“. . . By simply turning this handle, any of you could produce up to three sonatas an hour. What a struggle this was for our ancestors. They could create only if they drove themselves to fits of ‘inspiration,’ a strange form of epilepsy. And here is an amusing illustration of their results: the music of Scriabin, twentieth century. This black box” (at this point the curtains moved apart on the stage and there stood their ancient instrument) “they called this box ‘grand’ or ‘forte,’ which again proves how much all of their music . . .”
