbour during the playing, he calls him to order with a sibilant 'Bst! If the public should indulge in rather more applause than is agreeable to the artist, he signifies by apt gestures with hands and arms that there has been enough disturbance. Should a repetition of some piece be insisted on, he does not yield unconditionally to the request, but first looks at p.187 his watch to see if he has exceeded the time allotted for the concert.

Par 4 "These extraordinary things are permissible to the great artist and not to the mere player. Such is Pachmann in conception and development. Soft, sweet tone, his caressing hand reminds one of Thalberg, except that his technique and musical perception are more universal. His playing is full of sentiment and thoughtful."

Par 5 During his American tour of 1891 and 1892 De Pachmann was accompanied by his wife, who had been a Miss Okey before her marriage, and was one of his pupils. Madame de Pachmann gave some recitals in New York, when De Pachmann made himself amusing by sitting amongst the audience and applauding vigorously, also exclaiming, "Charmante! Magnifique!" etc., as occasion offered. He went through marvellous contortions expressive of delight, evidently feeling that his wife was not yet fully appreciated, and endeavouring p.188 to impress upon the audience the excellence of her performance. He was enjoyed immensely.

Par 6 Unfortunately this charming devotion was not of long duration, and in the course of time the customary divorce was sought and obtained. Madame de Pachmann became the wife of the French lawyer, Maître Labori, now celebrated as the defender of the ill-fated Captain Dreyfus, whose trial in France in 1899 caused a sensation throughout the civilised world.

Par 7 De Pachmann made his most successful tour in America during the season of 1899-1900, when the large number of rival pianists only caused his light to shine with greater intensity. One of the leading musical critics said of him, "There is so much misleading talk nowadays of the new Chopin interpretation that one really wonders if piano-pounding, blurred pedalling, distorted rhythms, and cheap sentimentalism really constitute a p.189 Chopin. De Pachmann is erratic, is a man of moods, but he never plays Chopin with an axe — to employ an accurate, if not elegant, simile; and if his personal behaviour is at times unusual, remember, please, that it never upsets his beautiful playing."

Par 8 Such is De Pachmann, a rare artist and an eccentric being; one cannot conceive his fertility in gestures until one sees him at work.

Par 9 p.240 Rosenthal's peculiar temperament, a temperament that is sometimes hard but never lean in its expression of musical truths, readily lends itself to the grandiloquent, the magnificant, sonorous, nobility in decoration, and all that is lofty and sublimated in pure thought. But he misses or rather neglects the softer, serener side of art. There is no twilight in his playing, yet he controls every nuance of the piano palette. De Pachmann and Rosenthal both draw from the instrument remarkable varied tonal qualities. Rosenthal's tone is the thunderbolt, De Pachmann's like a rose-leaf, yet Rosenthal, because of sheer power, can whisper quite as poetically as the Russian.