The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-06-16
In PLACE or THE PIANO.


Young Women Play Upon Nowadays.
IL yon were 10 60 to any Of tho great
piano makers in this city, says the New
York Sun. and ask them II piano playing
was on the decline they would laugh at you.
II you insisted that IL was they would
bring down the great sales books and prove
beyond question that moro pianos were
sold during tho last three years than dur
ing tho five years preceding, and about this
nns neen Keeping up for a quarter century.
homes Of this city piano- playing does not
rank whore II once did. A few years ago the
girls OF the family learned the scales and the
nfst reader together, and the girl Of 16 years
VINO WAS not pianist more of lsss accom-
piished, AS parlor accomplishments 90, was
me great exception. This was not only
true of New York city, but 1t wos true OF
every town and village In the land. There
never was social gathering of an evening
where any lack was felt of some ono to play
for the dancing. In fact, 1t often hap
Pened that all the girls present took turns
IN order that making the music might be-
como burden to none. II was also
matter Of rivalry between the young ladies'
70 perform we'll. Who does not remember
tho time when II was the exception for a
proud mother not to call upon her daughter
70 play the piano in order to enliven
friends call?
Tho same thing is probably true to-day
outside Of this big city. II ia eminently
true IN the country where nowadays nenrly
every farm house has its piano, and one OF
the regular pleasures of the long winter
evening is the family singing to the daugh-
ter's playing.
But New York girls have been rapidly
outRrowing the piano of late. It is still the
popular family instrument, and most girls
know how to play it. Indeed, among the
rich and fashionable piano-pla ying is still
regarded as necessary accomplishment.
but the piano is studied nowadays much as
the French grammar is, and when the
scnool girl becomes the young girl in So
ciety the piano and the grammar are laid
aside together.
Piano playing is no longer the fashions
ble, but the New York girl Of to-day. when
she entertains her friends with music, plays
upon the guitar, the either and even the
banjo.
1t has got SO that almost any instrument
10 fashionable in comparison with the
piano. Musical circles abound everywhere
IN winch the girls make up small orchestras
ana play even the flute the cornet, the vio-
lin, and the 'cello. All have heard the
most famous OF these girls orchestras, that
the leading members. This comes near to
being complete orchestra with every in
strument played by a young woman.
The number of these musical clubs
among New York girls is surprising. There
are some whore the piano is played. but in
nearly all the piano forms only one of many
parts.
In every fashionable New York home you
find the grand piano, but in all YOU will
also find variety of other instruments.
That most graceful of all musical instru-
ments played by women. once so popular
and always 80 tuneful, the harp, has small
part in this patronage of miscellaneous mu-
slcal Instruments. It is pity. The reason,
however, is evident. There ia no instru-
ment, not even the either, which SO hard
ems and distorts woman's finger tips an d
nails.