Music Trade Review

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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
THE REVIEW'S TECHNICAL DEPARTMENT.
Conducted and Edited by Win. B. White.
[Contributions are Invited for this department from members of the industry bearing strictly on the practical side
of the craft
Communications must be signed with the name and address ot the sender
The editor ac-
cepts no responsibility for the opinions of correspondents.]
As promised last week, we continue herewith
the examination of Mr. Rich's views on tempera-
ment. We feel sure that the reader, if he has
taken the trouble to analyze the extracts that we
have printed, cannot fail to realize that the author
has taken great care in preparing his statements,
and that he is entirely convinced of their sound-
ness. It is our unhappy mission in life, how-
ever, to act the part of disillusioner in many,
many cases of enthusiastic theorizing upon in-
sufficient premises. The reader need not suppose
that we set up for an unimpeachable authority
in all matters pertaining to pianoforte construc-
tion and tuning. On the other hand, we are fain
to confess that our adversary has more than once
caught us asleep, if not, indeed, in worse case,
and has fallen upon us with triumphant force
and smitten us hip and thigh. It will, we hope,
however, be conceded that we approach the
solution of the multitudinous problems pre-
sented in these columns with the knowl-
edge gained by continual practice, study
and thought. For by no other means could
we be prepared even to guess at the answers to
half of the perplexing questions that weekly are
hurled at our devoted cranium. Without preju-
dice, then, we ask that our readers judge the
criticisms and views appearing in these columns
strictly on their merits, and if haply they at
any time catch the editor napping, they will do
the greatest possible service by making the
fact known with all possible speed and with as
much publicity as these columns can command.
together and the acousticians imagine a vain
thing, but the Equal Temperament goes on for-
ever. Faulty it is, and crude; yet so far nothing
better has been put forth from the brain of man.
The various attempts to obtain just intoned
scales upon the pianoforte have ended in deserved
failure. They have been alternately pathetic and
ludicrous. The old mean tone system, long pre-
ferred for the pipe organ, gave way at last, simply
through its inherent inability to permit free
modulation into the remoter keys. The Equal
Temperament, with all its monotony, all its crude-
ness, and all its impartiality of dissonance, re-
mains at once the most convenient, and the least
rigid, of compromises.
It is with sincere regret that we find ourselves
unable to agree with the main portion of Mr.
Rich's argument. But, as we have often said,
there is always space in these columns for corre-
spondents to come back at us, and the invitation
of course, applies to Mr. Rich whenever he cares
to reopen the discussion. Meanwhile, his most
interesting and learned argument continues to
evoke our respectful admiration, unable as we are
entirely to agree with his conclusions.
11
commercial desire to outdo his rivals, made pos-
sible the new school of Chopin, and the later
style of Liszt, Rubinstein, and the modern vir-
tuosi. Without such material stimulation the
pianoforte of to-day would probably be unequal
to the demands that are put upon it by play-
ers accustomed to the extraordinary rigidity and
strength of our present concert instruments. It
may be objected that the instruments are often
actually not equal to these demands; that they
would, if possible, resist by force, as they do
audibly, the unmerciful punishment that too often
is meted out to them. But the fact remains that
actual physical damage to pianofortes is seldom
inflicted during the performance of, say, a con-
certo; and while there is no doubt that pianists,
in their efforts to drown out an orchestral ac-
companiment, often do evoke the plainest pro-
tests from their usually uncomplaining victims,
the resources of the iron foundry and the wire-
drawing mill are generally more than equal, for
a time at least, to all the pounding that the most
frenzied of performers can inflict. Nevertheless,
we feel that the makers have rather worked along
the lines of commercial, as well as tonal, develop-
ment, than through the guidance of any urgent
and realized notion that they are assisting in the
development of the technic of pianoforte playing.
An art or craft must either progress or fall
back; it cannot stand still. Yet if we were to
estimate at its true worth the attitude of musi-
cians towards the new in musical instruments, we
should be obliged to concede that they have gen-
erally been an obstacle in the path of the me-
chanical development of music rather than an as-
sistance to it. The whole history of the piano-
Much space has been occupied in musical jour- forte goes to show that its makers have had con-
nals, at one time or another, in discussing the tinually to fight against the forces of conserva-
pros and cons of the question whether the de- tism and prejudice. And these antagonistic forces
velopment of composition for, and performance have chiefly come from the musicians themselves.
upon, the pianoforte, has been the propelling The story of Wagner's struggles to obtain recog-
force that has carried on the makers of nition of his genius, and the similarly distressing
these instruments to their present mastery, experiences of all other innovators, are only dif-
or whether the makers themselves have ferent examples of the same thing. The musician
In further reference, then, to the views so in- stirred up the artists to greater efforts. As may is apparently a born reactionary, and new ideas
geniously put forth by Mr. Rich. We have easily be seen, this problem is especially delight- have to be imparted to him, if not through the
learned that he believes that the enharmonic ful, inasmuch as it offers to both sides equal op- medium of a surgical operation, at least by al-
sounds may be considered as freely interchange- portunities for pleasingly eloquent arguments, most equally forcible means.
able, and that the "point of reckoning" from with the sole disadvantage that an impartial
The reader need not be surprised then if we
which the enharmonic sound is projected, as it choice between them is very difficult.
cling to the opinion that the pianoforte makers
were, is all-important. He says, truly enough,
While we must confess to having been fasci- have had little to learn from either the ideas or
"Every scratch of a file, turn of a peg, or move of nated by this little question more than once, we the desires of pianists. The latter have been
the fingers on an open string creates a new tone. have hitherto prudently refrained from venturing only too well content to await the developments
How name these?" We are not disposed to dis- upon a public expression of opinion. In fact, we of the manufacturers, and then to give them at
pute the essential truth of the above statement, have rather hoped that one of our readers might best a tardy approval.
but we do dissent from the application thereof. be tempted to come out into the open, and rashly
Of course there is no doubt, as we took the
The numberless possible musical sounds, differ- address himself to the task. Seeing, however, trouble to point out above and at some length,
ing from each other, as to frequency, by but a that no one has appeared to be willing to jump that any person who happens to hold opposite
few vibrations per second, have really nothing into the arena and pick up the gage of battle, we views on this matter can present equally plaus-
to do with the musical scale. That is artificial, are ready to expose ourselves to the wrath or ible arguments on the other side. One of our
after all. The scale degrees are related accord- contempt of our adversaries and undertake the greatest troubles, however, is to get these gentry
ing to certain fixed ratios, and whatever be the fearsome duty.
to state their ideas in print. It is a most aston-
pitch of the original key-note, the other degrees
Frankly, we are of the opinion that the mak- ishing fact, but strictly true nevertheless, that
of the same scale can only have certain ers are entitled to the credit. Doubtless, the first the average practical piano man is the most re-
fixed frequencies of vibration to correspond with pianoforte experimenters were only too glad to tiring person on the face of the earth when it
the tonic. Koenig, of Paris, has constructed a seek the advice and assistance of their friends comes to a question of giving his views for pub-
wonderful "tonometer," consisting of a set of the musicians. Thus, we have the progress of lication. Our readers would be amazed if they
tuning forks fitted with resonators, which have Cristofori and Silbermann hampered by the dic- could know how many write or talk to us, often
a compass that includes the whole range of audi- tum of Bach that the pianoforte was "only fit giving expression to most weighty and valuable
ble musical sounds. This tonometer is so con- for rondos." On the other hand, of course, we opinions, but who would give their right hand
structed that each fork gives a sound with a cannot doubt that Mozart's cordial praise of the rather than permit us to reproduce any of their
frequency exactly four vibrations per second improvements made by Andreas and Nanette aphorisms on this page. '"Tis true, and pity 'tis,
faster or slower than the immediately adjacent Stein were of great assistance in enabling this 'tis true."
forks. Yet surely there is no need for us to ingenious pair to popularize and market their pro-
consider that, because it has been possible to ductions. But this influence only remained very
Communications for the department should be
produce so extraordinary an instrument, there important while the instrument itself was in a addressed to the Editor, Technical Department,
is any reason for us to worry about the effects state of transition, and while inventors were The Music Trade Review.
thereof upon the musical scale.
continually bringing forward constructional ideas
entirely new, and different from any preceding
ADDITION TO KRELL PLANT.
Indeed, we cannot see that Mr. Rich has made them. But as soon as this period had passed, no
out his case. There cannot be any escape from later than the time of Beethoven's middle life,
(Special to The Uevlew.)
the fact that purely intoned musical scales do the general principles of construction had become
Cincinnati, O., May 22, 1905.
give different sounds in different keys for firmly settled, and it was then that the
The Krell Piano Co. have just demolished the
the enharmonics. The gamut is founded musicians began to look to the pianoforte makers building at the northeast corner of Ninth and
chiefly upon ' the fixed scale ratios, and by for the improvements, and to expect them, but Harriet streets, on which site they will erect an
no other means can music be performed not to suggest them. The great work of Broad- addition to their present factory, which will cost
according to Occidental ideas, except by recogni- wood, Chickering, and Bechstein, and the rise in the neighborhood of $50,000. This addition
of Steinway, permitted the technical intricacies of will be completed in three months, and is badly
tion of these simple but inclusive truths.
On the other hand, we think that our corre- Liszt, but Liszt, we feel, did not inspire needed to enable them to fill the demands for
spondent is on safer ground in his remarks re- these ingenious men. The pianoforte mak- thoir pianos. Indeed, never was there a larger ap-
garding the equal temperament. Theorists rage ers, each urged on by the more or less preciation of the merits of these instruments.