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Musical Courier 1901-04-24: Vol 42 Iss 1100, 1901
86 lines. Read by computer on 22 September 2026. Printed page 9. See the scan on archive.org.
1The Building of Music in the Kindergarten Idea.
3The term music building suggests construction as well as expression, and therefore this important department of music culture should be not merely for the benefit of abstract musical knowledge, or to develop any possible talent for composition, but to make the elements of music tangible to the child, and thus affect his actual handling of the keys and strings. From this, if his future technical instruction is correct, the ideal impressed by the study of a true method of kindergarten music will naturally lead the child to seek deep, full tone, and delicacy of expression, because music will not be a mechanical thing to him, but a beautiful, living language. Beginning thus, the future musician will win the very heart of the muse, and find the way from his own heart to other hearts.
5The usual chilling introduction to the magic world of sound, when given by contact of weak fingers with cold ivory and cutting strings, before the brimming affection of the child heart is awakened for the reality of music, brings rebellious sighs and uncomfortable twistrings of bored childhood, and too often the result of a merely mechanical performer.
7The first impression is the most lasting, and therefore care should be taken to give the true from the outset. In other words, whatever we wish to be the lasting impression of any subject should be the suggestion for the first presentation.
9The teacher should teach the little ones how they may be cherished on the breast of music—nourished with melody and the truth of harmony, and lead them so gently along the thorny path of technic that a musical education shall be a delight from the beginning, in which the end is never lost sight of in the means, and a music lesson be something for the little ones to anticipate with pleasure.
11Interpreters of the "divine art" are too apt to forget that their material is quite as real as that of the sister art, painting. They have musical sound or tone, and artists use color—the only difference being that one material is more tangible than the other, but not more real.
13In kindergarten music this should be impressed by appealing to the little one's reason and understanding, to his love of play, and by using games of various kinds instead of text books, besides the giving of little songs which accentuate the different subjects presented. This material the child should be led away from as soon as possible, in order to give him the grasp of tone itself as the real material, essential for the building of music.
15Care should be taken not to teach anything that must be unlearned later, which would mean the wasting of valuable time. As far as possible the mode of procedure should lie in permitting the child to discover all subjects for himself—the teaching expressing itself through leading questions and suggestions. Even as we would take a little one by the hand, if we wished to teach him of a rose, and lead him forth into a garden of flowers, thus letting him discover or find for himself the subject of inquiry.
17The true method presents but one thing at a time to the child's vision, impresses it there and appeals constantly to the understanding, so that that which is acquired is true knowledge, for the simple reason that it has become part of the child's consciousness, and not a mere matter of memory.
19The question is often asked, "At what age should the child begin these lessons?" In replying it is well to bear in mind that kindergarten in music implies a more developed mind than that of the baby that toddles to the kindergarten around the corner and thinks it is "going to school." Methods should be simplified to suit the youngest child, however, and with the assistance of games and color music, most attractive kindergarten work may be accomplished. Classes should be formed of children of the same mental development without consideration of either size or age.
21As the necessity of preparatory work in the teaching of instrumental music becomes apparent to the popular mind, in like proportion will the advantage of the study of an educational method of kindergarten music be appreciated for the beginner. By such a method the musical intelligence is appealed to from the start, and the child is prepared to begin lessons on any instrument with interest already aroused, and progress is accordingly more rapid.
23When the fact is more thoroughly appreciated that it usually rests with the first presentation, hence with the first teacher, whether the child is impressed with a love or a distaste for his music, parents will use more care in the choice of instructors and methods. If the choice is wise in both instances there will be no danger that the secret of a successful musical education will longer remain a mystery.
25NINA K. DARLINGTON.
27A Powers Pupil's Recital Success.
29MRS. CLIFFORD ELIZABETH WILLIAMS, the Southern soprano, who recently made such a success in Binghamton, N. Y., when she sang, one of the numerous pupils of Francis Fischer Powers, gave her own song recital last week at the mansion of Mrs. Herter, Madison avenue and Seventieth street, this being her program:
31Cavatina (Barber of Seville)………………………………………Rossini
32Shadow Song (Dinorah)…………………………………………..Meyerbeer
33Auf dem Wasser zu Singen………………………………………Schubert
34Grethchen am Spinnrade……………………………………….Schubert
35Petite Roses………………………………………………………..Cézek
36Obstination………………………………………………………..Fontenailles
37Chanson Provencal……………………………………………..Dell' Acqua
38A Lover and His Lass…………………………………………..Old English
39Listen to the Voice of Love…………………………………….Hook
40Five Flower Songs……………………………………………….Gaynor-MacDowell
41Burst, Ye Apple Buds…………………………………………..Emery
42Bee's Courtship…………………………………………………D'Harcelot
43An Open Secret…………………………………………………Woodman
44Bolero………………………………………………………..Thome
46Of these numbers, she sang best the "Shadow Song," the Schubert Barcarolle, the "Old English," Emery's song and the Thome Bolero. Mrs. Williams voice is high, clear, flexible and true, and in all her singing one could see reflected the Powers School. Behind vocal gifts is the true musical temperament, united with intelligence and style, and the result produces an admirable singer. The parlors were crowded, fashion and musical circles uniting in the tribute to the fair singer.
48Mary Hissem de Moss.
50COMING quietly to the metropolis a year ago, with no blare of trumpets, this young singer has had some important and always successful engagements. Her voice is of the sweetest quality, united with extended range and musical impulse, and she is sure of re-engagements wherever she appears. An important factor in her success lies in an extremely sympathetic and winning appearance.
52Following are some of her engagements:
53April 13, Brooklyn Institute; April 14, New York Arion Club; April 16, Cincinnati, Ohio, Orpheus Club; April 22, Orange, N. J., with Victor Herbert's Pittsburg Orchestra; April 23, "The Daisy Chain," Holland House, New York; April 25, Taylor's "Hiawatha," with Mendelssohn Club, Orange, N. J.; May 4, Philadelphia, with the Fortnightly Club. She recently sang "The Creation" in St. Louis, with the Choral Symphony Society, and "The Messiah" in Newark, with the Schubert Club; Springfield, Mass., Orpheus Club; reception at Savoy Hotel, New York.
55Harold Bauer in Holland.
56Some Critiques on the Playing of the Eminent Virtuoso.
58HAROLD BAUER, who left this country early in March for a tour in Holland, has just finished the latter tour. He made a great success wherever he played. He is now giving recitals in Paris, and goes to London toward the end of this month for the great festival held in that city.
60We print herewith some of the notices Mr. Bauer received in Holland:
61For several years Harold Bauer has been a regular guest among us in order to give us an opportunity to enjoy his art and mastership.
63Every year his appearance has been to me the most beautiful and most joyful moment. When the door of the small concert hall opens and the attractive, simple, young face of this man appears, it seems as if all the fragrance of the oak leaves in spring were coming toward me, and I seem to feel the gigantic strength of the oak, adorned with the young leaves, that are resplendent in young and unblemished freshness and beauty.
65And when he then passes his fingers over the keys, and when under his hand the dumb instrument turns into a mighty and powerful orchestra, then all my other thoughts vanish; I know only that he is the Messiah; the man who is destined to interpret to us that which others have done and made, by his marvelous playing; the man who is to be our guide in the works of art, so that they cease to be a mystery to us.
67Then I feel how his fresh and unspoiled spirit, living in a young and sound body, begins to work; how his great mental power convinces me. Beyond any possible doubt, of the undeniable truth of all that he says. Then do I feel that mother nature has bestowed all that on him, but that at the same time he increases the talents thus given unto him, that he never neglects his gifts, that he does not put himself above his public, but endeavors to raise it to his own height and standing, in order to become one with his hearers in the enjoyment of his art. Then I seem to know nothing more; I seem to be ungrateful for many other good things that are also given to me, and I seem to concentrate all my feelings and ideas in him.
69After the Sonata of Beethoven I was well aware that Harold Bauer is the greatest of pianists.—The Echo.
71We are aware that this great artist is equal to the very best pianists of the present time, and yet he has made a greater impression than ever before in the Sonata of Beethoven and in Bach's Fugue. As for the technic of this great artist we need not say a word; what he wants to do he does. We shall therefore look only upon that which he wants to do, so that we can derive therefrom the proof of the high place that this pianist occupies as an artist.
73In the first part of Beethoven's Sonata, op. 101, Bauer produces as if by enchantment before our imagination the disposition of a young, innocent and simple mind, of a mind that is still very susceptible to all that is impressive and tender, and added to that tenderness is a fundamental note which gives the whole execution its character. In the second part of the sonata life, with all its fullness, asserts its rights; the youthful and tender mind is tossed about in the storms of life; it takes up the struggle with the world and it learns how to harden itself against the vicissitudes of life.
75Indeed, in actual life a man is at times bereft of all tenderness and innocence and naturalness. One seemed to feel that the young mind is made to suffer through the hardships of life; the adagio conjures before us the suffering of the poor, exhausted soul; but one sees at the same time how the dark clouds show the silver edge of the ideals which alone may refresh life, and which alone can bestow on it that power and rest, that splendor and quiet which it so much requires.
77In the allegro the great work has been brought to an end; we no longer hear the utterances of a young, natural and tender mind; no, the soul has passed through all the strifes of life and is basking now in the luxury that follows the sinister battle. With raised head, with contented looks, with a heart full of ardent love, the soul embraces the beautiful life.
79The noble interpretation of Beethoven's masterpiece yielded a great deal of pure enjoyment to all.
81Are we now to analyze in the same manner all the works of the evening? Surely not! What has been said of the Beethoven Sonata suffices surely to let readers understand how high Harold Bauer stands as an artist and performer of the very highest rank.—News of the Day, March 25, 1901.
83After his great tour in the United States, the gifted pianist Harold Bauer has right away undertaken another tournée, and appeared yesterday in the concert hall, where many of his faithful friends who so greatly admire his play were assembled, who received him with hearty applause and who never tired in expressing their lively satisfaction after each number of the program.
85His entire performance gave splendid testimony of the uncommon talent of this artist and master.—Algemeen Handelsblad.
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