Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1880-02-13

wv NuNNhVaA may possibly cause Somt
diversion OF labor, the piano Is peculiar
y the victim Of feminine ambuion. |,
Il because the piSno is the nucleus q
parior furniture, and the parlor is "a,
her daughter and her company, or be-
cause the white hand, beringed duly
and rs yet innocent of work, Is thought
to be most captivating when threading
the msEes of the Keyboard, that \ row
Of steel wires, once stretched in \ box
can set So little peace Ii the once bel
llgerent j, d., ESCAPING from prospect.
i've unpleasantness. had enwrappeli
about his heroic limbs the piano cover
instead of his wife's criuolne, he would
have shown moro appropriateness in
appropriation, for all the piano wants is
70 be let alone; on the simple condition
that It be not stirred up, il is tho most
harmless Of domestic animals.
But, stirred up, and irritated, It is
malignant truly, and retorts upon the
tormenter Of all the voices of the ME.
uagerle and the vices of our best So
ciety. II tihS at first in the political
way. II is shockingly out OF practice;
II cannot possibly play without il
notes; it has bad cold and is very
hoarse. But, after irritating us gently
with excuses, it dances up and down
Its many octsvos of complaint, in in.
Unite variations of the desperate
inquiry, MISUNDERSTANDING,
lovey The accordion and the organ
drag music out through u hole, "as
when (seo Virgil cats tail, unde-
taohed from the owner, is drawn
through q knot.hole, in y box; but the
piano has more voices than an army OF
backyard ences. Yet it plays many
parts ard serves many purposes. Il
fills gaps III conversation, because in
society, it is often impossible to starr
conversation until the piano opens its
jaws; then begins the rivalry between
clatter and tattle-the piano really
must be silenoed. 1t serves useful
end by compelling Gus two" to sill
closer, that we may make ourselves
heard. 1t is especially serviceable rs a
next door implement, that our neigh
bors forget us not. II may ramp all
night If 1t likes, for the law has not de.
clared 1t nuisance, aaa-the walls pro.
tect it from missiles. Shall it not do
what 1t likes in its own house?
He couldn't see what so many keys
were needed for, said IN old time dea.
con Of the bass.viol and tuning fork ia.
mlliarity, on first contemplating the sew.
en-octaved duplication Of the old eight.
note SCALE" The simple frontiersman,
on first hearing the piano with vocal
rivalry, went straight to the marrow oil
the subject by begging TIE lady ex.
hibltor to "please claw the ivory and
howl again" The language was
ldiomatic, but entirely correct. For
the tremolo that wabbles, the "for.
tameto" that driakles down the scale
like house maid falling down stairs
in the house-cleaning time, the "explo.
slye" shrieks that seek the marrow like
bullets in a hurry, the already destruc
tive pitch which crazy fashion has aotu.
ally ordered screwed up another notch
what are these but bowling, and why
should they not delight the barbaric
ear accustomed to nightly cries of the
woods? And when it is thumped, md
sprung upon, and galloped over, and hi
again and 80 forth, the ivory is clawed
II Puella only played il well, sh,
might play il even more and yet no
play it so much; this is true, like nj
other paradoxes. Mr.. Charles Raade
IN brilliant shower of antithesis, says
hat women are magnificent at over
II lws, hut can never make u sustained
effort hence tina. they produce no
dramas, no musical works, etc. Ger.
tainly, il is only rarely that one ofthem
plays the piano with soul and feeling
they are automatons Tor automata2) OF
mere execution. They begin by not
understanding the instrument. They
want to get power out OF it; whereas il
has none, only noise, and only little
of that in the pursuit Of "time"--an
important thing, but made unduly i'm.
portant--they overlook accent, the life
of every composition, they are mislec
by wrong nomenclature, and seldom
know how TO do anything but misuse
the so-called loud" pedal: they thuml
with their arms, whereas the wis
should be the limit OF motion, and they
do not really Use their fngers. They
would, perhaps, twang the strings wei
il they held the harp before them, bu,
because it lies in box, and they mus
touch ii by the Intervention of levers
they ihump it and do not touch il. Tn,
error Of the whole is the growth from
tho original error OF setting children 4,
acquire, for show.accompIishment, thai
for which they have no taste, and Their
Of judging compositions by their difficult
" and nj Use, instead of their meaning
ness.