It is 1888. The third of March. Saturday. Parisians hurriedly stride the streets in the direction of the renowned concert hall Erard, to listen to
a young, unknown virtuoso. Rumors about the emergence of a new comet onthe musical firmament, the pianist with original looks from Poland, hadbeen circulating among the high society for a couple of days. Both theordinary Parisians as well as the upper crust of the society sit in astylish room. It will suffice to mention that duchesses Brancovan andGorczakow as well as countess Potocka are present. The guests areovercome by excitement and the air is imbued with expectation. Eyes arefixed on the stage which is plunged into semidarkness. Out of thesudden a strange figure, resembling a some exotic bird with a pinkcrest, appears on the stage and heads for the piano. What a fiery maneof hair! Its tint is so rare, neither golden nor flaming red! Yet thefiery red shade of this mane is not displeasing to oversensitive ladiesoccupying the first rows and does not offend their highlydiscriminating taste. This eccentric mane offers the foretaste of thebeauty flowing out of the pianists fingers. Indeed Monsieur Paderewskihas not disappointed, he matches a romantic ideal, cherished by woman,about a pianist from a distant country, the country boasting heroicpast, the country Chopin came from [...] He smiled and his eyes becamebarely visible, narrow slits, he reminds of a satyr. [..] In the subtlyoutlined lips there lurk a tinge of sensual dreaming, additionallyaccentuated by a soft line of moustache [...] And a strange paleness ofcomplexion, reminding of the old civilization. [...] The whole figureconnotes brightness and light. From these observations, committed topaper by Rom Landau, emerges the figure of Ignacy Jan Paderewski. Thisdescription is artistic, embellished both in content and form, we daresay even sophisticated. Words seem to flow, effacing their informativecharacter and stricte sense. They bring to mind colors in the hands ofa painter, who from shimmering, imprecise contours of particularmeanings gradually forms a peculiar counterfeit - the Portrait of theMaster.

The Portrait of I. J. Paderewskiego painted by Laurensa Alma-Tademy

The physiognomy of Paderewski was the object of common interest. He was of medium height, proportionally built, always dressed in highest quality attires. "Perfectionist at the piano, in terms of clothes, he was a sophisticated dandy who would spend a fortune on silk shirts, waistcoats, tail coats, patent leather shoes and low shoes made to order in London, fur coats, hats made by Lock, exquisite watches, cuff links, tie pins or cigarette cases." Yet lavish clothes were nothing more than a complement to the original looks of Paderewski. It is his luxuriant hair, paleness of complexion and penetrating, almost magnetic look that attracted spectators, interlocutors or chance observers. In numerous memoirs we can find inspiring associations, attempts to compare the artist to a proud lion, an angel or a star. Young Artur Rubinstein visiting Paderewski in Riond Bosson described their meeting as follows: "[...] the central door opened widely and there rose the Sun, yes, the Sun. It was Paderewski, who despite turning forty a long time ago still looked young, dresses in a white suit, white shirt and a white fancy tie. The mane of his golden hair, mustache of the same color and a tuft of hair between his mouth and chin made him resemble a lion. Yet his smile and personal charm made him bear a resemblance to the sun..."

The caricatrure published in one of the american newspaper

One evening stuck into Abram Chasins mind in particular. Paderewski was playing in a room crowded with guests, and a specific tension could be detected in the air. When Chasins turned, Paderewski was standing at the door and their eyes met. "Never will I forget this majestic seriousness, quiet dignity and royal pose - the figure of this man glowed in a room full of most renown guests, as if out of the sudden a dazzling light was turned on". Shining, glittering eyes, radiating face - these terms reappear in reports of those who met Paderewski. A twelve-year-old princess Anna Brancovan, (a future poet and a friend of Marcel Proust) suspected the artist of some superhuman qualities: "I saw some archangel with red hair and blue eyes, whose clear, fixed, scrutinizing and proud look penetrated into the core of your soul [...] In a luminous halo, with eyes fixed on the stars, he came to us as a great Magus and immediately won our hearts". The impression, often defying description, Paderewski made on her each time they met, did not fade as they years went by: "[...] in the presence of Ignacy Paderewski we were like people who suddenly walked out of the shade into daylight, people who sense with great delight a delicate, yet scorching pressure of warm air."

The popularity of the virtuoso, in the wake of a great success on stages in Paris, reached the zenith with lighting speed. Journalists devoted whole pages to him in newspapers, critics delighted in giving vent to their cutting remarks, whereas painters and caricaturists reached for brushes and pencils to capture both the transient charm and the specificity of artist's physiognomy. Paderewski became a frequent guest in the studios of the English Pre-Raphaelites. He posed for Edward Burne-Jones and Laurens Alma-Tadema. He was portrayed by the daughter of Queen Victoria Luiza, and it was Albert Gilbert himself who created his bust. Burne-Jones in a letter to a friend, recalls the meeting with the pianist as follows: "Nowadays a some beautiful man named Paderewski is staying in London; I would like to have his face, appearance [...] and so refined manners [...] the whole arsenal of courteous gallantry... with his low nods and palpable hesitation of the handshake [...] an angelic face of Gabriel. [...] and he has such graceful movements and looks, that the heart swells with joy. He agreed to pose for me and yesterday paid me a visit [...] connoisseurs of music say he is the master of his trade [...] which is quite likely since his looks seem to confirm this fact. Thank God for having a chance to paint him [...] it is so uplifting when the looks mach the spirit!"

Yet we should not forget that what some people marveled at in Paderewski, others made the object of ridicule. Not only was his technique criticized, but also the outward appearance. Still it was Paderewski's eccentric hair that attracted most attention. It is not surprising that one of the most famous anecdotes about Ignacy Jan, referred to his hair style. One night, after a recital in Berlin, the pianist decided to take the carriage to the hotel. Hackney driver asked him where to go. Paderewski did not manage to reply because somebody in the crowd forestalled him shouting: To
a barber! Also the press, American press in particular, did not lag behind in the production of cutting remarks addressed to the appearance of the Polish artist: "Similarly to Samson he created the effect not with his fingers but hair", "It is said that Paderewski's disheveled hair is thinning". Some people thought that the artist was wearing a wig, whereas others claimed that the golden dint of his hair was obtained as a result of eating one fresh lemon every day.

Biting remarks concerning his outward appearance inflicted him less pain than critical opinions about his artistic activity. Among revivers there were some who did not accept his technique, even questioned his talent for music. The Times wrote: "Not always were his loudest tones beautiful", whereas Evening Standard reported: "Much noise, little music". The reviewer of Daily Telegraph compared Paderewski to "a monstrously strong pianist, touching the keyboard like a mammoth who played as if he was banging and crashing metal." The pianist who inspired "so great confusion of tones that all those attempting to follow his music, reminded of people observing through the veil of mist movements of some machine". Summing up he added, "we had not acquired a liking for Paderewski". Bernard Shaw, who sardonically summed up one of Paderewski's concerts, shared a similar opinion: "When I arrived at the concert given by Paderewski last Tuesday, it had already come to an and. The audience was mad with enthusiasm, but the piano was ready to be scraped". Neither did he acquire a taste for the recitals of the Polish virtuoso: "If we perceive him as a young blacksmith animated by an extraordinary spirit of harmony, who plays the piano as if it was an anvil and strikes the instrument as if it was a hammer, with an unusual gaiety of swing might of stroke, Paderewski seems at least funny [...] but his strikes, either delicate or strong, are earsplitting [...] this is a brutal fantasy, that only the most resistant can stand". Sarcastic remarks pronounced by the journalists were completed by numerous prints made by caricaturists depicting Paderewski as a "blacksmith of the piano".

Great number of negative opinions about Paderewski did not diminish his popularity. The audience loved the virtuoso. Concert halls were full to bursting and people were standing in unending lines to buy tickets. Everybody wanted to listen to Paderewski playing, observe his physiognomy and participate in the ambience he created. Many people attending concerts given by this Master of piano mentioned his phenomenal play and also very specific aura that aroused almost a mystical condition in listeners. Rom Landau writes: "The majority of audience did not listen to such shocking music before [...] At certain moments the piano resounds as if it was a full orchestra, and tones seem to flow in from different corners of the room, or it seems that the artist plays many pianos at the same time. So resounding chords fill the whole room that the walls seem to shake. The listeners see that now and then he strikes the keys not with his fingers but fists. But one moment later it seems that the piano sings in a human-like voice. Indeed there is much more to this man then the striking appearance." Abram Chasins noticed "the majority of audience was under the hypnotic charm of Paderewski long before he touched the keyboard". Whereas James Hunecker, an important and highly respected critic, recalls his participation in performances given by Ignacy Jan in the following manner: "I assure you that I witnessed Paderewski's recitals, during which I completely forgot about my opinions, my individuality merged with the crowd and I was sitting and pondering whether I can really hear something, or whether Paderewski feigns his movements and does not touch the keys at all? [...] The tone gets out of the piano as if nobody touched it... Is it the art of hypnosis? If it is a magic trick, nobody is so adept at it."

Growing popularity of the artist started to assume the shape of Paddymania almost overnight. Those sitting in the audience ceased being ordinary listeners. They became his fans and ladies comprised a group that was particularly spellbound by artist's charms. He used to be surrounded by
a throng of admirers. Daily papers tried to outdo one another reporting about unusual popularity of the Polish artists with the gentle sex. After the concert in Edinburgh papers informed that: "It was necessary to carry out of the room about a dozen ladies who have fallen into a faint". In New York it was reported that "a numerous group of hysterical ladies gathered in front of the room where having leaned their beards against the stage, they remained still as if hypnotized". From London rumor had it that: "Paddymania reached its climax, and three ladies from New York kicked off their shoes and left dancing to the melody of Menuet", whereas the review published in New York Telegram commenced with the words: "The mere announcement of Paderewski's recital sparks among both sexes attending piano recitals, excitement comparable to the appearance of Death's head Hawk-moth in a beehive [...] Since women comprise the stronger and more energetic sex, yesterday during Paderewski's recital in Carnegie Hall they occupied all the seats, blocking the whole view with their white hats." American press in the pursuit of the sensational time after time regaled public opinion with crude statements: "a long-haired pianist has such an effect on women as a jar of preserve on orphans from the shelter" or if a different vain "Girls in spasm - our reporter crushed by a crowd of women in Carnegie!"

Paderewski was either loved or hated, admired or criticized, but never passed over in silence. Engrossed in his letters, memoirs and reviews, admiring prints and pictures devoted to Paderewski, also we, contemporaries, have a chance to participate for a while in the musical events which took part at the turn of the 19^th and 20^th century and strive to revive the portrait of this exceptional man. With our mind's eye we see a dignified Master, dressed in a black tailcoat, who with the expression of his face and the melody of tones created under his fingers, transports us in a unique state. From that moment on, words pronounced by Rubinstein: "Paderewski knows his trade... and crowds know it too" will be always close to us.

Anna Głowińska