Evening star., 1928-03-03
THIS AND THAT
BY CHARLES +. TRACEH ELL.

solutions). music is unrcasoning in that
all the play OF question and answer Is
| lacking in It..
There is no argument. in a true sense.
In music. The very use of the word
argument" for the telling OF the story
OF an opera, or the summary Of the
contents of book. strikes one as a sort
OF misuse, although given in the die
tionarics
Chamber music Is good term for
certain kind OF composition but. in
larger sense, all home music is cham
Der music.
The chief instrument in such music
| Is the pianofortc. The delightful fam
lily groups. where instrumental and vo-
cal music held sway. perhaps are seen
no longer In such profusion as In for
mcr years but still many such gather
1ngS are to be found
Wherever they are. the piano remains
the essential. The wonderful violin de-
mands the accompaniment OF the king
! OF instruments. Even the rich tones
OF the violonccllo are enriched by the
bass OF the pianoforte.
Just as the rose is the finest OF all
flowers, SO the piano Is the best of all
instruments, since 1t alone allows the
breadth -mliSically speaking~~of the
symphony orchestra to enter the home
Inc noble organ does not, it would
| seem give exactly the same sense OF
something vastly great that the piano
ooes. rms Is difficult thing to eX-
pam: perhaps one must have recourse
again to the word feel"
Whiie the vast bass registers OF the
organ may stir the soul, there is some
'ning 10 the harmony of the we'll PLAYED
plahoiofte that more comfortable wins
| the soul.
After all. the home living room q,
u,cu W pe the drawing r0oml is not
ideally suited to the organ, This great
/ instrument Is a bit heavy, ccrtainlv 81
Tor The average home.
iherc Is no home in the world how
ever. which Is too large or too small
!or lhe piano TO work its magic In
| ne ,ne palaces OF potcntates or the hum
PIE Six-room cottages Of the modern
.,Iouloan ,,t area the pianoforte brings
inc Solace Of real music.
and by real music. true music u,e
mean the authentic tones hot Off the
gflodle. Music Is tonal structure
as sure and definite as any architcc
Iural structure. It should NOT he
strained. even delicately through elec-
tricity. ''''
beethoven'S sonatas, Chopin's nor
| turneS, are but strange figures on white
paper while on the rack. but the mn
meht musician begins to play them
tieE blossom forth IN living tones.
during the space that they are alive
they rear themselves into ,owerinc
Shapes OF majesty and beauty and
may be for any hearer ANYTHING that
MS heart dictates
ANA when the music dies and the
laSt note fades into nothncness and
tne composition has vanished the
gioIy oi music is that It will spring IN
ne again at the touch Of the sum
mOning hand
! Thus music brings player and hearer
u'"T 10 immortality. Did anv one
l'Iihk That The popular alteration OF
great pianlStS Is but the unreasoning
'ooI'Shness Of hySterical women2
3uch frantic applause as greets some
master OF the keys Is simply manktnd's 3
unconscious tribute TO the belief in the
ne everlasting. which lies IA the depths
OF the human heart, never TO be To-
tally crushed.
The living tones OF the vibrating
strings stir these memories in our
hearts quicken them TO renewed life
and assure us that music Is not ONLY
that great art which can be described
! IN terms Of itself alone. but is also
/ the means Of keeping alive In our
hearts the sweet messages OF hope.