Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-05-04
THE MUSIC WORLD.
Discussion of Fundamental Princi-
pies in Piano Technique.
NEW PROFESSIONAL ORCHESTRA.
The Chopin Recital by Vladimir de Pach-
man Friday Evening.
HAPPENINGS IN MUSICAL CIRCLES


chronicle or even a critical review of mus
cal happenings here and elsewhere. II
scope is designed to be wide enough to In
clude all kinds of matter, original or othei
wise, calculated to be truly helpful to tn
cause OF music in Pittsburg.
1t is pleasant to have this attitude recog
nized by one of our most thoughtful musi
clans. who sends in, unsolicited, an article o
distinctly educational character, with tn
intimation that few similar ones may fol
low it. This gives proper occasion for tn
assurance that this department is Away
open for such contributions as ia
as the limits of space will al
low, and that the writer is no
only glad but proud at all times to have tn,
active cooperation of the leaders of the pro
' fession in the good work of helping on the mu
sical progress of our community. The article
referred TO goes down to the root of piano
technique after the following fashion:
In general, tone is the crude material OF
music A sequence of individual tones with
definite relations of pitch is the practical
(tonal) material of music. The piano tone is
produced by the perpendicular stroke of a
hammer upon a taut wire. This tone is made
by the use of the muscular force of the player,
with the various members of the arm and
hand, its media and the finger tip invariably
as the point of impact with the key. II
these members be used repeatedly and
eXertion, and from precisely the
same elevation precisely the same tone must
result; and we have absolute monotony. No
artistic effect Is possible. Tone, the material
of our art, must be plastic and capable of ex-
pressing contrast. climax, elevation depression:
in a word. variety But to get this necessary
variety we must look beyond the tone TO the
means by which it is produced. This means is
the stroke upon the kew
Necessarily, then, to in any degree modify
the tone we must proportionally modify the
stroke. and we find that by more or less eleva-
tion above the key, or contraction of muscle
more or less volt me of tone results.
We then state as our first proposition: The
stroke of the kew is the immediate case of the
ftune, and the least modification of this stroke
produces a corresponding change in the tone.
The stroke is the cause of the tone; the quality
and volume of the tone are the effect of the
stroke. The modification of the causal stroke
produces the variety in the tonal effect
But variety in unity is the axiom of art, hav-
ing its most perfect illustration in the modern
orchestra. The individual soloist must have
as wide range, as great equipment,
in tonal power and variety as his lnstru-
ment allows. But only the variation of the
stroke of the key can produce any variety in
the tonal effect.
There. ore. to the piano student the one
problem of study is found in the manifold ways
in which the key may be struck to produce
manifold musical results. In SO far as these
ways" have been analyzed and classified, we
have scientific method of touch or tone
formation.
The study Of piano technique consists in the
apprehension Of one and another Of these
touches; The practice OF the piano, in the
conscious selection and application of the cho-
sen touch to a passage l0hose proper musical
effect as a passage is the inevitable result of
using the proper touch.
No student should spend one moment in
piano practice that is not used in the conscious
selection and repeated application of specific
hHN m fln mas ~, ha,,
ods of touch are so complete that he who has
mastered them as a scientific method will be
ready for that final evolution into artistic in
dependence where the immediate artistic i'm
pulse almost unconsciously selects the
proper technical vehicle for its ex-
preston. Ignorance of such complete and
classified methods is fatal to the pupils
ultimate success and as criminal as it is pen
eral among the professed teachers of the
piano. If the individual pupil doubts the cor
rectness of his methods and teacher. perbans
even the more if he is resting contentedIy salts
ned that he is right, my earnest advice to him
is to consult some recognized authorities and
70 carefully compare his own ideas with theirs.
The best systematic tabuation and exnIana
tiOn of touch that 1 know of is IT Ciermar;s
Plano Technics" DR.. Masou's recent edition
OF his Piano Technics" published bv Thee
Presser. is Indispensable ~
lake a single SUBJECT. say Germer's presen-
ration OF Wrist Action" and study and nrac.
uce 1t diligently, then propose il to yonr
teacher Tor discussion. If he poob-poo6s If
ash @ MN lor ms objections, and for substitute
method. II he says touch comes of itself, or
mothod isn't worth while paw him for your
current quarter and stop in tile middle of If
1 mar VIII be the best investment of money in
music lessons that you ever made Try to find
out your teacher. Learn little harmony for
yourseli, and then ask him for some helm or
u! MID WIN little acoustics. This plan NAV
oiLen result in some strange surprises
tlnally, If yon won't take the pains to do
these things for yourself. YOU deserve to fail
and deserve poor teacher.
BEvERIDGE WEBSTER,
Another attempt has been begun to accom-
plish what has been long and consistently ad- |
Vocated in this column the best practicable |
step toward Pittsburg's orchestral deyelop- |
mentt namely: the voluntary association of |
the professional players themselves into a COM |
plete, permanent orchestra, demonstrating !
what they can do with regular rehearsals of |
high class music and in this way anticipatino |
ana helDing to create more general demand |
Tor the services of full orchestra in our con- |
cert rooms.
On Thursday morning, at Old City Hall, 40 of |
our best professional musicians met and organ |
lzed upon exactly this basis. Mr. Phillip Weis |
CONDUCTOR OF the BiJou Theater Orchestra, was |
called to the baton, and several important |
works were placed in rehearsal The meetings
are to be held every two weeks for the present.
II IS expected that the membership will include
az least 5O players. There is no present prosDect
Of engagement nor of remuneration; the first
are Improvement in ensemble |
PLAYING and familiarity with standard scores.
Sueh things have been tried before and have
Ialled through lack of interest OF dissension
among the members. The time is certainly
ripe for Pittsburg to possess an orchestra
worthy the name. 1t will not do for the PLAYERS
70 sit around waiting for some local HigCinson
% turn up with big guarantee fund. Still
ess VIII 1t do to wait idly for the growth of a
,eneral public demand for an orchestra when
he people don't know they want one and
nDn hara fhav n
lee only practicable plan is Just that which
las been adopted. And it is practicable As
n n Detroit and other cities, the players will find
,asIouage nlIg and support in ever increasing
measure, according as they prove themselves
4 4 apaDie I ana worthy. Gentlemen, the eyes of
ne community are upon you; do not put your
lands TO the plow and then turn back!
Pachman's Chopin recital at Old Citv Hall
ext Friday evening is, of course the event of
he week The programme was printed
lst week. The following extract
rom a review printed in the Iondon
tnaes several years ago, gives an idea of the
layers special fitness for interpreting sucb a
elec tion of compositions-all by Cbopin-as
is Pittsburg programme contains.
But NJ. de Pachman is createst-be is in
lct, unique when he has to deal with Cbonin
ield somewhat coarsely called Chonin q t,gant 6
e chdHabTe de nldtGde, ana there is this truth :
the remark, that Chopin's artistic epotism
'metimes reaches degree which, to a robnst
ind, may well appear morbid
very turn of phrasing, every mod.
la1on, the very shakes, 011lDnett;
nd Torture are in Chopin marked by a dis.
net individuality which no other composer
as managed, and which few have even tried | I
, initiate. All this NJ de Pachman renders j
lth perfection of stvle and with degree of
Detlc insight which can only spring from the
ost absolute harmony between composer and
terpreter, and which fully explains The
1anlmous opinion of those who have heard
lopin play his own music, that NJ de Pach- ,
ann S manner resembles, In the minutest de- :
II, that OF the great master himself. The fact
no doubt, to some extent, explained by the