The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1878-02-16
Recent Publications.

Mr.. Franklin Taylor's Primer of Pianoforte
Playing tNewYork d. Appleton s. Co.; PORT
land: Bailey & Noyes) is an admirably practical
and artistic little manual Its title is however, too
unassuming for the work that it designs to do,
and for which it is thoroughly well constituted
1t is not less suited to the advanced student of
piaroforte playing than to the inexperienced;
it is work that artists will read with great
satisfaction and from which they will derive
good suggestions. Admitting at the outset
that nothing but actual practice can make
fine player, Mr.. Taylor proceeds to give many
rules and hints as to the best way of arriving
az the desired degree of excellence-and
these are founded upon acquaintance with the
mechanical possibilities and limitations of the
pianoforte itself and upon the difficulties to be
met and overcome in the technique. Passing
from this subject by interesting reflections upon
the physical rapport of the art of piano-playipg
with its artistic essence, the author gives ad-
mirable directions for phrasing, and for in
parting the fine shades of meaning that are
the spirit of good composition of which the
appreciation and translation into sound are
the test OF an astist. Mr.. Teylor is right in
emphasizing SO fully as he does, the absolute
Importance Of rich, flexible touch, without
stiffness and also without unnecessary move
ment of the hand Panoforte players are apt
to underrate their power over the tinlbre of
their instrument. which with certain reserva-
tions, (the equal temperament, precuding the
exact rendering of enharmonic progressons
and substituting conventional average for the
flas and sharp, and the difficulty, more imag-
mary than real of the string struck indirectly
by means of the key and hammer) is not less
impre ssionabls than others and is capable Of
effects of combination possible to no one iDstru-
ment of the orchestra. If, as is asserted, the
violin is king of instruments, the pianoforte is
the accredited voice of its republic, the repre-
sentative of its many individuals.
The tone Of a pianoforte, one is prone to be-
lieve, is the affair of its manufacturers. This
is in the beginning true; but the best instru-
ment ever made will sound poorly, with dry,
unmeaning playing; and the old fashioned CLAW
ichord could be harmonious under the hands of
master. The spirit of foe touch is intangi.
ble,-it is however not less real than its teen
nique.
Mr.. Taylor's observations upon the study of
exercises and upon ornaments are excellent.
The chapter upon the difficulties of part-play-
ing "a matter not always understood even by
experienced players, unless we'll instructed in
musical theory, upon rhythmic difficulties, and
the use of the pedal, are thoroughly practical
and fall of suggestivensss. Without asserting
any novel theories of piano-playing, without
exaggeration of any especial traits of technical
study Mr.. Taylor has arrived at the produc-
tion of a manual of his art that is in every way
reliable, desirable aud artistic; and which, in
brief and cla ear language sets before the student
and the artist the verties of branch Of musi-
cal art the most generally studied and full of
the richest possibilities aud achievements.
Home Iateriors, by e. q. Gardaer q. r
Osgood & Co Portland: Loring, Short &
Harmony, is a chatty, well-meant, popular
book upon the much mooted question of House,
hold Art. 1t seems to be settled thing that
every one, according to his or her light, must
have aspirations in the way of house decora-
ton; and tia judicious dogmatist upon the
subject must aim to direct, prune, train these
ambitions-for they will not down. Most of
the works published upon che subject contain
some excellent ideas and also some very alb
surd ones. Mr. Gardner's volume follows this
rule 1t is patterned from that fascinati ng
book of Mr.. Clarence Cook's-the House Beau
tiful, and emulates its pithy and poetic titles
and its arrangement of contents. But with
what a difference! Where Mr. Cooks work
was graceful, debonair in its desire to avoid any
dctatorial quality, this book is gossipy, ntru
sive and awkward in its attempts at ease. The
illustrations are so poor as to be COL io. Some
of Mr.. Gardner's theories are goo and prac
tical, and he is on the side of economy and
comfort. But the ''prophet of household ar. il
Worcester" that he describes, and to whose
shrine, 10 wildly bad illustration, he lie ads a
procession of anxious and aimless pilgrims
what is to be said of this prophet J his utter
ances as expressed in the verites of word
paper and paint? What of the SOL n process
sion of iong-egged paper birds, c n with
panel to his own occupancy, each ith loo
| uplfted, that follows the line of Il staircase
| distinct dado of extinct dodos? / 10 conclu
! sion that the reader of this volume 3 of mos