The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-10-08

start together and move with the same
rapidity, the first one rising, the sec
ond falling, then the damper which
stops the. tone anC the hammer which
starts the tone, do their work at ex-
actly the same instant. Therefore the
lcgato is produced only by the utmost
precision in starting and stopping
tones. Now the reason that this is so
difficult tC obtain at the piano is be-
cause it is almost impossible TO detect
where the one tone ends and the other
begins, and it is still more impossible
TO explain it to the pupil.
THE VIRGIL CLAVIER.
The Virgil Clavicr is an instrument
having a Keyboard similar TO that of
the piano, in which the keys instead
of tones produce clicks. When the key
is depressed we get a click which an
swers to the tone produced on the
piano when the hammer strikes the
string. When the same key is releas-
cd there is also a click which cores
ponds to the action of the damper
dropping on the piano string. The
duty of these clicks is to skeletonize
it can be explained and demonstrated
to the youngest pupil with positive eX-
actress. The down and up clicks de-
fine in the most positive manner the
beginning and end of the imaginary
tone just as the hammer and damper
do the real tone.
BY means Of the Clavier and Vir-
gil method the legato touch can be
l. 1fal, a
Of any and every pupil in
from one to three weeks time,
and Furthermore instead of MAX
ing only five pupils out of every hum
dred play it makes every pupil play,
So that there are no failures.
After the legato touch is thoroughly
established, begins the development Of
an accurate, reliable and artistic tech
mic, and until the pupil has this tech
mic, she is not allowed to play pieces
at all.
The Clavier method develops a bet
ter and more artistic technic in six
months time than is attained Qf at
tanned at alD, by piano pupils in from
three to five years.
The Clavier student is taught one
principle at a time; that principle is
accurately defined and intelligently
understood; she knows what she is to
90. how to do it. and then does it.
with piano pupils from lesson to les
son nearly everything is guesswork;
every honest piano teacher will tell
you that three fourths of every lesson
hour is consumed in correcting mis-
takes that would not have been made
or breaking up bad habits that would
not have been formed, had the pupil
possessed an intelligent and accurate
idea Of what to do, and an infallible
monitor like the Clavier to make her
do it.
When the pupil is in the possession
Of an accurate and reliable technic,
she is given a piece which is memoir
Izod, practiced and worked up TO the
proper tempo entirely at the Clavier
Ths study induces a power of mental
concentration and an ability to think
rluslC, that never comes at the piano,
where the ear is relied upon TO correct
the mistakes of the fingers, mistakes
that would never have been made had
the pupil been forced to reply upon
the brain and not the ear. When the
riece in hand has been thoroughly
learned at the Clayier it is taken to
the piano for the first time.
UNION OF SOUL AND SENSE.
Soul and sense are now brought to-
GCther, all technical difficulties have
been overcome, and far more perfect
ly than would have been possible at
the piano. The result is a more cor
rect, artistic, musical performance af-
ter two or three renderings on the
in months. maybe years had the prep
aration all been made at the musical
Instrument
Many teachers Of the plano have
realized the nervous strain under
which pupils labor and are advocating
physical exercises TO develop muscle
and bring relief to tired nerves. One
of the strongest arguments in favor
of the Clavier is that it puts the ner-
vous system into proper conditions of
repoee, and all nervous strain is en-