Evening star., 1911-01-29
WHAT MUSICIANS MUST ENDURE
WIHEN Ignace Paderewski last toured {


" this country, he was forced to abandon
a number of concerts toward the close of his
season because of muscular rheumatism in
both hands, brought on by excessive piano
PLAYING. PianiSt'S cramp is more painful
than writer's cramp, and is the bane of all
virtuosos 1t is caused by the constant con-
traction and expansion of the muscles con-
trolling the fingers. 1t becomes chronic
when not guarded against, and many
promising virtuosos career has been bl1ghted
in this way. The only remedy is to rest the
overtaxed muscles and then work them up
gradually to meet the strain of constant
playing.
Musicians, once they become public ia
vorites, appear to lead very easy and en-
ioyable existence The real truth is that the
virtuoso practises continuous self denial
that would abash the most Jealous anchor
ite, and oftentimes while delighting the pub
lie with his music is suffering not only physi-
cal inconvenience but actual physical pain.
A Ii concert pianists are subject to split
fingertips. The constant stroke OF the
balls of the fingers on the hard ivory makes the
flesh so delicate and tender that frequently
playing becomes acute agony. When the
tips of the fingers split down into the quick
beneath the fingernail, playing becomes
torture that can be likened only to the SEN
sation of a dentists drill in an infamed
tooth.
| recall an instance where a promising
young American pianist made his New
York debut in such distressing circum-
stances. The critics, who knew nothing of
his mishap, said his playing lacked poetry.
1t certainly did. Two days before his New
major Concerto with the Philadelphia Or
chestra, the second finger of his right hand
split open during heavy chord passage as
though it had been chopped deity by
cleaver. He finished his performance gamely
on keyboard that became like shambles.
Then surgeon bound the finger tightly to-
gether with army plaster and in that con-
dition, two days later, the pianist faced
critical New York audience.
Some pianists suffer more than Others
from delicate ingertips. Lhevinne, the gi-
gantic Russian player, who can extract as
much tone from his instrument as any other
living player, has fngertips that are like
cushions. But they are exquisitely sensitive
and continually breaking open. At his
American debut he mystifed his audience
by cooling twisting absorbent cotton about
his fingers during the rests in the solo part
of the Rubinstein Concerto. That was his
way of protecting his fngertips. Later some
one showed him how he could fasten the
cotton hrmly with collod1on, and tnerea1ter
he was enabled to pad all his fingers effectu
ally for every public performance. The
trick is now extensively followed by other
pianists, especially during the long and try
ing hours of daily practice.
MOST pianists rest their heels on the floor
~ in manipulating the pedals. Paderew-
ski, however, uses low seat and keeps his
heels off the floor. His theory is that this posi-
ton keeps the muscles of the leg much more
tense and makes possible greater variety and
delicacy in pedal effects. That may be true;
but. just as you happen to be sitting now,
touch the floor with your toes and lift your
heels off the ground. You notice at once
strain on the muscles of the calf and thigh.
Think of keeping that up for hours. Pader-
ewski admits that the practice causes him
intense suffering.
NIOLINISTS suffer great deal of phys
ical inconvenience. Have you ever
realized how awkward and unnatural is the
position of holding the instrument? Most of
us have an idea that the violin is held against
the neck and shoulder by the players left
hand which grasps the arm of the instrument.
All great violin teachers insist that the left
hand be entirely free and to achieve this the