Music Trade Review

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SEPTEMBER 30,
THE MUSIC TRADE
1922
REVIEW
Being the Monthly Meanderings of the Editor of This Player Section, Written
in a More or Less Philosophic Vein and Presented With the Purpose of
Awakening Some Sympathetic Train of Thought in the Mind of the Reader
"Why the Sam Hill didn't somebody think of
that before?" Exactly; why didn't somebody
think of it? Don't ask us. We dunno. But
we do know that the new Q R S Dynamic line
stunt is very clever, and as simple as it is clever.
Now that word rolls are all the rage the need
is obvious for a dynamic line which shall be
within range of the eye, which has to follow
also the word-line on the right-hand margin.
The device of large and small dots is very clever
and exactly fills the bill. Which leads to the
remark that the whole subject of -expression
marking needs to be taken up and reconsidered.
It has always been our contention that the
initial error in making music rolls was com-
mitted when the bar divisions were omitted.
It is frequently impossible to guess the correct
phrasing of a piece without seeing the bar lines,
owing to the complexity of the rhythm, espe-
cially in modern music where two rhythms are
often pitted one against the other. Then, again,
there is no method yet known to the arranger
of indicating the lengths of the phrases. This
is done in printed music by the device of the
vinculum or bracket-line, and it would be a
blessing to every player-pianist if something of
the sort could be done for the music roll.
songs and instrumental solos the listeners were
so much amazed that they could hardly take it
in. Now, this does not appear, at first sight,
to constitute a very important fact; yet it is,
on second thought, very important indeed. For
this sort of astonishment would not have been
provoked fifteen years ago, when player recitals
were the order of the day and the player sales-
man was expected to know at least something
about demonstrating. Now, he who demon-
strates as part of the process of selling from
the floor is not in quite the same position as he
who exhibits to the utmost the player-piano's
artistic possibilities.
Yet, of course, the
two are working on parallel principles, each
actually for the same end. Unfortunately, piano
salesmen are not unduly wide-awake or intelli-
gent, and when it began to appear that the
task of showing John Smith and family how
to get music out of the new player demanded
much more skill than the mere trick of pulling
off a few "stunts" enthusiasm for the foot-
expression instrument began to cool off con-
siderably. So, for some years, unhappily, the
art of demonstration has been under eclipse. It
is time for it to be brought out once more.
Mr. Solar was doubtless flattered by the aston-
ishment and praise of his hearers, but he must
have felt the irony of the situation nevertheless.
The Irony of It
Rousseau on Australia
When a young gentleman entertained the
members of the Chicago Piano Club the other
day with some very nicely played music on a
foot-expression player-piano his hearers were
apparently quite amazed. When he went fur-
ther and accompanied most creditably some
Every one in the piano business knows Hein-
rich Rousseau, who has been one of the best
retail player salesmen in the Middle West and
later was general traveler for the A. B. Chase
interests. He has lately returned from a busi-
ness trip to Australia and has been telling the
MUSICALLY SPEAKING
new aspect of "touch" is the novel coloration
which may be imparted by high speed of move-
ment in combination with selected dissonant
series of intervals. No idea can be given in
words of the effect which these headlong tor-
rents of sound can have if one judges them by
their written symbols. An entirely new tone-
color emerges, while the dissonance effects en-
tirely disappear, leaving only the harmonic values
to the ear. Schaaf's player-piano ballads, "The
Devil in the Belfry" and "The Masque of the
Red Death," both after Edgar Allan Poe, con-
tain sonic striking passages in this genre.
These random observations may serve to put
some aspects of the touch problem of the player-
piano in a new and interesting light.
Why the Sam Hill?
{Continued from page 5)
ent state of the art, the most effective shape
which this swell device can take is that of
rapidly iterated melodic tones, spaced in octaves
and other intervallic distances and played with
appropriate changes of bellows pressure. The
effect of such swelling and diminution of tone is
extremely effective and musically most valuable.
It represents a quite new possibility in player-
piano music. Its development is at present in
an experimental stage, but some compositions
(notably Doctor Schaaf's second symphony) ex-
hibit its possibilities extremely well.
Another and equally interesting feature of this
I
reporters about the conditions of business in
that prosperous commonwealth. Among other
things, he believes that the small American
upright piano now being developed so success-
fully would suit the Australian trade thoroughly.
He also says that player-pianos are little ap-
preciated in Australia, owing to indifference or
lack of enterprise on the part of the retailers.
Now, the Australian merchant is a very go-
ahead man and when one is told that he is not
pushing any particular article with which he is
acquainted one may be fairly sure that there
is some reason which does not meet the eye.
The player-pianos which have been most heard
of in Australia are American, and if they have
not been very successful it can only be because
the public has not been educated up to them.
In a word, it has been a matter of salesman-
ship, or the lack of it. To a certain extent also
it will have been a matter of local dislike for the
large upright piano. Which suggests that the
combination of small upright (miniature size)
with player action ought to be a winner in Aus-
tralia. But it is not enough to have the right
goods. It is equally necessary to know the ways
of the country, the peculiar likes and dislikes
of the people and the methods of retailing.
There are numerous strong and well-equipped
retail houses in the great Australasian common-
wealth, but they can only be expected to sell
successfully when the goods they get are suited
to the people's requirements. The Australians
like small instruments with dull finish. Now,
they are prosperous people with plenty of
money to spend and a readiness to spend it.
Give them American player-pianos which look
like what they are accustomed to and they will
buy them, sure enough.
Old Stuff: But-
Readers of the Player Section are very likely
sick to death over the constant preaching about
placing their orders early. We weep for them.
We deeply sympathize. But: sympathy or not,
we simply have to say what we think. And
that is that the preachments have labored under
one very serious defect. They have not been
put strongly enough. We are quite well aware
that when the dealer hears this sort of talk he
is very likely to smile, shake his head and
change the subject. He believes the trade
papers are trying to rush him into something
which only his own good judgment prevents him
(Continued on page 8)
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Syn-co-pateyourfeetijoudo^^one strut-hrf hound,
No-onecancom-petewhenijouare strut-tin 1 'round.
Struttin at the
Strutter's Ball
You can t £p wron&
Withany'FEISTsongT
A Creole Fox Trot
HEAR IT NOW!