Evening star., 1923-10-05
MUSIC. IN THE HOME


erratic. 1t may, instead have flu
idity and individuality. II possible.
performeri should have had some
previous acquaintance with COM
position before trying 1t on q player
piano. 8.
There are three things which the
manipulation of the instrument may
regulate-the time, the degree OF
loudness or softness, and the pedal.
Time Is the easiest to control Diff
erent Instruments have different de-
the touch Of a finger to cause the
music roll to run rapidly or slowly
through any section Of the piece, or
to retard or accelerate any given
note. 1t Is by studied and alert
changes of time that the machine
made effect is reduced to a minimum.
Other. levers or buttons determine
how loud or how soft a person may
play at any given point. but still
more important in this connection Is
the supply of wind to the bellows
tion. A performer will discover oy
experimenting, that surprising re-
suits are to be- obtained by skillfur
pumping. The motion OF the feet
should keep time to the rhythm of
the music in cases where meas.
Ured effect is needed. as in martial
or dance music. In music of more
delicate nature the pumping should
not try to follow the rhythm or the
piece. but should aim merely to sup
ply sufficient quantity of air 70
keep things running smoothly.
|, In all cases where a single note
or chord needs special accent, this
may be produced more successfully
| by q sudden thrust of the foot than
by any of the devices supplied by
the instrument makers.
/ Above all, a performer sls'uld re-
member that, just as good foot work
on the pedals is what, determines
! the best playing of the pipe organ.
lated pumping is what produces the
! best on the player-piano.
| AS to the use of the lever Wh1ch
controls the sustaining pedal of the
! piano. a good pianist should be able
| TO give useful hints. The pedal
should be used sparingiy. and only
! when 1T is desirable to prolong the
{ vibration of certain note or group
! OF notes, s'or to bind chords togethsr.
Never. keep the pedal on to produce
! duces a blurred discord almost IN
!. tolerable to sensitive ears.
The highest achievement with the
| player-piano depends upon just what
% ment which is sound musicai taste
and faithful practice. The person
! who takes the player-piano seriously,
who takes advantage of all its possi-
! biiities, practicing any. given com.
position thoroughly and thinking OF
: it's every phrase, Is the person who
will produce enjoyable results.
How to Play Accomplishments.
When playing accompaniments 1t
is important to remember that you
and another person are working to-
gether to produce a single harmoni-
Gus effect S~,u should neither make
your part OF the music conspicuous
nor utterly effaee ace soc,,ynes. you.sel1; f9S y
the chief performer by every possible
means. To do this, you should con-
stantly have In mind certain tech
/ nical points. OF these the most am
portant is: Do not play too loudly.
ally speaking. to make him or ber
! non-existent.
The second great rule Is exactly
the reverse of the first, and Is: Do
/ not play too, softly. This fault may
spring from aover-modesty or timid-
ity. 1t Is fatal in either case. You
! should be careful to take all that
! is really yours. but no more. In most
Songs, at least, the accompanist be-
gins some seconds before the singer
and ends some, seconds after the
! singer has finished: That Is, the ac-
| companist frames" the song and so
| becomes for those brief intervals the
sole performer. Such passages need
1 not Dc iOuu, my
! should be firm and confident Moth
| ing is more discouraging to a singer
! that to lead up to a climax intended
! to be rounded out by an ecstatic
burst of harmony from the pianist,
| only to have the piano part dwindle
| feebly away into nothingness.
! A good test for all accompanying
! Is that 1t should support the solotst.
There are some songs where the
piano part contains the principal por-
! ton of effectiveness, and sometimes
, the accompaniment almost assumes
the position of the solo. r.,
Many advantages arise from play
| ing accompa niments such as the in
creased facility Of reading at sight ana
an Increased general musical knowledge.
Many slips occur that can be RENEE
died only by the person at the piano.
A skillful accompanist can often pull
singer over thin places and may
be able to save the day In the event
af arnerrpncv.