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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
JANUARY 29, 1921
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! The Art of the Player-Pianist
of the older schools which flourished previous
to the rise of Haydn and Mozart, the whole
structure is a series of melodies, of which one
is distinguished from the other, from time to
time, by its dominating emphasis.
But, in any and all cases, it is safe to rest
on the fact that musical structure always in-
cludes, first, melodies, and, second, some kind of
3—HARMONY
support in the shape of an accompaniment.
Like many other words, "harmony" is subject
That simple division into two parts is suf-
to many meanings. In order to make ourselves ficient for the first studies in the art of the
intelligible, therefore, we must most carefully player-pianist. Later on it will be advisable to
restrict the significance of the term, and under- go deeper into details.
stand exactly what we mean by it. In music,
Melody and Accompaniment
the word harmony signifies the combining of
NV)w, if one takes the very simplest tune which
tones into chords and the suitable composition can be imagined, as simple a tune as "Auld
arrangement of the same for the purpose of Lang Syne," for instance, or "My Country, 'Tis
affording support and what may be called of Thee," we shall at once perceive the truth
"framework" to a melody.
of what has been said above and shall see the
relation between melody and accompaniment
A Technical Definition
This is a technical term and must be used very clearly. In the patriotic tune, we have a
strictly as such. It has nothing to do with the simple series of chords, six in number, making
sort of thing meant by most outsiders when a definite tune and corresponding to one line of
they speak of harmonious music or harmonious the words. The next line has a tune almost
sounds. In this vulgar sense the word simply exactly like the first, with the same number of
means "agreeable." Nor does it refer to that chords. The third line has a shorter tune and
philosophical notion of agreement between the only four chords. The tune is so simple that it
parts of a whole, which is sometimes called corresponds almost perfectly to the syllables of
"harmony." Although originally the musical the words and it carries a definite chord to each
term "harmony" arose from considerations such syllable. The top note of each chord can be re-
as those we have mentioned, to-day it refers to " garded as the melody note and the melody, if
the art of building chords, that is to say, tones we like to consider it separately, can be said to
sounded simultaneously. Strictly in that sense, be the chain of these top notes, as can be dis-
therefore, it must be regarded for our purposes. covered by playing them over. Yet the chords
Now, it is not within our province to say so perfectly blend in with the melody that they
anything whatever of the science of harmony. form part of it, and there seems to be hardly
That is a matter for technicians in the art of any way of really distinguishing between melody
music. We need not concern ourselves with the and accompaniment. In a simple case like this,
construction of chords or with the many rules the music-lover can have no difficulty in seeing
which composers of music have to master. It is before him the whole framework of musical
enough for us to know that all music, in some structure in its clearest form.
But in other tunes the accompaniment has
way or another, consists of melodies supported
and enriched by chords. Sometimes the ac- no meaning at all away from the tune, and the
companiment, as in much modern art music, is tune stands out by itself. Such is the case with
so interwoven with the melody that the two are most ordinary songs. Take, for instance, the
inseparable, and it is hard to distinguish clearly old song, "Comin' Through the Rye." Here the
between them. Again, in the polyphonic style tune and the accompaniment are very much fur-
The following is the third in a series of articles by Wil-
liam JJraid White. The aim of the series is to teach the
salesman and the music lover the secrets of playing the
player-piano artistically, a secret apparently known to few,
but which can readily be imparted to anyone who is. inter-
ested in music and is willing to give the player-piano a
fair trial. At the present time, when it is more than ever
necessary to attack the selling problem from the stand-
point of demonstration, this series should be extremely
valuable.
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tlier apart. In nearly all the modern ballads and
light songs of all sorts, the accompaniment
stands quite distinct from the melody.
• Now, from the player-pianist's point of view,
this is very important, for one of the first things
he needs to learn to do is to keep the accom-
paniment in its proper relation of power to the
melody. One of the most distressing features
about the playing of the player-piano by the
uninstructed person is the failure to distinguish
between melody and accompaniment. The
moment the distinction begins to be made, even
though the phrasing be stiff and the playing
too loud, there is a marked improvement in
the effect.
How is one to distinguish? Plainly by ear.
And that, of course, means nothing but the
patience to listen more carefully to the music
one hears.
Once the ear is hearing clearly in a piece the
distinction between melody and accompaniment,
the player-pianist will wish to know how to
emphasize his melodies and subdue his accom-
paniments. The art of so doing shall be ex-
plained in its proper place.
How to Manage Them
So far, then, we have reached the point where
we realize that all music consists of two great
elements, melodies and their accompaniments.
We must now learn to manage these. In order
to manage the interpretation of music in this
way we need to learn several other things.
In the first place we must learn something of
the different species of musical works, how they
are grouped into songs, dances, marches, etc.,
and what is the cause for the different groupings.
In the second place we'must learn to regard
a piece of musical melody as a thought in-
terpreted in tone and to express this intelli-
gently on the player-piano. That is what we
call "phrasing," and is largely concerned with
the management of the tempo lever and the
pedals which produce the playing power.
Let us take these points up one by one and
we shall find as we go on that each step follows
naturally after the step which preceded it. The
directions which follow will be given in the most
practical way, without unnecessary detail.
Pianist vs. Player-Pianist
The academic musician will be rather horri-
fied at the bald distinction of melody and ac-
companiment. He will say that this is much
too mechanical a proceeding. But, in fact, for
the player-pianist it is both the simplest and
the best method. In fact, as we come to look
into matters further, we shall be impressed with
the fact that music, to the player-pianist, be-
comes much simpler than it is to the ordinary
musician. The player-pianist sees it stripped of
its technical difficulties. It appeals only to his
sense of the fitting. He judges it radically and
decisively, not as an ingenious structure built
to the pleasure of those who like and can ap-
preciate ingenuity, but as a work of art which
must appeal direct to the ears of those who
listen. That is why the player-pianist reduces
all his judgments so persistently to their lowest
terms.
All the art of the player-pianist is the art of
seeking persistently for the melody, finding it,
and treating it as it deserves. In reality this
is also the whole meaning of the art of musical
expression, through any medium at all, but the
player-piano most clearly shows this.
So we shall now devote ourselves to a search
for the melody in all music, finding it in the
most complicated expressions of musical talent
or erudition and learning the simple rules
whereby we can express ourselves in music in-
telligibly through the easy and fascinating
medium of the player-piano.