The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1935-09-02

Have you any musical PROP
lens? Parents are invited to
write the World Of Music for
advice on questions of musical
education. Answers will be pub
lished with or without your
name as you may desire.
Among other inquiries, we shall
consider the following first: MY
boy wants to play a trumpet. 1
do not mind the noise he will
make in practicing, but 1 am wor-
ried for fear it will injure his
heart. I have been told that a
trumpet will make his lips grow
large. What would you advise
me to do?"
This boy is running true to
form. Ask most boys why they
wish to play a trumpet and they
will say because it makes more
noise" Because the trumpet is
used so often in symphonic music
to play the loudest passages, most
people think of the trumpet only
in terms of noise. AS matter Of
fact a trumpet or cornet may be
played as softly as a violin or as
the human voice. It takes no
more effort to play the trumpet
than it does to sing the same
tones with the same degree OF
volume.
The lips vibrate in exactly the
same manner that the vocal
chords do in singing. We have
heard some misguided doctors
claim that certain boys or girls
whose hearts were weak would
suffer from playing the trumpet.
We challenge any doctor to prove
that the playing OF trumpet
would cause any more harm to
a child than the same amount OF
singing and talking.
Matter Of Moderation
If a child were to sing and
shout at the top of his voice for
80 minutes he would probably in
crease his heart action. Likewise,
if the same child should blow with
all his might on any wind instru-
ment for 80 minutes the result
would be the same. The correct
way to start on a wind instrument
is to be moderate in all that is
done.
Some old-timers will claim that
blowing a trumpet is hard work,
We could point out prominent
trumpet players here in Washing
ton who cannot play a march last
ing two minutes through without
resting the lips. Such players use
the pressure system because they
were not properly instructed when
they were beginners. The proper
way to acquire the nonpreSSure
system is to hold the lips tightly
together without any instrument
and produce buzzing sound by
blowing.
Any beginner that can produce
a sound in this manner can easily
blow any of the brass instruments.
If a beginner "buzzeS" his lips each
day for a time equal to the time
he practices with the trumpet, the
lips will be developed by the non
pressure system. When a beginner
blows q trumpet for time, the
muscles of the lips soon tire; un-
accustomed as they are to this
form of exercise, they will natur'
ally feel sore and swell little.
Because the lips swell under these
circumstances, many people get
the erroneous idea that the lips
will become permanently larger
Again we challenge any medical
authority to prove that the play
ing of a trumpet will enlarge the
lips. No one would advance the
theory that playing the piano
would enlarge the knuckle Joints
of the fingers; or that singing or
talking would enlarge the vocal
chords and tongue.
There are so many false ideas
constantly being repeated regard
ing the playing of the wind in
strumentS that space will not per-
nit further discussion of these
fables. Suffice it to say that if
the boy in question has musical
ear good enough to carry a tune
in singing or whistling, the trum'
pet would be the best instrument
for him to work on as long as ne
has made the choice without any
parental suggestions.
X
TAonoo Er@no O1oro