Books › The violinist, 1900 › scan 101
Scan 101
The violinist, 1900
10 lines. Read by computer on 3 September 2026. No printed page number was found. See the scan on archive.org.
1the mastery of their instrument requires years of constant daily training for the development of the functions of the fingers, wrist and arms, and for the technic and control of the bow, besides the study of music as a science, indispensable to an artist or connoisseur.
3This question is regarded and treated differently in certain European countries where governments have taken it in charge, founding royal and national conservatories of music (on a plane similar to their universities), in which students are given the best instruction in all branches free of cost, the rules and regulations being most strict and the requirements the highest, and every one is obliged to "toe the mark." The object is not to make money, but art for art's sake, the nation esteeming itself amply rewarded or repaid by the freer and wider diffusion of musical knowledge and culture and the honors gained by its proteges throughout the world, its singers, instrumentalists, composers and directors of opera and orchestra. The Belgian royal conservatories (four in number, the first to be established being that at Liege) are so managed that while between professor and pupil the question of money is not permissible (the government being responsible for the salaries, pensions, buildings, equipment and maintenance, prizes and diplomas—everything essential, in fact), still these institutions are partially self-supporting by means of the orchestral and chamber concerts, oratorios and recitals given by the faculty, laureates of the conservatory and eminent soloists. Their point of view and the way these institutions are conducted and managed, and the results obtained might well be investigated for the benefit of Americans who have been and are still handicapped by the lack of such institutions in their own country.
5Another disadvantage which afflicts the prospect of many in this country who are naturally gifted for a career is that school and college come first in consideration, instead of making general education supplemental to the dominating artistic tendency. Early training in playing an instrument may be pursued in connection with a common school education, but after that, and as young as possible, the prospective artist should be enabled to specialize according to his bent. One who has an artistic mind is not likely to neglect the languages, histories, poets and philosophers, and time will be found for general knowledge during the unfolding of the artistic powers.
7Teaching of singing and sight reading in the public schools is good as far as it goes, but enough time cannot be given to it to make it sufficiently effective. It would be better were the money now expended in music teaching in the public schools be concentrated in a few public music schools for such children as have the disposition for music.
9An important point for consideration is that of choosing competent teachers from the very start, so that time will not be wasted by having later on to correct wrong methods and habits. There is a scientific reason why a violinist who learns to play with a correct position will have more ease, control and endurance than one who has a bad position in playing, and the proper way of holding and using the bow will produce a much better quality of tone. Scales wrongly fingered will produce faulty intonation, but properly fingered and practiced will always be in tune. The fundamentals of violin playing are too often neglected. Violinists come to me from all parts of the country who say they have been through all the studies and exercises of such masters as Kreutzer, Fiorillo and Rode; but when I ask them to play one of them they are not able to do so. And it is the same with the scales. If I ask them to play one they are not able
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