"TOURING" PIANOS

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 10, 12 January 1929, Page 18

"TOURING" PIANOS

LATEST MIDGET VARIETY

Pianos are-having a- revival,, after having, survived, an. ■attack- on their place'in popular affections that-came from all directions at' once. It has taken a second metamorphosis of their species, however, to bring it about; says tho "New York. Times." ) Their descent from the old grand piano stylo that once graced our drawing-rooms, to the more compact -uprights that our cul-ture-mado elders were buying before the war, was not far enough to adjust them to the present ■ environment, but at last another stage; in their evolution has, taken, place; and.;w;e have, the midget upright, which is now making a place for itself. ■•- .V The new 'design is -approximately as completely equipped as the old upright, and while it lacks some of the resonanco of its progenitors, it has.a* reserve of qualities, that most of th© enerI getic jazz '.artists of :our: day would hardly take.'the, trouble to'bring but. Its great asset is its small size, for.it is. so.low that the average player seated at it can', look over the top with ease, and. the'sides, and,.width are- in proportion. It has ,not .followed, the style of the day to th© extent of becoming portable, but at least it is readily-pushable.. • '. .. '. It has stepped into a field that is already badly cluttered with competitors. Its cousin; the player-piano, has held its own fairly well, of course,. because:.it has .matched trick for trick with-- the- niany ;. iriripvatio.ns .' of the other; musical devices ;■ but.:the fraternity :of entertainers. with;th6.piano, who made tteir way; intoi the. Hterature of our frontier, has • been superseded of latb. by their more active and novel

brethren in the jazz bands, notably those latteif. day sentimentalists, the --saxophone players. When. a theatre spotlight singles out some member of the band to-day to exhibit him to an. adoring'public while -he' 1 demonstrates^ what jazz''.d6'es for gymnastics.,; it'is;usually one;.o^; thesS/raiherj^hftii'v-tlie'pianist; "The new "small"' piano 1 has acquired some of that same quality. In "night clubs and roof gardens, where it is beginning to appear in Manhattan, the player moves-it.'.around with him. He sits for-'a'Svhile by one table','one leg over his-,ki\ee,,, chatting..^yith,. some friend's while'!strumming'.'b'iit "tunes eas,ually, and then, as.another" party comes in, ■ trundles .the. -midget, easily across the '.floor and sits- there for ( - another chat'and a. few. melodies. ■-■' '/ ■-"'••" ; In the larger aiid"tabr.e formal places the peripatetics aw somewhat restricted, .but, even, .there.; „th.o . porformanee is ■ inado., more-.'intimate.', ,;A.t intermissions "the piano 'is pushed out info,;the centrefbf tlie.floor to accompany.,a .thoroughly informa-l ,and chatty; programme. And when an "informal''entertainer. 1-'-of tho p.ld school comes with it, the midget piano.scores"; as great ''a; 'sudcess ,as those of: i,ts -more impressive .ancestors.