The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1911-10-09

coming acquainted with the better
class of music and even with the clas-
sizes in a way never to have been ac-
complished directly, since the latter
is practically prohibitive save in met
ropolitan centers or through the per-
Torrance of amateurs which reach,
necessarily limited circle.
At first the talking machines" turn
ed out only the cheapest product of
the music-hall and vaudeville theater
but now some of the most famous ex-
ponents of opera.
The piano-player has made many
persons, who would not be reached
musically in any other way, familiar
with much of the best in musical art,
and the works of the most noted COM
pOsers both of what is often termed
classical music" and that with a
more popular appeal, but still Of mus
ical excellence. are, through this agen-
cy, made known to catholic public.
The experiment, therefore, of the
Morrison-Reeves library in lending
music rolls on the same basis as it
does books, is an interesting one.
Started, as told in the papers, within
the year, it has at the present time as
sumed important proportions. Over
five hundred rolls are loaned each
month, the total number now availa-
BILE having reached thirteen hundred.
This will be constantly augmented.
While the majority OF these rolls are
for lightweight note pianos, five hun
dred of them are for sixty-five note
and that this activity of the library is
appreciated is manifested by the fact
that many calls for the loan of mu-
sic rolls come from persons who do
not care for books.
Through this agency the local pub
lie is gradually becoming familiar with
the best in musical art and it should
make for general refinement of taste
which will be boon to the supporters
of our musical institutions.
The Morrison-Reeves library is a
pioneer in this peculiar phase of pub
lie enlightenment, only one other IL
brary, SO far as the writer of this col
umn knows, having proceeded it in the
introduction of this aid to the advance
ment of musical culture.
That the piano-player is, however,
becoming to be regarded as invaluable
from an educational standpoint is i'll
Illustrated by the following taken from
a well-known musical journal:
1.-THE conservatory of music of the
University of Wisconsin, Madison, has
purchased playerpiano to be used for
the new course in musical apprecia-
ton" Amy student in the university
is admitted to this course without pre-
vious musical knowledge. The work
consists of lectures with illustrations
on the playerpiano in all of the princi-
pies of musical structure, methods,
aesthetics and criticism.
Louis A. Coerne, Phi. D., is director
of the school Of music and originator
this course is the use of an electric
piano-ployer to demonstrate the beau
ty of the compositions. Two regular
university credits are allowed each
semester for this course. The work
consists of lectures, with illustrations
on the piano-player, in all the prin-
ciples of musical structure, methods,
aesthetics and criticism. The work
begins with a consideration of the
simpler forms of musical compositions
such as the aria, the anthem and the
sonata, from which it then proceeds
to the analysis of larger compositions,
such as symphonies, operas and Or
atorios."
The Morrison-Reeves library is to
be congratulated upon recognizing the
early value of broadening it's activi
ties by adding to it's shelves these ap-
purtenances to the spread of musical
knowledge.