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College Physics, 5e (Walker)
Chapter 10 Rotational Kinematics and Energy
1) When a rigid object rotates about a fixed axis, what is true about all the points in the object?
(There could be more than one correct choice.)
A) They all have the same angular speed.
B) They all have the same tangential speed.
C) They all have the same angular acceleration.
D) They all have the same tangential acceleration.
E) They all have the same radial acceleration.
Answer: A, C
Var: 1
2) Two children, Ahmed and Jacques, ride on a merry-go-round. Ahmed is at a greater distance
from the axis of rotation than Jacques. Which of the following are true statements? (There could
be more than one correct choice.)
A) Jacques has a greater angular speed than Ahmed.
B) Jacques and Ahmed have the same angular speed.
C) Jacques has a smaller angular speed than Ahmed.
D) Ahmed has a greater tangential speed than Jacques.
E) Jacques and Ahmed have the same tangential speed.
Answer: B, D
Var: 1
3) The figure shows scale drawings of four objects, each of the same mass and uniform
thickness, with the mass distributed uniformly. Which one has the greatest moment of inertia
when rotated about an axis perpendicular to the plane of the drawing at point P?
A) A
B) B
C) C
D) D
E) The moment of inertia is the same for all of these objects.
Answer: B
Var: 1
1
Copyright © 2017 Pearson Education, Inc.
4) The rotating systems shown in the figure differ only in that the two identical movable masses
are positioned a distance r from the axis of rotation (left), or a distance r/2 from the axis of
rotation (right). If you release the hanging blocks simultaneously from rest,
5) Consider a uniform hoop of radius R and mass M rolling without slipping. Which is larger, its
translational kinetic energy or its rotational kinetic energy?
A) Translational kinetic energy is larger.
B) Rotational kinetic energy is larger.
C) Both are equal.
D) You need to know the speed of the hoop to tell.
Answer: C
Var: 1
6) Consider a solid uniform sphere of radius R and mass M rolling without slipping. Which form
of its kinetic energy is larger, translational or rotational?
A) Translational kinetic energy is larger.
B) Rotational kinetic energy is larger.
C) Both are equal.
D) You need to know the speed of the sphere to tell.
Answer: A
Var: 1
7) A solid sphere and a solid cylinder, both uniform and of the same mass and radius, roll
without slipping at the same forward speed. It is correct to say that the total kinetic energy of the
solid sphere is
A) more than the total kinetic energy of the cylinder.
B) less than the total kinetic energy of the cylinder.
C) equal to the total kinetic energy of the cylinder.
Answer: B
Var: 1
2
Copyright © 2017 Pearson Education, Inc.
8) A disk and a hoop of the same mass and radius are released at the same time at the top of an
inclined plane. If both are uniform, which one reaches the bottom of the incline first if there is no
slipping?
A) the hoop
B) the disk
C) Both reach the bottom at the same time.
Answer: B
Var: 1
9) A solid sphere, solid cylinder, and a hollow pipe all have equal masses and radii. If the three
of them are released simultaneously at the top of an inclined plane and do not slip, which one
will reach the bottom first?
A) sphere
B) pipe
C) cylinder
D) The pipe and cylinder arrive together before the sphere.
E) They all reach the bottom at the same time.
Answer: A
Var: 1
10) A disk, a hoop, and a solid sphere are released at the same time at the top of an inclined
plane. They are all uniform and roll without slipping. In what order do they reach the bottom?
A) disk, hoop, sphere
B) hoop, sphere, disk
C) sphere, disk, hoop
D) hoop, disk, sphere
Answer: C
Var: 1
11) A small uniform disk and a small uniform sphere are released simultaneously at the top of a
high inclined plane, and they roll down without slipping. Which one will reach the bottom first?
A) the one of smallest diameter
B) the one of greatest mass
C) the disk
D) the sphere
E) They will reach the bottom at the same time.
Answer: D
Var: 1
3
Copyright © 2017 Pearson Education, Inc.
12) Suppose a uniform solid sphere of mass M and radius R rolls without slipping down an
inclined plane starting from rest. The linear velocity of the sphere at the bottom of the incline
depends on
A) the mass of the sphere.
B) the radius of the sphere.
C) both the mass and the radius of the sphere.
D) neither the mass nor the radius of the sphere.
Answer: D
Var: 1
13) Suppose a solid uniform sphere of mass M and radius R rolls without slipping down an
inclined plane starting from rest. The angular velocity of the sphere at the bottom of the incline
depends on
A) the mass of the sphere.
B) the radius of the sphere.
C) both the mass and the radius of the sphere.
D) neither the mass nor the radius of the sphere.
Answer: B
Var: 1
14) A uniform ball is released from rest on a no-slip surface, as shown in the figure. After
reaching its lowest point, the ball begins to rise again, this time on a frictionless surface. When
the ball reaches its maximum height on the frictionless surface, it is
4
Copyright © 2017 Pearson Education, Inc.
15) Two uniform solid balls, one of radius R and mass M, the other of radius 2R and mass 8M,
roll down a high incline. They start together from rest at the top of the incline. Which one will
reach the bottom of the incline first?
A) The small sphere arrives first.
B) Both reach the bottom at the same time.
C) The large sphere arrives first.
Answer: B
Var: 1
10.2 Problems
3) A chicken is running in a circular path with an angular speed of 1.52 rad/s. How long does it
take the chicken to complete one revolution?
A) 4.13 s
B) 2.07 s
C) 118 s
D) 4.77 s
E) 8.26 s
Answer: A
Var: 1
4) At a certain instant, a compact disc is rotating at 210 rpm. What is its angular speed in rad/s?
A) 11 rad/s
B) 22 rad/s
C) 45 rad/s
D) 69 rad/s
E) 660 rad/s
Answer: B
Var: 1
5
Copyright © 2017 Pearson Education, Inc.
5) When a fan is turned off, its angular speed decreases from 10 rad/s to 6.3 rad/s in 5.0 s. What
is the magnitude of the average angular acceleration of the fan?
A) 0.86 rad/s2
B) 0.74 rad/s2
C) 0.37 rad/s2
D) 11 rad/s2
E) 1.2 rad/s2
Answer: B
Var: 1
6) A child is riding a merry-go-round that is turning at 7.18 rpm. If the child is standing 4.65 m
from the center of the merry-go-round, how fast is the child moving?
A) 5.64 m/s
B) 3.50 m/s
C) 0.556 m/s
D) 1.75 m/s
E) 1.80 m/s
Answer: B
Var: 1
8) A string is wound tightly around a fixed pulley having a radius of 5.0 cm. As the string is
pulled, the pulley rotates without any slipping of the string. What is the angular speed of the
pulley when the string is moving at 5.0 m/s?
A) 100 rad/s
B) 50 rad/s
C) 25 rad/s
D) 20 rad/s
E) 10 rad/s
Answer: A
Var: 1
6
Copyright © 2017 Pearson Education, Inc.
9) A scooter has wheels with a diameter of 120 mm. What is the angular speed of the wheels
when the scooter is moving forward at 6.00 m/s?
A) 47.7 rpm
B) 955 rpm
C) 72.0 rpm
D) 50.0 rpm
E) 100 rpm
Answer: B
Var: 1
10) A bicycle has wheels that are 60 cm in diameter. What is the angular speed of these wheels
when it is moving at 4.0 m/s?
A) 1.2 rad/s
B) 4.8 rad/s
C) 0.36 rad/s
D) 13 rad/s
E) 7.6 rad/s
Answer: D
Var: 1
11) A rolling wheel of diameter of 68 cm slows down uniformly from 8.4 m/s to rest over a
distance of 115 m. What is the magnitude of its angular acceleration if there was no slipping?
A) 1.8 rad/s2
B) 0.90 rad/s2
C) 5.7 rad/s2
D) 11 rad/s2
Answer: B
Var: 1
12) A child is riding a merry-go-round that has an instantaneous angular speed of 1.25 rad/s and
an angular acceleration of 0.745 rad/s2. The child is standing 4.65 m from the center of the
merry-go-round. What is the magnitude of the linear acceleration of the child?
A) 8.05 m/s2
B) 7.27 m/s2
C) 2.58 m/s2
D) 3.46 m/s2
E) 4.10 m/s2
Answer: A
Var: 1
7
Copyright © 2017 Pearson Education, Inc.
13) How long does it take for a rotating object to speed up from 15.0 rad/s to 33.3 rad/s if it has a
uniform angular acceleration of 3.45 rad/s2?
A) 4.35 s
B) 5.30 s
C) 9.57 s
D) 10.6 s
E) 63.1 s
Answer: B
Var: 1
14) A wheel accelerates from rest to at a uniform rate of Through what angle
(in radians) did the wheel turn while accelerating?
A) 30 rad
B) 24 rad
C) 60 rad
D) 38 rad
Answer: A
Var: 50+
15) A machinist turns on the power to a grinding wheel at time t = 0 s. The wheel accelerates
uniformly from rest for 10 s and reaches the operating angular speed of The wheel is
run at that angular speed for 30 s and then power is shut off. The wheel slows down uniformly at
until the wheel stops. In this situation, what is the angular acceleration of the wheel
between and
A) 3.8 rad/
B) 4.6 rad/
C) 5.3 rad/
D) 6.1 rad/
E) 6.8 rad/
Answer: A
Var: 50+
8
Copyright © 2017 Pearson Education, Inc.
16) A machinist turns on the power on to a grinding wheel at time t = 0 s. The wheel accelerates
uniformly from rest for 10 s and reaches the operating angular speed of The wheel is
run at that angular velocity for 30 s, and then power is shut off. The wheel slows down uniformly
at until the wheel stops. What is the total number of revolutions made by the wheel in
this situation?
A) 510
B) 280
C) 320
D) 470
E) 750
Answer: A
Var: 50+
17) A machinist turns on the power on to a grinding wheel at time t = 0 s. The wheel accelerates
uniformly from rest for 10 s and reaches the operating angular speed of The wheel is
run at that angular velocity for 40 s and then power is shut off. The wheel slows down uniformly
at until the wheel stops. For how long a time after the power is shut off does it take the
wheel to stop?
A) 64 s
B) 62 s
C) 66 s
D) 68 s
E) 70 s
Answer: A
Var: 50+
18) An old LP record that is originally rotating at 33.3 rad/s is given a uniform angular
acceleration of 2.15 rad/s2. Through what angle has the record turned when its angular speed
reaches 72.0 rad/s?
A) 83.2 rad
B) 316 rad
C) 697 rad
D) 66.8 rad
E) 948 rad
Answer: E
Var: 1
9
Copyright © 2017 Pearson Education, Inc.
19) A wheel rotates through an angle of 13.8 rad as it slows down uniformly from 22.0 rad/s to
13.5 rad/s. What is the magnitude of the angular acceleration of the wheel?
A) 0.616 rad/s2
B) 5.45 rad/s2
C) 111 rad/s2
D) 22.5 rad/s2
E) 10.9 rad/s2
Answer: E
Var: 1
20) A pulley has an initial angular speed of 12.5 rad/s and a constant angular acceleration of 3.41
rad/s2. Through what angle does the pulley turn in 5.26 s?
A) 113 rad
B) 22.6 rad
C) 42.6 rad
D) 19.3 rad
E) 160 rad
Answer: A
Var: 1
21) An old 78 rpm record rotates through an angle of 320° as it slows down uniformly from 78.0
rpm to 22.8 rpm. What is the magnitude of the angular acceleration of the record?
A) 2.34 rad/s2
B) 5.46 rad/s2
C) 6.50 rad/s2
D) 8.35 rad/s2
E) 10.9 rad/s2
Answer: B
Var: 1
22) A Ferris wheel rotating at 20 rad/s slows down with a constant angular acceleration of
magnitude 5.0 rad/s2. How many revolutions does it make while slowing down before coming
to rest?
A) 40
B) 20
C) 6.4
D) 3.2
Answer: C
Var: 1
10
Copyright © 2017 Pearson Education, Inc.
23) A triatomic molecule is oriented as follows along the x-axis: mass m is at the origin, mass
2m is at x = a, and, mass 3m is at x = 2a. What is the moment of inertia of this molecule about
the y-axis?
A) 2ma2
B) 3ma2
C) 12ma2
D) 14ma2
Answer: D
Var: 1
24) Two uniform solid spheres have the same mass, but one has twice the radius of the other.
The ratio of the larger sphere's moment of inertia about a central axis to that of the smaller sphere
is
A) 4/5.
B) 8/5.
C) 1/2.
D) 2.
E) 4.
Answer: E
Var: 1
25) A potter's wheel has the shape of a solid uniform disk of mass and radius 0.65 m. It
spins about an axis perpendicular to the disk at its center. A small 2.1 kg lump of very dense clay
is dropped onto the wheel at a distance 0.41 m from the axis. What is the moment of inertia of
the system about the axis of spin?
A) 1.8 kg ∙ m2
B) 1.5 kg ∙ m2
C) 0.40 kg ∙ m2
D) 2.5 kg ∙ m2
Answer: A
Var: 31
26) A uniform solid cylinder with a radius of 10 cm and a mass of 3.0 kg is rotating about its
center with an angular speed of 33.4 rpm. What is its kinetic energy?
A) 0.18 J
B) 0.092 J
C) 0.96 J
D) 1.1 J
E) 17 J
Answer: B
Var: 1
11
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27) What is the kinetic energy of a 120-cm thin uniform rod with a mass of 450 g that is rotating
about its center at 3.60 rad/s?
A) 0.350 J
B) 4.20 J
C) 0.700 J
D) 0.960 J
E) 2.10 J
Answer: A
Var: 1
28) To drive a typical car at 40 mph on a level road for one hour requires about 3.2 × 107 J of
energy. Suppose we tried to store this much energy in a spinning, solid, uniform, cylindrical
flywheel. A large flywheel cannot be spun too fast or it will fracture. If we used a flywheel of
diameter 1.2 m and mass 400 kg, what angular speed would be required to store 3.2 × 107 J?
A) 1800 rad/s
B) 3600 rad/s
C) 940 rad/s
D) 530 rad/s
E) 5500 rad/s
Answer: C
Var: 1
29) While spinning down from 500 rpm to rest, a flywheel does of work. This flywheel is
in the shape of a solid uniform disk of radius 1.2 m. What is the mass of this flywheel?
A) 4.0 kg
B) 3.4 kg
C) 4.6 kg
D) 5.2 kg
Answer: A
Var: 50+
30) A solid uniform sphere of mass 120 kg and radius 1.7 m starts from rest and rolls without
slipping down an inclined plane of vertical height 5.3 m. What is the angular speed of the sphere
at the bottom of the inclined plane?
A) 5.1 rad/s
B) 8.7 rad/s
C) 9.7 rad/s
D) 6.1 rad/s
Answer: A
Var: 1
12
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31) A solid uniform disk of diameter 3.20 m and mass 42 kg rolls without slipping to the bottom
of a hill, starting from rest. If the angular speed of the disk is 4.27 rad/s at the bottom, how high
did it start on the hill?
A) 3.57 m
B) 2.68 m
C) 3.14 m
D) 4.28 m
Answer: A
Var: 1
32) A wheel having a moment of inertia of 5.00 kg ∙ m2 starts from rest and accelerates under a
constant torque of 3.00 N ∙ m for 8.00 s. What is the wheel's rotational kinetic energy at the end
of 8.00 s?
A) 57.6 J
B) 64.0 J
C) 78.8 J
D) 122 J
Answer: A
Var: 1
33) As shown in the figure, two blocks are connected by a light string that passes over a
frictionless pulley having a moment of inertia of 0.0040 kg ∙ m2 and diameter 10 cm. The
coefficient of kinetic friction between the table top and the upper block is 0.30. The blocks are
released from rest, and the string does not slip on the pulley. How fast is the upper block moving
when the lower one has fallen 0.60 m?
A) 1.2 m/s
B) 5.4 m/s
C) 3.2 m/s
D) 2.0 m/s
E) 1.4 m/s
Answer: E
Var: 1
13
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34) A solid uniform ball with a mass of 125 g is rolling without slipping along the horizontal
surface of a table with a speed of 4.5 m/s when it rolls off the edge and falls towards the floor,
1.1 m below. What is the rotational kinetic energy of the ball just before it hits the floor?
A) 0.51 J
B) 0.73 J
C) 1.1 J
D) 2.6 J
E) This question cannot be answered without knowing the radius of the ball.
Answer: A
Var: 1
35) A string is wrapped tightly around a fixed pulley that has a moment of inertia of 0.0352 kg ∙
m2 and a radius of 12.5 cm. A mass of 423 g is attached to the free end of the string. With the
string vertical and taut, the mass is gently released so it can descend under the influence of
gravity. As the mass descends, the string unwinds and causes the pulley to rotate, but does not
slip on the pulley. What is the speed of the mass after it has fallen through 1.25 m?
A) 2.00 m/s
B) 2.28 m/s
C) 1.97 m/s
D) 3.94 m/s
E) 4.95 m/s
Answer: C
Var: 1
36) A string is wrapped tightly around a fixed frictionless pulley that has a moment of inertia of
0.0352 kg ∙ m2 and a radius of 12.5 cm. The string is pulled away from the pulley with a constant
force of 5.00 N, causing the pulley to rotate. What is the speed of the string after it has unwound
1.25 m if the string does not slip on the pulley?
A) 2.09 m/s
B) 2.36 m/s
C) 1.18m/s
D) 3.18 m/s
E) 4.95 m/s
Answer: B
Var: 1
37) An Atwood machine consists of a mass of 3.5 kg connected by a light string to a mass of 6.0
kg over a frictionless pulley with a moment of inertia of 0.0352 kg ∙ m2 and a radius of 12.5 cm.
If the system is released from rest, what is the speed of the masses after they have moved
through 1.25 m if the string does not slip on the pulley?
A) 2.0 m/s
B) 2.3 m/s
C) 4.0 m/s
D) 5.0 m/s
E) 6.0 m/s
Answer: B
Var: 1
14
Copyright © 2017 Pearson Education, Inc.
38) A pencil that is 15.7 cm long is released from a vertical position with the eraser end resting
on a table. The eraser does not slip as it tips over. Treat the pencil like a uniform rod. What is the
angular speed of the pencil just before it hits the table?
A) 13.7 rad/s
B) 7.23 rad/s
C) 3.70 rad/s
D) 24.5 rad/s
E) 16.8 rad/s
Answer: A
Var: 1
39) A uniform solid disk is released from rest and rolls without slipping down an inclined plane
that makes an angle of 25° with the horizontal. What is the forward speed of the disk after it has
rolled 3.0 m, measured along the plane?
A) 2.0 m/s
B) 3.5 m/s
C) 4.1 m/s
D) 5.7 m/s
E) 6.3 m/s
Answer: C
Var: 1
40) A solid uniform disk is rolling without slipping along a horizontal surface with a speed of 4.5
m/s when it starts up a ramp that makes an angle of 25° with the horizontal. What is the speed of
the disk after it has rolled 3.0 m up as measured along the surface of the ramp?
A) 4.0 m/s
B) 1.9 m/s
C) 2.1 m/s
D) 6.8 m/s
E) 8.0 m/s
Answer: B
Var: 1
41) A solid uniform sphere is rolling without slipping along a horizontal surface with a speed of
5.5 m/s when it starts up a ramp that makes an angle of 25° with the horizontal. What is the
speed of the sphere after it has rolled 3.0 m up as measured along the surface of the ramp?
A) 4.0 m/s
B) 8.0 m/s
C) 1.9 m/s
D) 2.2 m/s
E) 3.5 m/s
Answer: E
Var: 1
15
Copyright © 2017 Pearson Education, Inc.
42) A hoop is rolling without slipping along a horizontal surface with a forward speed of 5.50
m/s when it starts up a ramp that makes an angle of 25.0° with the horizontal. What is the speed
of the hoop after it has rolled 3.00 m up as measured along the surface of the ramp?
A) 4.22 m/s
B) 1.91 m/s
C) 2.06 m/s
D) 3.79 m/s
E) 8.02 m/s
Answer: A
Var: 5
43) A hoop with a mass of 2.75 kg is rolling without slipping along a horizontal surface with a
speed of 4.5 m/s when it starts down a ramp that makes an angle of 25° below the horizontal.
What is the forward speed of the hoop after it has rolled 3.0 m down as measured along the
surface of the ramp?
A) 4.9 m/s
B) 6.3 m/s
C) 5.2 m/s
D) 5.7 m/s
E) 8.0 m/s
Answer: D
Var: 1
44) A hoop with a mass of 2.75 kg is rolling without slipping along a horizontal surface with a
speed of 4.5 m/s when it starts down a ramp that makes an angle of 25° below the horizontal.
What is the rotational kinetic energy of the hoop after it has rolled 3.0 m down as measured
along the surface of the ramp?
A) 34 J
B) 22 J
C) 45 J
D) 62 J
E) This question cannot be answered without knowing the radius of the hoop.
Answer: C
Var: 1
16
Copyright © 2017 Pearson Education, Inc.
45) A solid uniform cylinder is rolling without slipping. What fraction of its kinetic energy is
rotational?
A) 1/3
B) 2/3
C) 1/2
D) 1/4
E) 3/4
Answer: A
Var: 1
17
Copyright © 2017 Pearson Education, Inc.
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The Project Gutenberg eBook of The art of music,
Vol. 07 (of 14), Pianoforte and chamber music
This ebook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United
States and most other parts of the world at no cost and with
almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away
or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License
included with this ebook or online at www.gutenberg.org. If you
are not located in the United States, you will have to check the
laws of the country where you are located before using this
eBook.
Title: The art of music, Vol. 07 (of 14), Pianoforte and chamber
music
Language: English
Editor-in-Chief
Associate Editors
Managing Editor
CÉSAR SAERCHINGER
Modern Music Society of New York
In Fourteen Volumes
Profusely Illustrated
NEW YORK
THE NATIONAL SOCIETY OF MUSIC
Home Concert
Department Editor:
Introduction by
HAROLD BAUER
NEW YORK
THE NATIONAL SOCIETY OF MUSIC
Copyright, 1915, by
THE NATIONAL SOCIETY OF MUSIC, Inc.
[All Rights Reserved]
PREFATORY NOTE
The editor has not attempted to give within the limits of this single
volume a detailed history of the development of both pianoforte and
chamber music. He has emphasized but very little the historical
development of either branch of music, and he has not pretended to
discuss exhaustively all the music which might be comprehended
under the two broad titles.
In the part of the book dealing with chamber music the material has
been somewhat arbitrarily arranged according to combinations of
instruments. The string quartets, the pianoforte trios, quartets, and
quintets, the sonatas for violin and piano, and other combinations
have been treated separately. The selection of some works for a
more or less detailed discussion, and the omission of even the
mention of others, will undoubtedly seem unjustifiable to some; but
the editor trusts at least that those he has chosen for discussion may
illumine somewhat the general progress of chamber music from the
time of Haydn to the present day.
For the chapters on violin music before Corelli and the beginnings of
chamber music we are indebted to Mr. Edward Kilenyi, whose initials
appear at the end of these chapters.
Leland Hall
INTRODUCTION
The term Chamber Music, in its modern sense, cannot perhaps be
strictly defined. In general it is music which is fine rather than broad,
or in which, at any rate, there is a wealth of detail which can be
followed and appreciated only in a relatively small room. It is not, on
the whole, brilliantly colored like orchestral music. The string quartet,
for example, is conspicuously monochrome. Nor is chamber music
associated with the drama, with ritual, pageantry, or display, as are
the opera and the mass. It is—to use a well worn term—very nearly
always absolute music, and, as such, must be not only perfect in
detail, but beautiful in proportion and line, if it is to be effective.
With very few exceptions, all the great composers have sought
expression in chamber music at one time or another; and their
compositions in this branch seem often to be the finest and the most
intimate presentation of their genius. Haydn is commonly supposed
to have found himself first in his string quartets. Mozart’s great
quartets are almost unique among his compositions as an
expression of his genius absolutely uninfluenced by external
circumstances and occasion. None of Beethoven’s music is more
profound nor more personal than his last quartets. Even among the
works of the later composers, who might well have been seduced
altogether away from these fine and exacting forms by the
intoxicating glory of the orchestra, one finds chamber music of a rich
and special value.
In order to study intelligently the mechanics, or, if you will, the art of
touch upon the piano, and in order to comprehend the variety of
tone-color which can be produced from it, one must recognize at the
outset the fact that the piano is an instrument of percussion. Its
sounds result from the blows of hammers upon taut metal strings.
With the musical sound given out by these vibrating strings must
inevitably be mixed the dull and unmusical sound of the blow that set
them vibrating. The trained ear will detect not only the thud of the
hammer against the string, but that of the finger against the key, and
that of the key itself upon its base. The study of touch and tone upon
the piano is the study of the combination and the control of these two
elements of sound, the one musical, the other unmusical.
The pianist can acquire but relatively little control over the musical
sounds of his instrument. He can make them soft and loud, but he
cannot, as the violinist can, make a single tone grow from soft to
loud and die away to soft again. The violinist or the singer both
makes and controls tone, the one by his bow, the other by his breath;
the pianist, in comparison with them, but makes tone. Having caused
a string to vibrate by striking it through a key, he cannot even sustain
these vibrations. They begin at once to weaken; the sound at once
grows fainter. Therefore he has to make his effects with a volume of
sounds which has been aptly said to be ever vanishing.
On the other hand, these sounds have more endurance than those
of the xylophone, for example; and in their brief span of failing life the
skillful pianist may work somewhat upon them according to his will.
He may cut them exceedingly short by allowing the dampers to fall
instantaneously upon the strings, thus stopping all vibrations. He
may even prolong a few sounds, a chord let us say, by using the
sustaining pedal. This lifts the dampers from all the strings, so that
all vibrate in sympathy with the tones of the chord and reënforce
them, so to speak. This may be done either at the moment the notes
of the chord are struck, or considerably later, after they have begun
appreciably to weaken. In the latter case the ear can detect the
actual reënforcement of the failing sounds.
Moreover, the use of the pedal serves to affect somewhat the color
of the sounds of the instrument. All differences in timbre depend on
overtones; and if the pianist lifts all dampers from the strings by the
pedals, he will hear the natural overtones of his chord brought into
prominence by means of the sympathetic vibrations of other strings
he has not struck. He can easily produce a mass of sound which
strongly suggests the organ, in the tone color of which the shades of
overtones are markably evident.
The study of such effects will lead him beyond the use of the pedal
into some of the niceties of pianoforte touch. He will find himself able
to suppress some overtones and bring out others by emphasizing a
note here and there in a chord of many notes, especially in an
arpeggio, and by slighting others. Such an emphasis, it is true, may
give to a series of chords an internal polyphonic significance; but if
not made too prominent, will tend rather to color the general sound
than to make an effect of distinct drawing.
It will be observed that in the matter of so handling the volume of
musical sound, prolonging it and slightly coloring it by the use of the
pedal or by skillful emphasis of touch, the pianist’s attention is
directed ever to the after-sounds, so to speak, of his instrument. He
is interested, not in the sharp, clear beginning of the sound, but in
what follows it. He finds in the very deficiencies of the instrument
possibilities of great musical beauty. It is hardly too much to say,
then, that the secret of a beautiful or sympathetic touch, which has
long been considered to be hidden in the method of striking the keys,
may be found quite as much in the treatment of sounds after the
keys have been struck. It is a mystery which can by no means be
wholly solved by a muscular training of the hands; for a great part of
such training is concerned only with the actual striking of the keys.
We have already said that striking the keys must produce more or
less unmusical sounds. These sounds are not without great value.
They emphasize rhythm, for example, and by virtue of them the
piano is second to no instrument in effects of pronounced,
stimulating rhythm. The pianist wields in this regard almost the
power of the drummer to stir men to frenzy, a power which is by no
means to be despised. In martial music and in other kinds of
vigorous music the piano is almost without shortcomings. But
inasmuch as a great part of pianoforte music is not in this vigorous
vein, but rather in a vein of softer, more imaginative beauty, the
pianist must constantly study how to subject these unmusical sounds
to the after-sounds which follow them. In this study he will come
upon the secret of the legato style of playing.