Evening journal., 1900-03-03
MUST MAKE THE PIANO SING
MARK HANBOURG SAYS IT HAS
BEEN PAVED" ENOUGH.


BEEN PAVED" ENOUGH.
Mark Hamburg, the brilliant young
pianist, who has been making a sue
cessful tour OF this country, IN recent
Interview said:
IL had not expected such musical in
telligence and such general music cul-
ture In America. IL is most delightful
to an artist and most inspiring. l have
played before all sorts Of audiences,
from the ultra-muslcal symphony con-
cert auditors TO the large girls board
ing school, but everywhere there is the
same quickness TO appreciate the tell
ing points in an artists playing. IN
questionably America has q great musi-
cal future"
In replying to q question concerning
the tendency of modern piano playing
Mr. Hamburg said:
I'VE are getting old-fashioned. Tech
niQue for the sake of mere showiness
has ceased to be beautiful. The pianist
has to confess to himself (and it Is not
altogether agreeable) that in order 10
Interest the public he must not only be
4 ltuneful but he must approach as near
as possible 10 the human voice. The
lpiano has been clawed and paved long
lenough, and now we must make IL sing,
and herein Is the future Of the pianists
art He must try 10 make his music
beautiful and not astonishing, and In
so far as 1t has the former quality Will
it interest the public.
Il think / may go so far as to say
that the next great improvement the
piano maker will make in his almost
: perfect instrument will consist In a de.
vice that will give It a sort OF yox hu
. mana quality. With the aid OF The
modern piano we are able to overcome
/, remarkable technical difficulties, bu
, these have ceased to interest our hear
ers. We must now begin to omit from
: our pieces the notes put in by ambition
! pianists TO make them unnecessarily dit
{ hcult, and play the classical compost
tion as their composers intended. An
Il we must above all things try 10 max
y them beautiful and not astounding.
d 1T is, however, a great mistake {
7 suppose that the pianists of the presen
d day are the greatest technicians VIII
e have ever lived People forget Thai
IS berg, Gottschalk and Kalkbrenner
70 they We're able to play more notes in
" minute than any of our modern vii
/ tuosi, in spite of our wonderful instrt
d ments, and still we talk Of this as a
!; age of technique"
q Referring to the piano as a mean
L Of general musical culture the youn
r pianist said:
n 1T is a very difficult instrument, an
a, one upon which It is hard to exprei
A. ones emotions and thoughts. II
lr player therefore must think, thin
y 4f l. do
ot playing until the student has spel
y, years OF the most careful study to NAL
3 himself susceptible to this so-called Il
Ie spiration. Every detail must be thoug
ie out with the greatest care. and in o
v der TO give an interesting performan
ie OF a great composition II must be fir
w dissected and examined. What do
III every little bit mean and what r6
lis erence does 1t have to the who
e. work? Not until these questions a
answered and until the student is pi
nd pared to play the selection in a hl
as dozen different ways, all equally 10
er cal and symmetrical, Is he prepared
ly, interest the public.
of "The piano requires the musician
MS think, and this is its great virtue a
he value. This is illustrated by a curio
he national peculiarity. There are We
is few pianists born in Italy, spain
g France who have really a great deal
Ild temperament On the other hand,
n most excitable and passionate sing'
r. are from these countries. The cuiro
M effect OF the piano upon the Latin I
sr- ture can only be explained by the Il
that it is at first unresponsive, a
of only after years Of study Is it ma
Tr eloquent. The Latins are unable
N. stand the drudgery. and they eitf
NV abandon it entirely or lapse into
NO most banal mechanism. All their te
nd permanent is melted before the cold
IA. lality Of the frightful drudgery. Still
n" is none the less a beautiful instrume
~. land is gaining every day"
~ Mr.. Hamburg will remain in Am
an lea until May and will then return
nd his home in England.