far from beautiful:
does, then, this raging piano revolutionist think it beautiful to bring
the pedal into use at every bar? Unhappy delusion.

But enough of this serious jesting. Hummel never used the pedal. He was
an extremist; and, in his graceful, clear, elegant, neat, though not
grand playing, often lost fine effects, which would have been produced
by the correct and judicious use of the pedal; particularly on the
instruments of Stein, Brodmann, Conrad Graff, and others then in use,
which were usually lightly leathered, and had a thin, sharp tone. The
use of the pedal, of course always allowing it to fall frequently with
precision, was especially desirable in the upper treble, in cases where
the changes of the harmony were not very frequent; for the tone of those
instruments, although sweet and agreeable, had not much depth, and the
action had but little strength and elasticity. But on our instruments,
frequently too softly leathered, which have a full tone, and are so
strong and penetrating, especially in the bass, it is enough to endanger
one's sense of hearing to be subjected to such a senseless, incessant,
ridiculous, deafening use of the pedal; frequently, moreover, combined
with a hard, stiff touch, and an unsound, incorrect technique. A musical
interpretation in any degree tolerable is out of the question. You
cannot call that art, it cannot even be called manual labor: it is a
freak of insanity!

A few words to the better sort of players. The foot-piece to the right
on the piano-forte raises the dampers, and in that way makes the tones
resound and sing, and takes from them the dryness, shortness, and want
of fulness, which is always the objection to the piano-forte, especially
to those of the earlier construction. This is certainly an advantage;
the more the tone of the piano-forte resembles singing, the more
beautiful it is. But, in order not to injure the distinctness and
detract from the clear phrasing of the performance, a very skilful and
prudent use of the pedal is necessary in rapid changes of harmony,
particularly in the middle and lower portion of the instrument.

You all use the pedal too much and too often, especially on large, fine
concert pianos of the new construction, which, with their heavy
stringing, have in themselves a fuller, more vibrating tone; at least
you do not let it fall frequently enough, and with precision. You must
listen to what you are playing. You do not play for yourselv