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MAY
THE MUSIC TRADE
31, 1919
REVIEW
iimiiiiiiiiiiniiiiiiiiiii
The Fundamental Principles Involved
***
in the Composing and Arranging oi
By DR. EDWARD
(Editor's Note:
Music lor the Player-Piano
SCHAAF
Doctor Schaaf is a musician who has ing effect, as soon as the rhythmic plan has been
iven much attention to the problem of arranging music
? instrument's
or the player-piano in such a way as to bring out the
true voice and real musical value. As he
says, "there is only one way to unlock the magic of the
player-piano keyboard and that is to treat the instrument
as a new voice in music." Doctor Schaaf has self-sac-
rificinglv devoted much of his time, without thought of
material reward, to the rewriting of music for the spe-
cial purpose of making it truly suitable for the player-
piano and has achieved some astounding results. He has
also composed a number of special pieces for the player-
piano only, conceived in the most modern style of what
he calls "plastic music"; and altogether wonderful. Doc-
tor Schaaf has already published in The Music Trade Re-
view the results of some earlier researches into this sub-
ject, and the present series of extremely interesting and
fascinating articles represents the latest fruit of his studies.)
piano will execute any and all of these perfect-
ly, even in pianissimo and at any speed.
properly grasped and developed:
Figure v
Figure IV suggests some possibilities in this
respect. It need scarcely be said, of course,
that when new rhythmical interests are intro-
duced they must not endanger the stateliness of
a piece of music, especially if it be written in
slow time.
In Figures V and VI (Chopin's Grand Valse)
Figure II
In Figure I is shown a monotonous, square-
cut waltz rhythm, with the scoring "all top and
bottom," as the musicians say. In Figure II the
middle parts have been filled in, the rhythm de-
veloped and a complete transformation obtained.
Although the "after-the-beat" waltz effect has
been abolished in the second arrangement, the
symmetrical accents have been preserved intact.
This is just one example to show how the play-
er-piano becomes a wholly novel instrumental
voice when its characteristics are understood.
Another illustration is given herewith to show
how, by developing a more florid motion in place
of the rigid after-the-beat accent, the rhythmic
effect becomes brighter and livelier, more joyful
and elastic.
In what follows I am not concerning myself
with the mechanical- problems of the player-
piano. I begin where these leave off. My start-
ing point is the assumption that the music roll
for the player-piano has not kept step with the
advance in the mechanical devices for expres-
sion, etc., now so wonderfully developed in the
modern instruments.
The chief reason for the relatively backward
condition of the purely musical side of the play-
er-piano lies in the failure to distinguish be-
tween the style of music which has been devel-
oped for the straight piano and that which we
now see rightly belongs to the player-piano.
My special object in these articles is to make
clear this distinction and then to show
how proper advantage may be taken, .
of it.
'
\
There is, as I say, only one way to \
unlock the magic of the player-piano
Figure III
keyboard, and that is to treat the instrument as
Here the improvement has been brought about
a new voice in music. To do this, however,
special knowledge is essential. I hope to be by breaking up after-the-beat bass chords into
able to explain in detail what this specialized eighth notes and developing an original rhythmic
knowledge is. In so doing I should wish to say pattern.
It is evident, as one studies the subject, that
that this new art has not yet advanced to a point
where it can with complete certainty set forth very simple or elementary rhythms are not well
the answer to* every problem in transcription. adapted to the player-piano, no matter how nat-
It can, however, lay down rules with sufficient ural they may be to the ordinary manually-
played instrument.
certitude to cover every important point.
The transcriber must realize at all times that
Rhythm and Its Development
whenever
he introduces rhythm into a transcrip-
Just as in most modern musical compositions
we find renewed emphasis placed upon the ele- tion the same should clearly grow out of the
ment of rh^thjiv so. we must begin by recognizing musical ideas which exist in the original com-
that this element is the vital spark in the soul position. The more logically the rhythm of a
of player-piano, ttnjpic. The player-piano brings player-piano transcription is developed, the
a complete, revelation of the possibilities of nearer it will approach to perfection. Moreover,
such logical development will endow the musical
rhythmical development.
structure with new strength. In a word, the ex-
The rhythmical capabilities of the player-
isting melodies should principally define the kind
piano are so rich and its ability to exe-
cute several different kinds of rhythm
simultaneously is so remarkable that
an infinite variety of expression is opened
up in a manner wholly impossible to any
other instrument. The fundamental law
of musical beauty is rhythmical variety. I(St
TJie almost uncanny power of the player-V —
piano in this respect enables it to refine
Figure IV
and develop the beauty of all music.
of
rhythm
and,
moreover,
there must be a ccr
The player-piano is able to accentuate the
l1l rir i
n
outlines and develop the symmetry of a piece of tain u '^ n 'ty ' th<» rhvthmir design, which
music in its rhythmical aspect by various means. must bear a fitting relation to the other eleme its
One of these, for instance, is contrapuntal em- so that artistic proportion may be preserved ^
Whenever tin principal t h e n i e ^ o j ^ C.onj.t>osi
bellishments, that is to say, a working into the
de
musical scheme of counter melodies or develop- tion appears to lack definition and complete
1
velopment
it
is
obvious
that
the
nature
-of
ments of the principal melody in different voices,
the rhvthmical anangement ^becomes su
in different rhythms or by means of additional
rhythmical figures, etc. A complete example is premely important uidt^d In just sujsfc"a
given herewith. Consider the following stereo- case a player-piano has enonntni-. ddvaa-
typed example of monotonous and uninteresting tages. Its music m i j be so developed bv
skilful rlnthmic treatment a«-vtmt "oulv tfl
phrases, as so often present in player music as
•fSut newHife into an otherwise •dttfl work,
ordinarily arranged:
but to improve Us whole structure ^ ly^
deed, the" rhythmical* element" "so long a^
i .t.
it does not «*4erfore % vwtn the tntlody that
is to say^ pervut it*>chaiac ttr^ may* bt
A A.
treated
nuj* most individual and uncnin
•fcr-
Y V
r
manner
The most corfiplex and intneat ,
Figure I
Now observe how a complete transformation terns may be written, and even, elaborate ^cftm-
may be obtained, with richest and most satisfy- pou«M rhvthm"! may be.worked in "The piayer-
Figure VI
we see how bars of music may be enlivened by
rhythmical treatment.
It should be remembered that the rhythmical
capabilities of the player-piano are not to be
considered merely as means for superficial em-
bellishment or display. On the contrary, they
are part and parcel of the distinguishing charac-
teristics of the player-piano which give it its
place as a separate instrument of music. They are
means to an end, and should be so considered.
Characteristic Piano Rhythms
Piano music has developed a number of
rhythmical figures, such, for instance, as the fol-
lowing, shown in Figure VII.
Figuie
* A
V
VII
*
Such figures, if transcribed literally for the
player-piano, lack roundness, which, however,
can be supplied if the sixteenth note rest, which
JJ
Figure VIIl'
*
might be called a break in movement of the
rhythm, is filled by the insertion of the tone,
whn
Compound Rhythms
xj^WJ?^ 1 * t**? p r m o i e rhythmic figures occur
s'nmlt intuiisly they offer a special opportunity
id tTft m i l i e u lor the player-piano. One ex-
cellent i1!ustfc.ijȣto ma
wJvete (^h.ie°b4$s rhythm is entirely different from
that of 1 th^y^Wftt (Continued on page 10)
*
* •