The talking machine world (Jan-Dec 1911)

THE TALKING MACHINE WORLD. 11 INTERESTING NEW FIELD FOR TALKING MACHINES Opportunities Offered for Pleasing Effects Through Their Use in Connection with the PlayerPiano — Both Instruments Now Developed to a Point Where They Can Offer Much to the Real Musician When Played Together — Sone Suggestions for Accompanying Talking Machine Records on the Player-Piano That Are the Result of Successful Experience — Some Programs That Will Appeal to the Uninitiated — Some Interesting Pointers. An almost virgin and fruitful field for talking machines is their use in conjunction with playerpianos which are now so widely popular throughout the country and which are fast assuming a position in the matter of output equal to the pianos themselves. As is well known, the talking machine of, the day has been highly perfected. Not alone has the mechanism of reproduction been brotight to a point where there hardly seems to be further opportunity for physical improvement, but in recording there has also been equal progress. As a result of this and of the experiments which the manufacturers of these devices are continually prosecuting, it is not at all an exaggeration to say that the modern talking machine is a marvel of ingenuity and practical efficiency. It may safely be asserted that recording and reproduction of the human voice have become entirely satisfactory, even to critical ears. The greatest singers of the world have hastened to add their voices to the already vast collections controlled by the manufacturers of talking machines. One can new sit at home and enjoy a whole grand opera, Vitli the solo parts sung by world-famous operatic artists, while the choruses and incidentals are filled in the most capable manner. "Pagliacci," "Faust" and other works now exist complete in the shape of talking machine records. This is a tremendous fact and one perhaps that has hardly yet been properly impressed upon the minds of intelligent music lovers. In the accompaniments of such beautiful art songs as those of Schubert, Franz, Brahms, Hugo Wolf, Richard Strauss and others, which arc composed with such exquisite attention to detail and such an understanding of the whole artistic effect, the player-piano is a very important factor in conntction with the production of tlie records of these songs on the talking machine. For, as a matter of fact, the piano parts are as wonderful as the solo writing, and when one is enabled to hear clearly the instrumental settings a still greater enjoyment of the records of these beautiful songs is possible. Now a great many people who have playerpianos also have fine talking machines. It has perhaps sometimes occurred to them that a combination of the two, if practical, would be a splendid idea. Such a combination is perfectly practical. The object of this article is to show how the trick may be done. In the beginning it should be clearly understood that there are certain physical limits imposed on talking machine records by reason of the methods adopted in their manufacture. Up to date it has not been practical to make records, either disc or cylinder, with a reproducing duration of more than four minutes, or thereabouts. In consequence it is often necessary to omit a part of a long song or of an instrumental solo. The accompaniments, therefore, sometimes have to be altered in accordance. Hence one cannot be sure, except in the case of quite short songs or solos, that a given accompaniment is available for the playerpiano. One music roll manufacturer, however, has made up a number of arrangements from piano and orchestral accompaniments used by one of the great talking machine companies. These accompaniments include the piano parts to art-songs and arias from grand opera, as sung by great artists. Some of the arrangements thus made are the accompaniments to "Celeste Aida," from Verdi's "Aida," sung by Caruso; to Schumann's "Two Grenadiers," sung by Blass, and to Nevin's "The Rosary," sung by Schumann-Heink. Others of like character have been arranged or are in process of arrangement. There are also some accompaniments to violin and 'cello solos, arranged m the same manner. When one undertakes, then, by means of such a special roll, to give a player-piano accompaniment, certain preliminary conditions must first be fulfilled. The most important is the matter of pitch. Very few pianos are tuned at any fixed pitch, and the A by which bands and orchestras tune also varies considerably. As a matter of course, therefore, one's first experience is usually that the pitch of the singer's voice on the record does not agree with that of the player-piano one is going to use. In order to adjust these variations it is necessary to increase or decrease the number of revolutions made by the turn-table of the talking machine. This is done by turning the pointer of the speedregulator on the speed-dial. The pitch rises when the speed is increased and falls when it is decreased. When attempting to play an accompaniment to the record, then, one must have the score of the scng, making sure to get it the right key, and strike the first few notes of the accompaniment with one's fingers on the keyboard, while at the same time the talking machine is started. Thus one can soon find out whether the piano is sharper or flatter than the voice of the record, and by turning the handle to right or left the speed-regulator can be adjusted so as to bring the two into harmony. When the true pitch is thus obtained on the talking machine the number of revolutions required, as shown on the adjusted speed-regulator, should be written on the seal of the record as a reminder. When this important matter has been adjusted the player-pianist can proceed with his accompanying, and very interesting work it will come to be. If one can read music a little the task can be rendered much easier. In this case one can sit down and read the score while the song is going on, noting here and there the pauses, phrasing or other points of interest. When one has done this two or three times the general plan of the work will be pretty clear in one's mind. Then one can take up the roll and start to study that, using one's copy of the score to keep track of progress. When one has obtained in this way a clear view of the accompaniment the player-piano and record can be tried together. Now, the first thing that strikes one when attempting an accompaniment is that the voice of the singer seems to come out of nothing, as it were, and one misses at first the intimate feeling caused by having the actual person near One. But as soon as one has clearly gotten in mind the way the singer phrases the song, one finds that the player-piano accompaniment follows in good order. Of course, it must always be kept in mind that the music roll does not of itself furnish the phrasing of the accompaniment, and therefore the accompanist must remember that he has to phrase almost instinctively. The work is most fascinating and adds immensely to the beauty and interest of both instruments. Perhaps the most interesting thing about the whole affair is that the accompaniment, standing out as it does when thus rendered, enables one to judge much better and appreciate far more clearly the truly artistic nature of a fine song. When the player-piano is used one gets the full benefit of the whole composition and is able to appreciate fully the complete intention of the composer. For the purpose which we have been discussing it is well to use the best talking machine one can get. The finest of all are the large hornless machines, as in these the once annoying scratchy sounds have almost entirely been eliminated, and the purity of tone is wonderful. All the considerations herein suggested aoply as well to accompaniments for solo instruments as to songs. Such numbers as the "Berceuse," from "Jocelyn," by Godard, arranged for 'cello solo, are very interesting, as well as the "Ballade and Polonaise" of Vieuxtemps for violin. Manufacturers of talking machines and music rolls have hitherto given slight attention to this very interesting field, but we feel sure that if a number of player-pianists, who are also owners of talking machines, will interest themselves in this fascinating work we shall find that the manufacturers will not be backward in doing their part. The following notice, extracted from The Talking Machine World of July 15, 1909, has reference to a player-talking-machine recital held in New York shortly before that date. It has some interest as marking the date of what we believe to be the first attempt to combine the two instruments : "In many of the leading hotels all over the country it is a common sight to see the orchestra accompanying large talking machines in a very creditable manner and, as a rule, greatly enhancing the beauty of the vocal selections by prominent artists. The player-piano demonstrator in one o^ the large department stores of Greater New York, however, has succeeded in accompanying some very difficult arias and even the famous sextet from "Lucia," that marvel of recording, reproduced by a talking machine with a player-piano, in a way to bring the audience, consisting of people who were in a po.sition to appreciate true musical quality, to its feet in one great ovation. "In referring to the achievement this gentleman said : 'Whether the idea of accompanying grand opera selections, rendered by a talking machine, on a player-piano has ever been carried out before or not, I am unable to say, but in this instance it was of my own conception. For over a week preceding the recital I practically remained closeted with the talking machine and the player-piano. Each record had to be played over a number of times until the speed of the machine had been so adjusted as to render the pitch exactly that of the player-piano. Then the playing of the music rolls had to be studied until they could be played ill exact accordance with the personal delivery of the singer. " 'The music rolls could, of course, be so played as to exhibit the individuality of the accompanist; the records naturally displayed the individuality of the singer or singers. To get these two factors working in complete harmony was far from being an easy task. " When accompan)ang a singer in the flesh it is a comparatively simple matter to follow him, for each note can be watched, as it were. Where the tone issued from the depths of the sound-box, from nowhere, so to speak, a most weird impression is forced upon the performer at the playerpiano.' " ■ At the recital thus described the program included, among others, the following selections, acccmpanied on the player-piano : "The Two Grenadiers," Schumann, sung by Robert Blass; "The Rosary," Nevin, sung by Schumann-Heink; Sextet from "Lucia," Donizetti, sung by Caruso, Scotti, etc.; "Who Is Sylvia?" Schubert, sung by Emma Fames ; 'cello solo, "Berceuse," Godard, played by Joseph Hollmann. POINTS FOR DEALERS TO OBSERVE. To avoid confusion regarding orders for their horn equipment, the National Phonograph Co., Orange, N. J,, recently sent out the following notification to Edison dealers : "All Triumph orders, unless otherwise specified, are now being filled with Cygnet horn equipment. The omission of the straight horn equipment from the last machine catalog (form 1865), announced in sales department bulletin of August 6, 1910, would seem to preclude the necessity of further announcement ; but confusion has arisen in the case of several orders recently because of misunderstanding on that very point. The trade is therefore urged to specify equipment when straight horns are wanted, as while the straight horn Triumph is still available, it will be supplied on special orders only." Getting things done is a matter of first getting things started.