Okolona messenger., 1904-01-06
coNpRKn PfANo PLAYrNo.


A.NAMI" -
Piano playing tends 70 shorten life
is the latest theory put forward By the
alarmist section Of the medical profes-
sion to set vibrating the pulse Of the
pianist Their claim a that the act Of
playing the instrument sets up certain
nervous disorders which have an ex-
ceedingly preiudiciaI eject upon ones
life. Thus do they account for the &C.
centric habits Of the average pianist.
says q Chicago exchange.
One batch Of the new theorists con-
demns the instrument entirely, but has
a saving word for the organ and certain
string and wind instruments; while
snother school Of doctors. though sec
onding the opinion OF their more ad-
yanced colleagues, believe that II the
piano be not taught to persons under ls
years Of age little harm can be done to
the fine nervous system most humans
are endowed with.
Now, It Is trite to say that the vast
majority Of musicians, especially pian-
lists and organists, are persons with 3
singularlty OF manner which borders on
the eccentric. Some people have gone 90
far as to say that musicians are half
mad. Anyhow. musicians belong to =
pronounced order with q style Of per-
sonal mannerism which is peculiarly its
own.
Perhaps, though, teaching Of the plano
20 extremely young. children should be
condemned; but that the instrument ls
bharmful to the young player is surely
not right.
There ls Sir Julian Benedict. one Of
the greatest pianists, who lived 70 the
age OF nearly 90. Cramer was over %
when he died. Clement. Herr. and some
ohers died octogenarians. Halle was
nearly so; 50, too. were Liszt, Heller,
Potter, and Schumann when they passed
away. Thalberg was 70 when he died,
and Rubinsteln over 50. Brahms, Bu-
low, Kallxbrenner, and Kullak were Of
the same age. Bach had seen 80; and
Field, Hummel, and Willmere had seen
almost 50 ere they played their last note
on their favorlte instrument
Those are the names Of only some Of
those great pianists Of yesterday who
had played the piano all their lives, and
yet each lived q fairly long life.
OF living pianlsts there Is ArabelIa
Goddard, who is close on 70; Kate Loder,
over 20; Walter Macferren, n; Ernest
Pauer, n; Saint-Saens, 81; and Wein-
Iawski, 66. Paderewski is a young man
in his forties, and 80 does not count; but
the ages Of all the others point con-
clusively to the fact that the new theory
put forward by an alarmist section Of
the medical profession has no founda-
tlon in fact
Certainly q considerable amount Of
mental strain has to be endured by the
expert player, as by the beginner, and
should a persons constitution be not OF
the robust order, breakdown may be
expected; but that the piano itself
serves to shorten life, as the new medical
theory expounds It, is a libel on the in-
strument.
Happily. medical opinion is divided on
the question-another case Of doctors
disagreeing. One specialist declares
that the piano is really q sedative, and
that playing It serves to tune up the
nervous system. when you are de-
pressed" says he, ego to the piano and
thump q tune out Of It."
Viewed from the calisthenic point Of
view the plano is a good and wholesome
thing, for playing strengthens the in-
gers and gives tone to the muscles OF
the arms, and trains the eye to be alert
md sharp.