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About The Oregon daily journal. (Portland, Or.) 1902-1972 | View Entire Issue (Feb. 2, 1908)
rWPPQSE the hands of all the great l j pianists of the world were held up be fore you, do you fancy one would look much unlike anothert Would you be lieve that each pair would possess distinctive characteristics of their own, differing from any other pair, just as their owners differ in tem perament or physical appearance? You attend a concert or recital by some famous virtuoso. Almost carelessly the great pianist walks upon thf stdge and seats himself or herself- at the waiting instrument, strikes an attitude and plunges into the pro 'gram. You listen, with the rest of the great au- yWence, and are inthralled by the melody that sweeps out like a storm, or floats dreamily like a summer zephyr. You see the hands of the famous performer flying over the keys, or seeming to rest upon them with caressing touch. It is the virtuoso and his wonderful art that fix and hold your attention. You think of his marvelous gift; you know that you will remember his features, his shock of hair, his personal peculiarities. How unlike any other he is. But those hands that are moving in so mysterious a way their wonders to perform have an individuality, characteristics of their own as well. A WAT back in the past, palmists were studying the human band in the endeavor to read char acter or discover signs foretelling the future. A great many persons are studying hands today, but few have derived as much pleasure from the task as has O. Mark Wilson, a young musician of note, who has collected the photographs, hand ketches and autographs of every prominent American and European pianist It bas interested him to study tb configuration of various bands and to point out their physical resem blances or differences. To start with, take the hand, of Josef Lhevinne as an example. It is a remarkable musician's band, as vell as the remarkable band of a musician. Its excessive width, as well as great finger length, enables this virtuoso t6 compass fourteen natural keys with one hand; In other words, with the thumb resting on on whits key It is possible for him to Strike five whole tones above an octave with the fifth finger of the same hand, without releasing the thumb from Its original position. This great span is accomplished with no apparent' effort The space between th tip ot th thumb and that of th second finger measures nine and one quarter inches when th fingers ar extended. Wrist development Is particularly large and tb forearm . proportionately moulded; a combination as powerful as it Is remarkable. '' Some pianists hold that very long fingers, unless sustained by. prodigious muscular power ortr. which ; !-; . i i; )'' . . . ': THE OREGON SUNDAY r ST w . . JVMW V UfWHWM"" IX A. SV A .. J tJV a "f f reMr oommana over th volume of ton na w w lZ0,V9TfU( ZS 1 ",.?' yVrilfI ' W touon wlth hort ngrs n account ot the F J ' 1 I f jnfflllluH QU,C PI and ateadlor 1twh which be 1 n- I . ' MftV Acknowledged to be on of th greatest of prosent- V ' NrftlU day pianists 1b Fanny Bloomflld-Zislr, who was I J .ssw VIMYI orn M Australia, out who ha lived In mis country v the performer at all times exercises the most delicat and absolute control, ar apt to bo a,alndrano rather than an aid to proper tone, color and technique. Vladimir de Pachmann baa a small band. This wonderful Chopin Interpreter, who claims the Russian olty of Odessa' as his home, exhibits a powerful wrist, but the body of the band Is too long; and the Anger A Para on Slangy Post Office Names NO MORE slangy names for postofficea. No more flippancy in tho postal guide. No more jokes cracked at the expense of entire communities. Postmaster General Meyer believes that - a town or community which is big enough to have a postoffice should possess a dignified name. He is sedate and dignified himself, and he is going to eliminate objectionable names from the list of postoffices. At present a score or so clerks are busy at work going over the postal lists and making notes of the names that savor too much of flippancy or slang. For instance, there's a town called Skidoo in Pennsylvania, one called Brandy Keg in Ken tucky and one called Mud in Texas. But there will be no more, if Mr. Meyer can help it. POSTMASTER GENERAL METER lifted his hands in horror at some of the names he encountered In the postal lists. Then again he, smiled, for he found many towns named after women. But others were decidedly unpleasant and some really funny. Tbere.ls a place in Alabama called Ragland, Hard ly the place you'd want to visit Judging by the name. Than there are Teddy and Theodora in the same state, which might have been called, for all you know, after, our President In Arkansas you find a place called Negrohlll, an Oil Trough, a Skylight a Snowball and aa Ink. , , A most unpleasant place in California to many pocpl must b Dry. Iowa, wall others, a doubt, : JOURNAL, PORTLAND SUNDAY tod short to b regarded as beautiful Pachmana Is well aware of these Dou1!arltIes,,and he makes a Virtu of necessity by asserting that on bas greater command over the volume of ton and style of touch with short linger on account ot the Quick response and steadier leverage which b Is en abled to exercise. Acknowledged to bo on of the greatest of present day pianists is Fanny Bloomfleld-Zelsler, who was born la Australia, but who bas lived la this country slaos she was S years old. Hers Is a peculiar band, not beautiful, perhaps, bat wonderfully adapted to piano work. The tips of tb fingers hare becom thoroughly allous from continual work on her chosen Instru ment Her fingers display a muscular development of almost steel-like baroness. It will b noticed In nearly all tb sketches shown here that there is great muscular development between the knuckles and first Joints ot th fingers of great pianists. It Is not so la Madam Zelslers case, yet this lack of else la no find a paradise la Fort Wine, It there's anything in a name. In Kentucky there's a still more suggestive name Brandy Keg and also a town called Bliss. Near Flshtrap we find Goodluck, and a place called Happytop near Honeybee. We find a Jolly and a Jam boree also. There Is a place called Decoy, where they may serve that sort of thing, but a towa in the same list sounds a warning Caution. DRYB RANCH REALLY DRY What a place must be Klsslmmee, in Florida, if they do Itl Since prohibition became effective, no doubt Drybrancb, in Georgia, carries out its name. Social Circle in th same state must be a pleasant place. Keep an eye open when you get to Lookout in Idaho, and watch yourself at night when you are at Spirit Lake or on Lost River. Kind o' creepy those names. In Illinois they have ungainly names Big Foot Prairie, Oblong and Stubblefield. But In Indiana, it must be Molli for traveling bachelors and Santa Claus for visiting children. Then there is a Beau blossom. In Oklahoma, Bob, Mazie, Sadie and Sam all of them towns must have a fine time courting. Ego and Loco are a little significant of one town having so much confidence in Itself that It might put the sister town. Loco, in the sklddoo class. Is Lost Nation lost? Is Smoky Hill, in Kansas, Smoky? Is Lowed. In Okla homa, immoral? Is Mud, in Texas, muddy?' Is Ztg sag, in tb same state, built Ilk a flash of. lightning? Do they need more people in Needmore, Indiana, and is Rainstorm, In the same tate. wet? Is Green bush, In Georgia, green, and do they never make love In Loveless, Alabama? Do they save money at Econ omy, Arkansas, and do a prosperity reign at Pro. v1 J ro Xgtt MORNING FEBRUARY i 1903 J "TSr"t Pp X SZp 1.-7 j way lessens her ability for magnificent Interpretation. Olga Samaroff, an American-born artist, baa a beautifully artlstlo hand, perfectly proportioned and of snowy whiteness. The fingers have, tb so-called square tips whloh Indicate th mature pianist It may be mentioned that constant practice seems to make little difference in the else of the biceps, yet It does enlarge the forearm, though this enlargement is not as marked In the woman as in the man, even perlty, and are they going ahead at Progress? Are there bullfrogs at Bullfrog, and do they raise rye at Ryepatch, Nevada? Do they eat beans and ham at Beenham, New Mexico? And do they live on rabbits at Rabbit Hash. Kentucky? If a man walks barefooted at Barefoot in the same state, would he be bloody when he got to Blood? Would he ever get a bone at Big Bone It he blustered at Bluster that they did not deal fair at Falrdeallng? If he made a bet at Bet that Beefhide Is better than Backbone, might he not find Buzzard the best place after all? Or, might he not find himself with out friends at Alone? Or, perhaps, stand in wonder at Awe and Its people? Or get a sour reception at Lemon? Or, if he were diplomatic and made good, might he not find himself in good shape at O. K.7 Would he feel small at Dwarf, eold at Ice, sick at Chill or shy at Coy? One wonders whether they can shoot at Almwoll, Louisiana, and what they drink at Gin, Mississippi Do they take tonics at Tonic, Nebraska, and do they apply arnica at Arnica, Missouri? If you were hungry, where would you go to Bis cuit, Nebraska; to Crabapple, Texas; to Burnt Corn, Alabama, or Eggs, Kentucky? If you wer penniless, would you feel at home in Coin. Kentucky? If you wanted to marry, would you think Bridal Veil, Ore gon, an appropriate place? On wonders whether they swear when, chopping wood at Bad Axe. Michigan; whether flowers ar -raised at Blooming Prairie, Minnesota? What about those place suggested by the names of ,, Cupid ; and , Darling, in Mississippi; of Lovelocks, . NevadaJ ; Leggo, ; Miss.; Lo Lo, Mont; Bughill. N. C; Blowout, Dressy and Zigzag. Texas, ar names that cannot b ao ountod for. 14k Topay, tb. probably. st growaoV - ISfinyJt SJ w J when due allowance) la mad foe th proportionate measurement of ta sxv That of Dr. Cfte Molts, composer, eondnotosk pianist and editor of th Cologne (Germany) Qaasttaj ls a rather thick hand, bat latrstla. It wW s i'afer served that th body of th band la nr Imu sl peculiarity rarely fouad ia th hands of virtuosi, I Th ourvatuu of th upper flngor muscles Is qatts) noticeable la this sketch, and it is to tbl aad thsj thickness of th hand, coupled with the largo wrist and large forearm, that Dr. Meltsel's xcellent sotaw work may b attrfbatsd, i American concertgoers remember tho Russian ptaSM 1st Osslp Gabrllowitsoh, who played her last season. His hand shows a very pronounced indentation of tha thumb above th second Joint Tho third finger 14 long and the slant ot tn webs (where th fingers Jo! th band) from tho second to tho fifth fingers is very; marked. This accounts In part for the seomingT great length of the fifth finger and th comparator shortness of the second. ' ' ' A remarkable hand Is that of William Struther Besides being a poet and critio, Struthers a pianist of rare ability. His thumb is trmly largo aa4 square. Furthermore, thera is an extra long stretcU between it and the forefinger. Th tips Of th fingers are unusually wide apatulat. so-called yet while th hand, generally speaking, seems to b largo and thick, the fingers appear thin between th knuckles- ant first Joints, a condition in common , with Madams Zeisler. .., , : , Maurits Leefson, composer, pianist teacher an I conductor, possesses a small and graceful hand; whli the muscles are much hardened, they, aro not of a na. ture that change tho outline of th hand when In ro pose. Thea muscles ar venly developed. 'Tbars U littlo or no web between th flngertho advantag of ' which condition becomes apparent when" It is known that large webs limit the stritchln's; ability and ham per th performer ra th acquisition of that musculo firmness on each sld of 'the knuokle so necessary M tonal shading and contrast, as well as accurate ai.i rapid execution. ' , . j , Leefson, Uk Pachmann,' srguss that, all thirirs being equal; mors perfect technique is secur - I greater tonal command had, under then reUcv. . stances, than would bs possible it the ban v.. largo. Leef sen has a most artlstlo temperament, , Is, moreover., what. th world would call a pra mantwo-traits seldom found la on Intfivl luai. -.Tha hand of Arthur Bubonstein. a youtbf j! ; slan, who has already mad a pame for largo, strong, with prominent veins marking t ;.' 1 'and bearing th Imprint of constant pf'''i i vr."it is not regarded as being so .sti - thos of sons others, .
