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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
MUSICALLY SPEAKING
(Cotitinued from page 9)
should recommend the very lovely sonata in E
flat, op. 26. This is one of the famous thirty-
two sonatas for piano which Beethoven com-
posed during his life and which remain, along
with his symphonies for the grand orchestra, the
most astonishing monuments to his genius.
The opening of this work is in the form of a
theme or melody of surpassing beauty and clear-
ness, which is then subjected to variation half
a dozen times, each variation putting, as it were,
a new complexion on the original idea and en-
riching one's conception of it. The whole
movement is simple and easy to understand, es-
pecially if one takes the fancy to suppose that
the opening theme or basis of the variations is
a portrait, and that each variation renders some
aspect of the picture seen from one certain
angle or in one certain light.
The second movement of this sonata is not
so compelling, but its value is great in showing
a form of which Beethoven makes splendid use
in his biggest works.
Its two-part form is
characteristic of the Scherzos of his symphonies.
First idea and development, in rapid, somewhat
lively spirit; followed by second idea, much
contrasted, in slow speed and emotionally
quieter; leading to repetition of first idea and
close. A few repetitions of this movement will
give the clue to such tremendous works of
genius as the Scherzos of the fifth, seventh and
ninth symphonies.
The Funeral March and concluding Rondo
need no special treatment and, indeed, may, for
experimental purposes, be omitted from consid-
eration.
The First Symphony
After this preliminary trial it would be a
useful thing to study the first symphony in C
major, with its clear crystalline form and easy
flowing lines of beauty, and with the indications
of coming strength in the Scherzo and slow
movement. The latter is one of the loveliest
pieces of pure melody ever written. Thence,
one may profitably turn to that astonishing
jeu d'esprit, the thirty-second variations in C
minor, where Beethoven shows what prodigies
he can perform with a simple theme.
After
that the Pathetic Sonata op. 13, the Moonlight
Sonata—rather a Fantasia than a sonata—the
Waldstein Sonata op. 53 and then, as a climax,
the great and wonderful Sonata Apassionata
op. 57. This, the ripest fruit of Beethoven's
passion and power, leads directly to the study
of the piano arrangements of the great nine
symphonies.
One should begin with No. 1,
go on to the marvelous Eroica (No. 3), noting
the extraordinary emotional and technical ad-
vance made by Beethoven in the interval, then
study the fifth, then the seventh. When one
knows this much of Beethoven one knows him
pretty well.
These few slight indications show but a
skeleton. In future articles we shall try to tell
in greater detail of Beethoven's genius and
message to us.
J. P. SEEBURG ON EASTERN TRIP
J. P. Seeburg, president of the J. P. Seeburg
Piano Co., Chicago, has been making a general
business trip of about two weeks' duration
through the Eastern section of the country.
Mr. Seeburg's more important stops included
Boston, New York and Washington, although
in the latter his interests were not strictly of a
business nature. Mr. Seeburg desired to make
a personal inspection of the site in Washing-
ton on which a monument in the near future
is to be erected to the inventor Ericsson. The
United States Government has appropriated the
sum of $35,000, and also a site for the Ericsson
monument and private subscriptions of almost
an equal amount have already been entered,
among which that of Mr. Seeburg has been par-
ticularly liberal. He has been a leading fac-
tor in the Committee for the Erection of the
;
Ericsson Monument.
ACCENTING DEVICE FOR PLAYERS
WASHINGTON, D. C, October 22.—Patent No.
1,242,919 was last week granted to Frank Car-
nahan, South Boston, Mass., for an accenting
device for piano player actions, which he has
assigned to the Emerson Piano Co., Boston,
Mass.
The object of this invention is to render the
pneumatic player action of a pneumatic piano
player more delicately responsive to the operator
through the pedals which actuate the main air
exhaust bellows, or feeders as they are termed
in the art, in order that any particular note or
chord in a piece of music, which is being played
by the instrument, may be accented or empha-
sized by momentarily and partially (but not
wholly) putting out of action the equalizer or
equalizers by means of a valve acted upon by
the percussive action of the air within the
equalizer caused by a sudden movement of the
pedal or pedals, so that the percussive action,
which automatically partially closes the accent-
ing valve, will be imparted to the action pneu-
matic or pneumatics selectively brought into
operation at that instant by the travel of the
perforated note sheet in the usual manner, to
the end that such notes shall be sounded with a
greater force arrd volume than those preceding
and following the same unless the accenting is
continued as to several successive notes or
groups of notes. The accenting valve is posi-
tively prevented from completely closing the
communicating aperture between the equalizer
and the wind chest and main feeders, and is
normally held in open position by yielding
means, such as a spring of such strength that
in the normal operation of the feeders this
valve is not affected in any way, and the equal-
izer or equalizers operate as if it were not pres-
ent, and immediately after the valve is brought
into operation the tendency of the air pressure
to equalize between the main feeders and the
equalizer almost instantly relieves the accenting
valve from the momentary effect of the per-
cussive action before referred to, and permits
it to open wide, and return to its normal posi-
tion.
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