Music: Barometers & Pianos

On the day before a concert, Pianist Byron Janis calls the weather bureau. A forecast of rain depresses him, chiefly because it depresses the piano, robbing it of the brilliance and agility that are the hallmarks of Janis' style. On the other hand, dry, clear weather of the kind that prevailed the evening he played with the Boston Symphony in Carnegie Hall last week is just what Janis needs. With the temperature in the 405, the moon radiant and the barometer steady, Janis played with feeling and virtuoso flair through Liszt's Piano Concertos Nos. 1 and 2. His piano sound positively...