Phonograph Monthly Review, Vol. 1, No. 10 (1927-07)

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416 The Phonograph Monthly Review appreciation of good music among us. This means, of course, that this attitude of mind must not only be adopted by the manufacturers, but must be instilled into every member of their or- ganizations, down through wholesalers and deal- ers to the record clerks at the counters; a whole- some and delightful change from the ignorance of good music and indifference to it so lamentably and irritatingly prevalent in the phonograph trade today. But these things must all come about before any phonograph manufacturer can truly say he has won success; this policy must be made the foundation of the industry if its per- manence and value are to be assured. What of the future? I confidently believe that as the years pass the truth will become inescap- ably clear that the phonograph is a great musical instrument; further, that the inventive genius of man will surmount the existing mechanical dif- ficulties and limitations, and that his good sense will bring about the changes of policy now so needed; so that the service and enjoyment which the phonograph provides will be increased until that instrument brings to all our people the con- stant, unfailing inspiration of great music greatly performed. (The End.) The Theory of Instrumental Colour Hope, Sheffield, England I N these days, when the wireless transmission of speech and music is an every day occur- rence, and 'The man in the street” speaks confidently to his neighbor of waves in a hypo- thetical ether, it is surprising to find how few people know the true nature of the sound wave, though it is a vibration in a tangible medium, the air. The observant owner of a gramophone and its attendant shiny discs, with their wavy, spiral grooves, doubtless knows more of the truth than his wireless rival, but in nine cases out of ten— nay, in ninety-nine out of one hundred—he would be at a loss to explain just how a "romantic” sound box can turn, say, an oboe into a flute. It is the object of this article first to explain the several characteristics of sound waves, and then to show how a knowledge of one of these charac- teristics—the wave-form—is the key to the scien- tific theory of tone-color in music. Vibrations may be of two kinds—transverse or longitudinal. If one end of a rope is made fast at F in Fig. (1), and the other end is held by a hand at H, then, by jerking the end of the rope, we may make a pulse travel along it to the oppo- site end. ' Although the wave itself travels from H to F, it is formed by the oscillation of the particles of the rope at right angles to this direc- tion. This is known as transverse vibration. If, however, a long spiral of brass wire is suitably suspended, and one end of it is suddenly thrust inwards and then pulled out again, a compression, followed by an expansion will travel from one end of the spiral to the other (see Fig. (2)). In this case the particles of the spiral move along the line in which the wave travels, and not at right angles to this direction. This is longitu-' dinal vibration. composed of those who know and want authentic music, would it not seem the part of wisdom to practice moderation here, too, and no longer strive to startle but rather to charm with beauty and sincerity? (3) The third and last need is simply this, to remember the business of music-makers is to make music. Their duty is not to follow, but to lead. Not to set their standards by those of the majority, but to seek to raise the musical taste and intelligence of the whole American people. The "intelligent minority” will always be with the manufacturers in this effort, and its support is the backbone of such an effort. But it must be remembered that good music never can be "popularized”—as one great manufacturer seems mistakenly to imagine today; not by making music cheap and common and everyday can the love of it be instilled in men’s hearts, but only by holding it up as a thing to reverence and to honor. The way to success in the phonograph business is to make music one’s chief concern first, last and all the time; to cultivate the musically in- telligent record-buyers, to enlist their friendship, co-operation and support; and then to embark upon a campaign of education which shall slowly but consistently increase the understanding and