University of Virginia Library

Quick Changes

The pianist began the program
with a transcription of the "Organ
Prelude and Fugue in D Major" of
Bach. Any listener would have
anticipated a severe lack of
dimension in a transcription of the
sort, but Mr. Dichter aptly
compensated for the wide scope of
the organ and the acoustics of a
cathedral with very obvious and
quick changes in volume to imitate
the changes in stop=registration on
thy organ, and with an almost
exaggerated use of the pedal, the
virtuoso beautifully brought out an
impression of acoustical
reverberations. One also would have
anticipated with scepticism, the
absence of a pedal board in the
fugue and thus, the absence of an
entire fugal voice, but Mr. Dichter
appeared to be playing the original
left hand and pedal parts all with
his left hand.