Music Trade Review

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THE MUSIC TRADE
REVIEW
make the silly mistake of blazoning forth the ar-
tistic union of the great singer with the player-
piano.
That would simply be to drive half the
The Perfection of the Grand Player-Piano the Next Logical Work of Development—There Is a
needed audiences away. On the contrary, the
Real Place for the Grand Player-Piano, Though It Is an Instrument That Is Not as Yet
whole ostensible boom would be for the artist.
Fully Appreciated by the Public—Some Suggestions Regarding Effective Exploitation—A
How the Piano Merchant Would Be Helped.
Field Where "Commercialism" Should Not Enter if Success Is Desired.
The recitals would be booked whenever the piano
The next step in the evolution of pneumatic should be so large. But it is not half large enough.
had a good agent and a good sale. The musical
mechanism for piano-playing under human control
The sale of player-pianos will never be large
people would have the opportunity to get special
will come with the perfection of the grand player-
enough until the musically intelligent have taken it
invitations from the dealer, while those not so hon-
piano. There can be absolutely no doubt of this. up seriously. Then the others will follow, like so
ored would buy tickets. For the moment it was
Carpers may object. Short-sighted observers may many sheep. And the grand player-piano will be
known that this was to be an exclusive affair, the
fail to see either demand or necessity. Yet the the very best—if not the only—possible medium
society crowd would want invitations, and the
fact remains. Nothing on earth can keep the
whereby the virtues of pneumatic mechanism for
mob tickets. The name of the artist would draw
grand player-piano from coming forward as a piano playing may be brought to the attention of
the crowd.
serious competitor in public favor. The mere fact
these.
Of course, the artist would grow accustomed to
that there are grand pianos is enough to prove
If these assertions be valid, the question to be
the player-piano, would get to like it and would
this. For just as the upright has been followed by
considered is how best may the grand player-piano begin to sing its praises. Anyone can see what this
a player-piano, so also will the grand go through . b': placed in a position where it will command the
would mean. Nobody would accuse Schumann-
identically the same evolution. The availability
respect, attention and interest of the musically
Heink, for example, of being swayed by commer-
oi the grand piano for player mechanism has
intelligent public. In the first place, be it under-
cial reasons in undertaking a tour that, if not suc-
nothing to do with the fact that it is horizontal, or
stood that there is a great deal of prejudice to be
cessful, would ruin her reputation. The adver-
that it is not all cased up like an upright. The overcome at the outset. The player-piano unhap-
tising effect would be immense. The piano would
only important fact is that it is a piano. In some pily has been given a bad name. And as with the
appear as accompanist, and also as soloist from
form or another, it is bound to come to the front
violent canine, many can see no en I for it but
time to time. People would begin to understand,
within the next few years.
violent death.
for the first time in their lives, that the player-
The purpose of what follows is not to discuss
Exploiting the Player Grand.
piano is not a dreadful mechanical grinder-out of
the unnecessary question of the availability of
But this is a condition which should not be per- music. It would be a shock to them to learn that
grand pianos for the installation of player mechan-
mitted to continue. No better method could be they were wrong, but a healthy shock at that, and
isms, but rather the possibilities and future of this
found for bringing the player-piano into proper
one which ought to be administered right heartily.
type, arguing from the ground that this future is
repute than to bring it before the public on grand
The manufacturer would attain an enormous repu-
certain.
piano form in a series of concerts with orchestra. tation. The whole industry would be a shock to
So far, nobody has had the courage to suggest
In the first place, it must be said that there is
them to learn that they were wrong, but a healthy
no desire, expressed or intended, to belittle the that this be done, to say nothing of attempting to shock at that, and one which ought to be admin-
very excellent work that has been done along these do it. One concerto, played artistically with or- istered right heartily. The manufacturer would
chestra, would have more value in bringing the attain an enormous reputation. The whole in-
lines already. The writer is well acquainted with
current practice in grand player design and has public to understand the real musical possibilities dustry would be benefited. And the dealers would
. very strong opinions with regard to the present of the instrument than any one thing that has yet
sell a good many players to a good many people
superiority of one prominent example. Never- been attempted. The musical public don't know the
who otherwise would not look at them. And the
theless, in this place the intention is to treat the player, they don't even like it. They not only don't
only instrument which could do this would be a
grand player-piano as a fait accompli, which it is, know it, but, what is worse, they have formed a
fine grand player-piano.
anyway, and to argue from the facts of the case very bad opinion of it in entire ignorance of the
Does this seem absurd? If so, why? Apart
what may be expected in the immediate future. facts. The player should be brought before the
from silly quibbling objections as to feasibility,
public in a manner beyond criticism, in a style
The only reservation that need be made is that
what can be said against it? Money and energy
the grand player-piano, up to the present time, has to which the word "commercialism" could not be
together will accomplish anything. To say that it
hardly begun to make a large impression on the applied. The idea of concerts with orchestra is
feasible. But a grand player-piano is necessary. could not be^done is ridiculous. The only ques-
public; an assumption which will doubtless be
tion is whether it would accomplish what is here
Here is a place and a work for this instrument
granted by everybody.
claimed
And the more one reflects upon the notion
The fact is beginning to be understood by trade which nothing else can fulfill.
the more plausible it looks.
and public that the player-piano is a musical in-
It should not hastily be assumed that the sug-
Two Lines of Activity Indicated.
strument. (For a further treatment of this sub- gestion made above is either impractical or im-
ject see elsewhere in the present Player Section). plicit of great expense. If it be urged that or-
Now, here we have indicated two lines of ac-
As this consciousness grows and deepens there
chestral conductors would not permit the use of
tivity for the grand player-piano. The instru-
is bound to be a demand for a player instrument a player-piano at a symphony concert, the answer ment, in fact, is to find its principal usefulness in
which will give to its possessor the richest treasure to that, as none of them know anything about the
missionary work.
Its business is to give the
of musical beauty, and which will furthermore de-
instrument; it is hardly fair to pre-judge their
player-piano a good name. Only the grand player
velop to the utmost the pianistic possibilities of the view. Show a conductor or any other skilled
can do this. And yet this must sooner or later be
pneumatic playing mechanism. Such an instru-
musician what a player-piano really can do, and
clone; preferably sooner. Surely that is sufficient
ment can only be a grand piano.
the chances are that there will be little further
argument for the grand player's necessary place
The Place for the Grand Player-Piano.
trouble in convincing that here is an instrument in the scheme of things!
The assertion should be emphasized. There is a worthy of serious consideration. Moreover, it is
Within the next year the present small and
place for a grand player-piano; a very distinct and
not to be forgotten that there is also a business
select company of grand player-pianos will find
definite place. There should be no mistake about
side to these matters.
its ranks augmented by additions from more than
this. It is not worth while to canvass the argu-
In other words, we have suggested here what
one source. At present the number of practical
ments of those who would urge that the grand
looks like a good plan for getting the whole instruments of this type can be counted on the
player would only have a small commercial place
player proposition squarely up to the musical
fingers of one hand. A year from now that num-
in the trade. What is worth while arguing is that, world on the only grounds whereupon they will ber is likely to be doubled. This is important.
just as the development of the grand piano by great
ever consider it: its musical merit. And the honor
For it should be carefully noted that the future
makers and the playing of it by great artists are
of doing this must necessarily be reserved to the of the grand player is to run along artistic lines.
distinctly responsible for the present universal
grand player-piano. This is one reason why that
An imperfect mechanism in a grand player is
popularity of the upright, so the development of a instrument is not only desirable but essential to the doomed in advance. Too much stress has been
grand player which shall be a musical instrument
future of the industry.
laid in the past on getting something to sell and
first and a selling device second is absolutely
We may also look at the matter from another
too little on producing something that will actually
needed if the pneumatic playing mechanism is to angle. Suppose that some enterprising manufac- play. The mistake has been bad—very bad—for the
be recognized by intelligent music lovers for what
turer, in possession of a good player grand piano, upright player-piano. It will be nothing less than
it really and truly is.
should see the value of advertising it—and there-
fatal for the grand. Better no grand player at all
And let this be understood: The pneumatic by his whole pneumatic line—by unusual, striking than one which is a parody on the name. There
playing mechanism or any other device of the sort and effective methods. Here is something that he must never be a "commercial" grand player-piano.
must receive the approbation of musicians and mu- might do. He might engage the very best player- That truth might as well be kept in mind. And
sic-lovers if it is to succeed, as it should on its pianist he could find and then proceed further to the further truth is equally significant: that a com-
merits. Mark this lastly: the unintelligent buyer
engage for a series of recitals the very best singer
mercial grand player, if it ever existed, would do
never creates a demand for a musical instrument of
available; some artist whose name is everywhere more harm to the industry in one year than all
any kind. The intelligent, discriminating and criti- known, and who can be relied upon to draw a
the others could undo in ten. These be truths.
cal buyer must first be satisfied. The money is crowd. He might then arrange with his dealers
To be a missionary, to give the player mechan-
made from the general public, indeed, but the gen- to book a series of recitals, for this artist, guar-
ism its rightful musical place in the world, to
eral public needs to have a leader. The public anteeing so many appearances and so much money
destroy prejudice and to hold up higher and
will follow the bell-wether, which in this case is to the latter. The player-piano part would be kept higher ideals before the manufacturer and de-
the musical elite.
in the background and just casually announced. signer of pneumatic mechanisms; these are the
The player-piarto is not a fad. It is being sold
The rest would follow of itself.
possibilities and this the future of the grand
on its bare merit. Wonderful it is that the sale
No sensible man would, in such a case as this, player-piano.
THE GRAND PLAYER-PIANO-ITS POSSIBILITIES AND FUTURE.