CONTENTS

I.[The Title and Purpose of this Book]1
II.[The Charm of Playing a Musical Instrument Yourself]10
III.[First Steps of the Musical Novice]39
IV.[The Thrill of the Great Masters]83
V.[An "Open Sesame" to Chopin]117
VI.[Notes on Some Other Masters]141
VII.[Educational Factors]150
VIII.[A Few "Don'ts" for Pianolists]159

I. THE TITLE AND PURPOSE OF THIS BOOK[ToC]

My book, "How to Appreciate Music," in the chapter devoted to the pianoforte, contains a paragraph relating to the Pianola and its influence in popularizing music and stimulating musical taste. I confess that before I started that paragraph I was puzzled to know what term to use in designating the instrument I had in mind. "Mechanical piano-player" is a designation which not only does not appeal to me, but, furthermore, fails to do justice to the instrument, which, although mechanical in its working, is far from being mechanical in its effects.

The result?—I took a cross cut and arrived straight at the word Pianola as being the name of the most widely known piano-player, and happily derived from the name of the most widely known instrument, the pianoforte or, as it is more popularly termed, the piano. For this reason the term Pianola was used in the paragraph referred to and now is employed in this book; and, for the same reason, this book is called "The Pianolist." It is believed to be the title least requiring explanation, if, indeed, it requires any explanation at all. Right here, however, I must add that the company which manufactures the Pianola objects to the use of the word as a generic term.

So much for the title. Now for the purpose of this book.