Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1884-07-17
Piano PLAYING.

SIhere seems to. be q difference NJ
npinionsA bout pianos. knowsa poet
Gho Sthinks be gets Z his inspifations
kom the tones of a grand square, and I
also know al editor who is unable 70
write puff for groceryman next door.
II ne hears certain young lady in the
apartments across the street strike the
premonitory chords of waltz.
Some men just adore the cadence OF
the diamond-ringed fingers of the fair
sex upon the ivory keys, while Others.
in the language of the immortal para
graphist. "curse and howl and swear"
1t seems to be altogether a matter OF
individual taste. One can not tell be-
forehand how this magic instrument is
going to affect the listener.
Some one suggects that it can be de.
termined by knowing in advance
whether the person is a musician or not.
The writer begs leave to doubt. The
best musician he ever krew made up
the most awful faces, and squirmed the
most atrociously of all, in little circle
OF music lovers invited by a certain
rich papa to come and hear his board
ing-school daughter play. was
charmed, of course; but then the girl
had a remarkable pretty profile, and
was worth, prospectively, a few millions.
1t became me to be charmed.
really do not think that the effect
of piano-playing can be determined,
definitely, until the subject has been
experimental upon. once was told
of ferociously brave Indian, who had
captured an innumerable number of
scalps, and was well-known to all the
hair-dealers of Chicago heard that
he once crept into Montana settlers
cabin, while the folks were all away ex-
cept the daughter of the house, with
the laudable intention of increasing his
stock-in-trade by inducing the said
yound lady to part with her luxuriant
tresses. He discovered her seated at
what he supposed to be new-fangled
kind of meat chopper, and stealing
softly up behind her, was just reaching
out his sanguinary fist to grasp her
long scalp-lock, when. with all the en-
ergy of western girl. she brought
down her foury fingers upon the first
chord of Johnny Comes Marching
Home Again"
This was too much for the unsuspect-
ing red man. With wild yell of ter
ror, he dropped his butcher-knife and
sprang through the window, carrying
sash and all with him. The belle Of
the prairies jumped up just in time to
see Ochewochee (which being translate
ed, signifies Fundamental Barber")
disappear over the crest OF neighbor-
ing swell, with the sash dangling down
his back and slapping his leg at every
spring.
1t will be readily admitted that the
young lady could not have forseen this
enthusiastic reception of her musical
effort; neither could she with certainty
have counted upon its opposite effect.
There are Indians, no doubt, who would
have just sunk into chair and per-
mitted their ravished souls to melt in
tears of rapture and exquisite sympa-
thy.
On the other hand, we may safely as
sumo that had the male relatives of the
young lady been compelled to listen to
the same palpitating strains, they would
Indignantly have called for the frying
pan and assuaged their souls with the
more seductive andante of the frying
pork.
1t will be seen, therefore, that piano
playing is one of the things which the
sage Josh Billings would call "onsartin."
There are those whose souls yearn for
it, as the soul of the youthful artist
yearns for paint pot and a square
yard of board fence. There are those
who can sit by the hour listening to the
strains-beg pardon, the endeavors of
young lady in pink satin waist and
pearl necklace, as she hammers away at
the divine harmonies of Mendelsohn
or Beethoven. But there are others
who would rather not. Tastes certainly
do differ. 1t is with music as it is with
onions-some like 'em and some don't.
Occasionally there will rise upon the
horizon of art, being whose very pres
ence breathes the soul of light and
beauty divine, unapproachable, fore
ordained genius. And when such one
expends the energies of youth, and the
devotion of maturity, upon the mys-
teries of the many-keyed instrument,
practising early and late, and inficting
untold agonies upon innumerable brain
workers, at last-at last mind you
when the wrinkles of toll and care be-
gin to seam the fresh young brow, and
the days of youth are floating out into
the shadowy past, like sunset clouds
embayed in gathering dusk-then it
will be said that one, by those who have
true artist souls, that be or she knows
how to play the piano.
But as for the much-enduring editor,
and the money making citizen, and the
man of prosaic tendencies in general
will he be able to detect to difference?
Not muchl All piano playing is alike
to him, vexation of soul, and vain
reaching after the unattainable.-Pa1ck.