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THE
MUSIC TRADE
REVIEW
THE PLAYER-PIANO AS A MUSICAL EDUCATOR
What the Player Can Do and Is Doing in That Direction—The Attitude of Musicians Toward
It—Some Interesting Constructive Ideas Worthy of Close Attention.
poets and trying so to do through the immediate
exercise of such musical taste as they themselves
possess, so long will this country and its people
be immeasurably benefited in a musical sense.
So much for the point of view of the private
music lover. But there is a broader field in sight.
Little by little we see great educational institutions
of the country waking up to the vital need for the
creation of a musical atmosphere in America. And
not only are the bare facts of this crying need
being recognized, but it is being found that in the
player-piano and its judicious use lies a solution
of the greatest part of the problem; the interest-
ing of the public, and especially the younger gene-
rations, in good music, and the awakening of a
lively, and above all, intelligent, appreciation of
art-forms.
The criticism has been often made that the grow-
ing use of the player-piano will ultimately extin-
guish the race of pianists. It is more than doubt-
ful whether there is any foundation for the sus-
picion. But even were this actually so, one may
be permitted to question both the danger and the
disadvantage.
The greatest trouble with music in America to-
day is found in the lack of intelligent listening.
New York, Boston and Chicago are just as badly
situated in this respect as are any other smaller
centers of population. We are overwhelmed with
a flood of the trashiest nonsense, and we have to
thank the cheap music teacher and her cheap
pupil for its perpetuation. It has been a matter
of personal observation that most of the opposition
to serious music arises from those who never at-
tended a symphony concert or piano recital in their
lives. And equally true is the observation that the
average citizen eagerly listens to the best in music
as soon as he has had an opportunity to become
intelligently acquainted with it and to know what
it is. The player-piano, intelligently used, offers
an opportunity for such acquaintance. Hence it is
a present and lively means for the spread of
musical culture. And the sooner musicians every-
where recognize this and follow the example of
their progressive and eminent colleagues who have
set this new instrument to work for them and not
against them, the better it will be for music in
general and for them in particular.
Is the player-piano ta be regarded as a true instrument the means for acquiring a very com-
musical instrument? If you had asked this ques- plete faculty of intelligent musical appreciation, is
tion of a musical friend a few years ago he would in far happier state. His piano is to him a con-
probably have answered, especially if he were a stant source of delight. To him gradually, as the
months go on, mystery after mystery fades away,
professional musician : "No, most decidedly." If
you had pressed him for particulars or called his the promised land opens to glorious view and he
attention to the claims made for the instrument sees things before unseen. And if he possess the
he would have perhaps condescended enough to added advantage of being already a performer on
assure you that the player-piano was an unmiti- some other instrument, or a singer, then indeed
gated evil, that it destroyed all desire for musical the player-piano becomes to him his greatest friend
culture and was no more than a mechanical noise in the musical world.
producer for the drumming out of rag-time, coon
We have never experienced such deep pleasure
songs and the "latest hits" of the day. In short, during the whole course of a somewhat lengthy
unless you were willing to take for granted this musical experience as when we were able to ana-
obviously biased opinion you would have gone lyze the structure of the E flat major Beethoven
away unsatisfied. And if you were yourself the symphony through the medium of the player-piano
owner of a player-piano it is very certain that for an inquiring friend. To have played the ar-
unsatisfied you would have been.
rangement, as it stood, by hand, would have re-
Now, the supposititious critic whom we have quired _two performers. But with this wonderful
quoted was some years ago a very fair specimen technic-means, and with the full orchestral score
of his class, and his sentiments found an echo in on the desk of the piano, it was possible to pull
many well-meaning but badly informed minds. apart, bar by bar, the whole marvelous architec-
The real truth is that very few musical people ture and view the symphonic skeleton in its naked
even to-day know as much as they should about beauty. Denuded of the ruddy flesh in which the
the player-piano. They reject it often without the masters' orchestration had clothed it, the great
slightest attempt to investigate its vices or merits. work stood out as Beethoven himself had first
Perchance they hear some misguided person grind- conceived it. The experience was like a musical
ing out rag-time ten hours a day, and from that tonic. And what a difference when next our
hastily conclude that there is nothing else to be friend heard the "Heroic" strains in the concert
room. Intelligence, even critical analysis, suc-
done with the instrument. And this in spite of
the fact that the most eminent composers and ceeded to dull contentment with the mere beauty of
pianists of the world have become enthusiastic adr sound. From that day onward our friend was an
intelligent music lover. To-day his knowledge of
mirers and even owners of player-pianos.
piano
and symphonic literature is immense, deep-
All of us color our judgments with the tints
supplied by our education and prejudices. To the founded and wonderfully accurate. Many a pro-
professional pianist, for instance, it at first sight fessional musician might envy that deep intelli-
seems in the highest degree horrifying that an gence and learned enthusiasm, which the intelligent
"automatic" mechanism should be invented which use of the player-piano has imparted to him.
performs, with unequaled efficiency, feats of tech-
Another instance. Once, some years ago, we
nic utterly impossible for the human hands. And induced a well-known orchestral conductor, with
because it so seems to him, he may conclude that whom we were acquainted, to come and hear our
the instrument must necessarily be bad. The logic player-piano. After much pleading he did come
is faulty, but plausible, the reasoning fallacious, and we began to play for him a piano arrange-
but very human.
ment, and a very good one, of the first movement
SIGNIFICANT BEHNING STATEMENT.
The plain fact of the matter is that past neglect of the B-minor symphony of Schubert, that lovely
of the possibilities of the player-piano in an ar- work so well known as the "Unfinished" symphony. One-Half of the Behning Piano Co.'s Output at
tistic sense may be attributed largely to this idiotic As we proceeded, his look, which at first was the Present Time Is in the Form of Player-
Pianos and Indicates the Growth in Popu-
scornful, became one of the most utter astonish-
attitude on the part of the musical profession. Of
larity of This Type of Instrument.
course, no musician can recognize anything artistic ment. When we attacked the second theme, that
or even ordinarily useful in the player-piano if he delightful melody for the cellos, he shot out at
A significant sign of the times may be discerned
has never personally investigated it. Or if this us, "Faster, faster, that is too slow." We stopped.
in
the statement recently made by the Behning
"Now,"
said
we,
"you
stand
here
by
the
piano
and
investigation is undertaken through the medium
of some entirely inaccurate source of information, direct. The phrasing, the tempo and the dynamic Piano Co., of New York, that at present «ne-half
such as the average unmusical owner of the in- force shall be as you wish." "But can you do of their output is in the form of player-pianos. To
an extent, of course, this is due to the many indi-
strument is likely to afford, it is not surprising this?" said our friend. "Surely," we replied, "just
vidual
excellences of the Behning products, not only
you
go
ahead."
And
so
he
did.
We
shall
never
that his conclusions are decidedly adverse.
On the other hand, every distinguished musical forget the expression of the worthy gentleman's in pianos, but in player mechanism, which latter
authority who has ever undertaken a sympathetic face as he beat time for us and we followed his is a distinct and original development on the part of
study of the player-piano has indorsed it unquali- directions, here accelerating, there retarding, here this house, but even more is it significant of the
cutting down a little, there swelling to a climax. tide which is now setting so strongly in the direc-
fiedly. How is this?
Simply because, under proper conditions and And when the last beautiful chord had died away tion of players as against straight pianos. The
with proper manipulation, the player-piano ceases in the wake of the drum rolls held by the sustain- Behning Piano Co. have not been slow to recognize
to be a hurdy-gurdy and becomes a musical instru- ing pedal, our friend was convinced. To-day he which way the wind is blowing, and have left no
stone unturned in the endeavor constantly to refine
ment. Every type of player now on the market owns a player-piano.
This is the player-piano as it may and should and improve its player product. The latest Behning
affords so wide a latitude for the individualizing
of its music by the performer that to refer to it be. And it is that particular feature just now invention is an automatic device, operated by the
as an "automatic" device, becomes, while gram- implied—capacity for permitting individual inter- music roll itself, for ensuring perfect tracking. A
matically correct, practically much less than accu- pretation—which makes it what it is, what it may demonstration of the new invention was recently
yet be and what indeed it must be if it is to fulfil made for a representative of The Review, who can
rate.
Of course, it is perfectly plain that if a player- worthily the high mission assigned it. In so far testify that it works in all conceivable circumstances
piano' owner remains always content to follow as the player-piano is subject to the performer's with reliability, certainty and rapidity.
blindly a few arbitrary marks on a music-roll with- own control, it is destined to have an immense
HARDMAN AUTOTONE IN RECITAL.
out ever desiring to explore independently the re- and ever growing influence on musical culture.
'sources latent in the instrument, his musical taste And in so far as it becomes automatic and remote Large Audiences in Pittsburg Enjoy This In-
will likely remain pretty nearly stationary. And from individual interpretation, so far will it be a
strument as Guests of W. F. Frederick Co.
just such people, finding that they cannot make a hindrance to the cause of musical appreciation.
(Special to The Review.')
Beethoven sonata or a Chopin nocturne sound well
For it is actually better to be compelled to de-
Pittsburg, Pa., Oct. 24, 1910.
at first trial, give up all idea of ever getting any- vise an interpretation for oneself—better for one's
The W. F. Frederick Co., of this city, have
thing out of artistic music and take refuge in the own musical salvation—than listen twenty times
lazy excuse, "I don't understand classical music." to someone else's rendition, no matter how much started their annual fall player-recital season, using
Poor old overworked adjective "classical," how superior the latter may be. So long as there are the Hardman Autotone. The first recital was given
many blunders are committed in thy name!
thousands of people in these United States trying before a large and appreciative audience on Wed-
But the player-piano owner who is not content to follow, through their player-pianos, no matter nesday last, with Le Roy H. Moon, of Hardman,
Peck & Co.'s New York headquarters, in charge.
merelv to make a noise, but who can see in his how imperfectly, the thoughts of the great tone-