The daily journal. (Salem, Or.) 1899-1903, 1900-10-19
THE PIANOLA
AND AEOLIAN
Interview With Mrs. Eta
AnderS-WiIIman.
AfIer tire cOaeen civen az tire willamette.
wednesday Evening. bY Messrs. Wells
and Balisrd. Of Porfiaud.l

Being curious TO know the merits or
dement's Of the Pianola. now attracting
such worldwide attention, the writer
submitted the following questions 20
Mrs, Eta Anders- Whitman, the Salem
pianist and q member Of the Interstate
College Of Music, end thinking that the
opinion Of a musician might be OF gem
eral interest TO the public by way Of sat
isiying their curiosity, as well as bis
own, the interview is given as follows;
What did you think Of the programme
a. given? Good.
Some heavy numbers we're they not2
Do you think that the Pianola can do
justice 10 such musie7 Yes.
Why? Because it is mechanically cor
rect and cannot make a mistake. More
over, when properly manipulated by an
intelligent musician the result is per-
feet.
was under the impression that the
Pianola way made solely for the non
musical, No To the contrary, the musi-
clan canappreciste its merits better than
most people. No human hand can stIike
heavier or lighter than the fingers Of the
Pianola.
No human foot can release the pedals
more promptly that eau the mechanical
adjustment Of the Pianola,-at will Of
the operator-release OF sustain a tone.
What do you mean by sustaining a
toner BY sustaining tone, ] mean
bringing out the singing quality Of the
instrument. It's capacity for long tones.
OF coune, IL the piano does not possess
a good singing tone, the pianola cannot
bring II out, but II It does no human
finger can coax il 10 sing longer than
the perfect mechanism OF the pisnola
that compels II 10 sing its fullest length.
How about individuality Is not that
OF the player lost in the manipulation
OF the Pianola2 By no means. To the
contrary, IL intensifes il. First Of all
the Pianola cannot give out anything
but a PERFECT TECHNIQUE. IL
never varies. With that at ones com.
mand, and the adjustments by which to
control tempo, phrssing, shading and
pedals, the possibilities for producing
tremendous, startling, as we'll as dainty,
effects are endless. and beyond the pres
ent conception Of rapid execution.
Do you think the Pianola will prove
10 he a detriment 20 music teachers? Not
at all. Rather help. l cannot inn
agine anything more useful, for you see
Il can do absolutely correct playing all
the time. That's the point. Execution.
The Pianola furnishes you with a per.
feet technique on the most difficult
music as we'll as the most simple. 1t
does not tire. II never stumbles over
difficult passages. II cannot.
Think Of it-being able 10 play Liszt's
Rhapsodies up TO tempo iaultlessly. To
me II Is a most wonderful invention, and
! wish that owned one for many rea-
sons. Chieiest OF which would be to
ractice after il. Let ii set the pace in
difficult passages and try TO work up Ia
ii both in tempo and point OF accuracy.
For by the aid Of the Pianola could
practically hear my own conception Of q
composition rendered faultessly, before
had mastered the execution. Rather
paradoxical, but none the less true.
IN short like the pianola for many
reasons. Besides being an educator, in
that you can produce through il, q
larger repertoire than any one human
being can learn in a life time. II is q
means by which those who cannot play
and do not have the time 10 study, may
hear the best music at will in their own
houses, And 10 the artist II furnishes
an avenue for experimental efforts, in
practising difficult tempos, shading,
etc, on the same piece, until he car
select that which is most effective for
his own use. The more artistic the
pianist, the more artistic effects will he
be able 10 produce by the pianola
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