The morning call., 1893-05-25
USES OF THE PHoNOGRAPH.
They Would Be Numerous if the
Machine Could be Cheapened.
Boston Adyertlser.


Perhaps when the phonOgraph is placed
Oh the market at a price which viii permit
its general use. the labor of many pro-
fessional men will be lightened. 1t is not
every one who feels able to pay S100 for
the instrument itself and u yearly royalty
of $40 in addition. Ii has been suggested
that the phonograph can oe employed ad-
vantageOusly in recording the arts which,
up to the present time, have been OF a
transient nature, that is In the rendition
of music or the drama. The photograph
has been used already 10 keep alive the
memory of actors and SINGERS as far as
personal appearance goes. out the thunder
of the spoken words, the melody of the
singers or of an orchestra has not been
permanently retained, save within the re-
cent past. In the current Century there
appears a rather eXtrayagant lauGatOn OF
the capabilities Of the phonograph in that
connection, but the main contention Of
the essayst, that the photograph can tell
go future generations the music of the
present, may be admitted.
The Importance of such method of tone
records can hardly be denied iu view of
the difficulty in gauging the dramatic and
musical progress of each age. The names
If Forrest and Macready are little more
Than names to many people to-day The
lame of Remble, of Kean. of so many
others who have achieved fame behind
The footlights depends solely on con-
temporary judgment, and 1t has long been
evident that such a verdict is not always
to be trusted. 1t is not so long ago that in
this city singer appeared VINO had be-
fore achieved enormous financial II not
artistic success; and il must be confessed
that in many lands she has been received
with popular acclaim. Yet there is practi-
cally DO doubt that her entire successful
career was based upon nothing more than
- mere music-b0X facility III striking high
ntes and in running rpulades, aud
that artistic merit was painfully
lacking in her singing. 1t another age
should BIZ asked 10 judge OF her merit
would not the triumphant career of
popular success weigh far more than
tie honest assertions Of a few edacafed
critics? Perhaps so, under the cof-
ditions which depended upon tradition
alone to gauge artistic merit With
a phonOgra phic record. however, the critics
OF another century can safely attempt an
estimate of the merits Of Patti, lrreSpec-
live of any merely passing Juror OF a
vanished generation.
In other departments OF music the same
thing may be possible. II will be possible
TO compare the Work OF RublDSteln, a
Bulow, a Paderewski with that of the
pianists of the twentieth century. 1t Is
the SlrODR WISH UI many AlU6IiCdDS WIZ
have not heard the great artist of ST.
Petersburg that he might come TO this
country; but. if he will not, at least his
Ilaying can be brought here on phonO-
graph The great orchestras of Europe
may be compared with the symphony in
perhaps the same kind OF work, and the
music-lovers of 1893 can perhaps judge
more impartially than those of to-day can
do. 1t would be worth much TO modern
criticism to know how much of PaganlnTS
fame was due to rea! art and how much TO
''vrtuosity." 1t would be worth more to
have a phoaOgra phic record OF the playing
OF young Beethoven.
Still more, the general use OF the ph ono
graph for recording music ought TO result
in a broadening If popular taste in music.
If the sonatas of Beethoven. the fugnes of
Bach, the operas of Wagner could be
heard cheaply through the phonogTaph, if
every music student could listen daily to
the worlds best music rendered by the
worlds best artists. the days of the sea
foam waltz and Newport polkas" would
pass away. People like trashy music
largely because they have not accustomed
themselves to anything better, and the
person bo adores Ta-ra-ra-boom-d decay"
or ION the BoweTy" can nevertheless see
beauty in HandePs Largo. The art of
SCULPTURE would not be at its present stage
If ali the works of the Greeks and Michael
Angelo had been lost. The art of painting
would be less advanced were the paintings
of the masters not in existence. 1t is
easily to be inferred, therefore. that with
phonographlc treasury Of the worlds