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Huneker, James, 1860-1921

"Chopin : the Man and His Music"

How clear it all became as Tausig played
it! Of technical difficulties he knew literally nothing; the
intricate and evasive parts were as easy as the easiest--I
might say easier!
I admired the short trills in the left hand, which were
trilled out quite independently, as if by a second player; the
gliding ease of the cadence marked dolcissimo. It swung itself
into the higher register, where it came to a stop before A
major, just as the introduction stopped before C major. Then,
after the theme has once more presented itself in a modified
form--variant--it comes under the pestle of an extremely
figurate coda, which demands the study of an artist, the
strength of a robust man--the most vigorous pianistic health,
in a word! Tausig overcame this threatening group of terrific
difficulties, whose appearance in the piece is well explained
by the programme, without the slightest effect. The coda, in
modulated harp tones, came to a stop before a fermata which
corresponded to those before mentioned, in order to cast
anchor in the haven of the dominant, finishing with a witches'
dance of triplets, doubled in thirds.


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