The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-10-13


piano playing" says Harold Bauer.
lies in the relation of one note to the
other notes in series or in a chord"
Accent II Important.
All of Mr.. Bauer's ideas about plano
playing are original and stimulating,
like his exquisite art. His views on
the NATURALIZATION Of the fingers are
fecund in suggestion. But in nothing
else has he gone to the root of the
technical performance Of music with
such unerring wisdom as in that state
ment about the Importance Of the rela-
ton of notes. Now no one would think
Of Bauer and Ferrucio Busoni at the
same instant. In style Rusoni Ia the
antipodes Of Bauer, and yet he says:
~ do not mean TO say that IL one
were in another room that one could
Invariably tell the ability Of an artist
BY hearing him strike one note, but II
the note is heard In relation to the
other notes In q composition its pro-
portionate value should be so delicately
and artistically estimated by the highly
trained performer that It forms part
Of the artistic whole"
The principal thought in the minds
OF these two distinguished artists was
tho correct placing Of accents so that
not only the fundamental meter of the
bar measure should be clearly pub
lshed. but also that the sum total Of
the accents in a phrase should estab-
fish beyond AL doubt the beginning,
the climax and the finish of that
phrase. or what Is often figuratively
called the melodic line or curve.
Accent belongs to every measure, but
Tho accent OF the first beat Of the first
measure may differ almost insensibly
from that OF the second, and at the
vital point in the phrase we reach a
measure in which accent rises to en-
phasis. ITO be or not to be-" Here we
have three poetic feet each consisting
OF one unaccented and one accented
syllable. but the emphasis Of the phrase
is unquestionably on the second sylla-
bic OF the second foot.
,It looks like a self-evident PROPOSE
ton, yet If this were a musical phrase
you would hear among a dozen young
pianists at least six different distribu-
tons Of the accents, and in five of the
Six the emphasis would be misplaced
and the rhythm and poetic meaning
destroyed.
had Rhythm Fatal.
Undoubtedly many pianists are so
occupied with their tone coloring and
their pedal effects that they forget the
!njury which these things may work
upon the melodic line. Every painter
knows that many Of his fellow artists
are wizards in color effects but cannot
draw. Bad drawing is the primal sin
IN the making Of pictures, and yet hun
deeds OF paintings win admiration
through the beauty OF their color
schemes But you cannot make an ass
lion simply by painting a lions name
on him. His lines are still those OF q
donkey.
No one element Of musical perform
Rnce can be neglected. but without
doubt there are no evil results more
Injurious than those which follow bad
rhythm. And good rhythm is a cor
r"ctly combined distribution of accent
Prd emphasis. This distribution can
be made correctly only by a profound
st'Idy OF tho melody its successive
phrases and their relation to one an
orher-and OF the harmonic plan.
Upon this study the first foundations
o. a reading" must be laid.
Tho piano is an instrument demand
ing illusion. 1t Is sounded by per-
c1ssion, not by the long smooth draw
Ing Of bow or the breathing of con-
troi,ed breath through vocal cords.
But by means OF the magic Of touch
end pedal It is made to initiate sus-
tRined tone in marvellous manner.
nevertheless that which vitaliZes
4auo performance Is rhythm. The
greatest master OF rhythm at this
tyur is also the greatest pianist, not
solely because OF his rhythm, but be-
cause that Is conceived and disclosed
~ the same Irresistible manner as the
other clements OF his playing. If he
Fad all the rest and lacked the
rhythm he would not be called by so
many other pianists "the king"
The death Of Sir Hubert Parry de-
pr,ves Britain of one OF the finest
musical scholars she has produced. and
her list is not short. He was not a
great composer. Indeed II would not
Do going too far TO say that in this
country he is practically unknown as