THE ETUDE JULY 1920 Page J+51 What Every Piano Student Should Know About Pedaling By PERLEE V. JERVIS THE pedal is the most wonderful feature of the mod-ern piano; it is also the one that is least understood by the ordinary player. Notwithstanding the many excellent books written upon the subject, the average player seems absolutely ignorant of the fundamental principles of sound pedaling, if one may judge by the atrocious way in which he handles—or foots—the pedal. The reason for this ignorance has puzzled the writer for many years. Every well educated teacher is sup-posed to know how to use the pedal and to be able to impart the knowledge to his pupils; these teachers need no help. There are many other teachers, however, who live remote from large music centers and have not been able to obtain the education, experience and oppor-tunity that have come to their more fortunate fellow musicians. These music teachers are honest and con-scientious. They are anxious to do the best work that in them lies. The desire to help these struggling ones is the only apology that the writer has to offer for another article upon a time-worn theme. The best pianos of to-day have three pedals. Of these, the one at the left—called the "una corda" or soft pedal—reduces the Volume of the tone and also modi-fies its quality. This is accomplished in grand pianos by shifting the action to the right, so that every hammer strikes only two strings of its unison instead of three In upright pianos the soft pedal moves the hammers nearer to the strings, so that the same touch produces less force and consequently less tone. The middle pedal—when there is one—is called the "sostenuto" or tone sustaining pedal. It sustains such tones as are produced by keys that are held down at the moment it is pressed, but does not affect those that are played later while it is still down. The right hand pedal is often called the "loud pedal." I have even heard pupils refer to it as the "hard pedal." Both of these terms are incorrect; its proper name is the damper pedal, and it is with this pedal that the present article has to do. Resting upon each string is a little cushion of felt, called the damper. When a piano key is depressed the damper rises, allowing the string to vibrate when struck by the hammer. When the piano key rises the damper drops back and stops the tone. When the pedal is depressed all the dampers are raised, leaving the strings free to vibrate until the pedal is released, when the dampers drop back and stop the vibration. The function of the damper pedal is two-fold: it pro-longs tones after the fingers have been removed from the keys, thus making possible effects that could not be attained with one pair of hands. Its other and least understood function is that of coloring tone. Ho w it does this requires explanation. Every string, when set into vibration gives out a tone, the pitch of which depends upon the length of the string and the rapidity of its vibration. While the string is vibrating as a whole, it divides itself into segments, each of which vibrates at a different rate of speed from that of the entire string. These vibrating segments give rise to a series of tones called overtones or harmonics. The overtones of the note C the latter to rise immediately after striking. The overtone of the key which is being held down will be set into sympathetic vibration, and will be distinctly audible. Still holding the low C, play in succession G, C, E. G. B flat, allowing each tone to die away before striking the next key. Finally, play this chord when the full harmony will be heard from the single string. Notice that in each instance the pitch is that of the keys struck, while the tone is produced by the vibration of the string whose key is being held down. T o prove this, release the held key, when the tone will at once cease. When any string is struck and all the dampers are raised by the pedal the overtones of the other strings vibrate sympathetically, and the tone takes on a different color. T o realize this, play middle C, and* while holding it down listen carefully to the tone. Now put down the pedal and play the key again, when a difference in tone color, sonority and singing quality will be apparent. These experiments will throw a light upon some of the possibilities of the pedal, the study of which is most fascinating but too complex to be elaborated here. In the hands of a master like Paderewski the pedal produces most ravishing tone effects; even the amateur who understands the prin-ciples of pedaling can have at his command many beautiful tone combinations and colorings. Unfortu-nately, to many amateurs the pedal is a sealed book ; their rule seems to be to put it down at every conceiv-able and unconceivable opportunity. While good pedaling is entirely a question of ear, yet, as it is largely dependent upon accuracy of foot movements, the study should begin with these. T o secure properly timed pressure and release of the pedal practice the following exercise: Foot 4 4 'pf l rpT r Vvr r pf r f Count slowly: one and two, three, four. At "and," with a quick movement of the foot—using the ankle joint as a pivot—press down the pedal, hold it through counts two, three and four, and release it exactly at count one of the second measure. Play the other measures in the same way, repeating the exercise many times till perfectly timed movements are secured. Make quick up and down movements and never allow the heel to rise from the floor, or the foot to be lifted off the pedal bar. Next study this exercise at the keyboard: are these: The following experiment will make these overtones audible. Put down this C Close all the fingers except the second into the palm of the hand, thus making a fist. With the second finger —which is to be used throughout the exercise—play C at count one; at count two release the key quickly, al-lowing it to remain up through counts three and four. At count one of the second measure play as before and repeat the exercise until the movements become per-fectly accurate. Practice with each finger in succession, using first the right hand, then the left, taking one finger through the entire exercise before changing to the next. When perfectly timed foot and hand movements have been secured separately they should be combined as follows: \pr r - >pr P -the pedal; at count two release the key, holding the pedal through counts two, three and four and releasing it exactly at count one of the second measure. Ob-serve the rests strictly, particularly in every alternate measure. Pressing down the pedal after the key is struck is called "pedal syncopation." Having analyzed the movements separately, it only remains to unite them properly and thus secure a perfect legato by means of the pedal. This exercise may now be studied: As in all previous exercises, play the note at count one, at "and" put down the pedal; at count two, let the key rise, but keep the pedal down through counts two, three and four, releasing it at count one of the second measure at the instant D is played. If the pedal is raised at exactly the right instant there will be a per-fect legato connection between C and D. If it is re-leased too soon there will be a break between the tones; if it is held down an instant too long the tones will lap over and a blur result. When a perfect connection can be made between the first two tones, continue in the same way through the entire exercise. Do not leave this exercise till it can be played perfectly. Just at this point the writer would call attention to a principle in pedaling, which, so far as he knows, has not been alluded to in works on the subject. Diatonic or harmonic figures like the following are very com-mon to all compositions: Ji : If these are pedaled as in the exercises just studied, a blur arises which it is impossible to avoid. In all such figures the pedal should be taken after the first note and held down till the third. If it is released at the exact instant the latter is played the slight blur gets by, so to speak, so quickly that the ear does not detect it. T o become familiar with this principle practice the following: Do not leave this and the previous exercise till they can be played perfectly. Then take up this one finger pedal study by Dr. Mason, found in book 4 of his "Touch and Technic": so gently that no sound is heard. While holding this key down, strike forcibly the next C above, and allow The notes on the staff represent the movements of the hand, those beneath the staff the movements of the foot. At count one play the note; at "and" put down Practice first the middle line alone, making the con-nection with the pedal, and at the measures marked X pedal as in the previous exercise. When the melody
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