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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
Being a Discussion of the Functions of the Tempo Lever, and its Impor-
tance in the Correct Rendition of Player Music—Not Alone Does it Con-
trol Speed, But it is the Mechanical Substitute for the Artist's Touch.
From time to time we have emphasized, in this
department, certain salient facts about the tech-
nique of the player-piano in the musical aspect of
the word. Nobody who has attempted to master
the rendition of music by means of the player-
piano will be inclined to contradict the assertion
that such a technique exists and is of sufficient
complexity. Some five years ago, in fact, we com-
posed a short treatise on this very subject, which
has been published in The Review and has enjoyed
a considerable circulation. Both before and since
that time we have insisted constantly upon the
necessity for recognizing that the player-piano can-
not be played at all well unless the conditions of its
technique are met and conquered. Last month, in
this department of the Player Section, we under-
took to set forth some considerations on the sub-
ject of manipulating, or, rather, "pedipulating," the
bellows, referring to this branch of the subject as
"pedal technique." This time we propose to take
up another matter of cognate and equal impor-
tance, namely, what is rather loosely called "tempo
control."
All player-pianos are fitted with what is called a
"tempo lever," a short rod projecting from in front
of the keyboard and adapted to be moved from
fight to left by the right hand. Just why the tempo
lever should at first have been placed for operation
by the right instead of by the left hand, or why, in
fact, the whole expression control of the player
should appear, as it usually does, to have been de- *
signed by people who had not the least idea of
what elements actually enter into the work of piano
playing, is not for us to say; but it is plain that
there is room for improvement on the score of
convenience as on that of efficiency. In any case,
however, the tempo lever in some form or other
will of course persist, and it is the object of this
article to point out especially the principles in-
volved in the manipulation of this lever for the pur-
pose of creating the best possible musical effects.
The Function of the Tempo Lever.
The tempo lever, mechanically considered, per-
forms one function, and one only. It controls the
speed of the motor which drives the music roll. In
contradistinction with the motor governor, the
function of which is automatic and regulative only,
the tempo lever controls changes of speed. So
delicate is it in its operation that it is fair to call
the speed changes of the player motor substantially
instantaneous. This fact has considerable signifi-
cance, as we shall see. To sum the matter up, the
tempo lever of the pneumatic motor permits in-
stantaneous change of speed, or at least change as
rapidly as the hand can manipulate the lever, from
the zero or stop point to the extreme speed of
thirteen or more feet of paper travel per minute.
That is the mechanical aspect.
Now musically we have, a parallel condition.
The art of music is distinct from all others in the
fact that it is mobile. It must progress in time.
Hence, the music roll, which contains the note per-
forations, must move also. The speed of succes-
sion of the perforations is of course correspondent
with the speed of performance of the music.
Hence, roughly speaking, the tempo lever's first
duty is to control the speed of the music sheet or
roll, and hence of the music in general, by con-
trolling the speed of the motor which drives the
roll over the tracker-bar.
Of course, this statement is broad; for within
the one word "speed' are here included many
meanings. It is a known fact to all, of course,
that music is not performed at any steady rate of
motion, but that the artistic requirements of per-
formance call for constant fluctuations in speed,
such fluctuations being often extremely frequent.
Composers are accustomed to indicate retardations
or accelerations of the general speed level, as well
as the height of that level, while performers, ac-
cording to their individual temperaments, con-
stantly make minute but significant changes in
speed during the performance of a composition.
Mathematical correctness and fixity of speed in
playing produces an extremely monotonous and
maddeningly mechanical sort of music.
From all this it is evident that tempo control, as
it is somewhat loosely called, furnishes one of the
most important elements in the artistic playing of
the player-piano. For if we can learn to control
the speed of the music roll from moment to mo-
ment, we can impart all the delicate changes of
speed, the lingering on one tone and the hastening
over another, which the pianist feels instinctively
to be appropriate, and the recognition of which
makes the work of the player-pianist almost equally
full of life and meaning.
The Importance of Proper Phrasing.
It is also evident that the only sure way of learn-
ing the fine points of this control is to study the
music we are trying to interpret and to obtain the
criticism of those who are competent to frame
opinions on the performance. The writer has
often urged that the "phrasing" of music, as this
process of speed distribution may be termed, is
analogous to the recitation of poetry or dramatic
prose, and that a due sense of proportion such as
is gained by the practice of recitation may equally
be gained by a parallel process of "reciting" the
music to oneself while sounding it on the instru-
ment. In fact, if we make a practice of humming
or singing a tune with a definite attempt to bring
out of it all its artistic possibilities in the way of
phrasing, we can soon come to sense instinctively
the appropriate general speed of a piece of music,
as well as the naturally called for retards and ac-
celerations.
Here, of course, is a broad field for the develop-
ment of tempo lever manipulation. A free tempo
lever loosely held and ready for instant motion to
right or left is an absolute necessity if piano play-
ing is to be had satisfactorily with the player
mechanism. The aim of the player-pianist must be
to accomplish the utmost freedom of manipulation.
The lever is not to be held stiff but to be ready for
change at any moment. In fact, the best player-
pianists are moving the lever all the time.
The characteristic "touch" which an experienced
and competent pianist imparts in his playing is not
alone the result of varying pressure on the keys,
but also is much bound up with the element of dura-
tion.
In other words, it is not alone the mere pressure
on the key, but the time between detached strokes,
the duration of any given pressure or stroke and
the general distribution of the time element in
grouping the successive pressures. Here, then, the
tempo lever comes into play. To the ordinary pi-
anist the difference between staccato and legato
presents itself to his mind as mainly a difference
between two ways of pressing the keys. The time
element is present but does not so strongly im-
press itself on his mind. On the other hand, to the
player-pianist the idea of staccato is presented im-
mediately as the idea of "jumping" the music roll
over a perforation, then stopping for a fraction of
a second and then going on to jump over the next
perforation. In fact, the player-pianist thinks of
the staccato in terms of time succession, in terms,
that is, of the time interval between chord and chord.
In the same way, when he thinks of legato he
thinks first of a smooth travel of the roll from
one chord to the other. Here, and in many other
subsidiary ways, the manipulation of the tempo
lever has its value in determining what is usually
thought of merely as touch. It is plain that there
must be a very considerable latitude for cultivation
of tempo control and that the delicacy of such
control is capable of immense extension in the di-
rection of higher artistic result.
Speed and Touch Controlled by Tempo Lever.
Jn short, the tempo lever of the player mecha-
nism is not alone an engine of value and utility in
controlling speed element of playing, but is also
equally valuable in respect of gaining mastery
over what is called touch. To give two instances
only, tempo lever manipulation can, and does,
transfuse the otherwise mechanically sounding
monotony of a long arpeggio or scale run with
something like the lively character that the pianist
naturally gives to such a passage by reason of the
very peculiarities of the human fingers. A judi-
cious retard, long enough to permit an accent at
the beginning of a bar, makes all the difference in
the world in the effect of a run.
Again, accenting is rendered ever so much easier
if the tempo is suddenly slowed almost to a stop
immediately at the accent point, to be resumed
again when the accent has been made. The addi-
tional moment in time given to the bellows to
supply the required power is indeed but a moment,
yet the result is noticeably efficient. Many other
examples might be cited, but we have said enough
for the present on this highly important subject to
indicate lines of research for anyone who cares
to go further into it.
The Master Player-Piano
is now equipped with an
AUTOMATIC TRACKING DEVICE
Which guarantees absolutely correct tracking of even the most imperfect music rolls
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