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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW.
Fiddled for Snakes to Dance.
A New Piano Keyboard. $25,000 for Free Music.
WK SEMICIRCULAR or crescent-shaped form
®^> of keyboard, for the purpose of facili-
tating the performance of music on the piano-
forte, organ, etc., in the crossing of the hands ;
in the reach of the octave, etc., which require
less movement of the hands and the body ; less
exertion; less reach for the octave, etc. is sug-
gested by Frederick Gross in the Leader for
July.
The form of finger-board is identical with the
one now in use, except in the semicircle,
which is thus different from the straight key-
board. The device can be readily attached to a
piano or organ, simply by turning four thumb-
screws underneath the apparatus; it can be
placed above and back of the main finger-board,
thus forming two banks of keys—two manuals,
as it were—or it can be the main finger-board
itself.
To discover the value of such a contrivance,
first play, for instance, Wm. Mason's "Silver
Spring " upon the curved keyboard, then try the
same piece of music upon the straight finger-
board and note the difference. The circular or
curved keyboard admits of a freer action to the
continual crossing of the hands, while the
straight finger-board does not admit of this free
and convenient play of the hands and fingers.
In the octave, for example, in which the third
and fourth (little) fingers play such an import-
ant part, the convenience of the curve is happily
felt; while in the performance of arpeggios,
.broken thirds, sixths, etc., or when the two
hands play close to each other at the extreme
ends of the piano keyboard, this convenience is
also felt. This arrangement, for instance, makes
the skips shorter for the left hand ; it allows the
performer to play without bending the wrist
side-ways ; and gives no excuse for the contor-
tions so often displayed by the man who puts
the right foot upon the loud pedal, and the left
foot—nobody knows where. Small hands or
short fingers soon discover the value of such a
contrivance, and besides there is a better chance
to hit the key aimed at, which certainly would
avoid so many B flats for A flats, E flats for D
flats, F sharps for G sharps, etc. There can be
no cramping of the muscles or awkwardness in
difficult passages ; twelve hours' practice a day
upon the curved keyboard is less tiresome than
six hours a day upon the straight finger-board.
Of course this statement has reference to the ad-
vanced student.
The creseent-shaped style of finger-board is
arranged similar to the armonica, which could
not be played upon quite so readily if the glasses
were placed in a straight line. It may be
recommended to take the place of the good old-
style keyboard, as it is less tiresome to the per-
former and far more convenient. The curved
finger-board is especially adapted to children,
and is most convenient for the lady pianist. The
philosophy of the thing shows for itself without
any further explanation.
Musicians in the past, during the Mozart and
Beethoven period, required no such contrivances
as curved or crescentic keyboards for the per-
formance of music written within the compass
of five octaves. Man's reach has not been ex-
tended since then, but the keyboard has. In
the present era of the seven and one-half octave
keyboard, the pianist uses the semi-circular form
that requires less reach, facilitates the perform-
ance of music thereon, and allows him a better
husbanding of strength for a greater amount of
practice, thus giving the practitioner a greater
command of the instrument in a shorter time,
with less fatigue.
u
f$TNCLE " HENRY HARRISON, of Union
^ ^ County, Tenn., tells the following snake
story, which is vouched for by all his neighbors :
EW YORK CITY spends about $25,000 a Several years ago an Italian, Joe De Novo by
year for free music for the people. This name, bought a small tract of mountain land
year, to be exact, the appropriation is $27,500. about thirty miles from Caryville. Without re-
This money is used to pay for the park concerts pairing the cabin he and his wife moved into it.
which are given during the summer. These The man went once a month to the country
park concerts have become a permanent institu- store that was near by to make necessary pur-
tion in New York and attract great crowds. chases. Things went on this way until some
Eight to ten thousand people at a concert in hunters, overtaken by a storm late one after-
Central Park, Tompkins Square, Abingdon noon, were forced to seek refuge in his cabin. 1
Square, East River Park or Battery Park is not The rain continuing unabated, they were forced
an unusual thing, and an audience of four to to remain into the night. After supper the
Italian got down his fiddle and began to play
five thousand is quite common.
low
and plaintively. In a short while a huge
Most of the concerts are given by the regi-
mental bands of the city. These bands charge rattlesnake appeared upon the hearth, then
$5 a man, $10 for the leader and $10 for soloists, another and another, until no less than seven
except in Central Park, where the leader and wriggling serpents were in sight. The hunters
soloists get $15 each. The concerts are so ar- were terribly alarmed, but De Novo bade them
ranged that there is music in some city park be quiet and watch. The snakes seemed filled
with the wildest ecstacy. If the music was low
every night in the week.
The Battery Park concerts draw largely from and soft they would move in graceful curves
Brooklyn, Jersey City and Staten Island. In like the mazes of the waltz ; if it was loud and
Tompkins Park it is no unusual thing for people quick their movements were quick ; at all times
by the hundreds to come in the afternoon, bring they kept the most perfect time. If the music
their lunches and wait for hours for the concerts ceased they would rush from sight, but would
to begin, so as to be sure of a seat. In Abingdon return immediately upon its resumption. Num-
Square, where there are seats for nobody, the bers have visited the Italian to witness this
whole square becomes a solid mass of humanity sight. Last year De Novo died. After the
on concert nights. A pleasant feature of these burial the woman sold out and returned to her
Abingdon Square concerts is the singing of the native country, the cabin was torn down and
the rattlers disappeared forever. -Louisville
children from the neighboring public schools.
The following list shows where, when and by Courier-Journal.
what bands the 168 free park concerts will be
THE FREYER & BRADLEY MUSIC CO., At-
given this season and the cost :
lanta,
Ga., have elected the following officers for
Washington Square, Monday evenings, 9th
Regiment Band, eight concerts at $r40 each, the ensuing year: President, W. F. Scanlan ;
Vice-President, H. D. Cable; Secretary and
$[,120.
Paradise Park, Monday evenings, Conterno's Treasurer, W. W. Crocker ; General Manager,
Charles H. Freyer. The Steinway, the Cono-
Band, ten concerts at $100 each, $1,000.
Rutgers Park, Tuesday evenings, Troop A ver, Kranich & Bach and New England pianos
and the Wilcox & White and Chicago Cottage
Baud, twelve concerts at $140 each, $1,680.
organs
are handled by this company.
Mount Morris Park, Tuesday evenings, 71st
Regiment Band, seventeen concerts at $170,
THE SALT LAKE MUSIC CO., of Salt Lake City,
$2,890.
report a splendid trade with the Hazelton pianos.
Abingdon Square, Wednesday evenings, Old One hundred and seventy residents of that city
Guard Band, twelve concerts at $140, $1,680.
are now \ising and extolling the merits of the
Tompkins Square, Wednesday evenings, Ber- " Hazelton."
linghoff's Band, thirteen concerts at $140, $1,820.
East River Park, Thursday evenings, Boswell's
Band, thirteen concerts at $140, $1,820.
Battery Park, Friday evenings, Bayne's 69th
Regiment Band, sixteen concerts at $170, $2,720.
Central Park, Saturday and Sunday afternoons
at 4 o'clock, 7th Regiment Band, thirty-four
concerts at $225, $7,650.
Bronx and Van Cortlandt Parks, Saturday after-
noons, Crowley's 8th Regiment Band, twelve
concerts at $[35, $1,620.
St. Mary's Park, Saturday afternoons, Lie-
boldt's 12th Regiment Band, thirteen concerts at
That
is W h a t New York City Spends
Every Year for Park Concerts.
The...
KRELL
$120, $1,560.
Claremont, Crotona and Van Cortlandt Parks,
Saturday afternoons, Weber's Band, eight con-
certs at $135, $1,080.
And $152 for music for the annual parade of
the park police, and $606 for calcium lights for
101 night concerts and the total is $27,398.
These concerts begin about May 20th and end
about September 15th.
PIANO.
GEORGE C. CRANE,
97 Fifth Ave., cor. 17th St., New York.
EASTERN REPRESENTATIVE OF
W. J. DYER & BRO., St. Paul, Minn., are
cautioning the trade against having any dealings
with a man by the name of Vannlce, who is
traveling through the country, supposed to be
at present in Ohio, who represents himself as a
salesman in the employ of various houses, and
at times passing himself off as W.J. Dyer, of St.
Paul.
T H E KRELL PIANO CO.,
Manufacturers of Strictly First-Class (iratid & Upright Pianos,.
CINCINNATI, O.
Reliable Agents Wanted in all Eastern Cities.