Scan 16
Musical Courier 1896-12-23: Vol 33 Iss 877, 1896
65 lines. Read by computer on 26 September 2026, twice; the two readings disagreed in places. Printed page 17. See the scan on archive.org.
1Questions.
2SCHOOL OF STENOPHONETICS.
4ALTHOUGH quoted at length in these valuable columns, I want to ask the readers of THE MUSICAL COURIER the same question that I ask my classes in reading music: If you are studying music—vocally or instrumentally, for profession or for pleasure—where lies the philosophy of undertaking the use of it financially if you cannot read music?
6Fancy learning any language like a parrot! Supposing you speak French or German, what use is it to you if you cannot read it? Another question: Why is it so many of our excellent vocal aspirants slip out of the public school drill in reading music and on joining choirs cannot read a single hymn with the words?
8"If I may try without the words I can," they say. Then they do with the assistance of the solfeggio and numerals. Is that reading? The saying is a trite one equally indisputable that "Knowledge is power." It is the only thing that is (aside from the little green strip). Does anyone possess any knowledge of music by leaning on other than a development to entirely of their musical sense and ability?
10My next question is, If you learn to lean on the solfeggio and numerals to guide and prop you from interval to interval, after a year's study have you developed or cramped your musical sense? Or have you a better idea of the language than before? No, you haven't. As the writer writes so must you read. You must "catch the soul" of the simplest study to read understandingly, else you don't read at all. You must understand how the sentences are framed and formed, and it is all very simple and beautiful too.
12How many zealous students of the piano, violin and of the voice are there who read music with the solfeggio and numerals over those who read by interval placement by a knowledge as musicians of their work? By virtue of the hosts of natural readers I have studied out stenophonetics, because of those who read the right way, who read music as an actual language to themselves by innate euphonic sense of tone association; not by virtue of those who read wrong, or who try to understand reading.
14Such piles of letters from north, south, east and west lie before me with these contents, "I have studied reading for so and so long, two years, three, four, and yet I cannot understand what I am doing." Because you have been leaning on something else beside your musical sense (not your ear) to guide you. (An excellent ear for music is too frequently abused to be of the greatest service to its possessor.) The sense is what you must get at—your one master, both in interval and meter.
16A final question or two as to reading music in schools. How many teachers who teach reading music in the schools read themselves? I recall seven I met last season who declared to me that they were "supposed to understand" what they were doing "but we don't," they said. "I have no more idea of music than a horse," said one frankly, and "I know two tunes," said another; "one is Old Hundred, and the other—" "Well, the other is what?" I asked, and the young woman hesitated, "the other isn't," I suggested, seeing her perplexity, to which she gratefully replied, "Yes, that must be what I wanted to say." What teacher of the solfeggio believes in it? What master, leader, musician, composer? No teacher of it believes in it, be he a musician, but it is all he has to make ideas tangible. And the excellent methods he has worked out are really more tangible without it.
18Music is a language. One should begin to learn it early, but although fourteen to twenty is the receptive age for most things, yet my classes chronicle those who have mastered it intelligently lapping twice that age and within the given time of study. You will never understand reading music until you understand transposition, and you cannot understand transposition, the art of spelling and reading music mentally into sentences, until you understand phonetics. Any musician will second the use of the alphabet of transposition, which, while it serves you as an instructor, is no use to you whatever after you have learned to read, unless you so desire—for mental stimulus!—and a week's application of this funny little alphabet opens the door you may have allowed to close with rusty hinges during play time.
20Only a musician and reader can teach reading, I mean can develop a reader. It is "teaching" too much that crazes and kills.
22MAY FLORENCE SMITH,
23803 Carnegie Hall.
25Miss Suza Doane.
27MISS SUZA DOANE, whose successes have often been referred to in these columns, is a New Yorker by birth, although now living in Boston. When only thirteen she was accepted at the Leipsic Conservatory, studying piano with Bruno Zwintscher and Carl Reinecke, and harmony with Aloys Reckendorf. After four years' careful training she was honored by receiving the Helbig prize, and left Leipsic after playing Beethoven's G major concerto with orchestra, receiving excellent notices from the press. Before returning to this country Miss Doane played before Leschetizky, who predicted a brilliant future for her.
29Upon her return here four years ago she made her début with the Boston Symphony Orchestra in New York, achieving a distinct success. Since then she has been heard often in other cities, and is now busily preparing for recitals in Boston, Brooklyn and other cities. For so young an artist—Miss Doane is but twenty-two—her repertory is very large, embracing ten concertos, besides several hundred solo pieces.
31Fannie Bloomfield Zeisler in San Francisco.
33MME. ZEISLER'S first appearance in concert in San Francisco will not soon be forgotten by those who were present. The concert took place November 10 in Metropolitan Hall. Following is the program:
35Toccata and Fugue, D minor (transcribed by Tausig)………….Bach
36Menuett, E flat major………………………………………Bach
37Bagatelle, op. 119, No. 2………………………………….Beethoven
38Chorus of Dervishes (transcribed by Saint-Saëns).
39Turkish March (transcribed by Rubinstein)…………………
40(From the Ruins of Athena.)
41Etudes Symphoniques, op. 18……………………………….Schumann
42Impromptu, op. 36…………………………………………..Chopin
43Valse, op. 64, No. 1………………………………………Chopin one of two readings
44Valse, op. 64, No. 1……………………………………….Chopin one of two readings
45Gondoliera, op. 41…………………………………………..Moszkowski
46Rhapsodie No. 12…………………………………………..Liszt
48The music lovers present knew for what they had come—to hear the greatest living woman pianist—and when Mme. Zeisler stepped on the stage she was cordially greeted. It is greatly to the credit of Mme. Zeisler's love for her art that the audience had no perceptible effect on the manner in which she played. She could not have thrown more spirit into her playing than she did on this occasion.
50As the strains of the first number died away a burst of applause broke on the ear. The applause was so prolonged for the menuet that it was repeated, to the great delight of the audience. The wonderful octave work in the Chorus of Dervishes electrified everyone, and at the close of the Turkish March Mme. Zeisler was recalled again and again.
52This gifted woman's playing of the Etudes Symphoniques roused the greatest enthusiasm, and shouts of "Brava, brava!" rang through the hall. Graciously responding to repeated recalls Mme. Zeisler played the F minor Barcarolle of Rubinstein. Oh, the exquisiteness of that velvety, legato tone! One could hear the sobbing of the waves! At the conclusion of the program the audience rose en masse, ladies waved their handkerchiefs and men shouted "brava" and pounded the floor with their canes. San Francisco audiences are demonstrative when pleased.
54During her stay Mme. Zeisler gave six recitals, and played once with the Symphony Orchestra. At the orchestral concert the F minor concerto of Chopin, the D minor concerto of Rubinstein and the scherzo of Litolff were given before a large and very appreciative audience. Mme. Zeisler was the recipient of many beautiful flowers and a laurel wreath.
56At her final recital Mme. Zeisler was assisted by Sigmund Beel, the talented concertmaster of the Symphony Orchestra, and the program included the C minor sonata of Grieg and sonata of Rubinstein.
58After the recital a delegation of musicians accompanied Mme. Zeisler to the ferry and escorted her across the bay to the train which was to bear her to Portland.
60It is with genuine sorrow that we part with Mme. Zeisler. Her concerts have been a feast and her charming, unassuming manner won her many friends, who sincerely regret her departure. While in San Francisco Mme. Zeisler was the recipient of much attention from the local musicians. A very delightful breakfast was given to her by Mr. and Mrs. Otto Bendix, at which the leading musicians of the city were present. Mr. and Mrs. Louis Lisser tendered her a large reception.
62A. J. C.
64Aus der Ohe Arrives.—Miss Adele Aus der Ohe, the pianist, arrived on the Lahn Friday, and will make her first appearance at the next Symphony concert, January 1 and 2, playing the Liszt E flat concerto. Rosenthal was to have played at this concert. Miss Aus der Ohe will play in Toronto subsequently, and then in Boston with the Symphony Orchestra February 5 and 6, and two recitals in Boston on February 9 and 16.
The computer misreads some letters and numbers. Where a name matters to you, read the scan.