Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1879-11-15
The Nuisance Of piano pI.y,ng.

A & eat many people call piano
playing, especially practicing, a nuis'
anct; and a great many more would
call it 50 IL they did not think that il
was the correct thing to profess great
love for it, instead of the disgust
which they feel. At the same time
the piano factories are doing a grand
business, new ones are starting con
tinually, and with the cheapening of
the instruments, more people are able
to afford one, and the buying and
playing aud "nuisance" goes on.
Evidently there is something more
than the nuisance about IT,;
evidently music, true music, OF
whatever instrument, is as noble,
beautiful, grand, %ennobling and
divine" as ever evidently it is true
that the piano is the queen of instiu-
ments, possessed of capabilities for
beauty and rare enjoyment, all the
nuisance TO the contrary notwIthstand-
ing. Evidently, finally, the nuisance
C Implained of justly enough does not
reside in the instrument, but in the
player, (the frown and expression OF
brute !" of The fair players to the
contrary Notwithstanding
There are two causes, easily removed,
at least 80 far as parents and scholars
are concerned, which go to iniure
piano playing and Tie ears of the list
eners. These are the want of thorough
ness in preparation snd want of deli.
cacy In execution. Piano players may
be divided into three classes +: FIRST,
the fine eTecutdntes, which may be set
down rs forming IA moderate per cent;
secondly, those who play a great deal,
and nothing we'll, aud who comprise
the great majority and, thirdly, the
very small class who play "a little
aud play that little well. The first
class is necessarily limited on account
Of the union of talent, hard
work aud love of music, which
is needed here. To the second class
no better ADVICE can be given than
to Immediately pull up stakes and join
the third. Stop asking or expecting
a teacher to have the pupil play a
piece, miserable as that generally is,
even with decent playing inside of
the first six months, or better still, in
side Of a year. Take plenty of time
II patlCnOS W 10y q SOOu OuHudGiUu
And most of all, give up the idea that
the piano Is u wild beast or some other
mortal enemy, and must be attacked
Wlthafl the vigor and ''spitefulness"
that can be mustered. In a we'll made
instrument the one is a perfect echo or
copy of the players touch. No won
der it screams, yells, howls, bellows,
roars and groans, poor defenseltss thing
that it is, when such an energetic
female "g0es for it," ("Brute !"
hear remarked again.) ''Gentle, re-
fined and ladylike" as the player may
be in the paTlor, let her show the
beautiful traits in her music and
playing, and her singing will be
Irresistible as her conversation and
The same delicacy and nobil-
ity of mind, which develops the low,
sweet vofca,th excellent thing in wo-
man. will grace, trsnsfigure, iliumine
and clystalize her playing. Coarseness
4nd : WOodeDness' OF nature will show
Itself in r%udeness of tone, touch
and song, as well as in speech
and behavior. The piano is an ex-
;eedil g'y delicate and finely strung
instrument, l.. G, a good one is, and
he glory Of good playing is fneness
n both senses Of the term. Or course,
good piano will have plenty of vol
me; 80 will good plying, at the
time and place. But you do
lot want TO have your playing dttOnyS
.harac erjzed by volume any M re
han you want to hear a person, least
# all a cul ured lady, continually
bout at the top OF her voice, though
be shout maybe very a%ppropria' e and
ssary at times. Let this be we'll
ooked after, and delight will take the
'lace of the nuisance an piano playing.