PIANO MASTERY Photo Copyright IHJ Marceau IGNACE JAN PADEKEWSK.I PIANO MASTERY TALKS WITH MASTER PIANISTS AND TEACHERS AN ACCOUNT OF A VON BULOW CLASS, HINTS ON INTERPRETATION, BY TWO AMERICAN TEACHERS (DR. WILLIAM MASON AND WILLIAM H. SHERWOOD) AND A SUMMARY BY THE AUTHOR BY HARRIETTS BROWER Author of " The Art of the Pianist " WITH SIXTEEN PORTRAITS NEW YORK FREDERICK A. STOKES COMPANY PUBLISHERS Copyright, 1915, by FREDERICK A. STOKES COMPANY t, 191S, 1915, by THE MUSICAL OBSERVER COMPANY Copyright, 1911, by OLIVER DITSON COMPANY All rights reserved, including that of translation into foreign languages. CONTENTS PAGE PRELUDE . . . ix IGNACE JAN PADEREWSKI 1 ERNEST SCHELLING . . . The Hand of a Pianist . . 12 ERNESTO CONSOLO . . . Making the Piano a Musical Instrument 17 SIGISMOND STOJOWSKI . . Mind in Piano Study ... 25 RUDOLPH GANZ .... Conserving Energy in Piano Practise 32 TINA LEHNER .... An Audience the Best Teacher 38 ETHEL LEGINSKA . . . Relaxation the Keynote of Modern Piano Playing . . 47 BERTHA FIEHING TAPPER . Mastering Piano Problems . 54 CARL M. ROEDER .... Problems of Piano Teachers 61 KATHARINE GOODSON . . An Artist at Home ... 72 MARK HAMBOURO . . . Form, Technic, and Expres- sion 78 TOBIAS MATTHAY . . . Watching the Artist Teacher at Work 84 HAROLD BAUER .... The Question of Piano Tone 95 RAOUL PUGNO .... Training the Child .... 107 THUEL BURNHAM . . . The "Melody" and "Color- atura" Hand 118 EDWIN HUGHES .... Some Essentials of Piano Playing 127 FERHUCCIO BUSONI . . . An Artist at Home . . . 137 ADELE Aus DER OHE . . Another Artist at Home . . 142 ELEANOR SPENCER . . . More Light on Leschetizky's Ideas 147 Mf 2-2-O Contents PAGE AETHUR HOCHMAN . . . How the Pianist Can Color Tone with Action and Emo- tion 154 TKHESA CAERE NO .... Early Technical Training . 160 WILHELM BACHAUS . . . Technical Problems Dis- cussed 168 ALEXANDER LAMBERT . . American and European Teachers 175 FANNIE BLOOMFIELD ZEISLER The Scope of Piano Technic 180 AGNES MORGAN .... Simplicity in Piano Teach- ing 198 EUGENE HEFFLEY . . . Modern Tendencies . . . 205 GERMAINE SCHNITZER . . Modern Methods in Piano Study 215 OSSIP GABRILOWITSCH . . Characteristic Touch on the Piano 225 HANS VON BULOW . . . Teacher and Interpreter . . 232 WILLIAM H. SHERWOOD AND DR. WILLIAM MASON . . Hints on Interpretation . . 248 POSTLUDE . > . . . Vital Points in Piano Play- ing 264 ILLUSTRATIONS Ignace Jan Paderewski Frontispiece TACINQ PAGE Sigismond Stojowski 26 Rudolph Ganz 32 Katharine Goodson 72 Mark Hambourg 78 Tobias Matthay 84 Harold Bauer 96 Raoul Pugno 108 Ferruccio Busoni 138 Eleanor Spencer 148 Teresa Carreno 160 Wilhelm Bachaus 168 Fannie Bloomfield Zeisler 180 Ossip Gabrilowitsch 226 Hans von Billow 232 Dr. William Mason . 242 PRELUDE TO AMERICAN PIANO TEACHERS AND STUDENTS THE following "Talks" were obtained at the suggestion of the Editor of Musical America, and have all, with one or two exceptions, ap- peared in that paper. They were secured with the hope and intention of benefiting the American teacher and student. Requests have come from all over the country, asking that the interviews be issued in book form. In this event it was the author's intention to ask each artist to enlarge and add to his own talk. This, however, has been practicable only in certain cases; in others the articles remain very nearly as they at first appeared. The summer of 1913 in Europe proved to be a veritable musical pilgrimage, the mile- stones of which were the homes of the famous artists, who generously gave of their time and were willing to discuss their methods of play- ing and teaching. The securing of the interviews has given ix x Prelude the author satisfaction and delight. She wishes to share both with the fellow workers of her own land. The Talks are arranged in the order in which they were secured. PIANO MASTERY PIANO MASTERY IGNACE JAN PADEREWSKI ONE of the most consummate masters of the piano at the present time is Ignace Jan Paderewski. Those who were privileged to hear him during his first season in this country will never forget the experience. The Polish artist conquered the new world as he had con- quered the old; his name became a household word, known from coast to coast; he traveled over our land, a Prince of Tones, everywhere welcomed and honored. Each succeeding visit deepened the admiration in which his wonderful art was held. The question has often been raised as to the reason of Paderewski's remarkable hold on an audience; wherein lay his power over the musical and unmusical alike. Whenever he played there was always the same intense hush over the listeners, the same absorbed attention, the same spell. The superficial attributed Piano Mastery these largely to his appearance and manner; the more thoughtful looked deeper. Here was a player who was a thoroughly trained master in technic and interpretation; one who knew his Bach, Beethoven, Chopin, Schumann and Liszt. These things of themselves would not hold an audience spellbound, for there were other artists equally well equipped. In a final analysis it was doubtless Paderewski's wonderful piano tone, so full of variety and color, so vital with numberless gradations of light and shade, that charmed and enthralled his listeners. It mattered to no one save the critics that he frequently repeated the same works. What if we heard the Chromatic Fantaisie a score of times? In his hands it became a veritable Soliloquy on Life and Destiny, which each repetition invested with new meaning and beauty. What player has ever surpassed his poetic conception of Schu- mann's Papillons, or the Chopin Nocturnes, which he made veritable dream poems of love and ecstasy. What listener has ever forgotten the tremendous power and titanic effect of the Liszt Rhapsodies, especially No. 2 ? When Paderewski first came to us, in the flush of his young manhood, he taught us what a noble instrument the piano really is in the hands of Ignace Jan Paderewski a consummate master. He showed us that he could make the piano speak with the delicacy and power of a Rubinstein, but with more tech- nical correctness; he proved that he could pierce our very soul with the intensity of his emotion, the poignant, heart-searching quality of his tones, the poetry and beauty of his in- terpretation. Paderewski is known as composer and pianist, only rarely does he find time to give instruction on his instrument. Mme. Antoi- nette Szumowska, the Polish pianist and lec- turer was at one time termed his "only pupil." Mr. Sigismond Stojowski, the Polish com- poser, pianist and teacher has also studied with him. Both can testify as to his value as an instructor. Mme. Szumowska says: "Paderewski lays great stress on legato play- ing, and desires everything to be studied slowly, with deep touch and with full, clear tone. For developing strength he uses an exercise for which the hand is pressed against the keyboard while the wrist remains very low and motion- less and each finger presses on a key, bring- ing, or drawing out as much tone as possible. "Paderewski advises studying scales and arpeggios with accents, for instance, accenting Piano Mastery every third note, thus enabling each finger in turn to make the accent impulse: this will se- cure evenness of touch. Double passages, such as double thirds and sixths, should be divided and each half practised separately, with legato touch. Octaves should be practised with loose wrists and staccato touch. As a preparatory study practise with thumb alone. The thumb must always be kept curved, with joints well rounded out; it should touch the keys with its tip, so as to keep it on a level with the other fingers. Paderewski is very particular about this point. "It is difficult to speak of Paderewski's man- ner of teaching expression, for here the ideas differ with each composer and with every com- position. As to tonal color, he requires all pos- sible variety in tone production. He likes strong contrasts, which are brought out, not only by variety of touch but by skilful use of the pedals. "My lessons with Paderewski were some- what irregular. We worked together when- ever he came to Paris. Sometimes I did not see him for several months, and then he would be in Paris for a number of weeks; at such seasons we worked together very often. Fre- quently these lessons, which were given in my Ignace Jan Paderewski cousin's house, began very late in the evening around ten o'clock and lasted till midnight, or even till one in the morning. "Paderewski the teacher is as remarkable as Paderewski the pianist. He is very painstak- ing; his remarks are clear and incisive: he often illustrates by playing the passage in question, or the whole composition. He takes infinite trouble to work out each detail and bring it to perfection. He is very patient and sweet tempered, though he can occasionally be a little sarcastic. He often grows very enthusiastic over his teaching, and quite forgets the lapse of time. In general, however, he does not care to teach, and naturally has little time for it." Mr. Stojowski, when questioned in regard to his work with the Polish pianist, said : "Paderewski is a very remarkable teacher. There are teachers who attempt to instruct pupils about what they do not understand, or cannot do themselves : there are others who are able to do the thing, but are not able to explain how they do it. Paderewski can both do it and explain how it is done. He knows perfectly what effects he wishes to produce, how they are to be produced, the causes which underlie and bring them about; he can explain and demon- 6 Piano Mastery strate these to the pupil with the greatest ex- actness and detail. "As you justly remark the quality of tone and the variety of tonal gradations are special qualities of Paderewski's playing. These must be acquired by aid of the ear, which tests and judges each shade and quality of tone. He counsels the student to listen to each tone he produces, for quality and variety. CLEAKNESS A FIRST PRINCIPLE "The player, as he sits at the piano, his mind and heart filled with the beauty of the music his fingers are striving to produce, vainly im- agines he is making the necessary effects. Paderewski will say to him : 'No doubt you feel the beauty of this composition, but I hear none of the effects you fancy you are making; you must deliver everything much more clearly: distinctness of utterance is of prime impor- tance/ Then he shows how clearness and dis- tinctness may be acquired. The fingers must be rendered firm, with no giving in at the nail joint. A technical exercise which he gives, and which I also use in my teaching, trains the fingers in up and down movements, while the wrist is held very low and pressed against the keyboard. At first simple five-finger forms Ignace Jan Paderewski are used ; when the hand has become accustomed to this tonic, some of the Czerny Op. 740 can be played, with the hand in this position. Great care should be taken when using this principle, or lameness will result. A low seat at the piano is a necessity for this practise; sitting low is an aid to weight playing: we all know how low Paderewski himself sits at the instrument. "You ask what technical material is em- ployed. Czerny, Op. 740; not necessarily the entire opus; three books are considered suffi- cient. Also dementi's Gradus. Of course scales must be carefully studied, with various accents, rhythms and tonal dynamics; arpeg- gios also. Many arpeggio forms of value may be culled from compositions. "There are, as we all know, certain funda- mental principles that underlie all correct piano study, though various masters may em- ploy different ways and means to exemplify these fundamentals. Paderewski studied with Leschetizky and inculcates the principles taught by that master, with this difference, that he adapts his instruction to the physique and mentality of the student ; whereas the Vor- bereiters of Leschetizky prepare all pupils along the same lines, making them go through 8 Piano Mastery a similar routine, which may not in every in- stance be necessary. FINGERING "One point Paderewski is very particular about, and that is fingering. He often care- fully marks the fingering for a whole piece; once this is decided upon it must be kept to. He believes in employing a fingering which is most comfortable to the hand, as well as one which, in the long run, will render the passage most effective. He is most sensitive to the choice of fingering the player makes, and be- lieves that each finger can produce a different quality of tone. Once, when I was playing a Nocturne, he called to me from the other end of the room: 'Why do you always play that note with the fourth finger? I can hear you do it ; the effect is bad.' He has a keen power of observation ; he notices little details which pass unheeded by most people; nothing escapes him. This power, directed to music, makes him the most careful and painstaking of teachers. At the same time, in the matter of fingering, he endeavors to choose the one which can be most easily accomplished by the player. The Von Biilow editions, while very erudite, are apt to be laborious and pedantic; they show the Ger- Ignace Jan Paderewski 9 man tendency to over-elaboration, which, when carried too far becomes a positive fault. CORRECT MOTION "Another principle Paderewski considers very important is that of appropriate motion. He believes in the elimination of every un- necessary movement, yet he wishes the whole body free and supple. Motions should be as carefully studied as other technical points. It is true he often makes large movements of arm, but they are all thought out and have a dramatic significance. He may lift the finger off a vehement staccato note by quick up-arm motion, in a flash of vigorous enthusiasm; but the next instant his hand is in quiet position for the following phrase. STUDYING EFFECTS "The intent listening I spoke of just now must be of vital assistance to the player in his search for tonal variety and effect. Tone pro- duction naturally varies according to the space which is to be filled. Greater effort must be put forth in a large hall, to make the tone carry over the footlights, to render the touch clear, the accents decisive and contrasts pronounced. In order to become accustomed to these condi- 10 Piano Mastery tions, the studio piano can be kept closed, and touch must necessarily be made stronger to produce the desired power. INTERPRETATION "A great artist's performance of a noble work ought to sound like a spontaneous im- provisation; the greater the artist the more completely will this result be attained. In order to arrive at this result, however, the com- position must be dissected in minutest detail. Inspiration comes with the first conception of the interpretation of the piece. Afterward all details are painstakingly worked out, until the ideal blossoms into the perfectly executed per- formance. Paderewski endeavors uniformly to render a piece in the manner and spirit in which he has conceived it. He relates that after one of his recitals, a lady said to him: " 'Why, Mr. Paderewski, you did not play this piece the same as you did when I heard you before.' " 'I assure you I intended to,' was the re- piy- ' 'Oh, it isn't necessary to play it always the same way; you are not a machine,' said the lady. "This reply aroused his artist-nature. Ignace Jan Paderewski 11 " 'It is just because I am an artist that I ought at all times to play in the same way. I have thought out the conception of that piece, and am in duty bound to express my ideal as nearly as possible each time I perform it.' "Paderewski instructs, as he does everything else, with magnificent generosity. He takes no account of time. I would come to him for a stipulated half-hour, but the lesson would con- tinue indefinitely, until we were both forced to stop from sheer exhaustion. I have studied with him at various times. One summer es- pecially stands out in my memory, when I had a lesson almost every day." Speaking of the rarely beautiful character of Paderewski's piano compositions, Mr. Sto- jowski said: "I feel that the ignorance of this music among piano teachers and students is a cry- ing shame. What modern piano sonata have we to-day, to compare with his? I know of none. And the songs are they not wonder- full I love the man and his music so much that I am doing what lies in my power to make these compositions better known. There is need of pioneer work in this matter, and I am glad to do some of it." II ERNEST SCHELLING THE HAND OF A PIANIST As I sat ill the luxurious salon of the apart- ments near the Park, where Mr. and Mrs. Ernest Schelling were spending the winter, sounds of vigorous piano practise floated out to me from a distant chamber. It was un- usual music, and seemed to harmonize with the somewhat Oriental atmosphere and coloring of the music-room, with its heavily beamed ceil- ing of old silver, its paintings and tapes- tries. The playing ceased and soon the artist ap- peared, greeting the visitor with genial friend- liness of manner. He was accompanied by the "lord of the manor," a beautiful white bull terrier, with coat as white as snow. This im- portant personage at once curled himself up in the most comfortable arm-chair, a quiet, pro- found observer of all that passed. In the midst of some preliminary chat, the charming hostess entered and poured tea for us. 12 Ernest Schelling 13 The talk soon turned upon the subject in which I was deeply interested the technical training of a pianist. "Technic is such an individual matter," be- gan Mr. Schelling; "for it depends on so many personal things: the physique, the mentality, the amount of nervous energy one has, the hand and wrist. Perhaps the poorest kind of hand for the piano is the long narrow one, with long fingers. Far better to have a short, broad one with short fingers. Josef Hofmann has a wonderful hand for the piano; rather small, yes, but so thick and muscular. The wrist, too, is a most important factor. Some pianists have what I call a 'natural wrist,' that is they have a natural control of it ; it is no trouble for them to play octaves, for instance. Mme. Car- reno has that kind of wrist ; she never had dif- ficulty with octaves, they are perfect. Hof- mann also has a marvelous wrist. I am sorry to say I have not that kind of wrist, and there- fore have been much handicapped on that ac- count. For I have had to work tremendously to develop not only the wrist but the whole technic. You see I was a wonder child, and played a great deal as a small boy. Then from fifteen to twenty I did not practise anything like what I ought to have done. That is the 14 Piano Mastery period when the bones grow, muscles develop everything grows. Another thing against me is the length of my fingers. When the fin- gers are longer than the width of the hand across the knuckle joint, it is not an advantage but a detriment. The extra length of finger is only so much dead weight that the hand has to lift. ^ This is another disadvantage I have had to work against. Yes, as you say, it is a rather remarkable hand in regard to size and suppleness. But I hardly agree that it is like Liszt's; more like Chopin's, judging from the casts I have seen of his hand. "As for technical routine, of course I play scales a good deal and in various ways. When I 'go into training,' I find the best means to attain velocity is to work with the metronome. One can't jump at once into the necessary agility, and the metronome is a great help in bringing one up to the right pitch. You see by the firmness of these muscles at the back and thumb side of my hand, that I am in good trim now; but one soon loses this if one lets up on the routine. "Then I practise trills of all kinds, and oc- taves. Yes, I agree that octaves are a most necessary and important factor in the player's technical equipment.-' Ernest Schelling 15 Going to the piano and illustrating as he talked, Mr. Schelling continued : "Merely flopping the hand up and down, as many do, is of little use it does not lead to strength or velocity. As you see, I hold the hand arched and very firm, and the firmness is in the fingers as well; the hand makes up and down movements with loose wrist ; the result is a full, bright, crisp tone. One can play these octaves slowly, using weight, or faster with crisp, staccato touch. I play diatonic or chro- matic octave scales, with four repetitions or more, on each note using fourth finger for black keys. "I sit low at the piano, as I get better results in this way; though it is somewhat more dif- ficult to obtain them. I confess it is easier to sit high and bear down on the hands. Yes, I thoroughly approve of 'weight touch,' and it is the touch I generally use. Sometimes it is a certain pressure on the key after it is played, using arm weight. "Ah, you are right. The young teacher or player, in listening to the artist, and noticing he does not lift his fingers to any extent, and that he always plays with weight, hastily con- cludes these are the principles with which he must begin to study or teach the piano. It is 16 Piano Mastery a mistake to begin in that way. Very exact finger movements must be learned in the begin- ning. As I said before, technic is such an in- dividual matter, that after the first period of foundational training, one who has the desire to become an artist, must work out things for himself. There should be no straight-laced methods. Only a few general rules can be laid down, such as will fit most cases. The player who would rise to any distinction must work out his own salvation. "In regard to memorizing piano music, it may be said this can be accomplished in three ways: namely, with the eye, with the ear, and with the hand. For example: I take the piece and read it through with the eye, just as I would read a book. I get familiar with the notes in this way, and see how they look in print. I learn to know them so well that I have a mental photograph of them, and if necessary could recall any special measure or phrase so exactly that I could write it. All this time my mental ear has been hearing those notes, and is familiar with them. Then the third stage arrives; I must put all this on the keyboard, my fingers must have their train- ing; impressions must pass from the mind to the fingers; then all is complete." Ill ERNESTO CONSOLO MAKING THE PIANO A MUSICAL INSTRUMENT IN a long conversation with Ernesto Con- solo, the eminent pianist and instructor, many points of vital importance to the player and teacher were touched upon. Among other things Mr. Consolo said: "It is absolutely necessary that the piano teacher should take his profession very seri- ously. In my opinion there is most excellent instruction to be secured right here in America, with such teachers as are willing to take their work seriously. The time is not far away, I think, when America will enjoy a very promi- nent position in the matter of musical instruc- tion, and perhaps lead the world in musical advantages. The time is not here just yet, but it is surely coming. You are still young in this country, though you are wonderfully progressive. "If I have spoken of the serious aims of 17 18 Piano Mastery many teachers of piano, I cannot say as much for the students: they are often superficial and want to go too quickly ; they are apt to be in a hurry and want to make a show, without being willing to spend the necessary years on preparation. No art can be hurried. Stu- dents of painting, sculpture, architecture or music must all learn the technique of their art ; they must all learn to go deep into the mys- teries and master technic as the means to the end, and no one requires exhaustive prepara- tion more than the executive musician. The person who would fence, box or play baseball must know the technic of these things; how much more must the pianist be master of the technique of his instrument if he would bring out the best results. "At the very bottom and heart of this sub- ject of mastery lies Concentration: without that, little of value can be accomplished. Students think if they sit at the piano and 'practise' a certain number of hours daily, it is sufficient. A small portion of that time, if used with intense concentration, will accom- plish more. One player will take hours to learn a page or a passage which another will master in a fraction of the time. What is the difference? It may be said one has greater in- Ernesto Console 19 telligence than the other. The greater the in- telligence, the stronger the power of concen- tration. "If a pupil comes to me whose powers of concentration have not been awakened or devel- oped, I sometimes give him music to read over very slowly, so slowly that every note, phrase and finger mark can be distinctly seen. Not being used to thinking intently, mistakes occur, in one hand or the other, showing that the mind was not sufficiently concentrated. It is the mind every time that wins. Without using our mental powers to their fullest extent we fail of the best that is in us. "In regard to technical equipment and routine, I do different work with each pupil, for each pupil is different. No two people have the same hands, physique or mentality; so why should they all be poured into the same mold? One student, for example, has splen- did wrists and not very good fingers. Why should I give him the same amount of wrist practise that I give his brother who has feeble wrists; it would only be a waste of time. Again, a pupil with limited ideas of tonal qual- ity and dynamics is advised to study tone at the piano in some simple melody of Schubert or Chopin, trying to realize a beautiful tone 20 Piano Mastery playing it in various ways until such a quality is secured. The piano is a responsive instru- ment and gives back what you put into it. If you attack it with a hard touch, it will respond with a harsh tone. It rests with you whether the piano shall be a musical instrument or not. "A student who comes to me with a very poor touch must of course go back to first principles and work up. Such an one must learn correct movements and conditions of hands, arms and fingers; and these can be ac- quired at a table. Along with these, however, I would always give some simple music to play, so that the tonal and musical sense shall not be neglected. "Of course I advise comprehensive scale practise; scales in all keys and in various rhythms and touches. There is an almost end- less variety of ways to play scales. Those in double thirds and sixths I use later, after the others are under control. Arpeggios are also included in this scale practise. "I have said that Concentration is the key- note of piano mastery. Another principle which goes hand in hand with it is Relaxation. Unless this condition is present in arms, wrist and shoulders, the tone will be hard and the whole performance constrained and unmusical, Ernesto Console 21 There is no need of having tired muscles or those that feel strained or painful. If this condition arises it is proof that there is stiff- ness, that relaxation has not taken place. I can sit at the piano and play forte for three hours at a time and not feel the least fatigue in hands and arms. Furthermore, the playing of one who is relaxed, who knows how to use his anatomy, will not injure the piano. We must remember the piano is a thing of joints; the action is so delicately adjusted that it moves with absolute freedom and ease. The player but adds another joint, which should equal in ease and adjustment the ones already there. On the other hand a person with stiff joints and rigid muscles, thumping ragtime on a good piano, can ruin it in a week; whereas under the fingers of a player who understands the laws of relaxation, it would last for many years. "This principle of relaxation is exemplified in the athlete, baseball player, and others. They have poise and easy adjustment in every part of the body: they never seem to fall into strained or stiff attitudes, nor make angular or stiff movements. Arms, shoulders, wrists and fingers are all relaxed and easy. The pianist needs to study these principles as well as the 22 Piano Mastery athlete. I believe in physical exercises to a certain extent. Light-weight dumb-bells can be used; it is surprising how light a weight is sufficient to accomplish the result. But it must be one movement at a time, exercising one muscle at a time, and not various muscles at once. "For memorizing piano music I can say I have no method whatever. When I know the piece technically or mechanically, I know it by heart. I really do not know when the mem- orizing takes place. The music is before me on the piano; I forget to turn the pages, and thus find I know the piece. In playing with orchestra I know the parts of all instruments, unless it be just a simple chord accompani- ment; it would not interest me to play with orchestra and not know the music in this way. On one occasion I was engaged to play the Sgambatti concerto, which I had not played for some time. I tried it over on the piano and found I could not remember it. My first idea was to get out the score and go over it; the second was to try and recall the piece from memory. I tried the latter method, with the result that in about three hours and a half I had the whole concerto back in mind. I played the work ten days later without having 23 once consulted the score. This goes to prove that memory must be absolute and not merely mechanical. "Students think they cannot memorize, when it would be quite easy if they would apply themselves in the right way. I ask them to look intently at a small portion, two measures, or even one, and afterward to play it without looking at the notes. Of course, as you say, this can be done away from the piano; the notes can even be recited; but there are other signs and marks to be considered and remem- bered, so when one can be at the piano I con- sider it better. "Piano playing is such an individual and complex thing. I do not require nor expect my pupils to play as I do, nor interpret as I interpret, for then I would only see just so many replicas of myself, and their individuality would be lost. I often hear them play a com- position in a different way and with a different spirit from the one I find in it. But I don't say to them, 'That is wrong; you must play it as I do/ No, I let them play it as they see and feel it, so long as there is no sin against artistic taste. "I trust these few points will be helpful to both player and teacher. The latter needs all 24s Piano Mastery the encouragement we artists can give, for in most cases he is doing a good work. "Volumes might be added to these hurried remarks, but for that my time is too limited." IV SIGISMOND STOJOWSKI MIND IN PIANO STUDY MR. SIGISMOND STOJOWSKL, the eminent Polish pianist and composer, was found one morning in his New York studio, at work with a gifted pupil. He was willing to relax a little, however, and have a chat on such themes as might prove helpful to both teacher and student. "You ask me to say something on the most salient points in piano technic; perhaps we should say, the points that are most important to each individual; for no two students are exactly alike, nor do any two see things in precisely the same light. This is really a psy- chological matter. I believe the subject of psychology is a very necessary study for both teacher and student. We all need to know more about mental processes than we do. I am often asked how to memorize, for instance or the best means for doing this; another 25 26 Piano Mastery psychological process. I recommend students to read William James' Talks on Psychology; a very helpful book. "The most vital thing in piano playing is to learn to think. Has it ever occurred to you what infinite pains people will take to avoid thinking? They will repeat a technical illus- tration hundreds of times it may be, but with little or no thought directed to the perform- ance. Such work is absolutely useless. Per- haps that is a little too strong. With countless repetitions there may at last come to be a little improvement, but it will be very small. "There is quite a variety of views as to what the essentials of piano technic are; this is a subject on which teachers, unluckily, do not agree. For instance, on the point of finger lifting there is great diversity of opinion. Some believe in raising the fingers very high, others do not. Lifting the fingers high is not good for the tone, though it may be used for velocity playing. I use quite the reverse where I wish beautiful, singing, tone quality. The young pupil, at the beginning, must of course learn to raise fingers and make precise movements; when greater proficiency is reached, many modifications of touch are used. That the best results are not more often ob- t'htt> /.(/ llnrin