Music Trade Review

Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
THE
MUSIC TRADE
A PEEP INTO THE FUTURE.
REVIEW
Nor is-it to be-doubted that the future success
of the player-piano means' a very considerable
change in the conception of musical composition
The Permanent Future of The Player-Piano Discussed from a Variety of Points—Reasons
for the piano. It is hardly to be doubted that as
Why, Despite Skepticism, the Player-Piano is Not a Fad, But a Permanent and Growing
sooa
as composers come to understand the player-
Element of Musical Life in This and Other Countries—Attitude of the Piano Trade, the
piano
we'll, they will begin to see the possibilities
Musical World and the Music Teacher Analyzed and Dissected in An Interesting Way.
of composing music specially adapted to its im-
mense capacities. At present these capacities arc
It would be a mistake to suppose that everybody player-piano if it tries hard enough. Although we
in the piano trade is fully convinced of a perma- firmly believe that the ultimate future of this in- not well seen, precisely because the ordinary piano
nent future for the player-piano. In very fact, there strument is certain, we do also believe that its' music does hot require their use on the one hand,
while, contrariwise, orchestral and four-handed ar-
are many men, both dealers and manufacturers, progress may be held back to a very considerable
rangements are not originally made especially for
who are more than a little skeptical over the whole degree by wrong methods of exploitation. And we
proposition. The statement may not be welcome
cannot see any particular action on the part of the player-pianos, and therefore do not ever sound just
as well as they ought to. But when a composer
to all, but it does represent a state of affairs that, trade at the present time which is likely to have
for good or for evil, exists. And we must, there-
any special effect other than that of throwing a deliberately sits down to write pianistic music,
fore, take account of it.
good many obstacles in the path of public recogni- adapted to the piano only, but to a piano with the
tremendous range and capacity of the player-piano,
What js the cause of such a mental condition on tion for the player-piano and its possibilities.
he will write differently. He will bring into ex-
the part of some men in the piano trade? Perhaps
The Player-Piano Fills a Want.
istence an entirely different type of composition
we should not be far wrong if we assigned for a
The permanency of anything is assured only
for the piano; music which will be harmonically
cause lack of success in the handling of players.
when that thing fills some want, expressed or im-
richer, fuller, of more varied content, but withal
But even so, this alone would not be enough to
plied. The more nearly universal the want, the truly pianistic and truly adapted to the possibilities
account for a belief that the player is' not really
more likely is this to be so. Now, in spite of all and capacities of the instrument as developed by
here to stay. There must be a deeper reason.
that may be said on one side or the other, we firm-
the pneumatic mechanism. And the result will be
That reason may be found, it seems to us, in a ly believe that the player-piano does fill a want, in
as interesting as it will be valuable for the future
lack of respect and understanding. The two ele- that it gives the layman the opportunity for pro-
development of musical art.
ments are really interdependent, since the former
ducing music, as he wishes it, as' often as he wishes
One more suggestion. Some day, let a combi-
cannot exist without the latter. It is as clear as it, and to such extent as pleases him. This is the
nation of science and mechanical genius undertake
daylight that the future of the player would be fulfilling of a thoroughly legitimate human aspira-
assured beyond the shadow of a doubt if only we tion, and the instrument which fulfils this aspira- to build a just-intonation, non-tempered piano, ac-
tuated by a pneumatic mechanism. The thing can
could induce the whole piano trade to undertake a tion has a permanent future.
be done. The difficulty has always been to build
close and sympathetic study of it, leading to a
Now, if we suppose that the player-piano is going
a keyboard that the human hand can grasp, and
more general comprehension of what it is and what
to be as' much improved in the future as it has
which at the same time will have the necessary
is its true significance.
been in the past, and that its exploitation is not
number of separate tones for the octave in just
Chances for the Player-Piano.
going to be any less intelligent than it has been
But, so long as the sentiment above referred to in the past, what sort of effect is all this going to intonation. With the pneumatic mechanism this
exists, it will be eminently worth while to ask have upon the piano trade, upon music, musicians greatest difficulty disappears. If the just-intona-
tion piano ever comes, as no doubt it will some
ourselves what are the chances for the player-piano and music appreciation? That is the immediate
time, it will be a player-piano.
in the future? It will be well for us to consider
question before us, and the one which this article
very carefully whether the probabilities are for primarily proposes to answer. We must, in short,
Player-Piano Influence to Grow.
the player-piano remaining a permanent and grow- take a peep into the future.
No, there is absolutely not a reason for sup-
ing element of musical life in this' and other coun-
What will be the effect of a player-piano tri- posing that the player-piano is merely a fad. Its
tries, or whether its present vogue, such as it is, umphant upon the piano trade? First of all, and
evolutionary position is too clearly defined. It
may be considered only a fad, certain to die away. principally, it will stir up dry bones and turn into
must grow and prosper, and this in spite of the
After coming to the conclusion that seems best to the discard a heap of moldering traditions. It
trade, if the latter will not properly support
meet the facts, let us take a peep into the future will make people in the trade face new conditions,
it. Its influence upon music appreciation, upon
and see what effect the beliefs to which we have new methods. It will necessitate broader educa-
music teaching, musical education and musical
subscribed, and the results' of them, are likely to tion on the part of dealers and salesmen; but, in
composition must, as the years go on, be more
have on American music, music-appreciation and turn, it will vastly increase sales, will open up ave-
and more important and dominating. As the in-
musicians.
nues for selling at present closed entirely, and will
strument it self increases in artistic stature, its
The world lives and has its being on positive place the musical instrument trade for the first
influence will grow proportionately. And it is not
lines of progress. Every line of human endeavor time on a popular and staple-like basis.
by any means absurd to suppose that its final des-
must obey the law of forward movement, or it
What is true of the trade is, to a large extent,
tiny is to find a place at the pinnacle of musical
must die. In the case of the player-piano, it is not bound also to be true of the musical world. What
influence all over the world.
at all unjust to consider that instrument as repre-
effect on the ordinary piano will the triumphant
We have said little or nothing of the mechanical
senting the latest forward step in the building of
player-piano have? It will not abolish the key-
possibilities of the player-piano, as these may be
pianos. Psaltery, harpsichord, piano, player-piano; board, but it will abolish the keyboard's tyranny.
developed within the next few years. But the
these are some of the steps in musical evolution, It will not drive the genius away from composi-
questions there involved have been discussed in the
each of which represents a large forward move- tion or the interpretative artist from the acquire-
Player Section many times. We all know that
ment. It is not at all charlatanish or unreasonable ment of a digital technic, but it will open up the
freedom of phrasing, greater control over dynamic
to regard the player-piano as a legitimate member
creations of the composed to an audience many gradation, better touch and color are the several
of this great hierarchy, however little its' import- times larger than any which he may now command.
goals toward which all invention is' striving. These
ance or significance may be commonly understood. And to the interpretative artist it will bring many
things will come in due time. They are.coming
If what we have now said about the player-piano more appreciative listeners.
now, in fact; and we need not discuss them fur-
be true, there should be no question whatever as
ther here, since we have assumed them throughout
And What of the Music Teacher?
to its permanency, given at least fairly decent care
this article. But we may, and must hold it true
And
what
of
the
music-teacher,
that
persistent
and attention on the part of the trade. It is only
foe of the player-piano? How will he or she that nothing can hold back the future career of
when we look at the indifference, carelessness and
fare?
Not half as badly, one must predict, as is the player-piano unless, indeed, it be literally and
general "orneriness" wherewith one finds it so
deliberately done to death. And, with all its
commonly handled, that one pauses to ask, with a generally supposed. The teacher may have a few shortsightedness, the piano trade is hardly going to
less
hopelessly
incompetent
pupils
under
a
musical
sort of dismay, whither we are likely to be dragged
do anything like that.
in the next ten years. But such pessimism is after regime in which the player-piano has taken its
Let us be proud of our association with the
rightful
place;
but
for
every
bad,
incompetent,
all not in accordance with, the facts. The player-
early days of an instrument destined to revolu-
piano has within itself the seeds of its own future hopelessly unmusical child whom fond parents
tionize the whole world of musical commerce,
progress, and is quite a big enough and necessary drive to music lessons, there will be a dozen bright,
practice ,composition and appreciation.
enough thing to carry itself, in spite of a great appreciative students, goaded with the point of a
fiery ambition to translate into finger practice the
de.a1 of neglect and indifference.
INVENTION TO CLEAR THE "BLEEDS."
No, there seems to be little reason for supposing great creations which they have learned 1o love
that the player-piano is merely a fad. For the and appreciate through the player-piano. And will
An improvement in connection with automatic
substitution of pneumatic mechanism for finger the teacher then be any worse off than he or she is
musical instruments is the subject of a patent
manipulation in the.piano is not an illegitimate ex- now? It hardly seems likely.
Very few music teachers appear to have seen granted this week to Louis H. Maier, of New York,
tension o.f the piano idea, but a thoroughly legiti-
this beneficent side of the player-piano. Very few No. 1,003,4811. In pneumatically controlled musical
mate, thoroughly good and useful expansion of
instruments, such as player-pianos, piano-prayers
that idea, While we do not for a moment believe have yet recognized that this instrument will find
that the possibilities of the player-piano are fully its greatest and final place as a teacher of music and the like, having a tracker for the music sheets,
realized by most of those who make, handle and appreciation, the one quality which we need in the bleeds for the valves are liable to become more
American musical life above all others. We have or les-s clogged with dust, whereby the proper action
buy them, we do believe that the instrument itself
of the valves is interfered with. The object of this
plenty
of pianists, violinists, singers, but we lack
is sufficiently necessary, and fills a sufficient want,
audiences to appreciate them. Here the player- invention is to provide means for at will clearing
to make its future progress absolutely certain.
the bleeds from the accumulation of dust n»(l lbe
At the same time, let us not pretend that the piano has a tremendous future, the teachers will
like in a simple find efficient manner.
piano trade cannot come very close to killing the only recognize this, and assist, rather than resist