The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1922-05-23
MUSIC FOR REVIVAL
CAREFULLY HANDLED
BY SUNDAYS PARTY

Being gospel pianist is a trick in
its self, but to work in a musical or
ganization that is part of the Sun
day party takes something more than
that
The two pianos that make up the
battery which carries the chorus
and the audience across at the taber-
nacle, are both out of sight of the audi
ence. and the only impressions that
the regular attendent gets is that OF
a volume of sound coming from some
place. He has little idea of how the
music is actually turned out, and per
haps even less of the persons that can
make 1t.
At the right hand piano, facing the
audience, is Bob Matthews, the king
of them all, and pupil of George A.
Brewster, who was until his retire
ment, the ace in the revival world.
Uses Back of Book
1t is Bib who makes all of the runs,
and variations that are not always
drowned out by the volume Of the
chorus On occasions when a heavy
run is desired, and the chorus is burst
ing forth with all of its power. he has
been known to use the back of a song
book
But there is more to playing than
! just adding runs and thrills. In the
| first place most gospel song music
| is written In four parts, and such mu
sic no matter how well played would
never be heard above the chorus, and
J not even give the chorus a very good
| guide. The musician must therefore
! be able to get into his song enough
more notes to make the melody itself
| carry, so that even the auditors IN
/ the rear of the tabernacle can get the
| undertone Of the piano as it leads the
| music.
| 1t takes a strong piano to stand up
der the punishment that the pianist
! gives, for every note must be hit with
| all the force that the player has at his
| command and every bit of volume that
the piano has must be brought into
play.
Must Have Swing
To see Miss Kinney or Bob in action
reminds one more of a trip hammer
than anything else. for the music must
have perfect rythm. or the chorus
even with its perfection of rythm, be-
cause of its mass, will lose its way en-
tirely
But the music is not a series of
notes of the same strength, it requires
accent, and that the players must give
if they are to carry the audience with
them
Every once in while Mr.. Rode.
HEAVIER will suddenly turn and ask
, that a song be transposed to another
key, either higher or lower. and the
two players must carry it through II
| the new key as easily is in the Older
one. Very often they do not use &
book to start them off
. Consumes Energy
: 1t takes fund of nervous and physi
p cal energy to carry through even a sin
gle program of music, but when tina
: must be repeated two or three or ever
e four times a day, and sometimes fol
: extra long periods at a service, the
. strain on the plaper can well be
imagined.
Bob Matthews has been playing frs
piano since 1919 when Mr.. Brewster
!. left the Sunday organization Before
that he played second piano. so tina
he has been in the business almos
since he first joined the Sunday group
Miss Kinney, who was a musi
: Fteacher at one time before she joine;
the Sunday organization. began play
!. ing the second piano when Bob wa
y promoted to the first instrument
Lead Chorus
In the fall of 1918, while Mr. Rode
), HEAVIER was in France with the Y. NJ
- G. A, Bob Matthews lead the chorus
= and she played the second piano. Tha
was in Providence, r. l.
= She began her regular duties d
;, Davenport, Iowa in September, 1915
pete" Peterson who plays the secon
. piano when Miss Kinney is forced t
! play first, began his musical educa
ton after he joined the party in 1911
(. He has been playing the second plan
: as alternate but a few years. and !
Z still continuing his lessons, practicin
! on the instruments at the tabernacI
= in odd times.
Z Bob and Miss Kinney are both res
] musicians, in that they not only pla
:, but compose music Bob has ha
3 several pieces brought out by tn
- Rodeheaver company, and Miss Xii
- ney has written songs and musics
= plays for the schools where she ha
taught.