The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1898-12-04
Is Self-playing
Piano.
WHY LEARN TO PLAY


Every man his own pianist, his own
organist and even his own orchestra. 1t
looks as if it might come to that, with
all the automatic pianos and organs or
self players that may now be had.
1t is a curious fact that these new in
struments, which are all founded upon
a. single American invention-upon a
Worcester invention, in fact, for the
original of the perforated music roll
was contained in the now antiquated
McTammany organette-appeal with
most force to people of refined musical
taste and good musical education. They
> are the delight Of professionals, and the
long list of testimonials from opera
singers, composers, conductors and
pianists are not all perfunctory by any
means. These people have not Sonly
heard the instruments and played upon
Them, but not few of them have given
up good money in order to own them.
At the last festival, Nine. Gadsk
went into raptures over an automatic
piano, and when she got TO New York
she bought one.
Within a year, sixteen Of these pianos
or organs have been placed in Wor-
cester county homes. Two of them cost
$l5 piece thirteen cost $3.50 apiece and
one $500. A Well known music dealer
estimates that in all there are from
forty to fifty high priced automatic in
.struments of various classes in use in
Worcester county. 1t is clear therefore.
that it will not do to sneer at the me-
Chanical pianos and organs as if they
We're no better than a street piano. or
as if they possessed no musical merig
and were entirely automatic and me-
.chapical, even though the name may
imply this.
Everybody knows that a Wonderful
variety of effects can be got from them.
That there is large opportunity FOR eX-
preston and color while at the Same
time the technique is mechanically per-
feet. So far SIS execution is concerned.
rev professionals can equal the exacti-
tude of the automatic piano or organ
The question, therefore. n2turauy
arises, whether the Introduction Of
these instruments may not compete I'M
pleasantly With piano teachers? Ii the
price of first rate piano win buy an
automatic Instrument at which an
amateur can play better than he or she
can ever hope TO play piano with his
fingers. why should he employ pianist
" LCclIn lllr tilklIHlt 10 lnulllD piano
or organ, as the phrase was in George
Frederick HandeTs time? The per-
forated music is costly, to be sure the
price ranging from 81 to Sc roll. but
he can subscribe to musical circulat-
ing library for from $40 to $25 a year
and every two weeks get fresh sup
ply of music. the old befne. returned
when the new arrives.
What expense, what labor. time and
nervous irritation might be saved if
piano lessons and piano practice could
be done away With Think of the luxury
or having perfect technique the moment
your new piano is set up, and still hav-
ing all the freedom to exercise your own
ideas of musical expression that YOU
would have at an ordinary piano
Furthermore, when you want music
the new piano is always ready. 1t is
never 'out Of the mood, never ''out OF
practice never troubled with Vexa-
tIous modesty or VeXatious obstinacy in
the presence Of friends OF. strangers. Il
VIII play the moment you ask it, and
anyphlng you ask of it. 1t is not
ashamed of ''rag-time' songs, coon
songs, Sousa marches or the popular
music of the day, and yet it is also com.
petent to play Beethoven, Chopin, List
Schumann and the entire classical re.
pertoire if you desire it. It will not ever
:stagger, at q concerto, an overture or :
IN your home, and it will not charge
thousand dollars a concert or dictate
the program. What is the use then. O
wearing out yourselves, your children
or the neighbors, with trying to Learn
to play the piano?
This question has been asked agei.
and again, and sometimes it has beer
answered very emphatically in the neg.
alive. More than one father or mother
has said, Il will never put my clliiC
to the pains that I have endured in or.
der to acquire what little facility I nov
possess at the piano"
This is really getting to be an Ole
story. AT any rate, II is an adaptation
of an old habit Of disparaging pianC
practice. But it is a noteworthy fac
that music dealers and even teacher.
say that the automatic instruments
the Aeolian, the Aeriol piano, the plan,
ola, the orchestrelle, the pneumati,
symphony, the angelus, etc, have don,
much to stimulate popular interest ii
music, and up to date no unpleasant
effects have been caused by the com
petition.
The dealers themselves boom til,
new instruments to the utmost. ana
there is no indication that the trade il
automatics has eneroached upon tn,
trade in straight" pianos. This i.
something to say, when a single Chi
out hundred pianos u week.
There are reasons enough why the
automatics should not compete serious
ly either with piano manufacturers OF
teachers The first is the cost Of tht
Instruments. An automatic that woulC
satisfy musical person costs from
$500 to $3.50. On the other hand, a ma,
Jority of piano buyers probably do no
pay over 5000 or $3.50 for their pianos
Some day, the price of the automatic,
may come down, but at present non,
save "the best trade" have any US,
for them. Others cannot afford them
If an expensive and elegant instrument
is desired, you can give up $4,000 foI
splendid automatic organ, and put i
in your own palace as one of the Van.
derbilts did. Musical Vanderbilts ar,
not numerous, however.
Another obstacle to the general Use
of the self-players is the cost Of til.
music and the limitations of the roper.
toire. You cannot buy the latest song
march, two-step or waltz for 25 or s.
cents. and ask your automatic to PLAY
IT, You cannot take the newest comic
opera, or the song which your favorit.
prima donna sang last night, or thf
piece with which your Paderewski o.
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