Evening star., 1911-01-29
BY JOHN WARREN


no matter how far along they may be in
their art. This continued buzzing right in
the ear begins by dulling the sensitiveness
of the drum and ends in partial, if not COM
plete, paralysis of the auditory nerve.
In the same way, the tiny particles of
resin set flying by the action of the bow
across the strings fill the players eyes and
cause great pain and oftentimes permanent
harm. A little point Of resin in the eye can
be annoying as a clnder.
DERFORMERS on wind instruments suf-
fer many inconvenience, and in some in
stances their work leads to permanent phys
ical disability. Bulbar paralysis from con-
tinued use of the tongue and lips is an ever
present danger. Doctors have fearsome
name for the commonest result of wind play
ing. In plain language, it is overdistention of
the lungs This stretching of the lungs from
constantly heavy initiation leads to engorge
ment of the blood in the right cavities of the
heart, and this produces dilation OF the heart
and hypertrophy.
of suffocation for lack of breath that comes
to you after overexertion in running. Wind
players suffer greatly from that same sensa
ton, especially if they are stout or short
necked or full blooded. An apoplectic tend
ency is also common among them, because
the reflux of the blood during prolonged ex-
piration tends to produce cerebral cOngeS
ton. Players on the big bass tuba, which
requires immense air pressure, sometimes
strain the abdominal muscles in pressing
down the diaphragm and bring on hernia.
Mental peculiarities of oboe players are
traditional in the orchestral world, in spite
of the fact that most oboe players are quite
normal. Some explain that the oboe player
is mentally affected by the fact that he is
forced to blow through an exceedingly small
aperture and the expiration is unusually pro-
longed. Others insist that the peculiarly
melancholy quality of the tone produced and
the invariable character of the music written |
for the oboe are responsible for any pc
culiarities displayed by its executants.
A FTER this somewhat gruesome recital, it |
= is cheering to know that one instrument, |
at least, can be counted on to bring health and |
longevity to those who practise it. This is |
the flute Doctors recommend it for in
cipient consumptives, as the operation of
playing the instrument involves the precise |
motion of the lungs of most benefit to the |
consumptive; that is, full inspiration, not |
too full or strained, followed by slow and |
gentle delivery of the breath. l find myself |
using here the exact words of Sidney Lanier, |
the famous Southern poet, who claims that |
he was enabled TO prOlOng by ten years MS |
hopeless struggle against the White Death |
by daily practice on the flute.
Far be it from me- however, to encourage
the universal adoption of flute playing among
our highly congested population. l know |
of nothing more likely to induce speedy |
assassination than flute practice on the |
border of crowded airshaft.
DAIN, inconvenience, and physical danger |
: from the things they have to do are no |
harder on musicians than the privation of the |
things they may not do. The American boy |
who aspires to be virtuoso will have to put |
aside all thoughts of baseball, tennis, rowing, |
or bowling. His sister artists share his self |
denial in the latter sports. Cycling can be |
followed only mildly, as the jar of handle |
bars benumbs the hands and wrists. Walk /
ing is about the only exercise open to the |
woman artist Men are little better off, |
as they can find both mental and physical |
relaxation in playing billiards.
Maud Powell spends the summer steering
her motorboat about Long Island Sound;
but she confesses that after her hands have
been on the vibrating tiller, the loss of keen, |
intelligent muscle control muscle conscious
ness, she calls it's apparent and calls for
long hours of compensating practice. And, |