,,piano ,,and ,,song ,,how ,,to ,,teach1 ,,how ,,to ,,learn1 ,,and ,,how ,,to ,,form ,a ,,judgment ,,of ,,musical ,,performances4 ,translated from the ,german ,,of ,,friedrich ,,wieck4 ,,boston3 ,,lockwood1 ,,brooks1 ,,company4 #ahge4 ,entered according to ,act of ,congress1 in the year #ahge1 by ,,noyes1 ,,holmes1 ,,and ,,company1 ,in the ,office of the ,librarian of ,congress1 at ,washington4 ,cambridge3 ,press of ,john ,wilson and ,son4 ,,translator',s ,,preface4 ,,friedrich ,,wieck1 the author of the work a translation of which is here offered to the public1 was during his long life a distinguished teacher of music4 ,he died in the autumn of #ahgc4 ,he was the father and teacher of the celebrated pianist1 ,clara ,wieck1 now ,fr4 ,dr4 ,clara ,schumann1 widow of the renowned composer ,robert ,schumann1 who was also a pupil of ,wieck4 ,his second daughter1 ,fraeulein ,marie ,wieck1 is well known in ,germany as an artistic performer on the piano-forte4 ,i have translated this little book1 with the belief that a knowledge of the author's views will be no less valuable in ,america than in his own country2 and with the hope that it may find readers who will be glad to receive the suggestions of so experienced a teacher4 ,in illustration of his method1 in addition to the two ,etudes1 already published by ,f4 ,whistling1 ,leipzig1 a number of piano exercises1 c41 selected from the literary remains of ,wieck1 by his daughter ,marie ,wieck and his pupil ,louis ,grosse1 are1 it is said1 about to be published4 ,i have omitted in the translation a few portions on the composition and management of the opera1 on the giving of concerts1 and on the construction of the piano1 thinking that they would be of little interest or practical value to the general public4 ,,mary ,p4 ,,nichols4 ,,preface ,,to ,,the ,,first ,,edition4 ,i here present to the musical public a book written in a style of my own1 not a scientific and systematically well-arranged treatise4 ,this no reasonable man would expect of an old music-master1 who1 in his long practice in the realm of tones1 could not arrive at learned and too often fruitless deductions4 ,nature made me susceptible to that which is good and beautiful2 a correct instinct and a tolerable understanding have taught me to avoid the false and the vicious2 a desire for increased knowledge has led me to observe carefully whatever ,i met with in my path in life2 and ,i may say1 without hesitation1 that ,i have endeavored1 according to my ability1 to fill the position to which ,i have been called4 ,this is no vain boast1 but only the justifiable assertion of a good conscience2 and this no man needs to withhold4 ,for these reasons1 ,i have been unwilling to refrain from giving to the world a true expression of my opinions and feelings4 ,i trust they will meet with a few sympathizing spirits who are willing to understand my aims2 but ,i shall be still more happy if1 here and there1 a music-teacher will adopt the views here set forth1 at the same time carefully and thoughtfully supplying many things which it did not enter into my plan to explain more in detail4 ,abundant material lay spread out before me1 and even increased upon my hands while ,i was writing4 ,art is indeed so comprehensive1 and every thing in life is so closely connected with it1 that whoever loves and fosters it will daily find in it new sources of enjoyment and new incitements to study4 ,the most experienced teacher of art must be a constant learner4 ,i have always held and still hold the opinions advanced in this work1 and ,i have neglected no opportunity to impress them upon my pupils4 ,i may be allowed to mention here1 with some satisfaction1 my daughters ,clara and ,marie2 and1 among numerous other pupils1 ,i speak with equal pleasure of the estimable ,herr ,waldemar ,heller1 of ,dresden1 and ,prof4 ,e4,f4 ,wenzel1 of ,leipzig4 ,i have always enjoyed their affection and gratitude1 and ,i feel a pride that they continue to defend and to teach the principles which they have received from me4 ,this is not the first time that ,i have appeared as an author4 ,the ,signale fuer die musikalische ,welt1 as well as the ,neue ,zeitschrift fuer ,musik1 have published numerous essays from my pen under various titles4 ,the approval which they met with1 at the time of their appearance1 has induced me to undertake this larger work4 ,several of those earlier writings are included in this book1 but in a partially altered form4 ,the frequently recurring character1 the teacher ,dominie1 originated with these essays2 ,i need hardly say that he represents my humble self4 ,those who are otherwise unacquainted with me will through him understand my character1 and will moreover see that a man of such caustic brevity can be1 by no means1 a master of polished style4 ,may this last acknowledgment appease all those critics whose hair is made to stand on end by my inelegant mode of writing4 ,i will make no further apology for my style4 ,i have often availed myself of the dialogue form1 because it was conducive to brevity2 not less frequently ,i have made use of the form of the epistle and of personal discourse1 as being more congenial to my individual manner than that of a serious treatise4 ,i have also undertaken to say something about singing6 ,a piano-teacher1 if he is possessed of mind and talent1 as ,i suppose him to be1 whether he teaches the elements or occupies himself with more advanced instruction1 should understand the art of singing2 he1 at least1 should show a warm interest in it1 and should have an earnest love for it4 ,when ,i speak in general of singing1 ,i refer to that species of singing which is a form of beauty1 and which is the foundation for the most refined and most perfect interpretation of music2 and1 above all things1 ,i consider the culture of beautiful tones the basis for the finest possible touch upon the piano4 ,in many respects1 the piano and singing should explain and supplement each other4 ,they should mutually assist in expressing the sublime and the noble1 in forms of unclouded beauty4 ,my book will make this evident to many2 but whether it will succeed with all1 ,i doubt4 ,not a few will even be found who will lay aside my book with contempt1 and who will scorn the zeal of the man of the past age4 ,i am quite prepared for this3 it is the fashion at present to undervalue the old times and their defenders2 but ,i shall continue to be conservative1 until the men of the future shall be able to show me results which shall excel those of the past1 or at least shall equal them4 ,and now ,i commend my little book to the public1 trusting that it will instruct the willing1 correct the erring1 incite the indolent1 and chastise those who wilfully persist in the wrong4 ,,the ,,author4 ,,contents4 ,,chap4 ,i4 ,,on ,,elementary ,,piano-,,forte ,,instruction ,,ii4 ,,an ,,evening ,,entertainment ,,at ,,herr ,,zach',s ,,iii4 ,,many ,,students ,,of ,,the ,,piano ,,and ,,few ,,players ,,iv4 ,a ,,conversation ,,with ,,mrs4 ,,solid1 ,,and ,,four ,,lessons ,,to ,,her ,,daughter ,v4 ,,on ,,the ,,pedal ,,vi4 ,,the ,,soft-,,pedal ,,sentiment ,,vii4 ,a ,,musical ,,tea-,,party ,,at ,,the ,,house ,,of ,,john ,,spriggins ,,viii4 ,,singing ,,and ,,singing-,,teachers ,,ix4 ,,thoughts ,,on ,,singing ,x4 ,,visit ,,at ,,mrs4 ,n4',s ,,xi4 ,,secrets ,,xii4 ,,thoughts ,,on ,,piano-,,playing ,,xiii4 ,,on ,,musical ,,talent ,,xiv4 ,,extravagances ,,in ,,singing ,,and ,,piano-,,playing ,,xv4 ,,conclusion ,,piano ,,and ,,song4 ,,chapter ,i4 ,,on ,,elementary ,,piano-,,forte ,,instruction4 ,you ask1 my dear friend1 for some particular information about my piano method1 especially with regard to my mode of elementary instruction1 which differs essentially from that in common use4 ,i give you here the main points2 and1 if you place confidence in my experience of forty years1 and if you will supply those details which ,i have omitted1 your own varied experience as a thoughtful1 talented1 and earnest piano-teacher will enable you to understand my theory1 from the following dialogue between my humble self under the title of ,dominie1 my friend1 and the little ,bessie3-- ,,dominie4 ,my dear friend1 how have you managed to make piano-playing so utterly distasteful to little ,susie8 and how is it that the instruction which you have given her for the last three years actually amounts to nothing8 ,,friend4 ,well1 ,i will tell you how ,i have proceeded4 ,first ,i taught her the names of the keys1 that was pretty dull work for her2 then ,i made her learn the treble notes1 which was a difficult matter2 after that ,i taught her the bass notes1 which puzzled her still more2 then ,i undertook to teach her a pretty little piece1 which she hoped to perform for the delight of her parents4 ,of course she constantly confused the bass and treble notes1 she could not keep time1 she always used the wrong fingers and could not learn it at all4 ,then ,i scolded her1--she only cried2 ,i tried a little coaxing1--that made her cry worse2 finally ,i put an end to the piano lessons1 and she begged me never to begin them again2 and there you have the whole story4 ,,dominie4 ,you certainly might have begun more judiciously4 ,how is it possible for a child to climb a ladder when not only the lower rounds1 but a great many more1 are wanting8 ,nature makes no leaps1 least of all with children4 ,,friend4 ,but did she not begin to climb the ladder at the bottom8 ,,dominie4 ,by no means4 ,she certainly never was able to reach the top4 ,i should say1 rather1 that she tumbled down head foremost4 ,to speak mildly1 she began to climb in the middle2 and even then you tried to chase her up1 instead of allowing her1 carefully and quietly1 to clamber up one step at a time4 ,bring me your youngest daughter1 ,bessie1 and ,i will show you how ,i give a first lesson4 ,,dominie4 ,bessie1 can you say your letters after me8 so1--c1 d1 e1 f4 ,,bessie4 c1 d1 e1 f4 ,,dominie4 ,go on1--g1 a1 b1 c4 ,,bessie4 g1 a1 b1 c4 ,,dominie4 ,once more3 the first four again1 then the next four4 ,that's right3 now all the eight1 one after the other1 c1 d1 e1 f1 g1 a1 b1 c4 ,,bessie4 c1 d1 e1 f1 g1 a1 b1 c4 ,,dominie4 7after repeating this several times74 ,that's good3 now you see you have learned something already4 ,that is the musical alphabet1 and those are the names of the white keys on the piano-forte4 ,presently you shall find them out1 and learn to name them yourself4 ,but1 first1 you must take notice 7,i strike the keys in succession with my finger1 from the one-lined c to the highest treble7 that these sounds grow higher and become sharper one after the other2 and in this way 7,i strike the keys from one-lined c to the lowest bass7 you hear that the sounds grow lower and heavier4 ,the upper half1 to the right1 is called the treble2 the lower half is the bass4 ,you quite understand now the difference between the high sharp tones and the low deep ones8 ,now we will go on4 ,what you see here1 and will learn to play upon1 is called the key-board1 consisting of white keys and black ones4 ,you shall presently learn to give the right names both to the white keys and the black2 you see there are always two black keys and then three black keys together1 all the way up and down the key-board4 ,now put the fore-finger of your right hand on the lower one of any of the two black keys that are together1 and let it slip off on to the white key next below it2 now you have found the key called c2 what is the name of the next key above it8 ,say the whole musical alphabet4 ,,bessie4 c1 d1 e1 f1 g1 a1 b1 c4 ,,dominie4 ,well1 then1 that key is called d4 ,,bessie4 ,then this one must be e4 ,,dominie4 ,and now comes f4 ,anywhere on the key-board you can find f just as easily1 if you put your finger on the lowest of any three black keys that are together1 and let it slip off on to the white key next below it4 ,if you remember where these two keys1 f and c1 are1 both in the treble and the bass1 you can easily find the names of all the other keys4 ,now what is the next key above f8 ,,bessie4 g1 and then a1 b1 c4 ,,dominie4 ,now we will say over several times the names of the keys1 upwards and downwards1 and learn to find them skipping about in any irregular order4 ,at the end of the lesson we will try them over once more1 and before the next lesson you will know the names of all the white keys4 ,you must practise finding them out by yourself2 you can't make a mistake1 if you are careful to remember where the c and the f are4 ,i told you that the sounds this way 7,i strike the keys upward7 grow higher1 and this way 7,i strike them downwards7 they grow lower4 ,so you see no tones are just alike3 one is either higher or lower than the other4 ,do you hear the difference8 ,now turn round so as not to see the keys2 ,i will strike two keys1 one after the other2 now which is the highest 7the sharpest71 the first or the second8 7,i go on in this way1 gradually touching keys nearer and nearer together2 sometimes1 in order to puzzle her and to excite close attention1 ,i strike the lower one gently and the higher one stronger1 and keep on sounding them1 lower and lower towards the bass1 according to the capacity of the pupil47 ,i suppose you find it a little tiresome to listen so closely2 but a delicate1 quick ear is necessary for piano-playing1 and by and by it will become easier to you4 ,but ,i won't tire you with it any more now1 we will go on to something else4 ,can you count #c1--a1 #b1 #c8 ,,bessie4 ,yes1 indeed1 and more too4 ,,dominie4 ,we'll see2 now keep counting #a1 #b1 #c1 #a1 #b1 #c1 as evenly and regularly as you can4 7,i lead her to count steadily1 and strike at the same time a chord in three even quarter-notes47 ,now we'll see if you can count evenly by yourself4 7,i count #a of the chord with her1 and leave her to count #b and #c by herself2 or else ,i count with her at #b1 and let her count #a and #c alone2 but ,i am careful to strike the chord promptly and with precision4 ,afterwards ,i strike the chord in eighth-notes1 and let her count #a1 #b1 #c2 in short1 ,i give the chord in various ways1 in order to teach her steadiness in counting1 and to confine her attention4 ,in the same way ,i teach her to count #a1 #b1 #a1 #b2 or #a1 #b1 #c1 #d1 #e1 #f2 at the same time telling her that music is sometimes counted in triple time1 and sometimes in #b_/d or #d_/d time47 ,now1 ,bessie1 you have learned to count very well1 and to know the difference in the tones4 ,it is not every child that learns this in the first lesson4 ,if you don't get tired of it1 you will some time learn to be a good player4 ,as soon as you are rested1 ,i will tell you about something else1 that you will have to listen to very carefully4 ,,bessie4 ,but ,i like it1 and will take pains to listen just as closely as ,i can4 ,,dominie4 ,when several tones are struck at the same time1 if they sound well together1 they make what we call a chord4 ,but there are both major and minor chords3 the major chord sounds joyous1 gay2 the minor1 sad1 dull1 as you would say2 the former laugh1 the latter weep4 ,now take notice whether ,i am right4 7,i strike the chord of ,c major2 then1 after a short pause1 that of ,c minor2 and try1 by a stronger or lighter touch1 to make her listen first to the major and then to the minor chords4 ,she usually distinguishes correctly2 but it will not do to dwell too long upon these at first1 or to try to enforce any thing by too much talk and explanation47 ,now ,i will tell you that the difference in the sounds of these chords is in the third1 counted upwards from the lower note c1 and depends upon whether you take it half a tone higher or lower1 e or e flat4 ,i shall explain this better to you by and by1 when you come to learn about the tonic1 the third1 the fifth or dominant1 the octave1 and so on4 7,it is advantageous and psychologically correct to touch occasionally1 in passing1 upon points which will be more thoroughly taught later4 ,it excites the interest of the pupil4 ,thus the customary technical terms are sometimes made use of beforehand1 and a needful1 cursory explanation given of them47 ,that is right2 you can tell them pretty well already2 now we will repeat once more the names of the keys1 and then we will stop for to-day4 ,just see how many things you have learned in this lesson4 ,,bessie4 ,it was beautiful6 ,,dominie4 ,i hope you will always find it so4 ,,bessie4 ,when may ,i have another lesson8 ,,dominie4 ,day after to-morrow2 at first1 you must have at least three lessons a week4 ,,bessie4 ,what shall ,i do in the next lesson8 ,,dominie4 ,i shall repeat all that ,i have taught you to-day2 but ,i shall teach you a great deal of it in a different way1 and every time ,i shall teach it to you differently1 so that it shall always be interesting to you4 ,in the next lesson we will begin to play1 first on the table1 and at last on the piano4 ,you will learn to move your fingers lightly and loosely1 and quite independently of the arm1 though at first they will be weak2 and you will learn to raise them and let them fall properly4 ,besides that1 we will contrive a few exercises to teach you to make the wrist loose1 for that must be learned in the beginning in order to acquire a fine touch on the piano2 that is1 to make the tones sound as beautiful as possible4 ,i shall show you how to sit at the piano and how to hold your hands4 ,you will learn the names of the black keys and the scale of ,c1 with the half-step from the #c;d to the #dth and also that from the #gth to the #hth1 which latter is called the leading note1 which leads into ,c4 7,this is quite important for my method1 for in this way the different keys can be clearly explained47 ,you will learn to find the chord of ,c in the bass and the treble1 and to strike them with both hands together4 ,and then in the third or fourth lesson1 after you know quite perfectly all that ,i have already taught you1 ,i will teach you to play a little piece that will please you1 and then you will really be a player1 a pianist4 ,,friend4 ,from whom have you learned all this8 ,it goes like the lightning-train4 ,,dominie4 ,a great many people can learn what is to be taught2 but how it is to be taught ,i have only found out by devoting my whole mind1 with real love and constant thought1 to the musical improvement and general mental development of my pupils4 ,the advancement will unquestionably be rapid1 for it proceeds step by step1 and one thing is founded upon another2 the pupil learns every thing quietly1 thoughtfully1 and surely1 without going roundabout1 without any hindrances and mistakes to be unlearned4 ,i never try to teach too much or too little2 and1 in teaching each thing1 ,i try to prepare and lay the foundation for other things to be afterwards learned4 ,i consider it very important not to try to cram the child's memory with the teacher's wisdom 7as is often done in a crude and harsh way72 but ,i endeavor to excite the pupil's mind1 to interest it1 and to let it develop itself1 and not to degrade it to a mere machine4 ,i do not require the practice of a vague1 dreary1 time and mind killing piano-jingling1 in which way1 as ,i see1 your little ,susie was obliged to learn2 but ,i observe a musical method1 and in doing this always keep strictly in view the individuality and gradual development of the pupil4 ,in more advanced instruction1 ,i even take an interest in the general culture and disposition of the pupil1 and improve every opportunity to call forth the sense of beauty1 and continually to aid in the intellectual development4 ,,friend4 ,but where are the notes all this time8 ,,dominie4 ,before that1 we have a great deal to do that is interesting and agreeable4 ,i keep constantly in view the formation of a good technique2 but ,i do not make piano-playing distasteful to the pupil by urging her to a useless and senseless mechanical practising4 ,i may perhaps teach the treble notes after the first six months or after sixty or eighty lessons1 but ,i teach them in my own peculiar way1 so that the pupil's mind may be kept constantly active4 ,with my own daughters ,i did not teach the treble notes till the end of the first year's instruction1 the bass notes several months later4 ,,friend4 ,but what did you do meanwhile8 ,,dominie4 ,you really ought to be able to answer that question for yourself after hearing this lesson1 and what ,i have said about it4 ,i have cultivated a musical taste in my pupils1 and almost taught them to be skilful1 good players1 without knowing a note4 ,i have taught a correct1 light touch of the keys from the fingers1 and of whole chords from the wrist2 to this ,i have added the scales in all the keys2 but these should not be taught at first1 with both hands together4 ,the pupil may gradually acquire the habit of practising them together later2 but it is not desirable to insist on this too early1 for in playing the scales with both hands together the weakness of the fourth finger is concealed1 and the attention distracted from the feeble tones1 and the result is an unequal and poor scale4 ,at the same time1 ,i have in every way cultivated the sense of time1 and taught the division of the bars4 ,i have helped the pupils to invent little cadences with the dominant and sub-dominant and even little exercises1 to their great delight and advantage2 and ,i have1 of course1 at the same time insisted on the use of the correct fingering4 ,you see that1 in order to become practical1 ,i begin with the theory4 ,so1 for instance1 ,i teach the pupil to find the triad and the dominant chord of the seventh1 with their transpositions in every key1 and to practise them diligently2 and to make use of these chords in all sorts of new figures and passages4 ,but all this must be done without haste1 and without tiring the pupil too much with one thing1 or wearing out the interest1 which is all-important4 ,after that1 ,i teach them to play fifty or sixty little pieces1 which ,i have written for this purpose4 ,they are short1 rhythmically balanced1 agreeable1 and striking to the ear1 and aim to develop gradually an increased mechanical skill4 ,i require them to be learned by heart1 and often to be transposed into other keys2 in which way the memory1 which is indispensable for piano playing1 is unconsciously greatly increased4 ,they must be learned perfectly and played well1 often1 according to the capacity of the pupil1 even finely2 in strict time 7counting aloud is seldom necessary7 and without stumbling or hesitating2 first slowly1 then fast1 faster1 slow again1 staccato1 legato1 piano1 forte1 crescendo1 diminuendo1 c4 ,this mode of instruction ,i find always successful2 but ,i do not put the cart before the horse1 and1 without previous technical instruction1 begin my piano lessons with the extremely difficult acquirement of the treble and bass notes4 ,in a word1 ,i have striven1 as a psychologist and thinker1 as a man and teacher1 for a many-sided culture4 ,i have also paid great attention to the art of singing1 as a necessary foundation for piano-playing4 ,i have devoted some talent1 and at least an enthusiastic1 unwearied love to the subject4 ,i have never stood still2 have learned something of teaching every day1 and have sought always to improve myself2 ,i have always been something new and different1 in every lesson and with every child2 ,i have always kept up a cheerful1 joyous courage1 and this has usually kindled the same in my pupil1 because it came from the heart4 ,moreover1 ,i have never been a man of routine1 have never shown myself a pedant1 who is obliged to hold fast to certain ideas and views4 ,i have lived up to the century1 and have tried to understand and to advance the age2 have heard every thing great and fine in music1 and have induced my pupils also to hear it4 ,i have opposed with determination all the prejudices and false tendencies of the times1 and never have allowed impatient parents to give advice about my lessons4 ,i have insisted upon a good and well-tuned instrument for my pupils1 and have endeavored to merit the love and confidence both of my pupils and of their parents4 ,in fact1 ,i have devoted myself thoroughly to my calling1 and have been wholly a teacher1 always fixing my eye on the true1 the beautiful1 and the artistic2 and in this way have been of service to my pupils4 ,,friend4 ,but how do you find parents who sympathize with your ideas and with your lofty views8 ,,dominie4 ,i have found that almost all the parents of my pupils have entered into my views1 if not immediately1 at least after they had been present at a few lessons4 ,in the case of those few who would not enter into them1 ,i have abandoned the lessons2 but1 nevertheless1 ,i have found that my time has been fully occupied4 ,my friend1 do you not think that views like these will assist in the training of young and inexperienced teachers1 who are striving for improvement8 and do you not think they will be useful even to those who already possess general mental culture1 and who are animated by an ardent love for their calling8 ,i especially avoid giving here any exclusive method1 a servile following of which would be entirely contrary to my intentions1 and1 in fact1 contrary to my method4 ,but as for the rest6 ,alas1 all those who do not understand me1 or who choose to misunderstand me1 those are the worst6--especially the ill-natured people1 the classical people who bray about music1 stride straight to the notes1 and have no patience till they come to ,beethoven2 who foolishly prate and fume about my unclassical management1 but at bottom only wish to conceal their own unskilfulness1 their want of culture and of disinterestedness1 or to excuse their habitual drudgery4 ,lazy people without talent ,i cannot undertake to inspirit1 to teach1 and to cultivate4 ,this chapter will1 almost by itself1 point out to unprejudiced minds my method of giving more advanced instruction1 and will show in what spirit ,i have educated my own daughters1 even to the highest point of musical culture1 without using the slightest severity4 ,it will1 indeed1 cause great vexation to the ill-minded and even to the polite world1 who attribute the musical position of my daughters in the artistic world to a tyranny used by me1 to immoderate and unheard-of practising1 and to tortures of every kind2 and who do not hesitate to invent and industriously to circulate the most absurd reports about it1 instead of inquiring into what ,i have already published about teaching1 and comparing it with the management which1 with their own children1 has led only to senseless thrumming4 ,,chapter ,,ii4 ,,an ,,evening ,,entertainment ,,at ,,herr ,,zach',s4 ,,dramatis ,,personae4 ,,herr ,,zach1 formerly a flute-player1 not very wealthy4 ,,his ,,wife1 of the family of ,tz4 7rather sharp-tempered74 ,,stock1 her son1 #ag years old 7is studying the piano thoroughly74 ,,mr4 ,,buffalo1 music-master of the family4 ,,dominie1 piano-teacher 7rather gruff74 ,,cecilia1 his daughter1 #ac years old 7shy74 ,,zach 7to ,dominie74 ,i regret that ,i was unable to attend the concert yesterday4 ,i was formerly musical myself and played on the flute4 ,your daughter1 ,i believe1 plays pretty well4 ,,dominie4 ,well1 yes6 perhaps something more than pretty well4 ,we are in earnest about music4 ,,madame1 of the ,tz4 family 7envious because ,cecilia received applause for her public performance yesterday1 and because ,mr4 ,buffalo had been unable to bring out ,stock1--all in one breath74 ,when did your daughter begin to play8 ,just how old is she now8 ,does she like playing8 ,they say you are very strict1 and tie your daughters to the piano-stool4 ,how many hours a day do you make her practise8 ,don't you make her exert herself too much8 ,has she talent8 ,isn't she sickly8 ,,dominie4 ,don't you think she looks in good health1 madam1--tall and strong for her years8 ,,madame1 of the ,tz4 family4 ,but perhaps she might look more cheerful1 if she was not obliged to play on the piano so much4 ,,dominie 7bowing74 ,i can't exactly say4 ,,zach 7suddenly interrupting1 and holding ,dominie by the button-hole74 ,they say you torment and ill-treat your daughters dreadfully2 that the eldest was obliged to practise day and night4 ,well1 you shall hear my ,stock play this evening1 who1 some time1 by the grace of ,god1 is to take the place of ,thalberg in the world4 ,now give me your opinion freely 7of course1 ,i was only to praise73 we should like very much to hear what you think about his playing1 though perhaps ,mr4 ,buffalo may not agree with you4 7,mr4 ,buffalo is looking through the music-case and picking out all the ,etudes1 by listening to which ,dominie is to earn his supper47 ,,dominie 7resigned and foreseeing that he shall be bored74 ,i have heard a great deal of the industry of your son1 ,stock4 ,what are you studying now1 ,mr4 ,stock8 ,,stock 7in proud self-consciousness1 rather ,sophomoric74 ,i play six hours a day1 two hours scales with both hands together1 and four hours ,etudes4 ,i have already gone through the first book of ,clementi and four books of ,cramer4 ,now ,i am in the ,gradus ad ,parnassum3 ,i have already studied the right fingering for it4 ,,dominie4 ,indeed1 you are very much in earnest3 that speaks well for you1 and for ,mr4 ,buffalo4 ,but what pieces are you studying with the ,etudes8 ,hummel1 ,mendelssohn1 ,chopin1 or ,schumann8 ,,stock 7contemptuously74 ,mr4 ,buffalo can't bear ,chopin and ,schumann4 ,mr4 ,buffalo lately played through ,schumann's ,kinderscenen1 that people are making such a talk about4 ,my mamma1 who is also musical1 and used to sing when papa played the flute1 said1 ,what ridiculous little things are those8 ,are they waltzes for children8 and then the babyish names for them6 ,he may play such stuff to his wife1 but not to us4 ,,dominie4 ,well1 these ,kinderscenen are curious little bits for grown-up men's hands4 ,your mother is right1 they are too short3 there certainly ought to be more of them4 ,but they are not waltzes6 ,,stock4 ,indeed1 ,i am not allowed to play waltzes at all4 ,my teacher is very thorough3 first1 ,i shall have to dig through all the ,gradus ad ,parnassum2 and then he is going to undertake a concerto of ,beethoven's with me1 and will write the proper fingering over it4 ,i shall play that in public2 and then1 as he and my aunt say1 ,i shall be the death of you all4 ,,mr4 ,,buffalo 7who has overheard him1 steps up74 ,now1 ,herr ,dominie1 how do you like my method8 ,perhaps you have a different one8 ,nevertheless1 that shan't prevent our being good friends4 ,certainly1 if any thing is to be accomplished in these times1 it is necessary to keep at work1--that is my doctrine4 ,but ,stock1 here1 has unusual patience and perseverance4 ,he has worked through all ,cramer's #if ,etudes in succession without grumbling4 ,he was wretched enough over them2 but his papa bought him a saddle-horse to ride round on every day1 and he revived in the fresh air4 7,herr ,zach with his wife and an old aunt are playing cards in the further room47 ,,dominie4 ,but do you not combine the study of musical pieces with the study of exercises1 in order that the cultivation of the taste may go hand in hand with mechanical improvement8 ,,mr4 ,,buffalo4 ,my dear friend1 you are too narrow-minded there1--you make a mistake3 taste must come of itself1 from much playing and with years4 ,your ,cecilia played the two new waltzes1 and the ,nocturne of ,chopin1 and ,beethoven's trio very nicely4 ,but then that was all drilled into her3 we could tell that well enough by hearing it1--,stock and ,i4 ,,dominie4 ,did it sound unnatural to you1--mannered8 and did you think it wooden1 dry1 dull8 ,,mr4 ,,buffalo4 ,not exactly that2 but the trouble was it sounded studied4 ,the public applauded1 it is true2 but they don't know any thing4 ,stock and ,i thought-- ,,dominie4 ,do you not think that the taste for a beautiful interpretation may be early awakened1 without using severity with the pupil8 and that to excite the feeling for music1 to a certain degree1 even in early years1 is in fact essential8 ,the neglect of this very thing is the reason that we are obliged to listen to so many players1 who really have mechanically practised themselves to death1 and have reduced musical art to mere machinery1--to an idle trick of the fingers4 ,,mr4 ,,buffalo4 ,that's all nonsense4 ,i say teach them the scales1 to run up and down the gamut6 ,gradus ad ,parnassum's the thing6 ,classical1 classical6 ,yesterday you made your daughter play that ,trill-,etude by ,carl ,meyer4 ,altogether too fine-sounding6 ,it tickles the ear1 to be sure1 especially when it is played in such a studied manner4 ,we stick to ,clementi and ,cramer1 and to ,hummel's piano-school1--the good old school4 ,you have made a great mistake with your eldest daughter4 ,,dominie4 ,the world does not seem to agree with you4 ,,madame1 of the ,tz4 family 7has listened and lost a trick by it1 steps up quickly1 and says maliciously74 ,you must agree that she would have played better1 if you had left her for ten years with ,cramer and ,clementi4 ,we don't like this tendency to ,schumann and ,chopin4 ,but what folly to talk6 ,one must be careful what one says to the father of such a child6 ,it is quite a different thing with us4 ,mr4 ,buffalo is bound to our ,stock by no bond of affection4 ,he follows out his aim without any hesitation or vanity1 and looks neither to the right nor to the left1 but straightforward4 ,,dominie4 ,i beg your pardon1 madam3 you may be right1--from your point of view4 ,we must be a little indulgent with sensitive people4 ,but will not your son play to us8 7,stock plays two ,etudes of ,clementi1 three of ,cramer1 and four from the ,gradus1 but did not even grow warm over them4 ,the horse his father gave him has made him quite strong47 99 99 99 99 99 ,i may be asked1 ,but how did ,stock play8 ,how8 ,i do not wish to write a treatise3 my plan is only to give hints and suggestions4 ,i am not writing in the interest of ,stock1 ,buffalo1 ,co4 ,after the playing1 we went to supper3 the oysters were good1 but the wine left a little sharp taste4 ,my timid daughter did not like oysters2 but she ate a little salad1 and at table listened instead of talking4 ,a few innocent anecdotes were related at table about horses and balls and dogs and ,stock's future4 ,on taking leave1 ,madame said condescendingly to ,cecilia1 ,if you keep on1 my dear1 one of these days you will play very nicely4 ,,chapter ,,iii4 ,,many ,,students ,,of ,,the ,,piano ,,and ,,few ,,players4 7,a ,letter addressed to the ,father of a ,piano ,pupil74 ,it is a pity that you have no sons1 for a father takes great delight in his sons2 but ,i agree with you1 when you say that1 if you had one1 you would rather he should break stones than pound the piano4 ,you say you have many friends who rejoice in that paternal felicity1 and whose sons1 great and small1 bright and dull1 have been learning the piano for three years or more1 and still can do nothing4 ,you are doubtless right2 and1 further1 they never will learn any thing4 ,you ask1 ,of what use is it to man or boy to be able to stammer through this or that waltz1 or polonaise or mazurka1 with stiff arms1 weak fingers1 a stupid face1 and lounging figure8 ,what gain is it to art8 ,you say1 ,is not time worth gold1 and yet we are offered lead8 ,and the poor teachers torment themselves and the boys1 abuse art and the piano2 and at the end of the evening1 in despair1 torment their own wives1 after they have all day long been scolding1 cuffing1 and lamenting1 without success or consolation4 ,you speak the truth4 ,i have had the same experience myself1 though not to the same degree1 and though ,i did not bring home to my wife a dreary face1 but only a good appetite4 ,but ,i did not give myself up to lamentation over piano-teaching4 ,i gathered up courage and rose above mere drudgery4 ,i reflected and considered and studied1 and tried whether ,i could not manage better1 as ,i found ,i could not succeed with the boys2 and ,i have managed better and succeeded better1 because ,i have hit upon a different way1 and one more in accordance with nature than that used in the piano schools4 ,i laid down1 as the first and most important principle1 the necessity for the formation of a fine touch1 just as singing-teachers rely upon the culture of a fine tone1 in order to teach singing well4 ,i endeavored1 without notes1 to make the necessary exercises so interesting that the attention of the pupils always increased2 and that they even1 after a short time1 took great pleasure in a sound1 tender1 full1 singing tone2 an acquirement which1 unfortunately1 even many virtuosos do not possess4 ,in this way1 we made an opening at the beginning1 not in the middle3 we harnessed the horse before the wagon4 ,the pupil now obtained a firm footing1 and had something to enjoy1 without being tormented at every lesson with dry matters to be learned1 the advantage of which was not obvious to him1 and the final aim of which he did not perceive4 ,until a correct touch has been acquired1 it is of no use to talk about a fine singing tone4 ,how can we expect to arouse an interest by mere toneless tinkling1 while stiff1 inflexible fingers are struggling with the notes2 while the pupil sees only his inability to do any thing right1 and receives nothing but blame from the teacher2 while1 at the same time1 so much is to be kept in mind1 and he must be required to observe the time1 and to use the right fingers8 ,poor1 stupid children6 ,later1 after teaching the notes1 ,i did not fall into the universal error of selecting pieces which were either too difficult1 or such as1 though purely musical1 were not well adapted to the piano2 but ,i chose short1 easy pieces1 without prominent difficulties1 in the correct and skilful performance of which the pupil might take pleasure4 ,consequently1 they were studied carefully1 slowly1 willingly1 and with interest1 which last is a great thing gained2 for the pupil rejoiced in the anticipation of success4 ,the struggle over single difficult places destroys all pleasure1 palsies talent1 creates disgust1 and1 what is worse1 it tends to render uncertain the confirmation of the faculty already partially acquired1--of bringing out a fine legato tone1 with loose and quiet fingers and a yielding1 movable wrist1 without the assistance of the arm4 ,you suppose that talent is especially wanting1 and not merely good teachers2 for otherwise1 with the zealous pursuit of piano-playing in ,saxony1 we should produce hundreds who could1 at least1 play correctly and with facility1 if not finely4 ,here you are mistaken3 we have1 on the contrary1 a great deal of musical talent4 ,there are1 also1 even in the provincial cities1 teachers who are not only musical1 but who also possess so much zeal and talent for teaching that many of their pupils are able to play tolerably well4 ,i will add further1 that the taste for music is much more cultivated and improved1 even in small places1 by singing-societies and by public and private concerts1 than was formerly the case4 ,we also have much better aids in instruction books1 etudes1 and suitable piano pieces2 but still we find everywhere jingling and piano-banging1 as you express it1 and yet no piano-playing4 ,let us consider this aspect of the subject a little more closely4 ,in the first place1 the proper basis for a firm structure is wanting4 ,the knowledge of the notes cannot afford a proper basis1 except in so far as it is of service in the execution of a piece4 ,of what use are the notes to a singer1 if he has no attack1 and does not understand the management of the voice8 of what use to the piano-learner1 if he has no touch1 no tone on the piano-forte4 ,is this to be acquired by playing the notes8 ,but how then is it to be learned8 ,one thing more4 ,owing to an over-zeal for education1 children are kept in school from seven to ten hours in a day1 and then they are required to work and commit to memory in their free hours1 when they ought to be enjoying the fresh air4 ,but when are they then to have their piano lessons8 ,after they have escaped from the school-room1 and consequently when the children are exhausted and their nerves unstrung4 ,what cruelty6 ,instead of bread and butter and fresh air1 piano lessons6 ,the piano ought to be studied with unimpaired vigor1 and with great attention and interest1 otherwise no success is to be expected4 ,besides this1 much writing1 in itself1 makes stiff1 inflexible fingers4 ,but when is the child to find time for the necessary practice of the piano lessons8 ,well1 in the evening1 after ten o'clock for refreshment1 while papa and mamma are in bed6 ,and now1 after the school-days are happily over1 and the children have possibly retained their red cheeks1 then their occupations in life lay claim to their time2 or1 if they are girls1 they are expected to busy themselves with embroidery1 knitting1 sewing1 crochet1 making clothes1 house-work1 tea parties1 and alas6 with balls2 and now1 too1 comes the time for lovers4 ,do you imagine that the fingers of pupils sixteen years old can learn mechanical movements as easily as those of children nine years old8 ,in order to satisfy the present demands in any degree1 the technique should be settled at sixteen4 ,under all these circumstances1 we find the best teachers become discouraged1 and fall into a dull routine1 which truly can lead to no success4 ,in conclusion1 ,i beg you to invite the piano teacher1 ,mr4 ,strict1 to whom you have confided the instruction of your only daughter1 ,rosalie1 to pay me a visit1 and ,i will give him particular directions for a gradual development in piano-playing1 up to ,beethoven's op4 #aji or ,chopin's ,f minor concerto4 ,but ,i shall find him too fixed in his own theories1 too much of a composer1 too conceited and dogmatic1 and not sufficiently practical1 to be a good teacher1 or to exert much influence2 and1 indeed1 he has himself a stiff1 restless1 clumsy touch1 that expends half its efforts in the air4 ,he talks bravely of etudes1 scales1 c42 but the question with regard to these is how they are taught4 ,the so-called practising of exercises1 without having previously formed a sure touch1 and carefully and skilfully fostering it is not much more useful than playing pieces4 ,but ,i hear him reply1 with proud and learned self-consciousness3 ,music1 music6 ,classical1 classical6 ,spirit6 ,expression6 ,bach1 ,beethoven1 ,mendelssohn6 ,that is just the difficulty4 ,look at his pupils1 at his pianists6 ,see how his children are musically stifled1 and hear his daughter sing the classical arias composed by himself6 ,however1 it is all musical6 ,farewell4 ,,chapter ,,iv4 ,a ,,conversation ,,with ,,mrs4 ,,solid1 ,,and ,,four ,,lessons ,,to ,,her ,,daughter4 ,,mrs4 ,,solid4 ,i should be glad to understand how it is that your daughters are able to play the numerous pieces which ,i have heard from them so correctly and intelligently1 without bungling or hesitation1 and with so much expression1 and the most delicate shading2 in fact1 in such a masterly manner4 ,from my youth upwards1 ,i have had tolerable instruction4 ,i have played scales and etudes for a long time2 and have taken great pleasure in studying and industriously practising numerous compositions of ,kalkbrenner and ,hummel1 under their own direction4 ,i have even been celebrated for my talent2 but1 nevertheless1 ,i never have had the pleasure of being able to execute any considerable piece of music to my own satisfaction or that of others2 and ,i fear it will be the same with my daughter ,emily4 ,,dominie4 ,in order to give a satisfactory answer to your question1 ,i will lay before you a few of my principles and opinions in respect to musical culture1 with special reference to piano-playing4 ,educated ladies of the present time make greater pretensions and greater demands than formerly in regard to music and musical execution2 and consequently their own performances do not usually correspond with their more or less cultivated taste for the beautiful1 which has been awakened by their careful general education4 ,thus they are aware that they are not able to give satisfaction1 either to themselves or to others2 and from this arises a want of that confidence in their own powers1 which should amount almost to a consciousness of infallibility1 in order to produce a satisfactory musical performance4 ,this confidence has its foundation in a full1 firm1 clear1 and musical touch1 the acquisition of which has been1 and is still1 too much neglected by masters and teachers4 ,a correct mechanical facility and its advanced cultivation rest upon this basis alone2 which1 moreover1 requires special attention upon our softly leathered pianos1 which are much more difficult to play upon than the old-fashioned instruments4 ,it is a mistake to suppose that a correct touch1 which alone can produce a good execution1 will come of itself1 through the practice of etudes and scales4 ,even with masters1 it is unusual to meet with a sound1 fine1 unexceptionable touch1 like that of ,field and ,moscheles1 and among the more recent that of ,thalberg1 ,chopin1 ,mendelssohn1 and ,henselt4 ,i will speak now of the selection of pieces4 ,our ladies are not contented to play simple music1 which presents few difficulties and requires no involved fingering2 and from which they might gradually advance by correct and persevering study to more difficult pieces4 ,they at once seize upon grand compositions by ,beethoven1 ,c4,m4 von ,weber1 ,mendelssohn1 ,chopin1 and others1 and select also1 for the sake of variety1 the bravoura pieces of ,liszt1 ,thalberg1 ,henselt1 c4 ,how can they expect to obtain a command of such pieces1 when their early education was insufficient for our exalted demands in mechanical skill1 and their subsequent instruction has also been faulty and without method8 ,if you were to request me to supply in some degree your own deficiencies1 before ,i proceed to the further education of your daughter1 ,i should not begin with the wisdom of our friend ,mr4 ,buffalo3 ,madam1 you must every day practise the major and minor scales1 in all the keys1 with both hands at once1 and also in thirds and in sixths2 and you must work three or four hours daily at etudes of ,clementi1 ,cramer1 and ,moscheles2 otherwise1 your playing will never amount to any thing4 ,such advice has frequently been given by teachers like ,mr4 ,buffalo1 and is still daily insisted on2 but we will1 for the present1 set such nonsense aside4 ,i shall1 in the first place1 endeavor to improve your touch1 which is too thin1 feeble1 and incorrect2 which makes too much unnecessary movement1 and tries to produce the tone in the air1 instead of drawing it out with the keys4 ,this will not require a long time1 for ,i have well-formed1 young hands to work upon1 with skilful fingers in good condition4 ,i will employ1 for this purpose1 several of the short exercises mentioned in my first chapter1 and shall require them to be transposed into various keys1 and played without notes1 in order that you may give your whole attention to your hands and fingers4 ,above all things1 ,i wish you to observe how ,i try to bring out from the piano the most beautiful possible tone1 with a quiet movement of the fingers and a correct position of the hand2 without an uneasy jerking of the arm1 and with ease1 lightness1 and sureness4 ,i shall certainly insist upon scales also1 for it is necessary to pay great care and attention to passing the thumb under promptly and quietly1 and to the correct1 easy position of the arm4 ,but ,i shall be content with the practice of scales for a quarter of an hour each day1 which ,i require to be played1 according to my discretion1 staccato1 legato1 fast1 slow1 forte1 piano1 with one hand or with both hands1 according to circumstances4 ,this short time daily for scale-practice is sufficient1 provided1 always1 that ,i have no stiff fingers1 or unpractised or ruined structure of the hand to educate4 ,for very young beginners with weak fingers1 the scales should be practised only piano1 until the fingers acquire strength4 ,i should continue in this way with you for two weeks1 but every day with some slight change4 ,after a short time1 ,i would combine with this practice the study of two or three pieces1 suitably arranged for the piano2 for example1 ,mozart's minuet in ,e flat1 arranged by ,schulhoff1 and his drinking-song1 or similar pieces4 ,we will1 at present1 have nothing to do with ,beethoven4 ,you are1 perhaps1 afraid that all this might be tedious2 but ,i have never been considered tedious in my lessons4 ,i wish you1 for the present1 not to practise any pieces or exercises except in my presence1 until a better touch has been thoroughly established4 ,you must also give up entirely1 for a time1 playing your previous pieces2 for they would give you opportunity to fall again into your faulty mode of playing4 ,i shall also soon put in practice one of my maxims in teaching2 viz41 that1 merely for the acquisition of mechanical facility1 all my pupils shall be in the habit of playing daily some appropriate piece1 that by its perfect mastery they may gain a fearless confidence4 ,they must regard this piece as a companion1 friend1 and support4 ,i wish you to learn to consider it a necessity every day1 before practising or studying your new piece of music1 to play this piece1 even if it is done quite mechanically1 two or three times1 first slowly1 then faster2 for without ready1 flexible fingers1 my teaching and preaching will be valueless4 ,,mrs4 ,,solid4 ,but what pieces1 for instance8 ,,dominie4 ,for beginners1 perhaps one or two of ,huenten's ,etudes ,melodiques2 a little later1 one of ,czerny's very judicious ,etudes from his opus #gdj2 and for more advanced pupils1 after they are able to stretch easily and correctly1 his ,toccata1 opus #ib1--;a piece which my three daughters never give up playing1 even if they do not play it every day4 ,they practise pieces of this description as a remedy for mechanical deficiencies1 changing them every three or four months4 ,in the selection of these1 ,i aim especially at the practice of thirds1 trills1 stretches1 scales1 and passages for strengthening the fourth finger2 and ,i choose them with reference to the particular pieces1 sonatas1 variations1 concertos1 c41 which they are at the time studying4 ,likewise1 in the choice of the latter1 ,i pursue a different course from that which the teachers alluded to above and others are accustomed to follow2 though ,i hope my management is never pedantic1 but cautious1 artistic1 and psychologic4 ,it is easy to see that many teachers1 by giving lessons continually1 particularly to pupils without talent1 are led1 even with the best intentions1 to fall into a mere routine4 ,we find them often impatient and unsympathetic1 especially in the teaching of their own compositions2 and again1 by their one-sided opinions and capricious requirements1 by devoting attention to matters of small importance1 and by all sorts of whimsicalities1 they contract the intellectual horizon of their pupils1 and destroy their interest in the lessons4 ,,mrs4 ,,solid4 ,your careful mode of proceeding is certainly extremely interesting and convincing2 but allow me to request an answer to various objections and considerations which are now and then brought forward1 particularly by teachers4 ,,dominie4 ,to that ,i am quite accustomed4 ,the good and the beautiful never obtain uncontested recognition4 ,no one has ever offered any new improvement1 and fearlessly spoken the truth1 without being attacked1 defamed1 and despised1 or entirely misunderstood4 ,our age can show many proofs of this2 for example1 let us remember homoeopathy and magnetism4 ,clara ,wieck was not appreciated in ,leipzig until she had been admired in ,paris2 nor ,marie ,wieck1 because she does not play exactly as her sister ,clara does4 ,the same is the case with my present book1 which relentlessly treads upon the incredible follies and lamentable errors of the times4 ,i am quite prepared for opposition of any kind4 ,,mrs4 ,,solid4 ,i should like to suggest to you that there are other teachers who have given themselves a great deal of trouble1 and who are very particular2 but it is not their good fortune to have daughters like yours to educate4 ,,dominie4 ,have given themselves a great deal of trouble8 ,what do you mean by that8 ,if they do not take pains in the right way1 or at the right time and place1 it is all labor in vain4 ,of what use is mere unskilful1 stupid industry8 ,for instance1 when a teacher1 in order to correct a stiff use of the fingers and wrist1 and the general faulty touch of his pupil1 gives some wonderful etude or a piece with great stretches and arpeggios for the left hand1 and gives himself unwearied trouble over it1 it is a proof of abundant painstaking2 but it is labor thrown away1 and only makes the imperfect mode of performance the worse4 ,and now with regard to my daughters4 ,it has been their fortune to have had me for a father and teacher3 they certainly have talent1 and ,i have been successful in rousing and guiding it4 ,envy1 jealousy1 pride1 and offended egotism have tried as long as possible to dispute this2 but at last the effort is abandoned4 ,they say that it requires no art to educate such talent as theirs1 that it almost comes of itself4 ,this assertion is just as false and contrary to experience as it is common1 even with educated and thoughtful people1 who belong to no clique4 ,lichtenburg says3 ,it is just those things upon which everybody is agreed that should be subjected to investigation4 ,well1 ,i have made a thorough investigation of these accusations1 with regard to my three daughters1 and all the talented pupils whom ,i have been able to educate for good amateurs1 and1 according to circumstances1 for good public performers4 ,the great number of these suffices for my justification4 ,i must add1 still further1 that it is exactly the great talents for singing1 or for the piano1 who require the most careful1 thoughtful1 and prudent guidance4 ,look around at the multitude of abortive talents and geniuses6 ,talented pupils are just the ones who have an irresistible desire to be left to their own discretion2 they esteem destruction by themselves more highly than salvation by others4 ,,mrs4 ,,solid4 ,but it is said that you have been able to educate only your three daughters1 and none others for public performers4 ,,dominie4 ,madam1 you cannot be serious4 ,if ,i were to declaim ,leporello's list1 you might justly consider it an exaggeration2 but if1 instead of replying to you1 ,i should urge you to read what ,i have written on the subject1 or if ,i should present your daughter ,emily to you1 after three or four years1 as a superior performer1 you might pardon my vanity and my ability4 ,i do not possess any magic wand1 which envy and folly could not impute to me as an offence4 ,nevertheless1 unless circumstances were very adverse1 ,i have1 at all events1 been able in a short time to accomplish for my pupils the acquisition of a good1 or at least an improved1 musical touch2 and have thus laid a foundation1 which other teachers have failed to do by their method1 or rather want of method4 ,but you have something else on your mind8 ,,mrs4 ,,solid4 ,you anticipate me4 ,i was educated in ,berlin1 and in that capital of intelligence a taste prevails for opposition1 negation1 and thorough criticism4 ,how can you educate artists and virtuosos1 when you yourself are so little a virtuoso8 ,you are not even a composer or learned contrapuntist4 ,a teacher of music wins much greater consideration1 if he himself plays concertos and composes pretty things1 and if he can calculate and give vent to his genius in double and triple fugues1 and in inverse and retrograde canons4 ,you cannot even accompany your pupils with the violin or flute1 which is certainly very useful and improving4 ,,dominie4 ,the egotist is seldom capable of giving efficient instruction3 that lies in the nature of the case4 ,even a child will soon perceive whether the teacher has a sole eye to its interest1 or has other and personal aims in view4 ,the former bears good fruits1 the latter very doubtful ones4 ,i will say nothing about the stand-point of those egotistical teachers whose first aim is to bring themselves into prominence1 and who at the same time are perhaps travelling public performers and composers4 ,they are1 it may be1 chiefly occupied with double and triple fugues 7the more inverted the more learned71 and they consider this knowledge the only correct musical foundation4 ,at the same time1 they often possess a touch like that of your brother1 ,mr4 ,strict1 mentioned in my third chapter1 and are utterly devoid of true taste and feeling4 ,while pursuing their fruitless piano lessons1 which are quite foreign to their customary train of thought1 they regard their occupation only as a milch cow2 and they obtain the money of sanguine parents1 and sacrifice the time of their pupils4 ,you may try such agreeable personages for yourself3 ,i could wish you no greater punishment4 ,and now ,i will speak of the violin and the flute4 ,i have never availed myself of those expedients2 it is a method which ,i have never learned4 ,i will describe for your amusement a few interesting incidents1 which ,i had an opportunity to witness in a not inconsiderable city1 while on a journey with my daughters4 ,the teacher with the flute was a gentle1 quiet1 mild musician2 he was on very good terms with his pupil1 and indulged in no disputes2 every thing went on peaceably1 without passion1 and in time4 ,they both twittered tenderly and amicably1 and were playing1 in celebration of the birthday of an old aunt who was rather hard of hearing1 a sonata by ,kuhlau1 which was quite within the power of both4 ,the old aunt1 who1 of course1 could hear but little of the soft1 flute tones1 and the light1 thin1 modest1 square piano1 kept asking me3 ,is not that exquisite8 what do you think of it8 ,i nodded my head and praised it1 for the music was modest and made no pretension4 ,i will pass next to the violin4 ,the possessor of this was a type of presumption1 vulgarity1 and coarseness1 and understood how to make an impression on his pupils and their parents by the assumption of extraordinary ability4 ,he consequently enjoyed a certain consideration4 ,he was1 moreover1 a good musician1 and played the violin tolerably in accompanying the piano1 in ,beethoven's opus #ag and #bd4 ,in this portrait you have a specimen of the violinist as a piano teacher4 ,of course he understood nothing of piano-playing1 and took no interest in ,wieck's rubbish about beauty of tone2 he cared only for ,beethoven4 ,he now and then tried to sprawl out a few examples of fingering1 in a spider-like fashion2 but they were seldom successful4 ,his pupils also possessed the peculiar advantage of playing in time1 when they did not stick fast in the difficult places4 ,at such times he always became very cross and severe1 and talked about precision2 in that way instilling respect4 ,his pupils did not jingle1 but they had a peculiarly short1 pounding touch2 and floundered about among the keys with a sort of boldness1 and with resolute1 jerking elbows4 ,they certainly had no tone1 but the violin was therefore heard the better2 and after each performance we might have heard1 ,am ,i not the first teacher in ,europe8 ,,mrs4 ,,solid4 ,you certainly have shown up two ridiculous figures4 ,,dominie4 ,true2 but ,i leave it to every one to make themselves ridiculous4 ,,mrs4 ,,solid4 ,i am very glad that you have furnished me here with the criticisms of which ,i stand in need2 for ,i might otherwise have been in danger of supplying you with an example at the next soiree1 perhaps at the banker's1 ,mr4 ,gold's4 ,but1 as ,i should like to hear your answer1 ,i will listen to1 and report to you1 what is said in a certain though not very numerous clique1 who are opposed to you and your labors4 ,,dominie4 ,those people would act more wisely1 if they were to study my writings2 in which ,i will make any corrections1 if there is any thing that ,i can add to them1 for the advantage of truth1 right1 and beauty4 ,and now allow me1 ,miss ,emily1 since you are pretty well advanced1 and are not quite spoiled1 to show you in a few lessons how to study these variations by ,herz 7,les ,trois ,graces1 ,no4 #a1 on a theme from ,the ,pirates74 ,they are not easy2 but ,i will teach them in a way that shall not weary you or give you a distaste for them4 ,i have intentionally chosen these variations1 because they do not lay claim to great musical interest2 and1 consequently1 their mode of performance1 their execution1 gives them their chief value4 ,moreover1 they possess the disadvantage for teaching that they are of unequal difficulty1 and require1 therefore1 the more skill on the part of the teacher to compensate for this4 ,first ,lesson4 ,miss ,emily1 these are very clear1 graceful variations1 which require an extremely nice1 delicate execution2 and1 especially1 a complete mechanical mastery of their various difficulties4 ,although these variations may seem to you too easy1 ,i am governed in the selection of them by the maxim that what one would learn to play finely must be below the mechanical powers of the pupil4 ,the theme of the ,italian song1 which is the basis of these variations1 is very well chosen1 and you must take great pains to execute it as finely as possible1 and to produce a singing effect upon the piano-forte4 ,after the piece is thoroughly learned1 you will be greatly aided in the production of this imitation of singing by the careful and correct use of the pedal which raises the dampers4 ,the theme does not offer great mechanical difficulties2 but it requires a loose1 broad1 full1 and yet tender touch1 a good portamento1 and a clear and delicately shaded delivery2 for you must remember that in the performance of a simple theme the well-taught pupil may be recognized4 ,,emily4 ,but you do not begin at the beginning3 there is an introduction to the piece4 ,,dominie4 ,perhaps we shall take that at the last3 ,i can't tell yet when4 ,a great many things in my instruction will seem to you misplaced3 it may be that the final result will restore to me the approval which ,i desire4 ,,emily4 ,do you always give such a preliminary description before you begin a piece with a pupil8 ,,dominie4 ,i like to do so2 for ,i wish to create an interest in the piece1 and to state in connection my principles and views about music and piano-playing4 ,now we will try the theme1 first quite slowly2 and then the first easy variation1 with the last bars at the end of it1 which introduce the theme once more1 and which should be played very clearly and smoothly4 ,we will then take from the introduction only the right hand1 and study the most appropriate fingering for it4 ,i never write this out fully2 but only intimate it here and there1 in order not to interfere with the spontaneous activity of the learner4 ,we will also take a few portions for the left hand from the finale4 ,in these you must carefully observe the directions which are given for its performance1 and try to execute every thing correctly and clearly2 for a careless bass is prejudicial to the very best playing in the treble4 ,my lesson is now at an end2 for we have taken up a good deal of time at the beginning with the scales1 and passing the thumb under correctly1 with the different species of touch1 and the appropriate exercises for these4 ,i do not wish you yet to practise the first variation with both hands together1 for you do not yet strike the skipping bass evenly enough and with sufficient precision2 and you might accustom yourself to inaccuracies1 especially as your left hand has1 as usual1 been neglected1 and is inferior to the right in lightness and rapidity4 ,we shall find this a hindrance2 for the object is not to practise much1 but to practise correctly4 ,therefore play these passages first slowly1 then quicker1 at last very fast2 then slow again1 sometimes staccato1 sometimes legato1 piano1 and also moderately loud2 but never when the hands and fingers are fatigued1 therefore not too continuously2 but many times in the course of the day1 and always with fresh energy4 ,at present1 you need not play fortissimo1 or with the pedal3 for in that way you might be led into a tramping style1 with a weak1 stiff touch1 and a habit of striking at the keys with straight fingers2 and that ,i do not like4 ,we will look for the true and the beautiful in a very different treatment of the piano2 and1 first of all1 in a clear1 unaffected1 healthy performance1 free from any forced character4 ,second ,lesson4 ,transposition of the triads and dominant chord in their three positions1 and in various kinds of measure2 and practice of these1 with careful attention to a correct touch and loose wrist2 cadences on the dominant and sub-dominant2 practice of the skipping bass in the theme1 and in the first and third variations1 with practice in striking and leaving the chords1 observing carefully the precise value of the notes4 ,you must attend also to striking them not too forcibly or too feebly1 and take special care with regard to the fourth and fifth fingers1 which do not easily give the tone with so full a sound as the other three fingers4 ,now we will try the theme with both hands together1 and consider the correct expression1 and likewise the piano and forte1 as well as the nicest crescendo and diminuendo4 ,we will then take the first easy variation1 of which you have already acquired a mastery3 we will play it exactly a tempo and with the bass chords1 which should usually be given staccato1 and which must be played with delicacy and flexibility2 but it will be well for you to practise first the bass part once alone1 in order that you may hear whether all the tones sound evenly4 ,now the first variation will go pretty well with both hands together2 with increasing mastery of it1 the requisite shading in the right hand can be produced4 ,as your right hand is not yet tired1 play to me now several times1 first slowly and then faster1 the passages which ,i gave you from the introduction4 ,when the right hand becomes a little fatigued1 take a portion from the finale for the left hand4 ,you may also try over the adagio2 but ,i recommend for your special practice the part for the right hand in the third variation4 ,you cannot make a mistake about it1 if you do not try to play it too fast1 and if you carefully observe the fingering indicated4 ,now ,i will play the theme to you1 as nearly as possible as ,i heard the famous tenor ,rubini sing it4 ,you see ,i place the fingers gently upon the keys and avoid raising them too high1 in order not to injure the nice connection of the tones1 and to produce a singing tone as far as possible4 ,at the end of the lesson you will play the theme to me once more4444 ,i perceive you play it with too much embarrassment1 and not freely enough4 ,it will go still better two days hence1 if you play it frequently during that time1 slowly1 and become quite accustomed to it4 ,in addition1 you will practise industriously every thing which we have gone through1 especially the first variation2 but you must always do it with interest1 and never with weariness4 ,of course you will practise without notes all the little exercises for the touch1 and for the fourth and fifth fingers1 and the cadences4 ,third ,lesson4 ,other little exercises2 trills1 scales with shading for one hand alone and for both together2 the skipping basses1 c4 ,we will begin to-day with the bass part of the second variation4 ,you observe that often there are even eighth notes in the treble1 while in the bass there are even triplet eighth notes4 ,in order to play these properly together1 even with only mechanical correctness1 it is necessary that the left hand shall acquire a perfectly free and independent movement1 and shall bring out the bass with perfect ease4 ,you must pay special attention to any weak notes1 and accustom yourself not to give the last triplet1 in each bar1 and the last note of this triplet1 too hurriedly1 too sharply1 or with too little tone4 ,notice how much difficulty this equal playing of the triplets occasions to the right hand1 which moves in even eighth notes4 ,while you play the left hand1 ,i will play the right3 you must listen as little as possible to my playing1 and preserve your own independence4 ,you must learn to play this variation entirely by yourself with both hands together2 but we must not be too much in a hurry about it1 and must give time to it4 ,all restless urging1 all hurry1 leads to inaccuracies in playing4 ,you have learned enough for to-day2 but you may play the other variations1 with the whole finale1 straight through1 that you may not get into the habit of stopping at the difficult passages which you have already learned4 ,fourth ,lesson4 ,new exercises for striking stretches1 and for the extension of the hand and fingers2 but this must be done prudently1 that the sound touch1 which is always of the first importance1 shall not be endangered4 ,besides this1 the repetition of the exercises learned in the preceding lessons2 but all to be played with a certain shading and delicacy4 ,we will to-day begin at the beginning1 with the introduction4 ,i will now make amends for my want of regularity1 and show you that ,i can begin at the beginning1 like other people2 but all in good time4 ,to-day1 in those portions of which you have acquired a mastery1 we will give particular attention to the expression1 and to the correct use of the pedal4 ,if what ,i suggest to you with regard to the shading at any place does not entirely correspond to your understanding of the piece1 or to your feeling1 you must at once express your difference of opinion1 and ask me for the reason of my view4 ,you1 perhaps1 do not like to play this place crescendo1 but diminuendo4 ,very well2 only play it finely in your own way2 it will also sound very well so4 ,i proposed the crescendo there1 because the feeling grows more intense2 perhaps1 in the next lesson1 you will acknowledge that ,i was right4 ,this place ,i should play a very little slower1 though without a striking ritardando2 then a little faster here2 do you think it ought to be played crescendo or diminuendo8 ,we must try in this variation to present nicely shaded little pictures4 ,here you might use more energy and decision4 ,this place you should play merely with a correct mechanical execution1 but without special expression2 for we require shadow1 in order that the succeeding idea1 eminently suggestive of the theme1 shall be brought out with more brilliancy4 ,in general1 the whole must be made to sound natural1 without musical pretension1 and as if it were the production of the moment2 and should not create a distorted1 overdrawn effect1 or exhibit modern affectation4 ,each piece that ,i undertake to teach you will give me an opportunity to talk to you a great deal about the correct expression in playing1 and about its innumerable beauties1 shades1 and delicacies2 while ,i shall pay constant attention to the production of a beautiful singing tone4 ,the next piece will be ,chopin's ,notturno in ,e flat2 for your touch has already gained in fulness1 and is now unobjectionable4 ,this is the tyranny with regard to correct execution1 which stupidity and folly have taxed me with having exercised towards my daughters4 ,expression must come of itself6 ,how cheap is this lazy subterfuge of the followers of routine1 and of teachers wanting in talent6 ,we see and hear a great many virtuosos1 old and young1 with and without talent1 renowned and obscure4 ,they either play in an entirely mechanical manner and with faulty and miserable touch1 or else1 which is less bearable1 they strut with unendurable affectation and produce musical monstrosities4 ,in order to conceal their indistinct mode of execution1 they throw themselves upon the two pedals1 and are guilty of inconceivable perversions4 ,but let us proceed with your instruction4 ,you already play your piece intelligently1 with interest and enthusiasm1 and without any of the modern1 empty affectations4 ,if any other passage should occur to you at the fermata in the second part1 which shall lead appropriately to the dominant1 try it2 and combine it1 perhaps1 with that which is written4 ,you may make two passing shakes upon the four final sixteenth notes2 but you must play them very distinctly and clearly1 and the last one weaker than the first1 in order to give it a delicate effect1 as is done by singers4 ,with light variations of this kind1 it is allowable to introduce various ornaments1 provided they are in good taste and nicely executed4 ,the case is quite different in the performance of the compositions of ,beethoven1 ,mozart1 ,weber1 and others1 where reverence for the composer requires a stricter interpretation1 although even this is sometimes carried to a point of exaggeration and pedantry4 ,now try the first variation once more4 ,that is better3 you already play the skipping bass with more precision1 more briskly and evenly4 ,we begin to perceive the correct speaking tone in the bass1 and a certain delicacy and freedom in the treble4 ,you need not play both hands together in the second variation1 which is the most difficult1 until the next lesson4 ,to-day you may first play the bass alone1 while ,i play the treble2 and afterwards we will change parts1 and you can play the treble while ,i play the bass4 ,but we will not go farther than the fourth variation4 ,i have not much more to say about this piece4 ,we will begin next a beautiful ,etude by ,moscheles1 which ,i recommend highly to you1 in order to strengthen and give facility to the fourth and fifth fingers3 this may be your companion and friend during the next two or three months4 ,,mrs4 ,,solid4 ,your very careful mode of instruction assures me that ,emily will acquire a mastery of these variations1 and will learn to perform them finely4 ,,dominie4 ,she will be able1 after a week or two1 to execute this piece with understanding and confidence1 and to play it to her own satisfaction and that of others2 while her awakened consciousness of its beauties and of her ability to interpret it will preserve her interest for it4 ,the objection is quite untenable that children lose their pleasure in a piece1 if they are obliged to practise it until they know it4 ,do people suppose that it gives more pleasure1 when the teacher begins in a stupid1 helpless way1 and tries to make the pupil swallow several pieces at once1 while he continually finds fault and worries them1 than when the pupil is enabled to play a few short1 well-sounding exercises1 with perfect freedom and correctness1 and to take delight in his success8 or when afterwards1 or perhaps at the same time1 he is conscious that he can play one piece nicely and without bungling1 while it is all accomplished in a quiet and pleasant manner8 ,,mrs4 ,,solid4 ,do you pursue the same course with longer and more difficult pieces8 ,,dominie4 ,certainly1 on the same principle4 ,,mrs4 ,,solid4 ,but1 if you are so particular about every piece1 and always take so much pains to improve the touch1 it will be a long time before ,emily will be able to execute several long pieces and can learn other new ones beside4 ,,dominie4 ,do you wish your daughter to learn to jingle on the piano1 in order to become musical8 or shall she grow more musical by learning to play finely8 ,i am sure the latter is your wish1 as it is mine3 otherwise1 you would be contented with an ordinary teacher4 ,you must consider that1 when she has made a beginning1 by learning to play one piece thoroughly and quite correctly1 the following pieces will be learned more and more quickly2 for she will have acquired a dexterity in playing1 as you may observe with yourself and with every one4 ,to be able to drum off fifty pieces in an imperfect manner does not justify the expectation that the fifty-first piece will be learned more easily or better2 but to attain a perfect mastery of four or five pieces gives a standard for the rest4 ,in this way1 and by mechanical studies1 such as ,i have begun with ,emily1 the greatest ease in reading at sight is gradually developed1 in which all my pupils excel1 when they have remained long enough under my instruction1 and in which my daughters are pre-eminent4 ,but for this it is necessary to continue to study single pieces1 industriously and artistically1 and with great exactness2 for otherwise the practice of reading at sight1 which often amounts to a passion1 leads very soon to slovenliness in piano-playing and to more or less vulgar machine-music4 ,,mrs4 ,,solid4 ,i am more and more convinced that a style of instruction which is illogical1 intermittent1 superficial1 and without method1 can lead to no good result1 or at least to nothing satisfactory1 even with extraordinary talents2 and that the unsound and eccentric manifestations and caricatures of art1 which cause the present false and deplorable condition of piano-playing1 are the consequence of such a prevalent mode of instruction4 ,,chapter ,v4 ,,on ,,the ,,pedal4 ,i have just returned exhausted and annihilated from a concert1 where ,i have been hearing the piano pounded4 ,two grand bravoura movements have been thundered off1 with the pedal continually raised2 and then were suddenly succeeded by a soft murmuring passage1 during which the thirteen convulsed and quivering bass notes of the fortissimo were all the time resounding4 ,it was only by the aid of the concert programme that my tortured ears could arrive at the conclusion that this confusion of tones was meant to represent two pieces by ,doehler and ,thalberg4 ,cruel fate that invented the pedal6 ,i mean the pedal which raises the dampers on the piano4 ,a grand acquisition1 indeed1 for modern times6 ,good heavens6 ,our piano performers must have lost their sense of hearing6 ,what is all this growling and buzzing8 ,alas1 it is only the groaning of the wretched piano-forte1 upon which one of the modern virtuosos1 with a heavy beard and long hanging locks1 whose hearing has deserted him1 is blustering away on a bravoura piece1 with the pedal incessantly raised1--with inward satisfaction and vain self-assertion6 ,truly time brings into use a great deal that is far from beautiful3 does1 then1 this raging piano revolutionist think it beautiful to bring the pedal into use at every bar8 ,unhappy delusion4 ,but enough of this serious jesting4 ,hummel never used the pedal4 ,he was an extremist2 and1 in his graceful1 clear1 elegant1 neat1 though not grand playing1 often lost fine effects1 which would have been produced by the correct and judicious use of the pedal2 particularly on the instruments of ,stein1 ,brodmann1 ,conrad ,graff1 and others then in use1 which were usually lightly leathered1 and had a thin1 sharp tone4 ,the use of the pedal1 of course always allowing it to fall frequently with precision1 was especially desirable in the upper treble1 in cases where the changes of the harmony were not very frequent2 for the tone of those instruments1 although sweet and agreeable1 had not much depth1 and the action had but little strength and elasticity4 ,but on our instruments1 frequently too softly leathered1 which have a full tone1 and are so strong and penetrating1 especially in the bass1 it is enough to endanger one's sense of hearing to be subjected to such a senseless1 incessant1 ridiculous1 deafening use of the pedal2 frequently1 moreover1 combined with a hard1 stiff touch1 and an unsound1 incorrect technique4 ,a musical interpretation in any degree tolerable is out of the question4 ,you cannot call that art1 it cannot even be called manual labor3 it is a freak of insanity6 ,a few words to the better sort of players4 ,the foot-piece to the right on the piano-forte raises the dampers1 and in that way makes the tones resound and sing1 and takes from them the dryness1 shortness1 and want of fulness1 which is always the objection to the piano-forte1 especially to those of the earlier construction4 ,this is certainly an advantage2 the more the tone of the piano-forte resembles singing1 the more beautiful it is4 ,but1 in order not to injure the distinctness and detract from the clear phrasing of the performance1 a very skilful and prudent use of the pedal is necessary in rapid changes of harmony1 particularly in the middle and lower portion of the instrument4 ,you all use the pedal too much and too often1 especially on large1 fine concert pianos of the new construction1 which1 with their heavy stringing1 have in themselves a fuller1 more vibrating tone2 at least you do not let it fall frequently enough1 and with precision4 ,you must listen to what you are playing4 ,you do not play for yourselves alone2 frequently you play to hearers who are listening for the first time to the pieces you are performing4 ,try a few passages without pedal1--for instance1 those in which the changes of the harmony succeed each other rapidly1 even in the highest treble1--and see what repose1 what serene enjoyment1 what refreshment is afforded1 what delicate shading is brought out4 ,or at first listen1 and try to feel it in the playing of others2 for your habit is so deeply rooted that you no longer know when and how often you use the pedal4 ,chopin1 that highly gifted1 elegant1 sensitive composer and performer1 may serve as a model for you here4 ,his widely dispersed1 artistic harmonies1 with the boldest and most striking suspensions1 for which the fundamental bass is essential1 certainly require the frequent use of the pedal for fine harmonic effect4 ,but1 if you examine and observe the minute1 critical directions in his compositions1 you can obtain from him complete instruction for the nice and correct use of the pedal4 ,by way of episode to my sorrowful lecture on the pedal1 we will take a walk through the streets some beautiful evening4 ,what is it that we hear in almost every house8 ,unquestionably it is piano-playing2 but what playing6 ,it is generally nothing but a continual confusion of different chords1 without close1 without pause2 slovenly passages1 screened by the raised pedal2 varied by an empty1 stiff1 weak touch1 relying upon the pedal for weight4 ,we will escape into the next street4 ,oh1 horrors6 what a thundering on this piano1 which1 by the way1 is sadly out of tune6 ,it is a grand--that is1 a long1 heavy--etude1 with the most involved passages1 and a peculiar style of composition1 probably with the title ,on the ,ocean1 or ,in ,hades1 or ,fancies of the ,insane2 pounded off with the pedal raised through the most marvellous changes of harmonies4 ,finally1 the strings snap1 the pedal creaks and moans2 conclusion1--c1 c sharp1 d1 d sharp resound together through a few exhausted bars1 and at last die away in the warm1 soft1 delicious air4 ,universal applause from the open windows6 ,but who is the frantic musician who is venting his rage or this piano8 ,it is a ,parisian or other travelling composer1 lately arrived with letters of recommendation1 who has just been giving a little rehearsal of what we may expect to hear shortly in a concert at the ,hotel de ,schmerz4 ,,chapter ,,vi4 ,,the ,,soft-,,pedal ,,sentiment4 ,you exclaim3 ,what is that8--a sentiment for the soft pedal6 a sentiment of any kind in our times6 most of all1 a musical sentiment6 ,i have not heard of such a thing in a concert-room for a long time6 ,when the foot-piece to the left on the piano is pressed down1 the key-board is thereby moved to the right2 so that1 in playing1 the hammers strike only two of the three strings1 in some pianos only one4 ,in that way the tone is made weaker1 thinner1 but more singing and more tender4 ,what follows from this8 ,many performers1 seized with a piano madness1 play a grand bravoura piece1 excite themselves fearfully1 clatter up and down through seven octaves of runs1 with the pedal constantly raised1--bang away1 put the best piano out of tune in the first twenty bars1--snap the strings1 knock the hammers off their bearings1 perspire1 stroke the hair out of their eyes1 ogle the audience1 and make love to themselves4 ,suddenly they are seized with a sentiment6 ,they come to a piano or pianissimo1 and1 no longer content with one pedal1 they take the soft pedal while the loud pedal is still resounding4 ,oh1 what languishing6 what soft murmuring1 and what a sweet tinkling of bells6 what tenderness of feeling6 what a soft-pedal sentiment6 ,the ladies fall into tears1 enraptured by the pale1 long-haired young artist4 ,i describe here the period of piano mania1 which has just passed its crisis2 a period which it is necessary to have lived through1 in order to believe in the possibility of such follies4 ,when1 in the beginning of this century1 the piano attained such conspicuous excellence and increased power1 greater technical skill could not fail to be called out2 but1 after a few years1 this degenerated into a heartless and worthless dexterity of the fingers1 which was carried to the point of absurdity and resulted in intellectual death4 ,instead of aiming to acquire1 before all things1 a beautiful1 full tone on these rich-sounding instruments1 which admit of so much and such delicate shading1 essential to true excellence of performance1 the object was only to increase mechanical facility1 and to cultivate almost exclusively an immoderately powerful and unnatural touch1 and to improve the fingering in order to make possible the execution of passages1 roulades1 finger-gymnastics1 and stretches1 which no one before had imagined or considered necessary4 ,from this period dates the introduction of virtuoso performances with their glittering tawdriness1 without substance and without music1 and of the frightful eccentricities in art1 accompanied by immeasurable vanity and self-conceit1--the age of finger-heroes4 ,it is indeed a melancholy reflection1 for all who retain their senses1 that this charlatanry is made the solitary aim of numberless ignoble performers1 sustained by the applause of teachers and composers equally base4 ,it is sad to see how1 engaged in artificial formalisms and in erroneous mechanical studies1 players have forgotten the study of tone and of correct delivery1 and that few teachers seek to improve either themselves or their pupils therein4 ,otherwise they would see and understand that1 on a good piano1 such as are now to be found almost everywhere1 it is possible with correct playing1 founded on a right method1 to play1 without external aids1 forte1 fortissimo1 piano1 pianissimo1--in a word1 with every degree of shading1 and with at least formal expression2 and that this style of playing1 with the requisite mechanical skill1 sounds far more pure1 and is more satisfactory than when a feeling is affected through the crude1 unskilful1 and absurd use of the pedal1 especially of the soft pedal of which we are now speaking4 ,this affectation only gives one more proof of our unhealthy1 stupid1 and unmusical infancy in piano performances4 ,a good-natured public1 drummed up and brought together by patient persuasion and by urgent recommendations1 of which virtuosos can obtain an abundance 7for the tormented cities which they have visited cannot otherwise get rid of them71 attend these concerts and listen to dozens of such inexperienced piano-players4 ,one plays exactly like another1 with more or less faulty mechanical execution2 and none of them are able1 with all their thumping and caressing of the keys1 to bring out from the instrument a broad1 healthy1 full1 and beautiful tone1 delicately shaded and distinct even to the softest pp4 ,but1 instead of this1 they fall into a pedal sentiment2 i4e41 they play with outside pretension1 and with intrinsic emptiness4 ,you unworthy performers1 who have so disgusted the artistic public with piano-playing that they will no longer listen to fine1 intelligent1 sensible artists1 whose dignity does not permit them to force themselves into the concert-hall1 or to drag people into it from the streets6 you base mortals1 who have exposed this beautiful art to shame6 ,i implore you to abandon the concert platform1 your battle-field6 ,hack at the piano no longer6 ,find positions on a railroad or in a factory4 ,there you may perhaps make yourselves useful2 while by the lessons you give 7for it usually comes to that1 after you have travelled all over the world7 you will only ruin our young people1 now growing up with promising talent for piano-playing1 and will produce successors like yourselves1 but not artists4 ,i must whisper one thing more in your ear4 ,i will say nothing about simple truthfulness1 about tenderness and sincerity of feeling1 or wholesome refinement1 about poetry1 inspiration1 or truly impassioned playing4 ,but1 if your ears are not already too much blunted1 you should be able to discover1 at least in a very few minutes1 on any instrument1 unless it is of the worst sort1 or has already been battered to pieces by you1 how far you can carry the pianissimo and fortissimo1 and still preserve the tone within the limits of beauty and simplicity4 ,you will thus be able to interpret a piece with at least superficial correctness1 without mortally wounding a cultivated ear by exaggerations and by maltreatment of the instrument and its two pedals4 ,this style of playing has nevertheless found its numerous defenders and admirers in our century1 which has made every thing possible4 ,this senseless enslavement and abuse of the piano has been said to be all the rage2 a fine expression of our piano critics to justify insane stamping and soft-pedal sentimentality4 ,how far what ,i have here said relates to our modern errors in singing1 and how far it may be applied to them1 ,i leave to the intelligence of my readers and to my explanations in subsequent chapters4 ,to return to my theme3 ,i have still one word on this subject for rational players4 ,even they use the soft pedal too much and too often1 and at unsuitable places2 for instance1 in the midst of a piece1 without any preparatory pause2 in melodies which require to be lightly executed2 or in rapid passages which are to be played piano4 ,this is especially to be noticed with players who are obliged to use instruments of a powerful tone and stiff1 heavy action1 on which it is difficult to insure a delicate shading in piano and forte4 ,for this reason1 a sensible and experienced teacher1 whose sole aim is the true and the beautiful1 should make the attainment of an elastic touch and well-grounded style of playing an indispensable requirement4 ,i prefer that the soft pedal should be used but seldom1 and1 if the pedal which raises the dampers is used at the same time1 it must be only with the greatest nicety4 ,the soft pedal may be used in an echo2 but should be preceded by a slight pause1 and then should be employed throughout the period1 because the ear must accustom itself gradually to this tender1 maidenly1 sentimental tone4 ,there must again be a slight pause before the transition to the usual more masculine tone1 with the three strings4 ,the soft pedal is1 moreover1 most effective in slow movements with full chords1 which allow time to bring out the singing tone1 in which consists the advantage of the stroke of the hammers on two strings alone4 ,,chapter ,,vii4 ,a ,,musical ,,tea-,,party ,,at ,,the ,,house ,,of ,,john ,,spriggins4 ,i once more introduce my readers to the scenes of my active1 musical life1 with an invitation to accompany me to a musical tea-party4 ,my object is1 in a short and entertaining manner1 to remove very common prejudices2 to correct mistaken ideas2 to reprove the followers of mere routine2 to oppose to malicious cavilling the sound opinions of an experienced teacher2 to scourge dogmatic narrow-mindedness2 and in this way to advance my method of instruction4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,dramatis ,,personae4 ,,john ,,spriggins 7jovial and narrow-minded1 a member of an ancient musical family74 ,,mrs4 ,,spriggins 7irritable1 envious1 and malicious74 ,,lizzie1 their daughter1 #ac1 years old 7lively and pert74 ,,shepard1 her piano-teacher 7very laborious74 ,,dominie1 a piano-master 7very stern74 ,,emma1 his daughter1 a pianist 7silent and musical74 ,,mrs4 ,,spriggins 7to ,dominie74 ,so this is your daughter who is to give a concert to-morrow8 ,she is said to have less talent than your eldest daughter4 ,with her1 they say1 nothing requires any labor4 ,,dominie4 ,you must ask my eldest daughter herself about that4 ,i have hitherto held the opinion that both of them played correctly1 musically1 and perhaps finely1 and yet both differently3 that is the triumph of a musical education4 ,but this cheap comparative criticism is already too thoroughly worn out4 ,pray what else have you on your mind8 ,,mrs4 ,s4 ,have you not yet sent your younger daughter to school8 ,they say your eldest could neither read nor write at fourteen years of age4 ,,dominie4 ,my daughters always have a private teacher in the house1 in connection with whom ,i instruct them in music1 in order that their literary education shall occupy fewer hours1 and that they shall have time left for exercise in the open air to invigorate the body2 while other children are exhausted with nine hours a day at schools and institutes1 and are obliged to pay for this with the loss of their health and the joyousness of youth4 ,,mrs4 ,s4 ,it is very well known that your daughters are obliged to play the whole day long4 ,,dominie4 ,and not all night too8 ,you probably might explain their skill in that way4 ,i am astonished that you have not heard that too1 since you have picked up so many shocking stories about me and my daughters4 ,,mrs4 ,s4 7dismisses the subject1 and asks suddenly74 ,now just how old is your daughter ,emma8 ,,dominie4 ,she is just sixteen years and seven weeks old4 ,,mrs4 ,s4 ,does she speak ,french8 ,,dominie4 ,oui1 elle parle ,francais1 and in musical tones1 too1--a language which is understood all over the world4 ,,mrs4 ,s4 ,but she is so silent6 ,does she like to play8 ,,dominie4 ,you have given her no opportunity to speak1 she is certainly not forth-putting4 ,for the last two years she has taken great pleasure in playing4 ,,mrs4 ,s4 ,you acknowledge1 then1 that formerly you had to force her to it8 ,,dominie4 ,in the earlier years of her natural development1 as she was a stranger to vanity and other unworthy motives1 she certainly played1 or rather pursued her serious studies1 chiefly from obedience and habit4 ,does your daughter of thirteen years old always practise her exercises without being required to do so8 ,does she like to go to school every day8 ,does she always sew and knit without being reminded of it8 ,,mrs4 ,s4 7interrupting74 ,oh1 ,i see you are quite in love with your daughters6 ,but they say you are terribly strict and cruel in the musical education of your children2 and1 in fact1 always4 ,,dominie4 ,do you suppose ,i do this from affection8 or do you infer it1 because they have proved artists1 or because they look so blooming and healthy1 or because they write such fine letters1 or because they have not grown crooked over embroidery1 or because they are so innocent1 unaffected1 and modest8 or-- ,,mrs4 ,s4 7irritably74 ,we will drop that subject4 ,but ,i must give you one piece of good advice4 ,do not make your daughter ,emma exert herself too much1 as you have done with your eldest daughter4 ,,dominie4 ,if that is so1 ,mrs4 ,spriggins1 it seems to have agreed with her very well4 ,,mrs4 ,s4 7vehemently74 ,but she would have been better-- ,,dominie4 ,if she had not played at all8 ,that ,i can't tell exactly1 as ,i said yesterday4 ,well1 you are satisfied now with ,emma's state of health8 ,,mrs4 ,s4 ,it is of no use to advise such people as you4 ,,dominie4 ,i have always devoted myself to my business as a teacher1 and have daily taken counsel with myself about the education of my daughters1 and of other pupils whom ,i have formed for artists2 and1 it must be acknowledged1 ,i have done so with some ability4 ,,mrs4 ,s4 7not attending to him1 but turning to ,emma74 ,but does it not make your fingers ache to play such difficult music8 ,,dominie4 ,only when her teacher raps her on the knuckles1 and that ,i never do4 7,emma looks at the parrot which is hanging in the parlor1 and strokes the great bull-dog47 ,,john ,,spriggins 7entering with his daughter ,lizzie74 ,herr ,dominie1 will you be so good as to hear our daughter ,lizzie play1 and advise us whether to continue in the same course4 ,music is1 in fact1 hereditary in our family4 ,my wife played a little1 too1 in her youth1 and ,i once played on the violin2 but my teacher told me ,i had no talent for it1 no ear1 and no idea of time1 and that ,i scraped too much4 ,,dominie4 ,very curious6 ,he must have been mistaken6 ,,john ,s4 ,but ,i always was devotedly fond of music4 ,my father and my grandfather1 on our estate1 often used to play the organ for the organist in church1 and the tenants always knew when they were playing4 ,my father used often to tell that story at table4 ,ha1 ha6 ,it was very droll6 ,,dominie4 ,curious6 ,,john ,s4 ,well1 to return to my violin4 ,i gave it up after a year1 because it seemed rather scratchy to me1 too4 ,,dominie4 ,curious6 ,probably your ear and your taste had become more cultivated4 ,,john ,s4 ,afterwards1 when ,i accepted an office1 my wife said to me1 ,my dear1 what a pity it is about your violin4 ,so ,i had it restrung1 and took a teacher4 ,it seems as if it were only yesterday4 ,,dominie 7casting down his eyes1--the servant brings ice74 ,that was very curious6 ,,john ,s4 ,but the government horn-player thought he could not get on in duets with me4 ,,dominie4 ,curious6 ,so you were obliged to play only solos8 ,but to return to your daughter4 ,will you be good enough to play me something1 ,miss ,lizzie8 ,,mrs4 ,s4 7condescendingly1 in a low voice74 ,she is a little timid and embarrassed at playing before your daughter ,emma4 ,,emma4 ,you really need not be so4 ,,mrs4 ,s4 ,bring ,les ,graces by ,herz1 and ,rosellen's ,tremolo4 ,,lizzie4 ,but1 mamma1 ,i have forgotten that piece by ,herz1 and ,i have not learned the ,tremolo very well yet4 ,that is always the way with me4 ,mr4 ,shepard says ,i may console myself3 it was always the same with his other scholars4 ,he says ,i shall finally make my way4 ,but ,mr4 ,shepard is so strict4 ,are you very strict1 ,herr ,dominie8 ,,mrs4 ,s4 ,why1 my child1 you have heard me say so before4 ,herr ,dominie is the very strictest--but 7playfully7 he will not acknowledge it4 ,,dominie4 ,there is one thing you must allow1 ,mrs4 ,spriggins1--that my pupils always take pleasure in my lessons2 and that must be the case because their progress is evident and gives them delight1 and every thing is developed in the most natural way4 ,,mrs4 ,s4 7less sharply74 ,we won't discuss that2 but how are your daughters able to play so many pieces to people1 and moreover without notes1 if they have not been obliged to practise all day long1 and if you have not been very cruel with them1 while my ,lizzie cannot play a single thing without bungling8 ,,dominie4 ,allow me1 madam1 it must be the fault of ,mr4 ,shep-- ,,mrs4 ,s4 ,no1 no6 you must excuse me1 but we don't permit any reflections on our ,mr4 ,shepard3 he is very particular and unwearied4 ,,dominie4 ,it does not depend entirely upon that1 but-- ,,john ,s4 ,upon my honor1 it is marvellous to see how talented pupils always seem to flock to you4 ,it is easy to teach such6 ,ha1 ha6 ,you must not forget1 however1 that my grandfather played on the organ4 ,now1 ,lizzie1 sit down and play something4 7,she chooses a cavatina from ,the ,pirates1 with variations4 ,the introduction begins with e flat in unison4 ,lizzie strikes e in unison and the same in the bass1 and exclaims3 ,there1 mamma1 didn't ,i tell you so8 ,i don't remember it now4 ,mr4 ,shepard enters1 steps up hastily1 and puts her finger on e flat47 ,,shepard4 ,pardon me1 ,herr ,dominie1 ,i will only set her going3 it makes her a little confused to play before such connoisseurs2 she loses her eyesight4 ,don't you see1 ,lizzie1 there are three flats in the signature8 ,,john ,s4 ,courage now6 ,aha6 ,lizzie can't get at the pedal1 the bull-dog is lying over it4 ,john1 take him out4 7,after the removal of the bull-dog1 ,lizzie plays as far as the fourth bar1 when she strikes c sharp instead of c1 and stops47 ,,mrs4 ,s4 ,never mind1 begin again4 ,herr ,dominie is pleased to hear that3 he has gone through it all with his own children4 7,lizzie begins again at the beginning1 and goes on to the eighth bar1 where she sticks fast47 ,,shepard4 ,don't make me ashamed of you1 ,lizzie4 ,now begin once more3 a week ago it went quite tolerably4 7,lizzie begins once more1 and plays or rather scrambles through it1 as far as the eighteenth bar2 but now it is all over with her1 and she gets up47 ,,dominie4 ,skip the introduction1 it is too difficult3 begin at once on the theme4 ,,john ,s4 7to his wife74 ,we will go away and leave the gentlemen alone4 ,by and by1 gentlemen1 we will talk about it further over a cup of tea4 7,lizzie refuses to play47 ,,dominie4 ,mr4 ,shepard1 let ,lizzie play a few scales or some chords2 a few finger exercises1 or some easy dance without notes4 ,,shepard4 ,she has nothing of that kind ready4 ,you see ,i always take up one piece after another1 and have each one played as well as ,i can2 she repeats the difficult parts1 ,i write the proper fingering over them1 and am very particular that she does not use the wrong fingers4 ,i have taken a great deal of pains1 and quite worn myself out over the lessons4 ,lizzie does the same1 and practises her pieces two hours a day2 but--but-- 7,lizzie goes away with ,emma47 ,,dominie4 ,mr4 ,shepard1 with the best intentions in the world1 you will never accomplish your end4 ,even if ,miss ,lizzie is only to play as an amateur1 and is not intended for any thing higher1 for which in fact she has not sufficient talent1 you must pay some attention beforehand to the acquirement of a correct tone1 and get rid of this robin-red-breast touch2 and you must then endeavor1 by scales and exercises of every kind1 to give to her hands and fingers so much firmness1 decision1 and dexterity1 that she can master her pieces1 at least with a certain distinct tone and a tolerable touch4 ,you are not less in error in the choice of her pieces1 which are far too difficult1--a fault of most teachers1 even with the most skilful pupils4 ,the pieces which your pupils are to execute should be below their mechanical powers2 for1 otherwise1 the struggle with difficulties robs the player of all confidence in the performance1 and gives rise to stumbling1 bungling1 and hurry4 ,the mechanical powers should be cultivated by studies and exercises1 in preference to pieces1 at least to those of certain famous composers1 who do not write in a manner adapted to the piano2 or who1 at any rate1 regard the music as of more importance than the player4 ,this may apply even to ,beethoven1 in the higher grade of composition2 for his music is full of danger for the performer4 ,the only course which can ever lead to a sure result1 without wearying both pupil and parent1 and without making piano-playing distasteful1 is first to lay a foundation in mechanical power1 and then to go on with the easier pieces by ,huenten and ,burgmueller4 ,if you try to produce the mechanical dexterity essential for piano performance by the study of pieces1 except with the most careful selection1 you will waste a great deal of time and deprive the pupil of all pleasure and interest2 and the young ,lizzie will be much more interested in the hope of a husband than in the satisfaction of performing a piece which will give pleasure to herself and her friends4 ,there can be no success without gradual development and culture1 without a plan1 without consideration and reflection1--in fact1 without a proper method4 ,how can there be any good result1 if the pupil has to try at the same time to play with a correct touch1 with the proper fingering1 in time1 with proper phrasing1 to move the fingers rightly1 to gain familiarity with the notes1 and to avoid the confusion between the treble and the bass notes1--and in fact has to struggle with every thing at once8 ,and what vexations6 what loss of time without success6 7,shepard listened with attention1 and a light seemed to dawn upon him47 7,dominie and ,shepard go in to tea47 ,,mrs4 ,s4 ,well1 gentlemen1 have you come to any conclusion8 ,is not ,lizzie a good pupil8 ,she is obliged to practise two hours every day1 however tired she may be4 ,do you think we should continue in the same course1 ,herr ,dominie8 ,,shepard4 ,herr ,dominie has called my attention to some points which will be of use to me4 ,,dominie4 ,only a few trifles4 ,,john ,s4 ,after tea will not ,miss ,emma play to us8 ,,emma4 ,the piano is very much out of tune1 some of the keys stick1 the action is too light1 and the instrument generally is not calculated for the successful execution of any thing4 ,,john ,s4 ,i beg your pardon3 it was considered by everybody a very fine instrument when we bought it1 sixteen years ago4 ,we had a great bargain in it at the time1 for we purchased it of a neighbor who had improved it very much by use4 ,mr4 ,shepard will confirm what ,i say1 ,miss4 7,emma bows her head thoughtfully1 and looks at ,shepard suspiciously47 ,,john ,s4 ,my violin has very much improved during the last twenty years4 ,on my honor1 if ,lizzie were a boy1 she should learn to play on the violin1 to keep it in the family4 ,ha1 ha1 ha6 ,,dominie4 ,that would be curious6 7,dominie wishes to take leave with his daughter47 ,,mrs4 ,s4 7condescendingly74 ,i hope you will come to see us again soon4 ,the next time ,lizzie will play you ,rosellen's ,tremolo2 and ,miss ,emma must play us a piece too4 ,,dominie4 ,you are extremely kind6 7,takes leave47 ,,chapter ,,viii4 ,,singing ,,and ,,singing-,,teachers4 7,a ,letter to a ,young ,lady ,singer47 ,,my ,,dear ,,miss ----1--,you are endowed with an admirable gift for singing1 and your agreeable though not naturally powerful voice has vivacity and youthful charm1 as well as a fine tone3 you also possess much talent in execution2 yet you nevertheless share the lot of almost all your sisters in art1 who1 whether in ,vienna1 ,paris1 or ,italy1 find only teachers who are rapidly helping to annihilate the opera throughout ,europe1 and are ruling out of court the simple1 noble1 refined1 and true art of singing4 ,this modern1 unnatural style of art1 which merely aspires to superficial effects1 and consists only in mannerisms1 and which must ruin the voice in a short time1 before it reaches its highest perfection1 has already laid claim to you4 ,it is scarcely possible to rescue your talent1 unless1 convinced that you have been falsely guided1 you stop entirely for a time1 and allow your voice to rest during several months1 and then1 by correct artistic studies1 and with a voice never forced or strong1 often indeed weak1 you improve your method of attack by the use of much less and never audible breathing1 and acquire a correct1 quiet guidance of the tones4 ,you must also make use of the voice in the middle register1 and strengthen the good head-tones by skilfully lowering them2 you must equalize the registers of the voice by a correct and varied use of the head-tones1 and by diligent practice of solfeggio4 ,you must restore the unnaturally extended registers to their proper limits2 and you have still other points to reform4 ,are you not aware that this frequent tremulousness of the voice1 this immoderate forcing of its compass1 by which the chest-register is made to interfere with the head-tones1 this coquetting with the deep chest-tones1 this affected1 offensive1 and almost inaudible nasal pianissimo1 the aimless jerking out of single tones1 and1 in general1 this whole false mode of vocal execution1 must continually shock the natural sentiment of a cultivated1 unprejudiced hearer1 as well as of the composer and singing-teacher8 ,what must be the effect on a voice in the middle register1 when its extreme limits are forced in such a reckless manner1 and when you expend as much breath for a few lines of a song as a correctly educated singer would require for a whole aria8 ,how long will it be before your voice1 already weakened1 and almost always forced beyond the limits of beauty1 shall degenerate into a hollow1 dull1 guttural tone1 and even into that explosive or tremulous sound1 which proclaims irremediable injury8 ,is your beautiful voice and your talent to disappear like a meteor1 as others have done8 or do you hope that the soft air of ,italy will in time restore a voice once ruined8 ,i fall into a rage when ,i think of the many beautiful voices which have been spoiled1 and have dwindled away without leaving a trace during the last forty years2 and ,i vent my overflowing heart in a brief notice of the many singing-teachers1 whose rise and influence ,i have watched for twenty years past4 ,the so-called singing-teachers whom we usually find1 even in large cities and in musical institutions1 ,i exempt from any special criticism1 for they would not be able to understand my views4 ,they permit soprano voices to sing scales in all the five vowels at once2 begin with c instead of f2 allow a long holding of the notes1 in order to bring out the voice1 until the poor victim rolls her eyes and grows dizzy4 ,they talk only of the fine chest-tones which must be elicited1 will have nothing to do with the head-tones1 will not even listen to them1 recognize them1 or learn to distinguish them4 ,their highest principle is3 ,fudge6 we don't want any rubbish of ,teschner1 ,miksch1 and ,wieck4 ,sing in your own plain way3 what is the use of this murmuring without taking breath8 ,for what do you have lungs if you are not to use them8 ,come1 try this aria3 ',grace1' 'grace6' ,produce an effect6 ,down on your knees6 ,there are again others who allow screaming1--the more the better1--in order to produce power and expression in the voice1 and to make it serviceable for public performances4 ,they may1 indeed1 require the singing of solfeggio1 and prattle about the requisite equality of the tones2 and they consequently make the pupil practise diligently and strongly on the two-lined a1 b flat1 b1 where kind ,nature does not at first place the voice1 because she has reserved for herself the slow and careful development of it4 ,as for the unfortunate gasping medium voices1 which are still less docile1 and which sigh in the throat1 and after all can only speak1 such teachers postpone the cultivation of these to the future1 or else they exclaim in a satisfied way1 ,now we will sing at sight6 ,hit the notes6 ,let us have classical music6 ,of these1 also1 ,i forbear to speak4 ,and as for the singing-teachers1 whose business it is to educate the voice for the opera of the future1 ,i am really unable to write about them4 ,in the first place1 ,i know nothing about the future1 the unborn2 and1 in the second place1 ,i have more than enough to do with the present4 ,and now ,i come to those who honestly wish to teach better1 and who in a measure do so4 ,but even they are too pedantic3 with prejudiced views1 they pursue one-sided aims4 ,without looking around to the right or to the left or forwards1 and without daily learning1 reflecting1 and striving1 they run in a groove1 always ride their particular hobby1 cut every thing after one pattern1 and use up the time in secondary matters1 in incredible trifles4 ,for the formation of a fine tone1 not a minute should be lost1 particularly with lady singers1 who are not strong1 and usually cannot or ought not to sing more than twenty days in a month1 and who surely ought to be allowed to use their time in a reasonable manner4 ,moreover1 these are the teachers whom it is most difficult to comprehend4 ,though they use only seven tones1 they are plunged in impenetrable mysteries1 in incomprehensible knowledge and a multitude of so-called secrets1 out of which1 indeed1 nothing can ever be brought to light4 ,for this1 however1 they do not consider themselves to blame1 not even their hobby-horses2 but1 as they say1 the higher powers4 ,we will1 for once1 suppose that three-fourths of the measures which they are accustomed to employ in their treatment of the voice and of the individual are good and correct 7the same is true of many piano-teachers72 but the remaining fourth is sufficient to ruin the voice1 or to prevent its proper development1 and therefore nothing correct is to be gained4 ,there are other teachers who never can get beyond the formation of the tone1 and are lost in the pursuit of perfection1--that terrestrial valley of tears4 ,truly a beautiful country1 but which is only to be found in ,paradise6 ,others1 instead of thinking1 ,i will try for the present to do better than others have done1 so harass and torment the poor mortal voices with their aim at perfect equality and perfect beauty of tone1 the result often is that every thing becomes unequal and far from beautiful4 ,some teachers make their pupils so anxious and troubled that1 owing to their close attention to the tone1 and the breath1 and the pronunciation1 they sing their songs in an utterly wooden manner1 and so in fact they1 too1 are lost in optimism and in tears2 whereas1 for singing1 a happy confidence in the ability to succeed is essential4 ,others pursue an opposite course1 and are guilty of worse faults1 as you will see if you look around4 ,some of them have no standard of perfection1 but use up the time in an exchange of ideas with their pupils1 with mysterious and conceited ifs and buts4 ,they are very positive1 but only within the narrow circle of their own ideas4 ,they make no advance in a correct medium path4 ,some allow pupils to practise only staccato1 and others only legato1 aiming thereby at nobody knows what4 ,some allow them to sing too loud1 others too feebly2 some philosophize earnestly about beauty in the voice1 and others grumble about unpleasantness in the same2 some are enthusiastic about extraordinary talents1 others fret about the want of talent2 some have a passion for making all the sopranos sing alto1 others do just the reverse2 some prefer a shadowy1 others a clear voice4 ,they all rest their opinions upon the authority of some famous screaming-master who has written a singing-system4 ,upon like authority1 some cultivate chiefly the deep tones1 because it is very fine1 and creates an effect1 for soprano voices to be able suddenly to sing like men1 or rather to growl1 and because it is the fashion in ,paris4 ,others1 on the contrary1 pride themselves upon the head-tones2 but they are none of them willing to pay much attention to the medium voices3 that is too critical and too delicate a matter1 and requires too much trouble1 for the modern art of singing4 ,as a last resort1 they bethink themselves of kind ,nature1 and lay the blame upon her4 ,well1 ,i will say no more upon this point1 but will proceed4 ,have ,i not already1 in my piano instructions1 insisted on the importance of a gradual and careful use of every proper expedient to extend1 strengthen1 beautify1 and preserve the voice8 ,i am thought1 however1 to infringe upon the office of the singing-masters1 who hold their position to be much more exalted than that of the poor piano-teacher4 ,still1 ,i must be allowed to repeat that voices are much more easily injured than fingers2 and that broken1 rigid voices are much worse than stiff1 unmanageable fingers1 unless1 after all1 they amount to the same thing4 ,i demand of singing-teachers that they show themselves worthy of their position1 and allow no more voices to go to destruction1 and that they give us some satisfactory results4 ,i believe in fact1 in my homely simplicity1 that the whole thing may be accomplished without any mystery1 without trading in secrets or charlatanry2 without the aid of modern anatomical improvement1 or rather destruction1 of the worn-out throat1 through shortening or increasing the flexibility of the palate1 through the removal of the unnecessary glands or by attempts to lengthen the vocal passage1 or by remedying a great many other things in which ,nature has made a mistake1 and on which special doctors for the voice1 in ,paris and ,london1 are now employed4 ,we supply the want of all these by the following little rule3-- ,three trifles are essential for a good piano or singing-teacher1-- ,the finest taste1 ,the deepest feeling1 ,the most delicate ear1 and1 in addition1 the requisite knowledge1 energy1 and some practice4 ,voila tout6 ,i cannot devote myself to the treatment of the throat1 for which ,i have neither time not fitness2 and my lady singers are so busy with the formation of true tone1 and in attention to the care and preservation of their voices1 that they only wish to open their mouths for that object1 and not for anatomical purposes4 ,in piano-playing also1 ,i require no cutting of the interdigital fold1 no mechanical hand-support1 no accelerator for the fingers or stretching machine2 and not even the finger-rack invented and used1 without my knowledge1 by a famous pupil,a of mine1 for the proper raising of the third and fourth fingers4 ,my dear young lady1 if the ,creator has made the throat badly for singing1 he alone is responsible4 ,i cannot come to his assistance by destroying the throat with lunar caustic1 and then reconstructing it4 ,if the throat is really worn out1 may it not perhaps be owing to the teacher1 and to his mistaken management8 ,nature does many things well1 and before the introduction of this modern fashion of singing produced many beautiful voices3 has she all at once become incapable of doing any thing right8 ,we will1 then1 simply return to the three trifles above-mentioned2 and in these we will live and work with all our heart1 with all our soul1 and with all our mind4 ,a ,reference is here made to ,robert ,schumann1 who1 in order to facilitate the use of the weaker fingers1 employed a machine for raising the fingers artificially1 which resulted in loss of power over them1 and necessitated the abandonment of piano-playing4--,tr4 ,,chapter ,,ix4 ,,thoughts ,,on ,,singing4 ,our vocal composers1 followed by many singing-teachers and singing institutions1 have almost banished from music the true art of singing2 or1 at least1 have introduced an unnatural1 faulty1 and always disagreeable mode of delivery1 by which the voice has been destroyed1 even before it has attained its full development4 ,the consideration of this fact induces me to communicate some portions from my journal1 and to unite with them a few opinions of the noted singing-master1 ,teschner1 of ,berlin4 99 99 99 99 99 ,must we again and again explain to ,german composers that1 though we do not require them to compose in ,italian1 they ought1 at least1 to learn to write in ,german in a manner suited for singing8 otherwise1 in their amazing ignorance and infatuation1 they will wear out the powers of opera singers1 and torture the public1 apparently without a suspicion that it is possible to write both grand and light operas with true1 characteristic ,german thoroughness4 ,even ,german opera requires a constant attention to the right use of the voice1 and a methodical1 effective mode of singing4 ,it tolerates no murderous attacks on single male and female voices1 or on the full opera company2 it is opposed to that eager searching after superficial effect1 which every sincere friend of the opera must lament4 ,is it1 then1 so difficult to obtain the requisite knowledge of the human voice1 and to study the scores of ,gluck1 ,haydn1 ,mozart1 ,rossini1 ,bellini1 and ,donizetti with a special regard to this8 ,do our vocal composers make too great a sacrifice to their creative genius in making a study of those things which are essential8 ,you consider it mortifying to inquire of those who understand singing1 and you are sensitive about any disturbance of your vain over-estimate of your own powers2 but you are not ashamed to cause the destruction of man's noblest gift1--the human voice6 ,if taste1 feeling1 and a fine ear are1 and always must be1 the chief requirements in composing for the great public1 ,i ask you how you can lay claim to these three trifles1 when you constantly violate them8 ,,composer4 ,if ,mrs4 ,n4 had executed my aria to-day in as earnest and masterly a style1 and with as agreeable a voice1 as she did that of ,rossini yesterday1 she would have given as much satisfaction2 for it is much more interesting and expressive both musically and harmonically1 and written with more dramatic effect4 ,,singer4 ,you make a mistake1 and you always will do so1 as long as you consider the study of the voice as of secondary importance1 or1 in fact1 pay no attention whatever to it4 ,the latter aria1 which is composed with a regard to the voice1 and to the employment of its most agreeable tones1 puts me into a comfortable mood1 and gives me a feeling of success2 yours1 on the contrary1 into one of dissatisfaction and anticipation of failure4 ,of what importance is the musical value of a composition1 if it can only be sung with doubtful success1 and if the voice is obliged to struggle with it1 instead of having it under control8 ,you attach less importance to the free1 agreeable exercise of the voice than does the unanimous public4 ,i do not wish to excite compassion1 but to give pleasure by a beautifully developed style of singing4 ,you pay some attention to adaptability to the piano or the violin3 why are you usually regardless of fitness for the voice8 ,critics have often asked1 ,why does ,jenny ,lind sing so coolly8 why does she not sing grand1 passionate parts8 why does she not select for her performances some of the later ,german or even ,italian operas8 why does she always sing ,amina1 ,lucia1 ,norma1 ,susanna1 c48 ,in reply to these and similar questions1 ,i will ask1 ,why does she wish always to remain ,jenny ,lind8 why does she endeavor to preserve her voice as long as possible8 why does she select operas in which she may use her pure1 artistic1 refined mode of singing1 which permits no mannerism1 no hypocritical sentiment1 and which possesses an ideal beauty8 why does she choose operas in which she can give the most perfect possible image of her own personality8 why operas in which she may allow the marvellous union of her powers of song to shine conspicuously1 without doing violence to her voice and forcing its tones1 or casting doubt upon her lofty1 noble1 and beautiful art8 why does she first regard the singing1 and only afterwards the music1 or both united8 ,this is the answer to the same questions which are likewise asked about ,henrietta ,sontag and all great singers4 ,even the passionate ,schroeder-,devrient seldom made an exception to this rule1 although she was not independent of the theatres4 ,these questions should be an urgent warning to our young female singers not to sacrifice themselves to any of the modern screaming operas1 unsuited for singing2 but to preserve and watch over their voices1 and to guard them from immoderate1 continued1 and often inartistic exertion2 in fact1 to sing always in the voice-register with which nature has endowed them1 and never to shriek2 to renounce the present1 fashionable1 so-called singing effects1 and the modern scene-screaming1 as ,jenny ,lind and ,henrietta ,sontag have always done4 ,then their voices would remain useful for the opera1 as was formerly the case1 from ten to twenty years2 and they would not have to mourn1 as is too common1 after a very short time1 a feeble1 broken voice and departed health4 ,let ,jenny ,lind and ,henrietta ,sontag be placed as the finest models before our young1 gifted1 ambitious singers4 ,they are to be regarded as miraculous phenomena2 especially in our times1 when the modern style of singing has1 for reasons difficult to justify1 so widely deviated from the old school which was so fruitful in brilliant results1--that of ,pistocchi1 ,porpora1 and ,bernacchi4 ,what could show more clearly the destructiveness of our present opera style than the sublime beauty of their singing1 combined with their noble1 refined1 sound voices1 such as may perhaps still be found among you8 99 99 99 99 99 ,the managers of our theatres are in want of tenor singers who can act4 ,they should consider that tenors who have any voices left have never learned to act1 and tenors who are able to act no longer have any voices2 because1 as a rule1 they either have studied too little1 or have studied erroneously4 ,unless the voice has received a correct and fine culture1 the ,german comic operas lead immediately to destruction of the voice1 especially of the sensitive1 easily injured ,german tenor voice4 ,here ,i take occasion to remark upon the universal prejudice1 that a tenor ought to develop the chest-tones as far as possible1 that they are the finest4 ,in tenors1 with very few exceptions1 this mistaken treatment has been speedily followed by the loss both of voice and health4 ,nicely shaded singing1 from piano onwards1 is thereby rendered impossible2 and tones which are always forced must remain unpleasant1 even although powers thus laboriously gained may sometimes have a fine effect in the opera4 ,a tenor who wishes to preserve his voice and not to scream in the upper tones1 who desires always to have a piano at command and to possess the necessary shading and lightness as well as elegance and flexibility1 should cultivate the falsetto1 and endeavor to bring it down as far as possible into the chest-register4 ,this is as indispensable as is the use of the head-tones for the soprano4 ,when the falsetto has too striking a resemblance to the chest-voice1 and is even inferior to it in power1 it is the result of want of perseverance and prudence in its cultivation4 ,it ought to be almost imperceptibly connected with the chest-register by the introduction of the mixed tones4 99 99 99 99 99 ,we shall probably soon be called upon to read an ,address of ,young ,female ,singers to the ,composers of ,germany1 as follows3 ,freedom of thought6 freedom in composition6 freedom in the opera6 but no annihilation of the throat6 ,you are hereby notified that we protest against all operas which are repugnant to the true art of singing2 for it is not in your power to compensate us for the loss of our voices1 although it may be possible for you1 after using up our talent as quickly as possible1 to look around for others1 with whom you can do the same4 ,first learn to understand singing1 or1 rather1 first learn to sing1 as your predecessors have done1 and as ,italian composers still do1 and then we will talk with you again4 99 99 99 99 99 ,what a pedantic outcry about ,german want of adaptability for singing6 ,pray where is there the most singing8 ,it is1 ,i agree1 in ,germany4 ,is not singing taught in the public schools8 ,and consider1 too1 the innumerable singing clubs1 singing societies1 and singing institutions6 ,that is just the misfortune which requires a thorough investigation4 ,how many promising voices do these institutions annually follow to the grave8 ,who is it who sing in the schools8 ,boys and girls from thirteen to fifteen years old4 ,but boys ought not to be allowed to sing while the voice is changing2 and girls1 also from physical reasons1 ought not to sing at all at that age4 ,and what kind of instructors teach singing here8 ,our epistolary and over-wise age overwhelms our superintendents and corporations with innumerable petitions and proposals2 but no true friend of humanity1 of music1 and of singing1 has yet been found to enlighten these authorities1 and to prove to them that the most beautiful voices and finest talents are killed in the germ by these unsuitable so-called singing-lessons1 especially in the public schools4 ,girls' voices may be carefully awakened1 and skilfully practised1 and made flexible and musical2 but they should be used only in mezzo-voce1 and only until the period of their development1 or up to the thirteenth year1 or a few months sooner or later4 ,this ought also to be done with great experience1 delicacy1 practical knowledge and circumspection4 ,but where are we to find suitable singing-professors1 and who is to pay them a sufficient salary8 ,therefore1 away with this erroneous instruction of children in singing6 away with this abortion of philanthropy and the musical folly of this extravagant age6 ,can such a premature1 unrefined1 faulty screaming of children1 or croaking in their throats1 without artistic cultivation and guidance1 compensate for the later inevitable hoarseness and loss of voice1 and for the destruction of the organs of singing8 ,the tenors who belong to these singing societies and institutions force out and sacrifice their uncultured voices1 and scream with throat1 palate1 and nasal tones1 in the execution of four-part songs by this or that famous composer1 which are far from beautiful1 and which serve only to ruin the voice4 ,who was the lady who sang the solo in yonder singing academy8 ,that girl1 a year ago1 had a fresh1 beautiful1 sonorous voice2 but1 although she is only twenty years old1 it already begins to fail her1 and she screws and forces it1 by the help of the chest-tones1 up to the two-lined a1 without any thing having ever been done for the adjustment of the voice-registers and for the use of the head-tones1 and without proper direction from a competent superintendent4 ,instead of this1 he was continually exclaiming3 ,loud6 forcibly6 con espressione6 ,while even the street boys in ,italy sing clearly1 and often with great ability1 their national songs1 so well suited to the voice1 and in their most beautiful language1 our northern voices1 which are obliged to contend with the great difficulties of the ,german language1 are sacrificed in the most cold-blooded and self-satisfied manner in the schools and singing societies1 while all artistic preparation1 by which alone the voice may be preserved and cultivated1 is neglected4 ,who are at the head of these institutions and societies8 ,musicians it is true2 but they are strangers to any special education in singing1 or are not skilful singing-teachers1 who understand how to combine methodical cultivation of the voice with practical execution4 ,their entire instruction consists1 at most1 in hitting the notes and keeping time4 ,these musicians say3 ,whoever joins my society must know how to sing6 ,what does that mean8 ,where are they to learn it8 ,and1 even when you have succeeded in obtaining for your academy a few imprudent but well-taught singers1 does not the preservation of their voices then require the greatest care and watchfulness8 ,is that in your power8 ,have you the requisite knowledge for it8 ,are not these few well-educated voices obliged to sing by the side of singers who have been taught in a wrong manner1 and who have no pure1 correct intonation8 ,then what do these societies amount to8 ,do they improve or destroy the voice8 ,they make the members musical4 ,a fine consolation for the loss of the voice6 ,they teach them to hit the notes and to keep time4 ,a great comfort after the voice has been destroyed by false culture6 99 99 99 99 99 ,a singing-teacher who has no firm1 decided principle1 who is constantly wavering backwards and forwards1 and who frequently leads others into error by his untenable opinions2 who cannot quickly discern the special talent and capacity of his pupils1 or discover the proper means to get rid of what is false or wrong1 and adopt the speediest road to success1 without any one-sided theories of perfection2 who mistrusts and blames1 worries1 offends1 and depresses1 instead of encouraging2 who is always dissatisfied instead of cordially acknowledging what is good in the pupil2 who at one time rides a high horse instead of kindly offering a helping hand1 and at another time praises as extravagantly as he before has blamed1 and kills time in such ways as these1--he may be an encyclopaedia of knowledge1 but his success will always fall short of his hopes4 ,firmness1 decision1 energy1 and a delicate1 quick perception2 the art not to say too much or too little1 and to be quite clear in his own mind1 and with constant considerate kindness to increase the courage and confidence of his pupils1--these are requisite above all things for a singing-master as well as for a piano-teacher4 99 99 99 99 99 ,my singers are to be educated for the public1 for the stage1 and must therefore sing loud1 study hard1 force their execution1 and make use of a great deal of breath4 ,how else will they be able to produce an effect8 ,answer4 ,what1 then1 is the effect of your culture8 ,i know of none1 except that they at first are applauded1 because they are young and pretty1 and are novelties2 because they have good voices1 and the benevolent public wishes to encourage them2 and then they disappear in a year or two without leaving any trace4 ,the singing-teacher can succeed in cultivating not more than one good voice in twenty1 with any noteworthy result4 ,hence the decadence of the art of singing4 ,answer4 ,unless some unusual disturbance or sickness occur1 all voices improve till the twenty-fourth year4 ,when this is not the case1 it is to be attributed only to the singing-teacher4 ,many voices acquire a sharp tone1 which is the precursor of decay4 ,answer4 ,all voices are1 and will remain1 more or less tender1 if their culture is correct4 ,only ,jenny ,lind and ,henrietta ,sontag were allowed by the public to give out their voices naturally and lightly without straining them1 and to sing piano and pianissimo1 and their celebrity is a justification of this privilege4 ,answer4 ,but how would they have obtained their celebrity1 if this were not the true1 correct1 and pure mode of singing8 ,our singers also try the piano and pianissimo2 but they can produce no effect on their audiences by it1 as you may see every day4 ,answer4 ,good heavens6 ,i should think so6 ,with such a piano1 with strained voices1 faulty attack1 and the use of too much breath1--a piano which only gurgles in the throat1 or deeper6 ,that ,i do not mean3 ,i must refer you again to the three trifles mentioned in my eighth chapter4 ,but some voices have no piano1 and many singers do not take the right course to acquire it4 ,answer4 ,what a wide-spread1 groundless excuse6 ,here we may see the error of our times4 ,people look for the fault outside of themselves1 and not in themselves4 ,the inventive power of the age is here truly astonishing6 ,when1 owing to false management1 the voice soon degenerates instead of improving with time1 it is the consequence of a faulty formation of the throat1 and of the neglect of ,london throat brushes6 ,if such badly educated voices can no longer produce a piano1 it is owing to the unskilfulness of nature1 and to the false construction of the necessary organs6 ,if the piano is only a wheeze1 the reason is found in the deficiency of palate1 and excess of muscles6 ,if several times in the month1 the worn out1 weary voice can only groan and sigh1 or cannot emit a sound1 it is the result of a change in the weather1 or other meteorological conditions6 ,if we complain of unpleasant1 shrieking tones1 occasioned by the mouth being too widely stretched1 then the rays of sound take an oblique1 instead of a direct course6 ,if the poor1 strained medium voice1 even with the help of a great deal of breath1 can only produce dull1 hollow1 veiled1 and unpleasant tones1 that is said to be a necessary crisis1 of which cruel ,nature requires a great many in the course of her development of the voice6 ,finally1 if from long and forced holding of the chest-tones1 they are changed into noises like the bellowing of calves and the quacking of ducks1 and the instructor finally perceives it1 then again we have a crisis6 ,and1 alas6 no one thinks of the three trifles4 99 99 99 99 99 ,what occasions the want of success of our singing-teachers1 many of whom are musical1 possess a delicate ear1 fine culture and feeling1 have studied systems of singing1 and exert themselves zealously to teach rightly8 ,they fail in the culture of the tone1 which is not to be learned from books or by one's self1 but only from verbal communication4 ,to learn to produce a clear tone1 with a light1 free1 natural attack2 to understand how to draw forth the sound with the use of no unnecessary breath1 and to cause the sound to strike against the roof of the mouth above the upper row of teeth2 to improve the pronunciation2 to adjust the registers1--these1 with many other things1 may seem very easy2 but to teach them all in the shortest time1 without wearing out the voice and without falling into errors2 to persevere in teaching to the end1 even if the pupil already sings correctly2 to know what is still wanting and how it is to be attained1--all these one must acquire by long and constant experience4 ,when ,schroeder-,devrient came from ,vienna to ,dresden1 a young but already celebrated singer1 though at that time wanting in the proper foundation for singing1 she was not a little surprised when ,miksch called her attention to this deficiency4 ,she devoted herself thoroughly to the primary formation of the tone under the instruction of ,miksch1 and must still remember the old master1 and his extraordinary practice in this particular4 ,miksch learned it from ,caselli1 a pupil of ,bernacchi4 ,he had just sung as a young tenor1 with great applause1 in a concert1 and introduced himself to ,caselli1 who was present1 expecting to receive his approbation2 but the latter1 instead of commending1 assured him frankly that his mode of singing was false1 and that with such misuse his voice would succumb within a year1 unless he adopted a correct culture of tone4 ,after much hard struggle1 the young ,miksch renounced all further public applause1 and studied the formation of tone assiduously and perseveringly with ,caselli1 after having previously allowed his over-strained voice a time for rest4 ,if a singing-teacher has1 by chance1 met with a docile pupil1 possessed of a voice of unusual beauty1 it frequently happens that the studies are not pursued with sufficient perseverance2 and1 perhaps1 are continued only for a few weeks or months1 instead of allowing a year or more1 according to circumstances4 ,richard ,wagner agrees with me1 when he says1 ,why1 then1 write operas to be sung1 when we no longer have either male or female singers8 99 99 99 99 99 ,since modern progress has come to regard the three trifles as belonging entirely to the past1 and in their place has proclaimed1 ,boldness1 ,spirit1 ,power1 two evil spirits have had rule3 they go hand in hand1 ruin the voice1 wound the cultivated ear1 and provide for us--only empty opera houses4 ,one of these evils has been frequently alluded to by me4 ,it is the expenditure of a great deal too much breath4 ,the finest voices are obliged to practise with full breath until they shriek1 and the result is mere sobbing1 and the heavy drawing of the breath1 just at the time when the tone should still be heard4 ,even if every thing else could be right1 in such a culture of the tone1 which must very shortly relax the muscles of the voice1 that one thing1 in itself1 would be sufficient to destroy all promise of success4 ,the second evil endangers even the male voice1 which is able to endure much ill-treatment2 while the female voice is quickly forced by it into a piercing shrillness1 or is driven back into the throat1 soon to be entirely exhausted1 or is1 at least1 prevented from attaining a natural1 fine development4 ,this second evil is the reckless and destructive straining of single tones to their extreme limits1 even to perfect exhaustion4 ,the poor singer urges and squeezes out the voice1 and quivers to the innermost marrow1 in order that the two requirements of ,boldness and ,power may be satisfied4 ,but the ,spirit is still wanting1 which should be shown in a light and well-shaded delivery4 ,the effect of extreme shading1 however1 is accomplished in a single romanza4 ,the unfortunate1 misdirected singer1 who must aim at effect1 lays out so much force on single tones1 or even on whole lines1 and that1 too1 in the best register of his voice 7the other registers do not permit this71 that the succeeding tones are forced to retire powerless into the throat2 and the beautiful1 fresh1 youthful tenor or bass voice concludes with exhausted groaning and mere speaking tones4 ,the romanza is now at an end1 and certainly ,boldness1 ,spirit1 and ,power have worked in union4 ,the task is executed the better1 because a rude accompaniment has probably sustained the singer in a most striking manner1 and has completed the total effect4 ,by such management1 to which ,i must emphatically add the continual holding of the tones1 even in the forte1 voices are expected to come out1 to be developed1 inspired1 and made beautiful4 ,what healthy ear can endure such enormities in tone formation1 such tortures in singing8 ,these1 then1 are the modern contributions for the embellishment of art6 ,a curse on these evil spirits6 ,if my feeble pen shall assist in bringing such singing-teachers to their senses1 and shall help to save only a few of our fine voices1 ,i shall consider my mission fulfilled1 and the aim of this book1 so far as it concerns singing1 accomplished4 99 99 99 99 99 ,i have heretofore combated many prejudices1 both in earnest and in sport1 successfully and unsuccessfully2 but one ,i find very obstinate1--it has pursued me incessantly for years4 ,a piano-player1 with a rigid1 strained1 and vicious touch1 proceeding from the arm1 may play a great deal1 but his playing is thoroughly vulgar and without beauty4 ,he feels this himself1 and the playing of my pupils pleases him better4 ,he wishes me to change his style to their better manner2 but he still continues to pound1 to bang1 to exaggerate1 and to play in his own way1 and only wishes his style to be improved1 and his power of execution to be increased4 ,if a performer of this sort is not much more than twenty years of age1 something may yet be done for the improvement of his touch1 and consequently of his style of playing2 but this is only possible by laying aside all his accustomed pieces of music1 and by diligently practising1 daily1 small easy exercises1 which must be played delicately1 with loose fingers1 and without allowing the arm to give the slightest assistance2 otherwise1 all labor will be thrown away upon him4 ,how else can you begin1 except by laying a proper foundation for a better style8 ,i have frequently urged this principle both by speech and in writing2 but the difficulty always returns1 and especially in the cultivation of female singers4 ,a girl of eighteen comes to me3 she has heard of the excellent cultivation of my lady singers1 and wishes to obtain the same for herself4 ,in order that ,i may hear her voice1 she selects the ,erlkoenig1 by ,schubert1 that perilous piece1 which is apt to lead even highly cultivated singers into frightful atrocities4 ,heavens6 what must ,i hear8 ,with the remains of a fine1 youthful voice1 whose registers are already broken up and disconnected1 she shrieks out the ,erlkoenig1 between sobs and groans1 with screwed-up chest-tones1 and many modern improprieties1 but nevertheless with dramatic talent4 ,the piercing voice1 forced to its utmost1 fills me with horror2 but also with pity for such a glorious endowment1 and such an unnatural development4 ,at the conclusion1 her voice succumbed to the effort1 and she could only groan hoarsely1 and wheeze without emitting a sound4 ,she has1 however1 frequently produced great effect in society1 and drawn tears with this performance3 it is her favorite piece4 ,let us abandon this singing for parties1 this melancholy dilettantismus1 everywhere so obtrusive6 ,the girl is only eighteen years old3 is she beyond salvation8 ,i endeavor to build her voice up again1 gradually1 by gentle practice4 ,she succeeds very well in it1 and after six lessons her natural docility arouses hope4 ,the head-tones again make their appearance1 and the practice of solfeggio brings out once more the stifled voice which had been forced back into the throat by senseless exertions2 a better attack begins to be developed1 and the chest-register returns to its natural limits4 ,she now declared1 with her mother's approval1 that she really would continue to study in this way1 but she could not give up the performance of her effective and spirited conception of the ,erlkoenig4 ,she came a few times more3 ,i could perceive that the good structure was tottering4 ,after a few months1 she had entirely sacrificed her voice to this single ,erlkoenig4 ,in such tender years1 one such idol is sufficient4 ,what a price for an ,erlkoenig6 ,the old1 experienced singing-teacher1 ,miksch1 of ,dresden 7with the exception of ,rossini1 the last famous champion of the old school71 has often warned me that radical amendment is seldom possible with such over-strained and broken voices1 which already are obliged to struggle with enfeebled muscles1 even although youth may excite great and decided hopes4 ,there is also another difficulty3 that one of these strong1 over-strained voices must hereafter be used with much less strength1 if we wish to cultivate a correct tone2 and it is impossible to tell whether the chest-tones1 when they are restored to their true limit1 will ever come out again as powerful and at the same time as beautiful4 ,let no musician1 however talented and cultivated he may be1 ever adopt the teaching of singing1 unless he can combine with firmness of character great patience1 perseverance1 and disinterestedness2 otherwise1 he will experience very little pleasure and very little gratitude4 ,even if the ,erlkoenig does not stand in the way1 every voice presents new and peculiar difficulties4 ,a ,few ,words addressed to ,singing-,teachers on the ,accompaniment of ,etudes1 ,exercises1 ,scales1 c4 ,it is common for teachers to play their accompaniments as furiously as if they had to enter into a struggle for life and death with their singers4 ,at the beginning of the lesson1 the lady singer ought to commence quite piano1 at f in the one-lined octave1 and to sing up and down from there through five or six notes1 without any expenditure of breath1 and should guide and bring out her voice by a gentle practice of solfeggio2 and yet you bang1 and pound on the keys1 as if you had to accompany drums and trumpets4 ,do you not perceive that in this way you induce your pupils to strain and force their voices1 and that you mislead them into a false method8 ,in such a noise1 and while you are making such a monstrous expenditure of strength1 to which you add a sharp1 uneasy touch1 and a frequent spreading of the chords1 how can you watch the delicate movements of the singer's throat8 ,is it necessary for me to explain how such a rude accompaniment must interfere with the effort to sing firmly and delicately8 ,are you not aware that a light and agreeable1 but at the same time firm and decided1 accompaniment encourages and sustains the singer1 and also assists and inspires her8 ,you ought1 in every way1 to seek to cultivate in your pupil the feeling for the right1 the true1 and the beautiful2 but what is the girl of eighteen to think of your culture and your sentiment1 if you pound the keys as if you were one of the piano-furies8 ,while this is your mode of accompanying the etudes1 how then do you accompany the aria1 the song8 ,if1 for instance1 the pupil is singing tenderly1 and wishes to bring out an artistic1 delicate shading1 you take advantage of that occasion to make yourself heard1 and to annoy the singer and the audience with your rough shading4 ,a singing-teacher who does not take pains to acquire a good1 delicate touch1 and who neglects to pay constant attention to it1 is wanting in the first requirement2 and this is closely connected with the want of the three trifles4 ,,chapter ,x4 ,,visit ,,at ,,mrs4 ,n4',s4 ,,mrs4 ,n4 ,her daughter ,,fatima1 eighteen years old4 ,,an ,,aunt4 ,,dominie4 ,towards the end of the evening1 the piano-teacher1 ,,mr4 ,,feeble4 ,,dominie 7rather anxiously to ,fatima74 ,will you do me the favor1 ,miss1 to play something on the piano8 ,your aunt has told me a great deal about your playing4 ,,fatima 7smiling graciously74 ,but1 really1 the piano is out of tune1--so my teacher says4 ,,dominie4 ,but does not your teacher attend to having your piano always kept in tune8 ,,fatima4 ,mamma says it is too expensive to have it tuned so often2 it gets out of tune again so quickly4 ,it is an old1 small-legged piano1 as you see3 mamma is always saying1 when ,i am older ,i shall have a ,chickering4 ,the tuner comes regularly once in three months2 the time is not yet up4 ,,dominie4 ,but is your teacher satisfied with the tuning of your piano8 ,,fatima4 ,well1 he has got used to it4 ,it is the same with the other instruments he teaches on4 ,,mrs4 ,n4 ,now1 pet1 play us something4 ,mr4 ,dominie likes music2 he is a judge of it2 his daughters play too4 ,,fatima4 ,but what shall ,i play1 mamma8 ,,mrs4 ,n4 ,you have got heaps of notes there4 ,mr4 ,dominie1 pray select something4 ,,dominie4 ,but ,i don't know which pieces ,miss ,fatima can master1 and which she has now at her fingers' ends4 ,,aunt4 ,pray1 ,mr4 ,dominie1 choose any thing4 ,they are all fine pieces4 ,it makes no difference to her which she plays4 ,,dominie4 ,but do you play that whole heap8 ,,aunt4 ,she has played it all4 ,she has played ever since she was ten years old1 and she has a very good teacher4 ,he taught here when my sister used to accompany her lover's solos on the flute4 ,oh1 those were charming musical evenings6 ,and the teacher often played the guitar with them extempore4 ,it was just like a concert4 ,,dominie4 ,indeed6 that must have been very fine4 ,now1 ,miss1 ,i beg-- ,,fatima4 ,but1 mamma1 just say what ,i shall play4 ,,dominie4 ,is not your teacher here this evening8 ,he will know best4 ,,aunt 7whispers to ,dominie74 ,he is busy this evening1 composing some grand bravoura variations1 which are to be dedicated to ,fatima on her eighteenth birthday1 the day after to-morrow4 ,you must come to see us on that day4 ,fatima will play them at sight4 ,,mrs4 ,n4 ,fatima1 don't hold back any longer4 ,play ,the ,huguenots by ,thalberg3 that's a very fine piece4 ,,dominie4 ,pray do6 ,i have not heard it since ,i heard ,thalberg play it4 ,,aunt 7to ,dominie74 ,don't you make your daughters play it then8 ,oh1 that magnificent choral6 ,that brings tears to my eyes6 ,but the dear child always takes it too fast3 her fingers run away with her4 ,,mrs4 ,n4 ,here it is4 ,please turn round so that you can see her hands1 ,mr4 ,dominie4 ,you are such a famous teacher1 perhaps you can make some suggestions4 7,i was expected only to admire47 ,,dominie4 ,i don't like to disturb her freedom in playing2 but ,i will turn round1 if you say so4 7,fatima scurries through the piece excitedly1 and plays in a bold way1--not1 however1 without ability1 but with a feeble touch1 without proper fingering1 without tone1 without time2 and gets over the first two pages1 with her foot always on the pedal1 in such a senseless1 indistinct manner that ,dominie1 in despair1 was forced to interrupt with the remark1 ,but you might take the tempo a little more quietly47 7,fatima leans back amazed1 and stops playing1 looking at her mother with a contemptuous expression47 ,,aunt4 ,it is owing to her great execution1 and then1 too1 her youthful enthusiasm4 ,don't you like her natural expression8 ,,fatima4 ,my teacher always makes me play it so4 ,it is in that way that ,i have learned to play so much at sight4 ,,dominie4 ,but don't you study your pieces8 ,,fatima4 ,for the last four years ,i have played only at sight1 so that now ,i can get on anywhere in the musical clubs4 ,that is what mamma likes4 ,,dominie4 ,but do you not play any scales and etudes8 do you not practise any exercises8 ,,aunt4 ,she has not done those things for the last four years4 ,my sister thinks it is rather a hindrance1 and is too pedantic4 ,her teacher thinks so too1 and he teaches her the fine concert pieces of ,doehler1 ,liszt1 ,dreyschock1 ,willmer1 and ,thalberg4 ,she learns execution by these4 ,she has gone through all ,thalberg's music2 and we have sent to ,leipzig for ,willmer's ,pompa di ,festa4 ,,dominie4 ,all this shows great enthusiasm1 but really a little too much hot haste4 7,dominie wishes to continue the conversation1 in order to escape the unpleasant necessity of turning round to the piano47 ,,mrs4 ,n4 7interrupts74 ,my child1 just begin again at the beginning1 and let us enjoy the whole of ,the ,huguenots4 ,mr4 ,dominie likes it4 7,fatima consents1 and hurries through the whole ,potpourri with a confident1 conceited air1 to the great despair of ,dominie4 ,at the choral1 the aunt taps him on the shoulder1 and whispers47 ,,aunt4 ,is not that touching8 ,it is a little too fast1 you will agree2 but then the execution6 ,has not the girl a great deal of talent8 ,just hear6 99 99 99 99 99 ,but what did ,dominie say after the performance was over8 ,he only bowed stiffly1 and what he said to himself will always remain a secret4 ,he only felt4 ,they go in to supper4 ,all who submitted to hearing the daughter perform on the badly tuned piano1 which was at least a tone and a half too low1 were invited to supper and handsomely treated4 ,the wine was better than the piano4 ,presently the teacher1 ,mr4 ,feeble1 having finished his birthday bravoura composition1 appeared and was introduced4 ,fatima whispered to him1 giggling1 ,i played the whole of ',the ,huguenots2' it went splendidly4 ,mr4 ,feeble simpered4 ,dominie and he talked together1 unheard1 at the end of the table4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,dominie4 ,the young lady has talent1 ,mr4 ,feeble4 ,,mr4 ,,feeble4 ,indeed she has6 ,,dominie4 ,how is it1 ,mr4 ,feeble1 that she does not combine serious studies with her playing8 ,,mr4 ,,feeble4 ,oh6 ,i used to make her play exercises by ,a4,e4 ,mueller1 and some ,etudes of ,czerny's1 and sometimes a few scales4 ,but the child was so volatile1 and had so little perseverance1 and was so quick at learning every thing6 ,and then her mother wanted her to play modern pieces for parties1 and we had to busy ourselves with those4 ,but our method has borne good fruit1 as you can see4 ,is not it so8 ,,dominie4 ,do you not think1 with firmness and decision1 you could have set ,mrs4 ,n4 on the right track8 ,could not you cultivate the mechanical powers of your pupil1 and combine an understanding of the musical construction of the piece1 with her playing at sight8 ,the young lady1 not to speak of other faults1 has no tone on the piano4 ,,mr4 ,,feeble4 ,she can use the pedal for that1 and1 when she is older1 she will acquire more strength2 her touch is a little too weak at present4 ,and1 besides1 she is not to play in public for money1 but only in company1 and because it is the fashion4 ,indeed1 my dear sir1 if ,i insisted on scales and exercises1 ,i should have very few lessons in this city4 ,i have a wife and children to support1 and my old father1 the former organist1 is dependent upon me4 ,you can do all this with your own children2 but think how much time it requires to study the music6 7,the company bid each other good-night47 ,,fatima 7flippantly to ,dominie74 ,i believe your daughter ,emma is a very good player2 but they say she has not so much talent as your eldest daughter4 ,,dominie4 ,indeed6 who told you that8 ,,chapter ,,xi4 ,,secrets4 7,a ,discourse on ,piano-,playing1 delivered to an ,audience of ,lady ,pupils47 ,ladies1--,as ,i am about to make a journey of a few weeks with my daughters1 we will suspend for a short time our musical meetings4 ,on my return1 you will resume them with fresh interest4 ,we will then not only play and sing together1 but occasionally talk upon kindred subjects4 ,your friends will be made welcome1 provided they are really interested in simple and noble musical performances1 which make no attempt at display4 ,we will exclude from our circle malicious criticism and idle curiosity3 we require the accompaniment of the violin and 'cello1 but not of those two disturbing elements4 ,to-day ,i wish to propound a query in regard to piano-playing1 to the partial solution of which you will perhaps be glad to give some attention4 ,you may be sure that ,i shall always speak only upon subjects which are not even mentioned in the most crowded piano-schools4 ,query4 ,why is it that our young1 educated ladies1 who enjoy the advantages of sufficient talent1 industry1 a serious purpose1 and all the necessary aids1 are usually dissatisfied with their progress and with their success in piano-playing8 ,their education is a sufficiently careful one1 extending to all branches of knowledge2 but their intellectual advancement in music 7although it has been fostered for years1 by constantly listening to good music1 and frequently to the performances of distinguished players1 and by a critical comparison of their own performances with these7 is still small in proportion to their power of execution1 and to the mechanical facility which they have acquired4 ,these are certainly essential to a correct and agreeable rendering of a piece of music3 the compositions which are to be performed ought1 however1 never to demand the exercise of all the mechanical skill which has been acquired1 for in that case1 by the struggle with mechanical difficulties1 only embarrassment1 discouragement1 and anxious haste are apt to take the place of boldness1 confidence in one's self1 and command of the music4 ,it is the duty of teachers1 in choosing studies for the improvement of technique1 to select only such as are within the mechanical powers of the pupil1 in order that he may make steady progress1 and may acquire a pure and delicate style of execution1 retaining at the same time a lively interest in his pursuit4 ,but why has the acquirement of this technique been usually unsuccessful8 #a4 ,because you begin to acquire it too late4 ,in order to gain facility and flexibility of the fingers and wrist 7which a child in the sixth or seventh year1 with a skilful teacher1 may acquire in four lessons71 from fifteen to twenty lessons1 according to the construction of the hand1 are necessary with persons from ten to fourteen years old4 ,for other reasons also1 we must urge that the mechanical facility should usually be acquired1 or at least a complete foundation for it laid in childhood1 and not left to be formed by a course which is destructive of all spirit1 at an age when labor is performed with self-consciousness1--an age when our ladies are talking a great deal of musical interpretations1 of tenderness and depth of feeling1 of poetry and inspiration in playing1 to which they are led by the possession of our classical piano compositions and immortal master-works1 and by intellectual friends and teachers aiming at the highest culture4 ,you reply3 ,but even if your mode of elementary instruction should meet with faithful disciples1 how1 in such young pupils1 are we to find perseverance and sense enough to continue these severe exercises1 even in your interesting manner8 ,my dear ladies1 children ought to do it merely from habit1 although in many cases1 after the beginning1 talent and correct musical instinct may make their appearance4 ,uninterrupted enjoyment would indeed be unnatural1 and where you find it vanity will usually be its moving spring1 and this seldom bears good fruit4 ,you may as well ask whether our great literary men and artists always like to go to school1 or whether they did not delight in a holiday4 ,let this be the answer to the strange question1 ,do your daughters like to play8 ,good heavens6 ,after they are able to play1 and that without much effort1 and a little at sight2 when they can master1 with a musical appreciation1 easy1 graceful salon music1 or even the easier compositions of ,beethoven1 ,mendelssohn1 ,chopin1 ,hummel1 ,moscheles1 c41--then they take pleasure in playing1 and they play a great deal1 and with enthusiasm4 #b4 ,but1 in case children should sometimes begin in their sixth year1 you must remember what is said1 in the first chapter of this work1 with regard to the prevalent false method of teaching beginners4 ,you1 however1 are supposed to have had better and more sensible teachers4 ,let me nevertheless quote for your amusement the remark which ,i have heard so frequently in the course of my long life as a piano-teacher3 ,in the beginning1 a poor1 rattling piano1 that is forty years old1 and that is tuned regularly once a year1 and a cheap teacher1 will do well enough4 ,as soon as the children learn to play really well1 then we will have a better piano and a better teacher4 ,yes2 but that time never comes1 and the parents soon conclude that even the most gifted children have no talent1 and take no pleasure in music2 and so they stop learning1 only to regret it when they are older4 ,but the parents console themselves1 and after a while the old piano is never tuned at all4 ,but1 as ,i have told you1 ,i do not refer here to your teachers1 for whom ,i have a personal regard1 and who teach on excellent pianos4 #c4 ,don't be angry with me for my suggestion1 ladies3 you do not make enough use of the minutes4 ,while our learned education absorbs so much time1 while our friends require so many hours1 while1 alas6 balls and dinners consume whole days1 we must be sparing of the remaining minutes4 ,now ,i must rush to the piano6 ,i must go to dinner in ten minutes3 two scales1 two finger exercises1 two difficult passages out of the piece ,i have to learn1 and one exercise to invent on the dominant and sub-dominant1 are soon done2 and then the dinner will taste all the better4 ,my dear ,agnes1 we might talk for ever about this dreadful snow1 it won't melt the sooner for it3 how do you like this passage that ,i am going to play to you8 ,it is from a charming ,nocturne1 by ,chopin1 and is so difficult that ,i shall have to play it over fifty times1 or else ,i shall always stumble at this place1 and ,i never shall know the ,nocturne to play to any one4 ,don't you think it is beautiful8--so spiritual and original6 ,i can tell you it will be something to boast of1 when ,i have accomplished that4 ,you like it better the oftener ,i play it8 ,so do ,i4 ,we have an invitation out4 ,mother has a great deal to arrange1 and directions to give4 ,we shall have to go in ten minutes4 ,i must rush to the piano1 though ,i am in rather an inconvenient toilette3 ,i may as well accustom myself to play in it4 ,i shall have to spend three hours this evening without any music4 ,well1 to make up for it1 ,i will occupy myself for the next ten minutes with an exercise for this obstinate fourth finger1 though it is pretty dry4 ,that weak finger has been a hindrance to many a fine passage and scale4 ,that is better6 ,now ,i can put on my tight gloves4 ,suppose ,i should put on the left glove on the way4 ,well1 my young ladies1 how many hours do you think all those minutes would make in a year8 ,but ,i hear you say1 ,what is the use of worrying to pick up all those stray minutes1 like lost pins8 ,we have a whole hour to practise every day1 when nothing prevents4 ,exactly1 when nothing prevents4 ,i will now tell you a few of my secrets for piano performers4 ,if in piano-playing1 or in any art1 you wish to attain success1 you must resolve to work every day1 at least a little1 on the technique4 ,sickness and other unavoidable interruptions deprive you of days enough4 ,practise always with unexhausted energy3 the result will be tenfold4 ,do you not frequently use the time for practising1 when you have already been at work studying for five or six hours8 ,have you then strength and spirit enough to practise the necessary exercises for an hour or more1 and to study your music-pieces carefully and attentively1 as your teacher instructed you8 ,is not your mind exhausted1 and are not your hands and fingers tired and stiff with writing1 so that you are tempted to help out with your arms and elbows1 which is worse than no practice at all8 ,but1 my dear ladies1 if you practise properly1 several times every day1 ten minutes at a time1 your strength and your patience are usually sufficient for it2 and1 if you are obliged to omit your regular hour's practice1 you have1 at any rate1 accomplished something with your ten minutes before breakfast1 or before dinner1 or at any leisure moment4 ,so1 ,i beg of you1 let me have my minutes4 ,practise often1 slowly1 and without pedal1 not only the smaller and larger etudes1 but also your pieces4 ,in that way you gain1 at least1 a correct1 healthy mode of playing1 which is the foundation of beautiful playing4 ,do you do this when neither your teacher1 nor your father or mother is present to keep watch over you8 ,do you never say1 ,nobody is listening8 ,do you take enough healthy exercise in the open air8 ,active exercise1 in all weather1 makes strong1 enduring piano fingers1 while subsisting on indoor-air results in sickly1 nervous1 feeble1 over-strained playing4 ,strong1 healthy fingers are only too essential for our present style of piano-playing1 which requires such extraordinary execution1 and for our heavy instruments4 ,so ,i still beg for the minutes3 your walks take up hours enough4 ,excessive and fatiguing feminine occupations1 and drawing1 or painting1 are by no means consistent with an earnest1 practical musical education2 not only because both those occupations require so much time1 but because they deprive the fingers of the requisite pliability and dexterity1 while knitting1 according to the latest discoveries1 produces an unnatural nervous excitement1 which is unfavorable to healthy progress in music4 ,i at least1 in my instruction on the piano1 have never been able to accomplish much with ladies who are devoted to knitting1 crochet1 and embroidering4 ,my dear ladies1 you who have been born in fortunate circumstances1 and have been educated by your parents1 without regard to expense1 should1 at least1 allow the poor girl in the country1 who is obliged to hide her talents under a bushel1 the small privilege of making a collar for your mother's or your aunt's birthday present4 ,i assure you your mother or your aunt1 if you surprise them instead with a fine piano performance1 will be as much pleased as if you strained your eyes and bent your back for days and nights over the needle-work4 ,and now as regards painting3 painting and music1 though theoretically so nearly related1 agree but poorly in practice2 at least1 if you are in earnest about either4 ,you say painters often play on the guitar and the flute4 ,that may be true3 ,i will allow them those two instruments4 ,but piano-playing stands on a different footing1 even for mere amateurs4 ,sweet melodies on those instruments may afford an agreeable companionship for the painter in his rambles through the woods and over the hills2 but piano-playing should be the friend of a life-time1 ennobled by the elevating enjoyment of lofty master-works4 ,therefore1 ,i beg you1 do not dissipate your powers too much4 ,leave the art of painting to your friends1 who are either without talent for music1 or who have no opportunity to study it4 ,our short lives do not allow the successful practice of several arts4 ,of what advantage to our higher culture is it to be able to do ten things tolerably well2 what gain for the future1 for humanity1 or for the true happiness of the individual8 ,and even if you can succeed in painting something which scarcely can be said to resemble a rose1 of what advantage is it1 when we have so many real roses to admire8 ,my dear ladies1 ,i warn you1 generally1 do not be afraid of the so-called classical1 heavy music1 especially ,beethoven's1 if you desire to learn from it1 only or chiefly1 repose1 lightness1 facility1 elasticity1 graceful1 delicate playing1 and a fine touch4 ,it is necessary to play such music after those brilliant qualities have already been1 to a certain degree1 acquired by mere studies and appropriate pieces4 ,it is1 however1 still more foolish and impractical1 when parents 7who perhaps are skilful musicians1 but who have no recollection of their own youth7 hold the mistaken opinion that their children ought1 from the very beginning1 to practise and play only fine classical music1 in order that the children's ears may not be injured by false progressions1 by insignificant finger exercises1 and by easily comprehensible ,italian airs1 and that they themselves may not be ruined body and soul4 ,gracious heavens6 how much pure music1 suited to the piano1 have not my daughters1 as well as many others whom ,i have brought up to be fine performers1 played and studied6--such1 for instance1 as the music of ,huenten1 ,czerny1 ,burgmueller1 ,kalkbrenner1 ,a4 and ,j4 ,schmitt1 ,herz1 and many others4 ,who finds fault now with their musical culture1 with their sound taste1 or their want of love for classical music8 ,what a long road a child has to travel through ,etudes of ,cramer1 ,moscheles1 and ,chopin1 before he comes to ,bach's ,well-tempered ,clavichord1 or before he is able1 or ought even1 to study ,beethoven's ,sonate ,pathetique6 ,it is not well1 though quite in the spirit of the times1 to condemn without experience1 from one's own prejudiced point of view1 the methods which those skilled in their business have for years successfully tried and practised4 ,it is possible to make pupils musical in the above way1 but they will be only dull1 clumsy bunglers on the piano2 not fine artists1 who alone can give a worthy and noble interpretation of classical music4 ,i desire that my daughters may never forget my well-considered instructions1 sustained by the experience of many years2 and that they may1 in grateful remembrance of their father and teacher1 repay to their pupils what they owe to him4 ,but ,i see among my audience several beginners in singing1 and ,i beg to be allowed a word to them4 ,so long as many of our ,german song composers consider it beneath their dignity to study the art of singing in the old ,italian master-works1 and under the guidance of well-qualified singing masters1--as ,gluck1 ,naumann1 ,hasse1 ,haendel1 ,haydn1 ,mozart1 ,salieri1 ,winter1 and others have done1--,i warn you to take care of your tender voices1 which are so easily ruined1 and not to allow yourselves to be misled by ingenious opinions1 and by music otherwise good4 ,the loss of your voices follows in the footsteps of modern tortures in singing1 as you may see sufficiently in all our theatres1 or1 indeed1 may experience yourselves in numberless ,german songs4 ,apply also to singing what ,i have just said about piano-playing3 as you should choose for the piano music suited to the piano1 so for your studies in singing select only that which is adapted to the voice2 under the guidance of prudent and educated teachers1 not of modern voice breakers1 who allow you to scream1 in order to bring out the voice4 ,when you have acquired a good technique1 when your attack is sure1 and a certain skilfulness in singing has been developed1 then only you may try1 by way of experiment1 a few pieces of such spirited but unskilled song composers1 who frequently commit sins in every line against correct representation1 the register of the voice1 the breathings1 the pronunciation1 and a hundred other things4 ,look around and see who sing these so-called classical songs4 ,they are either singers who do not know what singing is1 and who have no taste for it1 which1 in consequence of their education1 they never can have2 or those who no longer have any voice1 and accordingly sing every thing1 or1 rather1 declaim it1 because they cannot sing4 ,i recommend you to sing 7to mention the names of two only of our most excellent song composers7 the charming songs of ,fr4 ,schubert and ,mendelssohn1 who1 in constant intercourse with the most judicious masters of singing in ,vienna and ,italy1 have striven constantly to compose scientifically1 and have at the same time produced clever songs2 but you should sing them not too often1 or too many of them4 ,singing in the ,german language1 and in syllables1 and often with clumsy melodies1 requires a great deal of voice1 and easily leads to many faults and to a false manner4 ,remember how strictly ,jenny ,lind selected1 for performance in her concerts1 the songs of ,schubert1 ,mendelssohn1 and ,schumann4 ,in this way she succeeded in winning great success1 even with small1 short songs4 ,finally1 one more secret for performers1 which weighs heavy in the balance4 ,you ought1 especially if you have not received good early instruction1 to acquire a habit of moving the fingers very frequently1 at every convenient opportunity2 and particularly of letting them fall loosely and lightly upon any hard object1 while the hand lies upon something firm1 in an extended position4 ,you must accustom yourselves to do this unconsciously4 ,for example1 while reading1 at table1 or while listening to music1 allow your hand to lie upon the table1 raise the fingers1 and let them fall1 one at a time1 quite independently of the wrist2 particularly the weak fourth and fifth fingers1 which require to be used a hundred times more than the others1 if you wish to acquire evenness in the scales4 ,if it attracts attention to do this on the table1 then do it in your lap1 or with one hand over the other4 ,to drum with your fingers and stretch your hands on the backs of other people is not often practicable1 and is not necessary4 ,that was only pardoned in the zealous and original ,adolph ,henselt1 who1 though otherwise such a modest and amiable artist1 even now1 in ,st4 ,petersburg1 makes himself ridiculous in this way1 by his practice of finger movements4 ,now you perceive the reason why ,i cannot answer the question which has been asked me innumerable times4 ,how much do your daughters practise8 ,i cannot count up the finger movements and the stray ten minutes just spoken of2 but it is certain that they practise fewer hours in the day than many thousands who learn nothing1 for they never practise and never have practised wrongly1 but always correctly and advantageously4 ,one thing more4 ,after my experienced1 watchful eye had observed in our circle many moving fingers in consequence of my lecture1 a distinguished lady of ,vienna whispered in my ear3 ,but1 my dear ,herr ,wieck1 my ,amelia is not to be a professional player3 ,i only want her to learn a few of the less difficult sonatas of ,beethoven1 to play correctly and fluently1 without notes4 ,my dear ladies1 ,i do not aim with you at any thing more than this4 ,a great many circumstances must combine for the formation of fine concert performers2 in fact1 the whole education1 from the earliest youth1 must have reference to this end4 ,if this were not so1 ,germany especially1 on account of its natural musical talent1 would be able annually to furnish thousands of virtuoso performers4 ,has my lecture been too long to-day8 ,i ask your pardon4 ,my desire to make myself useful to you must be my excuse1 if ,i cannot dispose of such an extensive subject in a few words4 ,i have not yet exhausted it4 ,,chapter ,,xii4 ,,thoughts ,,on ,,piano-,,playing4 ,my daughters play the music of all the principal composers1 and also the best salon music4 ,limited views of any kind are injurious to art4 ,it is as great a mistake to play only ,beethoven's music as to play none of it1 or to play either classical or salon music solely4 ,if a teacher confines himself to the study of the first1 a good technique1 a tolerably sound style of playing1 intelligence1 and knowledge are generally sufficient to produce an interpretation in most respects satisfactory4 ,the music usually compensates for a style which may be1 according to circumstances1 either dry1 cold1 too monotonous or too strongly shaded1 and even for an indifferent or careless touch4 ,interest in the composition frequently diverts the attention of even the best player from a thoroughly correct and delicate mode of execution1 and from the effort to enhance the beauty of the composition1 and to increase its appreciation with the hearer4 ,in the performance of classical music1 inspiration--that is1 the revelation of an artistic nature and not empty affectation--can be expected only from an artist1 and not from a pupil4 ,therefore1 with more advanced pupils1 ,i take up in my lessons1 in connection with a sonata by ,beethoven1 a nocturne or waltz by ,chopin1 and a piece by ,st4 ,heller or ,schulhoff1 ,henselt1 ,c4 ,meyer1 c4 ,elegance and polish1 a certain coquetry1 nicety1 delicacy1 and fine shading cannot be perfected in the study of a sonata by ,beethoven2 for which1 however1 the latter pieces present much greater opportunities4 ,besides this1 variety is much more sustaining to the learner2 it excites his interest2 he does not so soon become weary1 and is guarded from carelessness2 his artistic knowledge is increased1 and he is agreeably surprised to find himself able to perform three pieces so distinct in character4 99 99 99 99 99 ,expression cannot be taught1 it must come of itself4 ,but when are we to look for it8 ,when the stiff fingers are fifty or sixty years old1 and the expression is imprisoned in them1 so that nothing is ever to be heard of it8 ,this is a wide-spread delusion4 ,let us look at a few of those to whom expression has come of itself4 ,x4 plays skilfully and correctly1 but his expression continues crude1 cold1 monotonous2 he shows too pedantic a solicitude about mechanical execution and strict time2 he never ventures on a pp41 uses too little shading in piano1 and plays the forte too heavily1 and without regard to the instrument2 his crescendi and diminuendi are inappropriate1 often coarse and brought in at unsuitable places2 and--his ritardandi6 they are tedious indeed6 ,but ,miss ,z4 plays differently and more finely4 ,truly1 she plays differently2 but is it more finely8 ,do you like this gentle violet blue1 this sickly paleness1 these rouged falsehoods1 at the expense of all integrity of character8 this sweet1 embellished1 languishing style1 this rubato and dismembering of the musical phrases1 this want of time1 and this sentimental trash8 ,they both have talent1 but their expression was allowed to be developed of itself4 ,they both would have been very good players2 but now they have lost all taste for the ideal1 which manifests itself in the domain of truth1 beauty1 and simplicity4 ,if pupils are left to themselves1 they imitate the improper and erroneous easily and skilfully2 the right and suitable with difficulty1 and certainly unskilfully4 ,even the little fellow who can hardly speak learns to use naughty1 abusive words more quickly and easily than fine1 noble expressions4 ,what school-master has not been surprised at this facility1 and what good old aunt has not laughed at it8 ,but you say1 ,it is not right to force the feelings of others6 ,that is quite unnecessary2 but it is possible to rouse the feelings of others1 to guide and educate them1 without prejudicing their individuality of feeling1 and without restraining or disturbing them1 unless they are on the wrong path4 ,who has not listened to performers and singers who were otherwise musical1 but whose sentiment was either ridiculous or lamentable8 99 99 99 99 99 ,it is generally acknowledged that1 among other things1 ,i have succeeded more or less with all my scholars in the attainment of a fine touch4 ,people desire to obtain from me the requisite exercises for the development of this2 but not much can be gained from these4 ,the important thing is how and when they are to be used2 and that most careful attention shall be paid in the selection of other etudes and pieces1 in order that nothing shall be played which shall endanger the confirmation of the correct touch already acquired1 or shall undo what has been accomplished in the lessons4 ,as ,i have said before1 it does not depend upon much practising1 but upon correct practising2 and that the pupils shall not be allowed to fall into errors4 ,i am constantly asked1 ,how many hours a day do your daughters practise8 ,if the number of hours spent in practising gives the measure of the standing of a virtuoso1 then my daughters are among the most insignificant1 or in fact should not belong to the order at all4 ,this is the place for me to explain myself more fully with regard to playing with a loose wrist1 in order that ,i shall not be misunderstood4 ,the tones which are produced with a loose wrist are always more tender and more attractive1 have a fuller sound1 and permit more delicate shading than the sharp tones1 without body1 which are thrown or fired off or tapped out with unendurable rigidity by the aid of the arm and fore-arm4 ,a superior technique can with few exceptions be more quickly and favorably acquired in this way than when the elbows are required to contribute their power4 ,i do not1 however1 censure the performance of many virtuosos1 who execute rapid octave passages with a stiff wrist2 they often do it with great precision1 in the most rapid tempo1 forcibly and effectively4 ,it must1 after all1 depend upon individual peculiarities whether the pupil can learn better and more quickly to play such passages thus or with a loose wrist4 ,the present style of bravoura playing for virtuosos cannot dispense with facility in octave passages2 it is a necessary part of it4 ,i will now consider the use of loose and independent fingers1 in playing generally2 i4e41 in that of more advanced pupils who have already acquired the necessary elementary knowledge4 ,the fingers must be set upon the keys with a certain decision1 firmness1 quickness1 and vigor1 and must obtain a command over the key-board2 otherwise1 the result is only a tame1 colorless1 uncertain1 immature style of playing1 in which no fine portamento1 no poignant staccato1 or sprightly accentuation can be produced4 ,every thoughtful teacher1 striving for the best result1 must1 however1 take care that this shall only be acquired gradually1 and must teach it with a constant regard to individual peculiarities1 and not at the expense of beauty of performance1 and of a tender1 agreeable touch4 99 99 99 99 99 ,it is a mortifying fact for many critics1 artists1 composers1 and teachers1 that the general public show much more correct judgment and appreciation of a fine1 noble piano performance1 and of a simple1 pure1 well-taught style of singing1 and also understand the characteristics of the performer1 much more quickly than they do4 ,the sensibility and appreciation of beauty with the public is less prejudiced1 less spurious1 more receptive1 and more artless4 ,its perceptions are not disturbed by theories1 by a desire to criticise1 and many other secondary matters4 ,the public do not take a biassed or stilted view4 ,the admiration for ,jenny ,lind is a striking proof of this1 as is also the appreciation of many piano-players4 99 99 99 99 99 ,the age of progress announces1 in piano-playing also1 a higher beauty than has hitherto existed4 ,now1 ,i demand of all the defenders of this new style1 wherein is this superior beauty supposed to consist8 ,it is useless to talk1 in a vague way1 about a beauty which no one can explain4 ,i have listened to the playing--no1 the thrumming and stamping--of many of these champions of the modern style of beauty2 and ,i have come to the conclusion1 according to my way of reasoning1 that it ought to be called a higher1--quite different1 inverted beauty1--a deformed beauty1 repugnant to the sensibilities of all mankind4 ,but our gifted age of the future protests against such cold conservatism4 ,the period of piano fury which ,i have lived to see1 and which ,i have just described1 was the introduction to this new essay1 only a feeble attempt1 and a preliminary to this piano future4 ,should this senseless raging and storming upon the piano1 where not one idea can be intelligently expressed in a half-hour1 this abhorrent and rude treatment of a grand concert piano1 combined with frightful misuse of both pedals1 which puts the hearer into agonies of horror and spasms of terror1 ever be regarded as any thing but a return to barbarism1 devoid of feeling and reason8 ,this is to be called music6 music of the future6 the beauty of the future style6 ,truly1 for this style of music1 the ears must be differently constructed1 the feelings must be differently constituted1 and a different nervous system must be created6 ,for this again we shall need surgeons1 who lie in wait in the background with the throat improvers4 ,what a new and grand field of operations lies open to them6 ,our age produces monsters1 who are insensible to the plainest truths1 and who fill humanity with horror4 ,political excesses have hardly ceased1 when still greater ones must be repeated in the world of music4 ,but comfort yourselves1 my readers3 these isolated instances of madness1 these last convulsions of musical insanity1 with however much arrogance they may be proclaimed1 will not take the world by storm4 ,the time will come when no audience1 not even eager possessors of complimentary tickets1 but only a few needy hirelings1 will venture to endure such concert performances of the future4 99 99 99 99 99 ,i ought to express myself more fully with regard to expression in piano-playing4 ,it is difficult to perform this task1 at least in writing2 for it can more easily be practically explained to individual learners4 ,intelligent teachers1 who are inclined to understand my meaning1 will find abundant material1 as well as all necessary explanations1 in the preceding chapters2 and ,i will merely say that a teacher who is endowed with the qualities which ,i have designated as the three trifles will seek to excite the same in his pupils2 will refine and cultivate them1 according to his ability1 with disinterestedness1 with energy1 and with perseverance2 and truth and beauty will everywhere be the result4 ,thus he will remain in the present1 where there is so much remaining to be accomplished4 ,these three trifles certainly do not have their root in folly1 want of talent1 and hare-brained madness2 therefore the possessors of the latter must look to the future1 and proclaim a higher1 that is1 an inverted beauty4 ,rules for ,piano ,pupils4 ,you must never begin to learn a second piece until you have entirely conquered the first4 ,you ought to fix your eyes very carefully on the notes1 and not to trust to memory2 otherwise1 you will never learn to play at sight4 ,in order to avoid the habit of false fingering1 you should not play any piece which is not marked for the proper fingers4 ,you should learn to play chords and skipping notes1 without looking at the keys1 as this interferes with a prompt reading of the notes4 ,you must learn to count nicely in playing1 in order always to keep strict time4 ,to use for once the language of the times1 which boldly proclaims1 ,such things as these belong to a stand-point which we have already reached1 ,i wish that the musicians of the future may as happily reach their stand-point1 not by hollow phrases and flourishes1 and the threshing of empty straws1 but by practical1 successful efforts1 and striving for that which is better4 99 99 99 99 99 ,what is the value of your method1 in the instruction of pupils who have for years played many pieces from notes1 but have played them badly1 and whom we are called upon to lead into a better way of playing8 ,a reply to this frequent inquiry can be found in my first chapter4 ,above all things1 let the notes which have already been played be laid aside for a long time2 for a mistaken style of playing these has become so confirmed that to improve them is hopeless1 and the tottering edifice must fall to the ground4 ,first1 improve the touch2 help to acquire a better and more connected scale2 teach the formation of different cadences on the dominant and sub-dominant2 and the construction of various passages on the chord of the diminished seventh1 to be played with correct1 even1 and quiet fingering1 legato and staccato1 piano1 and forte2 pay strict attention to the use of loose fingers and a loose wrist2 and allow no inattentive playing4 ,you may soon take up1 with these studies1 some entirely unfamiliar piece of music1 suited to the capacity of the pupil4 ,it is not possible or desirable to attempt to make a sudden and thorough change with such pupils1 even if they should show the best intentions and docility4 ,you should select a light1 easy piece of salon music1 but of a nature well adapted to the piano1 which shall not be wearisome to the pupil1 and in the improved performance of which he will take pleasure4 ,but1 if you still find that he falls into the old1 faulty manner of playing1 and that the recently acquired technique1 which has not yet become habitual1 is endangered by it1 lay this too aside1 and take instead some appropriate etude1 or perhaps a little prelude by ,bach4 ,if1 in the place of these1 you choose for instruction a ponderous sonata1 in which the music would distract the attention of the pupil from the improved technique1 you give up the most important aim of your instruction1 and occupy yourself with secondary matters2 you will censure and instruct in vain1 and will never attain success4 ,you must consider1 reflect1 and give your mind to the peculiar needs of the pupil1 and you must teach in accordance with the laws of psychology4 ,you will succeed after a while1 but precipitation1 compulsion1 and disputes are useless4 ,the improvement of a soprano voice1 ruined by over-screaming1 requires prudence1 patience1 calmness1 and modesty1 and a character of a high type generally4 ,it is also a very thankless task1 and success is rare2 while on the piano a fair result may always be accomplished4 99 99 99 99 99 ,i return once more to the subject so frequently discussed1 that ,i may try to relieve the universal difficulty of our lady pianists4 ,i have heard much playing of late1 in parties both small and large1 on well-tuned and on ill-tuned pianos1 on those with which the performer was familiar1 and on those to which she was unaccustomed2 from the timid and the self-possessed2 from ladies of various ages1 possessed of more or of less talent1 and in various cities3 the result was always the same4 ,we hear from the ladies that they could play their pieces at home before their parents or their teachers2 but this is never sufficient to enable them to save their hearers from weariness1 anxiety1 and all sorts of embarrassment4 ,my honored ladies1 you play over and over again two mazourkas1 two waltzes1 two nocturnes1 and the ,funeral ,march of ,chopin1 the ,mazourka and other pieces by ,schulhoff1 the ,trill-,etude1 and the ,tremolo by ,carl ,meyer1 c43 it makes no difference to you which4 ,you might be able to master these pieces pretty well1 but1 instead of this1 you yourselves are mastered4 ,you become embarrassed1 and your hearers still more so3 the affair ends with apologies on both sides1 with equivocal compliments1 with encouragement to continue in the same course1 with acknowledgment of fine hands for the piano1 with uneasy1 forced congratulations to the parents and teacher2 but it is always a happy moment when the fatal soiree is over4 ,the next day ,i am forced to sigh again over the same1 miserable1 poorly and tediously performed ,funeral ,march of ,chopin1 and over the timorous ,b major ,mazourka by ,schulhoff4 ,the left hand is always left in the lurch in the difficult1 skipping basses of this piece1 and in others of the present style1 which are rich in harmony and modulations4 ,the bass part in this piece is apt to suffer from timid and false tones2 frequently the fundamental tone is omitted1 or the little finger remains resting upon it1 instead of giving the eighth note with a crisp1 elastic1 and sprightly touch1 and the chords are tame and incomplete4 ,you do not give them their full value2 you leave them too quickly1 because you are afraid of not striking the next low note quickly enough2 but1 on the other hand1 you do not strike it at all1 and one missing tone brings another one after it4 ,the right hand1 being the most skilful1 is supposed to play with expression1 and really does so2 but this only makes the performance the worse4 ,the fundamental tone is wanting1 and you are led to make a mistake in the skip1 and strike the wrong key4 ,finally1 the whole thing is ended in terror4 ,i have an uneasy night2 ,i dream of your fine hands1 but the false and the weak notes start up between like strange spectres or will o' the wisps1 and ,i wake with the headache1 instead of with pleasant memories4 ,allow me to give you a piece of advice4 ,play and practise the bass part a great deal and very often1 first slowly1 then quicker1 during one or two weeks1 before playing the right hand with it1 in order that you may give your whole attention to playing the bass correctly1 delicately1 and surely4 ,even when you can get through the mazourka tolerably well1 you must not think1 on that account1 that you will be able to play it in company1 under trying circumstances4 ,you ought to be able to play the piece by yourself with ease1 very frequently1 perfectly1 and distinctly1 and in very rapid tempo1 before you trust yourself to perform it even slowly in company4 ,at least1 practise the more difficult passages for the right hand very frequently1 particularly the difficult and bold conclusion1 that it may not strike the hearer as rough1 weak1 tame1 or hurried4 ,it is an old rule1 ,if you begin well and end well1 all is well4 ,you ought to practise the skipping bass over and over again by itself1 otherwise it will not go4 ,an incorrect or deficient bass1 without depth of tone and without accentuation1 ruins every thing1 even the good temper of the hearer4 ,one thing more3 you know very well ,chopin's ,nocturne in ,e flat1 and have played it1 among other things1 for the last four weeks4 ,suddenly you are called upon to play in company4 ,you choose this ,nocturne because you have played it nearly every day for four weeks4 ,but alas6 the piano fiends have come to confuse you6 ,you strike a false bass note1 and at the modulation the weak little finger touches too feebly3 bah6 the fundamental tone is wanting4 ,you are frightened1 and grow still more so2 your musical aunt is frightened also2 the blood rushes to your teacher's face1 and ,i mutter to myself1 ,c'est toujours la meme4 ,the present style of skipping basses requires a great deal of practice and perfect security2 it is necessary for you to know the piece by heart1 in order to give your whole attention to the left hand4 ,it is also essential that you shall have acquired a clear1 sound touch2 otherwise1 you cannot give a delicate accent and shading4 ,you must never allow yourself1 without previous preparation1 to play those pieces of music in company1 in which an elegant mode of execution is all-important2 otherwise1 you will be taken by surprise by unexpected difficulties4 ,you must always pay special attention to the fundamental tones1 even if there should be imperfections elsewhere4 ,where one fault is less important than another1 of two evils choose the least4 ,you have been playing now for six or eight years3 are you repaid for the trouble1 if it only enables you to prepare embarrassments for others8 ,you are not willing to play easy1 insignificant pieces2 and such pieces as you choose require industry1 earnestness1 and perseverance4 99 99 99 99 99 ,young ladies1 it is easy to discover the character of a person from his manner of standing1 walking1 moving1 and speaking1 from the way he bows1 puts on and takes off his hat1 or the arrangements of the household2 and we seldom are in error about it4 ,it is also possible to infer beforehand how you will play and what sort of a performance you will give1 from the manner in which you take your seat at the piano4 ,you sidle up to the piano lazily1 bent over in a constrained manner2 in your embarrassment1 you place yourself before the one-lined or two-lined c1 instead of before f2 you sit unsteadily1 either too high or too low1 only half on the seat1 leaning either too much to the right or to the left2 in a word1 as if you did not belong to the fatal music-stool4 ,your manner awakens no confidence1 and in this way announces that you have none yourself4 ,how do you expect to exercise control over a grand seven octave piano1 if you do not sit exactly in the middle1 with the body erect and the feet on the two pedals8 ,you are not willing to look the friend straight in the face1 with whom you are to carry on a friendly1 confidential discourse6 ,even if your attitude and bearing were not so injurious and dangerous for the performer as it is1 still propriety and good sense would require that you should excite the confidence of your hearers in you and in your playing by a correct position of the body1 and by a certain decision and resolution1 and should prepare him to form a good opinion of you4 ,there are1 indeed1 many virtuosos who think they give evidence of genius1 by throwing themselves on to the music-stool in a slovenly1 lounging manner1 and try to show in this way their superiority to a painstaking performance1 and to make up by a showy nonchalance for what is wanting in their playing4 ,you are1 however1 a stranger to such assertion of superior genius1 and to such an expression of intensity of feeling2 you do it only from embarrassment1 and from a modest want of confidence in your own powers1 which is quite unnecessary4 ,our great masters1 such as ,field1 ,hummel1 ,moscheles1 ,mendelssohn1 and others1 had no taste for such improprieties1 for such manifestations of genius4 ,they applied themselves to their task with earnest devotion1 and with respect for the public4 ,,chapter ,,xiii4 ,,on ,,musical ,,talent4 ,a large and varied experience is required for a correct estimate of musical talent in the young4 ,do not be deceived by the early evidences of talent2 for instance1 interest in melodies1 correct feeling for time1 an instinct for accenting the important notes1 inclination for some peculiar though often perverted style of performance1 quick apprehension1 a natural aptitude for playing1 a nice hearing1 animation1 rapid progress1 docility1 superficial gayety2 even if all or a part of these traits are observable in early youth1 they must not excite too sanguine hopes4 ,i have often met with such phenomena1 and have been called upon to educate such little piano prodigies4 ,they advanced quite rapidly1 and understood every thing readily1 if ,i did not make too much demand upon their wavering attention4 ,i dreamed of the extraordinary surprises that these marvellous youths would create at twelve or fourteen years of age2 but the fulfilment of my ideal ,i saw only in my mind's eye1 for just then the improvement came to a sudden stand-still1--a fatal moment1 when the teacher is perplexed to know what to do next4 ,the musical nature seemed to have exhausted itself1 to have out-lived itself4 ,the pupil even felt this3 his interest in the piano and in music generally grew feeble1 his playing suddenly became careless1 powerless1 spiritless2 he played with evident indifference4 ,out into the fresh air6 into open natural scenes6 ,now for a journey6 ,i allowed a long vacation to intervene2 the pupil was quite contented1 and had no desire for the piano1 or1 if so1 only jingled a little4 ,at last we began again1 but we spent our time without much result2 he was nevertheless still musical1 but he finally ranked at best with dozens of other players1 and ended as an ordinary piano teacher4 ,similar halts in progress occur in fact with all pupils1 especially with female scholars2 but they are not usually so lasting1 so discouraging1 or so significant of exhaustion4 ,they are surmounted1 after a short interval1 by the discontinuance of serious musical studies2 perhaps by reading at sight for a while2 by occupying the pupil for a time with the theory1 or with attempts at composition or improvisation2 by allowing him to listen to other players better or worse2 by giving him interesting books to read2 by making him acquainted with ,beethoven1 or in other ways4 ,from our observation of such sudden changes1 and of the frequent occurrence of unskilful management1 we can explain the sudden appearance and equally sudden disappearance of innumerable infant prodigies in our age1 who have excited hopes1 and have almost all of them been lost1 or have passed out of sight1 and resulted in nothing of value4 ,i have always preferred a gradual1 even a slow development1 step by step1 which often made no apparent progress1 but which still proceeded with a certain constancy1 and with deliberation1 and which was combined with dreamy sensibility and a musical instinct1 requiring slow awakening1 and even with a certain flightiness1 one for which the patient labor and perseverance of six years or more was required1 and where childishness allowed no encouragement to sordid speculations for the future4 ,in such cases1 when my instructions were not disturbed by untoward circumstances1 the result has always been a desirable one4 ,but how much patience and perseverance has this required6 ,i have reflected much and have often spoken1 both seriously and playfully1 of the slow advancement of my pupils4 ,allow me here to describe five phases or stages of human development4 ,first ,stage4 ,in the first two or three years1 man is far behind the animal1 whose quick instinct distinguishes the good from the bad1 the useful from the injurious4 ,the child1 without hesitation1 rolls off the table1 or knocks his brains out1 or destroys himself with poisonous herbs or arsenic4 ,nevertheless1 let him at that age hear plenty of pure sounds1 music1 singing1 c4 ,he will soon learn to listen1 like the little black poodle4 ,he already has a dim suspicion that other things exist which are not evil1 besides mamma1 papa1 the nurse1 the doll1 and the sound of words4 ,second ,stage4 ,from the fourth to the seventh year1 instinct is developed2 which1 in the animal1 surprises the observer in the first two weeks of life4 ,now we should begin with the technique1 at least with the correct movement of the fingers upon the table4 ,the child should be told that he shall soon produce the pleasant tones1 which he has been accustomed to hear from infancy2 but that for this a quick and quiet movement of the fingers is necessary1 which must be acquired by daily practice4 ,this is entirely in accordance with nature1 for man is appointed to learn4 ,let the child lay his hand upon the table1 and knock upon it with the first finger 7i4e41 the thumb7 stretched out1 without using the muscles of the arm1 then with the second1 third1 and fourth fingers1 in an almost perpendicular position1 and with the fifth finger extended4 ,then let him strike a third with the first and third fingers together2 a fourth1 with the first and fourth fingers2 first with the right hand1 then with the left hand1 and afterwards with both together1 c4 ,third ,stage4 ,from the seventh to the twelfth year4 ,at this stage unruliness makes its appearance1 and at the same time--the notes2 but not ,beethoven4 ,that would indeed be an unfortunate musical indulgence4 ,violent outbreaks of untamed strength2 unexpected freaks2 alternations of rude instinct and quick intelligence1 of lofty fancy and artless simplicity2 disobedience2 much appetite1 c41--all these must be shaped1 and made subservient to the object we have in view4 ,do you understand me1 gentlemen8 ,fourth ,stage4 ,excellent parents1 who desire to see the ripe fruits of your care and labor1 have patience6 ,first there comes the foreshadowing of manhood1--a very interesting period4 ,the youth steps out of the animal into the human kingdom1 and often is unable to forget his earlier condition1 but revels in sweet remembrance of it4 ,try now1 gently and timidly1 ,beethoven1 ,chopin1 ,schumann1 and the like4 ,this extraordinary being1 one-fourth animal and three-fourths human1 requires to be awakened1 excited1 and to have the imagination aroused2 and1 above all1 requires the most careful guidance4 ,it is necessary to stir and agitate the nature1 in order that reflection1 conscience1 the sensibilities of the soul1 feeling1 creative power1 and all inward conditions shall be developed2 and that out of this chaos shall be brought a clear and beautiful order4 ,fifth ,stage4 ,the adult man in his eighteenth year4 ,the year1 however1 varies with individuals1 and can be modified at will4 ,if ,i should enter into details of the four earlier stages of humanity1 and treat in addition of the adult man1 ,i should be obliged to write a philosophical work on the subject1 and that might not be entertaining4 ,i should be obliged to beg your indulgence for a tedious book1 and my daughters certainly would not thank me for it2 they are very sensitive4 ,but ,i must1 nevertheless1 secretly whisper in your ear that my daughters1 like the daughters of many others1 have been carried through these five stages in the most careful and thorough manner4 ,i ought to know that best4 ,here you have the answer to many strange questions4 ,cautions4 ,i warn pianists1 and others also1 in playing3 #a4 ,against any showy and unsuitable display4 ,why should you wish to attract attention1 and to create an effect by foppishness and all sorts of grimaces1 or by curious and marvellous exhibitions of virtuoso-ship8 ,you have only to play musically and beautifully1 and to deport yourselves with modesty and propriety4 ,direct your whole attention to the business in hand1--that is1 to your performance2 and endeavor to secure for it the interest of the public1 who are so easily rendered inattentive4 ,we want no more public performances from eccentric geniuses4 #b4 ,do not devote yourself exclusively to pieces calculated to show the skill of the performer4 ,why desire always to show off your power in octave passages1 your trills1 your facility in skips1 your unprecedented stretches1 or other fantastic feats8 ,you only produce weariness1 satiety1 and disgust1 or1 at least1 you make yourselves ridiculous4 #c4 ,play good music in a musical and rational manner4 ,the public are tired of hearing ,potpourris1 made up of odds and ends1 tedious ,etudes1 ,rhapsodies1 ,fantasias without fancy1 dismal monotonies and endless1 cheap1 silly cadences that mean nothing4 ,learn to understand the age1 and the world in which you live4 #d4 ,do not make yourselves ridiculous by new inventions in piano-playing4 ,i mention1 for example1 one of the most foolish affectations of modern times4 ,you try to quiver on a note1 just as violin and 'cello players are unfortunately too much inclined to do4 ,do not expose yourselves to the derision of every apprentice in piano manufacture4 ,have you no understanding of the construction of the piano8 ,you have played upon it1 or have1 some of you1 stormed upon it1 for the last ten years2 and yet you have not taken pains to obtain even a superficial acquaintance with its mechanism4 ,the hammer1 which by its stroke upon the string has produced the sound1 falls immediately when the tone resounds2 and after that you may caress the key which has set the hammer in motion1 fidget round on it as much as you please1 and stagger up and down over it1 in your intoxicated passion1--no more sound is to be brought out from it1 with all your trembling and quivering4 ,it is only the public who are quivering with laughter at your absurdity4 #e4 ,give up the practice of extreme stretches4 ,widely dispersed harmonies may sometimes produce a good effect1 but not by too frequent and too eager an employment of them at every opportunity4 ,even the greatest beauties in art can lead to mannerism1 and this again to one-sidedness4 ,art should be many-sided1 and you must never produce the impression that you are inclined to make the means an end4 ,i beg you to reflect that too much practice of very wide stretches enfeebles the muscles and the power of the hand and fingers1 endangers an even1 sound touch1 and makes the best style of playing a doubtful acquisition4 ,teachers ought therefore to use great prudence1 and only gradually to permit their pupils1 especially young girls1 to practise great extensions and wide stretches4 ,to learn to be able to strike ten notes is quite enough4 #f4 ,before you perform a piece1 play a few suitable chords1 and a few appropriate passages or scales up and down 7but play no stupid trash1 such as ,i have heard from many virtuosos71 in order to try whether the condition of the instrument presents any unexpected difficulties4 ,try carefully also the unavoidable pedal4 ,a creaking1 rattling1 grating pedal is a frightful annoyance2 ,i wonder if the piano of the future is to suffer from this also4 ,chopin's ,funeral ,march1 with obligato accompaniment of a squeaking pedal sentiment1 even although the omissions and mistakes in the bass do not occur1--alas6 who can describe the effect of this melancholy march8 #g4 ,i have written a special article on the manner of sitting at the piano1 and ,i will refer you once more to that4 #h4 ,use no mechanical aids in practising1 not even the dumb key-board2 although1 with very careful use1 that is not without value4 ,strength will come with time2 do not try to hurry nature4 ,the table is the best dumb key-board1 as ,i have already explained4 ,the hand-guide is also unnecessary3 its value is compensated by its disadvantages4 #i4 ,do not let your hearers crowd too near while you are playing4 ,do not play the same piece da capo4 ,you may be justified in breaking off in the midst of a piece1 if there is loud and continuous talking1 c4 ,i hope you will give me the honor of your company again at my soirees3 ,i am no writer of comedies1 but ,i can tell you a great deal that is interesting and amusing which ,i have myself experienced4 ,,chapter ,,xiv4 ,,extravagances ,,in ,,singing ,,and ,,piano-,,playing4 7,an ,evening ,party at ,mr4 ,gold's47 ,,dramatis ,,personae4 ,,mr4 ,,gold1 the banker 7fond of music74 ,,mrs4 ,,gold 7sings1 and is an invalid47 ,,mr4 ,,silver1 bookkeeper 7formerly a singer with ,strauss74 ,,mr4 ,,pious1 a friend of the family 7a musical impostor1 and a hypocrite generally74 ,,mr4 ,,forte1 a foreign piano virtuoso 7of weak nerves74 ,,dominie1 a piano-teacher4 ,,emma1 his daughter4 7,mrs4 ,gold has just been singing in the modern ,italian manner2 suddenly alternating exaggerated high and low tones1 given in a jerking manner1 with inaudible pianissimo in the throat1 and quavering on every note1 with many ornaments1 and always a quarter of a tone too flat4 ,she sang all the four verses of ,fondly ,i ,think of ,thee by ,krebs47 ,,dominie4 ,will you not go on1 ,mrs4 ,gold8 ,the piano is a little too high1 and you are obliged to accustom yourself a little to it4 ,,mrs4 ,,gold4 ,i cannot sing any more4 ,that beautiful song has taken such hold of me1 and ,i feel so badly4 7,whispers to ,dominie47 ,mr4 ,forte did not accompany me well1 either3 sometimes he did not come in right1 and played too feebly2 and sometimes he improvised too much in playing1 and overpowered my voice1 which is a little weak just now4 ,,dominie 7aside to ,emma74 ,what an evening of singing6 ,oh dear6 ,,mr4 ,,gold 7who has been earnestly talking about stocks all the evening in an adjoining room1 rushes in1 but rather late1 after the close of the song1 and impetuously presses his wife's hand74 ,marvellous6 magnificent6 delicious6 wonderful6 ,my dear1 you are in excellent voice this evening4 ,if ,jenny ,lind could only have heard you6 ,,mr4 ,,pious4 ,charming6 superb6 how touching6 ,there is a religious character in this piece1 something holy about it6 ,i beg of you1 do sing that air by ,voss1 ,true ,happiness4 ,that will make our enjoyment complete2 it is truly ravishing6 ,there is something divine in singing1 and your expression1 your feeling1 ,madam6 ,you give yourself up so entirely to the composition6 7,mrs4 ,gold has already taken up ,true ,happiness1 and can hardly wait while ,mr4 ,forte murmurs off the introduction1 quite after his own fancy1 with a sentimental piano4 ,mr4 ,pious drops a tear at the close of the introduction1 the four bars of which have been transformed into eight bars by the great virtuoso4 ,during the tremulous1 affected performance of ,true ,happiness1 ,mr4 ,pious rolls up his moistened eyes2 and1 at the end of the first verse1 where the accompanist once more gives the reins to his fancy1 he says1 ,i am speechless1 ,i cannot find words to express my emotion67 ,,dominie 7aside to ,emma74 ,that you may call forged sentiment1 the counterfeit of feeling4 ,you hear now how one ought not to sing4 ,for an earnest1 true musician1 such a warmth in singing is only empty affectation1 disgusting1 sentimental rubbish1 and hollow dissimulation4 ,you will1 however1 frequently meet with such amateur infelicities4 7,mrs4 ,gold has finished singing all the verses of ,true ,happiness1 and seems now to have almost entirely recovered4 ,mr4 ,gold continues to converse about stocks in the adjoining room4 ,dominie remains with ,emma at the end of the parlor1 depressed and worried47 ,,mr4 ,,forte 7keeps his seat at the piano1 and says in ,french to ,mrs4 ,gold74 ,madam1 you have reached the climax of the beautiful in music4 ,i count it one of the happiest moments of my artistic tour to be allowed to breathe out my soul at the piano1 in the presence of one like yourself4 ,what a loss1 that your position must prevent you from elevating the ,german opera to its former greatness1 as its most radiant star6 ,,mrs4 ,,gold 7by this time quite well74 ,i must confess that ,jenny ,lind never quite satisfied me when she was here4 ,she is1 and must always remain1 a ,swede1--utterly cold4 ,if she had been educated here1 she would have listened to more passionate models than in ,stockholm1 and that would have given the true direction to her sensibility4 ,,mr4 ,,forte4 ,you are quite right2 you have a just estimate of her4 ,in ,paris1 where she might have heard such examples1 she lived in perfect retirement4 ,i was giving concerts there at the time2 but she refused to sing in my concerts1 and therefore she did not even hear me4 ,,mr4 ,,silver 7whom the excitement of the singing has at length reached74 ,do you feel inclined now1 ,madam1 to execute with me the duet from ,the ,creation1 between ,adam and ,eve8 ,,mrs4 ,,gold4 ,here is ,the ,creation1 but we will sing it by and by4 ,mr4 ,forte is just going to play us his latest composition for the left hand1 and some of the music of that romantic1 deeply sensitive ,chopin4 ,,mr4 ,,gold 7rushes in from his stock discussion74 ,oh1 yes6 ,chopin's ,b major mazourka6 ,that was also played at my house by ,henselt1 ,thalberg1 and ,dreyschock4 ,oh1 it is touching6 ,,all 7except ,mr4 ,silver1 ,dominie1 and ,emma74 ,oh1 how touching6 ,,dominie 7to his daughter74 ,if he plays it in the same manner in which he accompanied ,true ,happiness1 you will hear how this mazourka should not be played4 ,it1 by the way1 is not at all touching3 it gives quite boldly the ,polish dance rhythm1 as it is improvised by the peasants in that country2 but it is1 however1 idealized after ,chopin's manner4 7,mr4 ,forte plays several perilous runs up and down with various octave passages1 all the time keeping his foot on the pedal2 and connects with these immediately1 and without a pause1 the mazourka1 which he commences presto4 ,he played it without regard to time or rhythm1 but with a constant rubato1 and unmusical jerks4 ,a few notes were murmured indistinctly pp41 and played very ritardando2 then suddenly a few notes were struck very rapidly and with great force1 so that the strings rattled2 and the final ,b major chord cost the life of one string47 ,,mr4 ,,gold4 ,excellent6 bravissimo6 ,what a comprehension of the piece6 ,such artistic performances make one even forget the stock-exchange6 ,,mrs4 ,,gold4 ,you agitate my inmost nerves6 ,the ,english poet1 ,pope1 holds that no created man can penetrate the secrets of nature2 but you have penetrated the secrets of my soul4 ,now do play at once the ,f sharp minor mazourka1 opus #f4 ,,mr4 ,,pious4 ,what a musical evening ,mrs4 ,gold has prepared for us6 ,what sublime sorrow lies in this production6 ,,mr4 ,,silver 7aside74 ,what would ,father ,strauss say to this affected1 unmusical performance1 that bids defiance to all good taste8 ,,dominie4 ,mrs4 ,gold1 it would be well to send for the tuner to replace this broken ,b string4 ,the next one will break soon1 for it is already cracked1 and its tone is fallen4 ,,mr4 ,,forte 7with a superior air74 ,it is of no consequence4 ,that frequently happens to me2 but ,i never mind it4 ,the piano is a battle-field where there must be sacrifices4 ,,dominie 7whispers to ,emma74 ,he thinks that if the sound is not musical1 still it makes a noise2 and tones out of tune produce more effect than those that are pure4 ,,emma4 ,where did he learn piano-playing8 ,,dominie4 ,my child1 he has not learned it4 ,that is genius1 which comes of itself4 ,instruction would have fettered his genius1 and then he would have played distinctly1 correctly1 unaffectedly1 and in time2 but that would be too much like the style of an amateur4 ,this uncontrolled hurly-burly1 which pays no regard to time1 is called the soaring of genius4 7,mr4 ,forte storms through various unconnected chords with the greatest rapidity1 with the pedal raised2 and passes without pause to the ,f sharp minor mazourka4 ,he accents vehemently1 divides one bar and gives it two extra quarter notes1 and from the next bar he omits a quarter note1 and continues in this manner with extreme self-satisfaction till he reaches the close2 and then1 after a few desperate chords of the diminished seventh1 he connects with it ,liszt's ,transcription of ,schubert's ,serenade in ,d minor4 ,the second string of the two-lined b snaps with a rattle1 and there ensues a general whispering whether the piece is by ,mendelssohn1 or ,doehler1 or ,beethoven1 or ,proch1 or ,schumann1 until finally ,mr4 ,silver mentions ,schubert's ,serenade4 ,mr4 ,forte concludes with the soft pedal1 which in his inspired moments he had already made frequent use of47 ,,dominie 7to ,emma74 ,you should never play in company1 without mentioning previously what you are going to perform4 ,you observe1 as soon as the ,serenade was mentioned1 it put a stop to the guessing4 ,,all 7except ,mr4 ,silver and ,dominie74 ,what a glorious performance6 what an artistic treat6 ,,mrs4 ,,gold4 ,what spirituality in his playing6 ,,mr4 ,,silver 7asking ,mr4 ,forte for information74 ,i noticed1 in the ,serenade1 you made only one bar of the two where it modulates to ,f major1 in your rapid playing of the passage4 ,was that accidental8 ,,emma 7aside74 ,he ought to have played a little slower just there4 ,,mr4 ,,forte4 ,in such beautiful passages1 every thing must be left to the suggestion of one's feelings4 ,perhaps another time ,i may make three bars1 just as inspiration and genius may intimate4 ,those are aesthetic surprises4 ,henselt1 ,moscheles1 ,thalberg1 and ,clara ,wieck do not execute in that manner1 and consequently can produce no effect1 and do not travel4 ,,dominie 7to ,emma74 ,i hope that your natural taste and your musical education will preserve you from such preposterous extravagances4 ,,emma4 ,such playing makes one feel quite uncomfortable and worried4 ,probably that is what you call devilish modern8 ,,dominie4 ,yes4 ,,emma4 ,but do people like it8 ,,dominie4 ,certainly3 a great many people do4 ,it has the superior air of genius1 and sounds very original4 7,mrs4 ,gold has ,the ,creation in her hand1 and ,mr4 ,silver leads her to the piano for the execution of the grand duet between ,adam and ,eve4 ,mr4 ,forte is exhausted1 and ,dominie plays the accompaniment4 ,mr4 ,silver sings intelligently and unaffectedly2 ,mrs4 ,gold1 as before1 but with still less regard to time1 and more out of tune2 but she tries to compensate for this by introducing very long ornaments at the fermate in the allegro1 sung with her thin1 piercing1 over-strained voice2 and she frequently rolls up her black eyes4 ,at the conclusion1 ,mrs4 ,gold was led to the arm-chair1 in great exhaustion of feeling47 ,,mr4 ,,pious4 ,the divine art of music celebrates its perfect triumph in such interpretations of ,haydn4 ,mrs4 ,gold1 were those delicious fermate of your own invention8 ,,mrs4 ,,gold4 ,,no3 the charming ,viardot-,garcia first introduced them as ,rosina in ,the ,barber of ,seville1 and ,i had them written down by a musician in the theatre4 ,but the employment of them in this duet is my own idea4 ,i have already surprised and delighted a great many people with them in parties4 ,the grand1 rushing1 chromatic scale with which the artistic ,garcia astonishes every one1 when acting the dreaming1 fainting ,amina in ,la ,somnambula1 ,i introduce in the grand aria of the divine ,prophet2 rather timidly1 it is true1 for the boldness of a ,garcia can only be acquired on the stage4 ,,emma4 ,but1 father1 ,jenny ,lind sang in this duet in ,vienna1 quite simply1 and with a pure religious spirit4 ,,dominie4 ,that is the reason ,mrs4 ,gold says that ,jenny ,lind sings too coldly1 and ought to listen to more passionate models4 ,but we will talk more about this at home4 ,,mrs4 ,,gold4 ,now1 ,mr4 ,dominie1 will not your daughter ,emma play us some little trifle8 ,afterwards ,i will execute with ,mr4 ,silver1 ,by thy loving kindness1 ,o ,lord1 and a few duets by ,kuecken1 and finish1 if the company wishes1 with the ,grace aria4 ,,dominie4 ,will you allow me first to replace this broken string8 7,after ,dominie has finished1 ,mr4 ,forte strides up to the piano1 and plays his ,etude for the left hand1 with the right hand extended towards the company47 ,,dominie 7to ,mr4 ,forte1 after the conclusion of the piece74 ,would it not have been easier and more to the purpose1 if you had used both hands8 ,,mr4 ,,forte4 ,we must forgive old people such pedantic observations4 ,you entirely mistake my stand-point4 ,do you not see that ,i am standing with one foot in the future8 ,are you not aware that the public wish not only to listen1 but to see something strange8 ,do you not perceive also that my appearance of ill-health produces a great musical effect8 ,,mr4 ,,pious4 ,do you not feel the special charm and the fine effect which is produced by the left hand playing alone1 and no less by the right hand extended8 ,,dominie4 ,is it so8 ,well1 probably feeling has taken a false direction with me4 ,i shall be obliged to accustom myself to such ,parisian flights of sentiment4 7,emma played ,chopin's ,ballad in ,a flat major1 after ,dominie had previously announced it4 ,the company were attentive47 ,,mr4 ,,forte 7at the conclusion74 ,bravo6 ,a very good beginning1 ,mr4 ,dominie4 ,i am sorry that ,i am obliged to take leave now3 ,i am obliged to go to two more soirees this evening1 and have many letters of introduction to deliver4 ,,mr4 ,,silver4 ,miss ,emma1 ,i have just heard that you play finely a great deal of ,chopin's music4 ,let us hear his two latest nocturnes4 ,,mrs4 ,,gold 7to ,emma74 ,have you heard the famous ,camilla ,pleyel play ,kalkbrenner's charming ,d minor concerto8 ,do you not also play such brilliant music8 for example1 ,doehler's beautiful1 pathetic ,notturno in ,d flat4 ,mr4 ,x4 lately played that to us enchantingly4 ,,emma4 ,i know it4 ,i am teaching it to my little sister1 ,cecilia4 ,,dominie4 ,will you allow her now to play ,chopin's two nocturnes1 ,opus #dh8 99 99 99 99 99 ,i will say nothing about the conclusion of the singing1--the ,grace aria4 ,at midnight there was a grand supper1 washed down with sweet wine1 and seasoned with bitter recollections of this musical evening4 ,,chapter ,,xv4 ,,conclusion4 ,i have received the following communication from an old literary friend1 to whom ,i sent my eighth chapter1 requesting his opinion of it3-- ,,motto4 ,there are unreceptive times1 but that which is eternal outlives all times4--,,joh4 ,,von ,m,ue,l,l,e,r4 ,,my ,,dear ,,friend1--,i have read your eighth chapter4 ,what you facetiously call the three trifles seem to me to be three most important points1 even if you had described them simply as fine taste1 deep feeling1 and a good ear4 ,who expects superlative excellence from the age in which he lives1 and who dares to attack it1 in its most vulnerable parts8 ,you grow more harsh and disagreeable1 and you do not seem to consider how many enemies you make1 among those who think that they have long ago advanced beyond these three points4 ,just now1 too1 when there is so much said about the intellectual in music1 and about the inner nature of the future1 and when such fine expressions are invented about it1 you come forward with your three unseasonable trifles in the superlative degree4 ,do you imagine that our intelligent age cannot discern your hidden satire8 ,you say that our times are in need of your three trifles1 and the necessary knowledge and experience4 ,voila tout6 ,as for ,prince ,louis ,ferdinand1 ,dussek1 ,clementi1 ,himmel1 ,hummel1 ,c4,m4v4 ,weber1 ,beethoven1 c41--who has not heard all about them8 ,after them1 comes the period of piano fury1 and the compositions appropriate for it4 ,now the three trifles required are distorted taste1 hypocritical feeling1 and a depraved ear1 combined with the necessary superficiality and some power of production4 ,voila tout6 ,after that1 musicians bethink themselves once more of the genuine three trifles1 and return to reason1 and we are allowed to take delight in ,chopin1 ,mendelssohn1 ,fr4 ,schubert1 ,robert ,schumann1 and a few others of the same sort1 and again in ,beethoven4 ,these were succeeded by mere dry imitators2 they were not1 however1 of much significance4 ,finally1 the very latest progress introduces a still more extravagant piano fury4 ,the three trifles are now distorted taste1 no feeling1 and no ear for tone2 and with these are required the necessary audacity1 immeasurable vanity1 senseless exhibitions of strength1 a poor touch upon the piano1 and what they call intellect4 ,the compositions are now embellished with appropriate pictures on the cover1 and with attractive title-pages4 ,in addition1 there is much talk about a higher beauty1 the stand-points which have been already surmounted1 artistic flights1 and the misunderstanding of the inner consciousness1 ,genius must be free1 c4 ,my old conservative friend1 you are seen through4 ,your influence1 and more especially your ideas about singing1 belong only to a past age4 ,they date from the last century4 ,you will be derided with your ,jenny ,lind and ,henrietta ,sontag4 ,they are lifeless images of singers1 to be kept in a glass case4 ,are you willing to remain ignorant of the magnificent modern style of voice8 ,can you not go forward with the advancing age8 ,progressive philosophers will rap you over the knuckles4 ,you imagine that our times will stop for a couple of lectures6 ,you will yet have to learn what intellect signifies4 ,in short1 ,i should not like to stand in your shoes4 ,you should conclude your book with ,pater1 peccavi4 ,even in misfortune1 ,your sympathizing friend1 ,v4,e4