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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
Pianola Possibilities.
OPENS UP NEW PERSPECTIVES IN PIANOFORTE
PLAYING—THE ARREST OF THE HAND—
DEDUCTIONS FROM RECENT SUCCESS
IN CONCERT, IN NEW YORK.
est and charm of perfect technical accomp-
lishment. Four-fifths of what is called the
personal quality in pianoforte playing is
just technical helplessness or insufficiency
and nothing more. This is perhaps more
marked in rhythm than in anything else,
nothing being more rare in our Concert
Halls than musical soundness in this res-
pect.
Every musician who has heard the in-
strument under favorable conditions recog-
nizes its indisputable merit in spite of limi-
tations. Appreciation of the instrument
depending upon a knowledge of all its
powers, the owners of instruments are
really the persons so far best qualified to
form trustworthy judgments. Their testi-
mony is all one way. Now, whether is
the approval of three thousand persons of
more or less musical cultivation who have
paid cash for instruments, to be preferred
above the opinion of prejudiced musicians
and critics who have never heard the in-
strument?
The objection to so-called mechanical in-
struments is well founded but needs to be
revised and brought down to date. As far
as it is a question of objection to machin-
ery per se, it is manifestly absurd. As one
of our foremost critics puts it:
"The important point is not the amount
of mechanical invention but how much
command the intervening mechanism gives
the performer over the tone-producing
part of the instrument. If the machine or
instrument is purely automatic and self-
governing, there is evidently no chance for
the display of individuality, for there is
really no performer at all in the business.
But if the machine has the man behind it
and gives him ample means of controlling
the sound-producing part at will, his power
of realizing his conception, of expressing
his individuality, is unimpaired. As I have
said, it is all a question of the amount and
character of the command the player can
exert over the sound-producing part of the
instrument he plays on, not at all of the
mechanical means by which his command
is obtained."
U
On the whole and looking at the ques-
tion from every side, the conviction is
forced upon the open-minded observer
that the Pianola is a new type of musical
instrument which plays better and more
musically than any pianist unless that
pianist plays better and more musically
than the Pianola—that is as much as to say
that it plays better than seven pianists out
of ten, taking all classes together. It will
surely find its place.
The annexed statement of the Kalten-
born Quartet is interesting:
To the .^Eolian Company:
Gentlemen: — I have no hesitation in
frankly stating my opinion of the Pianola.
In the first place, the full appreciation of
this instrument is like so many other
things—a matter of education. I should
advise every one to give it a thorough in-
vestigation before deciding on its merits.
Before rehearsing I was rather skeptical,
but after the first half hour's work it began
to grow upon me, and the longer I play
with it, the more wonderful it seems. Of
course, for ensemble work it is largely a
question of the man behind it. The point
is, that given the man behind it, the most
astonishing effects are obtainable; a pre-
cision and clearness such as few artists can
equal, with surprisingly accurate effects of
light and shade, rubate, accentuation, and
certainly of musical rhythm.
When one remembers how many pian-
ists set the technical ideal before them-
selves and spend their lives in reaching it,
these results seem the more remarkable.
The instrument has many limitations, but
then so has the player and I do not see
why one set of limitations should not stand
off against the other. On the whole it has
surprised and charmed me I predict a
great future for it.
(Signed) Franz Kaltenborn.
We desire to subscribe and heartily en-
dorse the foregoing statements.
Carl Hugo Engel, 26. Violin. Erwin
Banck, Viola.
Hermann Beyer Hane,
'Cello.
That there exists a strong desire among
those musically inclined for some means of
getting at music otherwise than by play-
ing it by hand admits of no doubt. The
character of the audience and the lively
interest displayed at the first public ex-
ploitation of the merits of the Pianola—the
yEolian Co.'s famous piano-player—given
at Mendelssohn Hall last week demon-
strates this unequivocally. Men prominent
in nearly every department of the music
profession were present, from virtuosi to
music dealers and piano manufacturers.
Of course the affair was of altogether
special interest to the latter, as whatever
its artistic place, the Pianola seems destined
to influence the piano trade in more ways
than one.
In last week's Review we referred to the
remarkable success achieved by the Piano-
la at this recital. It was heard to best ad-
vantage in lively rhythmic numbers—in
pieces requiring technical evenness, light-
ness, delicacy, clearness and speed rather
than intensity of sentimental expression.
It surprised those not acquainted with its
possibilities, and delighted all who have
watched the advance of this instrument to
no uncertain place in musical art.
The success of the Pianola brings to
mind a number of interesting questions:
"Is the end of hand-playing really ap-
proaching?" "Shall the hands of play-
ers of keyed instruments succumb to a
labor-saving device?" "16 the pianist of
the future to be provided with better
hands, fingers infinitely more deft than his
own and force at will?"
Something in the way of reply was given
The Chicago Cottage Organ Co. 's branch
to those present at this concert.
in Augusta, Ga., was opened last week
It would be as absurd to over-estimate
under the management of W. S. Faulkner.
the powers and possibilities of the Pianola
as it would be foolish to deny them alto-
gether. The very idea of the thing is rev-
olutionary and revolutionary ideas gain
Here is another sample of up-to-date Gabler advertising which should be productive
ground slowly. One thing is sure—the
of results. It is one of those clever creations that are bound inevitably to augment retail
Pianola is a musical fact and it must be dealt
trade and Gabler representatives desirous of emphasizing the merits of the Gabler
with and cannot be argued out of court
More than three thousand of them are in pianos in their local papers should communicate with headquarters in this city and
American homes at the present time. This secure electros.
in spite of the fact that the present instru-
ment is only a beginning. The inventors
state that improvements are being made
daily. At present the greatest need is for
some method of individualizing single
notes and subduing accompaniments which
are now too prominent. From what has
been already achieved it seems likely that
FATHER TIME
these defects can be remedied.
HAS PROVEN TO THE ENTIRE
A skillful pianoforte player does many
"WORLD THAT THE
things that the Pianola cannot do but each
GABLER PIANO
of these things is offset by a dozen feats
POSSESSES EVERY ELEMENT
easy for the Pianola and which no player
THAT MAKES A PIANO BEST.
can approach. Where the Pianola has one
WHEN YOU SEE
limitation the player has twelve. One of
GABLER NEW YORK
the strongest points in favor of the instru-
UPON A PIANO YOU ARE AS-
ment is the fact that a hopeless majority of
SURED THAT IT IS THE HIGH-
pianoforte players play with less real ex-
EST TYPE OF MECHANICAL
pression than is possible to the Pianola
EXCELLENCE —THE ABSO-
player and with but the extenuating inter-
LUTELY PERFECT PIANO.
A Clever Gabler Ad.