Music Trade Review
Issue: 1919 Vol. 69 N. 9 - Page 5
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AUGUST 30,
1919
THE
MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiimiiiiiiiiw
The Fundamental Principles Involved
in the Composing and Arranging of
Music for the Player-Piano
BY DR. EDWARD SCHAAF
(Editor's Note: Doctor Schaaf is a musician who has also is a rather important point to be kept in
mind by the player-pianist.
given much attention to the problem of arranging music
foi the piayer-piano in such a way as to bring out the
instrument's true voice and real musical value. As he
says, "there is only one way to unlock the magic of the
player-piano keyboard and that is to treat the instrument
as a new voice in music." Doctor Schaaf has self-sac-
rificingly devoted much of his time, without thought of
material reward, to the rewriting of music for the spe-
cial purpose of making
ng it truly suitable for the player
has
ed son
piano and has achieved
some astounding results.
also composed a number of special pieces for the player-
piano only, conceived in the most modern style of what
he calls "plastic music"; and altogether wonderful.
Doc-
tor Schaaf has already published in The Music Trade Re-
view the results of some earlier researches into this sub-
ject, and the present series of extremely interesting and
fascinating articles, of which this is the fourth, represents
the latest fruit oi his studies.)
DYNAMICS AND DYNAMIC ACCENTS
It is, of course, not to be denied that even the
best of the foot-driven personally controlled
player-pianos are somewhat restricted in their
dynamic range, while even the reproducing piano
lacks somewhat, perhaps, in extreme power of
tone. The dynamic possibilities of the ordi-
nary player-piano, with which I am now con-
cerned, are, however, very considerable and
there is no doubt whatever that quite as much
progress can be made in the future as has been
made in the past. Even the most ordinary play-
er-piano operated with the least skill is capa-
ble of the following effects:
(a) Crescendo
(b) Diminuendo
(c) Gradual swelling and diminution of tone
(d) Instantaneous change from soft to loud
or vice-versa.
(e) Soft treble with loud bass.
(f) Soft bass with loud treble.
(g) Soft bass with still softer treble,
(h) Soft treble with still softer bass,
(i) Entire register soft.
(j) Entire register loud.
Accent
The ordinary player-piano played with the
ordinary lack of skill is, of course, distinctly
imperfect on the side of individual accent, but
the best player-pianos have efficient means for
approaching this ideal. These consist either in
great sensitiveness of response to foot pressure
on the pedals or a combination of this foot
pressure with special regulating devices which
can be thrown on or off instantaneously through
levers or buttons. If a roll permits it, a respect-
able accenting of the points of a melody can
be had through these devices, but except through
automatic means a single note cannot be taken
out of a group of notes simultaneously played
and treated with special accentual force. Indi-
vidual player-pianos, however, exist which have
been specially built to enable the closest possible
approximation to the manual pianist's unlimited
power of accentuation. While, of course, the
reproducing piano shows that the pneumatic
means exist for doing almost anything of the
sort, the fact is that in respect of accentual-
power the player-piano is depending much more
upon the state of public demand than upon any
limitations of its own. We can therefore allow
for very considerable treatment of accent
within the limits set forth. But the arranger or
composer for the player piano must here use
careful judgment and keep himself well within
the prescribed boundaries.
Staccato
Without very skilful ifse of the tempo-regu-
lating device the player-piano cannot satisfac-
torily perform staccato passages. When, how-
ever, the player-pianist has the necessary skill
in manipulating his tempo lever and the skill
of the arranger is correspondingly great stac-
cato work can be adequately performed. This
Precision
Whatever the player-piano may lack in re-
spect of accent or staccato touch is fully made
up by its unsurpassed and unsurpassable clarity
and precision. The player-piano can execute
legato passages, scales, arpeggios and any kind
of run whatever at a speed and with a crispness
of touch which the human lingers can never
hope to equal. In this respect, as 1 hope to
show later, the player-piano throws open oppor-
tunities for producing entirely new effects
which cannot be paralleled by any other in-
strument and which open up possibilities look-
ing towards a complete new color idea in music.
Unless the musical transcription, therefore,
is built on genuinely musical lines the player-
piano will mercilessly expose its defects. As I
have said only a correct observation of light
and shade, phrasing and speed will enable the
arranger to obtain smoothness and intelligible
result.
In order to show some of the definite possi-
bilities of applying the principles to which I
have referred above the following musical ex-
amples are appended. Here figure twenty-
seven shows how a sustained effect is beauti-
PHRASING
Correct and intelligent reading of a musical
thought is an element in musical expression
quite vital, of course, but the player-piano, with
its merciless correctness and preciseness, can
distort a musical phrase most ludicrously if the
arranger has anywhere been careless.
Modifications of tempo are, of course, all im-
portant and can be obtained by judicious use of
the tempo lever. But unless the arranger has al-
lowed for a proper flexibility in this respect he
may so burden up the roll that no amount of
skill will enable the player-pianist to obtain a
reading flexible and artistic. In respect of this
flexibility an enormous quantity of the straight-
cut rolls which have been made in the past have
been terribly lacking. There is, in a general
sense, a feeling for the right speed, but far too
many music rolls are even now very poorly con-
structed i n r e -
spect of the modi-
fications of tempo
which should be
allowed for dur-
ing the arranging,
and which never
should be left to
the chance that the player-pianist will be musi-
cian enough to see their necessity.
Generally speaking, change of speed depends
upon changes in the emotional character of the
music. For instance, when that character be-
comes sentimental it is usually proper to re-
tard the speed slightly, while if the character
of the music becomes more cheerful a parallel
acceleration of speed is advisable.
As I said above, one must not expect the
player-pianist to obtain all these results through
the manipulation of the tempo lever alone, nor
should we expect him to obtain smooth and
artistic phrasing from a roll in which the limi-
tations of the player-piano have been left out
of consideration. The arranger must, in short,
be able judiciously to make use of polyphony
and know how to score dissonant progressions
that will insure smoothness. In such ways as
these the arranger will be able to prepare the
path for the player-pianist and back up the lat-
ter's attempts to obtain smooth and intelligent
phrasing. To take just one example, if a tonal
progression embodying dissonant intervals is
written out and developed so as to permit of
high speed the usual result is to smooth or
soften the passage.
In my opinion the arranger should not con-
fine himself to the use of such terms as ac-
celerando, or ace, and ritardando, or rit., to
indicate speeding up or slowing down. These
are not sufficiently definite. In their stead
should be employed numerals representing the
exact metronome tempo desired, wherever the
music slows down or speeds up.
Fig. 27
fully carried out, displaying the majestic quali-
ties of the player-piano.
The music roll, of course, knows nothing
of phrasing signs or dynamic marks, so that
when we read on the printed sheet a passage
as shown by figure 28 we find it necessary when
Fig. 28
t r a n s l a t i n g this into player-piano idiom to
change it to read as is shown in figure 29.
No one who will examine these two p a s s a g e s
Fig. 29
carefully can possibly doubt the player-piano's
ability to phrase well. Figure 29 shows how
trite bars of music (figure 28) may be trans-
formed into a brilliant specimen of player-piano
workmanship when skilfully reconstructed. In
this field of technique no virtuoso could possibly
produce anything so smooth and polished.
(To be continued)
BECOME UNIVERSAL DISTRIBUTORS
Jones & McMillan, Beaver, Pa., Featuring Uni-
versal Rolls in Window Displays
PITTSBURGH, PA., August 25.—Jones & McMillan,
59b Third avenue, Beaver, Pa., are featuring Uni
vcrsal rolls through their mailing list and win-
dow displays. This firm is exclusive distributor
in the county for Ivers & Pond, Schomacker, An-
derson, Chase Bros, and other makes of pianos
and is showing great activity in pushing sales.
C. G. Jones, president of Jones & McMillan, and
B. D. McMillan, secretary and treasurer, visited
the Reed Co., Inc., in this city recently and re-
ported a great demand for every line of instru-
ments. This concern has been appointed dis-
tributor of Universal music rolls exclusively.
James T. Jordan, who has been in the piano
business in Paterson, N. J., for many years has
purchased the business of Louis A. Kirsinger,
who formerly sold the Mehlin piano. Mr. Jordan
will combine the two stores in his present loca-
tion at 135 Market street, which he has occupied
since 1902.
AUGUST 30,
1919
THE
MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiimiiiiiiiiw
The Fundamental Principles Involved
in the Composing and Arranging of
Music for the Player-Piano
BY DR. EDWARD SCHAAF
(Editor's Note: Doctor Schaaf is a musician who has also is a rather important point to be kept in
mind by the player-pianist.
given much attention to the problem of arranging music
foi the piayer-piano in such a way as to bring out the
instrument's true voice and real musical value. As he
says, "there is only one way to unlock the magic of the
player-piano keyboard and that is to treat the instrument
as a new voice in music." Doctor Schaaf has self-sac-
rificingly devoted much of his time, without thought of
material reward, to the rewriting of music for the spe-
cial purpose of making
ng it truly suitable for the player
has
ed son
piano and has achieved
some astounding results.
also composed a number of special pieces for the player-
piano only, conceived in the most modern style of what
he calls "plastic music"; and altogether wonderful.
Doc-
tor Schaaf has already published in The Music Trade Re-
view the results of some earlier researches into this sub-
ject, and the present series of extremely interesting and
fascinating articles, of which this is the fourth, represents
the latest fruit oi his studies.)
DYNAMICS AND DYNAMIC ACCENTS
It is, of course, not to be denied that even the
best of the foot-driven personally controlled
player-pianos are somewhat restricted in their
dynamic range, while even the reproducing piano
lacks somewhat, perhaps, in extreme power of
tone. The dynamic possibilities of the ordi-
nary player-piano, with which I am now con-
cerned, are, however, very considerable and
there is no doubt whatever that quite as much
progress can be made in the future as has been
made in the past. Even the most ordinary play-
er-piano operated with the least skill is capa-
ble of the following effects:
(a) Crescendo
(b) Diminuendo
(c) Gradual swelling and diminution of tone
(d) Instantaneous change from soft to loud
or vice-versa.
(e) Soft treble with loud bass.
(f) Soft bass with loud treble.
(g) Soft bass with still softer treble,
(h) Soft treble with still softer bass,
(i) Entire register soft.
(j) Entire register loud.
Accent
The ordinary player-piano played with the
ordinary lack of skill is, of course, distinctly
imperfect on the side of individual accent, but
the best player-pianos have efficient means for
approaching this ideal. These consist either in
great sensitiveness of response to foot pressure
on the pedals or a combination of this foot
pressure with special regulating devices which
can be thrown on or off instantaneously through
levers or buttons. If a roll permits it, a respect-
able accenting of the points of a melody can
be had through these devices, but except through
automatic means a single note cannot be taken
out of a group of notes simultaneously played
and treated with special accentual force. Indi-
vidual player-pianos, however, exist which have
been specially built to enable the closest possible
approximation to the manual pianist's unlimited
power of accentuation. While, of course, the
reproducing piano shows that the pneumatic
means exist for doing almost anything of the
sort, the fact is that in respect of accentual-
power the player-piano is depending much more
upon the state of public demand than upon any
limitations of its own. We can therefore allow
for very considerable treatment of accent
within the limits set forth. But the arranger or
composer for the player piano must here use
careful judgment and keep himself well within
the prescribed boundaries.
Staccato
Without very skilful ifse of the tempo-regu-
lating device the player-piano cannot satisfac-
torily perform staccato passages. When, how-
ever, the player-pianist has the necessary skill
in manipulating his tempo lever and the skill
of the arranger is correspondingly great stac-
cato work can be adequately performed. This
Precision
Whatever the player-piano may lack in re-
spect of accent or staccato touch is fully made
up by its unsurpassed and unsurpassable clarity
and precision. The player-piano can execute
legato passages, scales, arpeggios and any kind
of run whatever at a speed and with a crispness
of touch which the human lingers can never
hope to equal. In this respect, as 1 hope to
show later, the player-piano throws open oppor-
tunities for producing entirely new effects
which cannot be paralleled by any other in-
strument and which open up possibilities look-
ing towards a complete new color idea in music.
Unless the musical transcription, therefore,
is built on genuinely musical lines the player-
piano will mercilessly expose its defects. As I
have said only a correct observation of light
and shade, phrasing and speed will enable the
arranger to obtain smoothness and intelligible
result.
In order to show some of the definite possi-
bilities of applying the principles to which I
have referred above the following musical ex-
amples are appended. Here figure twenty-
seven shows how a sustained effect is beauti-
PHRASING
Correct and intelligent reading of a musical
thought is an element in musical expression
quite vital, of course, but the player-piano, with
its merciless correctness and preciseness, can
distort a musical phrase most ludicrously if the
arranger has anywhere been careless.
Modifications of tempo are, of course, all im-
portant and can be obtained by judicious use of
the tempo lever. But unless the arranger has al-
lowed for a proper flexibility in this respect he
may so burden up the roll that no amount of
skill will enable the player-pianist to obtain a
reading flexible and artistic. In respect of this
flexibility an enormous quantity of the straight-
cut rolls which have been made in the past have
been terribly lacking. There is, in a general
sense, a feeling for the right speed, but far too
many music rolls are even now very poorly con-
structed i n r e -
spect of the modi-
fications of tempo
which should be
allowed for dur-
ing the arranging,
and which never
should be left to
the chance that the player-pianist will be musi-
cian enough to see their necessity.
Generally speaking, change of speed depends
upon changes in the emotional character of the
music. For instance, when that character be-
comes sentimental it is usually proper to re-
tard the speed slightly, while if the character
of the music becomes more cheerful a parallel
acceleration of speed is advisable.
As I said above, one must not expect the
player-pianist to obtain all these results through
the manipulation of the tempo lever alone, nor
should we expect him to obtain smooth and
artistic phrasing from a roll in which the limi-
tations of the player-piano have been left out
of consideration. The arranger must, in short,
be able judiciously to make use of polyphony
and know how to score dissonant progressions
that will insure smoothness. In such ways as
these the arranger will be able to prepare the
path for the player-pianist and back up the lat-
ter's attempts to obtain smooth and intelligent
phrasing. To take just one example, if a tonal
progression embodying dissonant intervals is
written out and developed so as to permit of
high speed the usual result is to smooth or
soften the passage.
In my opinion the arranger should not con-
fine himself to the use of such terms as ac-
celerando, or ace, and ritardando, or rit., to
indicate speeding up or slowing down. These
are not sufficiently definite. In their stead
should be employed numerals representing the
exact metronome tempo desired, wherever the
music slows down or speeds up.
Fig. 27
fully carried out, displaying the majestic quali-
ties of the player-piano.
The music roll, of course, knows nothing
of phrasing signs or dynamic marks, so that
when we read on the printed sheet a passage
as shown by figure 28 we find it necessary when
Fig. 28
t r a n s l a t i n g this into player-piano idiom to
change it to read as is shown in figure 29.
No one who will examine these two p a s s a g e s
Fig. 29
carefully can possibly doubt the player-piano's
ability to phrase well. Figure 29 shows how
trite bars of music (figure 28) may be trans-
formed into a brilliant specimen of player-piano
workmanship when skilfully reconstructed. In
this field of technique no virtuoso could possibly
produce anything so smooth and polished.
(To be continued)
BECOME UNIVERSAL DISTRIBUTORS
Jones & McMillan, Beaver, Pa., Featuring Uni-
versal Rolls in Window Displays
PITTSBURGH, PA., August 25.—Jones & McMillan,
59b Third avenue, Beaver, Pa., are featuring Uni
vcrsal rolls through their mailing list and win-
dow displays. This firm is exclusive distributor
in the county for Ivers & Pond, Schomacker, An-
derson, Chase Bros, and other makes of pianos
and is showing great activity in pushing sales.
C. G. Jones, president of Jones & McMillan, and
B. D. McMillan, secretary and treasurer, visited
the Reed Co., Inc., in this city recently and re-
ported a great demand for every line of instru-
ments. This concern has been appointed dis-
tributor of Universal music rolls exclusively.
James T. Jordan, who has been in the piano
business in Paterson, N. J., for many years has
purchased the business of Louis A. Kirsinger,
who formerly sold the Mehlin piano. Mr. Jordan
will combine the two stores in his present loca-
tion at 135 Market street, which he has occupied
since 1902.
Future scanning projects are planned by the International Arcade Museum Library (IAML).