Brower, Harriette - Piano Mastery - Talks With Master Pianists and Teachers - Second Series (1917)
Brower, Harriette - Piano Mastery - Talks With Master Pianists and Teachers - Second Series (1917)
Brower, Harriette - Piano Mastery - Talks With Master Pianists and Teachers - Second Series (1917)
ERJES
TARRIETTE BROWP:R
PIANO MASTERY
SECOND SERIES
PIANO MASTERY
SECOND SERIES
TALKS WITH MASTER PIANISTS AND TEACHERS
INCLUDING CONFERENCES V GRAINGER, POWELL, NOVA) ALSO HINTS <; MACDOV1
WER
of the Pianist"
NEW YORK
FREDERICK
A.
STOKES COMPANY
PUBLISHERS
PIANO MASTERY
SECOND SERIES
TALKS WITH MASTER PIANISTS AND TEACHERS
INCLUDING CONFERENCES WITH HOFMANN, GODOWSKY, GRAINGER, POWELL, NOVAES, HUTCHESON AND OTHERS; ALSO HINTS ON MACDOWELL*S TEACHING BY MRS. MACDOWELL, AND REMINISCENCES OF JOSEFFY
BY
HARRIETTE BROWER
Authot of "Piano Mastery" and "The Art of the Pianist'
NEW YORK
FREDERICK
A.
STOKES COMPANY
PUBLISHERS
Copyright, 1917, by
CONTENTS
PAGE
PRELUDE
ix
. .
.
PERCY GRAINGER
in
Piano
1
.
JOSEF
HOFMANN
Piano Playing
18
GUIOMAR NOVAES
30
39
JOHN POWELL
....
.
ARTHUR SHATTUCK
LEOPOLD GODOWSKY
The
Pianist
Many
. .
Cultivate
....
Technic
53
61
CARL FRIEDBERQ
80
YOLANDA
MRO ...
.
The Beautiful
in
Music
....
.
88
100
ERNEST HUTCHESON
MR. AND MRS.
VIRGIL
A.
K.
EDWARD MACDOWELL
Related by Mrs.
Edward Mac125
.
Dowell
RUTH DEYO
MARTINUS SIEVEKING
.
.
134
147
MARGUERITE MELVILLELIBZNIEWSKA
MRS. H. H. A. BEACH
....
.
.168
.179
188
How
a Composer Works
LEO ORNSTEIN
....
....
Contents
HAROLD HENRY
. .
Fundamental Principles
Elimination
....
to
201
of
Mechanical
208
Etudes
.
.
Hear 215
224
ETHEL NEWCOMB
RAFAEL JOSEFFY
By Some
Technical
of His Pupils
....
. .
242
KATE
S.
CHITTENDEK
. .
.255
AUGUSTA COTTLOW
in
Piano
264
Study
ILLUSTRATIONS
Percy Grainger
Josef
Frontispiece
PAGE
Hofmann
...... ......
.
.
.18
30
40
62 88
100 114
Edward MacDowell
Ruth Deyo
Marguerite Melville-Liszniewska Mrs. H. H. A. Beach
126 134
....
.
.164 .180
188
.
PRELUDE
Encouraged by the
success attending the
appearance of PIANO MASTERY, Volume 1, a Second Series of Talks with great pianists and
teachers has been prepared, at the request of the publishers.
it
was
desired to include not only those who have to fame, but also those of the
number of the recognition for special gifts. included in been the latter have present volume. Lack of space, however, has prevented
the
inclusion
of
many more
rising
young
artists
who
good music.
HARRIETTS BROWER.
150 West 80th Street, New York.
PIANO MASTERY
SECOND SERIES
PERCY GRAINGER
FREEDOM OF THOUGHT IN PIANO STUDY
Percy Grainger, the Australian and pianist composer, arrived in America he was not known as a player and but little as a composer, although a couple of his works for orchestra had been performed during a former
season.
WHEN
When
he gave
he
playing, his compositions, his straight to the hearts of his hearers; he soon found himself the lion of the hour; success at-
tended each subsequent appearance. It has been aptly said that a musician can do little or nothing without enthusiasm. In
is
Piano Mastery
Second Series
a potent force in his character and career. According to his own testimony, he loves to play,
to compose, to teach, to visit new lands, to become familiar with new people. has the youthful buoyancy that welcomes with eager-
He
ness each
new
into personal touch with Percy Grainger, to hear him in recital and with orchestra, is to be conscious of an entirely new
series
is
To come
of experiences. Personally you feel here a particular kind of mentality, one which is
untrammeled ; of most gentle spirit, bold and yet heaven-storming when bent on carrying out a purpose. Perhaps the words
care-free,
and unconventional would apply, though no words can aptly describe so unique and complex a nature. At one moment he
original
speaks of the homely matters of everyday living, with the utmost simplicity; at the next his remarks bespeak wide knowledge of men
and affairs, of various countries and peoples. Whether he thoughtfully fixes a serious, searching gaze on you, or whether his face is sunny with smiles, you have the same impression of the utter sincerity and single-heartedness of the
vitality of his
individuality.
It
is
the same
when he
plays.
Sincerity
Percy Grainger
shines through everything he does, and the buoyancy of a fresh, earnest, healthful spirit
you along with it. There is no flagging of energy, no moment of languor, all is vital and alive. At times his playing is electrifying. To hear him deliver the opening of the Tschaikowsky B minor Concerto is the most exciting experience; something that carcarries
you off your feet like a whirlwind. As a pianist remarked to me recently, "A recital by Percy Grainger always makes one feel happy, inspired and ready to meet everything."
ries
Although
it
has been
my privilege
to confer
with Mr. Grainger at various times, it is pleasant to recall the memory of our first converseated in the sitting room of their apartment in the hotel, and Mrs. Grainger had just poured tea for us. She might
sation,
.We were
be taken for an elder sister of the young The same sunartist, instead of his mother.
easily
and fresh ruddy She is his devoted and constant companion, accompanying him everywhere. You feel they must both have lived much in the open, have tramped "o'er moor and fen," have been steeped in fresh air and sunshine. "I had not expected to come to America at this time," began Mr. Grainger; "but we came
bright hair, clear blue eyes
color.
Piano Mastery
Second Series
primarily on account of my mother's frail health, which I am happy to say she has re-
European tour, gained in this country. embracing many concerts, had of course to be sailed relinquished on account of the war. at three days' notice, and our intention was to
My
We
stay two or three months at the most. now as though we would remain in
for a long time.
It looks
America
"My mother, who is an excellent musician, was my first teacher. She began with me when I was five, and worked with me constantly, two hours daily, for five years. This was in Melbourne, Australia, where I was born. We left there when I was twelve. At about the of ten I in and age my career appeared public
as pianist began.
My
was Professor Pabst, who subsequently became connected with the Moscow Conservatory. When we came to Germany, I went to
Professor Kwast, at Frankfort, with whom I remained six years. Later I studied with Busoni,
whom
as pianist
deeply revere.
"Together with playing and composing, I have found some time for teaching, though this
Percy Grainger
teaching immensely
it is
;
it is
like
the
medium or mentality. It is showing others how to express the idea. This is where
other
the true teacher can so greatly assist the student, by being able to show him exactly how
various effects are to be made, provided, of course, the pupil is anxious to learn how. As
for methods of teaching technic, I do not in general care for them; I avoid them. They
are often only an excuse for laziness, as they prevent the pupil from thinking for himself.
As
the foundation
for technical training, he can get it after in the pieces he studies. is laid I do not believe in set rules for technic; if the
player wants to turn his hand upside down and play with the palm uppermost, I dare say
he could do it, if he worked at it with the same zeal that he does with the accepted position. In other words, I believe we should inculcate
principles of technical ity in every player.
"Pupils often come to study with me from the various countries where I have played. I
have appeared frequently in Scandinavia and Holland, and have had numerous pupils from both those lands, as well as from England and
Piano Mastery
Second Series
are a very musical
the Colonies.
The Dutch
and American people. I might say English most talented, but their pupils are perhaps the talent takes the form of doing things easily.
talent that acquires all with hard work, and another sort that achieves without
There
is
great lahor.
"You
ask
if
certainly do; and it is amusing sometimes to see how different the mechanical idea of
rhythm
it.
is
ing up velocity.
often imagined.
The com-
mon peasant,
with no cultivation whatever, has an innate sense of rhythm. It will not harmonize, I grant you, with the beat of the metronome, but it is a very forceful and individual thing. He will put a swing and 'go' into a popular air which can never be found in mechanical rhythm. Mechanical means may
be necessary in the student's early stages, especially if the learner has not a just conception of the various note values.
Percy Grainger
MENTAL
PROCESSES DURING PERFORMANCE
"About mental processes during actual performance of the piece in public, it is difficult
to speak, as so brought to bear.
notes.
many
It
is
I think
many
a fine pianist
the freedom of utterance he might have, were he relieved of the fear of forgetting. All pianists
agree that it is a great mental strain to perform a long and exacting program from memory;
ists
a lapse of memory, though it is annoying, espeThis cially if one is playing with orchestra. has never happened to me; if it ever should I think I would treat the situation quite calmly;
perhaps I would go and get the notes I always have them with me or I would look over the
conductor's
place and then go
shoulder, assure myself of the on. The great thing is to
have presence of mind in such an emergency. If one is not very strong physically, or if a
great deal depends on the result of one's performance, the strain of performing an exacting
Piano Mastery
in public,
it is
Second Series
is
program
from memory,
artistic to
greater.
Of
it
course
were much
not
Most
would play more naturally with notes before them if accustomed to use them. Fear often destroys the perfection of what might be
comfortable, the ideal way, I suppose would be to really know the piece from memory and yet play from the
a fine rendition.
The
notes.
ART
IS
NATURAL
"Art
Rather I believe in being as natural and free as possible in the working out of
many
rules.
instrument.
For
instance,
I do not believe in people striving to acquire a certain pianistic style they are not fitted for.
is small and the physique delicate, not why keep the dynamic scale small? not play with delicacy and fineness, instead of
If the hand
Why
striving to
stance,
is
become heroic?
Pachman,
for in-
certain extent responsible for his greatness. It is said he never makes a real fortissimo; but
Percy Grainger
we admire
wish him
his delicacy and finesse to strive for great power.
and do not
"The
technic of
habit.
an art
is,
to a certain extent,
get eye and hand, until we can locate them automaticIt is the same with all sorts ally, from habit.
skips, for instance, with
I do believe in habit.
We
of technical figures;
we
doing
them
through
When
the mechanical part has become automatic, we can give the mind fully to the emotion to be expressed. For I do not believe you
can
and
its
emo-
tional
part I
am
not
piece is put together I think of it as music, as the expression of natural impulses, desires or
aspirations.
"When
quick half pedaling. The subject of pedaling is none too well understood; most wonderful tonal colors can be produced by an artistic
10
Piano Mastery
Second Series
use of the pedals." Mr. Grainger seated himself at the piano and played a brilliant passage
ending with sustained chords, for which latter he used shifting, vibrating pedals with charming effect.
"Another point I make is the bringing out of a melody note above the other tones of a chord; that is to say, making one tone in a
chord louder than the
rest.
This
is
not new, of
The course, but students forget to study it. a to out desired tone comes with ability bring
practice, for
first.
not easy to accomplish at Most learners think they must play such
it is
way
to study
them
is
piano.
PIECES
"Many
ger,
of the
and I make much use of them with pupils. From Debussy Reflets dans I'eau, and Pagodes may be chosen; also the Ondine and
other pieces by Ravel. From Cyril Scott take the Lotus Land and Sphinx, also the set of five Poems; all are valuable as touch developers. I find little attention is given to the study
of pianissimo effects; these pieces give one much opportunity to acquire delicacy.
Percy Grainger
DELIGHTS OF STUDY
11
"Do not imagine I want less study because I seek to avoid many formalities. Study is the
only thing I care about in life, but I love the study of nature as well as art. No one can
study too much; but let us have the heart of everything, not only the formal side. I like
to study the language of a people, but rather the phonetics than the grammar.
"To me
art
is
To my
should be easy,
Above
is
all instinctive;
heraus.'
no escaping from one's true inner nature; neither for beginner nor for finished artist. It seems to me the teacher should not strive to teach any one pupil the entire
gamut of pianistic technic, but concentrate rather upon those phases of it to which the
pupil seems physically addicted, or emotionally
attracted.
"One hour spent in practicing a phase of music for which a pupil has a natural physical
or imaginative ability, will generally prove
12
Piano Mastery
fruitful
Second Series
more
than many hours devoted to which the pupil is less intowards problems
stinctively impelled.
which
him.
his
emotional and physical nature equips This course will make for individuality
many
movements.
If students could have thorough in these things before they come to us,
how much
"As
greater progress they would make in the real business of playing the piano I
to instructing beginners, I find naturally no necessity for doing this on the piano; but I have taught beginners on the mandolin
and guitar. I am fond of the combination of these instruments with strings and have writ-
number of compositions for a small body of string players. I play the guitar myself, and so does my mother; I have a special
ten a
Percy Grainger
13
method of performing on it. I prefer to take an out-and-out beginner on this instrument than to take some one who has played it a good deal, and be obliged to show him all over
again."
NEW INSTRUMENTS
to say about composing for a small orchestra. "Very interesting to a modern composer,"
he remarked, "are the several newly invented or perfected instruments, such as the Mustel organ, the various Saxophones, the Haeckel-
phone; also the percussion instruments, such as the Marimbaphone, Bass-xylophones, Resonaphone, and the like. The tone of most of these new instruments is fairly delicate and sensitive, and would be swamped or lost in a
modern mammoth
is
orchestra.
My own feeling
chamber music
that
it is
in combinations of
that these smaller, subtle, but highly characteristic instruments come into their own, and
latter-day tendencies are not toward noise and tonal ef-
The
but rather toward delicacy, sensitiveness and, above all, transparency of color. Personally, I enjoy best of
fects
scale,
all
on a gigantic
let
us say
14
Piano Mastery
Second Series
twenty instruments, such as four strings, celesta, English horn, two guitars and resonaphone. Or such a combination as this: five men's voices, Mustel organ, four woodwind instruments and six strings."
six to
Grainger's compositions already published embody the folk tunes of various countries in new and original forms.
Some
of
Mr.
Those for piano include Shepherd's Hey, Green Bushes, Country Tune, and Colonial Song; these are also scored for full orchestra.
for a smaller
company
small a
number
as twelve.
Percy Grainger has been called by Runci"the one cheerful, sunny composer living." Finck says of his music: "One really
man
tempted to say that these are the best things that have ever come to us from England." Other critics have written much in
feels
"He catches us praise of his compositions. and whirls us up away in the spirit of the country dance." "His music sounds like the dawning of a new era." "Such genuine humor and wit, such enthusiasm, such virility and masterly
musicianship as Mr. Grainger shows are met with only on the rarest occasions in a musician of
any country.
Indeed
it is
doubtful
if
Percy Grainger
these qualities are combined in composer now before the public."
all
15
any other
known
authorities.
We
a composer who can write in a healthy, sane do not want to be and buoyant spirit. forever in the depths, racked by violent unhealthy emotions we want to be on the heights, in the sunlight, whenever we can reach such
We
altitudes.
Mr. Grainger's compositions are popular in England and on the Continent, and bid fair to become equally so in America. Like most
true artists, he feels strongly that "wars or rumors of wars" should not be allowed to upset the internationality of art.
The young
all sides
Australian
is
met on
in
York, amongst musicians of every nationality, and he points with pride to the fact that some of the best criticisms he has received in America have appeared in the German newspapers. He is no less proud of the high spirit of neutrality which permeates English musical life at present. Not long ago two large festivals of German music, one devoted to Brahms, the other to Wagner, were held there. Another "Festival of German Music"
New
16
is
Piano Mastery
Second Series
shortly to be held in London, side by side with a "Festival of British Music," in which
Stanford, Elgar and Percy Grainger figure At present Frederick Delius, the largely.
great
Grainger run one another very close in popuMr. Grainger is boundlessly enthusilarity. astic over his "rival," who, in his judgment, is
the greatest of living composers. "It is inspiring to live in an age in which such noble and altruistic interpretations of the
universality of art are displayed," said
his
Mr.
Grainger. "In Frederick Delius," continued Australian admirer, "German and British
qualities are most fortunately blended and have contrived to produce a unique genius, whose work recalls at once such creative types as Bach, Walt Whitman, Keats and Grieg."
Mr. Grainger is gifted as a linguist and is enthusiastic over the various tongues and dialects of the different countries through which
he has traveled.
ish,
knowledge of Icelandic, Jutish, Frisian, Faroese and the peasant dialects of Norway. This
acquaintance with the languages has greatly assisted in the study of folk melodies. He is
Percy Grainger
17
considered one of the greatest authorities on folk songs and primitive music, having himself collected and carefully noted down nearly five
hundred examples of traditional singing and playing in Great Britain, Scandinavia, New Zealand and the South Seas. As a pianist Percy Grainger plays with clarity of touch, variety of tone color and splendid sweep and virility. He is able to set
the composition before the listener in well-balanced proportions, and direct simplicity of
thought. One feels the composer of the work under consideration would wish it played in
just this way, with just this directness of utterance. At the same time the pianist lends
to everything he touches the
glow of his own and enthusiasm, by means of which buoyancy well-known themes take on a new meaning and make a new and unusual appeal.
II
JOSEF HOFMANN
INSPIRATION IN PIANO PLAYING
naturally feel a peculiar interest in the art of Josef Hofmann, for they have
AMERICANS
it
grow and develop from the wonder child of ten to the matured artist, who stands to-day
seen
on the mountain height of his profession. There must be thousands in this country who remember the marvelous exhibition of piano playing
offered
Polish boy during the season of 1888, when, as a wonderful child prodigy, he was brought over to make his first tour
by
the
little
of America.
upon
orchestral prelude,
Ah, then
was no
blue sailor suit; it was a man, who grappled with those handfuls of notes and flung them
Josef
Hofmann
19
to
puny strength of a child of ten. Neither did that sympathetic reading of the score, that
understanding of the meaning of the music. No human power could have taught him these things it was inborn genius.
;
wonder people went wild with excitement and split their gloves in vociferous apIt was almost beyond belief. The plause. climax came when this mite of a boy began to improvise on a theme handed up to him by chance from any one in the audience. Then his powers were tested and not found wanting. People shook their heads and said such precocity could not mature; that the lad would
probably never be heard from in the future. In this they were vastly mistaken. The child
No
prodigy retired from the footlights and spent seven or eight years in close study. Then he emerged into the light and returned to us a
full-fledged artist.
But
Josef
still;
Hofmann was
it
upward
has always been at work, always flight. progressing, never content with present attain-
He
Each year we have watched his growth, have felt his art become finer, more expressive, more subtle, until at the present moment it
ments.
20
Piano Mastery
Second Series
seems wellnigh perfect. Yet the artist does not take this view. "There are still difficulties I have not yet overcome, limitations beyond which I have not passed. I have not yet all the power I desire, nor always the ability to express every shade of emotion I wish to portray. There is still much I hope to accomplish in the expression of emotion and inspiration in piano playing." Admissions like these, coming from the lips of such a musician, are further proofs of the
humility of the truly great
artist.
Mr. Hofmann,
the park.
I found him in his apartments overlooking fluffy white poodle took great
but was
cautioned by his master, who held up a warning fore finger, "not to be a bore."
"You
Mrs.
tle
will
meet
marked the
artist,
my
This little girl of daughter, Josepha." nine has marked ability along artistic lines, and
is
color.
Josef
Hofmann
21
spoke first of the little Polish boy, who aroused such a furore in America at the age
of ten.
We
"That was
in '88," said
that time I played the Mendelssohn Concerto in minor, also his Capriccio, and the Bee-
thoven Concertos in C major and C minor." "Do not forget the improvising, which seemed so marvelous to us then." "Oh, yes, I improvised, of course." "Surely one who has such a perfect technic, who has solved every technical problem, can
accomplish all one desires in interpretation." "It goes without saying that an artist in
these days
technic: that
is
where piano playing really begins. But I do not consider that I yet possess a perfect techThe artist, nic, for I still have limitations. must allow to the however, public guess his limitations. There is as much art in choosas the ing right kind of compositions in playing them. There are still some pieces I would not attempt; some that require have.
instance, than I
now
his force
to the limit
reserve.
of production,
will
22
Piano Mastery
Second Series
always be some reserve power back of it. Ruwas capable of immense power, for he had a very heavy hand and arm. His fifth finbinstein
my
thumb
think of
it!
Then
his fingers
cushions on them.
and very large besides. Yet with one felt he had more in reserve.
power,
TECHNIC STUDY
"I do no technical work outside of the composition, for the reason that I find plenty of
in the piece itself. Every passage that presents the least difficulty is studied in minute detail, with well raised fin-
technic to
work on
gers, clear distinct touch, always taking care to put the finger down exactly in the middle
of each key, not on the side of it. is studied with every kind of touch,
The
piece
tempo and
mand
studied till the player has comof every possible variety of tone, touch and degree of power or delicacy. When all
dynamics
is
ready to
IDEAL INTERPRETATION
"I repeat that only when the player has control of the means, has he the true freedom
Josef
to
Hofmann
23
clearly
Then
an improvisation. "There are many circumstances which influence the artist's interpretation. His prevailing mood at the moment, the piano, the mental
quality of the audience, the acoustics of the space he has to fill, and so on. I play very differently in the concert hall from what I do at home in study. When before an audience, I must take into account all the things I have
my
mentioned.
scale of
If I
am to
is
fill
Carnegie Hall,
my
dynamics
There must
like-
"You speak
meled condition, both mentally and physically, which one is in. "I can affirm, therefore, that I do not know,
beforehand,
how
piece, until I have tried the space, the piano, the hearers and myself. I may be able to con-
and to express myself with perfect freedom, and then I may not. There
are times
when
it
24
Piano Mastery
Second Series
notes of the piece are there, an inanimate skeleton. It is like a dinner table, daintily
laid out,
The
listener goes
away unfed.
PIANISTS
TWO KINDS OF
"As I see it, there are two kinds of pianists. The more numerous sort may master every note, finger mark and sign of expression with
thought out in the privacy of the studio. When they come before an audience they merely transfer
this
is
just as they would at home. They always try to play the piece in precisely the same way.
this is the
myself and
my
so.
He
it
he had played
"The
is
number
small, I admit, never play the piece twice in just the same way. They strive for the control
They realize how many forces react on the artupon the platform even the temperature!
playing the Appassionata Sonata on a sultry day, the passion may be somewhat
If I
am
Josef
milder than
"It
it
Hofmann
if
25
would be
more bracing.
is
in the studio,
admits certain
is
ele-
This results in a
it
within
"This freedom of interpretation presupposes the artist's mind and taste to be so well trained as to warrant him in relying on the inspiration
of the moment.
But back
of
it all
must be
his
I think I can say I logical plan of action. to this small class of pianists who yield belong
to the inspiration of the moment the composition at the piano.
and improvise
TAKING RISKS
is to play with freedom and inspirone must strike out boldly and not hold ation, back in timidity or bashfulness; these are bad
"If one
faults.
We
who
sides
fear to
so
and bore everybody, bethemselves. uncomfortable being very The player must cast fear to the winds and risk everything. He should be an absolutely
they hold back
26
free
Piano Masrtery
Second Series
and open avenue for the expression of the emotional and spiritual meaning of the music. When one can thus improvise the composition, it seems that the piano no longer
sounds like a piano. It has been said that when Rubinstein played, the instrument did not
sound
stein,
a piano.
sort of
sounded from the ordinary kind; like another medium, or like a whole orchestra in
spite of the
wrong notes, yet in he was teaching very exact; he could not endure wrong notes or slips of any kind, in his
pupils or in himself.
But
risk!
He
if
notes
only he could present the emotional content of the music in the most compelling
light.
his
Moszkowski
his
sat beside
me.
missed
Rubinstein, Caprice, playing all but one of those treacherous high skips. When he hit that solitary one correctly,
in
Valse
Moszkowski turned to me and whispered, humorously, 'We must excuse him, for he can't
see
any more.'
"
Josef
Hofmann
27
THE METRONOME
"I notice, Mr. Hofmann, that you have a metronome standing here. In one of your answers to questions in the Ladies' nal,, I believe you disapproved of
Home
it."
Jour-
man
may have
quired in this way. But I never said not to use one. On the contrary the metronome is a necessity, for it gives us the correct idea of
tempo
it
frequently.
MODERN MUSIC
"What do
of
it
is
Some
and
only
Stravinsky
Yet it is much Schoenberg, for instance. after a as fad, nowadays, from curiossought If one falls in a ity, if for no other reason.
fit
see
on the street people run together, curious to what has happened. What do they see?
Contortion!
The Stravinsky
ballet, recently
given at the Century, was fascinating in color, movement and ensemble, but the music was
again
contortion.
28
Piano Mastery
THE PIANO
AS
Second Series
A MEANS OF EXPRESSION
all
in the performer's power does not belong alone to the pianist, it may belong to the flute player, the
violinist or 'cellist.
"Absolute control of
means
sessed
by
the player
is
his
interpretations.
the universal instrument, the one independent medium. All other instru-
"The piano
ments either require or are improved by an accompaniment, even the voice. But the pianist stands alone, and controls everything. He can express every emotion, even despotism, by
means of
his instrument.
all these,
We
piano expresses really know it can say nothing at all without the pianist. If he have many emotions and the ability to
when we
"We regret you elect to give but one recital in New York during the season."
"But I play a number of times with orchestra here. You have good ones in America. "In assisting the artist the orchestra should take the part of an accompaniment, and
although the conductor directs
it,
he should,
Josef
Hofmann
29
This the for the time being, efface himself. conductor of the New York Symphony is able
to do.
five
to be in perfect accord. soloist ought to play with his orchestra in smaller places before appearing in the large
or six times,
we come
cities if
its best.
"Yes, I
am
a co-worker with
Godowsky on
the Progressive Series of Piano Lessons. It is slow and tedious business, this editing of the
various pieces required. Every finger mark and sign of phrasing must be absolutely correct.
It takes
me
piece.
It
is
work
in
for a schoolmaster.
"After
the
is
my
touring season,
summer
Maine.
sea!
we how Ah,
it.
shall
spend
it
beautiful
there,
by the
I love
Of
course
wherever I am, my time is fully taken up. In summer I exchange the rush of travel, the
catching of trains, for the repose and quiet of a vacation by the sea. That is when I work
on
my
concertos I
am
Ill
GUIOMAR NOVAES
THE GIFT OF MUSIC
THE
the pianistic sky during the past season 1916 was the young Brazilian pianist, Guiomar
Novaes. We were quite unprepared for such an apparition; we had heard nothing of her; she came unheralded. In a season filled to the brim with the greatest piano playing the world can produce, she came and conquered by
sheer force of genius. The marvel of it! Such a talent in a family where neither the parents nor any of the eigh-
teen other children showed any special musical inclination. Hers is surely a gift straight
out of Heaven!
Many
how
in her
this slip of
of us are familiar with the story of a girl developed her gifts, first
place over 388 contestants, in the entrance examinations of the Conservashe took
toire.
At
Guiomar Novaes
of Schumann's Carneval
31
was
so unusual in
the mastery of technic, so poetic in interpretation as to greatly impress the jury, composed
The young
she arrived in
girl
with Professor Philipp, at the Conservatoire. At the end of the second year she received the
first
du Conservatoire.
After
Italy,
cess.
in Paris,
which she
home
in Brazil,
which she spent resting, working, thinking, growing and ripening, but playing little in Late in the year 1915 she and her public. mother came to New York, escorted by the
Brazilian
"I think
American
New York
recital;
"and," he added
is
signifi-
ready for it," The young artist indeed proved herself ready. Her first long and difficult program revealed sentiment, power, passion and ripe musicianship. Her success was immediate and
32
Piano Mastery
These
into
Second Series
mere
facts.
complete.
words the
thrill,
the spell
of such playing as hers ? In London, when she played there, it was chronicled: "She is one
of the world's greatest pianists."
first
After her
American appearance, Mr. Finck, in the Evening Post, said of her: "She is the greatest woman pianist now before the public, and even some of the men had better look to their
laurels."
same
critic
wrote
has the limpid purity and beauty that the world adores in voices like Patti's or
Sembrich's or Caruso's; in runs these tones are like strings of perfect pearls. Miss Novae's
"Her tone
seems
heaven.
to
get
her
inspiration
direct
from
One
has a feeling,
when
she plays
were in long-distance telepathic communication with him as if he indeed were at the piano. And if her piece is by Chopin, Schumann or some other master, it is
Beethoven, as if she
they
her.
who apparently
This is no hyperbole it is an impression, which makes this girl one of the seven wonders
of 'the musical world."
are the attributes in the performance of this "superpianist" as she has been called;
What
'Guiomar Novaes
83
that enthrall alike the unskilled music lover, the trained musician and the exacting critic?
If
we can
and reduce
them to tangible terms, we may be able to apply the principles to the profit of our
studies.
own
playthe
is
manner
is
set
be produced by controlled relaxation. Much is said and written about relaxation in these
days.
The kind
and beautifully controlled. With the most graceful movements of arm she forms and molds the tone to such quality as she desires. She plays with controlled weight, but it is weight that is alive, vital, not lumbering and
"dead."
wrist
With
arm,
and hand, every tone she produces, from feathery pianissimo to the utmost fortissimo,
listener.
Even
a single tone has the poignant quality that makes a thrilling effect. She produces these tones without apparent effort; yet they carry a message quite apart from the studied phrases
of other pianists.
34
Piano Mastery
Second Series
Technic in her case is an "art in itself." No problem seems too difficult; all are flawlessly
Imagine strings of pearls, large and small; in each string the pearls are exactly the same size, round and perfect; such are her Her glissandi ripple up and down the scales. keyboard with a perfect beauty and smoothness that the hand of no other pianist within
mastered.
memory
and
has surpassed. Her chords are full The rich, her trills like the song of birds.
listener sits aghast at such absolute mastery, and marvels where this girl has acquired such
consummate
technic.
He
marvels
still
more
at the interpretative genius, which seizes upon the inherent meaning of the composition, finds
its poetic,
present it conviction and appeal. I have tried, in few words, to voice some of the causes of Miss Novaes' mastery, some of
the
means by which she conquers the keyboard, the music and our hearts, because I know she could not do so herself. She could no more
explain
how
bud can describe how it becomes a perfect rose. She would only say: "Your praise may apply
to a great pianist, but I
am not
a great artist."
Such
is
Guiomar Novaes
35
We
must
let
thing for herself, however; she will do so in a pretty mixture of English and French, with
a few sentences of Spanish thrown in here and there. When she talks, one hardly knows which to admire most, the pleasant voice and smile, the dimples that play hide and seek in
"I began to play piano when I was four, by listening and by picking out everything on the piano by ear; I taught myself by the ear. Sometimes it seems I learned to play before I
learned to speak; it is true I knew my notes before I had mastered the letters of the
alphabet.
studies really began. I was placed with a most excellent teacher, Professor Chiafarelle, an Italian musician.
"When
I was six
my
With him
to play in
Sao Paulo,
my home
city,
when I
was
ten.
teacher seven years. Then our Government sent me to Paris, where I was admitted to the Conservatoire, and became a
"He was my
36
Piano Mastery
Second Series
TECHNIC PRACTICE
"I practice about three to four hours every day. I no longer practice the technic by it-
work on that. But when I was a child I had to work on technic and on all kinds of exercises most industriously. I haven't time to do so now, for there is so much music to learn.
"Yes, I play Bach much Bach, when I have time, but not every day."
much
"Some
with only half force during practice. follow this course?" she was asked.
by playing Do you
is,
"No,
try to sound.
power; that
I
to
make
it
If I should play with a weak touch, I would not get the sonore, how do you call I would not get the
it?
MEMORIZING
"I really do not know how I memorize; it I the music. all comes to me very quickly
very amusing to learn by heart. You think I should not call it amusing you think I should say interesting? Well, then, I think
find
it
Guiomar Novaes
it is
37
very interesting to learn from memory. I can do it away from the piano, by thinking how the music looks when it is printed. I
on the trains, when I am When I was in Switzerland, I traveling. found I had to play the Beethoven G major
sometimes do
this
So I Concerto, in Paris, in a short time. in learned it all by heart fourteen days. It is true I had played at it some at home in Brazil
;
I really had to learn it. The Bach Organ Prelude and Fugue, transcribed by Moor, which I played at my third New York
but
recital,
now
When
I did
was feeling very fresh and well rested, and equal to the task. I might not always feel able
so I
to do
it
so quickly."
PUBLIC PLAYING
"Do you
she
was
really asked.
"Yes, I do like it. At a recital, I soon become so absorbed in what I am doing that I
quite forget the audience;
it is
as if the audi-
ence was not there; it does not exist for me. I cannot say I always feel the same or play the same. The piano may seem different, the
hall,
my mood."
38
Piano Mastery
"That
is
Second Series
also," I
remarked.
"Ah, what a great, big artist Hofmann is!" The dark eyes glowed with inward fire and the dimples deepened. "I think he is so wonSchelling is a big artist, too. in country, Brazillo, and had a played great success there."
derful.
He
my
MODERN MUSIC
"Do you
care for
modern music
Schoen-
berg, Stravinsky, Korngold or Ornstein?" she was asked. The mention of these names awoke
no answering gleam in the calm, sweet face. "I do not know the music you speak of," she said. "I shall play something of Bach arranged by Emanuel Moor. Moor has written much some fine things for 'cello, which Casals
;
plays.
it
five
months, just
really sur-
since I
came
to
New
York.
am
prised at myself to-day, that I have had the courage to speak to you in your own language.
that
Usually I speak French, as, naturally I know much better than English."
IV
JOHN POWELL
"ART THE EXPRESSION OF LIFE"
AN American pianist and composer of indiJohn Powell, of whom we have already heard a great deal, and will surely hear much more as we become familiar with his compositions and sit more
viduality
and
distinction
is
piano playing. For the past two seasons Mr. Powell has been heard in recitals throughout the country.
Those given
in
New York
plane of excellence. In fact, each program performed revealed an increasing power and
eloquence of expression, more subtlety of insight, more command of the resources of the
instrument
skill
in
Deeply impressed with these qualities in his playing, I found opportunity to question Mr. Powell about some particular aspects of pian-
40
Piano Mastery
we were
Second Series
some
ism, which
able to discuss at
length.
took up the technical side, as I asked where he had acquired his technic.
first
We
"I studied with F. C. Hahr at home, before going to Vienna. There I spent several years with Leschetizky and worked terribly hard.
This marvelous old
teacher.
man was
a wonderful
Of
stand him,
had
his ideas.
often talk to the pupil on the technical side of piano playing, unless he saw the need for it.
explicit as to
hand
posi-
and
Even
with pupils who had been with him some time, if he noted any lapse or ineffectiveness, he
would come right down to first principles." "I am well aware Leschetizky asserts he has no method outside of loose wrists and firm nailjoints," I remarked.
"Back of
Powell,
tion
"lies
these
two
ideas,"
answered Mr.
you can accomplish what you desire. This thought was the mainspring of Leschetizky 's
John Powell
teaching.
41
If the learner grasped the idea, he could get a great deal from the master. "For instance, the master would explain a
principle to you,
and
if
you saw
its
value you
of the working out might vary, but the idea remained the same. might take the subject of skips, let
it
could work
out; the
manner
He
wish to play a tenth or a twelfth. He would tell you to place your thumb on C, then make an arm movement which shall deus say.
scribe a curve,
You
up
to the note
you wish to
few reach, touching but not depressing it. slow movements of this kind will teach you the arm sensations you have in reaching for
the note, and also between the two.
how
to
When
accomplished
you can play the skip with quickness and accuracy. So with large chords; the fingers are prepared for them; the portrait of them so
to say
is
made
TONE PRODUCTION
a principle I have been working on for several years; it is one I consider very
"There
is
important, especially when applied to cantaIt is the pressure bile, or melody playing.
necessary to produce a beautiful, singing tone.
42
Piano Mastery
Second Series
as soon as the sound is produced on the piano, the tone begins to die. Some thinkers advocate letting up all weight on the key as soon as it has been sounded. This would virtually necessitate a new attack for each note. I find this idea has an injurious effect on the tone quality. far better way is to transfer the weight pressure from one
finger to another, by slight elevation of wrist and aid of arm; for the latter is but the tube
fluid flows
so to speak.
The violinist, in melody playing, does not relax his pressure on the string or his firmness on the bow, because the tone has sounded, neither does the singer relax the diaphragm.
principle hold good on the piano? I know that it does and that I am able to produce a more and more beautiful tone as I succeed in applying this principle more perfectly.
DAILY TECHNIC "I believe in technical exercises outside of pieces, in fact I feel them to be a necessity, and do a certain amount daily. At this moment I have not been able to touch the piano
for several days, not since my last recital. Therefore, I should need to exercise my fingers
John Powell
and get them
in
43
ing to play anything at all, for the same reason that a piece of machinery must be oiled to
be
fit
for use.
healthy body wishes to do anything great in music or any other branch of art." In this connection Mr.
Powell had much to say of the Fresh Air Art Society, which he considers a most important movement in the world of allied arts. We then
discussed the part played
cal delivery.
by the mind
in musi-
"I feel the mind must be wholly occupied with the meaning of the music its emotion and content should be lived through, during a performance of it. This is far removed from any
;
what they are thinking about or whether the player is making a telling effect on them. If
we can hold
audience.
We
will
we
44
Piano Mastery
Second Series
are only thinking of portraying ideas, feelings, emotions. To reach this state of conscious-
we must know
merely of setting keys in motion; it is far beyond all that; it is an exemplification of inner experience, of life itself. For I hold that
the expression of life. "The mental state of the player during performance depends on his attitude towards
art
is
music itself and the way he has studied it. There seem to be three stages in the learning of a composition. First to read it through as though it were a book; second to study it in
detail; lastly, to get at the
meaning and
live
through the experiences which caused those notes to be written and the composition to
spring into being.
say to a student: 'In six months you will study a certain composition; look it through now and become familiar with
"Leschetizky
may
it
it
amuse yourself with it later we will study And if you merely read over seriously.'
;
the composition frequently enough, either at the piano, or as you would read a book, away
from the instrument, you will, almost unconsciously, come to know the notes quite well.
John Powell
45
After this comes the study in detail, and finally that wonderful assimilation of content which
makes the work a part of your very being and The artist holding such an ideal of interlife.
pretation, can,
when
and
"Such concentration as this is far and away removed from reciting the notes of the composition while playing it, or 'following it' in If we long to solfege, as some recommend.
46
Piano Mastery
Second Series
the words and descriptions were often crude. Music is called a language, a means of self-
We are all musicians in this sense even composers. We can compose music by the tones of our voices in speech. We can
expression.
many mean-
by using various
I said a
inflections of voice.
"As
that
it
moment ago
what these
He
can do
this if it
be true
When this
feel in
that music really expresses a definite idea. is discovered, the interpreter should
felt in writ-
ing
ing.
it,
How
artist
must be
meanof an
keen
within
thing. use to
his sympathies! The artist must begin in his own soul. Life is the principal
It
sit
is
a training of the
spirit.
Of what
some
there
do.
is
at the piano fifteen hours a day, as That will not make an artist, if
say to
them
nothing within to express. I long to Don't spend all the time in piano
:
a recluse.
life.
discipline
is
Live bigly
John Powell
47
"Only music which is great enough to express real feeling and emotion is worth the
learning or the effort to interpret. I do not waste time over what is not entirely worthy."
HIS COMPOSITIONS
In the field of composition, Mr. Powell has worked mostly in the larger forms, although he is the author of a number of songs. Of the former there are three sonatas and two concertos for piano; a concerto for violin, also a sonata for violin and piano. He has written
"In the South" and "At the Fair;" also a set of variations and double fugue on a theme by F. C. Hahr, his former teacher. choral work in oratorio form treats the church service
dramatically,
its
author explains.
form.
We
yet
who have
the gifts as well as the learning to cope successfully with this greatest of instru-
48
Piano Mastery
Second Series
mental forms, so we need not wonder at the small number of such works produced. That a sonata by a native composer has
had a hearing in New York, is an event of importance worth recording. When this the work to be an epoch-makhearing proved on built broad of one, lines, ing deep and siglately nificant content, the event gave cause for sincere satisfaction.
The event referred to was the hearing of John Powell's Sonata Teutomca, played before the MacDowell Club, in April, 1916. This was the first performance of the work in
it had been given twice in on March 7th, 1914, when London, namely Benno Moiseiwitsch, the admired Russian pianist, played it in Bechstein Hall and again in June of same year, on which occasion it was
America, though
At
the
pre-
ceded his performance by a short talk, in which he explained the structure of the work,
the ideas embodied in
bolism.
it, its
He
scriptive pamphlet,
work vividly set forth and deeply moved his hearers. They
John Powell
felt
49
tous
the event to be most unusual and portenthat they were privileged to listen to an
;
original composition of large dimensions and pregnant meaning, set forth in a truly inspired
manner.
and effort to achieve something high and noble, which binds together in one bond of unity all the great souls of the ages. This spirit of Oneness links the great of the past, and descends
through the philosophers, poets, musicians, sculptors and painters of every country, down to us to-day. The Idea of Oneness, taken in this sense, is to me wonderful and beautiful; I have pondered it deeply, and have tried to voice
it
in this composition.
oc-
cupied my thought for years before I ever began to write the music, into the composition of which I have put four years of my life."
the Sonata:
drop
is
50
Piano Mastery
same thought
in the
Second Series
in another
to put the
form; 'The
is
Sonata
is
Movement
as the
Movement
in the Sonata.'
THREE MOVEMENTS
may be designated in this way: First, The Ideal; Second, The Temperamental; Third, The Actual. In other words, Part One typifies
Part Two, the universal Teutonic Temperament (this in a symbolic and not a racial sense) Part Three, triumphant result of this principle, acting on this nature, in the world
;
theme
Our first Allegro. the Motive of Oneness, the second is the Song Theme. As these unfold and interis
twine, we come to the Motive of Victory, which also reappears in the last movement. In the
first
movement,
ecy.
The
"Second Movement: Andante, is a set of Variations on a Folk Theme. This second division
of
the
parts,
namely,
Variations,
and
John Powell
51
Finale. The effort has been, however, to preserve unity throughout all four parts. There One is considerable variety in the Variations.
Beethoven was fond of using the country dance, so was Schubert; Wagner has done so in his Meistersinger. In
is
a merry Landler.
the
Fugue we
temperamentally considered. The harmonies are dark and sinister the gloom of morforces,
;
struggles with the spiritual, in writhing progressions, which threaten to obliterate the higher nature, but fail utterly, for the matal
terial is
mind
ascendant.
Theme
of Oneness, predominating over the other harmonies, brings the work to a powerful and ma-
This last movement occupies fourteen minutes, the first sixteen and the middle
jestic close.
movement
thirty- two, for performance." Musicians who have heard the Sonata have expressed their admiration in words of high Some have called it great, vital, a praise. stupendous, epoch-making work.
if
he would, like
52
Piano Mastery
Second Series
to
express himself in
can I?" he answered. "I have said all I have to say in this; further expression along the same line would be only repetition. I have put my heart's blood into this; it is a reflection of my deepest thought and experience, of
"How
my
highest aspiration.
it
may be pardoned
The one selected requires much explanation to make it seem suitable to the spirit of the music. Even with the
another
for his work.
composer's elucidation, the term leaves the lay mind somewhat mystified. "Eternal Unity,"
"The Triumph
are a few of the
as
of the Ideal,"
titles
"The Universe,"
and meaning
of the music.
ARTHUR SHATTUCK
THE PIANIST SHOULD CULTIVATE MANY
SIDES OF ART
To any one
tunity for observation and comparison, the hands of the various pianists prove an ex-
and at the same time a psychological study. There are so many kinds, from the broad, plump hand, fullfleshed and muscular, all the way to the slender, sinewy hand, the embodiment of nervous
ceptionally interesting
the artist-teacher so frequently remarks concerning his pupils, "All hands are
energy.
As
different," so
it
may
be said of the
artists
hand of each
A musician
who
once grasped the hand of Rubinstein reported that it seemed as soft and pliable as though there were absolutely no bones in it. This remark occurred to me as I greeted
Arthur Shattuck, the American pianist; I felt such a description would apply equally to him.
53
54
Piano Mastery
Second Series
In appearance his hand recalls the model of Chopin's hand the same long, flexible fingers, the same sensitive ability to expand which en;
abled the Polish master to accomplish those wide stretches which appear so constantly in
his compositions.
Mr. Shattuck calls his hand "too flexible." "It is more difficult," he says, "to strengthen and solidify a soft, flexible hand than to limber up and make supple a firmly knit one. I have done a great deal for my hand by means of the right sort of practice. In short, I have worked very hard for what I have achieved, and am not at all ashamed to say so, or to
admit the fact. Pianists who have reached a great eminence in their art often let it be thought they were not obliged to labor for
such a result; they give the impression there
is
little
is
truth
need for them to practice, when the they spend many hours daily in hard
of forms.
am
old-fashioned enough to
make
'Arthur Shattuck
55
use of scales and arpeggios, and to believe in slow practice. Too much slow practice, however, I feel
is
a mistake; activity
from certain
made with
spent in Vienna, for I was with Leschetizky a number of years. Those were years filled with many delightful
experiences.
some poignant scenes in the studio. It almost seemed as though there were three distinct personalities in the master. On some he would be harsh, critical, exacting; at days other times indifferent, and sometimes in rare good humor. When in such a benign mood, the sun shone and all was serene in the studio, for he approved of everything which was
played.
"The master had two grand pianos in his musical work room; he always sat at one to make corrections and illustrate the passage under discussion. Of course he did not want the student to sit quietly and merely absorb
his instructions in silence.
He
tive interest,
tions,
minute attention to
The
56
Piano Mastery
Second Series
soon apprehended these conditions and, if wise, complied with them. "When one has been for a long time a good many years with one master, even though he be the greatest in the world, there comes a time when the student must learn to
student
go alone; he must work out his own salvation must find himself. It is then necessary to hear all the music possible, piano, violin and song recitals, and above all the opera. In this way he becomes broadened and matured.
return to the subject of piano pracI believe the attention should at all times be alert, thoroughly occupied with the matter
tice.
"To
Even if only making slow movements with single fingers, one must entirely concentrate on the effort. The mind must
in hand.
work
The
piece
must
be learned thoroughly, every note. If a small passage, or even a single note is mentally unclear, this
may
seen moment.
To
must be
finds
fresh.
it difficult
to concentrate,
much
bet-
up a book, or go
"I
am
Arthur Shattuck
57
study. I always carry a clavier with me, not only for technical work but for the practice of
taking a long journey by rail or water, I have it set up in my stateroom, where I can work undisturbed. I could tell
repertoire.
When
many amusing experiences which have occurred during my travels with this instrument. On one occasion, in a little French village, several men carried it on their shoulders
of
from the railway station to the hotel. As they walked through the main street, the bystanders stood respectfully in line and crossed themselves as it passed. At another time, in Norway, when I appeared with my clavier, I was told the hotel was full, but I could lodge in a stable or outhouse. After many persuasive
arguments I at
prietor that
my
ducing him to look inside the suspicious looking box. When he found it did not contain dynamite or anything of a murderous nature, he allowed me to enter the hotel and gave me
the best rooms in the house.
make use
of the
metronome.
"You
way
to ac-
complish this
is
with solfege
58
Piano Mastery
Second Series
system as I play the
quainted with
"One word
as
to interpretation.
When
it as a singer would and the where do, phrase singer would breathe. Study your music away from the piano; it is amazing how quickly you get at the form and shape; you can hear it mentally, undistracted by physical contact with keys. Form a decided idea of passage or piece, though it may vary from time to time." Mr. Shattuck believes in the many-sidedness of art and its study, and has developed
lines.
He
delights
in
seldom if ever visited by musical artists. few years ago it occurred to him that, as
no pianist had ever toured Iceland, such a trip might be well worth the taking. His tour in that country proved to be both interesting and profitable. Later he visited Egypt, and after a series of concerts in the land of the Khedive, he secured a caravan and passed sev-
Arthur Shattuck
eral
59
months on an
The
transporting of a grand piano into the desert land attracted no little attention. The idea
of being alone with his piano in the desert appealed to the pianist, and he found it a
spoke to me as I walked soft-footed through the sand; the pure night wind spoke the language of the universe. Here and there yellow lights, from a distant camp, flashed out like fireflies; now and then a silent, swift-footed Arab could be seen, stealing along among the shadows, reminding one of the fabled woman who haunts the Sphinx. Far away the Great Pyramid seemed to float between the desert sand and the cloudless sky, as though the golden palace of Aladdin was
:
He says
"The
stars
being transported through the air by the Genie of the lamp. For a pianist with a vivid
imagination, and a real desire to work, it was an ideal place to study. Practice amid such
surroundings was not work, only pleasure." An artist with such an environment should be able to weave the subtle influences about
him
on
his in-
surely could picture the barbaric splendor of some passing cavalcade, the gold of those burning sands under the blaze
strument.
He
60
Piano Mastery
Second Series
of noon, the witchery of moonlit nights; he could saturate himself with color and atmosphere, steep himself in the magic which would illumine the pages of the Liszt Minor So-
Hungarian Rhapsodies.
VI
LEOPOLD GODOWSKY
THE LAWS GOVERNING TECHNIC AND
INTERPRETATION
ago, when Leopold Godowsky was a resident of America or was it when he was
YEARS
making his first tour here? I remember vividly on one occasion studying his pianistic work from a position of vantage almost directly over the piano, when he played with the orchestra under Theodore Thomas. I
noted
many
and dynamic
effects,
which belong, of course, to every pianist's equipment. One of the principal points which struck me was the absolute precision with which everything was accomplished. Chords especially were prepared through the fingers
taking form
in the air
of the arrangement
of keys and intervals, and then descending on the group, or gripping them, as the case de-
manded. That is to say, the fingers and hand were prepared and made ready for the chord
61
62
Piano Mastery
it
Second Series
was played, so that each tone had its place and value in the chord group. Sinwere tones also and gle prepared fingers made
before
ready to take the key before the arm descended; arms and hands were slanted for
scales and arpeggios; and well articulated.
all
was
clean-cut, exact
TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES
UNKNOWN
few possess, have been won. Technical difficulties do not exist for him. All gradations of tone, from powerful crescendi to
perfection, such as
fine-spun pianissimi of gossamer delicacy, are alike delivered without trace of effort. There
can be no question about the consummate perfection which molds and permeates everything he touches. "The deep things of our art," says the master, "are little understood by general students of the piano. The great artist is an autocrat, a monarch his work can only make appeal to the few; they alone can understand. That this
;
should be so
lies
ment and
its
music.
The piano
is
a marvel,
have.
It
we
Leopold Godowsky
is
63
The
singer
meaning on a more or less responsive medium of wood and metal he must revivify the signs and symbols which are to paint the mood or picture. He must translate thought and feeling into tones he must express what is subtle and deep,
;
to himself.
He
must make
clear his
Where
language ends music begins. "Among those who play the piano, we have almost every variety of exposition. There are some whose deep learning leads them to be philosophers; others feel called to be preachThen we have the refined ers of their art. poets, the dramatic players, the causseurs, the entertainers, or those who have such high animal spirits that they exemplify a wild pony
galloping over the plains." The speaker mentioned examples of each of these varieties among the artists now before the public.
64
Piano Mastery
Second Series
"We
man
is
at before
we judge
him.
aiming
causseur cannot
measure up to the standard of the philosopher, yet he may be most excellent in his line. It
is
is
futile to ask,
public does not understand these distinctions therefore, as I said, the truly
often done.
The
;
great derstand.
artist
speaks to the few who can unThis condition will doubtless exist
for hundreds of years to come. And when, eventually, the masses do understand, the artist
must
also advance, so as to be always to the fore, always above the rest, to uplift others,
is
PIANO METHODS
to so-called piano methods I feel it necessary to look deeper than method in order to find the underlying principles. Perhaps the
"As
most important principle of all one that I have been elucidating for many years is relaxation. This is not the same as devitalization, which, if used indiscriminately and to exRelaxed weight on cess, is very detrimental.
the key differs
Leopold Godowsky
65
which tended to stiffen muscles and make the touch rigid. The finger rests with easy arm weight on the key. If more power is desired use more weight, if less hold back some of the
weight.
FINGER ACTION
I approve of finger action, and must have that; we canfinger lifting? not throw it away. Wide, free movements are
ask
if
"You
We
necessary to develop the fingers, to stretch the skin and flesh between them, to render the hand
and its playing members supple and flexible. So we must be able to raise the fingers and move them freely."
"You
study?"
early stages, but at I consider these large, free movefingers as a necJust as one exer-
essary kind of gymnastics. cises the body with all sorts of gymnastics, so we need well-articulated finger movements. I
make a
distinction, however,
chanics of piano study and the art of piano technic. To the former belong all forms of
hand
culture, finger training and gymnastic pxercises. To the latter all the finer qualities
66
Piano Mastery
Second Series
of touch, tone, fingering, phrasing, pedaling, agogics and nuance. Each one of these technical divisions
is
an art in
itself.
these are thoughtfully considered, as being necessary for the equipment of the player, it is easily seen why there are so few
really great artists among the before the public as pianists.
"When
a com-
paratively easy thing to learn how keys are manipulated, to attain speed, be able to make
a crescendo here, a diminuendo there, to accent, to copy more or less perfectly the notes
in a composition. Almost any one can do these things with sufficient study. But
and marks
An artist
after minute
"There have been musicians, like Liszt and Rubinstein, who were so gifted that the lack of exact knowledge did not prevent them from winning the world. Rubinstein was a child of impulse as well as genius; he never did things twice the same way; he relied on the inspiration of the moment, and one might say the same of Liszt. The art of piano playing has developed into a more exact science since
their day.
Leopold Godowsky
ART OF PHRASING
67
"Among
first
is
is
we
will
speak
The
question of phrasing
of exceeding importance, for phrasing itself a great art. At the present time we know
things than
was comFormerly
was
posers put few marks on their music; there little or no punctuation. Look at RubinIt
may
be
said that
first to
Christianas
book on this subject is an interesting study, also one by Mathais Lussy. Perhaps the best book on music itself and its performance, at least the best I have ever seen, is by Adolph Kullak, a brother of Theodore Kullak. This is a learned and exhaustive work. The earlier edition has been translated into English; the
revised edition
is still,
German. "In the matter of phrasing, Beethoven was considered very particular, Chopin also, but
neither
knew
as
much about
the subject as
we
do now.
Von
68
Piano Mastery
who
Second Series
is
worth,
perhaps
that
You remember
von Billow himself gave preference to Klindworth's over his own edition, by advising students to use that of his friend.
worth's
Of Klind-
work
for
has changed so many things from highly. the original that it is not always clear just what the composer really meant. What
He
Klindworth should have done in many cases was to put the changes in footnotes and leave the music of the original as it was written.
ART OF FINGERING
"Another branch of piano technic
ing, also a fine art.
is
finger-
we
all
When
Before Bach's time, as the thumb was not used at all. know, he advised its use, it was not to be em-
ployed on the black keys. Fingering, like everything else in piano playing, has been an
the fingering of the C scale, which seems so natural, was not known until
evolution.
Even
Dussek thought of it. Chopin made great use of thumb on black keys. Von Biilow believed
in
much changing
all.
of fingers in order to
use of
So did Klindworth.
dently desired to make things difficult instead of easy. It can readily be seen that the use
Leopold Godowslty
of
69
thumb on black keys must throw the hand out of position, tend to make the movement jerky, and force the hand nearer the nameboard, where leverage is heavier. I believe in avoiding the use of thumb on black keys when
possible, in order to keep the hand in a more natural position; this idea seems to me easier
and more
logical.
"We
hear
much
talk of subjective
subject from different viewpoints, according The imto their temperaments and aims.
pulsive nature takes the composition as it appears to him, without further analysis,
strives to preserve that conception.
first
and
He
trusts
to the present
moment
to furnish inspiration.
Under extremely
favorable circumstances he
may
ance.
may
an
Without these conditions his utterances all glow and power. Rubinstein was
the other hand, the careful analytical player, who does not trust to first impressions, who studies every point and determines
"On
beforehand exactly
70
Piano Mastery
Second Series
position, us cold.
may lack true inspiration and leave Von Biilow might be cited as a player
of this type. The ideal interpreter is one who, keeping before him the first ideal, has thought
out every effect and nuance he wishes to make, yet leaves himself mentally untrammeled, to
may come
important in
dynamics are to the piano playing. tone, agogics are to time and rhythm; this is the new term for the old one of tempo rubato. Rubato means "robbed," which is again
misleading, for it says nothing about giving. If we take away, we must return, to even things up; the new term expresses this better
What
than the old. "In order to have every note, every phrase clear, we must not run them all together, as the Germans sometimes make a long combined word extend across the page. If you
open an English book you see each work separated from its neighbor by a slight space. Just
so
we
learn to
or
Leopold Godovosky
71
between them; it is the flexibility of rhythm, one might say, where everything is in artistic relation and balance."
"Do you consider a legato melody is just as successfully connected with the pedal as with the fingers?" he was asked.
quick reply; can be used for special effects. The relaxed weight of hand on the key, the transference of weight from finger to finger, the condition of the hand in connecting a legato melody is very different from that of the hand lifted between each note; the tone has a difIf a passage is marked ferent quality also. legato, I insist on its being played with that
the
"though
If chords are written in quarter, half or whole notes, I want them held in full time.
touch.
One thing
ing.
is
unendurable
right, constantly
appoggiat-
appoggiated chords, if the waved line only extends the length of each chord, both hands are played simultaneously. If one long waved line connects the two chords,
real
For
the left
hand plays
first,
72
Piano Mastery
Second Series
SERIES"
THE "PROGRESSIVE
"The Progressive Series of Piano Lessons, with which I have been occupied for a number of years, in conjunction with a number of
well-known
conclusion, a
artists,
resume of the entire subject, the pith of the whole matter. Although the courses are nominally finished, I have about six years more work on compositions to be used with them."
a subsequent occasion Mr. Godowsky was seen just before leaving for a Pacific
On
Coast tour. were soon in animated discussion, which lasted for an hour and would have extended much longer had not time pressed. Mr. Godowsky is a thorough master of English and expressed himself with flu-
We
As we had
of piano playing during a previous conference, I requested the pianist to go further and
give his ideas on interpretation. "One of the means, or perhaps
it
should be
said the backbone, of interpretation is technic. I place technic on a higher plane than median-
Leopold Godowsky
ism.
;
73
Others combine the two I differentiate between them. Technic is the means of expression, the medium through which we give out the music. I believe that each pianist presents a certain mental type, which is revealed
through
performance; one is a poet, another a philosopher, a third an orator or even a stump orator, and so on. For some it is
his
possible to express
more
tion;
aloof.
what they feel others are and not reticent, given to showing emothey rather repress it and seem to stand
;
are ready to reveal everything; they are the ones who are popular with the do not say of these players that public.
Some
We
they 'descend to the public,' for they merely work out their natural temperament; they are one with the public,, therefore they never fail
to please. Those who have the highest ideals move in a realm apart ; they never become popular in the above sense. Men who have made
FACTORS OF INTERPRETATION
"The two great factors in interpretation are Logic and Proportion. If you examine a Greek statue you find it perfect in classic form and line. Its proportions are faultless.
74
Piano Mastery
Second Series
Among
amples Brahms.
art.
the composers the most perfect exof proportion are Beethoven and
They
"These two qualities logic and proportion must dominate the thought of the interpreter also he must express them in his work. In just the degree that he lacks them will his performance fall short of beauty and expressiveness.
players might be called pianists of the piano. The instrument itself is paramount with them rather than the music. The piano
itself
"Some
stands
first
with them.
They
will
make
all possible effects that are legitimate within the scope of the instrument, but never strive
to
something it is not. De Pachmann, Griinfeld and Sauer are of this type. Busoni,
make
it
this view.
He
For him
the piano often represents the organ. See his transcriptions of the Bach organ com-
positions.
He
interprets
them
in this style,
great tonal sonority. As organ tones in a cathedral resound and reverberate, owing to the vast spaces, so are the
with
Leopold Godowsky
effects
75
of continuso
ous tone-vibrations." "The piano is a wonder; there think of and study about it and
literature.
much
to
its
marvelous
much
I have found pianists generally are deeper thinkers than singers, for exam-
ple," I remarked.
ists do.
"Singers do not analyze their work as pianIf one has a beautiful voice, the mere
quality of tone will enthrall the listener, outside of the song to be interpreted. If the
singer merely vocalize a scale, it is still beautiful and appealing. But the pianist must do
things besides merely playing the notes before he can make an appeal. He must consider tone quality, dynamics, pedaling,
so
many
power and the whole concept of the piece. "You speak of the word pianism. The word as used now includes, I take it, the entire subject of touch, technic, tone and performance. How odd that a word affects society like a
it.
new disease! All hasten to acquire The word pianism is the only one that
can be applied to an instrument outside of the human voice. You can say vocalism, but not
violinism.
76
Piano Mastery
Second Series
A CONDUCTOR
and
THE
"The
PIANIST
his ten fingers are the instruments over which he holds sway. They are to do his bidding.
He
The
orchestral conductor merely directs his men; the pianist must both direct his whole
soloist.
"Then
When
you think of it, no other instrument has the literature of the piano. Has there ever been
a composer like Chopin for any instrument? The greatest composers for violin were Vieux-
their
work
can-
not compare in value to what Chopin has done for the piano. He wrote solely for that one
medium; he
the poet of the piano. Look at Beethoven; he did more for the piano than for any other instrument. He composed nine
is
symphonies for orchestra and thirty-two sosonata, as you know, is a symphony for one instrument. His last five sonatas are greater than anything he ever wrote for orchestra. The Opus 57, Appas-
sionata,
is
a superb symphony.
His
last
sym-
Leopold Godowsky
77
phonies, outside of the Ninth, the greatest, are not equal to the last five piano sonatas
in value.
chestra; he
for that
ugliness. pare in
medium. I call him the apostle of His works for orchestra cannot comvalue to what either Beethoven or
literature of the piano.
PRINCIPLES OF INTERPRETATION
to
more
explicit
terms in
regard to ideas of interpretation, I feel that, after a certain period of study, the pianist
should trust more to his intuitions in the interpretation of a composition.
Intuition
first,
backed up by logical reasoning. Some put it the other way round; they put reason first, and as a result their performance is dry and For instance, I play a passage and soulless. make it sound pleasant, expressive; it pleases my ear. I then analyze the effects I have
made and see if they are logical and correct. For I must prove each point according to laws
of interpretation. "There are laws of interpretation. One of them is never to lay stress on a concord, but rather on a dissonance. The stronger the dis-
it.
78
Piano Mastery
is
Second Series
That
is,
rest places with sound. many players sin in this way; either by not observing rests or by filling up the place of
not to
How
silence
by tones prolonged by
pedal.
Silence
plays a very important role in music. Silence should not be interfered with, filled up or obstructed.
if
Many
times
it is
jump pedal, But one must to the top of the keyboard. know whether to bridge over the skip with pedal or to let there be silence between the
two.
one has to
TRADITIONS
speak of traditions of interpretation. This should not mean dry, academic formulas
it
"We
should not
mean
schools
and conservatories.
is
They conserve
word.
Real tradition
nates with great artists who have discovered and evolved certain effects through intuition.
up
become
"The subject of
interpretation
a very
It
Leopold Godowsky
is
79
one upon which I have bestowed a great deal of thought and made many discoveries. I repeat, I feel we should trust more to our intuitions than we do. It is claimed by one
world had followed this course, we should now be on a higher plane of civilization than we are; present events seem to bear out his theory."
learned
that, if the
man
VII
CARL FRIEDBERG
AFTER
listening to Carl Friedberg, both in
recital and with orchestra, it was a pleasure to have the opportunity for a talk with him in the seclusion of the home; to find him the
simple,
unaffected
gentleman,
with
frank,
his
"I might say at the outset," began the pianist, "that I believe the legato touch is of the
most importance in piano playing; it is the sine qua non of beautiful tone. I am aware that some modern players do not agree with
this: they think everything should be played with the arm. Even Busoni, whom I admire exceedingly and consider one of the very great-
Well-
Tempered Clavichord that there is no legato I must differ from possible on the piano. those who hold to this idea, for I emphatically believe
tone.
80
is
a legato
on the piano. It
Carl Friedberg
EXPRESSIVE TONE
81
"The tone an artist draws from his instrument should be round, full and expressive, capable of being shaded and varied, just as is
the bel canto of the singer. to sing with our fingers. I
for him.
deal,
We
should learn
knew the famous and teacher Rimini and played much singer
From
this artist
which helped
me
reason I
have made myself familiar with a large number of operas of every school. When quite a
young lad I learned Tristan and Isolde by heart, and I still know it, and many other
opera scores. "I have been largely
my own
teacher,
though in the beginning I had most excellent instruction. I was a pupil of James Quast,
the
Dutch
I
and
later
Mme.
Clara Schu-
mann.
also
received
Anton
>yith
Rubinstein.
When
my
my manner of using
82
Piano Mastery
Second Series
"Together with much concert work, I have done a great deal of teaching. For the last ten years I had been located in Cologne, at the Conservatory, where I had charge of the artist class. It takes the form of a Meister Schule, along the same lines as the one in Vienna over which Godowsky used to preside. Of course I often had to be absent on tour, but I still found considerable time for
teaching.
teaching I begin with finger training; for I am not one who believes in neglecting this side of piano technic. If you will
"In
my
come over to the piano I will show you just what I mean." The artist seated himself at
the keyboard, illustrating as he talked.
HAND
POSITION
"I first require a correct position. In this I follow the advice of Rubinstein, who counseled the student to sit on a chair which would
be the right height to keep the level of the arm and wrist, not allowing the elbow to hang below the keyboard. The knees are to be close
together; the heels planted on the floor, with the soles of the feet resting on the pedals, but
Carl Friedberg
not depressing them.
the side, as
83
pressed against
Now
the
hand
is
placed
on
my
and depress one key with the middle finger. As you see, the condition of arm is quite loose and relaxed. You can move my arm back and forth, or in any direcin this position,
hand
tion
you
choose, but
it
will
be impossible for
you to dislodge
it
my
finger
full relaxed
arm
weight.
now begin
to
make
various
movements
and independent. When they are somewhat under control I begin to train the thumb under the hand, ready for scale playing. The thumb moves under the hand, for the backward scale form, as soon as it has left its key, and is held under the hand I am a great until its turn comes to play.
to render the fingers flexible
believer in thorough scale practice in all forms. "In regard to equalizing the fingers, some
players struggle to make all fingers equally strong; yet with all their effort the fourth fin-
84
Piano Mastery
Second Series
all
the fingers be equal one just the same as the others? It Just those slight inequalities is not necessary.
of touch give variety and expressiveness to the playing. There are times when it is better to
thumb.
And why
should
somewhat trained, I begin on the hand, moving it up and down on the wrist. Chords are played with this touch; then from the elbow, and lastly
fingers
"When
have
become
upper arm, which of course hangs loosely from the shoulder. "For all this technical drill I use hundreds
in combination with the
of exercises of
printed.
haps changing them every week. If fingers are weak and bending, they must be made
strong by
exercises.
special
pressing
and gymnastic
LEGATO TOUCH
efforts
on
can do
it,
movement
Carl Friedberg
that
is
85
from an-
other.
of playing can be
point.
I will play the same passage with pure legato touch and you will hear the difference. I prefer the pure legato to the detached way
of playing.
"Now
When
a melody
lies in
more ex-
tended position, the hand can reach for the notes with steadiness and control. might
We
liken this tense reaching out from one note to another to a suspension bridge, swung be-
tween two supports the fingers." This remark reminded me forcibly of William H. Sherwood's method of turning the hand and
reaching out for the key, with slow, controlled motion.
"I believe in making everything musical, in always making the tone beautiful, even in
and scales," went on the "The pianist. piano is more than a thing of metal and wood; it can speak, and the true It artist will draw from it wonderful tones.
technical exercises
should be part of his constant study to create I believe a single tone can beautiful tone.
be
made expressive. I can prove this to you." Here Mr. Friedberg played several single
86
Piano Mastery
Second Series
Each The
tones here and there on the keyboard. of these was played with arm weight.
pressure was slightly relaxed after the key had sounded, not enough to remove the ringer, but
just sufficient to varied in quality "It
is
make
and
to discover
new and
and variety of production. So much can be done with staccatos, too. There are so many kinds; the hand staccato, the finger staccato,
the drawing off, elastic touch.
Staccato can
an
notes,
from a Chopin mazourka, using only the second finger and keeping the rest of the hand closed. He then repeated the selection with
trast
normal fingering and legato touch; the conwas very marked. "If a student comes to you," I asked, "who
plays tolerably well, though not trained along these technical lines, do you require him, first
of
all,
to
go through
"I do not require it. I explain my ideas to him, illustrate them and show him the advantages of such training. He is at once anxious
Carl Friedberg
to study in this
87
who
Since the above conversation, Mr. Friedberg has become more at home in this country,
where
his
time
is
now
teaching and
many
concert appearances.
VIII
YOLANDA MERO
THE BEAUTIFUL IN MUSIC
am
me
When
am away
on a tour, there is often no time to practice at all; and if there should be a little while here and there, the piano may be a poor one, so that I feel better just to let it alone and not attempt
to practice at
all.
"Some
so.
When
am
keyboard with never done I but have go, here in my home, between en88
Yolanda Herd
;
89
gagements, I practice but even then I am not When the fever is on systematic about it. then I work with enthusiasm a whole day at a time; but I must be in the mood to work or I accomplish nothing. If I am not in the mood, I would rather keep away from the piano or play only a bit to amuse myself.
true, I
had
to prac-
exactly. father taught me at the start; that was when I was five and a half. One thing he made me
My
do which I think helped me very much to gain accuracy. He would spread a cloth over the keyboard, and, with this barrier between my little fingers and the keys, I must play my scales, etudes and pieces." (This reminds one
of the
Mozart, playing before the nobility. it was only by means of magic he was able to accomplish such wonders.
little
The
fellow indignantly protested, and offered to play the same piece with the keys
was as good as his word, quite covered. to the increased astonishment of the court.)
He
made me so exact that I very seldom touch a wrong key now. But I
"That
sort of training
am
90
with
Piano Mastery
little
Second Series
grown-ups
"At Frau Professor Augusta Rennebaum, who is at the National Conservatorium at BudaI consider her a wonderful teacher, in I have been with fact, I have had no other. her from my eighth year until I came to
Pest.
too late to try it. the age of eight I had a woman teacher,
America. With her I did all possible etudes, from Kohler and Czerny to Clementi and TauThat is, perhaps, why I do not practice sig. technic now, I have been through so much. Moreover, it no longer interests me.
"What
ideas.
I want
now
is is
My preference
ideas, with emotion, not for pieces whose techwork nical display will astonish and dazzle.
Paganini Variations of Brahms, for instance, is full of brilliant technical feats which seem to obscure the deeper meanings of the piece. I play these Variations, to be sure, but they do not greatly appeal to me. I am very fond of Schumann, his Kreisleriana, Fantaisie Stucke, Carneval and other things. You mention my playing the Vogrich Staccato Caprice, which is a brilliant show piece. Quite
like the
Yolanda Herd
true,
91
but that was a youthful indiscretion. I played it when a very little girl, and now,
everywhere I go, I am asked to play it. I can assure you I never have to practice that, for I have played it so much. "I feel there is other music just as beautiful as piano music. I am devoted to that for the
violin or for the orchestra
;
it all
interests
me
so
is
too.
When
there
all
much
kinds, I feel it such a loss of time to spend so of it on technic, pure and simple. Others
may not agree with me however. There is Mme. Sophie Menter, for instance, who has a
marvelous technic.
She spends hours daily in technic work. This consists largely five-finger of repeating the same note with each finger in
succession over
soft,
loud,
now
and tone.
equality.
plays the note, the ear must discriminate between the tones and strive to make each tone
like all the others.
trained to
evenness they
played.
preserve this
is
92
Piano Mastery
from
Second Series
PRACTICING A
NEW WORK
it
"When
I take
through quite as a child would, carefully slowly, from end to end. I do this over
over
till
and and
and
in
begins;
Now
I shall add
my
begin at once to memorize it, first one hand and the other, then both together. No, I study
the contents of the piece as a whole, then each in detail. The result is that, almost before I
has happened, I know the notes from memory. This seems to me a better way than
it
know
to start at once to
in the effort
them, in the early stages, one may miss many signs and marks which would otherwise be observed, if the printed page were before one. This does not mean that I am averse to com-
mitting the music away from the instrument, for I often do this on trains during my travels
from place to
place.
There
is
so
much
tech-
Yolanda Herd
nic to be
93
the sort of
found
is
in pieces,
and
it is
technic that
interesting, too.
To
take scales
and play them to-day at a certain speed and to-morrow a little better, or worse, that is not sufficiently absorbing to keep my mind on
thinking of other things. But to study a difficult passage in a musical work, to see and hear it grow better and better with
them; I
fall to
practice
there
is
keen zest in
that.
MEMORIZING A CONCERTO
"In studying a concerto, I first begin with the score, for I must know every note of each instrument of the orchestra as well as my own
piano part.
is
liable to
a great responsibility, this playing with orchestra; much greater than playing solos. For in the latter instance one
in public.
may
cover a slip
more
easily.
It
is
true one
should be able to improvise a passage when playing with orchestra, but this seems to me
more
difficult.
my
technic to
concert pitch, I can say that I do not now practice scales and technical forms outside of
94
Piano Mastery
Second Series
course in earlier days I had to do a great deal of pure technic study. But now I find all I need in the pieces themselves.
pieces.
Of
When
"As for octaves, I do not now practice them outside of pieces; for if there is any octave work in a piece it is apt to give one plenty to
the Sixth Rhapsodic of Liszt, for instance, can any octave exercise be devised better than that? Then there is the Fourth
do.
Take
Rhapsodic
also, as
both give
splendid opportunity for octave study. Other pieces might also be quoted for this purpose.
never do
to
it,
"One word more about practicing. I can it when unable to give my whole time
for then I accomplish nothing
;
my whole
thought must be on
my
work.
has objected as yet; when they do I shall get a silent keyboard, but not before."
grown, broadened and ripened to a wonderful degree, since you have been in America," I said to Mme. Mero, as we sat chatting in her music room
"It seems to
art has
me your
Yolanda Mero
95
one forenoon, shortly after a New York recital, which had been performed with consummate mastery, with exquisite refinement of "I was deeply imstyle and tonal effects. pressed with this fact on hearing your recital As I remember, when here the other day.
played in New York, some six years all temperaall fire and flame, were ago, you ment. Now it is temperament perfectly controlled, though the fire is there, just below the surface. But it is held in fine balance, tempered by unerring taste and skill. You must have lived deeply in these years." "I am older and more matured," said the young artist, with her brilliant smile; "I have toned down some of my early enthusiasms. Then I have been a great deal before the public and have played much since I first came here; I have made several tours in this counThe try and one in Europe in that time. rethe more is the one before longer public, poseful one can appear, at least on the outside; yet there may be an increasing anxiety below the surface. But we learn not to show
you
first
outwardly. It is the nervousness that grips one before going on that is so distracting. As soon as I have begun, played myself out a
it
little,
grown
familiar with
my
audience and
96
Piano Mastery
Second Series
us, I
established a
fectly
sympathy between
am
per-
"What you have found, that pianists have much more to say for themselves and their art
than the vocalists have for theirs, is no doubt true. The reason is not far to seek. Is it not because the pianist must be a highly educated
person, knowing many sides of his art? He must not only have mastered the technical side, but he must have a knowledge of harmony, form and counterpoint, and also know the works he plays. Then he must know many
literature, poetry,
of the mechanical side, think of the years of exhaustive study which must be spent to acquire a modern technic for the
piano.
voice,
"To speak
who
teacher, can sing in concerts and even go on tour. With perhaps thirty songs and a couple of arias, one is considered ready to come before
But to learn thirty songs would match the labor bestowed on one hardly Chopin etude. Then think of the repertoire a public pianist must have
the public.
!
Yolanda Herd
PIANIST OR SINGER
97
"On
is
at a dis-
advantage when measured with a singer. Singing is always much more popular with an average audience than piano playing. The 'tired business man,' wishing to be entertained, will turn out to hear a singer render an aria and some nice English songs, when he could not stand the strain and mental fatigue of listening to a piano recital. This happens all over the country, and is a condition we pianists have to contend with. It may not be the condition in New York or in other music centers, where there is a large musical public, where there are many who know and love piano
music. Of course musical appreciation has increased greatly, and the understanding of
piano music
is
and
MODERN MUSIC
"I have not added much so-called modern music to my repertoire, perhaps because it does not always seem beautiful to me. It may be interesting, impressionistic, symbolic, but not
98
Piano Mastery
is
Second Series
in-
things
make me
learning them,
"I have been interested in the work of the Russian Ballet, and the modern compositions they have illustrated, the music of Petrouchka,
for instance, and some of the other selections. In Schumann's Carneval, it seems to me much more might have been done with it in a chore-
ographic
There
is
way than
scenes, as
some
as given by the Ballet, of the best are left out. It does not seem
does to some people, to see the Carneval pictured in the dance. For
a desecration to
me
as
it
we have become somewhat accustomed to through the work of Duncan and others.
this
We
have had Beethoven's Seventh Symphony, the Mendelssohn Spring Song, and various Schubert and Chopin pieces portrayed in the dance. Why not the Carneval, or any other selection, if by so doing the music is presented more
vividly to the imagination?
OLD MUSIC
"I am fond of the old music, pieces which one seldom hears of nowadays. One composer
Yolanda Herd
99
whose music is much neglected, is Philip Emanuel Bach. I have found some lovely and
known things of his. Here is one, a Rondo in E major." And sitting down at the piano, Mme. Mero illustrated as she talked. "I also play the Organ Concerto in D Minor,
little
by
his brother,
Friedmann Bach.
It has been
arranged for piano by Stradal. "Then there are some fine things of
del
HaenBlack-
(outside
of
is
the
Harmonious
smith!).
One
Minor, another is a Gigue in Minor, both of which are little known. Passacaglia by Frescobaldi has been arranged by Stradal
also and I use a Gigue by Hassler. One cannot place more than one or two of these old pieces on a program with safety. I shall add
;
the Sonata
to
my
list
very soon."
IX
ERNEST HUTCHESON
TECHNIC AND INTERPRETATION
IN Ernest Hutcheson
ties
It is not easy to take high rank in both the art of playing and the art of teaching, but here is an Australian musician who has been able to
In this double capacity he has become noted on both sides of the ocean. Mr. Hutcheson rightly feels that experience should loom large when estimating the value and usefulness of the teacher. He can often
determine at once whether a prospective pupil can work with him to advantage or be better
off
do both.
"I would sometimes rather take a beginner," he says, "than one who has played a great deal and is very set in his ways. Various students come to me asking to be coached on the interpretation
or
pedaling, of
different
pieces.
They may
ally, to
my
Ernest Hutcheson
101
ideas on the subject, for they have not taken the necessary steps to climb the heights re-
quired in such compositions. "It is surprising how little many people comprehend where they stand in their musical
they think they are, and where they really stand, may be wide apart! teacher needs large experience and acumen
studies.
Where
to help him decide quickly just what regimen is best for the pupil, both technically and mu-
pupils can play a Mozart sonata respectably who would have little idea of
sically.
Some
the
modern tonal coloring required to render even MacDowelFs little Wild Rose. Or they
might play the Reinhold Impromptu with brilliancy, yet would quite fail to give the right
atmosphere to the Water Lily. Some pieces which seem simple, so far as the notes go, present difficulties of another sort. How is it possible to attempt a Liszt Rhapsodic, when one cannot compass the little Fantaisie in
Minor, by Mozart?
FINDING
NEW
MUSIC
time has become so limited that I have not the leisure to look over quantities of new
"My
music.
a hundred
102
Piano Mastery
Second Series
would be acceptable. Of course I make use of the entire standard repertoire in teaching; the ultra-modern things come to me, so to
speak.
artists,
As
way
"I arrange
my
teaching
and
Mr. Hutcheson showed a little blank book with lists of pieces, from the classics of Bach and Beethoven down to the present hour; certain signs value.
indicated
their
special
technical
"No
Mine
doubt
all
teachers
make such
lists.
are not arranged in grades, however. I could never see the use of grading pieces.
Pupils vary so greatly in comprehension and mentality that the same piece might be difficult for one pupil and very simple for another, both having studied for about the same length of time. This shatters the grade the-
I find myself at sea on the subject, and banish all thought of grades."
ory.
experience
privately and in music as well as in America, I in schools, Europe inquired his opinion as to the relative value of each.
teaching,
both
"There
is
much
Ernest HutcJieson
music school.
routine
103
school
is
If your pupil needs ear-training you can require her to attend such a class it is the same with harfree advantages.
;
work and
mony. All pupils need drill in these subjects, and in a school they are included in the tuition.
Then
the concerts
there are the opportunities to play in and musicals, often with other in-
If the stu-
dent
intends
becoming
"The
private pupils. I have had a large studio, seating 150 or 200, and generally have had a musical once a week, the pupils inviting
with
my
There is nothing their parents and friends. which will take the place of the routine of playing before others.
to learn to
play in public is to play. Pupils who play their pieces correctly and well for me, will
all to pieces
104 Piano
first
Mastery
Even
Second Series
They soon get used
time in a musicale.
however.
TECHNICAL TRAINING
"In regard to technical training there are
certain principles underlying all correct teaching and playing. I do not believe in any special
if
method.
It
is
so easy to
make a method,
certain phases are held up and magnified, to the exclusion of other phases of the subject.
There are so many sides to be considered they should all be viewed in the right perspective, and in just relation to each other. It is difficult even to speak of certain sides, for fear of seeming to neglect other phases which are
;
equally important. "Perhaps the three most important princiThe ples are: Position, Condition, Action. first presents the least difficulty. With the
second
is
we
are
first
concerned when a
new pupil
taken in hand. There is usually stiffness. may be that nothing can be done till the pupil learns to relax shoulders and arms. Then we come to the piano and touch single tones,
It
arm weight and a single finger. There are three different ways of touching a key; we can hit it, press it, or fall on it, The
using relaxed
Ernest Hutcheson
first,
105
of course, is harsh; the second term is sometimes misleading. Playing with relaxed weight of arm and a firm finger seems to express the idea.
My
As
is
in that
movement
transferred from
take each step, so in playing a smooth legato on the piano, the weight of hand
we
easily
to the next
we
proceed.
POSITION
AND TOUCH
"When
elbow and arched position of the hand, with rounded finThe latter are not to be straightened gers. when lifted, as some are inclined to do, but should preserve their rounded shape. In all the earlier stages of piano study there must be
decided finger action, with fingers kept at a too high medium height above the keys. lift may cause strained conditions and hard
clearness
and development.
brilliancy
and
delicacy.
106
Piano Mastery
Second Series
"In chord playing there are many touches, the one chosen depending on the character of the passage. We can use down-arm action, with great weight, or hand action at the wrist,
or up-arm touch, always taking care to keep unemployed fingers out of harm's way." Mr.
Hutcheson
the arched position of the hand has been formed the great point seems to be to touch the white keys up near the
and
an even
line in play-
ing both black and white keys, always keeping the other fingers out of harm's way, by
holding them up."
Thoughts on Interpretation
OBJECTIVE AND SUBJECTIVE
"Interpretation has two aspects, an objective and a subjective. Imagine several fine
orators reading the soliloquy from Hamlet. In many respects their versions would be identical;
all
words
correctly,
accents
to
Ernest HutcTieson
107
the sense and construction of the speech would be clear; all would employ certain inflections
That
is
objective in-
"But each individual orator would probHe would hardly fail to ably go farther. add touches peculiar to himself: heightened
shades of voice, a barely perceptible dwelling on chosen words, gestures prompted by his own feeling; in short, he
stresses, delicate
his
which we
may
sub-
jective interpretation. greater mistake could be made than to suppose that there is a
No
latent antagonism between the objective and It is so in music also; the subjective sides.
most 'original' rendering of any work may at the same time show infinite care of the composer's intentions.
USE OF RUBATO
of the most harmful prejudices in regard to interpretation is the prevalent idea that one takes a 'liberty' in adding inflection
"One
This
is
108
Piano Mastery
Second Series
formance devoid of such enrichment will inevitably be dry and mechanical, and the most
unpardonable liberty one could possibly be guilty of toward a composer is to make his music sound mechanical. Hardly less is the
suggestion often made to students that, while rubato may appropriately be used in playing Chopin and Schumann, it is out of place in
The
truth
is
that the
formance depends entirely on the character of the work itself, not on the name of the writer
or the date of composition.
Many of Chopin's
and Schumann's works would be ruined by a lavish employment of rubato, and many Fantasias of Bach and slow movements of Beethoven call for as much rhythmical freedom as These any modern nocturne or romance.
prejudices, for that matter, are even historically wrong; the old masters all used rubato,
and Beethoven's playing, as far as we can judge from reports of his contemporaries, was
so extraordinarily free that in all probability it would have been a severe shock to audiences
and
critics
Flexibility of
rhythm, in fact,
logical
Ernest Hutcheson
any other, provided always that it be tated by artistic sense, not by caprice.
as
109
dic-
VARIETY OF TONE
"Rhythm
tion.
is
Chief
cluding accent and shading, Phrasing and Pedaling. In all of these we shall find the
taste
and
indicates
he implies; other
points again he leaves entirely to the player's For instance, the author very discretion.
rarely suggests, except by implication, a difference of tone between melody and accom-
paniment, yet even a beginner strongly feels the obligation of a marked difference of quality or volume.
"In phrasing, precisely the same principles apply to classical and modern works, but the
usage of the
It
is
ing
Roughly speaking,
classical
usage the end of a slur does not necessarily involve an interruption of the legato, while in modern usage (particularly that of
110
Piano Mastery
Second Series
PEDALING
for pedaling signs, the convention under which they are employed is radically incorrect, and accordingly we have to displace
"As
by any means the only demand customarily made on our inwriter's intention.
is
Nor
this
telligence.
an instrument of very small resonance as compared with a modern Steinway. We are told that he played the entire theme of the second movement of his C minor Concerto without
lifting the
similar performance on a piano of to-day would have the most disastrous results.
damper pedal; a
"While all musical notation, except the mere notation of pitch, is limited and inaccurate, that of the pedal is peculiarly inadequate, and the ear, our only safe guide, must constantly be invoked. The use of the soft
pedal is almost always left to the native sense of the pianist; and the sostenuto pedal, found only on instruments of American make, has
Ernest Hutcheson
111
"The character of a
We
instances.
vading spirit is tenderness, soothingness, the song of mother-love; the conspicuous ornamentation is only incidental and should be
veiled, not insisted on; the suggestion (in the left hand) of a persistently rocking cradle is
wholly
and should never 'creak.' Take the same composer's Funeral March;
external
is
that of dull, sullen grief, rising to anguish, relieved by hope or sweet memories; the hint of tolling bells and
pageantry of woe is material, not spiritual, and should be kept in the background. I once knew a lady who 'quite distinctly saw the carriage wheels go round' when she heard this tragedy of tone Again, look at the fitude in F minor, op. 25, No. 1. This is a tiny gem which might be compared to a wandering and wistful breeze, elusive, remote; it should be
!
and cross-rhythms. Is there any 'moonlight' in the C sharp minor Sonata of Beethoven?
112
Piano Mastery
!
Second Series
It shows us a dark, tormented forbid soul which finds fleeting peace in the Intermezzo, that 'flower between two abysses,' and
Heaven
on to a tempest of despair in the Finale. "It is an excellent exercise in interpretation thus to take a composition, or more often a single theme, and attempt to describe its character in a few words. This does not mean to fit a story to it, to impose on it attributes not
drives
necessarily inherent, but simply to fix its indisputable qualities in the mind as a key to the
right feeling.
not be thought, however, that the right feeling for music will alone insure good interpretation. The deepest feelings often fail
it
"Let
player's mind, they reach no listening ear. The mission of the interpretative artist is to com-
municate music, as he
feels
it,
to others.
Our
Anglo-Saxon temperament always labors under the artistic disadvantage of a deep-rooted reluctance to show emotion. But emotion
must be shown
is
to be shared,
and
this,
I think,
what we usually mean in speakI am far from of musical ing 'expression.' decrying the sensuous and intellectual elements
in substance
of interpretation, though
it
modern world
derives
little
from
Ernest Hutcheson
these elements
fervor,
113
poetic
when unaccompanied by
will forgive
many
offenses if once persuaded that a strong imaginative impulse sways its performers.
MR.
AND
MRS.
A. K.
VIRGIL
would wish to be known to posterity his answer would surely be "as a musical educator." To the cause of Education in Music
lar title he
he has consecrated his life. It may be of interest to the army of teachers and players who use the clavier, who have found such benefit in the method of piano technic and study combined with it, to know a few
facts in the career of the inventor of this re-
markable instrument. Almon Kincaid Virgil is a native of Erie, Penn. His father practiced law until middle life, then studied theology and became a Bap-
was a highly educated man, with an intense love for music, and much natural ability for it. His son Almon was taught to play both 'cello and organ at a very early
tist minister.
He
o^o
<~
^cutM>'^DC
^AOcAy
115
After graduating from a seminary, he entered college, but later was forced to relinquish his studies on account of ill health. To please his father he then took up the study of law at the Albany Law School; but as all his interests tended toward the study and teaching of music, he soon gave up all
to music.
much time
In
he came in touch, became deeply interested in the study of psychology, and its application to
music.
correct educational principles in the study of From that period he has been a con-
HOW THE CLAVIER CAME INTO BEING When young Virgil began over fifty years
ago in a western town to teach music, he discovered that most piano pupils had very little idea of what they were trying to do or what they were aiming at. Even then he felt that the study of music should be made as thorough and logical as the study of mathematics or any
other science.
He
began to
strive at
once to
educate pupils to think; to do one thing at a time and do it thoroughly to do nothing without correct thinking. His desire was to train
116 Piano
Mastery
Second Series
discovered in those early days, that the average pupil had a very uncertain touch and
tones were likely to overlap, while others would be disconnected. He felt that if attention could be concentrated
He
poor key-connection.
Some
on a pure legato effect, away from, or quite apart from musical sound, both touch and tone would be greatly improved. Two keys abstracted from an old piano served for an experiment he had in mind. When the inventor had arranged the action of these two keys to his satisfaction, he allowed one or two of his pupils to practice slow trill exercises on them. These pupils felt the benefit almost immediately, through more exact movements and better piano tone. Other keys were soon added to the first pair, as the idea grew and more improvements resulted. From
such small beginnings as these sprang the first early effort called the techniphone, which finally developed into the Practice Clavier, and
we now
At
the root of
all this
vital
thought and experiidea to awaken musical inof the pupil, and pre-
telligence in the
mind
117
aimless
much For
indifferent,
it is
shiftless,
impossible to accomplish
anything on the clavier without thought. second idea of equal importance was to separate, for a time, the so-called mechanical side
of piano study from the musical side; in other words to prepare fingers, hands and arms for
work they were to perform, before attempting that work. In every branch of labor the artisan must fit himself for his task before unthe
dertaking
it
why
same?
Such a
measurably the time required to gain control of physical and mental forces. It would seem both sensible and normal to
begin one's musical studies in a
the quickest results. But finger aration away from the keyboard had been
thought
of. The very idea of moving fingers and playing exercises on a table or toneless instrument was considered detrimental. No, tone must be heard there could be no playing without tone. The fact that better and purer
;
tones could be produced as the result of proper preparation, was difficult for teacher or stu-
Thus an
118
Piano Mastery
but
Second Series
sensible.
gle,
it
It has been a long and arduous strughas not been in vain. The results
good have been wide and far-reaching. Many have come to realize the truth of the principle he has preached and taught for so
for
many years countless students have been benefited, many teachers all over America and
;
also in
scientific lines,
EDUCATION IN MUSIC
Mr. Virgil and his wife formerly Miss Florence Dodd of London, who so ably assists him in his musical and educational labors called at my studio recently. They had just
after completing a successful year of musical activity in St. Petersburg, Florida, where they have established a
arrived in
New York
yet we have done all the teaching our"You can get an selves," said Mrs. Virgil. idea of what that means when I tell you I be-
"As
day
till
It
absolutely virgin
soil
down
119
come our work with open mind and are eager it. We are training some young teachers
assist
us in the work."
"We
and piano
playing on educational principles," said Mr. "The trouble seems to be that musiVirgil.
cians are not educators, therefore they do not teach music along educational lines, nor with the same thoroughness used for other educational subjects. feel this is quite a false view to take of music study. The foundation must be well laid if good results are to follow,
We
logical time to
do
Personally we are using time, energy and all our skill to institute and spread these necessary reforms as far as we are able.
one point on which I feel very great deal of harm is being done strongly. some who are not educators but who artists by
is
"There
are besieged for lessons because of their great success on the concert platform. Their teach-
ing experience includes nothing more than that gained from coaching advanced students
in the interpretation
120
Piano Mastery
Second Series
unnecessary, for technic can be mastered through the study of compositions. Arttice are
ists
who
insist there is
no need for
special tech-
nical study
true educational principles, or because they have never taught the average student are
thoughtlessly doing
over.
harm
their part, the students are eager to catch at this advice, for they usually wish to
"For
little effort
as possible. they at last awake to the fact they have never laid an adequate foundation to build upon, the awakening is a sad one.
When
For they
find
it
up a
"Fifty years' teaching experience has brought me in touch with thousands of students. From what I have seen of the general lack of preparation I steadfastly maintain that
stu-
dents against contrary advice. "It is true artists need not teach technic
themselves, but I maintain they ought to consider the proper development of the faculties
demanded
121
foundational work.
am
thankful
there are
some
artists
who do
this.
correct playing habits have been established and a certain amount of technical
skill
"When
has been positively acquired, and the student has mastered the principal technical
forms, he can dispense with the stacks of etudes which some teachers deem necessary. He can
economize time by devoting himself to compositions of real musical value, to be included in a permanent repertoire. But I maintain that even advanced students should give some time
each day to direct technical study.
"Some
of those
technical
in early years to
Others are
endowed by nature with such wonderful genius and natural physical adaptability to the requirements of the piano that they have been able to dispense with much of the technical
practice indispensable to the average student."
INTERMEDIATE TEACHERS
supplemented Mrs. Virgil, is an important field for musical educators of understanding and ability in bridging over, as it were, the wide gap between the foundation of music study and the stage where
feel,"
"We
"there
122
Piano Mastery
Second Series
is ready for the artist teacher. started aright and laid a corhave pupil may rect foundation, but if the succeeding steps are not logically taken, precepts which were so
the student
carefully inculcated in the beginning are neglected and forgotten. So there is an everincreasing demand for intermediate teachers,
who understand
the principles of a thorough educational foundation, and can apply those principles to pieces of various degrees of dif-
This naturally includes a large acquaintance with musical literature, as well as much experience in teaching. I might call
ficulty.
an arrangement a division of labor, though the expression smacks a bit of the workroom.
such
"LIVE WEIGHT"
hear a great deal in these days about the 'dead weight principle.' Mr. Virgil and I
"We
have always taught the principle of weight, but we prefer to call it the 'live weight principle,'
for
it is
really vital
and
alive.
It
is
of course
and adjusted. When you want great depth of tone you let down all the relaxed weight you have; if you wish softer effects some of the
weight
is
'Mr.
and Mrs.
*A.
K. Virgil
123
We
start.
teach easy relaxed movements from the The child must learn to do everything
easily
and gracefully,
if it
and awk-
ward
in everything else, can suddenly become easy and graceful at the piano without proper
training."
CHARACTER BUILDING
"Music study based upon true educational principles is most assuredly character building" remarked Mr. Virgil. "The successful piano student must have purpose, perseverance and will power but these qualities, w^ith many
;
students, are apparently lacking in the beginIt is quite wonderful, however, what ning.
persistent effort on the part of the teacher will do to arouse the power of thought and deter-
THE CLAVIER
just where the clavier, properly employed, becomes such an important ally," "The majority of interposed Mrs. Virgil.
is
"And this
its
value.
No
stu-
dent can use the clavier under intelligent guidance, without developing mental control. Ex-
124
Piano Mastery
Second Series
that the average stumusically if he divides
if
me
he uses the piano exclusively, this is to say, provided attention is given to ear-training and he is taught to listen to his own playing when he uses the piano. With the average student,
use of tone the entire time tends to dull his
musical
find that musically gifted students need the clavier just as much as others who are less highly endowed. Consensibilities.
We
tone
stant appeal to the emotional sense through is very taxing upon the physical condi-
tion; gifted students are apt to work a great deal more through their emotions than through
their intelligence."
"Yes," added Mr. Virgil, "and you remember what Professor Butler has said: 'Development through the emotions is ultimate weakness; development through the intelligence
is
ultimate strength.'
'
Volumes might be written about the work of these earnest educators and their efforts toward musical preparedness and efficiency. They have accomplished much and the results
of their labors are spreading in ever-widening
circles,
XI
EDWARD MACDOWELL,
AS TEACHER
RELATED BY MRS. EDWARD MACDOWELL
year adds to the fame of our greatest American composer, Edward MacDowell. As his music is more frequently heard, it becomes
better understood
EACH
and
loved.
The
various
clubs bearing the composer's name, scattered over the country, are doing their share to familiarize people with his music. Perhaps the most potent factor in spreading this familiarity
is
the
of the
work which Mrs. MacDowell, widow composer, is doing. For the past five
years she has traveled over the length and breadth of the land "from coast to coast"
bearing her sweet message of harmony and beauty. As she ministered to her distinguished
husband, with the most unselfish devotion, during his life, so she has consecrated her time and talents to the work of spreading broadcast a
better understanding of his music, and to the upbuilding of the Peterborough Memorial,
125
126 Piano
Mastery
Second Series
which, mainly through her untiring efforts, has come to be a source of help and inspiration to
many an
artist.
While Edward MacDowelFs fame in the future will rest on his many valuable contributions to musical literature,
teacher.
we do not
forget
He
had the
gift of imparting,
and
numbered among
his students
who
are
an honorable career in the profession. In regard to MacDowell's ideals of teaching and piano study, no one could speak with more knowledge and authority than Mrs. MacDowstudied very seriously with the composer for four years. She has been willing to give some of her valuable time, between
ell herself,
who
lecture recital engagements, to a conference on these subjects, which is here set down with all
when I was
though I had picked out many little things for myself before that time," began Mrs. MacDo well. "My first and only teacher in
America was a
owing
to
changes of fortune, had come to New York from her home in the South. She was half French, a Jumel,
doubtless one of the orig-
Photograph by Darts
(&
Sanford
EDWARD
Edward Macdowell,
as
Teacher 127
and was really a remarkable inal family woman. She was a fine musician, and was able
within one year to make a place for herself here, and obtain a large fee for lessons, something unusual for a woman to do in those early
days.
"My aunt evidently felt I had some talent that was worth while cultivating, for she took
me in hand and taught me thoroughly,
for four
years. After that I worked by myself for several years, until, under stress of circumstances, it was decided for me to make music my profession, and I went abroad to continue my
studies.
Her
daughters acted as Vorbereiters for their famous mother. I learned they were slow, heavy
ing his studies with Raff. I consented to try this plan for six months, though I confess I was not eager to come to Europe to study with
128
Piano Mastery
Second Series
an American teacher; neither was the young professor anxious to accept pupils from his
own
I began. teacher put me through a very severe course of trainHe has since confessed that he never ing.
country.
However
My
would administer such Spartan treatment to any one else. He gave no pieces, but many etudes and much Bach. At the end of the half year, I was free to go to another teacher to Mme. Schumann if I wished. But I had enough good common sense to see that I had
made
to
astonishing progress,
remain with my "We were both working very hard, each in our own way, without thought of any sentiment between us. I well remember my first
piece, after almost a year's study.
It
was the
TEACHING MATERIAL,
"What
Dowell
ler,
teaching material did Mr. Macuse, you ask? I studied Czerny, HelCramer (the original, not the Biilow edi-
tion),
dementi's Gradus, and plenty of Bach, the smaller pieces, Inventions and so on. Mr. MacDowell did not give a great many tech-
Edward Macdowell,
nical
as Teacher
129
forms outside of etudes. His idea was and arpeggios need great concentration in order to render their practice beneficial. Many students cannot concentrate sufficiently, in which case they are apt to lose time
that scales
scales
better
"This was his idea. But Mr. MacDowell never claimed he was always right in his views,
never felt his way was the only way. He was ever broad minded in such matters. He would
say, 'I do not work just that way,' or 'I do not see it in your light, but yours may be just as had not very much good a way as mine.'
He
use for so-called piano methods; he said there was some good in each, but would not confine himself to
any
one.
He
were so
sorts of hands,
degrees of intelligence, so many a different method was required for each mentality. He did not always adopt
many
the Leschetizky idea of an arched hand at least for small ones like mine. principle of
his
the hand.
130 Piano
Mastery
Second Series
THE HAND
THE UNDER
SIDE OF
"This principle is one I have never heard spoken of; he made a great point of it. The under muscles are delicate, and care should be taken? not to strain them; but with judicious training much strength of hand and fingers can
be acquired through development of these muscles. In my own case, I attribute the ability
to regain
principle.
my my
marriage to Mr. MacDowell, I relinquished all thought of making a career, although he felt I had the necessary talent and For fifteen years I scarcely touched ability. the piano. I felt it more important to devote myself to caring for him, saving his time in many ways and shielding him from unnecessary cares. Then I took up my music after he passed away, and taught for five years. I
"After
"For this work I needed to regain my techI find nic, and what is more, to keep it up. some of my husband's exercises employing the palm or under muscles of the hand most beneficial. Here are a few of them." Mrs. MacDowell sat down at the piano, and laying her
Edward Macdowell,
as
Teacher
131
outstretched hand on the keys without depressing them, raised the fingers singly and in pairs,
and let them fall softly on their keys, without in the least disturbing or pressing the other The fifth finger was fingers lying at rest.
especially spoken of as needing this exercise.
this
kind of touch,"
PLAYING SOFTLY
"One
of
Mr. MacDowelFs
ideas
was to
practice softly, with outstretched fingers. This did not mean to the exclusion of other forms
of touch, else the player might lose force and vitality of tone. You remind me that William
H. Sherwood
tice.
"Another quality of tone is secured by a I was slight drawing in of the finger tips. told the other day, by a pedagogical authority, that this touch was no longer in use was quite out of date. I am glad to know that you and others use it, and that various well-known
artists
approve of
it.
132
Piano Mastery
Second Series
MEMORIZING
memorizing away from the piano, and in several ways. Perhaps the most effective way is the mental photograph I make of the printed page. I can really see the notes before me. I can also recite them, thinking or speaking the two staves together, vertically, not one and then the other, singly. I think one
"I do
my
should thoroughly know the piece in various ways, otherwise one may meet disaster when
playing in public.
MACDOWELL'S CLASS
"A
These
in
the fort-
were regular
to play a
piece through, in a semi-public manner. He was not obliged to memorize, though he could,
if
The
idea
was to go through the piece before others, so that the master himself could judge of the
effect.
they had been recently working on in the alternate private lesson, or they might be asked to play a selection that had been laid aside for a few months, and needed review.
Edward
Macdotvell, as Teacher
INTERPRETATION
133
"Mr. MacDowell had a strong theory that the pupil should use his own innate musical and rhythmic feeling to get at the meaning of
the piece. of his own to
see
He
two pupils
same time, to
how they would work it out. He preferred to have them express their own individuality, if
they did not offend against any musical law. The first lesson on a piece was always devoted
to the technical side; after that
pretation.
came the
inter-
"In my recital work, I am always asked to play MacDowell's music; this is quite to be expected. I have a vivid memory of how he played his compositions, and I believe I am better able than any one else to give an adequate idea of his
tation."
own
XII
RUTH DEYO
THE TECHNIC OF INTERPRETATION
IT has been truly said of Ruth Deyo that she has every attribute of a great pianist. Technic indeed, of the sort that is "an art in
temperament, a strong musical nature, and a something that appeals to an audience and compels sympathetic attention. You may call this something personal magnetism, or perBut it holds the sonality or what you will. listener to the mental picture or the series of emotional states which are being depicted at the piano and through which we must live with
itself,"
recital by Ruth Deyo is a rich and emotional experience, and if the pieces happen to be by her master, Edward MacDowell, the occasion is truly a feast to the
interest in
the divine
sent her to Europe, where she spark. studied for some time, making her debut in a
134
He
Photograph by Garo
Ruth Deyo
recital in Berlin,
135
received advice
musicians as Paderewski, d'Indy, Busoni, Carreno, Bauer, and later from her admired friend, Charles Martin Loeffler.
Everywhere she has played, both in Europe and America, Ruth Deyo has won high praise.
of
Macre-
New
by the large audience of musicians with the highest approval. If Miss Deyo did nothing else but give her time and talents to making the music of our greatest composer known
from one end of the land to the other, she would be doing a wonderful and uplifting
work.
is
a small girl she gave a recital of her own compositions at the World's Fair in Chicago. She has already produced interesting pieces for
As
her instrument; we shall hope to become familiar with more of her work in the future. Let us listen while Miss Deyo tells us a little
136 Piano
Mastery
Second Series
EARLY INTUITIONS
"I began to play by ear when I was two and a half and to improvise when I was three, of course not knowing the notes, nor having the least idea of what I was doing. All I did
know was
happy
playing with dolls. "I wanted to reach the pedals and being quite too small for this, I tried to obviate the
difficulty
by
sitting in a
my
me on
My
fa-
took pity on me and had an extension pedal made, the kind Josef Hofmann used when he made his tours as a small
ther, seeing this,
boy.
"My
me
to be ex-
ploited as a
Wunder Kind
so I played in
public only occasionally and then only for charity. I was allowed to give a recital of my own compositions at the World's Fair in Chicago, but aside from this I was kept out of doors a great deal and lived as healthy a life
as possible. "Any talent which develops at a very early
age needs much guarding, otherwise it may burn itself out before it has a chance to ma/-
Ruth Deyo
ture.
artistic
137
development must be gradual and not too meteoric and their understanding of what I needed made all possible difference to my early
and saved me from much that I might have had to undo later on.
life
"
"When
I was ten, I
me an
time and was playing in Steinway Hall when he happened to walk down the corridor. He
said to the friend
'I
know
that
is
Ruth Deyo; I
long time, but I recognize her touch. Only one who plays from the scapula can get such a
pure
tone.'
He
was of course delighted to see him, for I had always looked up to him with a kind of worship as a child, and I was much touched that he
recognized
my playing.
His teaching was very suggestive. His conceptions were big and his interpretative sense exceedingly fine. He was a very severe task-
138
Piano Mastery
Second Series
rigid course of
me through a
"He would not allow me to play anything but exercises for two months after I began my work with him. He rarely ever complimented, but scolded me a great deal. In fact, I never
knew how much confidence he had in my future nor what he really thought of my playing until the last lesson I had from him, after having studied with him for two years. "(It seems he told my father very frankly his opinion, but kept it carefully hidden from
me.)
the final meeting of his Artist's Class which was given at Columbia, I played the
"At
Schumann
seventeen.
tears in his eyes and let me see for the first time how deeply interested he was in career and
what
ning.
faith he
me from
He
said,
You
me
I can
teach you nothing more,' which was typical of his unfailingly modest attitude toward every-
thing he did.
my
imaginative
He
believed
Ruth Deyo
139
absolutely in the necessity of putting the musical thought of the composition before everything that is, knowing clearly what the music
has to express and then applying the necessary technical means with which to express this.
in technical problems but interested in musical ones. per se, deeply Also he never made sentimental comparisons
He
between the arts, which unfortunately he has often been accused of doing. He was too and sincere a nature to have such a simple
pose.
essential to
make
one's
equipment
good that the musical idea to be expressed can be said truly and directly without the interference of poor mechanism. It is necessary to keep in mind the fact that technic is a 'means
an end' and only a means. Not merely to say this and theorize about it; but to live it and prove it in one's artistic life. "There is, in music, an inescapable need of two things to produce good music, either as an interpreter or as a composer. These two
to
are:
first,
scientific
knowledge;
second,
is
intuition.
The
it is
latter
the 'spark'
140 Piano
Mastery
Second Series
which gives life to a composition and without which it is an inanimate and meaningless series of notes. The former is the trained mentality by means of which one is able to express with scientific accuracy, and with the least waste of energy, all the beauty one finds in a composition.
is
a most im-
the ability to
give to the audience the exact impression of the music you desire to present to them,
thereby making the composition clear and inwhich it is bound telligible and not muddled,
to be if
it
to
do not put the necessary technical express all your inner thoughts to the
and work on it
listener.
and
natural fault, is first to analyze the composition with great care, as to its thematic maThen terial, its entire construction and so on.
analyze with equal care, the technical means you apply to each part of the composition in
order to bring out each special effect. Try to listen to yourself from the outside. You will
find this one of the
most
difficult
things to do
Ruth Deyo
and one of the most
Self criticism
is
141
moment
ence's
good opinion of him, in that moment is he bound to deteriorate unless he constantly keeps strict standards before him of what is
artistically right.
"An
artistic career is
all the way' that it appears to be, and as it should quite properly appear. The outward glamour of it is one of its greatest charms, but
the inward glamour of unremitting, relentless work to obtain the best and most beautiful results
is
really
much more
fascinating than
all
the outward displays of appreciation which honest artistic living is sure to bring. "All these expressions of appreciation are
necessities to
giving the best that is in him to create a beautiful thing for his audience and
who
is
for his
own
artistic ideals.
PLAYING IN PUBLIC
"This brings me to the interesting question of playing in public, and the necessary mental control in order to accomplish it. It simply
clear projection of
is
moved
142
Piano Mastery
Second Series
to listen intently from beginning to end without the desire to let its mind wander to other
topics.
The
artist
he
doing before he can convince an audihe must entirely forget himself while ocence; cupied with his work. The sympathetic curis
is
one
of the most inspiring things in a public career. I have never had this more strongly evidenced in my own life than when I was playing with
the
shall
never forget the responsiveness of the Friday afternoon audience. I did not even hear a And single cough through the whole concerto
!
there
the audience, orchestra, conductor which seemed to make them all one
one's individuality sank in the interest of tening to and interpreting the music.
lis-
really true artistic satisfaction, and nothing short of this means anything. The Royal Road to Art is, in spite of the necessity
"This
is
of keeping one's mind and heart open to all the good things the world has to offer, a very
exacting and straight path. "It is, however, infinitely worth every sacrifice; for the sacrifices only mean, discarding the useless, destructive elements and keeping to
Ruth Deyo
those that are constructive.
It
is
148
not always
easy to do so and one does not arrive at this beatific state in a day but the struggle to gain it is worth every effort it costs and the rewards
;
if
TONE PRODUCTION
"In my opinion the aim should be to get as pure and 'unpiano-like' a tone as possible. By that I mean the necessity of getting away from using the fingers like mechanical hammers.
This gives to the tone a disagreeable quality, and used to be, unfortunately, very often associated with piano playing. Happily we are trying to get away from this as much as possible at the present time; and much advance
has been made, owing to the realization of the fact that pressure on the keys gives a tone of
far greater purity and beauty than striking a key from a distance. Such a touch may be
employed
effects,
for
it
special
reasons
and certain
but
care.
144
Piano Mastery
Second Series
INTERPRETATION
"The first thing to do in learning a composiand its interpretation, is to study its musical content and understand its construction. One must know what has to be accentuated and why; where the high lights come, the clition
maxes, also the unimportant parts (so called) though nothing in music is really unimportant. very necessary part of true interpretation is to have respect for each voice and to give them all their proper value, not to play every voice and every finger loud when we see / or ff
in front of us.
"One reason why the pianist can practice Bach endlessly with no mental fatigue but with
increased delight is because of the constant interplay of many voices demanding different
qualities of tone.
how
It
supremely organic
material.
fashion
with
no
waste
"One
key chord or octave has been struck. This quick muscular contraction and relaxaafter the
Ruth Deyo
tion
is
145
an entirely healthy exercise as there can when properly controlled and at the same time the possibility of producing a powerful tone with no fatigue is limitless.
be no strain
"Four things are essential to powerful playing: 1. Well developed and very strong fingers (arched hand is the safest position, though some pianists play with fingers quite flat) 2. Relaxed arm. 3. Impetus made from the 4. Immediate relaxation after the shoulder.
.
chord has been played. "Delicacy is obtained through loud practice, thereby training the fingers in these passages, which give them the proper background, as it
were,
passage. After this is done, it is possible to grade the tone from the loudest forte to the
softest pianissimo, and produce a most delicate and at the same time clear tone which has equal
KEEPING UP TECHNIC
"To keep
ficult.
is
rather a
is
down
rules
dif-
My
own
certain
amount of very concentrated practice {iway from the piano is one of the most valuable
146
Piano Mastery
in
Second Series
condition.
ways of keeping
ficial.
good
necessary to avoid undue fatigue, also to keep the mind fresh, so that it does not grow Also to practice the piece musically stale.
"It
is
how
slowly and carefully with the notes no matter well you think you know the composition
;
without them."
XIII
MARTINUS SIEVEKING
THE DEAD-WEIGHT PRINCIPLE
MAN who
own
ac-
count, solved all problems of the keyboard a man who, during a dozen or fifteen years of
unremitting effort has built up for himself a perfect piano mechanism, is truly a unique figure in the pianistic world. Few artists are willing to make, or can substantiate such a
claim.
Even
the greatest of
some
limitations;
problems a little eminent Holland pianist believes he has solved them all he feels there is nothing on the tech;
them confess to they admit there are some beyond their reach. The
nical side
his
piano method
is
founded on scientific principles unknown up to the present time. The most important of these But is the principle of dead or relaxed weight.
we, in America, have for over thirty years, been familiar with Dr. William Mason's exposition of the principle of relaxation
147
and de-
148
Piano Mastery
Some
and
Second Series
vitalization.
teachers
students of Mason, use his method and are working along the lines laid down by him.
forget the ease and power this principle gave their master's playing, nor his beautiful touch and tone. Godowsky is a mod-
They cannot
who preaches relaxed, or dead weight of hand and arm upon the key. It is the vital principle of Hofmann's wonderful
ern master
art.
its
value
and
necessity Powell, Carreno, Schnabel, Leginska to say nothing of the Breithaupt book on weight touch.
are told that the principle of dead or relaxed weight has been unknown up
to the present time! What does it all mean? Thus I mused as I proceeded to keep an
And now we
appointment with Mr. Martinus Sieveking, who had recently arrived in this country from Paris. It will be remembered that he toured America years ago, and proved himself a brilI liant pianist and most excellent musician.
mentally resolved to settle the subject of weight touch with him the very first thing, before taking up other technical points which had occurred to me to question him about. Let it be recorded at once that I came, saw,
149
and became convinced that here was one who had solved many if not most of the technical difficulties of the piano. While it may be too much to claim that the principle of dead weight
has not been fully understood until now, it can be truthfully stated that the Dutch pianist has
discovered a
in a
means of applying
will
this principle
manner that
in a short time. If his directions are implicitly followed, the fingers will almost immediately become stronger while the tone will increase in
volume and sonority. His authoritative words and manner bespeak the autocrat; but a man
a good part of his life in devising means to obtain a big, luscious tone, strong fingers, fluent technic, and has succeeded to a
Remarkable degree,
autocratic.
and
stu-
I found Mr. Sieveking in his spacious studios, a man of commanding presence, winning
manner, and speaking English fluently. Two grand pianos, one of foreign the other of
were
150
Piano Mastery
Second Series
the keys wider, but the whole keyboard was tilted a little downward at the back, which he explained was a decided advantage.
HIS
METHOD
of
"You want
to
"I will using relaxed weight?" he began. tell all I is what I will can; more, gladly you show you each step. Let us sit here at this
piano and demonstrate as we go along." As he spoke he caught my hand by one finger and held it up to test its weight; in fact he let the hand hang by one finger and then by another as he talked.
people think they are using dead when the truth is they do weight not really understand the principle at all. I could mention a few pianists who do use it.
"Many
in playing,
Godowsky
reno
also.
from the
start, until it
has become so
much
part of one's being that it is 'second nature.' Its use increases the volume of tone in a wonderful degree."
All
the
this
time
my
sus-
pended
in air;
fell.
now he
arm
Martinus Sieveking
;
151
weight in the arm now we will see if you can put it into the fingers." The second finger of the right hand was placed on the key D, in a firmly arched posi-
The other fingers were well curved and raised, thumb extended from the hand, and arm hung down naturally at the side. Mr.
tion.
He
strain).
insist
on
it
I do not believe
technic without
is
it.
Sometimes the
flat finger
himself to the curved finger." and The second finger, resting on the key supporting the entire weight of hand and arm, was now tested over and over, by being lifted
Arm
fall back on the key. increased as thought was conweight sciously directed to this point.
Now you
!
see
what I mean
on the
tip of the second finger, play a down stroke with the third finger, over and over
Second Series
feeling in the hand and arm. Of course you are familiar with the different sets of muscles
lie on on the and others underside of the arm. top The extensors on top of the arm do the lifting, and as lifting is more difficult to accomplish than dropping or falling, we must give greater
it
may
EACH FINGER BY
Each
finger in turn
port, while the one next
ITSELF
was now used as supit was exercised with quick up-and-down movements. No weakness or bending, no hesitation in movement, no lifting except in an exactly straight line were allowed. The stroke was made with as much power as possible. Every player and teacher knows how important it is to gain power and clearness, and feels the need of some sure way
I to acquire these with the right conditions. had made own experiments along these
my
now it was a satisfaction to meet with a master who had worked them out so logically. "We have now done the first exercise I give the students who come to me. The second goes a step further. As you see the first step only
lines
;
Martinus Sieveking,
The only sound
153
The to begin with one finger at a time. second step employs two fingers in legato, but
always with dead weight of arm, supported on
the finger tips. must be conscious of this condition at all times, which means at first constant thinking. One should also play with
We
is
a most
THE PROOF
has taken the two steps, as we have just done, has already the proof of what this method will do for him. In one hour
"A
player
who
its benefits.
With two
hours daily practice for one week, he will find his tone increased and his fingers appreciably
stronger."
OCTAVE TRAINING
"What
need strength, suppleness and rapidity for octaves. I have special training for octaves. They call into requisition the muscles of the
forearm the wrist
;
"We
is
we
154
Piano Mastery
Second Series
cultivate each finger in turn, with quick hand strokes on the key. Of course, for octaves, the first and fifth are most important, but all fin-
gers can come in for this sort of training. At first use four repetitions on each key, and play up and down the keyboard, at least four octaves.
Use
After these have been learned, I have invented various exercises which employ 8ths, 7ths, 6ths, 5ths and 4ths, in this way," and he ran over these forms with the greatest ease and speed.
TRAINING THE
"I have also
THUMB
many
thumb in scale playing. Here is the first one: With the second finger on a black key and the arm weight suspended on it, the thumb passes
from the white key on one
side of
it
to the
white key on the other side of it, the thumb describing an arched movement from one key
to the other.
The thumb
is
under
all
matter of memorizing?"
MEMORIZING
"In the first place, try to have the pupil learn something of harmony even a little is helpful,
;
155
him him
some
little
idea of
what he
is
trying to play.
Take a small portion of the piece, say two measures at a time, learn one hand and then
the other.
away from
the instrument.
now have
students of great
talent studying with me, several of ners of the Premier Price in Paris.
testify to the benefits received
them win-
They
all
from careful
study of
weight.
exercises into a system ; I hope to have the work published later on." Mr. Sieveking took a
book from the table and asked me to look it over. The text and musical illustrations were all written by his own hand, the former in clear,
elegant English. "This is a life work," he said. "I have written it to aid teachers and students, for all must
learn these principles. I have come to America for this purpose, leaving my home and family
in Paris.
ing
my
certize in
156
Piano Mastery
Second Series
compose. Here is a little piece, a Nocturne, which I began in Paris and finished in New
York.
He
in listening to the quality of his tone, so big, sweet and penetrating. Once he turned to me
"Do you like it it's nice, isn't it?" After a little he broke off. "I really cannot play on an ordinary sized keyboard, and my French piano is being repaired. On this one my fingers seem to get between the black keys and I can't get them out." And he held up those wonderful hands of his, surely the largest, most muscular and perfectly developed
naively;
of
two hands?"
on the
wall.
side
"One
by
is
my own
side.
They
are necessary to play the piano successfully. "Oh, yes, I use the metronome; you see I have one of extra size standing there."
Martinus Sieveking
157
quire a technic, keep it up and constantly improve it, should be the aim of every pianist."
A VISIT TO SIEVEKING
see
me
there will be music," wrote Martinus Sieveking, the Dutch pianist and composer,
his sylvan retreat
;
on Long Island. The invitation was alluring the day proved fair and
from
we
went.
to locate for the
little
summer not on
inland,
where green lawns and shrubbery abound. With him were Mrs. Elliott and Miss Inez Elliott, a young pianist, who had studied with
this
accomplished teacher for the past ten He considers her a thorough mistress years. of his method, and as yet the only authorized
it
exponent of
When we
piano met us before we reached the garden Bach was being played with amazing gate.
fluency and velocity. paused to listen and waited till the tones ceased before pressing
the bell.
We
the
door and led us at once into the parlor which served as his music room. It was a square room with several windows looking out to the
158 Piano
green.
Mastery
Second Series
On
drawings; prominent among them a photograph of Adelina Patti, sent him in commemoration of her seventieth birthday. Two concert grands took up the major portion of the
room, though the whole space seemed dominated by the presence of the pianist himself. One felt here was a big personality; a man who
had thought much, studied deeply, had lived and suffered. In answer to some of my questions regarding his early life and career, the artist said: "I was surrounded by musical influences from the beginning of my life. My father was a thoroughly trained musician, a conductor and composer, my mother was a singer. I have
I think always lived in a musical atmosphere this is one of the essentials if one would become a musician. At a very early age I began to
:
play the piano; before long I began to compose. At twelve I played organ in a church.
Later on I went to Vienna, to Leschetizky. The Professor took great interest in me and was especially kind. There were six of us,
chosen out of a class of ninety, to be his special favorites; they were: Hambourg, Gabrilowitsch,
Goodson,
Schnabel,
Newcomb and
myself.
Martinus Sieveking
i"59
came
to
America
also.
But
I was not satisfied with the success I had won, nor with what I had achieved. I felt there were deeper principles underlying my art which I did not yet understand. So I set to work to discover them. The result is the method I have formulated, which has cost me fifteen years' hard labor. But I am satisfied with the result I feel I have won out ; I feel I
;
have gained the correct principles of true piano Life has been a bitter struggle at technic. times. Sometimes I have had to go hungry I have even had to starve Thank Heaven, all that is over; there are now no financial worries. My aim is to benefit others with my dis!
I want to help teachers to teach better and players to play better. I often give
coveries.
much time
who
are unable
I want to be sur-
rounded by talented, congenial people wherever I am." Yielding to our request, he began to play.
when
one.
First his Souffranee, written three years ago, his son was very ill. It expresses a
father's anxiety for the recovery of the stricken
After
this
"Moonlight."
Then a Bach
160 Piano
Mastery
by
Second Series
himself.
Next some
finally one of his latest compositions, a Nocturne, embodying a haunting, appealing melody. "Women like this piece," he remarked, in answer to our openly expressed admiration. "This and the Souffranee have, I think, the right to exist they are modern but
;
Chopin, and
not futuristic, for I cannot write in that style. The Nocturne is a little after the manner of
I quite frankly acknowledge it. It certainly does not copy the Polish master, for it is distinctly modern; but it is in his spirit.
Chopin
I wrote it while staying in a beautiful villa, where there was a lovely garden with flowers and fruit. Blue skies overhead and sunshine and moonlight. Who could help being influenced by such surroundings. I have tried to express the feelings the environment made upon me. Some composers write from the heart, like Beethoven; some from the head, like Strauss. Wagner expressed both head and
heart."
A little
exercises.
MS
copy
of his method, placed it upon the piano, and we fell to discussing the material and doing the
Martinus Sieveking
would say
think
:
161
Is it not a good exercise? it will help? one who can Any play this with endurance and velocity has technic. These scale exercises will
surely help everybody."
constantly spoke of the dead weight principle the weight of arm hanging on the finger tips. While all this is true, the
The master
term "dead weight" does not, to my mind, convey the whole truth, and may mislead the uninitiated. It gives no idea, for example, of the extreme firmness of the fingers, nor of the muscular energy used to depress the keys in all
finger exercises.
It
is this
element of energy,
combined with arm weight, which give power and sonority to the tone. Sieveking insists on
high, large movements of fingers for all technical exercises and wants all the sonority that can be brought from the instrument. His
whole mentality is built on large lines of thought: even his handwriting corresponds. Yet he can caress the keys most delicately when he wills to do so. Later in the afternoon we had tea and delicious cakes made by Miss Elliott's fair hands. Sieveking was genial and told many anecdotes. He wished me to examine the hand of his pupil
and note
its
beautiful
development.
"She
162
Piano Mastery
Second Series
plays with the greatest perfection," he said. "You shall hear her; I insist she make a
career."
The blaze of a glorious sunset met our eyes as we all left the villa and sauntered through
the quiet, hedge-bordered streets, flanked by pretty villas and gardens. Our genial host insisted
on accompanying us
to the train
and
see-
he stood there on the little platform, waving us a farewell, his tall figure looming dark against the lambent sunset sky, the whole made an "impression" not to be forgotten. Had we only possessed the necessary gift, the scenes of the afternoon
ing us safely aboard.
As
might have served as basis for a futuristic tone poem. Fortunately, or otherwise, we could only keep the group of mental pictures to hang on Memory's walls.
XIV
MARGUERITE MELVILLELISZNIEWSKA
THE ART OF THE TEACHER
talk with Marguerite Melville almost equivalent to being taken directly into
To meet and
is
the studio of the late Theodor Leschetizky himself. This gifted American was the Viennese
master's pupil and assistant for more than six years; she saw him under all sorts of conditions,
knew how to "take him." She can describe the man, his personality, his manner of teaching, of
treating and handling pupils, so vividly and inimitably, that you feel you have really been
famous work-room yourself, and eyewitness to the happenings there. You scarcely know which interests you more, the keen, analytical methods of the master, or the charming personality, ready wit and tact of the raconin the
teur.
Like her distinguished compatriot, Edward MacDowell, Marguerite Melville was born in
163
164
Piano Mastery
Second Series
New York
him
tion,
City, .of Scotch-Irish stock. Like she has talent for piano playing, composi-
and pedagogy. In place of his gift for drawing and painting, she possesses a voice and the ability to sing. Well-known vocalists advised her to specialize in singing. But she had
the "pianistic bee in her bonnet," as she puts it, and chose the piano as her medium of expression.
A "LITTLE MOZART"
Marguerite Melville inherited music and
from earliest recollection, as her father was an organist and her mother a singer. When little more than a child she left her native land, as protegee of William Steinway, and went to Berlin to study with Dr. Jedliczka.
lived in
it
est in
tle
This remarkable pedagogue took great interher studies, and used to call her "his lit-
She found him a helpful, inspiring teacher, especially on the interpretative side. At his death she proceeded to Vienna to
Mozart."
study with Leschetizky.
After a short period with an assistant she came to the master. He soon recognized in the young girl a rare spirit, one of the chosen. She relates that, contrary to others who feared the ordeal of lessons with the professor, she
Marguerite Melville-Liszniewska
felt like
165
a bird
him.
Here
out of a cage when she got to was a musician she could consult
let
and advise
preciated
who understood her and apher talent. Not only did she enjoy
with,
his personal friendship in the home, but had the honor to become one of his leading assist-
which post she occupied for six years. During her last season in Vienna, she took
ants,
twenty-two of her pupils to the master, besides those he specially asked her to prepare for him. "I love to teach," she says "I feel I can understand the student's difficulties, for I have been through so much myself; I can help him over the hard places. It is often only a little stiff;
in the wrong place a lack of understanding, lack of sympathetic tone or expression; it may be but a little thing which
stands in the way, which I am able to remove. I feel, too, that I can impart some of my own
and teaching.
"You want to talk about technic, I am sure," began Mme. Melville, with her charming smile.
such an individual thing; it seems to belong to each one personally. In its broadis
"Technic
166 Piano
Mastery
Second Series
est sense it is
eral player.
might have listened to Leschetizky and not have known what he was talking about. "There are a number of Vorbereiters in Vienna, but each one teaches in a different way, which shows there are no fixed and fast rules.
Mme.
Bree, for instance, advises high finger For my action; some of the others do not.
I feel the best
own part
pupil with a heavy hand and inert fingers needs decided, wellarticulated finger action, in order to lighten
to individual needs.
way is
to
fit
the technic
up
things, and develop the muscles; whereas the long, thin hand, with spidery fingers, may
need opposite treatment sometimes to hold the fingers down a bit, to make them cling to the keys and thus develop weight in them.
RELAXATION
The
is
may
is
not propis
arm
very
heavy.
thing.
diaphragm
167
It
amount
to bear
;
the reservoir of weight. Whatever or quality of tone you want, you bring
is
more or less weight of arm on your fingers you turn on the weight through the arm, or turn it off, in just such quantity as you
need.
"Of course we cannot do without finger action; we must have it for the development of
fingers
effects
beginners must
later
be taught
at the start.
But
on we can
get the fingers nearer the keys and thus gain in weight and ease of delivery, without such a high lift of finger.
ILLUSTRATIONS
"To
illustrate
how Leschetizky
suited his
teaching to each player: He often told one pupil to play a passage a certain way. The
next pupil might be advised to play the same passage in quite a different manner. This was
the cause of some amusing errors on the part of students. One would hear another told
exactly
how
With way it
should be done.'
Goes home, practices the piece comes to the next lesson, and is
168
Piano Mastery
Second Series
I always accompanied them and sat near them during the ordeal. Of course they were often nervous, and this condition did not
fessor,
improve their performance. Sometimes the professor made sarcastic remarks their inability to grasp the full import of which did not
;
improve the situation. I could usually pacify him and smooth things over for the pupil. I always tried to have her go right on, in spite of everything. If the professor was ruffled at her failure to apprehend his meaning, I would
say: 'Don't expect quite so much; the pupil can't at once do all you require; you must be
more humble
AMERICAN TACT
"One
wrong.
particular day something had gone It was class-day, too ; a number of stu-
When
dents had already assembled in the salon. I came I found the master pacing up
in the next room, in a rising state of I tried to calm him, but he utterly
and down
excitement.
refused to be pacified. 'Very well,' I said, 'you surely cannot have the class to-day; I will go
in
I'll tell
them
to
come an-
other day.'
instantly,
seemed in
went into the salon, and had never a more amiable, sunny mood,
Marguerite Melville-Liszniewska
169
monstrated at such severity he would retort: 'If a pupil cannot stand my criticism, how will
he ever endure being flayed by the critics ? He must learn to stand up under rough handling.'
"Some
Americans, seemed posthe idea sessed with they must get a few lessons with the master before returning home, so
call
they could
The Vor-
bereiters were often besieged with undesirable Great tact was needed to steer applicants. safely around these obstacles. "One such case I recall. The pupil was really lacking in ability, but had staked all her
hopes on having one lesson with Leschetizky. It had fallen to my lot to prepare her, and I soon found I could do little or nothing for her.
So I explained the case to the professor, asking him to be easy with her for my sake. Her trouble was lack of rhythm clearness also. At
the appointed time I brought her to him. She seated herself at the piano with a flourish and
began.
The
170 Piano
ness
"
Mastery
Second Series
clearer.'
than that?' she answered, as he were though demanding the impossible. Soon she was told she played wrong notes. " 'I assure you, professor, I have practiced this piece a great deal, and have never played
so sugthe lesson should terminate at half the gested hour, as the professor had another engagement.
pleased with her lesson, but she could at least say she had had one.
MEMORIZING
"In regard to memorizing," continued the
pianist,
"I
feel
one should do
memory.
To make
the easiest way. eye, ear and finger such a mental picture of
it
the printed notes that you can shut your eyes and see them; to hear so accurately that your mental ear knows them also to feel them and
;
know
their position
on the keyboard
all
these
should
make the piece very sure. Some players commit their pieces in all three ways. For
myself I can hardly say whether any one of these predominate. I can affirm that when I can play the piece I know it by heart. Musi-
171
me
I have a wonderful
memory
I can retain
my
music almost
indefi-
Paderewnitely. The other day, after hearing ski, I came home, thinking of the pieces I used to play of his Melodie, Nocturne and other
I haven't seen the printed pages of things. these for years, nor played them. I went to the
piano and found them right under my fingers, without a slip. This ability to retain the notes
in
mind stands me
in
my recital
work, when, under stress of teaching and many interruptions, I am not able to secure sufficient
time for practice.
FOREIGN STUDY
"In regard to foreign study for Americans, I do not see the reason for opposing it. They
are obliged to learn a new language, of itself an education. They see new lands, learn to
know new
ways of
new
living.
All
this
music, opera, orchestral and chamber concerts and recitals, which they would never have the
opportunity to hear at home, at the price. If fond of Shakespeare, they will at least see more of him in one season in Germany than in a lifetime in America.
172
Piano Mastery
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going abroad.
Conditions
may be
entirely dif-
it
was
also true that he sought to develop the musical side, which ought to underlie all virtuosity.
"Here is one illustration of what I mean. It was the case of a little Polish boy of twelve. He really had a big talent, but was fond, when at the piano, of putting on the airs of a virtuoso. I did not prepare him for the professor but I knew him, as he lived in the same pension. When he came to play in class, he walked up
to the piano, seated himself as though he were some great one, and dashed into a Chopin Polo-
played it brilliantly, but had not gone more than eight measures, when Leschetizky went up, took his hands off the keys and pushed him off the stool, saying such playing was nothing but Polish exaggeration, and he
naise.
He
didn't
want
to see
him
;
again.
all
felt
keenly for
the
little fellow,
who was
broken up over
the turn of affairs so I tried to pacify the professor, saying perhaps the stool was not quite
Marguerite Melville-Lisznie'wska
right, or he
173
he might have another chance. The professor then turned on me, saying, 'You women, you must spoil everything.' I was a bit cross with him for his attitude toward the boy, but I can
see now that he saw this streak of superficiality and exaggeration, and wanted to get it out. He could have done so, if he had had time to work with him. The boy needed several more such knocks. Five years later I heard him now a in Copenhagen. He was full-fledged artist
and seemed to me quite on the wrong That special sort of superficial exagtrack. geration was what the professor tried to kill in
ficial,
A SUSCEPTIBLE PUPIL
"An
instance of
She was devoted to him and looked after everything. The fellow was rather shy and given to blushing. The professor, of course, sized up his mentality and took delight
in saying things to shock him, just to see him color up. Once, when he had something ex-
pressive to play, he
was asked
174
"
Piano Mastery
Second Series
love to a girl?
'
I sup-
pose you would say, shyly, "I love you ;" whereas you should say it this way the professor struck an attitude and said the words with the
greatest ardor.
ILLUSTRATING INTREPRETATION
"Leschetizky used to say there are no good
teachers, only
*
good
pupils!'
students
who
work
for years
without getting beyond the clumsy, amateurish stage. They play everything on a dead level of monotony. It is for us as teachers to help such struggling ones over the intermediate
stage to the place where they can bring some light and shade into their performance. I try to show them where and how to use variety of
Sometimes I use a characteristic group of words that will just fit the phrase, and will give the right idea of stress. It is often in little turns and ornaments that the student's lack of deftness stands out.
When
the
pupil played a clumsy turn, Leschetizky would say: 'Don't build your balcony as big as your house.' If the pupil asked just where to begin a crescendo, the professor would point to a
leaf
and answer:
this
175
more I
see the lack of talent for interpretation in the average pupil, or even in those who have more
than the average aptitude. Perhaps not more than one in fifty has any sort of an idea how the piece should sound as a whole, without bethink they might feel where this part should be subdued and that part be brought out; where the melody should
ing told.
You would
be prominent or a hidden theme heard, where a retard or pause would be effective. Why
why
cannot they be felt? "The professor never gave me special ideas for my own interpretation he seemed satisfied
;
with
my conception.
One
a sense of balance
to say, 'If
it.
used of proportion. it be feel can't don't taught you you Either you can play Schumann or you
first
He
can't.'
"At
many
on interpretation by going to class and listening to the others. But I found he would treat the same piece quite differently for
ideas
different pupils. If one took a certain reading as final, he was apt to find it changed on
another occasion, if another pupil played the So I gave up this idea. But when I piece.
176 Piano
Mastery
Second Series
began to take my own pupils to the professor I saw the benefit of listening, for I began to
appreciate the versatility of a great teacher.
me
tone
human voice as
possible.
When
Casals plays the opening scale passage in the C major Prelude of the Bach Suite, as he does
with such marvelous shading on each note, it is the tone which holds the audience spellbound
;
for there
is
me
the greatest
thinkable.
"I always try at once to interest my pupils It is a great incentive to those who have not formerly cared much for their music, or who may have lost interest in it. To make everything they touch beautiif it be ful, only a scale or a Czerny
in tone study.
study,
gives
zest
to
one's
practice.
never allow them to hit the keys, but rather to press or caress them. Even chords can be
pulled up, to draw the tone out of the piano. Of course the fingers must have well-developed
action.
trained
little
I might say they are like perfectly animals, that run here and there
Marguerite Melville-Liszniewska
which we paint the pictures.
177
especially so full of
the superficial, the rush of business and material interests. Artistic things get so easily pushed to the wall or crowded out of our lives.
should
be encouraged in people of all ages. No one can foresee all it may mean to the individual.
artistic,
the soil
is
re-
many
tistic instincts.
"The
attitude of
its
is
not
We
haven't
sufficient respect yet for the art, the artist or the teacher. Some think if they don't like the
this
humble enough to learn from one who is so far above them in knowledge. One sees this spirit
in students
who go
abroad.
If in the lesson,
and expound his ideas, they often grew restive, wanted to turn the page, get over a lot of ground get their money's worth! 'You should be glad to hear
piece,
to talk
178
Marguerite Melville-Liszniewska
what I have to say; it is of more value to you than for you to play the piece,' he would say. "I often hear it said of a young musician who has come before the public in recital, that he should not have ventured out yet; he was not ready, and so on. I feel differently. He had probably come to the point in his experience when he wanted to give out something within him which could no longer be repressed. For him it was a step forward, a test to show him where he stood. He no doubt will reap more benefit from it than will his listeners. For now he can advance much more surely and intelligently."
XV
MRS. H. H.
A.
BEACH
Mrs. H. H. A.
American-born
is
artist,
pianist of distinction.
has said:
"She has
elements that conspire to the true pianist. have seldom heard delicacy and force, a poetic interpretation and a prosaic vigor so well combined. Grace, in-
We
telligence
tics
chief characteris-
of her playing."
life in
Boston, followed more recently by a lengthy sojourn in Europe, Mrs. Beach, again at home, has emerged somewhat from her seclusion, and
is
bringing the message of her own music to the many who are eager to hear it. Thus
now
is
becoming personally known through her interpretative recitals and her very charactershe
istic
180
Piano Mastery
Second Series
loved over the length and breadth of the land, for her many beautiful songs and piano pieces.
Those who are familiar with such gems as Ecstasy, The Year's at the Spring, June, and
many
others
may
not
know
has written in the larger forms. Her Gaelic Symphony has been played a number of times
by the Boston Symphony Orchestra, and also by the symphony orchestras of many other It has lately met with an enthusiastic cities.
reception in Philadelphia, under the baton of Stokowski. Her piano Quintet, Mass in flat, Sonata for piano and violin, and her choral
works
cre-
ative activities.
man and
a woman.
Her music
of her works could be given without her name being attached, "those accustomed to proclaim
woman."
Mrs. H. H. A. Beach
It
181
into per-
my
desire to
come
sonal touch with this rare individuality. desire was realized when I was privileged to
visit
My
her apartments in the heart of old New York, which she has made her headquarters for the past two months. Who could help feeling
at
in the presence of this cheery little lady, with her cordial handclasp, her genial manner, her clear blue eyes and sunny smile?
home
The moments flew all too quickly as she spoke of her work as pianist and composer. "Really, I cannot remember when I did not play the piano and compose. I know I was
doing both at the age of four. I improvised little melodies then, but did not know how to
write
them down.
first
"My
with
my
mother,
years,
whom
I studied for a
number of
might be benefited by a change, when I was placed under well-known masters. I played with the Boston Symphony Orchestra, under Theodore Thomas, when I was still in short dresses, with my hair in a pigtail. I have kept up my piano work, and always expect to do so. When I am not playing I am composI do them both intering, and vice versa. changeably and constantly, but not both at the same time. This keeps me fresh for each one.
until she felt I
182 I
Piano Mastery
Second Series
cal life.
"I have naturally a very flexible hand, which does not become stiff if practice is relaxed for
old-fashioned enough to believe in scales and exercises. I like to give an
bit.
Then
am
hour a day to these whenever possible. I do them on this little dumb keyboard, this small black case, which serves my purpose on trains and in hotels. At home in Boston I use the
Virgil clavier,
People are so fond of saying a soundless keyboard is mechanical is it any less mechanical to do your technical work on a keyboard with tone? The exercises are the same. Should we not wish to save the wear and tear on our ears! My hearing is extremely sensitive, and
it.
on
I want to save
it all
I can.
I often learn
my
pieces and all difficult passages on the clavier. It is a good idea to learn the Debussy Toccata on the clavier. Did you ever try to practice this piece slowly on the piano? The discords
are so distressing they fairly hurt. The clavier came to my relief in this instance ; I don't believe I ever could
if
I had done
it all
on the piano.
"As for practice material, I use the Rosenthai Technics. There are several books of
Mrs. H. H. A. Beach
these,
183
Then,
of course, I invent a
good many
exercises of
my
own."
"Can you tell me something about your work how you do it; or is that too in composition
difficult
"It would be very difficult to tell how I do it, but I can tell you where; always in the open, out of doors, I want to be in the midst of nature when I write. If it is cold or bad weather when I write I try to
if possible.
I like to
sit
have a room with wide windows, or a balcony. "I cannot write unless I am in the mood, or have the inspiration. I cannot say to myself, *I will compose three hours a day.' That would reduce the work to mere mechanism, without the divine spark. theme or subject often rests in my mind for months or a year before I put it on paper. I always compose away from the piano unless it be an accompaniment that I want to try with the voice part, then I some-
times take
it
what changes
I played thought for
it
are needed.
"The subject
at
for the
Fugue which
in
my
recent concert
was
my
down.
We had gone
184
to
Piano Mastery
It
Second Series
this
Meran.
was about
From my windows
sight
was truly enough to inspire one. I felt moved to put down the general plan of the correct copy of the Fugue Fugue on paper. has not yet been made. This leaves me free to makes changes whenever I wish. Sometimes a
new
idea occurs to
it
me when
am
playing in
public; I use
to this
:
The Prelude
Fugue was
I wanted to give it the character of an piano improvization, and think I have succeeded.
draft of a composition is so fragmentary that it looks almost like shorthand. I can hardly write my thoughts down fast
first
"The
enough, and don't take time to make everything clear. For instance, if I have a chromatic run, I put the first note and the last, and draw a line
between them, for I can't stop to write all those I know what the signs mean, accidentals.
though others might not. "Although I like to let an idea rest quietly in mind for a long time, so that I can live with it before I put it on paper, yet sometimes I write it down at once, while I am in the mood. "Mr. Stoddard, the poet, once sent me, through a friend, a few verses, wondering if I
Mrs. H. H. A. Beach
185
could do anything with them. They arrived in the morning mail. I read them they suggested a musical setting. I began to work, and by twelve the song lay finished on my desk.
;
"I have spent the last three years in Europe, mostly in Munich, and have done much writing, besides a good deal of concert work. When Miss Kitty Cheatham came to Munich and gave a recital, she asked me to do some things for her. I had so much work on hand that I could not think of it then, but told her when
the right could do.
of verses
I glanced through them, and felt that here were just the things I wrote quite a set of for Miss Cheatham.
these
to
little
songs,
and
it
gave
me
such pleasure
do them.
me
186
Piano Mastery
Second Series
"Do
come
easier to
not imagine, because the large forms me now, that I have not studied
very seriously.
At
I worked very hard for years. the start I had one season with Junius Hill,
in Boston, but everything beyond that has been own labor. I possess about every treatise
my
harmony, theory, counterpoint, double counI have terpoint, fugue and instrumentation. a large library of these books. I have a good knowledge of French and German, and have made exhaustive studies of works in these languages. I can repeat whole chapters from Berlioz' delightful book on instrumentation. "In studying Bach I memorized a large number of fugues from the Well-Tempered Clavichord, not for the mere sake of committing them, but because I had made such a careful study of them. I wrote many of them out in score, in order to find exactly how they were constructed, and how the voices were led. I could write out the parts from memory, so thoroughly did I know them. "In the study of instrumentation, the orchestra was my teacher; I was a close student of it.
it is difficult
for a
woman
all
instruments in use.
Some
Mrs. H. H. A. Beach
event
all.
it is
187
But
made
a deep study of the band in action. I always had the score with me, and learned to
know
voices of
each voice as intimately as I know the my own family. I wrote out scores
memory, and then would work next day and compare it with my the playing of the orchestra. In this way I learned whole movements from symphonies by heart. Thus I feel that the knowledge I have acquired has been by my own effort and what
of Beethoven from
take
I compose
from
Dr.
"The development
of her very
uncommon
talent for composition has been almost wholly achieved by her own effort unaided but also
unbiased.
In consequence of
this
somewhat
unique
The
Gaelic
heard in
hope to become more familiar with other works of this composer in the larger forms.
XVI
LEO ORNSTEIN
SANITY IN MUSIC STUDY
and composer, was born in 1895 near Odessa, RusAfter coming to America he was thorsia.
ultra
pianist
LEO ORNSTEIN, an
modern
oughly trained in the Leschetizky principles of piano playing by Mrs. Thomas Tapper, and in other musical studies at the Institute of
Musical Art. Several years ago he went abroad for further study and recitals. He
London and Norway, and had numerous concerts ahead when the outbreak of the war caused him to return to America. "You heard me play years ago?" began young Ornstein, as we were seated in my studio
played
in
about
five at least, if it
was
G minor.
Did I
long ago it between that period of my life and to-day, so much has happened to me I am another
person."
188
rt?.
Leo Ornstein
One could easily understand his
feeling.
189
For
the student had developed into an artist, the fledgling into an aspiring composer,* whose
daring flights of imagination have already aroused much attention on both sides of the Atlantic. Whether, as some would have us
believe, the startling innovations of the
young
musician are but the ravings of an unsound mind, or are to preach a new gospel of emotional impression and tone color; whether the
youth
a
is
new and
but a clever juggler with sounds, or is brilliant star arising in the musical
firmament, the future alone can decide. It can be truly said, however, that one cannot talk with Leo Ornstein for five minutes
without realizing he is absolutely sincere in his work. His fixed purpose is to express himself and his age with fidelity and honesty, according to his lights, no matter what
critics
or others
may
age of
"The
continued; "what
which you can express yourself it is the outward and material sign through which you are able to say what is in your heart to say there;
190
Piano Mastery
Second Series
but must be individual.
i~
'fore it is subordinate,
moment
be-
must have it, it is a necessity ; sinks into insignificance before the meaning of the message one has to deliver.
technic ; one
but
it
"As a
pianist I have
excellent training, I
my
Czerny from cover to cover. I feel Bach is the greatest master of all: his works will never fall into Still, we must realize we live in a neglect. different age our customs, our manner of liv;
ourselves are not at all like the people ing, of Bach's time or Beethoven's, or Haydn's.
we
Look
Mozart; could any music mirror and express the spirit of his age with more charming simplicity and fidelity? I love it; it is a perfect reflection of the time in which he lived.
at
technic to play Mozart, however, will not answer to play Debussy. Modern music requires an entirely different handling of the incannot interpret modern ideas strument.
The
We
with the old style equipment. To illustrate: none of the older composers would think of making such requirements on one's technic as
this,
for instance."
The young
artist
went to
the piano and played a succession of shadowy, filmy chords. "I must here use the palm of
Leo Ornstein
191
as well as the fingers the former dewhite keys below, while the fingers the presses touch the black keys above them. In another
;
my hand
mind
the falling
my
pieces, I
illus-
As
praise
a pianist
from the
that rare thing, an individual pianist." Others have written that: "his playing has
is
"He
tonal beauty and clarity of style;" that "he has a touch on the keys as caressing as it is
with an almost uncanny breathing into and inhaling from them something of inspiration." "He is a born virtuoso, with an
powerful
ear unparalleled in its sensitiveness for tone and tone quality. Trills and passages are faultless and are delivered with a freedom and
color
perfection any one might envy." On a later occasion Mr. Ornstein spoke
more
made
freely about technical development. "I have a good many experiments and discoveries
about piano touch and technic, especially when I was living in Paris. After being in Vienna, I went to Berlin and then to Paris, where I
literally shut
myself up in a garret and worked for about nine months. For one thing I want-
192
Piano Mastery
Second Series
ed to make a study of some modern French music, for modern tendencies absorb me greatly. I procured a few pieces by Debussy and Ravel and studied them closely. Of course
But my playing did not I did not see what was the me, satisfy though matter. All at once it came to me that I was
trying to make tone color with my fingers, when it should be done with the pedals. The moment this truth was borne in upon me, the problem was solved. I began to study all man-
in a
technic, the
arm
must be well
trained, but in playing they do not need to be lifted high. In fact, the nearer
they are held to the keys provided strength and elasticity have been developed, the better
the tone.
as
Strength of finger
is
think
is absolutely necessary, quite for soft as for loud playing. People does not need much strength to play
softly; I
am
is
true.
Fingers
close to the
keys, for pianissime effects, otherwise the tone will be mushy and uncertain. I have a whole
Leo Ornstein
set of technics for strength
193
I go through when I am they are specially useful when traveling. Here is one:" he pressed one finger, firmly curved, into the table, and slowly rolled it from side
;
to side.
same way. Another exercise for strength consisted in lifting one finger in curved position, as high as possible, while the other four were pressed down into the table with strong pres-
sure.
In neither
in,'
yield or 'give
preserve their rounded form. When practicing I use full power, or nearly so play slowly and firmly. When I thor-
oughly know the piece, I gradually go faster, till I have worked it up to the required tempo. It comes up without much trouble, when one
make
thoroughly knows the notes. Many players the mistake of at once playing quickly,
after the slow practice ; I find
it
much
better to
acquire speed gradually. "It is so easy to fall into a rut in regard to grow accustomed to hearinterpretation.
We
ing compositions rendered in a certain way; any deviation from that standard startles us.
I can feel the shock caused by novelty, go over an audience, when my rendition is not the con-
194
Piano Mastery
Second Series
For
instance, in
of Chopin, I hold pedal through each of those final runs, on through to the chord following it makes a new and inter;
G minor Ballade
But
esting effect.
it
it
BEFORE A CONCERT
true that on the day of a recital, I pracbut do not tice for hours all day perhaps
"It
is
touch the pieces I am to give for my program. Instead, I practice many other things, often Bach. In this way the program seems to me
much
all
fresher than
if
the last
moment.
Well-Tempered Clavichord, the big organ Preludes and Fugues arranged by Liszt, and of course the Chromatic Fantaisie and
Fugue.
the
"The
tive,
artist's
playing in public
to the student.
For
is
the mechanism of his art, and only considers its emotional message before his audience. There-
not always a real benefit to the student to hear a great many artists that is, not a benefore
it is
;
fit
to his technical
development, though
side.
it
Leo Ornstein
"Let
195
me give you a few words more about Paris experiences. I brought a letter of my introduction to the famous critic and writer,
Calvocoressi.
There
is
a wonderful man!
He
can speak and write eight languages Greek is one of them. He writes for several English papers and two Russian, besides the foremost Paris magazines. I went to him, told him what I was doing, played for him and showed him
some of
to me, in a great
my
stuff.
He
many
ways.
He
lectured on the
music of Schoenberg, Stravinsky and Ornstein in the Sorbonne and other places. "You have heard the story of my London concerts. It was a terrible experience; I can
now, but then it was heartrending. There seemed to be two factions; those who were open-minded enough to listen, who wished to understand what I was trying to do; the others who closed their ears and would have none of me. Well-seasoned concert goers said they had never seen a London audience so stirred and upset.
laugh at
it
"A
week
after
my
I gave
a second, with an entire program of my own compositions. That occasion was the most try-
ing one of
my
whole
life.
196 Piano
Mastery
Second Series
scious of a note I played that day, but I got through the ordeal in some fashion.
"I can well understand how my music must strike people on first hearing. Even good musicians can discover nothing whatever in it when they listen to it once but I know many cases where they do see the meaning of it after repeated hearings. If they would but reserve their decision till they have heard a piece seven
;
or eight times, they could judge of it better. It has often chanced that they understand it after the eighth time. You know Pelleas and
Melisande, at its premier, was hissed off the stage and the curtain rung down on the second act. Now it is sung to sold-out houses. So I
always feel
me till
Even
to
asking the listener to bear with after he has heard my work a few times.
like
the
Wild
become clear
to a
"As you
piece like that: I could never let it out of a clear sky, so to speak. And I must work up my mood also, in order to be an efficient
medium.
manner of composing. I can say I never sit at the piano when I compose, never try the thing over as I write it, and
ask about
"You
my
Leo Ornstein
of the piece after
it is
197
must stand or fall as first set down. Perhaps after a few days I may condemn what I have written. If I find
written
;
it
unworthy I say to myself 'Leo Ornstein, for shame! how could you write like that.' Then I tear it up. Probably I shall never make a second attempt on the same subject it is gone,
it
:
"The composition comes into my mind fullfledged and complete as far as it goes. When
I hear
lest
it,
make
it
to
paper
a difficult task, because the rhythms are often so intricate, and I must preserve those as well as the harmonies.
is
I lose a note.
This
It
is
very
difficult to
;
decipher the
first
hasty
my pieces no one can do it but myself, for I have a sort of musical shorthand. Tonic and other regular chords may not be written in at all, but I know what they ought to be. All must be jotted down so quickly there is no time to be careful. It only took about two and a half hours to put the Wild Mans Dance on
draft of
paper.
pieces ;
Publishers are asking for more piano I have composed a number, but oh, the
"When
in
designed to
illus-
trate; yet I
am
198
title
Piano Mastery
Second Series
to the piece, as this may hamper player or listener, who are endeavoring to picture the others the piece may suggest something entirely different from the picture or mood the composer had in mind
at.
scene or
mood
hinted
To
be quite as appropriate and legitimate as the one he had intended. I might tell you a pretty story about
it;
when writing
these
may
me;
to
you
it
may mean an
is
earth-
quake or a shipwreck.
observe that at
the
first
When
there
men
become very
insistent
savages unite in their mad whirl. At last one of them comes out from among the others, and
circle.
This Dance
is
one
of the most difficult compositions, and requires tremendous power to play. You may have
heard about my playing it for Leschetizky. Of course I led up to it with some simpler and
more melodious things. When I finished the Dance he seemed quite dazed by it. Then he sprang up, exclaiming, 'You must have lied
no living mortal could put such a thing on paper P I happened to have the manuscript with me, and showed it to him he would
to me, for
;
scarcely believe
it
even then.
Leo Ornstein
199
"Another piece that interested me to write was Impressions of Notre Dame. I visited the famous church almost as soon as I arrived
in Paris.
On my
first
Impression sprang into my mind. later, after another visit to the old
A few days
pile,
the sec-
"Some
of
my
two songs, Mother o Mine, and There Was a Jolly Miller; also a Sonata for violin and piano, and one for piano and 'cello." It is evident that talent for composition went hand in hand with pianistic ability, for the young Russian began to compose at an early
age.
led
him
into novel paths ; his work began to manifest traits similar to those found in the music
of Schoenberg
stein
As
was unacquainted with their compositions. "I do not conceive of he himself explains music in the way Beethoven did as a mosaic of themes and motives, each developed and repeated, block-wise. I try to express feelings rather than forms impressions, emotions, mental states of consciousness."
To
quote again from Huneker: "I never thought I should live to hear Arn-
Second Series
old Schoenberg sound tame; yet tame he is, almost timid and halting after Ornstein who
XVII
HAROLD HENRY
FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES
"You
are a real American?"
"Yes, a real simon pure American, born and bred here; educated in music here, too, with
exception of about four years spent other side."
on the
the
visit to
city made by Mr. Henry, who was passing through New York en route to Peterborough,
N. H.,
to enjoy a well earned vacation after busy season. "If you wish a word of personal history," bepianist,
gan the
"I
am
brought up
in that state.
My
first
piano
Geneve Lichterwalter.
institution,
my teach-
now
and George B. Penny for theory, the latter located in Rochester, N. Y. "After graduation, in 1902, I went abroad.
201
Second Series
Three years were spent in Berlin, with Godowsky and Dr. Ernst Jedliczka. Then came a season in Paris with Moszkowski, and after that America. I made a few appearances with
orchestras in Berlin, but my career virtually began in my own land, where I have taught
and concertized for the past ten years. "During this period I can affirm that
my
greatest teacher has been Experience; there surely can never be a more valuable one.
master can do only just so much for you can take you about so far, can give you the benefit of his knowledge and experience. After that
it
alone"
it
out!
doing the thing that counts every time. If you want to be a concert pianist, then play in
concert
;
there
is
you
desire ;
you learn
public playing, though I do not permit this to interfere with my teachI devote five half days to instruction, ing. which is all the time I am willing to give; I
TEACHING METHODS
"Regarding methods in teaching, I can truly say I have as many methods as I have pupils,
Harold Henry
for each one of
203
them requires
special treatment.
fact proves the difficulty that confronts the careful teacher ; it is one that
one's resources.
arm
When
hand
conditions permit I try to solidify the at once; but if I have a small, tightlyknit hand to deal with, it must be stretched
and limbered up before anything else can be done. I use various gymnastic and stretching
exercises I also have a set of technical forms which have been of great benefit to me; I use
;
them
daily and give them to pupils. They consist of trills, scales, arpeggios, octaves, dou-
my
Pupils at the outset must movements and finger action eventually finger movement is well-nigh eliminated and the arm does the work. The trouble with pupils often is they do not see the necesThey sity for repetition and constant drill. seem to think if they have done an exercise a
ble thirds,
and
so on.
Second Series
it
few times, that is sufficient. If told to repeat again and again, they exclaim, 'Oh, I've had
that before!'"
Mr. Henry answered the following questions in a way which will be appreciated by every teacher and student:
is finger development secured be1. fore the time comes when the arm does the
How
work?
What
"For weak finger joints I use what I call the 'pull touch.' Beginning with the finger flat on the key or table (for this can at first be done to great advantage away from the piano) it is
pulled gently up to the normal curved position. This is also a preparatory melody touch."
3.
How
much
pieces ?
technical practice outside of pieces should depend on the amount of time the pupil devotes to practice. At least
Personally
and I
I keep
encourage
my
Harold Henry
a practice schedule.
4.
205
I rotate
is
In
this
way
my
slighted."
"Velocity
through
are not good judges of our own speed in playing, the metronome is of incalculable value in
working for
velocity.
should be strictly rhythmic, and dynamics must also be considered. Accents are of tremendous
importance in working for velocity. To attain power and endurance, all slow technical work should be done with as much tone as is keeping muscular conditions practicable,
always right." 5. Best way to study chords and octaves? "In playing chords and octaves, the hand should be extremely firm, the wrist and arm
devitalized.
Whether
the wrist
is
held high or
low depends entirely on the hand and wrist of the individual. I hold my wrist high in most chords and octave passages, for I am thus able
to keep conditions more nearly ideal in this way for pupils with large, loose hands, the low
;
wrist
is
advisable.
"I have many technical forms for developing a chord and octave technic. In the main I
get best results by teaching
first
a prepared
206 Piano
Mastery
Second Series
first,
hand
6.
to follow."
practice not only scales, but all other purely technical forms with the metronome for velocity and power. I always break
"By
means
scales up into accented sections, each one of which I polish before practicing the scale as a whole." 7. Your views on modern compositions?
the
modern composer
is
is
high, the
great bulk of things now being written I speak of piano compositions will not live, because the novelty of them which is their chief
attraction, rapidly wears off. technical difficulty of much that
written entirely outweighs the musical content. Much time must be wasted before discovering
that one neither wants to play or teach them. Nevertheless, I am constantly going through reams of new music, and when once in a while
I come across something of real charm and inspiration, I consider my labor well repaid. In
spite of the great difficulty of finding
new
things which are worth while, I feel it the duty of the concert pianist, a duty which he owes
Harold Henry
207
himself and his public, to give programs that are at least unhackneyed. The disfavor into
which the piano recital has fallen is the fault, not of the instrument nor the public, but of the
performer in
It
is
his stereotyped
program-making.
too
much
that
is
of
compositions which have been on every program for at least twenty years, to speak within
bounds.
familiar the
little
known
Mr. Henry is constantly widening his outlook and enlarging his repertoire. Each season adds to his influence as teacher and interpreter.
XVIII
pianist,
composer, teacher, belongs to a musical famHis father was long a beacon light among ily. the teachers of a former generation, he himself has made an honorable career in his chosen profession.
his father
His musical studies were begun with and continued with Rheinberger in
Munich.
Boise.
ist, thorough teacher, and is the author of a number of ambitious compositions in the larger
forms.
It
is
Henry
Holden Huss.
"I believe in hobbies," said Mr. Huss, with
characteristic animation
all
I don't mean hobby-horses, of for course, they constantly move, but never get
have them.
anywhere.
208
'Tc^
^Vr^wL^
^f^^Mre^
209
intelligent practice can be done if one sits at the piano several hours at a stretch. pupil
will tell
you she has practiced two or three hours without stopping, as though it were a
great virtue, something to be proud of; while you know she could not have done it with any
sort of concentration.
when he
studied,
it
was an athlete
in physique
thirty minutes' practice, I think the player should rest four or five."
"Do you,
halt
then, approve of hour lessons?" "Certainly, for the reason that I can call a
and make a
little
something is going on hand-organ is playing, we stop a few moments and listen; then we can resume the work in hand with fresh vigor.
seems entirely lacking in dignity and meanWould not piano interpretation come ing.
210 Piano
Mastery
down
Second Series
I suppose the term from the minne-
much
to us
who played
and sang
amusement
of the gentry in
the ages gone by. In these days our aim is really to interpret piano music. Even the little
child does so with his simple pieces.
"Another of
my hobbies
the piano, which results in its being hated by so many students. New pupils often say to
'Whatever you do, don't make me play I ask why, and they answer that they hate him. Then I tell them I am sure they have been fed on the Inventions. They seem surprised I should know it and admit I am
me:
Bach!'
right.
it
Many
duty
their
So they give the Inventions, using them as technical exercises. young lady came to me not long ago who had had just this experience. She looked on Bach as one who wrote dry polyphony, with no soul or emotion.
stances.
To
prove
how mistaken
She air, My Heart Ever Faithful. thought it beautiful but would hardly believe I fully agree with you that the it was Bach.
of the
211
more pleasing
Though gin with than are the Inventions. even the Inventions contain much variety of
expression,
to bring
all
if
it out. The fact is, Bach expresses shades of feeling surely the Chromatic Fantaisie is as full of emotion as is anything of
;
Wagner.
being more and more cultivated and investigated is a very definite and let me say modern cause for encouragement. Let me cite here something that sounds almost incredible.
Czerny, dear old Czerny, frequently useful old Czerny, and sometimes foolish old Czerny, in one of his innumerable books of technical studies says 'As the student will probably find
:
these exercises rather dry' (he usually does!) 'let him place a book or newspaper on the
piano-desk
to
read
while
Fortunately nowadays
we
212 Piano
Mastery
Second Series
mind.
"Let us use our influence for the musical and expressive. I endeavor to make my pupils see that everything they do should have a meaning and should be expressive of some
thought.
body
technic of the piece is the in which the musical thought of the com-
The very
to
present the composer's ideas in as fair and perfect a body as possible. Hence the necessity of working at the technical side in order to ac-
complish
this.
in place of a great
many etudes.
"I have in my Condensed Technics endeavored to provide exercises that absolutely require great concentration, since they are all to be played with varied rhythms and shifted accents,
Along with these technics I find it most advisable to search out the difficult passages in pieces
and encourage the pupil himself
little
to construct
Most of
my
pupils,
perhaps ninety-five per cent, have practice I claviers, which I recommend to them all. advise dividing practice between clavier and piano. For I have found in pupils who have
213
of their practice, that while they may have excellent fingers, the musical sense has not been
sufficiently cultivated,
"How
Among
there are
we
some that are founded on principles and will stand. baby placed before the keyboard pats the keys with outstretched fingers and quite naturally limp wrists. That condition of loose wrist is what one must have to secure a musical quality of tone. In getting back to nature we know we have come to the
know
correct principle.
"Of
ment, or a boy who must have his cigarettes and highballs, I say to them: 'There are plenty of teachers in New York who will be glad to have
you as pupils and take your money. Go to them, for I don't want you. I only want serious workers.'
"It
is
a much-discussed
question
as
to
Second Series
whether the teacher shall explain what is to be done and let the pupil work it out alone, or whether he shall illustrate his instruction at the
instrument.
Though
method, I cannot always follow it. If a pupil comes from a distance and wishes to get all the help he can, I must not only explain, but show
him many things at the piano. For instance, if I say: 'You accent this passage too strongly/
he will answer,
'How much should I accent it?' The quickest way is to show him. Thus I find there are many points which cannot be demust be shown. "I wish you would write an article on the 'Greater Chopin/ hear so much about him at present. One of my hobbies is to combat the
scribed but
We
idea of
One
making everything of Chopin heroic. pianist tried to make the first movement
minor Concerto heroic, and in my was opinion spoiled in the process. Chopin's music seems to express every sentiment and
of the
it
strike
you
think the
Scherzi would express humor, but they do not, my thinking. Chopin could be bright, gay,
XIX
RICHARD BUHLIG
THE VALUE OF LEARNING TO HEAR
"INDEED I
am
glad to be in America
it is
the best country to live in at present. I returned several months ago, after an absence of
many
years.
In
fact, I really
young lad." The speaker was Richard Buhlig, an American pianist, who will make an extended tour of
his native land.
It is pleasant to come into more personal touch with this pianist than is possible through
listening to a recital
by him.
One
finds
many
qualities of delicacy and sensitiveness for the subtleties in art and musical expression which
to study with Leschetizky, and remained with him about three years. Since that period I have superintended my own de215
Second Series
velopment. An artist must always do that the sooner he can do so the better for him. If
intended for public life, he only begins to learn many things about his art when he comes
he
is
He then gains experience, the great teacher. It has been my good fortune to play in almost every country in Europe, except Russia and the Balkans. The outbreak of the war prevented my filling
which after
all is
the
many engagements booked for me in Russia, but I had played in Germany for two seaMr. Buhlig has a winning
personality; he subjects relating to
his views
if
all
on
he
"Yes, I have for years done some teaching. I love to teach, and shall continue to do it here
concert engagements. Many of my pupils are fighting in the different armies Some in fact they are scattered everywhere.
between
my
have come over to this side to continue work with me here, while some who have known of my career in Europe will put themselves under
my guidance,
Richard Buhlig
217
METHOD OF TEACHING
You ask about my manner of teaching. I can say at once I have no method, though of course there are certain things every pupil must know how to do and work on daily. One needs trills, scales, chords and octaves; when one can do these things in every possible tempo and gradation of tone, piece playing becomes comparatively easy. I have no sympathy with cut and dried methods, or with endless repetitions of Czerny studies and other mechanical
k
"
When every person is different from other every person in constitution and temetudes.
perament, in mind and physique, how can a master have a method to fit them all? The thing is impossible! One pupil has a large,
another a small, tight one. One pupil can move the arm well, but has no fingers another has good fingers, but no command
flabby
hand
of arms.
I only cared about fingers for a time while for the latter I work with arms as though they were the most essential things. So you can see the teaching must be entirely individual a
;
teacher must have as many ways of teaching as he has pupils. "A teacher must have great experience as
218 Piano
well as tact
Mastery
and
Second Series
know how to
diag-
intuition, to
nose each particular case, and what to prescribe for it. He is a doctor in more senses than one.
must know the malady the pupil suffers from, also the best means to eradicate and
cure
it.
He
LEARNING TO HEAR
training is one of the most important branches of study. I find one of the greatest difficulties which stand in the way of progress,
is
"Ear
is
doing at the
mind
piano. The student may have an idea in his as to how the piece ought to sound, but often seems quite oblivious as to how he is
making
His head may be in the clouds while his hands are making the most atrocious errors as to tone and rhythm. I say
it
sound.
'I can lend you my ears for an hour but what of the many hours you will to-day, have to use your own till you come again?' For the most a master can do is to give the student the benefit of his ears, while instructing him how to use his own. When the moment comes that the pupil actually hears what he
to him:
is
doing, consciousness
is
progress begins. When that the pupil realizes that his tone
moment
is
comes,
not beautiful;
Richard Buhlig
in
219
is
very differis
it.
It
a crucial
period, and needs the firm hand of a master to prevent discouragement, to hold him up, and show him what to work for.
"I try to have the student learn to empty his I say to him: ears, and then learn to listen. 'Practice with empty ears, so that you may fully hear what you are doing. Don't play straight
through the piece; rather pause often in your study. Sit back and listen to phrases. Play the phrase in various ways, noting what is
wrong.
always
God uses us to help first our ears out? each other, by lending help pupils with the use of our ears; but they must be shown how to use their own. "While I do not care for mechanical etudes,
ing,
We
I use Bach constantly; the Inventions to start with, and as much more as I can give. To get
a pupil to see the form and shape of a single phrase of a Bach Invention, the pure beauty
Second Series
it, is
and expressiveness of
advancement.
his
USE OF PEDALS
"The pedal is another factor in playing, the use of which is not understood. There is much
more to pedal playing than merely putting it down at one chord and taking it up at another. The pedal is an art in itself. It is the moonlight of the piano
the sunlight too the fog if you will, and the atmosphere. I have made a great study of pedaling. I use the deceptive
;
pedal, by which I mean that it gives quality and color to the tone, though the listener does not know it is being used. He would miss it
if it
were not
there.
He
of the tones, but may not detect use of pedal. The pedals are employed for color. I can use pedal for scales with such rapid foot-vibration that
"My
works in piano literature the great sonatas and concertos. I am known on the other side as an interpreter of important works. I have
not so good a repertoire of pieces in the lighter forms. Yet several years ago I was the first pianist, I think, to place a group of Debussy on a program. Other players would insert a
Richard Buhlig
single or ten
221
my
ing quite a
propaganda for
Since then I have taken up Schoenberg and have done the same for him.
"We
these
modern or
all.
music at
They
meaning
of the term.
though I personally prefer to liken them to literature than pictures. The modern French
composers are programatic but more pictorial than literary. "They have a kinship with painters, for they strive to paint pictures with tones. Modern
music.
his
on the other hand, try to imitate might say Debussy is related to Whistler. Schumann, on the contrary, finds
painters,
We
Chopin and Wagner I place Chopin Look at his Mazurkas, what consumfirst. mate mastery of form! Music, unlike other arts, has no subject matter to begin with: it
thoven
starts with spirit.
is
To me,
what
is
It
is
222 Piano
that he
Mastery
Second Series
was asked the meaning of one of his compositions. 'What does it mean? Why-
music.'
I understand that perfectly. Nothing I play has specific or tangible meaning; to me it is music that is enough
:
"Yes, one needs a particular style of technic to play the compositions of Debussy and the
rest; creeping, sliding
tle finger lifting,
pedals to
movements, very litand always the shimmering give color and atmosphere.
INTERPRETATION
"In regard to interpretation, I feel that the must have a clear concept of the composition, its form and meaning he must know how
artist
;
would be most
illogical
to expect him to do otherwise. But he should play it as though he did it for the first time.
That
is
artist
and
the non-artist.
rule, or as
The
latter plays as
though by
he has been taught, while the artist recreates anew, though on the lines he feels best I admit express the feeling of the music.
that, as his
mood may
change a
little.
One day
soft places
may
Richard Bulilig
vitality
223
But he
to express the selfsame ideal. the difference between the non-artist Again, and the artist lies in the concept. The artist
surely
must try
ideal, while
the non-artist often plays as he feels, with no plan at all. You notice I do not contrast the
artist
w ith
r
teur can be an
laid to
on
whom
no necessity
I wish
is
make a
it
might be possible to employ our art freely in this way, for the love of the doing. Then both
teaching and playing would be a gift to those who are ready and appreciative. And when
you think of
the artist
is
it,
who
an
of
experiences, the result of all his sufferings, his very life blood. Or to the teacher who gives to the pupil his
in him, the
all his
sum
experience. artist to have things for his well-being and existence, it would be a joy to give his art freely, without thought of mercenary return,
If
it
but having the appreciation of the receiver. For I do not believe that only the receiver
should feel gratitude
giver to give."
;
it is
XX
MISCHA LEVITZKI
THE DEVELOPMENT OF A NATURAL TECHNIC
of the pianistic sensations of the season of nineteen sixteen has been the playing of
ONE
Mischa Levitski, as the inspired performances of the young Brazilian, Guiomar Novaes, had
been the year before. Levitzki suddenly appeared in our midst, and had given his third
recital before the season
first recital
was half
over.
His
won an
The
ent,
was an unusual
tal-
already
highly
developed.
well-
equipped technic, subtle feeling for tone color, clear grasp of the composer's meaning, ability to set all these forth with conviction and authority,
made
his
performances
full of satisfac-
tion
and delight. Mischa Levitski is very young to have achieved so much. He has the boyish manner, the frank open expression and ready smile befitting his
feels the
224
Mischa Levitzki
225
maturity of thought which tempers the young ardor of his nature. In conversation he is
clear-thoughted and fluent, ready to share his experiences with the questioner, though he says sometimes, with winning modesty, "it seems
so to me, but perhaps I
am
rather
young
to
judge."
ing facts about himself and his work. "You ask for a brief account of my short
career," he began. "I was born in Russia, though I am an American citizen, as father was naturalized
my
Eight years of my childhood were spent in Russia and then we came to New York. About a year and a half before we left the other side I had begun to study music.
here thirty years ago.
arrived in America, I was taken to the Institute of Musical Art,
after
"Not long
we
and placed under the tuition of Stojowski. I also had to attend the public school as well, so that I was never able to practise more than two hours daily often not more than an hour and a half. I merely mention this because people often imagine I must have practised incessantly, because I have considerable technic. "After about four years at the Institute I
went
to Berlin,
226 Piano
Mastery
Second Series
ing with Dohnanyi. He is a wonderful master and above all such a thorough musician. I
by such guidance.
leaving music.
study.
all
the rest of
my time to
right
be devoted to
An injury to my
caused by excessive bicycle riding, prevented a day. This was a severe disappointment, when I was so
my
time to music.
concerts and operas. I am ever, that the two following years of my four with Dohnanyi, I could use my hand for three
am
beginning to realize
this
Mischa Levitzki
"With
227
lit-
my two
For example, I I seldom did so. but scales, As my teacher never heard scales at the lesson, and as I was able to make a pretty good showtle technical study, as such.
my
"When I went to Dohnanyi, he at first me smaller things than I had been doing
Kinderscenen of Schumann and the
earliest
Sonatas of Beethoven. Some students might have objected to this, but I was very glad to
study in such a careful, systematic way. He believes one must have much more technic than the piece requires, so he always gives pieces that do not tax your technical ability to the
utmost, so that you
may
He listens carefully,
on a
slip of
bers them.
before
Finally he
plays the piece through from beginning to end. As he is such a master interpreter, this of itself
is
a great inspiration to the pupil. "In regard to the technical side, the
Hun-
228 Piano
Mastery
Second Series
garian master did not so greatly concern himHe did not attempt to teach technic outself.
side of compositions. quire this by himself.
ac-
My
technic advanced
year or two, for I began music, in fact I played everything with him. "Dohnanyi is very particular about clearness
rapidly after the
to play
first
much more
difficult
in slow
of touch, requiring the fingers to be well raised and careful practice. The beginning
finishing of the phrase, its shading and balance, are all thought out. I acquired a well
and
developed technic of the fingers; I could do almost anything with my fingers, but I did not
know how I
me
Things came so easily to that I never went deep enough into the subdid
it.
ject to
lieve
do not analyze the principles which underlie artistic technic. Perhaps I should say few artists ever do. The gift of technic does not mean the understanding of it that must be learned through patient study.
technic at all events
;
my own
must
Mischa Levitzki
"I feel that I
229
am now As
never occupied myself much with that side, never thought it necessary to inquire into the principles, so long as I could play the pieces I wanted to play. Over a year ago my need
for deeper knowledge
tion.
came almost
as a revela-
I pondered the technic problem on this certain day, a light seemed to dawn, and
I then, for the first time, grasped the principles upon which the whole scheme of piano technic
rests.
As
The
new But
rather the
my own
application that to me. It may be only light case that the working out will apply ;
it is is
manner of their
dis-
covered, yet
it
very
it
put into
words
to describe
it than can be said the Briefly, principle of relaxation plays a very large part; sup;
it
would be
it.
easier to demonstrate
from the body; also the idea of playing easily, with no stiffness or strain anywhere. Of course
these are Dohnanyi's principles, too; he uses
them
in teaching
artists.
But
and playing,
as
do
all
Second Series
methods of applying these principles; I know now just what I am doing, and why. "I give much of my practice time at least half of it to working up my technic. I found that while I had good finger development, I
fell
None
of
my
teachers
in this
branch
it.
AN
ARTIST'S
apt to be deceived as to movement and condition. They often make so little move-
ment with
fingers or wrist, that, to the casual observer, these scarcely seem to move at all.
When
you see Busoni play octaves, it seems as though his wrists must be stiff, so quietly
are they held. But such cannot be the case, or he would not be able to execute octaves at
all.
In
artist is
He
more
quiet his
is
movements.
For
instance
my own
playing
it is
from what
in the
There I play privacy of my own studio. slowly, with well-raised fingers, and large free
Mischa Levitzki
231
movements. In public I eliminate much of this and use only the most necessary movements.
During study hours I am not striving for power, but for ease of movement with right conditions; yet I have enough power when I
need
it. Public playing is the finished product, shorn of everything that savors of the workroom." Here Mr. Levitzki brings out clearly a point
which often mystifies both teachers and students. They seem to think, because an artist
plays
so
quietly,
with
little
it is
movement
of
not necessary for fingers, wrists or arms, them to teach or study correct action of the various hinges of hand and fingers. This is a grave mistake. The artist has trained his
effort;
he probably continues to do so in the privacy of his studio. In public he foregoes all but the
most necessary movement, for we are often told it is the highest art to conceal art. But no one ever gained command over his playing mechanism and the keyboard, without working for correct finger action, supple wrists and
loose arms.
It
ladder, when, take the required steps leading to the goal. Rather start at the bottom, making the ascent
folly to start at the top of the to make real progress, one must
is
232 Piano
Mastery
Second Series
Then
there will be
THE
"I desire to play the classics well," went on the young artist; "perhaps that style suits me best at least I love it. Mozart, for instance,
difficult
of
all.
The
notes are
often very simple, as you say; that fact is one of the chief difficulties. In works of other
composers, the tones can be sustained or covered by the pedals, but not so in Mozart. Here
must stand forth unaided by which to be used very sparingly. are pedals, It seems to me the greatest requirement is
the bare tones
absolute evenness; also beginning and ending the phrases in just the right way. You have
heard Lhevinne, and you know what a fine technic he has. He worked at a Mozart Concerto three whole months before he could get it
into shape.
There
is
really a school of
Mozart
I
playing.
At
one of
my New York
recitals,
put one bravoura selection the Rubinstein Staccato Etude on the programme, just to prove that I could do that style too. And of course a pianist must have the Liszt Rhapsodies and works of like caliber in his repertoire.
But I
XXI
ETHEL NEWCOMB
MENTAL PROBLEMS
"!T was a IN PIANO STUDY
have known
liberal education to
Leschetizky," remarked Ethel Newcomb, as we were chatting about her studies in Vienna. "Leschetizky was such a wonderful man," continued this American pianist and teacher; "I can scarcely realize he is no longer with us he was the best friend I ever had. If he took interest in a student, he never seemed to con;
sider
how much
seemed
"To
master gave
of his time, I will mention this little incident. "I had been so occupied with my own studies
that I
ances.
said:
had not thought about public appearLeschetizky came to me one day and
"I am
seem you seem to have entirely settled down to your studies you ought to be playing.'
;
losing interest in you; you don't to have the ambition you ought to have;
233
Second Series
me
"Get
with
orchestra
only
(He
always
wanted
his pupils to
play in public.)
'Very well,' I said, 'I will go to the manager to-morrow morning and see what can be
done.'
"Next morning, on the way there, I met a noted singer, who informed me she was just arranging for a concert with orchestra, and asked me to appear with her. I was delighted
at the chance of playing with the Philharmonic
Orchestra of Vienna and of appearing with Mme. Francis Sayville, and gaily returned to
the Professor with the news, telling him I had decided to play the Schumann Concerto. The
Professor did not quite approve of my choice, saying I would have to stand comparison with
the greatest artists. If I did well, people would sa^r the music was so beautiful, it would
sound beautiful no matter who played it while I did not do well, I would be blamed for attempting such a work. But I was not to be deterred, for I had worked on the Concerto a
;
if
me
long time. The Professor rehearsed it with would begin after almost every day. supper and work till nearly midnight, so eager
We
Ethel
Newcomb
235
was he to have it perfect, so utterly prodigal was he of his valuable time. "At the orchestral rehearsal, there was a passage for flutes, which failed to come in. Not
hearing
to
it,
knows the parts so perfectly and has such sensitive ears she was disturbed when the flutes didn't come in properly.' 'I said it
is
me afterwards.
come
in,
you
will
play the flute part yourself.' "The day before the concert, Leschetizky
gave up
his lessons, and we worked together both afternoon and evening. When he saw the large audience assembling on the night of
the concert, he advised me to play the opening passage with quite a different touch and phrasing, to render the tone erful.
more
brilliant
and pow-
STUDIES
WITH LESCHETIZKY
"I studied and worked with the Professor between fourteen and fifteen years. The last
four years I was his assistant. I was a very young girl when I went to Vienna really only
a child.
home
in America,
Second Series
had
talent.
and
my
friends considered I
In
those days I could go to a concert, listen to a difficult piano piece, perhaps a Liszt rhapsody,
it
were
studied some of the rhapsodies, and a lot of technic of the old Stuttgart school, but had no
"I was duly prepared by one of the Forbereiters,, Fraulein Prentner, before taking my first lesson with Leschetizky. After a couple of lessons, I was told to play for the next class. These classes, as is well known, assembled every
fortnight. ence.
first
experi-
My
name was
called
and I marched
three quite bravely to the piano, to play not was what in store for me. pieces, knowing
my
modulation into the key of the next number. It was an impossibility; I had never studied music that way. The Professor appeared very much
little
"My first piece went very well. the Professor asked me to make a
At
its
close
surprised; then he called up a lad of eight, since become one of the leading pianists of Germany, and asked him to make the required
modulation, 'for this lady/ The incident was a revelation. I had looked upon myself as a
Ethel
child.
Newcomb
237
Now
as a lady, yet I
had had and the kind to be obtained over there, where foundational knowledge is so thorough.
receive the sort of training that enables one to transpose, improvise, play a difficult
They
America.
reasons.
*
'No, you must not go,' he said. *I will make you my assistant; you shall begin teaching at once; I will send you six pupils to-morrow.'
pupils.
And
he did.
many
He
introduced
me
and on every point. One wonderful summer I went with him to Ischl, and there we worked together daily, on how to teach, taking
assistant,
me
clear
up every subject in detail. At that time I only half realized what a marvelous opportunity it was. He would discuss the hand from every point of view what this sort of hand should do, and why another kind of hand should be held
;
differently,
to do other-
Second Series
This is why he often said he had no method. 'To make a pupil play three notes on
the piano, expressively and with variety of touch, that is my method,' he would say. He was impatient of so-called methods he used to
;
say to me, 'You will not write method books you will play, that is your mission!'
PUBLIC PLAYING
"The
pianist
is
influenced
more or
I
less
by
the receptivity of his audience. one cannot always play in the same
am
certain
way; the
piano, the room and the audience are factors to be reckoned with. I wish I could always rise
above these things, but I am often influenced by various moods, and therefore play differently at different times. New York is perhaps the most trying city to appear in yet American audiences are most encouraging and enthusiastic. European or, to be more exact, German audiences are cold. They do not consider the player; he is only a medium through which they hear the composition; in other words they go to hear the music, not the per;
former.
a very subtle subject, the working of the mind during performance. Surely the ideal state is to be beyond the thinking and
"This
is
Ethel
Newcomb
239
planning stage, so that the player can freely listen to his own tones, without being in any
or limited by questions of technic or memory. When I play, I am not look-
way hampered
is
coming; I
am
my fingers.
by
only when one can
"True
listening
is
so possible detach one's self from one's surroundings as to be entirely wrapped up in what one is doing.
Then, and then only, one really begins to hear. I have seen this absorbed look come into the
eyes of Ysaye, as he stands before his audience. After the first few phrases, his eyes take on a
when this comes I know he has found himself, that he really hears. It is the same with the great pianists also. When in this trance-like state, one is not always conscious of what happens. At a recent recital, when a recall was demanded, I was in such a mental state that I could not come down to a Before I short, small piece for an encore. knew it I had plunged into the Scherzo, Op. 39, of Chopin. I had not looked at this piece for two years. sudden realization of the risk I was taking, almost made me come to grief, until I had recovered poise.
different look;
Second Series
deem necessary
seems to require it, do I neglect the Etudes, Op. 740, of Czerny. Several of these, played consecutively, should put the hand in good condition. Leschetizky
believed that the first three contain everything needed in piano playing. They were among
the requirements for obtaining lessons from him. He usually called for one or two of these
when
the pupil
first
came
to him.
if
Czerny studies, transposed into another key. So they had to be learned in all keys. I run through the four books frequently, and so keep them fresh in my fingers.
finds technical problems constantly in I play the Tschaikowsky Concerto, If pieces. I find there plenty of practice in chords. Leschetizky's idea was not to practice either
"One
Ethel
Newcomb
241
strenuous technic or etudes late at night, as this would probably result in stiff muscles next
day. Rather play pieces at night, especially those containing variety of touch.
"I find that people often go 'round and 'round the subject of piano study, without going directly for the thing they are or should be aiming at. They run after this or that method, whatever is most largely advertised. Nowhere is this more evident than right here in New York. They take dancing lessons to help them
play the piano. I say nothing against Daicroze, or mechanical keyboards, but I do believe that if
you want
"I
am
improving
the quality of musical training offered to music students. have become more thorough and
We
There are more things to be systematic. learned about music than just to play a few tunes on the piano. are learning to try and find the meaning and significance of music
We
itself."
XXII
RAFAEL JOSEFFY
BY SOME OF HIS PUPILS
Rafael Josefly has long been one to conjure with, whether in Europe or America, whether as pianist or as pedagogue. He was by birth an Hungarian, itself a fact of musical significance. He had studied with Tausig and Liszt, and when he came to America, in 1879, in the flush of youthful mastery of his instrument, he created a furore. He was at that time a marvelous virtuoso ; he de-
THE name
veloped later into a poetic genius of the piano. It would require a readier pen than mine to
fitly describe either
the
manner of playing, or
the teaching methods of this piano conqueror. He had many pupils and followers during his
long residence among us, and his influence over the development of music in America was important. As the years passed he became more and more a thinker along the lines of music education, as is evidenced by his two valuable works on piano technic. These books prove
242
RAFAKL JOSEFFY
Rafael Joseffy
243
how
lems.
carefully he
worked out
technical prob-
Technic for the piano is such an individual thing. In a sense it must be applied differently to each pupil. This enlists all the resources of
the teacher, since the mentality of the student And if the teacher is varied in every case.
must adapt
will be
his instruction to
individual, so,
and receptivity.
I have been able to confer with several of the American pupils of Rafael Joseffy, and
interest
ROSE
WOLF
the master's as-^
brought to her
work a wide experience of masters and methods. Born in Russia, a student in the Rubinstein Conservatory, under the famous pianist, she also studied with Klindworth and Schar-
wenka in Berlin, and with Dr. William Mason and A. K. Virgil in New York. In fact she has investigated all methods, "to see ~vhat was
in them."
244 Piano
Mastery
Second Series
was fourteen," she
says.
"I feel I know his method thoroughly; in fact, his 'new book,' as we called it, the First Lessons,
we
He
con-
sulted
me
my knowledge
Virgil's Method helped to explain many a point. During the past fifteen years
of
Mr.
I prepared most of the pupils for Joseffy, and alternated lessons with his.
JOSEFFY'S
METHOD
see
al-
"Here is a model of Joseffy's hand. You how the fingers are rounded, the knuckles
most
level
on top
as high as that of the second ; the thumb ger was very is curved also ; it is an ideal shape.
is
He
particular about hand position; that must be formed before anything else could be done. He
takes
up
opening chapter of
First Lessons.
Then comes finger action. believed in high, free finger movements, especially at first later the high action was reduced.
;
He
Each
ent touches
these are for keys.
and
attention is to be given to chord the various positions both in three and study; four voices to be played in a variety of touches,
Much
Rafael Joseffy
and always with
for the keys.
245
Joseffy made much of the staccato touch, both for fingers and wrist. Finger staccato
was not played by simply working the fingers quickly up and down, but rather by a slight dra wing-in of the finger tip (as Doctor Mason taught). Wrist staccato was executed with the hand, the wrist being free and supple and fingers rounded. He did not advise alternating legato and staccato touches for scales, a few repetitions of each, as is usually done he considered this method of practice a waste of time. But if staccato scale practice can be kept up for ten or fifteen minutes at a time, great
;
FINGERING
"Joseffy was very exact in all matters of fingering. When possible, a phrase or passage
should begin with thumb and end with fifth An ascending scale should end with finger.
Chords following single tones, in bass, should receive, not the fifth finger again, but the fourth or third, when possible. I took him
fifth.
minor Ballade of Chopin; he changed the fingering in such a way that I had to learn the piece all over again; but it then sounded
the
246 Piano
Mastery
Second Series
shows
like quite a different composition, which how fingering can alter interpretation.
ORNAMENTS
"In regard to embellishments, he was particular to preserve the classic spirit, of bringing the mordent or grace note on the beat. This
for
Haydn,
Scarlatti or Mozart,
Beethoven. For later manner was generally chosen, though taste should decide. His taste was exquisite on all
such points.
CHOICE OF PIECES
of the most valuable things about Joseffy's teaching was his rare insight into
"One
the needs of his pupils. He was able to choose just the musical food they required. If the student lacked expression and a singing tone,
he was advised to study nocturnes or other lyric music; if he needed bravoura, he was required to work on brilliant pieces. Sometimes he was
that
allowed to play just the sort of composition would bring out his best qualities in high
relief.
"Joseffy never talked much in the lesson, never played the composition entirely through, only parts of it. The student imbibed more by
Rafael Joseffy
intuition than in
247
any other way. He made you see what he meant, what the music stood for, If the pupil were its meaning and significance. not advanced sufficiently, he might get but little
out of the lessons; but if really prepared, physically and mentally, he could grasp intuitively,
ism."
ALEXANDER BERNE
doing excellent work as pianist, teacher and composer, speaks enthusiastically of his lessons with Joseffy, with whom
is
five seasons.
on the following four fundamental principles: 1, Arched Hand; 2, Loose Wrist; 3, Slanting Position (for scales and arpeggios) 4, High Finger Action. He was
;
very particular about position of the hand; that had to be formed before anything else could be done. Accuracy also was one of his hobbies; therefore fingers must be well raised
during practice.
"With some pupils, I am told, he did not concern himself so much about technic. He was
very exact with me, for which I am grateful, as it has helped me so much in my teaching,
248 Piano
Mastery
Second Series
SLOW PRACTICE
"Slow practice was greatly recommended,
as
only in this way could accuracy be acquired. After the piece had been played for him slowly and carefully, he would sometimes say: 'Now play it fast, even if you drop some notes; I want to see what you can do.'
"He
we
it
required much scale practice. At first used a short scale of nine notes, for which
was necessary to pass the thumb under twice. This was played in all keys, hands singly and He claimed this little figure emtogether.
bodied the whole principle of the scale, without waste of time or energy. Later, scales in four
octaves were studied in
all
keys.
RHYTHM
"Joseffy was a great stickler for perfect rhythm. He insisted this principle should be
carried into everything. If the scale ended on a third beat, the following repetition, or new
scale,
first
Rafael Josef fy
249
THE
"With
complete rapport.
CLASSICS
He
came Schumann, Brahms and, most of all, Chopin. His taste did not incline toward the ultramodern school, though he used the two
Arabesques of Debussy. "In Bach, when one voice
is
in
eighths
played staccato and the latter legato, unless otherwise marked. This reading gives variety
to the parts
classic spirit.
Joseffy used it for the older music. "After the student had been initiated into
and had studied some pieces very carefully, he was told to bring several Sometimes I had pieces for each lesson.
technical methods,
to prepare thirty or forty pages at a time during the two weeks' interval; the idea being
to play through a
number
of compositions for
smoothness, style
and
effect.
the beginning of his lessons, the student provided himself with a staff-ruled notebook, in
"At
Many
new
First Lessons
Second Series
published.
me
before the
work was
book I use in
ercises for
my
Mr. Berne
many
incidents,
showing
the personality of the great pianist and his kindly interest in his pupils. Lack of space
prevents their inclusion. The accompanying portrait was taken by Mr. Berne at Joseffy 's
villa at
Tarrytown.
EDWIN HUGHES
Mr. Edwin Hughes, who has been for a number of years as student and teacher a
leading representative of the pianistic principles of Theodor Leschetizky, was a pupil of Joseffy for a couple of seasons before going to
Vienna.
says:
Of
"Joseffy was immensely particular about fingering. I have known the whole lesson hour
would finto be occupied with this subject. ger a passage in several ways, telling the pupil
to practice them all and then decide which would best fit the hand. In his work as editor,
He
he would spend many hours over the fingering of a single composition. He often hit upon
Rafael Joseffy
brilliant ideas in this line,
251
though he was apt and pedantic. old fashioned somewhat to be This frequently showed itself in the changing of fingers on keys, for no special reason. With him fingering was almost an art in itself. He worked according to a principle, and always
If a passage ought to be played legato, he would preserve that principle in the
put that
first.
fingering.
"He
cises
advised
making
;
out of pieces that is to say, selecting the hard parts and then turning them about in different ways, for one hand or the other. This was the idea of Tausig and Liszt, with both of
whom
Joseffy studied. It is also Rosenthal's plan; he doubtless got it from his teacher, Joseffy. Another technical stunt was to practice with uncomfortable hand positions, such
low wrist, for instance. Afterwards the normal position of hands, or written arrangement of notes would be found
as octaves with very
much
easier.
PERFECTION OR ENDURANCE
student to practice either for perfection or endurance. For the former
252 Piano
Mastery
Second Series
and minute attention to every detail. the opposite course was observed. 'Play for speed, and keep it up, 'no if matter some of the notes are dropped,' he would say: 'go through the piece several times without stopping, and do not yield to fatigue overcome fatigue
fingers
For endurance
1'
two works like the Schumann Fantaisie, Op. 17, and Chopin's Sonata, Op. 35. To the listener these works may sound about the same in
point of difficulty, but the pianist will learn much more from the first movement of the So-
For
first part of the Fantaisie. the same reason he did not favor either
the Tschaikowsky or Grieg Concertos. 'Any one who can play chords can play those,' he
say. But from a Mozart or a Chopin Concerto one learns much. The Intermezzi of Brahms are more for interpretation than for
would
Rafael Josef fy
JOSEFFY'S BOOKS
253
ON TECHNIC
"I make great use in my teaching of Joseffy's treatise on Piano Technic; I consider it a great work. He has treated every point exhaustively. Of course it is a book for advanced students, as he accepted no other kind. His First Lessons,, which was issued later, I do not use. After a careful examination, I found the
exercises just as difficult many of them as those in the larger work. He intended the First Lessons to precede the more advanced
work, and started out with a few f oundational exercises, but soon leaped ahead to advanced
problems.
gil
He was
inventor, Mr. A. K. Virgil. pupil coming to him who had been well prepared in this
method, he considered had a thorough foundation. I had been well grounded in this method before I went to him, through my studies with I found this S. M. Fabian, of Washington.
preparation of the greatest benefit to
later studies.
me
in
my
"
our time.
Why do Americans come over here to study, when they have one of the most remarkable teachers in
Rosenthal remarked
:
As
Second Series
Yet Joseffy himself counselled his students to cross the ocean and learn what Europe could do for them in matters of experience, travel, and musical inspiration."
XXIII
KATE
ABOUT
the
S.
CHITTENDEN
whom
I came
musician with
in contact,
on
my
professional advent in
New
York, over twenty years ago, was Miss Kate Chittenden. lived under the same roof and
We
saw each other daily. I was attracted by her sincerity and fearless candor, her wide experience, and the justice of her opinions on most subjects. As I learned to know her better and
got beyond a certain quaint, characteristic brusqueness of manner, I realized how sympathetic she was, how tender-hearted, how ready to help struggling talent, or those not even talented, who craved an assisting hand. I
saw the Synthetic Method, which she organized and worked out, grow from its very inception.
seems
To
Second Series
;
method of piano study she could devise to aid students to find themselves and work out the
best that
establish
is
hand."
an American on both sides of her family; her mother's people coming here in 1629, her father's in 1638. She happened to be born in Hamilton, Canada, where her parents went to visit and remained. In music she had the benefit of study with an extraordinary Frenchman, Jules Fossier.
at
Kate Chittenden
Later,
by Lucy H. Clinton, a pupil of Clara Schumann, who proved to be equally exacting. Miss Chittenden came to New York in the fall of 1876. Later she was made organist and
Choir Director of Calvary Baptist Church, a post she held for over a quarter of a century.
In 1892 she joined the staff of the Metropolitan College of Music, which has since been renamed American Institute of Applied Music.
She has been the Dean of the Faculty there
since 1900.
We
Kate
S. Chittenden
257
experience, neither singers nor violinists, as a rule, could give an adequate idea in words, of
the essentials of music study and teaching; whereas the progressive teacher of the piano
is
much
that
is
useful
and helpful. "That is because the piano is a universal instrument," said Miss Chittenden. "The singer
can only sing one note at a time, a violinist can at most play two; but the pianist can depress about a dozen keys the piano is the instrument
;
of harmony."
resume of your ideas." "I was almost forced into these discoveries," answered Miss Chittenden, with a smile, "by
the utter lack of finger instinct observed in
most pupils who came to me. needed to feel the black keys
I found they
as well as the
white half steps as well as whole steps. "We, therefore, start with the half-step, the
smallest interval in music.
At
keyboard
all
This
Second Series
very fact seems greatly to simplify matters for the beginner. Who would imagine that out of the twelve sounds contained within the octave, 479,001,600 changes could be made!
"We
is
to be considered the starting point of an independent system. The first technical application is made by starting from each one of the
twelve keys in the octave and proceeding by half steps, using such variations of time, touch,
Next, we introduce a half followed by a whole step, proceeding from the same starting point, always making clear the relationships. Then we build 'Filled Seconds,' utilizing three piano keys. With three sounds a number of rhythmic changes can be introduced; but in order to
and dynamics
as one desires.
much
chromatic work, we always apply the same figure to the diatonic scale, taking care to emphasize the difference between the chromatic and
normal sequences. After the three sounds are established, the middle one is eliminated, bringing us to the 'sequence of whole steps' (the
basis of so
"We
sharp
much of Liszt's filigree work). can now take up minor thirds. I first
use either
and flat, or sharp and F two mountain peaks with a valley be-
flat
Kate
tween.
these
S. Chittenden
259
The pupil can never mistake either of for a major third, whereas the minor third
on the white keys is sometimes misleading. I have the pupil feel this minor third chromatically up the keyboard, to learn its form and shape. It is then written out and played with different touches. After these, each of the four sounds, or piano keys, within the minor third are played in succession, as 'filled minor thirds/ to which eight different rhythms may be applied.
"As
between'
equal to
four half steps. They may be played together or in broken pairs. They may also be filled
CHORD STUDY
"In teaching chords I use the three
this order: diminished,
triads in
minor, major.
Inver-
demonstrated by alternate hands, overlapping each other. I call them "shingles." The diminished seventh and dominant
sions
are
up
in the
are quite simple after the drill with triads. There is a certainty of touch and vision that
260 Piano
Mastery
Second Series
comes from using chords chromatically and afterwards passing through the circle of keys,
that results in fearlessness
:
it
of stumbling so prevalent
pianists.
among immature
glad to give you this brief summary I think the musician should not keep his discoveries to himself, but be willing to share them with others. Musicians ought to
of the work.
"I
am
have a code of ethics and as inviolable an oath as physicians, who are not allowed to patent their knowledge; for if a doctor is known to secrete anything of public benefit, he is scorned
by his fellows. Surely the followers of the most beautiful art ought to be as high-minded
as those in the best of professions." long will it take the student to
"How
through the various half-step forms which use?" she was asked.
go you
"About three months. Of course all depends on the ability of the learner and the amount of
time she has to give. All beginners go through the work with my assistants.
"In a college such as Vassar, where the ordinary studies are accompanied by a large amount of laboratory work, as well as a good
deal of special-topic writing, executive music has to be crowded out, and it is very difficult for
Kate
S. Chittenden
261
the students to get any satisfactory amount of Executive music, in my judgment, practice. should form no part of a college course. But
as a side issue, for recreation
it is
and
inspiration,
practice daily, but in point of fact, they are only able to get five half hours a week, or less.
Consequently, I have to prune the course in piano just as close as possible. There is only time for the most essential things. I insist on
good tone and rhythm, attention to phrasing and dynamics, and an intelligent use of the
pedals. I use a large number of short pieces, for the less advanced pupils, such as Schumann,
Opus 15, 99, 124; Chopin Preludes, and many of the best short modern compositions.
assistants
My
I have three in the College give a lesson to each music student once a week. I
give them a half hour lesson every other week; the alternate week I have them in classes, six
in
number. "Piano music, however, has recognition at Vassar through the admirable course in Inter-
pretation given by Professor George Coleman Gow, to performers in any branch of music.
These
262 Piano
Mastery
Second Series
way
that at the
end of the year the students understand thoroughly why the composition is good and what constitutes an artistic reading. They learn to criticize intelligently, and after the laws are
once understood, students are called upon to criticize each other. This particular item is of
peculiar benefit.
over and over again, and his correction may have no appreciable effect; but let a fellow
student criticize another and
delible impression,
it is
makes an
in-
Miss Chittenden numbers over three thousand pupils who have studied with her in the
course of her long career. For nearly eighteen years she has been head of the piano depart-
ment
Vassar College, making the trip to Poughkeepsie every week during the entire
in
season.
on the
New York
Board
first
of Education free lecture courses, being the woman ever chosen to lecture on music.
It has been recently said of Miss Chittenden: "To an exceptional degree she is open-
minded
to all the
new developments
in the
to her capacity for comprehending quickly new points of view and disit is
is
worth
Kate
while and what
is
S. Chittenden
little
263
of
lution of pedagogical work, that her success is in a great measure due. She has devised a com-
prehensive system for teaching children, which has produced eloquent results."
XXIV
AUGUSTA COTTLOW
TECHNICAL ESSENTIALS IN PIANO STUDY
The
first
famous artist to visit and enthrall us with his art was Rubinstein. Each year after his advent, some new European aspirants for our admiration visited us, so that
we began
to look
for a fresh pianistic sensation every season. While we are grateful for all the old world
are learning to find ourselves in these days. too have artists of the keyboard, who compare most
we
We
favorably with those who come to us from over the water. I believe the views and experiences of our own pianists will be most helpful to the
teacher.
Augusta Cottlow, who has given the following conference, is an artist of whom America may be proud ; her views will doubtless be read
with deep interest.
S64
Augusta Cottlow
"Prominent
265
technic
on.
to practice, and so hand and mentality of the average individual there seem to be so many
position,
hand
how
Yet
in the
hindrances that
it is
numlight
more
pressed,
and
this
mode
of expression should be
perfected so that the ideas may be clearly set forth. This is a point which ought never to be
overlooked, but I have found that in the intense desire to perfect the 'mode of expression,' the object of it all is too often lost sight
of,
for.
and the student forgets what he is striving We must never forget that a great artist
is not great simply because he has a wide range of tone-coloring, fine finger action, a velvety touch, or free and strong arm movements, but
Without
ideas
most perfect technical equipment leaves the unmoved, except to excite the same
Second Series
The idea is truly the that quickeneth' in music as well as in 'spirit every other kind of work. Thus it is that the
batic
performance.
with great musical insight will produce exquisite effects with his technic, where the less
artist
ment, can make little or no effect. It therefore behooves every student to increase his interpretative ability as assiduously as he is striving to perfect his mechanical control.
PATIENT STUDY
"It seems almost superfluous to touch upon the subject of patience, as nearly every artist has, in interviews or articles, dwelt upon the
patience required to perfect a reliable technic. This is, of course, true in every line of human endeavor. Great lessons can be learned from
Edison, for example, who sometimes spends seventeen or eighteen hours without interruption in his laboratory, working
the lives of
men
like
out his experiments. For the average student, who loves his work, four or five hours a day at the piano is no bugbear, on the contrary, a decided pleasure. It is not the amount of time
spent, however, which taxes one's patience, but the kind of practicing one does that is, whether
;
Augusta Cottlow
it
267
those
who wish
is
what
keep this technic. Many students make the mistake of believing that two or three years of
more or
their technic so that afterwards all will be easy sailing ; but doubtless all artists will agree that
the continuous perfecting of each detail that keeps their technic up to the standard, and
it is
brings that enviable 'polish' which is the cherished desire of every aspirant to pianistic
success.
HAND
POSITION
position has been a subject of much discussion, and the ideas regarding it have
"Hand
undergone some radical changes since piano playing became a fine art. At present the arched hand with wrist on a level with the keys
is
conceded the position of the greatest advantage for all types of hands, supple or stiff; for it gives the supple hand a brace and much
Second Series
little
forte passages, while to the stiff hand with back-action of the fingers it gives a kind
of vantage ground, from which the fingers can fall perpendicularly into the keys. im-
An
hand
portant point to keep in mind is to tilt the slightly towards the thumb, so that the
fifth fingers are at as least high, if not higher, than that of the
and
perpendicularly into
as they
would
of
the
slanting
position
weaker fingers often leads to the bad habit of shoving the fingers down by means of the weight of the entire hand, and prevents independent action and the development of
strength in the fingers.
all
by means preserve a rounded position and be struck on their tips. Whatever may be said in
favor of the stroke produced by the straightened finger, I have never heard a crystalline,
The
fingers should
carrying tone from any one who used it. It will be noticed I have used the phrase 'into the
keys/ This is what the finger stroke must always be, even in melody playing where the fingers are not so much rounded. It is essential that the key be pressed down to its full
depth at
all times, in all
manner of
tone-color-
Augusta Cottlow
ing,
269
even in the finest pianissimo, and in the greatest velocity this is almost impossible with
;
and straightened finger. The mechanism of the piano action is such that a quick and deep stroke is essential for the perflattened stroke
fect action of the
hammer
otherwise the
strings at
hammers
This
is
pianissimo touch must, therefore, be carefully practiced, as the greatest control is required to
produce
delicacy.
this
quick
THE WRIST
"This wrist
elasticity of
is
Too
attention
hands and arms? The muscles which raise and lower the fingers are situated in the forearm, and are connected with the fingers by tendons which
is
stiffness in the
If the wrist
is
held
pen.
One
270 Piano
lies
Mastery
Second Series
This
is
this
member
means of the
by elevating the wrist slightly when the thumb passes under the hand in arpeggios, by drawing the hand
down
into the keys in melody playing, by sinking the wrist and lifting and lowering hand and arm in chord playing by leading with the
wrist,
and
so on.
When
the wrist
is
lowered,
the muscles
when it is raised those underneath are relieved. The movement should not be sideways, as is
often done, for this accomplishes nothing and looks affected; it should be an up and down
movement, in a
The slightly rotary manner. of strength is also assisted by this development elasticity of wrist, for every part of the hand
and arm
is
thereby unhindered in
its activity.
Thus I consider the position of hands and fingers, and the freedom of wrists as most
essential points in the mechanical phase technic.
of
VELOCITY
velocity
is
attained
is
often brought up, and many contend that velocity comes of its own accord as a result of
Augusta Cottlow
slow, careful practice.
dividuals,
is
271
Velocity, in
many
in-
a natural characteristic, owing to great suppleness of hands and a quick, impulsive mentality; but controlled velocity is
quite another story.
It usually requires
most
assiduous practice with the metronome, beginning with one note and increasing rhythmically to two, four, six and eight notes to a beat, to
gain this control. It is not so much a lack of rhythmic feeling as a lack of rhythmic control which makes this necessary. The majority of
students have no idea of
how
even their technical control is. Most people throw up their hands in horror at the thought of practicing with a metronome; they are afraid of becoming mechanical, and so on. This might be the result, if one habitually played
compositions through with metronome, but it should be used mostly for routine practice and
analytical
work
in pieces.
TECHNIC PRACTICE
Second Series
forms of technic should
At
least twelve
be gone over within a period of, at most, six weeks. For instance, if one practices scales and chords during the period of a week, employing both in several keys and forms, the
trills
and
octaves,
also practiced in various keys, fingerings and forms, and so on through the other divisions of
technic. The twelve forms which I feel should not be neglected, and which are essential to the formation of a many-sided, well-rounded tech-
Arpeggios (in various forms), Close Finger Work (triplets, broken thirds and the like), Octaves, Broken Octaves,
nic, are: Trills, Scales,
Repeated Notes and Skips. The principle of practicing the various forms of technic in routine work should be applied whenever these forms occur
in compositions. nic practice,
Chords,
Thirds,
Fourths,
Sixths,
This
is
"There is one more point I would like to touch upon, and that is the great evil (I can call it by no other name!) of students attempting to play compositions which tax the technic of even advanced concert artists. This evil cannot be too severely condemned. It prevents the stu-
Augusta Cottlow
dent from developing the
artistic side of
273
piano
playing, as his thoughts are so intent upon the technical difficulties involved, which he finds it
impossible to master, as they are utterly beyond his present technical development. The
argument often used by teachers on this subject is that the student can only acquire a
knowledge of piano
literature
by studying
the
greatest compositions. They are quite misfor one this can taken, get knowledge by the thorough reading and hearing of these compositions, as I
know by my own
experience.
".We must always remember, as my dear old teacher, Carl Wolfsohn, early impressed upon
my childish
play, but
HOW
thought, that
it is
not
WHAT we
we play!"
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