Music Trade Review
Issue: 1916 Vol. 63 N. 16 - Page 51
Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
LEOPOLD GODOWSKY GIVES HIS VIEWS ON THE DUO-ART
The Aeolian Co. Features an Interview With Celebrated Pianist in Which He Praises the Duo-
Art Pianola as a Means of Reproducing the Individual Interpretation of the Artist
"It is as if," he continued, "I looked at a
Continuing its series of advertisements fea-
turing interviews with famous artists anent the color photograph not of my face, but of the
Duo-Art Pianola, the Aeolian Co. used in last music-self that is within me!"
Sunday's newspapers a most interesting talk
"Are you content that your performance shall
with Leopold Godowsky, one of the world's go down to posterity represented, as it must be,
celebrated pianists, who has made a number of
on a record-roll of this Duo-Art Pianola?" I
selections for the Duo-Art library. Mr. Go- asked. "Don't hesitate to state a doubt if
dowsky's interview read as follows:
you feel one."
"I recognize the fact that it will be so—and
Men there are who are primarily great as
executive artists—but there they halt. Few, I am satisfied that it should be so," replied he
indeed, can impart their art to others—possess simply.
the power to pass on, as it were, the divine af-
He paused. "Did you imagine that I did
flatus of this genius, to inspire, to teach.
not think of this before I made a record upon
Such a man, however, is the great pianist the Duo-Art Pianola? Do you believe that I
Godowsky.
Himself, one of the first artists could have signed such a record had I not
of his time, he is yet perhaps one of the greatest felt that my pianism had been faithfully re-
corded? Never could I have done so! The
piano teachers of all time.
I shall not readily forget the occasion when I moment, however, that I heard the first notes
met him first. He was playing Chopin's im- repeated exactly as I had played them, I knew
mortal Fantasie in F minor, and it became a that the truthfulness of the reproduction was
radiant and yet a solemn joy under his expres- unassailable. I knew they would reflect truly
my spirit and my aim, long after I had gone."
sive and authoritative hands.
"Is your touch the same when you record a
I saw him as he heard that performance re-
produced a week later—shade by shade, and roll for the Duo-Art Pianola, as when you are
touch by touch—all so true to his feeling and playing ordinarily at concert?"
to the highest impulses of his art.
"Exactly!"
For a while he sat silent as if adjusting him-
"Is the tone reproduced the same?"
self to the tremendous import of what he had
"Precisely the same!'.'
heard. . . .
"Then the word 'mechanical' does not occur to
you in connection with this instrument?"
And then he spoke.
"The word 'mechanical' can only occur to one
"It is truly a remarkable experience," he said
at length, "to hear the Duo-Art mirror in every in music when a mechanical result is produced
essential quality of tone and expresesion the in music," he replied quickly. "With the Duo-
Fantasie as I played it a week ago! T o think Art Pianola it is the last word one thinks of.
this same performance will be heard in thou- For it is the spirit of the artist which conies
sands of homes, years hence—just as I played from it—not merely the notes he has struck.
One might as logically call the piano itself me-
it at Aeolian Hall!
"Why, it would be inconceivable if I had not chanical because it produces sounds by mechan-
actually experienced this marvel of hearing my- ical means! . . . No! No! The art of the
self play—if I had not recognized my touch, piano gains a wider audience through this won-
derful invention, and so it must, therefore,
my characteristics, my art itself.
Chase & Baker
Go.
47
have an important place in the musical develop-
ment of the future!"
*
"Then the reproducing piano represent, in
your opinion, something of an epoch in inter-
pretative pianoforte playing?" I inquired.
"Your phrase suggests it very well," said the
great musician.
"The Duo-Art Pianola oc-
cupies, to my mind, somewhat the same relation
to pianism that the printing press does to lit-
erature. It brings the noblest renderings of
individual pianism to the homes of the millions.
It distributes broadcast the results of the mu-
sical talent and genius of our time."
"Then it will actually be a factor in musical
education?"
"A great factorf" he replied. "Greater, per-
haps, than we can now estimate.
"Think," he went on, "of the tremendous edu-
cational stimulus of the instrument. Think of
the child, or the student, able to hear repeatedly
some transcendent interpretation, and thereby
acquire refined taste and superior knowledge
of music. Think of the music teachers them-
selves who will increase their information
and knowledge of music through the reproduc-
tions of superior pianism.
"Yes, by this instrument reproductive art is
put on as permanent a basis as composition it-
self. And for it, as for other truly artistic
types of modern instruments, I, as an artist,
must have the greatest respect.
"The true measure of the value of its accom-
plishment to the cause of highest music is now
at last beginning to be realized by the musicians
themselves who in the infancy of modern-in-
strument development, perhaps, were somewhat
skeptical. But such an instrument as this leaves
prejudice defenseless."
Tel-Electric Piano Player
12 West 31st Street, NEW YORK
Attachable to any piano
No pumping
METAL MUSIC ROLLS
JHE ELECTROVA
COIN OPERATED PLAYER
A MONEY MAKER FOR PIANO MERCHANTS
MADE BY THE ELECTROVA CO.
117-125 C y p r e s s Avenue
N e w York
PIANOS AND PLAYIR-PIANt)*
T W •*• UNEQUALED lot musical «f •oBVwieM. ralwbtfky and dorabilifr aad are the TRADE STANDARD
Factory and Offfioo, Jowott Avonuo and Bolt Lino, BUFFALO, N. Y.
ANGELUS
PIANO
PIANO-PLAYER
Introduced in 1895 and constantly im-
proved and developed to it* present point
of superiority.
An excellent upright piano with
Angelus incorporated in it, making
complete and compact instrument.
THE MELODANT and THE PHRASING LEVER
are patented expression devices found only on the Angelus. The Angelus
instruments are the results of years of experience and success.
THE WILCOX & [WHITE COMPANY
MERIDEN. CONN.
Established 1876
Melville
Clark's
APOLLO "*'"
Piano
Established Retail Price £7AA *_.
Consistent wltb QualUy f / U U 10
MELVILLE CLARK PIANO CO.
FINE ARTS BUILDING. CHICAGO
YOC//Z
AJVIOINT
T
S T
B
THE AUTOPIANO COMPANY 12 -" AVE . 51 - TO 5 2 ND
NEW YORK
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
LEOPOLD GODOWSKY GIVES HIS VIEWS ON THE DUO-ART
The Aeolian Co. Features an Interview With Celebrated Pianist in Which He Praises the Duo-
Art Pianola as a Means of Reproducing the Individual Interpretation of the Artist
"It is as if," he continued, "I looked at a
Continuing its series of advertisements fea-
turing interviews with famous artists anent the color photograph not of my face, but of the
Duo-Art Pianola, the Aeolian Co. used in last music-self that is within me!"
Sunday's newspapers a most interesting talk
"Are you content that your performance shall
with Leopold Godowsky, one of the world's go down to posterity represented, as it must be,
celebrated pianists, who has made a number of
on a record-roll of this Duo-Art Pianola?" I
selections for the Duo-Art library. Mr. Go- asked. "Don't hesitate to state a doubt if
dowsky's interview read as follows:
you feel one."
"I recognize the fact that it will be so—and
Men there are who are primarily great as
executive artists—but there they halt. Few, I am satisfied that it should be so," replied he
indeed, can impart their art to others—possess simply.
the power to pass on, as it were, the divine af-
He paused. "Did you imagine that I did
flatus of this genius, to inspire, to teach.
not think of this before I made a record upon
Such a man, however, is the great pianist the Duo-Art Pianola? Do you believe that I
Godowsky.
Himself, one of the first artists could have signed such a record had I not
of his time, he is yet perhaps one of the greatest felt that my pianism had been faithfully re-
corded? Never could I have done so! The
piano teachers of all time.
I shall not readily forget the occasion when I moment, however, that I heard the first notes
met him first. He was playing Chopin's im- repeated exactly as I had played them, I knew
mortal Fantasie in F minor, and it became a that the truthfulness of the reproduction was
radiant and yet a solemn joy under his expres- unassailable. I knew they would reflect truly
my spirit and my aim, long after I had gone."
sive and authoritative hands.
"Is your touch the same when you record a
I saw him as he heard that performance re-
produced a week later—shade by shade, and roll for the Duo-Art Pianola, as when you are
touch by touch—all so true to his feeling and playing ordinarily at concert?"
to the highest impulses of his art.
"Exactly!"
For a while he sat silent as if adjusting him-
"Is the tone reproduced the same?"
self to the tremendous import of what he had
"Precisely the same!'.'
heard. . . .
"Then the word 'mechanical' does not occur to
you in connection with this instrument?"
And then he spoke.
"The word 'mechanical' can only occur to one
"It is truly a remarkable experience," he said
at length, "to hear the Duo-Art mirror in every in music when a mechanical result is produced
essential quality of tone and expresesion the in music," he replied quickly. "With the Duo-
Fantasie as I played it a week ago! T o think Art Pianola it is the last word one thinks of.
this same performance will be heard in thou- For it is the spirit of the artist which conies
sands of homes, years hence—just as I played from it—not merely the notes he has struck.
One might as logically call the piano itself me-
it at Aeolian Hall!
"Why, it would be inconceivable if I had not chanical because it produces sounds by mechan-
actually experienced this marvel of hearing my- ical means! . . . No! No! The art of the
self play—if I had not recognized my touch, piano gains a wider audience through this won-
derful invention, and so it must, therefore,
my characteristics, my art itself.
Chase & Baker
Go.
47
have an important place in the musical develop-
ment of the future!"
*
"Then the reproducing piano represent, in
your opinion, something of an epoch in inter-
pretative pianoforte playing?" I inquired.
"Your phrase suggests it very well," said the
great musician.
"The Duo-Art Pianola oc-
cupies, to my mind, somewhat the same relation
to pianism that the printing press does to lit-
erature. It brings the noblest renderings of
individual pianism to the homes of the millions.
It distributes broadcast the results of the mu-
sical talent and genius of our time."
"Then it will actually be a factor in musical
education?"
"A great factorf" he replied. "Greater, per-
haps, than we can now estimate.
"Think," he went on, "of the tremendous edu-
cational stimulus of the instrument. Think of
the child, or the student, able to hear repeatedly
some transcendent interpretation, and thereby
acquire refined taste and superior knowledge
of music. Think of the music teachers them-
selves who will increase their information
and knowledge of music through the reproduc-
tions of superior pianism.
"Yes, by this instrument reproductive art is
put on as permanent a basis as composition it-
self. And for it, as for other truly artistic
types of modern instruments, I, as an artist,
must have the greatest respect.
"The true measure of the value of its accom-
plishment to the cause of highest music is now
at last beginning to be realized by the musicians
themselves who in the infancy of modern-in-
strument development, perhaps, were somewhat
skeptical. But such an instrument as this leaves
prejudice defenseless."
Tel-Electric Piano Player
12 West 31st Street, NEW YORK
Attachable to any piano
No pumping
METAL MUSIC ROLLS
JHE ELECTROVA
COIN OPERATED PLAYER
A MONEY MAKER FOR PIANO MERCHANTS
MADE BY THE ELECTROVA CO.
117-125 C y p r e s s Avenue
N e w York
PIANOS AND PLAYIR-PIANt)*
T W •*• UNEQUALED lot musical «f •oBVwieM. ralwbtfky and dorabilifr aad are the TRADE STANDARD
Factory and Offfioo, Jowott Avonuo and Bolt Lino, BUFFALO, N. Y.
ANGELUS
PIANO
PIANO-PLAYER
Introduced in 1895 and constantly im-
proved and developed to it* present point
of superiority.
An excellent upright piano with
Angelus incorporated in it, making
complete and compact instrument.
THE MELODANT and THE PHRASING LEVER
are patented expression devices found only on the Angelus. The Angelus
instruments are the results of years of experience and success.
THE WILCOX & [WHITE COMPANY
MERIDEN. CONN.
Established 1876
Melville
Clark's
APOLLO "*'"
Piano
Established Retail Price £7AA *_.
Consistent wltb QualUy f / U U 10
MELVILLE CLARK PIANO CO.
FINE ARTS BUILDING. CHICAGO
YOC//Z
AJVIOINT
T
S T
B
THE AUTOPIANO COMPANY 12 -" AVE . 51 - TO 5 2 ND
NEW YORK
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