Music Trade Review
Issue: 1918 Vol. 66 N. 8 - Page 7
Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
FEBRUARY 23,
THE MUSIC TRADE
1918
REVIEW
fflff^iffm^ff^gffigftl^^
The Player-Piano Offers a Most Fertile Field for the Development of a New
Method of Composition—The Value of the Pioneer Work Done in This Direc-
tion by Dr. Edward Schaaf, and Some New Principles Which Must Be Observed
Some three and one-half years ago a. modest its principal limitation. This lies in the fact
little brochure was published by Doctor Edward that, in order to preserve a proper foundation for
Schaaf of Newark, N. J., a physician of that the musical structure, a low bass must be used;
city who has discovered a remarkable talent for and this means that, inevitably, whether one
composition in all forms of modern music, and likes it or not, a gap must constantly be open-
who, in addition, is a highly trained expert in ing out between the right-hand and the left-
all branches of musical theory. The title of band parts. No matter how skilful the com-
his "brochure is "The Art of Player-Piano Tran- poser is, he cannot get over this. If he keeps
scription," and in it the author has made the first his parts close together, then his dispersed har-
attempt on record to lay foundations for what monic ideas cease for want of expression. He
might be called a science of player-piano music. has eighty-eight keys, but he can only use, at
The work, like all foundational effort, is incom- any one time, a little bunch of them in some
plete, and in various technical points could be one part of the range.
much improved and refined; yet it is invaluable,
Now then, comes the player-piano and at
because it sets forth certain principles that will once does for the piano what the pedal board
be recognized in course of time, we believe, to does for the organ; namely, adds the needed
constitute the elements of a new branch of musi- third hand, and even does more, for its fingers
cal art; the composition of music especially for number eighty-eight, one for each key of the
the player-piano.
keyboard. Plainly this means something big
It is not the intention of the present writer at the start.
Polyphony
to infringe on Doctor Schaaf's rights, even indi-
The composer for the player-piano will in-
rectly, but rather to set forth certain views
regarding the player-piano as an instrument for deed not fail to take advantage of so obvious
the production of music, with the view of show- an advantage as this, but he will be well ad-
ing certain directions or paths along which, it vised to use discretion in his treatment of this
is believed, musicians can do some valuable many-lingered instrument. He will certainly
practical experimenting, looking towards the de- not be so foolish as to imagine that doubling
velopment of a new musical art. Of course, it melodies in octaves, doubling bass notes at the
will be necessary to speak of Doctor Schaaf's bottom of chords and putting in trills, will iill
work, especially as the Doctor is one who prac- out the parts satisfactorily and give that splen-
tices what he preaches and has for several years did bicn nourri feeling, as the French call it,
devoted himself to composing music for the that feeling of healthy, well nourished "innards"
peculiar to orchestral music, where there are
player-piano or to transcribing other works of
instruments for all the voices that can be writ-
his, originally written in other genres.
ten*into the score and no gaps.
A Confused Situation
No! the player-piano composer will realize
We wish to begin by saying that, in our opin-
ion, all work that has hitherto been done in this that he has in effect a new instrument, which
way—and in bulk it is not great—has suffered may be called a monochromatic orchestra, an
from the defect that the expression devices of orchestra of one tone-color. Therefore he will
player-pianos are as yet in a state of compara- write music rich in many voices, part crowded
tive confusion, from which they are only now against part in close harmony, extending his
beginning to emerge. Doctor Schaaf, for in- range so that four and five octaves of pitch are
stance, does not do full justice to the dynamic covered when necessary. He will write, there-
capabilities of the best player mechanisms in fore, necessarily in polyphonic form.
respect of contrast, but this is only because in
Doctor Schaaf's little book speaks strongly
this very respect the ordinary player-piano is and to the point on this subject. He points out
somewhat defective. Allowing, however, for the most aptly that the strength of the player-piano
improvements which are daily being made and lies in its ability to play in as many simultaneous
for the pedal-capacity of even the ordinary parts as may be required and he shows how, in
player-piano not equipped with special expres- default of the contrast to be obtained by
sion devices, we may say that the dynamic plan variety of color, as in the orchestra, the player-
of the instrument permits (1) a forte level or piano capacity is unlimited for treating sep-
a piano level, (2) a fortissimo or a pianissimo arately, and separately developing, any number
level, (3) a change from pianissimo to fortissimo of separate parts simultaneously.
almost as rapid as can be desired, and (4) a
Rhythm
rapid but less than perfectly satisfactory change
Hut there is another point equally important.
from fortissimo to pianissimo.
The whole question of rhythm takes on wholly
This much refers to the whole key-board, new aspects when treated with reference to the
taken as a whole. By means of even the com- player-piano. The ordinary pianist can man-
mon hammer-rail lift, however, a contrast may age two contrasted rhythms at one time
Ue obtained between the upper and lower halves usually (compare Chopin op. 25, No. 4) or even
of the scale; but this contrast is not marked, three and four under certain conditions, al-
is not capable of fluctuation as to the relative though three real rhythmic swings of separate
strengths of two halves of the scale, and is nature are about all that can be managed at
immutable in position, the break being always once usually (compare Chopin in the study pre-
ceding the above-mentioned, i. e., in op. 25, Xo.
at the same place.
Taking this player-piano type as the reduction 3). But the player-piano can give us four, five
of the instrument to its lowest terms, let us see or six separate rhythms if desired; or as many
what musical possibilities it holds for the com- as we can hear. The composer can write out
his parts with perfect freedom, knowing that
poser.
the instrument will do his will without the least
A Third Hand
First of all, what does modern piano music difficulty.
Now the author of "The Art of Player-Piano
want? If it wants anything at all, it wants a
third hand on the pianist. In other words, the Transcription" has not failed to note the
piano key-board, being limited by the capabili- rhythmical power of the player-piano, attention
ties of two hands only, can, at the utmost, to which he makes one of the cardinal rules for
sound simultaneously ten tones. Rut this is not the player-piano composer. He shows in sev-
eral places by direct musical example how the
skimpy monotonous rhythmic writing of the
ordinary two-hand piano piece is rendered even
more intolerable by the pitiless technic of the
player-piano, and how the same horror can be
made into a thing of beauty by the proper en-
richment of its rhythms and writing in of mid-
dle parts.
Breadth
Music of this sort, polyphonic, rhythmically
opulent, written in wide range of dynamic and
phrasing relations, painted in with big broad
strokes and treated to the most elaborate de-
velopment of the themes in every variety of
the above-mentioned effects, will be the music
par excellence for the player-piano. Doctor
Schaaf himself in his Toccata, his "Juggler" and
his transcription of the song "June," has shown
some of the extraordinary possibilities of this
kind of treatment. But lie has only made a be-
ginning so far.
Intonation
One point has so far been overlooked. It is
a bit far-fetched but its possibilities are hair-
raising. We all know, or should know, that the
method of tuning adopted for all keyed instru-
ments, such as piano, organ, reeds and brass,
is a compromise with purity of intonation, based
on the fact that three successive ascending
major thirds make an octave in width on the
keyboard, but not an octave in sound. This re-
sults in a system of tuning that throws out of
tune every interval, save only unison and octave.
If fifty-three keys to the octave, representing
fifty-three sounds, were attainable, a piano or
organ in just intonation could be had, with every
interval perfect; a result which would give a
heavenly beauty to music at present simply un-
known to modern ears. Even twenty-seven tones
to the octave will produce something almost
unbelievably smooth, with pure major and minor
thirds and their complements and only the fifths
noticeably off color.
A Just-intonation Organ
Now, a piano could be built with enough
strings to give fifty-three tones to the octave,
but it would be fearfully complicated, bulky and
expensive. The job of constructing an organ
would be much easier, for the simple reason that
with electric action the pipes may be placed
anywhere and the question of space is therefore
not important. Imagine, however, the com-
plexity of the necessary keyboard! But here
conies in the music-roll, abolishing the keyboard
difficulty and solving the whole problem of ren-
dering music in just intonation.
To those who have money to spend in bet-
tering the science and art of music, we respect-
fully commend the problem of providing a prac-
tical just-intonation organ by means of the mod-
ern electric action and the modern music-roll.
Originality
That might be called a digression. But a
word in conclusion of the original idea is ad-
visable here. We should say to the musician
who may be tempted to experiment with the
player-piano, "Be Original!" Do not bother
with transcriptions of music originally intended
for orchestra. Write for the player-piano orig-
inal orchestral-type music, hut first try making
transcriptions of two-hand piano music accord-
ing to the ideas set forth above, and at much
greater length in Doctor Schaaf's admirable
pioneer investigation.
There is a great future for those who will be
strong enough and brave enough to plunge into
this rich terra incognita.
FEBRUARY 23,
THE MUSIC TRADE
1918
REVIEW
fflff^iffm^ff^gffigftl^^
The Player-Piano Offers a Most Fertile Field for the Development of a New
Method of Composition—The Value of the Pioneer Work Done in This Direc-
tion by Dr. Edward Schaaf, and Some New Principles Which Must Be Observed
Some three and one-half years ago a. modest its principal limitation. This lies in the fact
little brochure was published by Doctor Edward that, in order to preserve a proper foundation for
Schaaf of Newark, N. J., a physician of that the musical structure, a low bass must be used;
city who has discovered a remarkable talent for and this means that, inevitably, whether one
composition in all forms of modern music, and likes it or not, a gap must constantly be open-
who, in addition, is a highly trained expert in ing out between the right-hand and the left-
all branches of musical theory. The title of band parts. No matter how skilful the com-
his "brochure is "The Art of Player-Piano Tran- poser is, he cannot get over this. If he keeps
scription," and in it the author has made the first his parts close together, then his dispersed har-
attempt on record to lay foundations for what monic ideas cease for want of expression. He
might be called a science of player-piano music. has eighty-eight keys, but he can only use, at
The work, like all foundational effort, is incom- any one time, a little bunch of them in some
plete, and in various technical points could be one part of the range.
much improved and refined; yet it is invaluable,
Now then, comes the player-piano and at
because it sets forth certain principles that will once does for the piano what the pedal board
be recognized in course of time, we believe, to does for the organ; namely, adds the needed
constitute the elements of a new branch of musi- third hand, and even does more, for its fingers
cal art; the composition of music especially for number eighty-eight, one for each key of the
the player-piano.
keyboard. Plainly this means something big
It is not the intention of the present writer at the start.
Polyphony
to infringe on Doctor Schaaf's rights, even indi-
The composer for the player-piano will in-
rectly, but rather to set forth certain views
regarding the player-piano as an instrument for deed not fail to take advantage of so obvious
the production of music, with the view of show- an advantage as this, but he will be well ad-
ing certain directions or paths along which, it vised to use discretion in his treatment of this
is believed, musicians can do some valuable many-lingered instrument. He will certainly
practical experimenting, looking towards the de- not be so foolish as to imagine that doubling
velopment of a new musical art. Of course, it melodies in octaves, doubling bass notes at the
will be necessary to speak of Doctor Schaaf's bottom of chords and putting in trills, will iill
work, especially as the Doctor is one who prac- out the parts satisfactorily and give that splen-
tices what he preaches and has for several years did bicn nourri feeling, as the French call it,
devoted himself to composing music for the that feeling of healthy, well nourished "innards"
peculiar to orchestral music, where there are
player-piano or to transcribing other works of
instruments for all the voices that can be writ-
his, originally written in other genres.
ten*into the score and no gaps.
A Confused Situation
No! the player-piano composer will realize
We wish to begin by saying that, in our opin-
ion, all work that has hitherto been done in this that he has in effect a new instrument, which
way—and in bulk it is not great—has suffered may be called a monochromatic orchestra, an
from the defect that the expression devices of orchestra of one tone-color. Therefore he will
player-pianos are as yet in a state of compara- write music rich in many voices, part crowded
tive confusion, from which they are only now against part in close harmony, extending his
beginning to emerge. Doctor Schaaf, for in- range so that four and five octaves of pitch are
stance, does not do full justice to the dynamic covered when necessary. He will write, there-
capabilities of the best player mechanisms in fore, necessarily in polyphonic form.
respect of contrast, but this is only because in
Doctor Schaaf's little book speaks strongly
this very respect the ordinary player-piano is and to the point on this subject. He points out
somewhat defective. Allowing, however, for the most aptly that the strength of the player-piano
improvements which are daily being made and lies in its ability to play in as many simultaneous
for the pedal-capacity of even the ordinary parts as may be required and he shows how, in
player-piano not equipped with special expres- default of the contrast to be obtained by
sion devices, we may say that the dynamic plan variety of color, as in the orchestra, the player-
of the instrument permits (1) a forte level or piano capacity is unlimited for treating sep-
a piano level, (2) a fortissimo or a pianissimo arately, and separately developing, any number
level, (3) a change from pianissimo to fortissimo of separate parts simultaneously.
almost as rapid as can be desired, and (4) a
Rhythm
rapid but less than perfectly satisfactory change
Hut there is another point equally important.
from fortissimo to pianissimo.
The whole question of rhythm takes on wholly
This much refers to the whole key-board, new aspects when treated with reference to the
taken as a whole. By means of even the com- player-piano. The ordinary pianist can man-
mon hammer-rail lift, however, a contrast may age two contrasted rhythms at one time
Ue obtained between the upper and lower halves usually (compare Chopin op. 25, No. 4) or even
of the scale; but this contrast is not marked, three and four under certain conditions, al-
is not capable of fluctuation as to the relative though three real rhythmic swings of separate
strengths of two halves of the scale, and is nature are about all that can be managed at
immutable in position, the break being always once usually (compare Chopin in the study pre-
ceding the above-mentioned, i. e., in op. 25, Xo.
at the same place.
Taking this player-piano type as the reduction 3). But the player-piano can give us four, five
of the instrument to its lowest terms, let us see or six separate rhythms if desired; or as many
what musical possibilities it holds for the com- as we can hear. The composer can write out
his parts with perfect freedom, knowing that
poser.
the instrument will do his will without the least
A Third Hand
First of all, what does modern piano music difficulty.
Now the author of "The Art of Player-Piano
want? If it wants anything at all, it wants a
third hand on the pianist. In other words, the Transcription" has not failed to note the
piano key-board, being limited by the capabili- rhythmical power of the player-piano, attention
ties of two hands only, can, at the utmost, to which he makes one of the cardinal rules for
sound simultaneously ten tones. Rut this is not the player-piano composer. He shows in sev-
eral places by direct musical example how the
skimpy monotonous rhythmic writing of the
ordinary two-hand piano piece is rendered even
more intolerable by the pitiless technic of the
player-piano, and how the same horror can be
made into a thing of beauty by the proper en-
richment of its rhythms and writing in of mid-
dle parts.
Breadth
Music of this sort, polyphonic, rhythmically
opulent, written in wide range of dynamic and
phrasing relations, painted in with big broad
strokes and treated to the most elaborate de-
velopment of the themes in every variety of
the above-mentioned effects, will be the music
par excellence for the player-piano. Doctor
Schaaf himself in his Toccata, his "Juggler" and
his transcription of the song "June," has shown
some of the extraordinary possibilities of this
kind of treatment. But lie has only made a be-
ginning so far.
Intonation
One point has so far been overlooked. It is
a bit far-fetched but its possibilities are hair-
raising. We all know, or should know, that the
method of tuning adopted for all keyed instru-
ments, such as piano, organ, reeds and brass,
is a compromise with purity of intonation, based
on the fact that three successive ascending
major thirds make an octave in width on the
keyboard, but not an octave in sound. This re-
sults in a system of tuning that throws out of
tune every interval, save only unison and octave.
If fifty-three keys to the octave, representing
fifty-three sounds, were attainable, a piano or
organ in just intonation could be had, with every
interval perfect; a result which would give a
heavenly beauty to music at present simply un-
known to modern ears. Even twenty-seven tones
to the octave will produce something almost
unbelievably smooth, with pure major and minor
thirds and their complements and only the fifths
noticeably off color.
A Just-intonation Organ
Now, a piano could be built with enough
strings to give fifty-three tones to the octave,
but it would be fearfully complicated, bulky and
expensive. The job of constructing an organ
would be much easier, for the simple reason that
with electric action the pipes may be placed
anywhere and the question of space is therefore
not important. Imagine, however, the com-
plexity of the necessary keyboard! But here
conies in the music-roll, abolishing the keyboard
difficulty and solving the whole problem of ren-
dering music in just intonation.
To those who have money to spend in bet-
tering the science and art of music, we respect-
fully commend the problem of providing a prac-
tical just-intonation organ by means of the mod-
ern electric action and the modern music-roll.
Originality
That might be called a digression. But a
word in conclusion of the original idea is ad-
visable here. We should say to the musician
who may be tempted to experiment with the
player-piano, "Be Original!" Do not bother
with transcriptions of music originally intended
for orchestra. Write for the player-piano orig-
inal orchestral-type music, hut first try making
transcriptions of two-hand piano music accord-
ing to the ideas set forth above, and at much
greater length in Doctor Schaaf's admirable
pioneer investigation.
There is a great future for those who will be
strong enough and brave enough to plunge into
this rich terra incognita.
Future scanning projects are planned by the International Arcade Museum Library (IAML).