The San Francisco call., 1906-12-16
GREAT PIANISIS IN THE HOME
The New WeNe Piano Preserves the Playing Of Artists.
BY BLANCHE PARrrNGroN.

The Welte Piano is miracle. I
have heard nothing like it. / have
never dreamed OF hearing anything
like it. IL is the first Of its class and
the last. 1t is no mere Improvement
this, upon the mechanical pianos OF
yesterday, no development from these.
but a new instrument, as unlike it's
foreranners as diamond from glass.
] find the Welte. in fact. exactly what
1t claims TO be-a reproducing piano
that actually reproduces the PLAYING
of the artist. Apparently there is moth
ing in the way of piano pl1otogravure
that is impossible here, no dead line. no
If" no but A simple roll of paper
is inserted in the instrument and Pade-
rewski appears; another. and. 10, Bu-
soni. all fire and delicacy: another. and
there Is Richard Strauss himself awk-
wardly picking ont'' one of his own
reveries; another. and comes Josef
Hofmann, in all his glory; an
other. and Scharwenka is be-
trayed in all his meretriciousness.
Impossible, nay ridiculous it seems,
that 1t is to mere machine that one
is listening, that living fingers are not
there at the playing. Every sramme
OF the individuality OF the artist is
preserved, every atom OF the tonal
honey, every tiniest velvet miracle of
touch. One listens as in the presence
of the master. There is not a trace.
not a suggestion of tie mechanical ele-
ment Mechanism, indeed, seems abb
surd in this connection. Al. that is
seen is a handsome instrument of the
piano type, rather larger than the av-
eraSe upright; all that is heard is q
mastery performance of some master
work-a performance 90 which the
player has affixed his signature
What will be. must be, the influence
of an instrument such as the Welte
upon music is consummately inter-
esting field of speculation. To the pi-
anist. heretofore doomed to oblivion,
It means his chance at Immortality.
Through it his sculptured sounds may
live with Venus de Milo, his portrait
OF a Beethoven sonata survive with a
Rembrandt Mother his Chopin epic
be tomorrow's "Iliad' of tine Keys.
When as Harold Bauer he he's shaped
a Carnival" lovely even as Schumann
i-iAi4scii, perhaps. dld not picture ~. ne
shall know that il need not die even in
the shaping. as now. With sculptor
poet, painter he shall have his niche in
the future, his gospel OF beauty no
longer myth, no longer flying with
the SHOWS of yesterday.
For the student the Welte piano
would seem to be Invaluable. Doubt
less all studios, all conservatories and
surely IN time all libraries will be
equipped with these Instruments. What
more valiant Inspiration for the stu
dent than master performance OF the
work he is studying? What more vai-
liable suggestion than that afforded
by two equally mastery and poig
nantly different performances OF the
same work, Or three? or six? There
are, for example. among the Welte
records at least three of the Chopin
A-hat Major Polopaise--those of d'Ai-
bert. OF Paderewski and of Busoni, with
al their vital distinctions. There are
among the artists who have contrib
rted to the Welte library practically
every pianist Of note. represented, 1t
must be replcn- bered. by the interpreta-
tive chef d'oeuvres to which they have
affixed their signatures. Regard just