The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1904-01-01

1919 Medical scisntists Set W =
sia Clain That Il II : Nerve
Destroyer. 5

Piano playing tends to shorten life
- the latest theory put forward by the
tAlarmist section of the medical profess
sion to set vibrating the pulse Of the
pianist. Their claim is that the act OF
playing the instrument sets up certain
nervous disorders which have an ex-
ceedingly prejudicial effect upon ones
life. Thus do they account for the &C.
centric habits of the average pianist,
|says Chicago exchange. ,7"' .-...s
One batch of the new theorists con-
dennis the instrument entirely, but has
q saving word for the organ and certain
string and wind Instruments; while
another school of doctors, though Sec
ending the opinion of their more adj
vanced colleagues, believe that II the
piano be not taught to persons under Is
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 plan
lists and organists, are persons with a
singularity of manner which borders on
the eccentric. Some people have gone SO
far as to, say that musicians are half
mad. Anyhow, musicians belong to a
pronounced order with style OF per-
sonal mannerism which is peculiarly it,
own.
Perhaps, though, teaching Of the piano
to extremely young children should be
condemned; but that the instrument Is
harmful to the young player is surely
not right.
There is Sir Julian Benedict, one OF
the greatest pianists, who lived to the
age of nearly 80. \Cramer was over 80
when he died. Clement, Herr, and acme
oilers died octogenarians. Halle was
nearly 80; so, too, were List, Heller,
Potter, and Schumann when they passed
away. Thalberg was 20 when he died,
and Rubinstein over 60. Brahms, Blu
low, Kalkbrenner, and Kullak were OF
the same age. Bach had seen 80; and
Field, Hummel, and Willmere had seen
almost so ere they played their last note
on their favorite 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 a fairly long life. -
OF living pianists there is Arabella
Goddard, who is close on 70; Kate Loder.
over 70: Walter Macferren, II; Ernest
~Pauer, II; rSaint-Saens, 81; and Vein
iawski, 66. Paderewski is young man
in his forties, and so 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-
ton in fact
Certainly a considerable amount OF
mental strain has to be endured by the
expert player, as by the beginner, and
should 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 4 =, s, - -
Happily, medical opinion Is divided on
the question-another case OF doctors
disagreeing. One specialist declares
that the piano is really 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 piano is good and wholesome
thing, for playing strengthens the fin
gers and gives tone to the muscles OF
the arms, and trains the eye to be alert
and sharp: