Milford High School - Oak Lily and Ivy Yearbook (Milford, MA)

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OAK, LILY AND IVY. Further employment of this touch is to use it alternately with each hand, start¬ ing at extreme right and ending in the low, sonorous basses. Imagine the grandeur! It’s indescribable. Where in Webster’s can one find words pertain¬ ing to these qualities? People often complain of their inability to stretch large chords of which there are so many in the modern repertoire. By applying what is termed “the longitudinal arm touch” (this, by the wav, is entirely original) all inability to compass their length is eliminated. These stretches are executed by placing the lower arm parallel with the key board and applying the blow by a sudden force of the shoulder. An ordinary table or desk will answer nicely while practising. A charming effect is obtained when this and the foregoing touch are administered together, that is to say when the right hand employs the first touch and the left hand “the longitudinal arm touch” or vica versa. This is most effective in agitato passages where my master uses it unmercifully on the unfortunate instrument. You will without doubt after its employment be re¬ called over and over again to hear the deafening applause of the uproariously de¬ lighted house on its feet to do you homage. Though these tricks will without doubt bring about the desired results, under no circumstances should they be abused nor should you too frequently in¬ dulge in them. I would recommend the use of the piano, during practice, but time and time again, experience has proven that its use is too costly, since, if the ambitious student has practised correctly (i. e. used the piano unmercifully) the instrument will be in such a condition as to need an immediate and most skillful assistance of the professional piano physician. Of course if you are in any wav affiliated with bankers or reputable piano-forte establishments, you can doubtless satisfy their craving for such practice ad libitum. Scales when compared with the countless other technique ones of the piano appear to be quite easy. Therefore few remarks concerning them will suffice. By placing any finger on the tonic note of the scale to be played, and sliding it with full speed to the left or right to the final note as the music indicates, an even, running scale is obtained. In like manner are executed scales in thirds, sixths and tenths in parallel and contrary motion. Arpeggios are also similarly treated. The depression of touch or in other words, the heaviness of playing to which some attention must be given, is regulated bv the different fingers; to illustrate: If a light, soft, “ scherzoso” scale is desired, use the fourth or fifth fingers; if it is to be moderate loudness and character, use the second or third, d he thumb quite naturally is reserved for the most thunderous and grotesque. Having alluded to the gesticulations, such as the swinging of the arms furi¬ ously in back of you, as in chord-playing, little remains to be said on that score. A rotary movement of the head towards and away from the piano, unmistakably conveys a very good and correct interpretation of the rhythm to the audience. It is the most effective and natural means of imparting that necessary informa¬ tion and is used extensively by all great virtuosi in slow expressive passages. Rising slightly from the seat and with a rigid arm dropping the entire weight of the body on the single note to emphasize it, is also a very popular feat although it is sometimes underrated and overdone. Sforzando ' s are rendered by a sudden forward inclination of the body and a violent backward jerk of the head. Beginners are very weak on this movement

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6 OAK, LILY AND IVY. dangle freelv is preferable to any other, as this will match in many cases the wood of your instrument and keep you more comfortable while executing. The hair should be combed backward, a lock or two falling over the ears. If a part is desired, it is without doubt to be in the middle. Under no circumstances comb it on the side. If you have exceedingly fine locks, you will undoubtedly be a sure draw and have many feminine admirers seeking your tufts as a remem¬ brance. Your tie is also of vital importance. It should always consist of a four-in-hand, and the knot should be large and odd. The color most preferred by eminent and contemporary virtuosi is a dark green with yellow and brown spots. The tie may at first prove bothersome but with a little perseverance you easily overcome the difficulty. Your shoes should be a size larger than your walking ones. The secret for such shoes is that in quick passages where skillful pedaling is required, the foot may slip now and then and thus cause a foreign effect. The bow and smile must be carefully and patiently rehearsed ; a mirror is in¬ dispensable. The bow consists of a slight inclination of the body from the hips upward so as to form an obtuse angle of 134 degrees, 11 minutes, 43 seconds. The arms during this complimentary salutation must always remain perpendicu¬ lar to the floor. The smile should not be over-worked and should be used only sparingly. A safe rul e is to use it only after the fourth recall. Another in¬ stance when it is employed with effect is when you have taken the house by storm. It often proves true in the last part of your program during some very soft, soulful pianissimo that some keys fail to respond entirely; in order to side¬ track the emotion experienced by the audience of the instrument’s sudden afflic¬ tion, a smile will do wonders, i. e. it will convey the idea to them of their ina¬ bility to hear such sweet pianissimos which by your nicely cultivated ear are heard without effort. U aving mastered the above points in attractiveness of person to a high de¬ gree of perfection, you may proceed to the pleasurable, actual work on the piano. For a student with a lofty ambition to become a true virtuoso, the amount of technique required is enormous; and the explanation thereof is correspondingly great. A too lengthy recital of the details of preparation might fatigue the stu¬ dent; therefore I shall cite only a few “touches” or key board tricks and pre¬ scribe the physical exercises practised by virtuosi, intended for the development of the hand and arm. Nothing impresses a concert-goer so much as chords and scales. The former are first to appeal and this is doubtless due to the beautilul ringing tones, full and sweet, and to the artistic giace of his arms while playing. These chords consist in swinging the arm lifelesslv back of you with all mus¬ cles relaxed, and then quickly having it fall with closed fist upon the keys de¬ sired. The effect will bring forth from the ecstatic audience, a “IIovv grand!’ 1 or “Isn’t it beautiful!” of enjoyment. A splendid exercise for the acquisition of torce, speed and accuracy is to practise the above “touch” on a picket fence. The object is of course to ring with the partly closed fist the top of the picket quickly and squarely. In the primary stages of this practice you might give vent to an “ouch! ” or be attempted to abandon its continuance; but by no means give up, proceed and in a short time you will have acquired such a facility of ex¬ ecution that you cannot too highly congratulate yourself for your perseverance.

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8 OAK, LILY AND IVY. and it can only he acquired by constant and earnest practice. Great care should he taken, however, not to dislocate the neck. Sudden kicks at the pedal and vigorous turnings of the music making great rents in the paper will greatly add to originality. By no means assume while playing, the attitude of complete indifference in order to impress your auditors of your ease in conquering diffi¬ culties. By so doing you will miss their compassion for the energy thus ex¬ pended. As the last few words, I would advise you to not visit your hair dresser too often. Read verse that you may become poetical and in hours of meditation when you are building castles with your blocks of musical aspirations, you can improve those hours still more by sharpening your sense of hearing by trying to hear your mustachios grow. Last of all, hut not the least important, when you have reached the heights of glory, read daily the market prices of lemons, eggs anti tomatoes that you may thus he guided as to which cities may he allowed to enjoy the fruits of your arduous labors. A. Di Giannantonio, ’15 Des Kuenstlers Rache. Es waren einmal in Breisach, Deutschland, zwei Kinder, ein Knabe und ein Maedchen. Der Knabe hiess Hans Liefrink und das Maedchen hiess Maili Ruppacher. Sie batten sich sehr germ Zur Zeit dieser Geschichte war der Knabe zwoelf Jahre alt und das Maedchen acht Jahre alt. Lines I ages waren die Kinder am Muensterplatz und pflanzten einen jungen Rosenstock. Als sie beschaeftigt waren, kam der Kaiser Maximilian. u Was mach.t ihr; Kinder?” sagte der Kaiser. u Wir setzen dem liehen Gott einen Rosenstock,” sagte der Junge. u VVas wirst tin werdcn, wenn du gross hist ! ” fragte der Kaiser. “Ich will Kuenstler werden.” Der Kaiser freute sich so ueber diesen Ausdruck class er dem Knahen ein Messer und etwas Geld gab. “Brauche das Geld zu deiner Ausbilding,” sagte der Kaiser. Jahre gingen vorbei. Der Hans hat seine Mutter verloren, Maili die ilne und die Kinder schlossen sich fester und fester aneinander an. Abends wenn Mailis Vater im Ratshause war, sassen die Kinder im Garten hinter tylailis Hatis und Ilans schnitzte ihr schoene Spielsachen. Die Kinder wuchsen wie de. Kaiserbaum, der aus seiner Nische hervorragte. Mailis Vater wollte nicht class seine Tochter mit Hans spiele, weil er arm sei. Daher sahen sie sich nicht so oft. Lines Abends kam Ilans und sang ein Lied unter dem Fenster. Maili ging an das Fenster unci als sie sab class es Hans war, ging sie in den Garten. Die jungen Leute gingen zu clem Kaiserbaum und Hans sagte ihr class er zu Duerer nach Nuernberg gehen werde. “Wenn ich etwas Rechtes gelernt babe, werde ich zurueckkommen urn click zu heiraten.”