Music Trade Review

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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
The Pianola.
WIDENING ITS CONSTITUENCY OF ADMIRERS
EVERY DAY COMMANDS THE PRAISE OF
PROFESSIONALS AND AMATEURS ALIKE.
That wonderful new piano-player, the
Pianola, has apparently become a recog-
nized necessity in every musical household.
Indeed it is in truth a valued addition any-
where good music is highly appreciated,
but impossible jai rendition through lack
of special technical ability. Here is
where the P*ianola steps in. Convenient
in size, easy to adjust and simple to mani-
pulate, it has been welcomed not only by
the lover of good music but even by
professional piano players who acknowl-
edge its advent to be a great relief when
THE PIANOLA
the physical and mental strain of constant
practise becomes, as sometimes happens,
well nigh unbearable.
As a means of augmenting appreciation
of the Pianola the ^Eolian Quarterly is
proving an effective missionary. The cur-
rent issue contains an able editorial, en-
titled "Evolution in Music Making"
which should be read by everybody in-
terested in the achievements and possi-
bilities of the ^olian and Pianola. A
little-thought-of point is treated of very
skilfully in the following excerpt from this
editorial:
We talk continually of touch or individu-
ality in piano-playing as something neces-
sary to intelligent reading of the com-
poser's thought. It is surely a great add-
ed charm, and lights up dark corners.
But is it necessary? And if necessary,
where does the limitation of the personal
equation fall? Whose touch is necessary?
Fifty individuals may have a hundred or a
thousand varying idiosyncrasies. Now, are
all these necessary, or only some? And
if some which?
In a strictly musical sense there is proper-
ly no such thing as touch. There is only
musical expression, depending upon accent,
shadings of time and force, and phrasing
—the whole emanating from the heart and
brain. Some possess the power in one
degree and some in another, some hardly
at all.
\\
What has become of individual idiosyn-
The liardman Piano.
crasy in the orchestra? We talk about
IN SCHOOL, CHURCHES, [LODGES, CLUBS AND
a virtuoso orchestra. The term is rela-
OTHER INSTITUTIONS.
tive. Orchestras make music largely
through mechanical means, and the human
Hardman, Peck & Co. have issued an
interest beside the musical is nowhere.
interesting
and valuable statement showing
If you hear an organ solo, whither has
to
what
extent
the Hardman Piano is being
personality fled?
The ascendancy of personality is a used in schools, churches, lodges, clubs
modern bane.
and other institutions. The introductory
Shall we say that the really vital part of remarks are well worthy of careful perusal.
musical expression is brain ?—not finger
As the distinguishing characteristic of
peculiarities, but musical intelligence which
the
Hardman Pianos is durability say the
knows the dramatic significance of accent,
shadings of force, and above all, time- firm, "we have for years made a specialty
modification? Now, practically all the of supplying them to schools and other in-
necessary personal qualifications of musical stitutions where instruments are subjected
works when played on the piano or organ,
the combining together of notes into to unusually hard use. The testimony of
phrases, accent, outline dynamics, etc., are hundreds of buyers for such purposes is
measurably within the control of the player unanimous in according to the 'Hardman'
of improved JEolians and Pianolas.
an exceptional position in this respect, as
well as the highest musical and artistic ex-
cellence. Consequently, we, to-day, feel
justified in claiming that the Hardman
Piano has no equal for the school. A care-
ful estimate develops the fact that the use
given a piano in a boarding-school is about
ten times the amount it has to undergo in
a private house, on the average. It will
be seen therefore, what an important mat-
ter it is that only durable instruments
should be purchased for such service.
" Although, as a rule, the use given to a
piano in a church or Sunday-school is not
very severe, the fact that the edifice is gen-
erally closed during the week permits sud-
den and frequent changes of temperature
to occur, especially during the winter, to
such an extent as almost certainly to vitiate
the action or tone of any piano not of the
very best construction. This kind of use
is, as a rule, even more severe upon an in-
strument than the hardest of service in a
building maintained at a regular tempera-
ture. The same fact holds good in many
other
cases, such as those of lodges, armor-
IN OPERATION.
ies, etc., etc.
Mechanical ingenuity having got to the
" The list of schools, churches, clubs and
point of providing the player with a sub-
other
institutions using the Hardman Piano
stitute for the work of his fingers, so that
the technical execution of the most difficult will give some idea of the popularity of
pieces is as easy as that of the simplest, an this famous instrument in places where the
entire revolution in teaching methods may utmost durability, combined with fine tone
be looked for. The time heretofore devoted and quality, is a necessity. This list com-
to learning to play on the piano and organ
will in the future be devoted to learning to prises only a few, comparatively, of the
know. Through repeated hearings of schools and other institutions to which
masterpieces, musical natures will broaden Hardman Pianos have been furnished. The
and deepen, and every good result follow assurances that we have received from the
apace.
principals of those schools which have
Meanwhile the best means of becoming bought our pianos are of such a nattering
thoroughly posted regarding the high de- character that we take the liberty of sug-
gree of perfection to which the ^Eolian Co. gesting correspondence with any of the in-
have developed that excellent instrument, stitutions named in this list, for the pur-
the ^Eolian, and their piano-player the pose of ascertaining whether the instru-
Pianola, is to visit the warerooms in this ments have been satisfactory. We have
city or the headquarters of any of their never known a case where the purchase of
representatives in other cities where every a Hardman Piano was made by a school
inquiry will be satisfactorily answered.
that the testimony of the principal was not
The recitals given every Saturday at the that it far exceeded in durability any in-
warerooms in this city are being largely strument before tried in the establishment."
attended—in fact there was such an assem-
Then follows a detailed list of names
blage last Saturday that it was necessary and addresses of societies, associations,
to give a special recital on Monday to sat- clubs, lodges, churches, etc., now using the
isfy the many who were disappointed on Hardman piano. Nearly every State in the
that dav.
union is well represented in numbers and
influence. The New York list is large and
A. B. Cameron, of the A. B. Cameron contains the names of many well-known
Co., left town on Monday for an extended organizations, including over twenty city
schools,
trip in the firm interests.