Reynolds Reginald. On playing the Pianola and the 'Duo-Art' ' Pianola' piano

The Aeolian Company, LTD, 1925. — 36 p.In view of the statement that 'a child can play it', the following instructions may seem unnecessary. It may, therefore, be well to explain the apparent paradox of an instrument so simple that a child can certainly produce quite musical results without previous knowledge or practice, yet so vast is its potential power for the interpretation of music that not one of the so-called demonstrators of the instrument can be said to have reached the limit of its possibilities – just as it is impossible to say that even the greatest pianist has ever acquired complete mastery over the resources of the Pianoforte.The truth of the matter is that, with the Pianola, a child can instantly produce the most brilliant technical passages with a clearness, equality and faultlessness beyond the power of the most eminent virtuoso, and if the composition depends almost exclusively upon brilliant technique for its effectiveness then the child will succeed in giving a performance in which the shortcomings in expression way be outweighed by the amazing execution; but, before sentiment can be adequately expressed, the Pianola player will need much practice to acquire quality and variety of touch, the power to bring about subtle and sudden changes of tempo, prominence of the melody, a nicely balanced accompaniment, and skill in the use of the levers for actuating the soft and sustaining pedals of the Pianoforte.