The Bryan daily eagle. (Bryan, Tex.) 1895-1898, 1896-10-25

Many beautiful effects may be produced
by thls ne Of the pedal.
AT movements Of the body are either
natural habiiual or hereditary. In GER
tain states Of consciousness we bring
into play certain muscles jnst as natu-
rally as water seeks rs lowest level II
Is FOR this reason that pupil Is some
times laugh; 70 play n passage with
widely differing movements OF tho
hand and arm By different teachers.
Thus Il not lnfreQuently happens that
an Instructor scatters broadcast over
the land. through his pupils. peculiar
mannerisms which he Inherited from
his ancestors. Il may readily be seen
that this Is radically wrong. and that
such would not be the case were al
teaching based on philosophic prlnei.
pies.
In playing the plano habits will nee.
essarily be formed, and movement
based on the natural laws Of expression
Of the body arc more easily acquired
and when acquired enable US to ex.
press musical thoughts more clearly
and more forclbly than habits formed
az haphazard. Technic. as applied tc
piano playing. IS the power to express
musical thoughts. This involves moi
only the ability % play the proper
notes with correct fingers. but require,
such control OF the muscles and nerves
that all gradations OF tonal colorinf
may be expressed. Piano playing has
been compared TO an electric current
the musical thought emanates from tho
brain. passes through the nerves which
move the muscles TO be used the finger
strikes the key. the hammer strikes 6
wire, which IN lis turn produces a tone
the ear conveys the tone back to n,
brain. thus completing the circuit
Weak or sluggish muscles. therefore
not readily yielding themselves 10 tn,
nervous stimulus flowing from tn,
brain. will break the circuit. and IN,
musical phrase will fall short Of thu
musical conception.
In plano playing The purely menia
intellectual phrase finds lis expression
IN the circumscribed movements OF th,
fingers and hand, using the knuckles O
wrist as the center OF motion Pas
sages from Bach's "Fugucs and lnyen
tons admirably illustrate this state
mont. An emotional phrase demand.
more freedom OF movement. which N,
furnaces OF the olbow-the emotiona
center and length Of the forearm read
ny supply. Cllmaxcs and passiona.'
outbursls OF musical feeling demant
the added strength and wider swlni
through space OF the cntlre arm from
the vital center Of the shoulder.
II is not always necessary that suci
broad gestures from the shoulder as arr
used In oratory should be used In plant
playing. as the energy can be brough
from the shoulder. the vital center, al
30 from the mental o. emotional cen
tors or from various combinations o
the vital. mental or emotional c,n.er
without tearing passion to tatters.
This knowledge Of the psychological
divisions Of the arm gives clear and ox
act reasons for the use OF the upper
forearm. wrist and fingers In pianI
playing. q subject which has heretofor'
been misty. and formulates thoroughly
the principles OF all varieties OF touch
consider the wrist the dlstrlbutlnl
center Of the energy OF the upper an
forearm. Il Is impossible for the norv
Gus stimulus from the brain TO be prop
crly conducted to the finger tips whe
the many tendons that pass throug
the wrist are tense. Almost every pup
beginning the study OF the plano ha
some unconscious mannerism or tric