Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1904-06-07

The piano is the most popular q oil
musicaI instruments and Is, 81 a rule,
the solo means In the average home
for the Interpretation Of music. Be
fore modern improvements perfected
Il and It's price WAS brought within
the reach Of nearly all citizens, q gen
eral knowledge Of music did not exist
generally In the average community.
Yet, despite It's popularity, Its wide
use. the artistic spirit II c%ultiyates
and the pleasure II gives, how many
people really know how TO give the
piano proper care7 Comparatively
speaking, II Is d costly instrument.
and one would naturally imagine that
when an instrument Is purchased at
some sacrifice In other directions by
the ordinary family this fact alone
would inspire It's owners with 4 desire
10 give II proper are and attention,
from motives of economy II nothing
else. II IN not possible for the aver
age family 20 buy a piano at frequent
Intervals. yet IN three cases out 81
every five people who are most care
ful about the things for which they
spend d considerable sum Of money
will actually abuse q piano NO that
within d year II Ii practically ruined.
Then they blame the maker or dealer,
v0w that they have been cheated and
pour the vIaIs OF their wrath on the
head Or tho man who sold It u them,
when. In all probability the instrument
might have been good for the use az
several generations II II had not been
neglected. IA plano Ii y delicate me
chanism, hut yet a good. well made
instrument has scarcely any limit to
III lie II Il ii accorded ordinary use.
Most people. or course, Will keep The
case clean and brightly polished, but
The case ii not the piano: Il Is the
works inside that count. and 4 n
these that require attentIon-attens
tion, too. that Ia d very. simple matter
to give. Perhaps Il may be TINT the
people do not know how they should
care for a plano, yet never knew
~ a reputable dealer who would not
i've his patrons proper instructions
aIong this line whenever a sale wAs
made. The trouble Ii, the ayerafo per-
son forgets these Instructions almost
before the plano has been fairly n.
stalled III the house. The instrument
looks so big and substantial that They
soon delude themselves With the be.
lief that II viii stand lust about the
MAmo treatment m q steel safe without
suffering harm. Many other things
also 1arihssic to this careless frame
OF mind, and, therefore, 10 tho sub
seduent ruin Of the piano. If the
housewife wishes u swcep the parlor
floor thoroughly. docs abe stop to
think that the piano ~ open and fine
dust will settle on the strings and Ia.
jnre tho tone OF the instrument II
II Il not covered upg As aeruie. no.
If the roo smells "stutty" on some
wet or chilly morning. does MO hest
tate about throwing the windows wide
open on account OF the piano2 Hard.
ly. and yet " IL inst In this manner
that the instrument which IN the
pride OF the family. and cost them
such 4 comparatively large sum, Ii
ruined.
Never forget 10 give The plano rs
due attention at all times under any
circumstances, and Il viii last ten,
twenty. thirty years and be rich In
tone and power Of expression 10 the
very end. which may be postponed IN.
definitely II the plano Il q good man,
nfacture.
The proper care of i piano must
naturally begin with the buying OF
Il. The most assiduous attention viii
scarcely prolong the life Of q cheap
instrument beyond two or three years
~ The most, and Il were better. there.
fore. 10 pay $500 for an instrument
made by q firm with an established
reputation. an instrument that viii
last half a century and give excellent
service until II Is absolutely worn ont.
than t5 for one that will not give
good service after the first month and
be a wreck in q few years. There is
no excuse for buying a piano at
price clearly below that Mt which an
instrument or any quality whatever
could even be manufactured ofl
course, the hest Is always tho cheap.
est In the long run. but good pianos
made by reliable firms are sold Ill
moderate amounts. the only difference
between these and the very much
higher grade instruments being, prob
ably. In the finish and the absence Of
certain Improvements which give bet.
ter expression and enrich the tone.
The good honest pIann actustlv -.