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Musical Courier 1892-02-10: Vol 24 Iss 625, 1892
38 lines. Read by computer on 23 September 2026. Printed page 11. See the scan on archive.org.
1you, particularly excellent being Dr. Mason's two finger exercises and Germer's "Technics," op. 28.
3Out of all the great mass of studies written by Czerny there are very few indeed which repay the time spent on them; they are not only dry and unmusical, but the technique of the piano has so changed since his time that only a few of those which bear directly on legato or staccato playing are serviceable, and some of those are so long that the pupil's hands weary before the etude is finished. When the hand wearies further practice only tends to weaken the muscles instead of strengthening them, and a non-elastic hand is the result. Of course what applies to one pupil will not apply to another, with different talents and a different hand. Studies should be selected, and indeed pieces, so that the particular kind of playing the pupil is deficient in is brought into constant use, and thus improved and developed. The secret of a beautiful and elastic touch is a thorough cultivation of the upper and lower arm, wrist and fingers; for instance in octave playing, in order to make the tones stand out clear, and moreover elastic, it is absolutely necessary that certain muscles be partially set or contracted, notably those of the hand, whilst the arm is free and easy, in order to produce the loveliest tone quality—round, distinct and clear, besides warmth, vitality, flexibility and absolute certainty.
5What do we understand the word technic to mean? In its broadest and highest sense it means everything pertaining to a pianist's outfit, the ability to reproduce the thoughts embodied in great musical works, and an easy, perfect and artistic manipulation. The mere mechanical process of playing the notes does not produce an artist, even if those notes are played correctly as regards touch, any more than the ability to read will make a scholar; more than this is necessary. The well equipped teacher should be able to show the construction of every piece of music his pupils study, be it an etude, song without words, sonata or fugue. They should be taught the wonders of musical form, how great musical works are constructed from motives, phrases and periods; how to define cadences, &c. It is simply absurd and outrageous to take money from pupils without giving value for it in making them intelligent, musical players; and without this knowledge on the part of the teacher there can be no effective teaching. I have had pupils come to me and after hearing them play have asked them, "Will you have the kindness to point out to me, in the music you have just played, a cadence; will you show me the first phrase from the beginning or where the first period ends?" or I may say to them, "Why did you accent such a note, was it to define the rhythm, the metre or a phrase?" and they can give no intelligent answer, they had been taught nothing but to play the notes!
7My fellow teachers and colleagues in the musical profession, have not many of you had a similar experience? If music is, as is believed, of Divine origin, and has been nourished and developed by the aid of science into one of the most, if not the most, beautiful of all arts, being universal, appealing to all persons of whatever nationality, elevating in its tendencies because calling into play the higher faculties, then we should, as music lovers and musicians, put into it our best endeavors and show wherein lies its beauties and the correct, poetic way of interpreting them. Think a moment what the word musician implies: a man versed and educated in music, who can talk intelligently and analytically regarding it, who can explain and show the polyphonic wonders of a Beethoven sonata or a Wagner music drama. Then, again, the teacher should show to his pupils wherein Schumann is different from Chopin, Wagner from Beethoven, Bach from Handel, their opposing styles and peculiar characteristics. This knowledge should be acquired by every teacher through extensive reading and study (besides a thorough knowledge of harmony and counterpoint), and is absolutely indispensable if he wishes to be spoken of and looked upon as a real musician. That persons have a right to teach is beyond question.
9There are many persons whose means will not permit them to engage a good teacher, and must—in consequence—go to one of those unqualified persons. There is, however, no excuse for those who can afford the outlay and do not for mercenary reasons; they, in the end, find out the lamentable mistake they have made; but the principle of engaging teachers who are not musicians to meet this class of persons, by directors of musical institutions, schools, academies, colleges, conservatories, &c., is radically wrong; there is no such practice in any school or conservatory abroad, and it ought not to be done on this side of the water. All good teachers know from sad experience how difficult it is for them to eradicate from such pupils the bad habits formed from first erroneous training. Apply the same system to any other act and the effect would be equally bad; for instance, if a child has been taught incorrect drawing, designing and coloring, and in maturer years continues his studies with a true artist, he will find that his time has been wasted, and will require to begin once more at the beginning. There are pianists and pianists, but few musicians. Professor Barth, of Berlin, himself a magnificent player, says: "Out of every fifty pianists there are only two musicians on an average."
11If this statement be true, and it no doubt is, it plainly shows the great need of reform in teaching methods. Another matter I wish to touch on, and that is the use of the pedal. This is so often abused and made to produce confusion and discord, that in many cases it would be better if it were removed from the piano altogether. The fault usually lies with the teacher, in not fully explaining to the pupil what the effect of the pedal really is, and what torture producing sensations will surely arise if it is not released and the dampers allowed to resume their positions against the strings before the following harmony is played. This inexcusable fault of misusing the pedal is often found in pupils who play very well, and, indeed, I have noticed it done by persons who assume to know a great deal about piano playing. The pedal should be most judiciously and carefully used in sonatas, and all classic works by ancient composers; in fact, in all works of a polyphonic character, for where there are several melodies moving simultaneously together, producing such a great variety of melodic richness and harmonic coloring, the artistic effect of the whole will certainly be marred and perverted if the pedal be used, unless with extreme care, as in wide extensions of chords or arpeggio. Effects charming and unique, harmonically rich and varied, can be produced by the careful and artistic use of the pedals, as witness the performance of any artist. Three of the greatest pianists of any age were Thalberg, Liszt and Chopin. The first, with his brilliant, coldly intellectual and calculative style; the second, with his impetuous enthusiasm, marvelous virtuosity and remarkable insight and fidelity to the works of all schools of composition; and the third, Chopin—with his refined, poetic finish, ethereal delicacy, caressing his piano, and making it breathe out sighs like a woman.
13Each of these had their followers and imitators, but the school of Liszt has borne the greatest fruits, in proof of which I need only mention a few of his followers—Rubinstein, Tausig, Bulow, and of the still younger players, Arthur Friedheim, Sophie Menter, Stavenhagen, and Paderewski. One great and serious obstacle in the way of an educated and conscientious teacher is the craving on the part of many parents to have their daughters brought out at concerts. This is not only peculiar to students of the piano, but in voice culture also, and a most deplorable thing it is. Many a teacher, in both these branches of music study, has to yield to the wishes of pupils and spend valuable time in endeavoring to polish something off for this display, thus breaking in upon regular technical training and development. Neither piano playing, violin playing, nor voice culture can be forced, all must be developed gradually, from commencement to finish, and genuine artistic results cannot be acquired in a few months, but rather after years of patient painstaking labor on the part of both teacher and pupil. Another fault equally pernicious in its results is the giving to pupils by teachers music much too difficult, and in advance of their technique and intellectual acquirements, in consequence of which they can never play such pieces well, no matter how much time is spent on their preparation, and if they ever place themselves under the instruction of any celebrated foreign teacher, they find out then, much to their sorrow, surprise and dismay, that not only has the technique to be remodeled and changed, but the pieces they have played at must be laid aside, probably not to be touched during their entire study abroad. This is only too true, and is further proof that the methods in vogue are absolutely wrong, for which both teachers and parents are to blame.
15Nothing is more advantageous and educating than to hear good music properly and artistically played; piano pupils, and indeed all teachers of the piano, should avail themselves of every opportunity to hear great artists. Recitals are valuable; the musician who stops hearing and learning from others is non-progressive, and very soon his lessons are mechanical, uninteresting and valueless. Especially excellent for the pianist is a course of reading on musical and kindred subjects, such as Wagner's philosophical writings, Henderson's "Story of Music," H. E. Krehbiel's writings on the "Wagnerian Music Dramas," Ruskin's "Art Studies," and a very clever work by Thomas Tapper, a young Boston writer, entitled "The Music Life and How to Succeed in It" is well worth the reading. There are scores of books, highly instructive and beneficial to the student and teacher, which should have a place in the library, and moreover should be read, and are indispensable for acquiring a thorough musical education.
17I believe in specialists: specialists in piano, in voice culture, in violin, &c. There is enough in the literature of the piano, and the study which properly belongs to it, to engross all the spare time a teacher has. "One must learn the music of prose and poetry, the beauty of form and color in painting, for all these helps give the musician valued hints." It is the special training that requires the most general and careful education, because in order to do the very best work in any one subject it is necessary to know a great deal about other subjects that have a direct or indirect bearing upon it. Direct—everything pertaining to its contents, as in piano playing—technic with all its complexity, form, structure, counterpoint, melody, harmony, &c.; indirectly—nature, illustration, and contrast with other arts, poetry, sculpture, painting, &c. The technic of the piano is unlike any other instrument, and the greatest results have been effected throughout the world by teachers who have given their time, talents, study and knowledge to the teaching of one instrument, be that the piano, organ, violin, or the human instrument, "the voice." To sum up, piano playing has two sides, the mechanical and the emotional. By the emotional I mean of course all I have spoken of regarding interpretation and the study pertaining to it. They must both be cultivated at the same time, go hand in hand as it were, and then, if one's nature be sensitive and musical, the listener cannot help feeling that music is beautiful and elevating, that it will cheer us when we are sad, that it is truly a language of love, at times deep and impressive, at others gay and graceful, like cloud shadows flitting across fields of flowers, and that if we cannot understand the meaning or mission of music upon earth we can enjoy the pleasure it gives, those wondrous pictures to the imagination of the great world of sound, "the only science we are assured we shall find in the heavenly realm of God." W. O. Forsyth.
19Read before the Canadian Society of Musicians at their annual convention held in Toronto, Canada, December 30, 1891.
21HOME NEWS.
23Thomson Ballad Recitals.—The ballad recitals being given each alternate Monday afternoon in Chicago by Mrs. Agnes Thomson, soprano, and Mr. J. F. Thomson, baritone, are receiving the universal commendation of the critics and the generous support of the public. The programs so far given have included compositions by Saint-Saëns, Liszt, Faure, Marzials, Tosti, Scochdopole, Pinsuti, Malloy, Neidlinger, Shelley, Meyer-Helmund, Anderson, Coombs, Chandon, Schumann, Hoed, Massé, Bemberg, Grell, Lewis, Gerrit Smith, Callicott, Rodney and Abt, from which it will be seen that the field covered by these artists is a wide one. They have thus far sung their numbers in each of the original languages, viz., English, French, German, Spanish and Italian, and have been complimented no less upon their smooth pronunciation than their artistic and oftentimes masterly vocalization. Mr. Thomson seems to have made a great hit in Shelley's "Minstrel Boy," and Mrs. Thomson in her French and German songs. The critics have made special mention of their work in duets, which is as finished as the high standard of their solo work. Since locating in Chicago they have met with flattering success and are constantly engaged in either concert or recital work. They are to give a large number of recitals in Western cities next month.
25Kneisel Quartet.—The program for the fourth and last of the Kneisel Quartet concerts at the Music Hall, Fifty-seventh street and Seventh avenue, on Friday evening next is as follows: Quartet in G major, No. 2, op. 18, Beethoven; songs by Chaminade; variations from quartet in D minor, Schubert; songs by Wekerlin and Delibes, and quartet in E flat major, op. 74, Beethoven. Mrs. Julia L. Wyman will be the vocalist.
27Mollenhauer's Concert.—William F. T. Mollenhauer, the young son of the well-known violinist, Edward Mollenhauer, will give a concert at the Lenox Lyceum on the 18th of this month. The young artist will play a violin concerto, as well as other compositions of his own. He will be assisted by the Seidl Orchestra and Jacques Friedberger, pianist.
29Schmidt-Herbert.—The third concert of the Schmidt-Herbert Quartet will be given at Hardman Hall on Thursday evening. The program will consist of Beethoven's E flat major quartet, op. 74; the slow movement from Tschaikowsky's op. 11, Grieg's G minor quartet, op. 27, and solos for the 'cello by Victor Herbert.
31Seidl Society Matinee.—The Seidl Society gave its first young folks' matinee to a good sized audience in the Brooklyn Academy of Music last Friday afternoon.
33Anton Seidl and his Metropolitan Opera House orchestra rendered a fine program, and the occasion was notable for the first public appearance of Miss Ida Branth, a violinist of considerable talent and promise. Miss Branth, who is only sixteen years old, played Vieuxtemps' "Ballade and Polonaise" with spirit and expression and scored a success. The soloist, Lilian Blauvelt, must have been pleased with her reception. She sang the "Jewel Song," from Gounod's "Faust," in such charming style that the young people would not cease their applause until she had repeated it. Mrs. Blauvelt was equally pleasing in the "Bolero," from Delibes' "Les Filles des Cadiz."
35The fourth concert of the Seidl Society will be given at the Academy on next Tuesday evening a week. The soloist will be Marie Ritter-Goetze and Emil Fischer.
37Alfred S. Baker.—On Saturday night a week ago the vestry of St. James' Church, Madison avenue and Seventy-first street, elected as successor to George Edward Stubbs, the present organist and choir master, Alfred S. Baker, who is now filling a similar position at St. Peter's Church, Morristown, N. J. Mr. Stubbs, who goes to St. Agnes' Chapel, Trinity Parish, has been very successful with the St. James choir and has done specially good work in the monthly
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