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, .