THE PIANOLA.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 260, 9 December 1909, Page 4

THE PIANOLA.

THE LATEST MUSICAL INSTRUMENT. The embellishment that invariably follows invention was surely nevermore strikingly exemplified than in the case of the pianola, an instrument tliatVnables anyone to play the piano artistically without practice or previous knowledge of music." .From ita introduction as something little better than au improved musical box, it has been so perfected. that the masterpieces of piaroiVrte literature are executed Avith a dexterity, clearness and velocity which scarcely any player, however great, can approach. The wonderful success thai has followed the introduction of the pianola while primarily due, uo doiuit, to the Universal love of music, is equally owing to the subtle fascination of pelsonally producing music oneself. Almost everyone who fills" neglected his or her opportunities to learn the art of piano--1,1.1. ing, -onie time or other regrets th" lack of the accomplishment, but the drudgery of manual practice will always limit the number of successful students. The pianola, however, has completely re. moved the difficulty, and by its use one may play, without technical knowledge of music) selections that in the ordinary way would have taken years of patient practice. But it should not be thought that the pianola is a musical box, merely an automatic instrument, or that it produce* "mechanical music." The pianola does not play the piano. What it does to eliminate all the techuu-il difficulties of piano-playing, and ibe player h free to give his whole attention to interpretations, to that subtle something we call "expression." and which constitutes the supreme quality of a musical performance. The pianola piano is the logical development of the .pianola idea. Ordinarily the pianola is in the torm of a small cabinet, whi-h, when required, is wheeled to the froni of the keyboard of the piano. In tlie pianola- piano, however, the two accepted methods of piano-playing {ordinary hand-playing and pianola playing) are combined, the moving of the pianola to and fro being altog<ither dispensed with. 1 The pianola part is contained within 1 the case of the piano, and there is noIhing to indicate that the pianola piano difTem in appearance from the ordinary piano. "When playiif* by hand, the pianola pedals and the music roll devise are shut onfof sight. The very latest of these modern instruments. "The Steele Pianola Piano," was landed by Mr. Hoffmann, of the Rritish cud Continental Piano Co.. last week, and has attracted no little attention. Tt ! s a high grade piano to commence with, and includes the highest quality pianola made. Being the first introduced to the Dominion, it has been recently on exhibition in the four centres, prior to being sent to New Plymouth, where it aim's! immediately found a purchaser, thro-iirh Mr. Hoffmann's agency, for C2OO. In thifi instrument is incorporated the latest improvement in the pianola Themodist. When the Metros!vie was introduced it was thought the last wov.l in pianola improvement was spoken. But time and expression are not ev-rv-tiling, and the Thermodist—which bring* out the theme or melody of a composition, at the same time subduing the accompaniment or notes of secondare importance—marks the breakdown of the last distinction between hand and mechanically produced music. TV Thermodist picks out and aecent* the vein of meloin. uo matter where !t mav run over the keyboard. Tt does not complicate the playing of the pianola, but. on the contrary, simplifies it. Tn many compositions the notes wbu-h ought to be accentuated are in vol ve-1 in a maze of runs, trills, arpeggio*, ba«A accr.mpanimert etc.--all intended to b» played much softer than the main theme. The Thermodist effectively creates these con n-sts in tone. H causes the theme it stand out dNt'nctfy from thp aceon :• Mrinrnt, giving the ,r or melod) its dtir ;.rominene»: inst a?

.he voice of a sln-er sounds eleirlv above th* inslnv-u-ntal accompaniment, ffo '.r,' vl>o is in'Mcied in mil-.' -iiiri \r)io is hot—should miss the op.-mi'tun-ity of seeing an I Iteming this wonderful instrument before it is removed by the p'-.wl'siser.