zzo 
 
 M161 
 
 '''SI 
 
 -Ajvo TEACHING 
 
 IRINCIPLES A^Lj PROBLEMS 
 
 BY 
 
 CLARENCE G. HAMILTON, A.M. 
 
 ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR O^ MUSIC AT 
 WELLESLEY COLLEGE 
 
 BOSTON 
 
 OLIVER DITSOX COMPANY 
 
 |nE\V YORK 
 
 DITSON & CO. 
 
 PHILADELPHIA 
 J. E. DITSON & CO. 
 
 CHICAGO 
 
 LYON & HEALY 
 

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 :-i ». ife- m> # , Hrv:: **''^ ihr'^^ 
 
PIANO TEACHING 
 
 ITS 
 
 PRINCIPLES AND PROBLEMS 
 
 BY 
 
 CLARENCE G. HAMILTON, A.M. 
 
 associate l'rokes«or of music at 
 wf:llesley college 
 
 BOSTON 
 OLIVER DITSOX COMPANY 
 
 NEW YORK 
 
 C. H. DITSON & CO. 
 
 PHILADELPHIA 
 
 J. E. DITSON & CO. 
 
 CHICAGO 
 
 LYON & HEALY 
 
I 
 
 /AUSIC LIBRAR 
 UNIVERSITY 
 OF CALIFORNIA i 
 
 BERKELEY J 
 - — ^ 
 
 Copyright, MCMX 
 By Olivku Ditson Co>ipany 
 
 Tnternational Copyright Secured 
 
 Stanbopc iPreas 
 
 F. H. GILSON COMPANY 
 BOSTON. U.S.A. 
 

 PREFACE 
 
 I AM frequently asked by students who are starting out on 
 their own account as piano teachers, or who have had some 
 experience in such work, for advice concerning knotty prob- 
 lems which they are encountering. Realizing that there is an 
 almost total lack of available and systematic literature to 
 which I can refer them, I have attempted to supply this 
 deficiency in the following pages. In doing so, I have con- 
 stantly borne in mind actual questions which have been pro- 
 pounded to me concerning the subjects discussed. To these I 
 have not attempted to give encyclopedic answers, but have 
 simply suggested directions in which solutions may be discov- 
 ered by the ingenuity of the teacher. 
 
 Some few of the ideas thus brought forward I have gleaned 
 from writings on the subject; many have come from my teach- 
 ers and other friends in the profession; while the remainder 
 have occurred as the fruit of my own labors. None of them, 
 therefore, are advocated merely from a theoretical course of 
 reasoning, but all have been tried in the furnace of actual 
 experience, and have not been found wanting. 
 
 I venture to hope, accordingly, that among the thoughts 
 presented each piano teacher may discover something of stim- 
 ulating power, and that those who are now piano students, or 
 are seeking by themselves to keep in touch with modern 
 methods and materials, may find an occasional help by the way. 
 It is possible, also, that the book may be found useful by those 
 conservatories and private teachers who are engaged in the 
 laudable and much needed work of conducting training classes 
 for future music teachers. 
 
 Clarence G. Hamilton. 
 
 Wellesley, Mass., June 9, 1910. 
 
CONTENTS 
 
 Chapter Page 
 
 I. The Piano Teacher's Equipment 1 
 
 II. Rules and Regulations in Teaching 13 
 
 III. Principles Employed in Teaching 25 
 
 IV. The First Lessons with a New Pupil 40 
 
 V. The Teaching of Technic 53 
 
 VL The Teaching of the Rhythmic Element 70 
 
 VII. The Teaching of the Melodic and Harmonic Elements.. 88 
 
 VIII. The Teaching of Umri^ in Interpretation 104 
 
 IX. The Public Performances of Pupils 121 
 
 X. Various Types of Pupils 135 
 
 XI. The Selection of Music 147 
 
 List of Books 163 
 
 Index 167 
 
PIANO TEACHING 
 
 CHAPTER I 
 
 The Piano Teacher's Equipment 
 
 You have decided to become a piano teacher. I have no 
 wish to dissuade you from this intention, for the profession is 
 an honorable and a useful one, and there is plenty ^ ._, ^. 
 
 ' . . Considerations 
 
 of room in it for the exercise of real ability; but, before entering 
 
 , » 1 • • • • 1 1 -j^ • J- • j^i j^ the profession. 
 
 before your decision is irrevocable, it is tair that 
 an outline, at least, of the equipment necessary for the work 
 should be placed before you. Viewing this clearly, you will 
 either have more confidence to persist in your intention, or 
 you may abandon it in favor of some vocation more suited to 
 your talents. 
 
 You have, I trust, a high ideal of the sphere of music, and 
 a desire to become an effective missionary in its behalf. For 
 a time, however, this excellent aim must be Necessity for the 
 relegated to the background, while you consider busfness"^yinci- 
 the more prosaic business side of the enterprise; p'^^- 
 for your success or failure will depend largely upon how you 
 manage the manifold details which you will find encom- 
 passing your labors. If you are so fortunate as to obtain 
 a salaried position in some institution, many of these pitfalls 
 will be eliminated; but if, as I asvsume, you are relying wholly 
 upon your own efforts, you must take care to place yourself 
 in close alliance with recognized business principles. 
 
 Such principles declare, as a primary dictum, that you 
 should start out with sufficient capital. This „ . , ■ 
 
 ^ Nature of a piano 
 
 capital, in the case of a piano teacher, will teacher's capital, 
 consist of both brains and money; for, in default which it must be 
 of either one, he is powerless. Assuming that ^''^^'" 
 you have the former in abundance, let us see how the money 
 
 1 
 
2 PIANO TEACHING 
 
 capital is to be invested. Much of it must be spent upon the 
 cultivation of your mind and fingers — in the acquirement of 
 a knowledge of the components of music and the ability to 
 interpret it. Undoubtedly, you have already accomplished 
 signal results along these lines, or you would not think of 
 music as a profession; for one must grow up from childhood 
 familiar with the language of music if he is ever to express 
 himself readily in it. Besides mental cultivation, however, 
 there are tools demanded for your workshop which must 
 also receive careful attention. Let us elaborate these matters 
 more fully. 
 
 You will be quick to inquire how much time you should 
 spend with an instructor before you shall have gained the 
 Amount of piano amouut of skiU requisite to set up for yourself 
 study required. ^^ ^^ tcachcr. This qucstiou is a difficult one to 
 answer, inasmuch as the factors of individual aptitude, of 
 diligence in practice, and of the deftness of the instructor, 
 must have so decided an influence; but it is safe to say that 
 four or five years of earnest application may be considered a 
 minimum amount. I have heard of an enterprising indi- 
 vidual who took twenty lessons and then retailed them to 
 pupils, stopping always at the twentieth for want of further 
 educational pabulum; but we may trust that such cases are 
 rare. It is not necessary, however, that one should arrive at 
 the stage of virtuosity before he begins to impart his knowl- 
 edge. It will suffice if he has studied typical examples of 
 the work of the great pianoforte masters, and if he have in 
 his repertory such selections as a Bach prelude and fugue, 
 sonatas by Haydn, Mozart, and Beethoven, a Mendelssohn 
 Song Without Words, and short pieces by Schubert, Chopin, 
 Schumann, and the best of the present-day composers. A 
 piano teacher who cannot play is like a carpenter who cannot 
 saw a stick of wood. So he should always have something, 
 however unpretentious, to perform for friends, or even in 
 public; for while the latter stage of accomplishment is not 
 absolutely necessary, there is yet no more decisive proof of his 
 competency than that afforded by his fearless and agreeable 
 
PIANO TEACHING 3 
 
 interpretation of music in the presence of a crowd of wit- 
 nesses. 
 
 Wiiile a finislied and artistic style should be your main 
 object, it is none the less important that you should become a 
 readj^ sight-reader. Your success in this branch opportunities for 
 will depend largely upon your own persistence ness'in°fight-**'' 
 in making and seizing upon opportunities for reading, 
 practice. By yourself, you can map out a course of system- 
 atic work, which will begin with the reading of hymns, and 
 will continue with that of collections of compositions of good 
 musical worth, but of no great difficulty, like the sonatinas of 
 Kuhlau, Clementi, and Dussek, and the easier works of Haydn 
 and Mozart. You will at the same time derive great benefit 
 from a series of meetings with some friend who has aims and 
 attainments similar to your own, during which meetings regular 
 amounts of four-hand music are read, such as the four books of 
 Haydn's symphonies {edition Peters, vols. 186 a-d), and IMo- 
 zart's compositions {edition Peters, vol. 12). Take care, however, 
 to change frequently from the treble to the bass part, or vice 
 versa, in order that your attainments may not become one- 
 sided. With your violinist friend, you may also read works 
 like the violin and piano sonatas of Haydn, Mozart, and 
 Beethoven, in which the piano has a part equal in importance 
 to that of the other instrument; while your friends who are 
 singers will gladly afford you practice in the playing of their 
 accompaniments. As your skill increases, you will find no 
 lack of opportunity to display it at any gathering where 
 music is a feature; and, as a result, you will discover that you 
 are gaining in sympathy and ease as an interpreter, as well as 
 accomplishing the object for which you started. 
 
 Having secured the requisite pianistic training, you should 
 yet pause a little to answer the questions: "Why do I wish to 
 become a piano teacher? Is it because it is an „ .^, 
 
 ^ _ _ _ _ Possible motives 
 
 easy occupation? Is it because it is profitable?" in becoming a 
 Neither of these reasons is sufficient. If j^our 
 teaching is not intended to amount to anything in the way of 
 definite artistic results, you had better let it alone. There are 
 
4 PIANO TEACHING 
 
 plenty of hard-working teachers in the field already, and there is 
 no room in it for the elegant trifler. If you are to enter it at all, 
 it should be through the gate of serious aims and thoughtful, 
 energetic endeavor. Again, the profession is not what might 
 be called a lucrative one. Teachers of any branches are 
 badly enough paid, and the music teacher often fares worse 
 than others. It is only, indeed, by dint of unflagging industry 
 and perseverance that he ever attains to a comfortable or 
 steady income. Let me emphasize the fact, then, that you 
 should let music teaching decidedly alone, unless Music itself 
 compels you to devote yourself to it by means of its irresist- 
 ible attraction. The artist spirit should be in you: that spirit 
 which is so animated by love for music that it will never leave 
 you happy in any other occupation; that spirit which involves 
 an enthusiasm that will ride rough-shod over apparent fail- 
 ures, secure in its devotion to its object. If you have this 
 spirit you need hesitate no longer. 
 
 If you have crossed the Rubicon to a musical career, you 
 have next to collect your materials into usable form. Of 
 A systematic coursc you are familiar enough with the com- 
 m^u'sTcaUunda- "^^n dcviccs of musical notation, such as the 
 mentals. g^^ff formation, the clef and bar signs, and the 
 
 values of notes and rests. But are these facts arranged in 
 your mind in an orderly manner, or are they in a state of 
 general confusion? For we must have no uncertainties in 
 teaching: everything must be as clear as day to the teacher, at 
 least, or it will never become so to the pupil. Take some good 
 music primer, preferably Burrowes' Piano Primer (Edited by 
 Billiard), and peruse it diligently with pencil in hand and a 
 blank book by your side in which to write down the topics in 
 order, together with any remarks you wish to make about 
 them. Every volume which you want to make your own, in 
 fact, should be treated in this way, with the result that you 
 take away from it a little book which you have written your- 
 self, and which contains the meat of its contents, as related to 
 your needs. You may not desire to teach the items in the 
 primer as there treated, but you will have systematized your 
 
riANO TEACHING 5 
 
 ideas on the subjoct, and you now know just where to look for 
 any hiforination which it contains. Other l^ranches of music 
 of which you should in a similar manner gain at least an ele- 
 mentary knowledge are the Development of Notation, the 
 Science of Harmony, and the Principles of Musical Form. 
 For the fxrst. The Story of Notation, by C. F. Alxly Williams is 
 recommended; for the second, any concise text'book of har- 
 mony, like Stainer's Harmony, or York's Harmony Simplified; 
 and for the third, Goetschius' Lessons in Music Form. 
 
 You nuist also take measures to secure as wide an acquaint- 
 ance as possible with piano compositions. A first necessity 
 for your teaching will be a graded list of pieces How to compile 
 and studies adapted to the varying demands of feaching compo- 
 pupils. I shall begin such lists for you in ^itions. 
 Chapter XI; but the pieces which you intend to use should be 
 much more than mere names to you. You should study 
 through each of them before attempting to expound it to a 
 pupil, and should be conversant with its difficulties and its 
 capacities for illustrating important points. Also, the initial 
 lists should be rapidly augmented by a perusal of all kinds of 
 compositions, both classic and modern, which are liable to 
 furnish useful material; and such material, when found, should 
 be classified for future reference. In this way, also, another 
 practical benefit may be made to accrue from the sight-reading 
 course outlined above. 
 
 In order to acquire the proper conception of how each com- 
 poser's works should be treated, you should have some knowl- 
 edge of how music looked to him; what kind „ ^ . 
 
 _ _ How to obtain a 
 
 of a man he was, what were his surroundings, proper historical 
 and what the condition of music was in his day. ^^"^^^^"^ '^^' 
 You should realize that the music of Bach's time was not only 
 different in style, but was played with an entirely different 
 touch and range of tone from the music of the present; and 
 that it is thus a gross anachronism to play Bach in the style 
 of Chopin, or Beethoven in the style of Debussy. It is not 
 enough, either, to tell a pupil that Bach or Beethoven lived 
 some time in the long ago; but you should make these men 
 
6 PIANO TEACHING 
 
 real to him by suggesting that Bach was a contemporary of 
 Benjamin Franklin, and that Beethoven was a small boy 
 during our Revolutionary War. Make yourself master, there- 
 fore, of some concise history of music, such as Hamilton's 
 Outlines of Music History, and afterward fill in details by read- 
 ing larger works on both musical and general history. 
 
 So much for the components of your mental outfit. Some 
 of this, like the musical instruction you have received, has 
 required the expenditure of money capital; some 
 material parts of of it, like the native aptitude for the profession, 
 has presupposed a capital inherent in yourself, 
 and not to be bought upon any terms. We pass now to the 
 consideration of a number of the necessary tools which must 
 be provided. 
 
 Get, to begin with, the very best piano your means can 
 afford. Perhaps you already have this; but it is often the 
 Choice and care casc that students Start out to teach with noth- 
 of a piano. jj-,g ^q inspire them but a worn-out old instru- 
 
 ment which they, or others before them, have reduced to a 
 wreck by years of hard usage. Inventions in piano manu- 
 facture, too, have been so numerous that the instrument of 
 to-day is quite a different affair from that of thirty or forty 
 years ago, with longer compass, greater tone-capacity, and 
 richer quality. So, if you do not wish to teach how to play 
 merely the piano of a bygone age, you should have a modern 
 instrument, preferably in the "grand" form. Choose one of a 
 reliable make, with a firm, responsive action; one, moreover, in 
 which the bass does not give way under your fingers, and of 
 which the treble is pure and true, but not harsh. After you 
 have purchased such an one, hire a competent tuner to look 
 after it at intervals of not less than three months, whether it 
 seems to need it or not; for the rapid degeneration which 
 often occurs in new pianos is most frequently caused by failure 
 to keep them properly cared for as to tuning and adjustment; 
 while a still more fatal consequence of this neglect rests in the 
 danger to the teacher's own nice perception of musical values 
 and pitch, which an ill-adjusted piano is liable to imperil. If 
 
PIANO TEACHING 7 
 
 your pockotbook will pcnnii, you will find it of advan- 
 tage to possess a second piano, to be used for illustrations 
 and secontl-piano parts. This can at least be noted as a 
 possibility. 
 
 Next in importance to the instrument comes the teacher's 
 hbrary of music and l)0()ks about music. What an advantage 
 the musician has over the painter in respect to ^, 
 
 The nucleus of a 
 
 these! For while the latter must sometimes library of music 
 travel thousands of miles in order to study 
 models of his art at first hand, the musician can purchase, at 
 trifling expense, the masterpieces of the great composers in 
 excellent editions, and can interpret them at his leisure with- 
 out leaving the confines of his own home. As a nucleus for 
 your music library I may suggest the following: — Handel's 
 Suites; Bach's Well Tem-pered Clavichord; the best sonatas of 
 Haydn and Mozart; the complete sonatas of Beethoven; 
 Schubert's Impromptus and Moments Musicals; jVIendelssohn's 
 Songs without Words; Op. 12, 15, 21, 23, 68 and 82 of Schumann's 
 works; Chopin's Waltzes, Mazurkas, Polonaises, Nocturnes, Pre- 
 ludes, Ballades and Impromptus; and selections from the piano 
 works of Liszt, Brahms, Rubinstein, Grieg, Moszkowski, Mac- 
 dowell, and other prominent modern composers. All these should, 
 if possible, be bound, arranged in alphabetical order, and kept 
 conveniently at hand. Of literature about music, I should 
 put of first importance a subscription to one of the excellent 
 monthly magazines devoted to the interests of your work. 
 After this, beside the books mentioned above, Elson's Music 
 Dictionary, Baltzell's Dictionary of Musicians, and Parrj-'s 
 Evolution of the Art of Music will make a good beginning; while 
 the five volumes of Grove's Dictionary of Music and Musicians, 
 the standard work on the subject, should be added as soon 
 as funds will permit. In augmenting your library you will 
 gradually complete your lists of the works of the great 
 masters, and will add to your books a volume at a time, as 
 each one is read. Hamilton's Outlines of Music History, Pratt's 
 History of Music, Dickinson's Study of Music History, and 
 Streatfeild's Modern Music and Musicians will widen the his- 
 
8 PIANO TEACHING 
 
 torical horizon; while biographies of various composers will 
 emphasize certain epochs. From these will proceed books upon 
 special branches, like Finck's Songs and Song Writers, Apthorp's 
 The Opera, Past and Present, Goepp's Symphonies and their 
 Meaning, Lavignac's Music Education and Music and Mu- 
 sicians. For general culture on kindred subjects, you should 
 have on history, Myers' General History; on art, Reinach's 
 Story of Art through the Ages and Caffin's How to Study Pic- 
 tures; on psychology and pedagogy, Fisher's Psychology for 
 Music Teachers, James' Talks with Teachers, and Morgan's 
 Psychology for Teachers* 
 
 The question of where you are to teach must also be an- 
 swered. Most young teachers begin by giving their lessons 
 „ , . ^ at the houses of their pupils; and there are some 
 
 Relative advan- 
 tages of various advantages in this plan, since it involves an 
 g p aces. ^J^Q^J^^ Qf outdoor exercise, and allows the in- 
 structor to ascertain under what conditions each pupil is 
 working. But there are also many circumstances which are 
 apt to induce the teacher later on to change the scene of his 
 activity to his own house, or to a business studio. Concen- 
 tration of work and materials is thus favored, time is saved, 
 music is handy for reference, and the teacher can gauge the 
 pupil's performance more accurately, because he understands 
 just what the piano is capable of. But if you do not wish to 
 go out to teach, be careful of your own physical exercise. I 
 have known teachers who taught from morning till night in 
 one room, stopping only for a hasty lunch, and then even con- 
 tinued the process into the evening, thus laying all their plans 
 for an early digestive collapse. If you are not sure of getting 
 regular exercise, it is well to give a few of your lessons at your 
 pupils' houses, and thus force yourself into the open air occa- 
 sionally. Also, if you teach in your own quarters, take care to 
 keep informed as to what encouragement your pupil receives 
 at home, and especially as to what sort of instrument he is 
 practicing upon. A pupil once asked me if my piano was not 
 badly out of tune just after it had been put in prime con- 
 * See book list, page 163. 
 
PIANO TEACHING 
 
 9 
 
 dition. On investigation, I found that her own piano had not 
 been tuned for years, and that her ears had liecomc so edu- 
 cated to false pitch that correct pitcli sounded wrong to her. 
 Insist, therefore, that your pupils keep their pianos in proper 
 condition. 
 
 Your music room will of course receive careful attention. 
 While your individual taste should have free play in its arrange- 
 ment and decoration, there are a few principles ^ 
 
 ' . * * The location and 
 
 which can be taken as guides. The room should outfit of the music 
 be as commodious and well ventilated as possi- 
 ble. Your piano should be so located as to receive proper 
 light, both in the daytime and in the evening; and your library 
 
 The Music Room. 
 
 and desk should occupy convenient spaces. As to other furni- 
 ture, let it not be too numerous or too comfortable; for, in the 
 one case, free progress about the room will be made difficult, 
 and, in the other, the atmosphere of alertness which should 
 prevail will be endangered. Make the decorative tone quiet, 
 and one which will not distract the attention; and let the few 
 pictures be chosen with reference to your needs. This means 
 
10 PIANO TEACHING 
 
 that you should have one or two portraits of your favorite 
 musicians, and, more especially, copies of masterpieces which 
 represent distinctive schools of art, and which you can use to 
 illustrate different styles of music: a Raphael for the classic 
 style (see page 107) , a Rembrandt for tonal contrasts (see yage 
 108), a Corot for modern romanticism (seepage 114). Do not 
 forget, either, to provide a small blackboard, which will fre- 
 quently be called upon to illustrate salient points of the lesson. 
 
 As the absence of preparation in little details is sure to bring 
 constant annoyances, take care to provide a plentiful supply 
 Supplies of small of such Commodities as paper, pencils, pens and 
 ^'■*''='^^- ink. Have 3'our desk supplied with neat sta- 
 
 tionery, and with l)ook-keeping accoutrements. Your bill- 
 heads, business cards, circulars of terms, and the like should 
 have each its separate pocket; and your correspondence should 
 be filed for immediate reference. 
 
 There is only one thing more needed to complete your outfit, 
 and that is the presence of a group of expectant pupils. I 
 have seen students excellently prepared to teach who got little 
 further than such preparation; while others who were not 
 Tact in securing by any means so well equipped became imme- 
 p^p'^^- diately surrounded by an interested clientele, that 
 
 seemed to spring up like mushrooms. Your success in obtain- 
 ing pupils must depend so largely upon your own tact and 
 address that I shall venture only a few suggestions as to how 
 these may be employed most efficaciously. 
 
 You will have to depend primarily upon your friends to give 
 you your start. It follows that your beginning will be best 
 „ .^ ,. , made in a place where your abilities are well 
 
 Notification of i ./ 
 
 friends and ac- kuown. But you must uot cxpect cveu here 
 
 quaintances. ii i i -ii i ^ • A' 
 
 that people will seek you out in a corner, lou 
 should make it known as widely as possible that you want to 
 teach, and that you are competent to do so. Tell your friends, 
 therefore, and interest them in your project; and reach as exten- 
 sive a circle of acquaintances as possible by sending out cards 
 with an inscription upon them, brief and to the point, reading 
 somewhat as follows: 
 
PIANO TEACHING H 
 
 HENRY M. ALTON, 
 
 TEACHER OF PIANOFORTE PLAYING 
 
 Hours for consultation, Tuesdays and Fridays 
 from two to five o'clock P.M. 
 
 45 Pearl Street 
 Telephone: 417-3 
 
 The most favorable season for circulating such cards is in 
 the early fall, when parents are deciding upon instructors for 
 their children; and a similar card may be inserted in the 
 newspapers at the same time. As to further solicitation, you 
 can best judge for yourself. I once had a pupil who secured 
 a flourishing class by paying personal visits to Methods of soiic- 
 all acquaintances who had eligible children and '''°^ pupils, 
 asking for their patronage. This device, which was carried 
 out in a small town, would perhaps not have succeeded so well 
 in a larger place, or in the hands of a less tactful advocate, 
 for the teacher who adopts such a method runs great danger 
 of being placed in the same category as the book-agent, and 
 treated accordingly. In any kind of advertising of which you 
 make use, however, take care never to give the appearance of 
 attempting to draw pupils away from other teachers. The 
 rules of professional courtesy and of expediency alike forbid 
 this. 
 
 Your best ally will, however, be your own playing. Let 
 people see that you understand what you are about, let them 
 actually hear you perform with credit, and you opportunities 
 will have gained much headway in their esteem. teac™er's°musicai 
 And while your solo playing will be of great ability known, 
 benefit to you, you can make yourself even more useful by a 
 readiness in playing accompaniments. If you can add organ 
 work to your accomplishments, and are thus able to display 
 your prowess regularly in the church services, you will have 
 
12 PIANO TEACHING 
 
 obtained another lever of advantage. Above all, make your- 
 self alert, cheerful, and accommodating whenever any musical 
 work is required of you which you can do without loss of 
 dignity, and people will come to appreciate your ability, and 
 talk of you as a musician of promise. 
 
 And once having secured a few pupils for your own, you 
 have the possibility of making use of the very best form of 
 Influence of advertisement, namely, that which consists in the 
 
 pupUs' playing. playing of your pupils. If they are awakened to 
 interest by you, and if they show the value of your instruc- 
 tions by making progress, others will surely flock to your stand- 
 ard. We shall consider later on (Chap. IX.) how the work 
 of your pupils can be exhibited to the best advantage. Only 
 train them to play the best music in an interesting and intelli- 
 gent manner, and their performances cannot fail to redound 
 continually to your credit. 
 
 To summarize: your equipment will consist, on the mental 
 side, of technical skill, enthusiasm, systematized knowledge of 
 musical fundamentals, and a wide acquaintance 
 with pianoforte compositions, together with the 
 circumstances under which they were written; and on the 
 material side, of a good piano, the nucleus of a library, a music 
 room, and the smaller tools of your trade. Given these essen- 
 tials, you have only to find the pupils in order to become 
 fully launched in your profession. Remember that the be- 
 ginning of teaching should itself be only a phase of study. 
 See that your own advancement continues, therefore, under 
 the guidance of a skilful teacher, if possible. Enlarge your 
 acquaintance with music and literature about music. Fra- 
 ternize with others whose work is similar to your own, and 
 interchange with them the benefits of mutual experiences. 
 Have your mind open to new ideas, and your intelligence 
 discriminating as to which of them to accept. In such ways 
 you will come to appreciate the limitless possibilities which 
 are open to the exponents of music, and yet you will constantly 
 gain confidence in your own abilities as your grasp upon the 
 subject becomes firmer. 
 
CHAPTER II 
 
 Rules and Regulations in Teaching 
 
 From the time that your first pupil appears, you will be 
 confronted with a series of problems which concern your l)usi- 
 ness relations with him. Some of these must be _ ., 
 
 Problems con- 
 
 decided upon as they arise; but for the majority nected with busi- 
 you can either be ready with a solution in 
 advance or can provide in accordance with certain recognized 
 principles. There are problems which have to do with the 
 contract between yourself and your patrons; those which con- 
 cern the conduct of lessons; and those which inquire how to 
 induce the pupil to carry out the instructions which you have 
 given him. If you can formulate a few simple and definite 
 rules upon which to base your course of action when such 
 questions arise, you will render your own path smoother and 
 will also give your patrons a wholesome respect for your 
 straightforward dealings. Such rules, moreover, will act as a 
 safeguard to shield you from the temptation, sometimes strong, 
 to advance the interests of the more brilliant pupils at the 
 expense of the dullards. 
 
 A first step is to have a circular printed which you will 
 present to each patron, and which states briefly your prices 
 for lessons, their length, and your mode of pro^ Business circu- 
 cedure in regard to lessons omitted. These **"* 
 items will then be regarded in the nature of a contract between 
 both parties, and can be referred to in case of any dispute. 
 Leave out any matters of a more personal nature, such as how 
 much practice you require, or how music is to be furnished. 
 I have seen such circulars loaded down with elaborate rules, 
 which provided for every detail from the height of the piano 
 stool to the poetry of interpretation, and every one of which, 
 I venture to say, was broken more times than it was kept. 
 
 13 
 
14 PIANO TEACHING 
 
 You will find a certain range of prices prevalent in your 
 community, extending anywhere up to five dollars a lesson. 
 How to fix the The latter limit is rarely surpassed except in 
 price for lessons, ^^le case of the mcteoric flight of some virtuoso 
 who knows how to turn the admiration he has inspired into 
 dollars and cents, and whose prowess as a pianist is frequently 
 far in advance of his ability to impart it. The lowest prices 
 in the scale, on the other hand, are less than those paid a good 
 laundress for a corresponding period of labor. Whether right 
 or wrong, it is a fact that the average individual judges a 
 teacher's ability by the fees he receives, estimating, for in- 
 stance, that a two-dollar teacher must be twice as good as one 
 who charges only a dollar a lesson. Begin, therefore, by put- 
 ting your instruction at a price which, though moderate, yet 
 assures for you a dignified plane in the profession. It is better 
 to do this, even if you have to gain your first experience by 
 teaching a few pupils free of charge; only be sure to abolish 
 the free list as soon as circumstances justify you in doing so, 
 since your instructions will never be properly valued if their 
 recipient does not make some sacrifice in return for them. 
 
 You must also decide on the length of lessons. With small 
 children, a half-hour is quite long enough; and for the first 
 year, at least, it is desirable that a pupil should 
 frequency of les- liavc two or more such Icssous cach week. One 
 ^°°^' of the diflSculties which the piano teacher has to 
 
 encounter lies in the small amount of supervision of the pupil's 
 work to which he is perforce, confined. In the course of the 
 entire week which the majority of children spend away from 
 the teacher there are such infinite possibilities for departing 
 from the straight and narrow path that it is small wonder that 
 so many wander hopelessly astray and that the teacher must, 
 in consequence, spend much of his time in simply bringing 
 them back to the starting-point, and turning them in the right 
 direction. Where the single weekly lesson is given and the 
 pupil is able to stand the strain, the three-quarter hour limit 
 is generally sufficient to cover a reasanable amount of ground; 
 and, indeed, it may be more effective, by reason of its necessary 
 
PIANO TEACHING 15 
 
 concentration, than the more liberal hour limit, formerly in 
 common use. 
 
 The third item on j'our circulars relates to omitted lessons. 
 What teacher does not know the exasperation of waiting 
 anxiously for a pupil's appearance, while the How to treat the 
 latter is blissfully gazing at a Imll game, or is omission of les- 
 
 • • 1 c • lo IT sons. 
 
 entertammg an unexpected friend.^ You must 
 have a rule for such cases, and a rule, moreover, which can 
 actually be enforced. It is not sufficient to say that all lost 
 lessons must be paid for, as of course they should be when- 
 ever the pupil is at fault, because you will have to make so 
 many exceptions that your rule will become practically mean- 
 ingless; nor is it sufficient to say in general terms that you 
 expect a pupil to notify you beforehand of the omission of a 
 lesson or else to pay for it, because general terms are alto- 
 gether too indefinite. I have found it most efficacious to 
 establish the law that no allowance will be made for a lost 
 lesson except where notification, accompanied by a reasonable 
 excuse, has reached me at least twenty-four hours before the 
 time appointed for the lesson. Patrons who have any sense of 
 fairness cannot but see the justice of these provisions, and there 
 is no reason why they should ever be over-ruled, except, 
 perhaps, in the case of a railroad collapse or an impassable 
 blizzard. Here is a circular based on these terms: — 
 
 Miss Grant's terms for instruction are twenty dollars for 
 ten lessons. Lessons are forty-Jive minutes in length. 
 
 No allowance is made for lesso?is omitted, unless a valid 
 excuse is presented for such omission, and notice has been 
 received at least tweyity-four hours in advance. 
 
 How your pupils are to be supplied with the requisite 
 music is a question of moment. If a well-stocked music 
 store is accessible and you can rely on the pupil to go to it, 
 you may perhaps delegate the responsibility to him. But 
 
16 PIANO TEACHING 
 
 many times, even where such Utopian conditions exist, the 
 pupil comes for his next lesson with a tale of woe as to his loss 
 How to furnish of the slip you gave him, or the deficiency of the 
 skrand'w'h^To •'^torc in respect to the particular piece you or- 
 charge them for it. Jered. There is a happy remedy for these troubles 
 in the facility with which the teacher may keep music ready 
 at hand for his pupils' use, and with which he may conse- 
 quently place it before them exactly at the crucial moment. 
 Publishers now lighten the teachers' toils immeasurably by 
 furnishing them, on liberal terms, stock orders of music, and 
 also selections of new compositions, carefully adjusted to their 
 needs. You should expect your pupils to pay you the same 
 price for music furnished by you which they must pay at the 
 regular music stores. If any of them insist upon unusual dis- 
 counts, let them purchase their own supplies. 
 
 If you thus assume some of the functions of a music store, 
 you will, of course, add considerably to the number of details 
 How to keep in your work, and will emphasize the necessity 
 accounts. f^j. ^^^ accurate system of keeping your accounts. 
 
 This must begin by the cultivation of the habit of jotting 
 down immediately, in black and white, anything that you 
 wish to remember. Have a daybook within reach, and in 
 this make a note of each lesson, together with items as to the 
 pupil's progress, material to be provided for him, or music to 
 be charged to his account. Failure to record the last named, 
 especially, means that you will often neglect it altogether, and 
 that you will be considerably out of pocket at the end of the 
 season as a result. For a permanent register of these items 
 the card system will be found invaluable. Two sets of cards 
 should be kept for each pupil: one for memoranda as to his 
 attainments and progress, and the other for the enrolment of 
 lessons given and music charged to his account. At stated 
 periods, say once a week, the data should be transferred from 
 your daybook to these cards, which are kept easily accessible 
 in alphabetical order; and at the same time your business 
 expenditures and receipts should be entered in a ledger, your 
 accounts balanced, and your bills sent out. Such business 
 
PIANO TEACHING 17 
 
 methods should extend to your correspondence also, which 
 should receive regular and prompt attention. 
 
 There will probably be some variety in the manner in which 
 the pupils make their payments for lessons. Some prefer to 
 ease their consciences by squaring accounts at -^^^ jjj,,^ should 
 each lesson; and, indeed, the supply of ready be rendered and 
 
 (•fill lie payments made. 
 
 cash thus artorded the t(>acher and the fact that 
 a bird in the hand is worth seizing make this method not 
 wholl}^ undesirable, although it involves a disadvantage in 
 that pupils are not apt to feel bound to pursue a course of 
 study to its legitimate end if every obligation is released at 
 the close of each lesson. An ideal system prevails when the 
 pupil pays the whole or a large part of his season's tuition in 
 advance. This custom is followed out at educational insti- 
 tutions, such as schools and colleges, and even in the case of 
 dancing schools. Why should not teachers of music league 
 together in enforcing so desirable and reasonable a system, 
 and thus make sure of better work on the part both of them- 
 selves and of their pupils, wdth a definite course of effort laid 
 open before them? Until such concerted action is taken, 
 however, the prevalent custom will probably continue, which 
 consists in rendering a bill to the pupil at the end of a term, 
 embracing a convenient number of lessons, generally ten. I 
 am glad to record that, so far as I have observed, such bills 
 are seldom disputed or left long unpaid. You are justified, of 
 course, in sending a second bill if the first is long unheard 
 from; and in extreme cases of neglect, you should not hesitate 
 to hire a reliable collector to strengthen your previous hints. 
 Your billheads may be worded as follows: 
 
 Ipswich, 
 
 M 
 
 To HENRY M. ALTON, Dr. 
 
 To Pianoforte Instruction, from to i 
 
 To Music 
 
 Received Payment, 
 
18 PIANO TEACHING 
 
 As the numl)or of your pupils increases, you will have to 
 consider how to divide up your time so as best to accommodate 
 „ both them and yourself. It is quite possible to 
 
 How to arrange 
 
 your lessons to scatter eveu a few lessons through the week in 
 
 best advantage. , . , • ex 
 
 such a manner as to leave no mornmg or aiter- 
 noon free from them. You should avoid this condition by 
 setting apart one day of the week, at least, in which j^ou can 
 be your own master. Outside of this, reserve certain hours 
 for teaching, and do not lightly transgress them. Arrange 
 your pupils, moreover, in groups, so that the least possible 
 time may be lost between lessons. If you go out to teach, you 
 can easily group together those in the same locality; and if 
 they come to you, a little careful management will generally 
 fit them into your available hours. As many lessons as pos- 
 sible should be placed in the morning, when minds are more 
 alert. Unfortunately, in the case of school children, the les- 
 son has frequently to be given in that part of the day in which 
 they are least fitted to respond to it. By utilizing Saturdays, 
 how^ever, and even the hour before school, this adverse con- 
 dition may sometimes be averted; and, at all events, you 
 should refrain from teaching in the evening, when yawns and 
 inattention are the invariable accompaniments to your wise 
 sayings. As soon as your popularity threatens to burst 
 through the bounds of your prescribed teaching periods, raise 
 your prices to all new pupils, letting the former ones continue, 
 for a time, at the old rates. Your old pupils will then con- 
 gratulate themselves upon the preference accorded them, 
 while new pupils will look upon you with added respect, and 
 all will work the harder, in order that their labors may be 
 in proportion to the augmented par value of their instruction. 
 Thus does success beget success. 
 
 Let us pass now to the actual conduct of the lesson, of which 
 you should have at least an approximate plan in mind. Your 
 Conduct of the ^^^^ ^^^ should be to providc the pupil with a 
 lesson. Memo- memorandum book of manuscript music, and to 
 
 randum books. . ... i r- r i i 
 
 nnpress upon hun, m your most lorceiul language, 
 that he is to produce it at each lesson, whether anything new 
 
PIANO TEACHING 19 
 
 has been written in it or not. Begin each lesson by putting 
 its date at the top of a new space in this book, and under this 
 write subseciuontly whatever you wish him especially to 
 remember: any rules, precepts, or facts; any finger exercises 
 for him to work out; the extent of passages to be learned; and 
 how he is to ])ractice these. He will not, it is true, always 
 follow out all the directions given; but you can be tolerably 
 certain that he will remember little that is not written down 
 for him. Such a book, too, is necessary not only for begin- 
 ners, but even for the most advanced and brilliant pupils, 
 since they too are quite capable of overlooking anything which 
 is not set before them in black and white. The limitless ca- 
 pacity of pupils to forget what has been told them is nowhere 
 more evident than in the work of the piano teacher. Remem- 
 ber this fact when you are tempted to pour vast unrecorded 
 stores of information upon their unyielding brains. 
 
 In any occupation which involves manual labor the first 
 care of the workman is to see that his tools are in order. The 
 pianist's tools are his fingers; and unless these First item: finger 
 are prepared to do the work required, he is *^*='»°"^- 
 unable to carry out his ideas, however valuable they may be. 
 Thus, in any arrangement of lesson topics you are bound to 
 place first on the list " attention to finger technic." In the few 
 minutes alotted to this you may not only see that the fingers 
 are in condition to perform the work before them, but you 
 may also suggest exercises the practice of which will prepare 
 them to accomplish higher grades of work in the future. 
 
 After this process, the order of procedure may be variable; 
 in fact, you should avoid the humdrum effect of an unchange- 
 able routine. The most logical plan is to dis- other topics in 
 cuss next some study or piece which especially ^^^ 'e.son. 
 involves the technical points upon which you have just been 
 at work. The result of the pupil's practice upon such ma- 
 terial, assigned at the lesson previous, is criticized, and a new 
 passage is given him to learn. In like maimer, music which 
 includes fewer technical considerations and more interpreta- 
 tive thought may then be taken up. This lesson division 
 
20 PIANO TEACHING 
 
 will also consider the "finishing" process, applied to review 
 work. Thus planned, therefore, the lesson period has afforded 
 opportunities for a general outlook upon the work of the pupil, 
 proceeding from mere finger gymnastics up to the develop- 
 ment of real musical thought. If any time still remains, it 
 may be spent in the sight-reading of solos and duets. 
 
 Having made your criticisms and suggestions as clear to 
 him as you are able, you send him forth into the w^orld to act 
 ^.^ , • ..• .. upon them. Now, alas! he has to pursue a path 
 
 DifBculties which ^ _ _ ^ ^ 
 
 surround the pu- besct with temptatious, with only the remem- 
 pi s prac ice. France of your injunctions and his own will to 
 withstand them. Social engagements lure him to their snares; 
 school-teachers clamor for his entire attention; automobiles, golf 
 links, skating ponds call to him with siren voices. How neces- 
 sary it is, therefore, that you arm him with all the panoply of 
 precept and plan at your command! Let us see what forces 
 are at your disposal for this conflict. 
 
 First, then, the pupil must be made to feel that he is under 
 bonds to perform a stated amount of work each day at the 
 „ piano; that he is accountable to you for such 
 
 How to secure i- ' 
 
 regular amounts work, and that it is quite as important as labor 
 prac ice. which he is hired and paid to accomplish. You 
 
 should ascertain how much practice he can reasonably per- 
 form daily, without overtaxing his strength or encroaching 
 upon time properly devoted to other matters. It is much 
 more advantageous for him to fix upon an amount of practice 
 that is entirely feasible, even if it be small, than to start out 
 with a determination to practice a tremendous amount, and to 
 be obliged soon to see this resolution completely shattered. 
 Then, also, two or three short periods daily of concentrated 
 work are far preferable to long, irksome hours of perfunctory 
 labor. Induce the pupil, if possible, to set aside certain 
 definite times for his practice, times which must be held 
 inviolate for the purpose. Finally, furnish him with a practice 
 slip, on which the result of each day's work is to be recorded 
 in hours and minutes. Paste this into his memorandum 
 book, where it can be examined at each lesson. Here is 
 
PIANO TEACHING 
 
 21 
 
 the plan for such a sHp, sufficient to last through a term of 
 ten weeks: 
 
 Lesson 
 Practice record of_ 
 
 s WITH Miss Grant 
 
 
 Term bee-innino- 
 
 
 
 
 
 *^ *^ 
 
 1 
 
 Week 
 beginning 
 
 Mon- 
 day 
 
 Tuesday 
 
 Wednes- 
 day 
 
 Thursday 
 
 Friday 
 
 Saturday 
 
 Total 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 But your guiding hand must be felt still further. It is a 
 lamentable fact that pupils spend many hours of worse than 
 waste time at the piano, during which their 
 musical attainments are proceeding rapidly in a i^stemlnpractice. 
 retrograde direction. Familiar examples of such 
 lax methods are found in the habits of '' running through" 
 the music assigned or more fascinating music of the rag-time 
 variety, wath an airy disregard of all details except those 
 relating to the tune; of playing technical exercises while 
 gazing out of the window or watching the clock; and of 
 rushing over the notes of a piece in a constantly accelerating 
 tempo, until a catastrophe brings a halt. While such per- 
 formances as these may indicate lack of musical intelligence, 
 on the part of the pupil, they oftener show lack of defi- 
 niteness and foresight on the part of the teacher; for, un- 
 less the pupil is told how to practice, he cannot be blamed 
 if he invents his own methods. You must therefore have a 
 scheme of practice adapted to each item of the lesson, which 
 you may present to him. If this is workable, and if he can 
 be taught to fix his attention upon it, its use will incite him 
 
00 
 
 PIANO TEACHING 
 
 to cultivate orderly and correct habits. Once settled, such 
 habits will take care of themselves, for they will become modes 
 of his thought, and it will not appear natural to him to pro- 
 ceed in any other way. 
 
 Let him begin by numbering the tasks you have set him 
 1, 2, 3, and so on. Tell him how much time to spend on each 
 Schemes for or- of these, and let him practice them on the first 
 deriy practice. ^^y j^^ ^^le Order given; on the next day in the 
 order 2, 3, 1; on the third in the order 3, 1, 2; and on the fol- 
 lowing day in the first order again. You may with a little 
 thought contrive various schemes to regulate the manner of 
 his practice. One such, which I have found especially bene- 
 ficial, is as follows. During the first week, the new part of a 
 study or piece is played simply with the hands separately, while 
 the attention is directed upon an analysis of the execution of 
 each note as to its time, position, fingering, and touch. The 
 constructive process then begins by practicing each measure, 
 hands separately and hands together, first by itself, and then in 
 combination with the measure before it, always ending on the 
 first beat of the measure following, as a connecting link. The 
 next step is to practice similarly each group of two measures, 
 finally combining these with the two previous ones. After 
 this, the length of passages may be still further increased as 
 proficiency is gained, until the entire section is performed as 
 a unit. Here is the plan of this work: 
 
 {The numbers refer to measures.) 
 
 First time: 
 
 1 1 2 11 
 
 2 
 
 Second time: 
 
 
 1 1 1 2 3 
 
 1 4 
 
 H 
 
 H 
 
 4 I 5 etc- 
 
 3 I 4 
 
 (5 
 
 3 I 4 I 5 I <J etc. 
 
 Third and following times: 
 
 LONGER PASSAGES, GROUPED ON THE SAME PRINCIPLE. 
 
 While this plan suffices for the study of new music, no less 
 definite directions should be given for the practice of music 
 
PIANO TEACHING 23 
 
 upon wliich more advanced work is expected. Thus, the 
 pupil should know just what he is to practice, in what order 
 and at what time he is to practice it, and what system his 
 work is to be based upon. 
 
 How to make better sight-readers of our pupils is a ques- 
 tion frequently raised. I answer, primarily, by cultivating 
 just such accurate habits of musical thought as „ 
 
 . ,. How far sight- 
 
 I have described. Without these a pupil may, reading should 
 
 1 1 ■ . ...^ . ... 111 claim attention. 
 
 mdeed, acquire lacility m riding roughshod over 
 all sorts of obstacles, and of getting somehow through difficult 
 passages, with an airy disregard of all the finer details. But 
 is not this kind of performance exactly subversive of the only 
 habits which will make it |>ossible for the student to become 
 an artist? If you do not wish to destroy the very meat of 
 your teaching, therefore, you will be wise to discourage much 
 rapid reading, except when it is done under your supervi- 
 sion, at least until the pupil is so fixed in right habits 
 that the danger is minimized. After this stage is attained, 
 if it ever is, a small portion of his time may be devoted to 
 the reading of collections of music assigned by you, while 
 at the same time you watch zealously for any signs of con- 
 sequent demoralization. 
 
 We have then decided, first, that your business dealings 
 require you to have a concisely worded circular, which states 
 your prices, length of lessons, and rules regarding 
 omitted lessons, and that this circular is to con- 
 stitute a virtual contract between your patrons and yourself; 
 second, that the details of your work, as to music and lesson- 
 accounts, rendering of bills, and division of your time must 
 be reduced to a system; third, that a means for impressing 
 your instructions upon your pupils and a logical plan for con- 
 ducting each lesson must be provided; and finally, that the 
 details of the pupils' practice must be systematized so minutely 
 that they may cultivate those habits which are absolutely 
 necessary for the production of artistic playing. The intro- 
 duction of sight-reading will depend upon the extent of the 
 formation of such desirable qualities. While our discussion has 
 
24 PIANO TEACHING 
 
 thus dwelt upon the most obvious of the business problems 
 which will arise between you and your patrons, many others, 
 some of which may prove vastly annoying, will doubtless test 
 your tact and patience. If, however, you meet these with the 
 evident desire to consider only the best interests of those 
 whom you are serving and to treat all with impartial favor, 
 you need have little fear that any apparent antagonism will 
 prove permanent, and you may rest reasonably assured that 
 the strict integrity of your dealings will ultimately win for you 
 universal respect. 
 
CHAPTER III 
 Principles Employed in Teaching 
 
 In addition to the business questions thus far alluded to, 
 there is a numerous class of problems which have to do with 
 the personal relations between teacher and problems con- 
 pupil. These include such queries as: "How ceming the per- 
 
 . sonal relation of 
 
 shall the teacher approach his pupils and pa- teacher and 
 trons?" "How far shall he be guided by their 
 wishes in his treatment of them?" "How shall he most 
 effectually appeal to the mind of his pupil ? " and " How shall he 
 hold the pupil's interest, once it is gained ?" Tact and patience 
 have much to do with the solution of these; but here, again, a 
 word from the experience of another may help to prevent the 
 serious blunders which so often bring discouragement in the 
 train of the well-meant efforts of the young teacher. 
 
 Your door bell rings, and you are told that a lady wishes to 
 see you in regard to lessons for her daughter. As yoii go to meet 
 her, think what she expects of you. First of all. How to meet a 
 she will wish to feel that you know what you are °®^ patron, 
 about when you profess to be a piano teacher; and then she 
 will want to see you show a real interest in her daughter's 
 work, and a desire to do your best for her. Meet your patron 
 pleasantly, hear what she has to say, and get at her ideas as 
 thoroughly as you are able, in order that you may be prepared 
 to respond to them intelligently. Avoid all effusiveness, but 
 answer her questions quietly and directly, giving her your cir- 
 cular of terms, together with any other desired information. 
 Remember that she must be predisposed in your favor by 
 treating with you at all, and thus receive her advances with 
 consideration and respect. 
 
 If, after this consultation, she decides to intrust her daugh- 
 ter's instruction to your care, you have next to fix upon a 
 
 25 
 
26 PIANO TEACHING 
 
 time for the lessons and to determine, either immediately 
 or on some following date, what the daughter already knows 
 about the subject. One of j^our index cards should be used 
 „ . for recording the information which you thus 
 
 How to test the "^ . . "^ 
 
 ability of a new gain, and which is to be used as a basis from 
 '*"'" ' which 3'ou will proceed. You should ascertain how 
 
 long and with what teachers she has previously studied; what 
 has been the customar^^ amount of her practice; what music 
 she is familiar with; how readily she can memorize; and to 
 what use, if any, she has put her attainments in the direction 
 of playing solos or accompaniments. If she professes to be a 
 beginner, find out whether her musical attainments are really 
 at zero, or whether she has picked up some information by her- 
 self or at school. Now ask her to play for you. Let her begin by 
 running a scale or two; then let her play, from memory if pos- 
 sible, a piece which she has learned; and finally let her read at 
 sight something of a straightforward and not difficult charac- 
 ter. Owing to her nervousness, these latter tests may yield 
 rather superficial results; but you can yet appreciate to a cer- 
 tain degree the value of her work, and can decide what direc- 
 tion your instructions must first take. 
 
 But to return to our amiable patron. I have said that 
 you should get an insight into her ideas. Sometimes these 
 will be surprisingly inaccurate, and sometimes they will be 
 How far to yield Quite at Variance with your own, but in either 
 to a client's wishes, gj^gg ^j^gy should be treated with tact rather than 
 with antagonism. A frequent question asked, when the pupil 
 boasts of some advancement, is, "Will you have to put her back 
 to the beginning ? " "My dear Madam," you may reply, "I 
 could not do so if I chose, for I should have to perform the 
 impossible task of causing her to forget all that she has 
 hitherto learned. I shall of course try to teach her any im- 
 portant facts which she has not mastered, even if these are at 
 the very beginning; but she shall be advanced as fast as such 
 needful work will permit." The respect, however, in which 
 the ideas of the pupil or parents are most inclined to encroach 
 upon the teacher's prerogatives is in regard to the selection of 
 
PIANO TEACHING 27 
 
 music. If they suggest compositions wliich are perfectly 
 feasible, there is, of course, no reason why you should not 
 accede to their wishes; but if, as is generally the case, they 
 wish for pieces which are either too difficult or too trivial, the 
 situation needs more adroit management. In the former case, 
 you may promise to consider the matter Avhen the pupil has 
 arrived at the proper stage of advancement; and in the latter 
 case a system of putting off the evil day may make it ulti- 
 mately possible to banish it altogether. This brings to mind 
 the device of a teacher whom I once knew, who was accus- 
 tomed to put the name of an undesirable piece which the 
 pupil wanted at the head of a list which she was to take to 
 the music store, and of which she was to obtain the first selec- 
 tion in stock. Needless to say, he had arranged with the 
 music seller never to have available the first piece on any list 
 thus sent! Sometimes a pupil is best cured of a thirst for 
 a too difficult piece by allowing him to wrestle with it until 
 he has had enough, and until, in consequence, his reliance upon 
 your judgment is strengthened. When the pupil or his friends 
 are dissatisfied with the music you give, the problem is some- 
 what more complicated. Sometimes the best remedy is a 
 frank talk with them, in which you explain your reasons for 
 your selection and its bearing upon his needs. You should 
 show that your choice of music was not at all dependent upon 
 chance, but that, as a doctor diagnoses his patient's case, so 
 you treat the wants of your pupil, anticipating certain results 
 from each dose of musical medicine. In short, you should not 
 be obstinate in your demands, since pupils will practice what 
 appeals to them with much more zeal and interest; and yet 
 you should not abandon your prerogatives when sure that a 
 given course is necessary for the pupil. 
 
 "The teacher's natural gifts," says Home,* "should include 
 such things as tact, sympathy with young life, resourceful- 
 ness, a sense of humor, and a buoyant temperament." Per- 
 haps the quality of sympathy is the one most needing emphasis 
 as you start with a new pupil. He comes to you with a cer- 
 
 * Psychological Principles of Education. 
 
28 PIANO TEACHING 
 
 tain feeling of antagonism, as to a stern critic who cannot under- 
 stand his limitations. Knowing this fact, take the prescription 
 , . . suggested by Charles Reade and "put yourself in 
 
 The cultivation . ^'^ -^ . i J 
 
 of sympathy with his placc." Look at music through the pupil's 
 eyes, with his difficulties before you as to using 
 his fingers, reading music, and applying what he reads. Think 
 how hard it is to remember to put the right finger over the 
 thumb in the scale and that the F must be sharped every 
 time you meet it, when it is in the signature. Then, in 
 the light of your advanced attainments, find some way to 
 help the conditions, and explain it to him, not as a condescend- 
 ing superior, but as an mtelligent colaborer. Rejoice with him 
 over each difficulty overcome, and make him feel the enthu- 
 siasm of conquest. 
 
 An advantage of private teaching lies in the possibility it 
 affords of developing the individuality of pupils. As you have 
 „ ^ , but one client at a time, you have the opportunity 
 
 How to develop . ' -^ i i J 
 
 the pupil's indi- of Studying cacli one's innate characteristics, and 
 ua 1 y. ^^ bringing these out in a manner which will 
 
 make music a source of personal expression. The thoughtful, 
 mathematical student may vent his enthusiasm upon the intrica- 
 cies of a Bach Fugue; the romantic pupil will revel in the poetry 
 of a Chopin Nocturne; and the lively pupil will glory in the 
 same composer's Waltzes and Mazurkas. In the simpler grades, 
 too, music can be dwelt upon which the pupil practices with 
 pleasure. So from the earliest efforts music can be made to 
 mean something more than a mere routine. 
 
 This attitude of sympathy demands also that you shall, while 
 teaching, put utterly aside your personal affairs and feelings. 
 Self-command I havc kuowu tcachcrs to worry their pupils by a 
 while teaching. rccital of their own woes, telling them how tired 
 they were, what bad headaches they had, or how people had 
 misused them. If you are too ill or too much troubled to teach 
 properly, you have no right to give a lesson. Having assumed 
 the responsibility of teaching, however, you should put your 
 mind upon your work to the exclusion of irrelevant matters. 
 And this self-command should extend to all details of the lesson. 
 
PIANO TEACHING 29 
 
 We read of the antics of certain so-called teachers which are 
 displayed in fierce invectives, rapping of knuckles, and even 
 throwing about of furniture; but, while such "professors" have 
 won admirers among a class of rhapsodical young persons, it 
 is to be hoped that a regime of better manners is upon us. 
 1 am not at all recommending that you should invarial)ly main- 
 tain a cool and dignified demeanor; it is necessary to show 
 animation in order to arouse enthusiasm, and it is sometimes 
 wise to administer reproof with firmness and dispatch; but you 
 should alwaj's act intentionally and intelligently, with a due con- 
 sideration of what your words and attitude are to accomplish. 
 
 It is pertinent at this point to ask how far praise or censure 
 should be given to a pupil. This inquiry brings to mind two 
 classes of teachers. Pupils emerge from the les- when to praise 
 sons of the first convinced that they are destined "^ censure pupils, 
 to startle the world by their transcendent genius; while from 
 the studios of the others come pupils bathed in tears, ready to 
 abandon their work in despair. Beware, therefore, of super- 
 latives in either direction. Criticize carefully, leniently, the 
 work of each student, reproving only where manifest careless- 
 ness or negligence is evident. Let your "well done" mean 
 much, and let it be applied whenever faithful and thorough work 
 is apparent, whether results are brilliant or not. Cultivate also 
 the thought of true musicianship in your pupils, rather than 
 that of personal glorification, and induce them to become their 
 own best critics, whose rigorous judgment no praii^e or blame 
 can greatly alter. 
 
 As you become familiar with the pupil's ability and needs, 
 you should gradually evolve for him a plan of campaign, which 
 shall look forward to some definite accomplish- a general plan for 
 ment at the close of a course of work. This plan ^^=^ p"p"'' '"°'^- 
 will include a series of technical exercises and a numl^er of 
 compositions which shall, on the one hand, put these exercises 
 into practical use, and, on the other, give him a well-rounded 
 acquaintance with the works of leading composers. Further- 
 more, each lesson should represent a step in the unfolding of 
 this plan. This means that something tangible should be ac- 
 
30 PIANO TEACHING 
 
 complished at each lesson, and that the pupil should come away 
 from it with a new stage of attainment. There is alwa^'S a 
 temptation to ramble about in a lesson, according as the notes 
 suggest ideas. General criticisms should of course be made in 
 regard to incidental details, but in a well-constructed lesson all 
 such remarks should circle about and enforce some central 
 thought, which should constitute the permanent feature of the 
 instruction. Suppose, for instance, that you wish to make the 
 prominence of the melody over the accompaniment such a fea- 
 The place of each turc. Lookiug forward to this, you assign a tech- 
 lesson in this plan, j^jpy^j cxcrcise which wiU prepare the ground, and 
 you dwell upon this special phase of each selection as it is 
 played and criticized. The enthusiastic teacher, realizing the 
 deficiencies of a pupil's performance, is filled with a burning 
 desire to remedy all these on the spot, and to turn the pupil 
 into a full-blown artist in the course of a half-hour; but if he 
 attempts to execute this laudable design, the pupil is over- 
 whelmed with the number of suggested improvements, and is 
 unable to carry out half of them, however hard he may try. 
 Be content, then, first, to correct any glaring errors which seri- 
 ously mar the performance, and next to drive home some pre- 
 dominant thought with such force that it is indelibly fixed in 
 the pupil's mind. At one lesson, for instance, the attention is 
 concentrated on the rhythmic swing of the piece; at another 
 on the phrase lines; at another on the singing tone-quality, and 
 so on. 
 
 To obtain this concentration of thought you should take care 
 that the entire conduct of the lesson is such that it shall repre- 
 Concentration ^^"^^ ^ Unified scheme. At the beginning, run 
 during the lesson ovcr rapidly what material the pupil has to pre- 
 sent, and decide in your own mind what you will 
 emphasize, and how much time each item is to take. Working 
 on the principles already suggested (page 19), take up each item 
 in order, and end the lesson precisely at the expiration of the 
 allotted period. Teachers sometimes consider it an act of 
 great generosity to keep the lesson going far beyond its limits, 
 continuing on till the pupil is worn-out with the struggle. 
 
PIANO TEACHING 31 
 
 I have had pupils como to me for lessons because their former 
 teachers did this very thing! It is so easy, too, to wander away 
 from the lesson into all sorts of irrelevant byways. Perhaps a 
 strain in a piece suggests something that the pupil has heard 
 recently. This recalls the company in which she has heard it, 
 the hostess of the occasion, the gown which the latter wore, 
 and other details ad infinitum. Meanwhile the lesson time is 
 evaporating, and ideas are going hopelessly astray. If you have 
 leisure and inclination for general conversation, let this occur 
 before or after the lesson; but while the lesson is actually in 
 progress, stick to your text. 
 
 An aid toward directness is found in positive teaching, that 
 is, teaching which shows how rather than how not to act. To 
 quote Home again: "A negative suggestion. Positive methods 
 that is, the suggestion not to do a certain thing, °* teaching, 
 fills the child's mind with the idea of the very act he is told 
 not to do, and so by suggestion tends to secure the undesired 
 act."* Tell a pupil not to play rapidly, and you put into his 
 mind the thought of fast playing, not that of slow playing. 
 Say to him, "Do not let your wrist jump so," and the image of 
 the jumping wrist is emphasized in his mind, not thatof the quiet 
 one, which you wanted him to have. The wrong ways of play- 
 ing are infinite in number, while the right ways are extremely 
 few. Why not, therefore, discourage the wrong ways by 
 ignoring them utterl}-, and making conceptions of correct 
 methods fill their places ? There are, of course, some pitfalls 
 against which you must warn the pupil, but even then the 
 finger should be pointed unswervingly along the straight and 
 narrow path. 
 
 Perhaps we have already answered the question as to how 
 far subjects other than those directlj' concerning piano playing 
 shall be introduced into the lesson. You are „ 
 
 How far subjects 
 
 naturally anxious to make your pupil, as far as other than playing 
 possible, an intelligent musician, and would be ™^^ 
 glad to give him a knowledge of other important musical mat- 
 ters, like harmony, form, and history. The fact is, however, 
 * Psychological Principles of Education. 
 
32 PIANO TEACHING 
 
 that you are employed to teach him how to play the piano, 
 and that the limitations of your time for this do not permit 
 you to plunge into other troubles. To a certain extent, how- 
 ever, you can open up these subjects. The test of how far you 
 €an deal with them is their direct bearing upon the pupil's work. 
 Jn the course of his study of finger technic, for instance, the 
 formation of scales and common chords can be explained; while 
 for correct interpretation it is necessary that something should 
 be taught him of the structure and history of music. A course 
 in music history, indeed, can be easily supervised by the teacher, 
 if he requires the pupil to read a certain amount each week 
 and to present a synopsis of the epoch thus covered at the 
 following lesson. 
 
 "What am I to do about blunders and mistakes ?" you ask. 
 In the first place, leave no stone unturned to prevent them. 
 „ The methods of accurate practice which I have 
 
 How to prevent _ _ ^ 
 
 blunders and dcscribccl (page 20) will aid much in this direc- 
 tion, and, for the rest, it remains for you to see 
 that a pupil is duly prepared to work upon the material you 
 give him. Many a teacher, at the close of the lesson, hands 
 over to the pupil a composition full of traps for the unwary, 
 telling him to learn it for the next lesson. What wonder if he 
 consequently flounders about in it bewildered, and brings a mass 
 of errors with him at the close of the struggle! Whenever you 
 give a new passage to be learned, be sure that the pupil is put 
 in condition to grapple with it. If he has already cultivated 
 accurate habits of practice, you may intrust it to him without 
 much delay; but even in such a case, you should look over the 
 ground with him examining the fingering to make sure of its 
 practicability, and explaining any doubtful passages. In most 
 cases, however, more detailed analysis than this is necessary. 
 W"it)h young pupils, or those who have a tendency toward inac- 
 curacy, an excellent plan is to read the new passage over, letting 
 them play the part written for one hand while you \)\a.y that 
 written for the other, and making sure that the start is made 
 with correct ideas of rhythm, technic, and fingering. 
 
 With the utmost care, however, mistakes will creep in. Let 
 
PIANO TEACHING 33 
 
 the pupil find these out for himself, so far as possible. Tell 
 him that a note in a certain measure is played wrong, and let 
 him find out for himself which one it is, and what is wrong al)out 
 it. If he disregards the signature, let him describe „ , 
 
 " . . How to eradicate 
 
 it to you, and convict him out of his own mistakes and 
 mouth by having him play the passage containing 
 his error and then comparing it with his statements. Doubtful 
 notes may further be encircled with pencil marks, and may be 
 assigned special practice work, such as a repetition twenty times 
 daily. Mistakes in rhythm are harder to deal with, and may 
 have to be given a dose of the metronome. Further discussion 
 of these is reserved for the chapter on Rhythm. You will 
 doubtless invent various private marks, to be used as danger 
 signals or to emphasize your warnings, and you will also appre- 
 ciate the value of the blue pencil as an attraction to the pupil's 
 eye. In the case of mistakes which result from nervous play- 
 ing, such as jumping at the keys, nurrying over passages, and 
 particularly stammering, or striking at the same key several 
 times instead of only once, you should seek to generate a feeling 
 for repose by methods of slow and thoughtful analysis. 
 
 Mistakes are further lessened in number by strictly regulat- 
 ing the amount of work assigned in accordance with the known 
 ability of the pupil and by the practicability of 
 discussing amply what you have given him to do. work assigned 
 I have known pupils to be burdened with page * ^"'" ' 
 after page of difficult music, which they certainly could not 
 practice properly during the week, and would not even have 
 time to play through during the lesson. If the pupil is 
 studying some long composition, designate a particular part of 
 it upon which to lay the stress, and always give him something 
 new to work upon, even if it be brief, or at least suggest a new 
 treatment of something already under consideration. Do not 
 allow music to become stale and monotonous; make the lesson- 
 material fresh, bright, and interesting. 
 
 The amount of playing which you will do in illustration of 
 the lesson is anothe ■ question requiring thought. There are 
 those who affirm that a pupil's originality should be developed 
 
34 PIANO TEACHING 
 
 by allowing him to form an unprejudiced conception of what 
 he studies. Doubtless there is much wisdom in this contention, 
 assuming, of course, that the pupil has originality to develop; 
 Illustrative play- but is it not an objection rather to the abuse 
 ing by the teacher. ^^^^ ^^ ^^le use of musical illustrations? .Vnd 
 might we not as reasonably declare that students of the graphic 
 art should not be shown pictures, lest they become mere imi- 
 tators, as to say that students should not hear their music 
 played by others ? Thus, I advocate a discriminating amount 
 of playing by the teacher, such as that of passages obscure in 
 melody or rhythm in a new piece. Occasionally, also, the 
 entire piece may be played to the pupil, with the result that he 
 will work with tenfold enthusiasm upon it. Only take care to 
 present the piece as you wish him to practice it, and not to 
 give a dashing, brilliant performance of it, since he will in that 
 case be inclined to eliminate the necessary preliminaries which 
 should lead to these effects. Again, occasional illustrations in 
 the course of a lesson may flash upon the pupil's mind ideas 
 which it would take much time to describe. Often after a long 
 piece has been well learned, too, and has been played through 
 creditably by him, it is profitable for you to change places with 
 him at the piano, and to demonstrate points to be made here 
 and there, climaxes to be emphasized, runs to be smoothed over, 
 and melodies to be given significance. 
 
 How are you to enlist the pupil's interest in his work? And 
 is it possible, having so enlisted it, to hold it not only during 
 
 the lesson periods, but also throughout his prac- 
 eniisting and re- ticc? As to the first questiou, the answer should 
 Lnterest*^^ pupii's j^q^ j^g difficult, and has been previously suggested. 
 
 A new teacher, new technical devices, and new 
 music, should certainly arouse his enthusiasm; and if these are 
 supported by the conviction that the teacher is both master of 
 his subject and sympathetic in his attitude, the journey should 
 surely be begun smoothly and joyfully. It is only when these 
 novelties have begun to wear off, when the sound of your voice 
 has become familiar to his ears, when amusement has given 
 place to real work, that the more difficult problem of how to 
 
PIANO TEACHING 35 
 
 retain his interest arises; and it is then that the art of the 
 teacher nuist be fully displayed. 
 
 The greatest aid toward retaining interest is found in variety 
 of presentation. The tt^acher who sits in the same place beside 
 his pupil hour after hour, droning along his com- ^^^^ ^^ ^^ ^^. 
 ments and his one-and-lwo-a)id-thrce-and-Jour-and tion while teach- 
 must not wonder if his talk comes to be relegated 
 to the same category as the noise of the waterfall or the hum 
 of bees. Nor can the teacher who listens to a piece through a 
 pleasant drowse, and who only arouses in time to tell the pupil 
 to go on with the next selection, hope to set the world afire 
 with the results. Avoid the eternally expected. Wake up 
 your pupil by keeping alive yourself. Mere changes of position 
 will help much: so, sometimes sit beside the pupil, sometimes 
 change places with him at the instrument, and sometimes get 
 the effect of his playing from different parts of the room, where 
 you may hear the music without seeing the notes or his fingers. 
 In like manner, give him the opportunity to change his thought 
 of a piece by sending him into a remote corner and letting 
 him listen to the effect of it as you play it to him. 
 
 Then, too, use different methods of criticism. Let the pupil 
 sometimes play the entire piece before saying a word, and, after 
 he has thus presented his own thoughts, give your Methods of criti- 
 criticisms en bloc. Again, let him play only a few "^™" 
 notes at a time, repeating these till he has caught the spirit of 
 your suggestions, taking care, however, not to work too long 
 at this latter process, lest you give him more than he can assimi- 
 late. 
 
 And, on this line, remember that the best teacher does not 
 simply pour in ideas, but that he stimulates the pupil to develop 
 his own. The continual nagging customary to stimulation of 
 some teachers is eminently fitted to blunt all origi- *^^ pupil's ideas, 
 nality in the pupil and to fill him with hatred of the whole 
 subject. You are to furnish simply the sign-posts along the 
 way; and when these are not absolutely necessary, do not put 
 them up. In other words, talk as little as is necessary to 
 accomplish results. Ask questions of the pupil, and adopt ideas 
 
36 
 
 PIANO TEACHING 
 
 which he presents, even if they are not wholly in accord with 
 your own. Induce him to try different effects of phrasing and 
 to choose the one he considers most fitting. It is even possible 
 sometimes to stimulate a pupil to evolve his own conception 
 of a piece without giving him a single direct instruction as to 
 how to play it; and he will in consequence be proportionately 
 strengthened in his own powers of interpretation. 
 
 This thought-stimulation can be effected by many other 
 devices. The abstract character of music is such as to place it 
 „ ^ . outside the world of interesting realities to many 
 
 How to attach im- _ . , . , _ '^ 
 
 aginative ideas to minds; and it is only when it is brought within 
 ^ ^'^'^^' the range of concrete experience that it begins to 
 
 take on meaning to them. Let a piece be associated with some 
 agreeable experience, let it represent an attractive thought, scene, 
 or story, and it is invested with the breath of life. I have some- 
 times aroused enthusiasm for Bach in a pupil to whom contra- 
 puntal subtleties made no appeal by attaching some whimsical 
 words to a theme. Let, for instance, the eighth two-part Inven- 
 tion represent a maiden and her lover, out for a stroll. 
 
 She sings, 
 
 and he answers. 
 
 The spring has come a - gainl The spring has cume a - gain! 
 
 The lady repeats her remark, and they both laugh merrily: 
 
 After more conversation, they reach their destination as she 
 gJQgg ^4/' I JJ J^lfJ The remainder of the 
 
 It is the mer-ry month of May I 
 
 invention is occupied with the home journey, during which a 
 similar dialogue occurs. Such a device, calling attention to 
 the structure, may afterwards bring the pupil to an appreciation 
 
PIANO TEACHING 
 
 37 
 
 of the "art for art's sake" value of the composition. Modern 
 music, of course, lends itself more legitimately to a connec- 
 tion with definite imagery. Consider as an example Ethelbert 
 Nevin's Barchetta, Op. 21, No. 3. In itself it is a melodious 
 little piece, giving opportunities for graceful legato playing. 
 But when its first difficulties are overcome and the monotony 
 of repetition begins to tell upon its fate, vivify it for the pupil 
 by showing how it might paint a dainty night scene in Venice. 
 First, we hear the gentle lapping of the waters. 
 
 and see the shimmer of moonbeams on the quiet canals. A 
 boatload of singing companions rows past us, and we listen to 
 their gay notes, q u.jj 
 
 till these die away in the distance. Now the former scene again 
 claims our attention, but this time snatches of a love song 
 are wafted through it, 
 
 and the curtain falls as the mellow tenor strains are borne 
 in upon us. 
 
 Some of the methods already mentioned are potent factors 
 in giving interest to the pupil's practice. Regular and system- 
 atic work in itself should cultivate the habit of ^^ . 
 
 Changing the 
 
 putting his thought upon his music at stated times style of the musk 
 each day ; and among other aids toward this result, 
 that of assigning him music to study which is both attractive 
 and varied in character is of paramount importance. I have 
 spoken of the advantage of selecting music which will develop 
 the pupil's individuality. Be careful, also, to change the style 
 with each new piece given, following a bright gavotte by a 
 dreamy nocturne, this with a Bach Invention, and this with a 
 brilliant salon piece. If any given composition has been studied 
 until interest in it is in danger of becoming threadbare, lay it 
 
38 PIANO TEACHING 
 
 aside for a time, to be taken up with fresh enthusiasm after a 
 contrast has intervened. There are, indeed, several stages in 
 the complete stud\- of a piece: that of the analj'sis of techni- 
 cal details, that of phrasing and memorizing, and that of final 
 polishing; and a complete rest from its study of at least two or 
 three weeks is advisable after each of these stages as the surest 
 means of causing it to assimilate in the mind. 
 
 Let the pupil feel, also, that in following out each process he 
 is pursuing the methods of an artist, and not of a mere dilet- 
 tante. Impress upon him the importance of gaug- 
 of the pupil toward ing all his work bj^ real art standards. Fire 
 fnstr'^ment^'"* ^'' ^"^^ ^^'^^^ ambition to study nothing but the best 
 music, and to execute every detail of this in the 
 finest manner of which he is capaole. Let this respect for his 
 music extend even to his instrument. Pupils sometimes seem 
 to take a fiendish glee in treating the piano, outside of their 
 practice time, with all sorts of barbarities, cuffing and beating 
 it about, and degrading its dignity by making it shriek out 
 rag-time music literally by the pound. Try, therefore, to instill 
 into your pupil such a reverence for his instrument that he will 
 regard it as the exponent of none but great ideas, and that 
 there shall be an element of artistry about every touch which 
 he bestows upon it. 
 
 A final means of retaining interest consists in furnishing a 
 
 definite goal for w^hich to strive. If only the pupil has in mind 
 
 something which he is to do with his piece when 
 
 Importance of hav- _ _ 
 
 ing an object for it is learned, and even some special time at which 
 it is to be ready, he will work with quite a different 
 attitude toward it. The occasion may be very simple: he may 
 only be intending to play it to his parents, at the family gather- 
 ing, or at the musical club; but the effect of the stimulus is 
 there, nevertheless, and there is perhaps no incentive which will 
 hold him more diligently to his work. Bearing this fact in 
 mind, you will appreciate the possibilities before you of bringing 
 your pupils together for social intercourse or small recitals, and 
 of giving them the added spur of emulation, which will come as 
 they hear each other's accomplishments. I will not discuss 
 
PIANO TEACHING 39 
 
 tliis suI)j(H't further at this point, as its importance demands a 
 separate chapter. 
 
 You must therefore have j^rinciples of action which will 
 regulate your conduct in treating with your patrons, in carrying 
 on the lesson, and in holding the i)upirs attention 
 
 ... I 1 1 ■ 1 ■ p Summary. 
 
 during its course and also during the time oi prac- 
 tice. Toward your pupils and patrons you will adopt a bearing 
 which, though conciliator}' and tactful, will yet admit of no 
 derogation from your standards. When lessons are begun, you 
 will seek primarily to gain the confidence of your pupil, and 
 will then work toward the development of his individuality. 
 The keynote of your teaching must be conceyttration, which 
 involves a focusing of your instructions that will cause you to 
 lay aside all personal feelings during the lesson hour, and to 
 seek, by positive methods, to present clearly some central idea, 
 which shall constitute a step in the development of a precon- 
 ceived plan. Praise or censure must be administered with dis- 
 crimination and without superlatives; mistakes and blunders 
 should be avoided as far as possible, and, when made, should 
 be dealt with rigorously. The use of varied and attractive styles 
 of music, the avoidance of monotony of treatment, the employ- 
 ment of judicious illustrations, and the attachment of some pic- 
 ture or story to the music are some of the devices for exciting 
 interest, all of which are of worth; while the cultivation of a feel- 
 ing for the art-value of the work, and the study of each impor- 
 tant selection with some definite end of performance in view, will 
 continually add fuel to the fire of the pupil's inspiration. Piano 
 instructions, in fine, must be varied, yet unified; they must 
 flavor systematic and concentrated work with the spice of cer- 
 tain and obvious progress. 
 
CHAPTER IV 
 
 The First Lessons with a New Pupil 
 
 When the chauffeur wishes to start up his automobile, he- 
 must first impart to it the initial impulse which will set its 
 „ ... machinery in motion. After this, if it is in work- 
 
 Special impor- •^ _ 
 
 tance of the first ing Order, if he keeps it well oiled and steers prop- 
 erly, it will speed along the path he has chosen. 
 So it is with piano lessons: if the initial impulse be carefully 
 given in the first few lessons, there is little trouble afterwards in 
 keeping to the right road. In these lessons you must gain that 
 confidence of the pupil of which I have spoken; you must see 
 that the foundations of his knowledge are securely laid; and 
 you must incite him toward the acquirement of those habits of 
 perseverance and accurate study which alone will insure his 
 success. 
 
 The pupils who come to you will probal^ly represent all 
 
 stages of progress. There will be soi-disant beginners who really 
 
 know quite a little about the subject, and there 
 
 Advantage or ' . 
 
 starting from the will be "advanced" pupils who know worse than 
 eginmng. j-^Q^^j^jj^g about it. You Can count yourself fortu- 
 nate if, in the beginning, you have to deal with small children 
 whose minds are practically a blank sheet of paper for you to 
 write upon. In teaching such you have the advantage of gain- 
 ing experience in the fundamental work of piano instruction; 
 and, if you succeed, the resultant product will be exclusively 
 the fruit of your own labors. It is this kind of pupil therefore, 
 which we will first discuss. 
 
 In your talks with parents, you will undoubtedly be asked 
 the question, "How old should my boy be l^efore he begins les- 
 sons?" While no absolute answer can be given, owing to the 
 difference of attainment in individual cases, you may reasonably 
 reply that he should be not younger than six years and not 
 
 40 
 
PIANO TEACHING 41 
 
 older than fourteen, in order to secure the best results. Before 
 these limits neither hands nor brain are normally ready for real 
 study, and instruction can be given only in kinder- „,^ , . .^ ^ , 
 
 . . , " What IS the best 
 
 garten doses, except to prodigies like Mozart, who age at which to 
 played at the age of four; while after four- 
 teen, fingers have acquired such fixed habits in other directions 
 that they can seldom be trained to virtuosity on the keyboard.* 
 Your small pupil of seven years is now waiting, expectant 
 and open-eyed, for his first lesson. In anticipation of it, you 
 have ready the invariable memorandum book ^^ ., . 
 
 " , , The pupu s in- 
 
 (page 18) and a first instruction book. Of several troduction to the 
 of these latter that are available I shall assume '"^'^°' 
 that you use the one by Kohler, Op. 190, since this is simple and 
 logical, and since it brings the pupil very soon into intercourse 
 with both clefs. Master Paul is now to be introduced to his 
 future friend, as we hope, namely, the piano. I must leave to 
 you the method of getting hold of his little mind and of culti- 
 vating his friendship; if you are fond of children, the task will 
 not be difficult. As he is a boy, he will receive with avidity any 
 information about the construction of the piano. Show him how 
 the strings are stretched, let him get a peep at the hammers as 
 they hop up when the keys are depressed, and have him listen 
 to different tone qualities and quantities arising from varieties 
 of touch. Now he is to be shown how to go to work to produce 
 these results and to make them into real music. Does he see 
 the name of the maker on the front board, above the keys? 
 Yes. Well, he is to sit directly opposite that name, and he 
 must screw his stool up so that his arms and hands are brought 
 to the proper height relative to the keys. Now he is made to 
 notice that here is a group of two black keys, then one of three 
 black ones, then one of two, and so on, up and clown the key- 
 board; and he is told that the white key just before each group 
 of two black ones is always a C. Yes, he is able to find eight of 
 
 * For those who wish to conduct kindergarten classes, Mrs. Hermann 
 Kotzschmar's excellent book, Half Hour Lcssotis in Music, is suggested. 
 This may be followed by Jean Parkman Brown's Intervals, Chords and 
 Ear Training. 
 
42 PIANO TEACHING 
 
 these C's by diligent search. Let us locate especially the one 
 directly in front of him, and give it a first name, — Middle C. 
 We then proceed to assign the fingers number-names: the thumb, 
 Location of fingers being the biggest, is Number One; the index fin- 
 on the keyboard, ggj. ^^leri becomcs Number Two, and so on, up to 
 the fifth finger. Now let us introduce these fingers to the key- 
 board by their names. Number Five of the left hand bows to 
 our old acquaintance, Middle C, while the other fingers pair off 
 with the following alphabet letters. Four on D, Three on E, 
 Two on F, and One on G. With the right hand a similar union 
 is accomplished in the reverse order. Number One meeting the C 
 next above Middle C, Number Two the adjoining D, and so on, 
 
 Paul can now play, in this order, every C DE FGF E DC on 
 the piano, with each hand, naming the notes as he does so. As 
 The first techni- to technic, show him how to hold his hand easily 
 cai exercise. ^^^ ^q pj.ggg ^^le keys Quietly, so that they give 
 out a pleasant sound. Do not bother him about minor details: 
 the poor child has enough complications with which to burden 
 his brain; and, in general, strive to lead him into correct habits 
 of using his fingers by allowing him to make natural and unforced 
 motions, rather than by loading him with rules and restrictions. 
 If he takes to your system of technic thus readily, it will furnish 
 an excellent proof of its normal and reasonable character. 
 
 After Paul has handled the various registers of the instru- 
 ment, he may return to his original position on the keys, as 
 Explanation of this is the One from which he is to make his bow 
 staff construction. ^^ g^ performer. He has thus received an intro- 
 duction to the keys that he is first to use, and is now to be made 
 acquainted with the queer shapes and characters which are 
 eventually to tell to him the secrets of the musical composers. 
 He will be interested to see you draw on paper a staff of eleven 
 lines, and to hear that at one time notes were written all over 
 these lines; that later on this staff broke in two, so that the two 
 five-lined staves became separated, and that the remaining mid- 
 dle line was left floating about, so that now it is anchored some- 
 times directly under the upper staff, and sometimes over the lower 
 one; also that this floating line is the home of his former friend, 
 
PIANO TEACHING 43 
 
 Middle C. Furthermore, Paul is told that each line and space 
 of these staves is the home of a note which represents a key on 
 the piano, and that tliese notes are named as they go up or 
 down one by one, just as the keys were named successively by 
 the letters of the alphabet. Let him now name the lines and 
 spaces from Middle C up to G, and explain how the letter G 
 was originally placed before this line to show that First work with 
 the note G was written on it, and how this letter '^® ^^^^^^ ^*^^- 
 afterwards took the modern form which means the G or Treble 
 
 clef, thus: ^ ^ ^ e r yH Let him play the notes discovered 
 
 in this way by the fingers of his left hand 
 and lead from this to the C D E F G to 
 
 be played by the right 
 
 We will not enter upon the subject of time duration at this 
 lesson, but will content ourselves with telling him that the round 
 open note ^ is a whole note, and that the black 
 
 Summation of ma- 
 terial for the first 
 
 horizontal bar hanging from a line __ - ■- is a one or two lessons. 
 
 whole rest, meaning to take up the key which is depressed. 
 He may now give the name of each note in the first exercise 
 (Kohler, Op. 190), and play it with the proper finger as he 
 does so. His work during the week is daily to play the 
 five keys you have shown him with each hand in each octave, 
 to write the name of each note in the first exercise above it, 
 and to play these notes with the separate hands. Such is the 
 material for the first lesson of a bright and intelligent child. 
 If the lesson-time is particularly short or he is not quick to 
 comprehend, it may be easily divided into two parts, so that he 
 is told simply about the keyboard in the first lesson, while the 
 notation items are reserved for the second. 
 
 The first duty at each following lesson is to go over again 
 with extreme care each point of the preceding les- Finger work in 
 son. Do not be discouraged if your young pupil foUo^mg lessons, 
 has apparently forgotten everything you told him. On closer 
 
44 
 
 PIANO TEACHING 
 
 examination you will find that some facts, at least, have adhered 
 to his brain, and by minute repetition others may be made to 
 do so. Thus, the time of the second lesson is not ill spent if 
 it results simply in fixing some previous statements more firmly 
 and in the preparation for a slight step in advance. In order 
 to familiarize him still further with the keyboard, another little 
 technical figure may be given him. Perhaps this will consist 
 of a repetition of each finger movement: 
 
 R.H. 
 
 5 5 5 5 
 
 4444 3333 
 
 2 2 2 2 1111 
 
 L.H. 
 
 Or it may consist of an alternation of two adjoining fingers: 
 
 R.H. 
 
 12 12 2 3 2 3 3 4 3 4 * ^ " 1 
 
 L.H. 
 
 In either case the exercises are to be played in each octave, as 
 before. An inexhaustible supply of such technical figures can 
 be elaborated with a little thought and parceled out for each 
 lesson, while, as various scales are brought into use, these 
 figures may be applied to each of them, as well as to each 
 octave. Thus the pupil will finally play the slow trill, the 
 second of the above exercises, on the first five notes of the 
 scales of C, G, F, D, and so on. 
 
 The subject of scales may be broached very soon, generally 
 by the third or fourth lesson, and may be continued either con- 
 The beginning of jointly with the simple finger exercises, or in alter- 
 scaie practice. nation with them, for variety. The scale of C is 
 explained and played with the separate hands, for one octave; 
 and then nearly related scales, G, F, D, are taken up in order 
 
PIANO TEACHING 45 
 
 with an accompanying explanation of how they are formed 
 from the first. 80, in a few weeks, Paul should be able to play, 
 with hands together, a single octave of the scales he is first 
 called upon to use. Do not push into complicated keys too 
 soon, for that would be violating our principle of keeping all 
 parts of our work strictly correlated. Onl}' after the simple 
 keys have become familiar friends and the principle of the 
 introduction of new sharps and flats is fully understood, should 
 we broaden our horizon to include the complete circle of the 
 major scales. 
 
 We left our small pupil in a very incipient stage of the study 
 of notation. At his second or third lesson the subject of time- 
 values may be introduced. Assuming that his ^ , ,. 
 
 •^ _ ° _ Explanation of 
 
 knowledge of mathematics has reached the point beats and time- 
 where he knows that four quarters make a whole, 
 we proceed to show him that the whole note is frequently 
 divided into four quarters, equal in time duration. The nature 
 of beats as even measures of time is explained, the office of the 
 time-signature and the measure bars in regulating the number 
 and nature of beats is made plain, and these facts are given a 
 practical application by having him play the exercise previously 
 assigned while he counts four slow and even pulses to each note. 
 If this test be carried out successfull}^, he is prepared to put the 
 hands together, counting as before. 
 
 Subdivisions of the time-unit are now in order. Cut a whole 
 note in two by a vertical line 9 and show how two half-notes 
 are thus formed, and how each of these must Half and quarter 
 receive two beats. The corresponding half-rest, °°*®^ ^°*^ '■®^'^' 
 too, looks like the whole-rest, but as it is so much lighter it does 
 
 not fall through the line, but sits comfortably upon it 
 
 Squeezing up the half-note into a quarter results in making it 
 black in the face •; and, in the case of the rest, in giving it a 
 broken back, so that it has the queer shape T. 
 
 The study of the relative proportions of this family of three 
 notes carries us through the first four exercises in our book, 
 each one having been practiced first with the hands separately 
 
46 PIANO TEACHING 
 
 and then with them together. A new step is taken in number 
 five, when the hands begin to play different notes at the same 
 time. After each line has been learned with the separate hands, 
 this process of putting each pair of sounds together is begun by 
 ^. . ,.„ first placing the left-hand finger over its note, then 
 
 Playing different . .... 
 
 notes in the two the right-hand finger in its position and finally by 
 striking these together. This new process is con- 
 ducted first without counting, and afterwards, when it is readily 
 performed, with the beats. The ability to play notes of dif- 
 ferent durations in the two hands is easily acquired from these 
 premises, and in the study of this phase we are brought through 
 the ninth exercise. 
 
 Up to this point each finger has been associated with a fixed 
 note. In exercise ten we begin to remove this restriction by 
 Changing hand- introducing a uew note in the left hand, which 
 notes°phrasfng'^ Consequently changes its position. This feature 
 ^^^^^- is enlarged upon until the notes of the entire 
 
 scale from Middle C to G alcove the octave are employed. 
 Meanwhile the eighth-note (• ) is introduced. In exercise seven- 
 teen the phrasing marks, which are met for the first time, 
 should receive careful attention, as should also all other musical 
 signs as they appear. 
 
 Having thus become king of the most important domain of 
 the treble register, Paul is prepared to grapple with the 
 Explanation of bass clef . Reference is again had to our divided 
 the bass clef. eleveu-Hned staff, and the Middle C line is allowed 
 to float to its position above the lower five lines. Counting 
 down five degrees from this C, we reach the F at the second 
 line from the top, and before it place its original letter, 
 showing how this was changed to the modern bass sign, 
 
 thus: ^ s ^:[ | _ ii is easy now to locate the bass C, and 
 
 thus to bring the hand into position for exercise nineteen. 
 Following steps include the more extensive use of double notes 
 (Exercise 22), the expansion of the bass register and the use 
 of accidentals (Exercise 24), the use of new tonalities (Exer- 
 cises 25, 26, etc.), and the introduction of new rhythms and 
 
PIANO TEACHING 47 
 
 notes of new values like triplets (Exercise 33) and sixteenths 
 (Exercise 36). Tims the scope of Paul's knowledse is <i;ra(l- 
 ually witlencd, until its general features are unfolded, ready 
 for further amplification. While Kohler's book other steps in 
 has thus been made the subject of constant °<"^''°° study, 
 reference, a similar course can be easily followed out in using 
 any other primary studies. 
 
 When shall Paul have his first piece? Ah, that question 
 brings up the vivid memory of that first piece which so filled 
 our own hearts with pride and ioy. How trium- 
 
 ^ , , ., When should the 
 
 phantly we Iwre it home to exhibit to our admiring first piece be 
 
 relatives ! How Mamma praised us for winning ^''^°' 
 
 such a prize, and how Grandpa scoffed at the idea that we could 
 
 ever learn it! Just so is Paul's first piece to be an event in 
 
 his life, and to furnish him with new incentives for practice. 
 
 You may prepare for it when he is only a very little way along 
 
 by teaching him some of the clever little duets for teacher and 
 
 pupil, notably those by Wohlfahrt, Op. 87.* As he learns each 
 
 of these, give it a name, or let him do so, — the first, Santa 
 
 Claus March; the second, A Sad Story, — and so make it seem 
 
 as big as possible in his eyes. There are, fortunately, many 
 
 dainty little pieces available for young fingers; and it need not 
 
 be long before Paul is treated to one of these. Select one, 
 
 moreover, which you are certain is within his ability, and teach 
 
 it with all the attention to detail necessary for an elaborate 
 
 composition. Let him learn how it is made up, phrase by 
 
 phrase; where and why its key changes; how to put in the 
 
 expression, after the notes are mastered; and how to memorize 
 
 it and prepare it for performance. The process of his study 
 
 of it, in fine, should exemplify the system of obtaining an artistic 
 
 mastery over any musical composition, and so should serve as 
 
 a model for future work. 
 
 A ver}' important personage has been neglected thus far, 
 
 namely, Paul's mamma; for the extent to which How to make use 
 
 you can count on her cooperation and support °^ parents. 
 
 * See Wohlfahrt, Six Little Piano Duels, from Op. 87 (Ditson); Low, 
 Tone Pictures, Op. 191 (Ditson Edition No. 77); and Four Lillle Hands, 
 Edited by Heinrich Kiehl (Ditson) a well selected volume. 
 
48 PIANO TEACHING 
 
 will, in a large manner, determine the rate of his progress. Per- 
 haps she is so interested that she will wish to sit by and listen 
 to the lessons. This may be a little awkward for you at first, 
 but if she is quiet and restrictive of her enthusiasms, her con- 
 sequent influence toward carrjdng out your precepts may 
 become invaluable. In any case, however, you should secure 
 her aid by making plain in Paul's memorandum book just 
 what and how he is to practice. If she is only slightly musical 
 herself, she can guard him against hopeless blunders; and if she 
 knows nothing about music, she can see that his practice is regu- 
 larly performed. Without such help the odds will be against 
 you for a time; practice will count for little and progress will 
 be confined mostly to the lesson time. Lessons, accordingly, 
 should be as frequent as possible, and any other means for 
 supervising the work should be welcomed. Suggest to the 
 parents that they make a contract with Paul in regard to his 
 practice. It is genuine work to him, and he should receive due 
 compensation for it. A small pupil of mine who was paid a 
 penny for each ten minutes of his practice quickly became a 
 proud and reliable wage-earner; and the habit thus gained bore 
 him safely through many dull periods of his work. 
 
 Closely related to this class of absolute beginners is that of 
 those children who have either taken a few lessons or have 
 Pupils who have picked up somc information at home or at school. 
 k^Twie^dgl'or ^'ou will, however, pursue the same course with 
 '""s'"=- one of these as with the actual beginners, — start- 
 
 ing from first principles in order that no holes in his knowledge 
 may be left unfilled, but expediting matters, wherever possible. 
 Work in finger technic cannot be started too fundamentally; 
 but, as some progress has been made in reading, a book slightly 
 more advanced may be chosen, like Gurlitt's Op. 117, or 
 E. Biehl's Op. 7, Book 1. 
 
 No, I have no desire to shut the door of piano playing against 
 beginners of riper years, although I cannot hold out the same 
 Beginners cf more golden hopcs to such. There are instances where 
 mature years. older children have taken to the subject, new to 
 them, with surprising instinct, while even beginners of mature 
 
PIANO TEACHING 49 
 
 years have derived much pleasure for themselves and for their 
 friends from their music. But it is fair to add that the lat- 
 ter instances, at least, are few. Facility in associating musical 
 thought with the required muscular activities is so difficult to 
 acquire in later life, and the journey toward this is so plodding 
 and snail-like that the majority of such enthusiasts abandon 
 the project not far from the starting point. Others may 
 attain the power to perform somewhat haltingly, but yet 
 appreciatively, the compositions they have coveted. In all 
 such cases you will be implored to pass over the drudgery 
 of technic, and otherwise to lighten the journey. But how 
 can you do this, considering the fact that technic is the one 
 thing which they most need ? So you must cajole them by 
 introducing all the variety and attractiveness possible into 
 the practice of their scales and finger exercises, meanwhile 
 giving them music which, though simple, is not stamped with 
 childishness. Choose, for example, instead of pieces with infan- 
 tile titles, like The Doll's First Waltz, or Kitty's Polka, some of 
 the simpler or simplified classics, or a tiny piece from Grieg's 
 lyrics. 
 
 And now for the pupils who are or consider themselves to 
 be " advanced." In this class many mistaught „ , , • 
 
 •^ o Example of a mis- 
 
 pupils are sure to be found. Here is your card taught advanced 
 
 containing a summary of the accomplishments 
 
 of one of these, taken from her autobiographical sketch : — 
 
 MISS ETTA JONES 
 
 AGED SEVENTEEN 
 
 Has been a pupil for four years of Miss Fitzbang. 
 Has studied Czerny, Cramer, and Chopin Etudes. 
 Pieces have included GottschaWs ''Last Hope," Leybach's 
 "Fifth Nocturne," Raff's "Cachoucha," and other popular 
 war horses. Has performed at church fairs and lodge enter- 
 tainments. Is anxious " to play like Paderewski." 
 
 Then you test Etta's ability at the instrument and find that 
 the scale of C is a closed book to her ! Her specialty is noise, 
 
50 PIANO TEACHING 
 
 and this she has exploited so effectively as to paralyze her friends 
 into the conviction that she is a genius. 
 
 And this enchanting illusion you are called upon to dispel. 
 Can you do this without being cast aside ruthlessly as a dried-up, 
 Method of treating musty old pedagoguc ? Not if you work too 
 such a case. abruptly. The ideals in Etta's mind must not 
 
 be mercilessly shattered, but they must be gradually and insen- 
 sibl}'^ replaced by those of a higher order; and if she is brought 
 to appreciate these latter, you can leave the education of her 
 friends to her own efforts. Tell her, to start with, that you 
 wnll require two or three weeks of analytical work as a means 
 of preparation. If she is really in earnest she will not object 
 to this; and, indeed, she may be attracted by the idea, as she 
 has evidently never known what analytical work is. Then 
 back up your statement by prescribing a liberal dose of finger 
 gymnastics and scales, all to be practiced according to the most 
 accurate adagio principles. To apply these principles further, 
 you give her for the next lesson, in addition, a piece which will 
 not seem a retrogression to her in its reading difficulties, and of 
 which she is to analyze a moderate portion, perhaps with the 
 hands separate. Poor Etta has never been initiated into the 
 artistic mysteries of rhythm, melody, or phrasing, and has done 
 little with them except to pummel them; so the piece you 
 choose will be one of straightforward technic, like WoUen- 
 haupt's Etude in A\?, while you will plan to unfold these other 
 subjects to her by selecting for future use a series of pieces 
 calculated to aid in your design. 
 
 I have suggested a short piece rather than a book of studies, 
 because you will find it invariably to your advantage, in start- 
 ing with a pupil who is farther advanced than 
 
 Advantage of be- . „ 
 
 ginning with a the Very earliest grade, to assign at first a composi- 
 
 short composition. ,. i-i , i ,• j_ij.i-i- 
 
 tion which not only seems pertinent, but which is 
 also in individual and compact form. However careful your 
 examination of her attainments has been, you are sure to 
 receive surprises, and sometimes to suffer a complete reversal 
 of your previous judgment of her, so that you will be wise not 
 to commit yourself to a given course until the time for such 
 
PIANO TEACHING 51 
 
 revelations has passed. Having finally diagnosed your pa- 
 tient's condition, your course of treatment can be entered upon 
 boldly, and a volume of studies as bulky as you please can 
 be introduced. 
 
 There is a class of pupils (may their tribe increase!) that bring 
 pleasure to the teacher, not because they possess more than aver- 
 age aptitude, but because they have been taught 
 
 ... , . Example of a 
 
 With both care and mtelligence. ihe pupils of weii-taught 
 this class as a rule have not only some capacity ''"^' ' 
 for work, but have also been well guided at home. A pleasanter 
 experience than the last awaits you with the next card: 
 
 MISS HELEN BRIGHT 
 AGED SIXTEEN 
 
 Has had lessons for three years with Miss Commonsense. 
 Her technic has been carefully looked after. Studies have 
 been chosen for their fitness, from those of a number of 
 coynposers. Pieces have been selected from the works of 
 Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert, Chopin, and modern 
 composers. 
 
 Has been taught to memorize, and has played at several 
 recitals, under the supervision of her teacher. 
 
 Miss Bright does not show signs of extraordinary brilliancy, 
 but she has been well taught. Her scales are even and clear, 
 and she plays for you a Bach Gavotte intelligently Method of teach- 
 and unhesitatingly. You have now to keep her '°^ ^^'^^ ^ p""''- 
 on the right track, introducing a few original ideas of your own 
 and seeking out points where she is weakest for the exercise 
 of your advice. She must have technical drill, of course. You 
 have noticed that her tone needs strengthening, so your medi- 
 cine is chosen for its effects in that direction. The composition 
 selected for her first analysis-work must still be fitted for the 
 application of what she is practicing in technic, but it may be 
 
52 PIANO TEACHING 
 
 less elementary in its phrasing requirements. She has had no 
 Haydn, Mendelssohn, or Schumann; perhaps, therefore, Haydn's 
 Rondo in A major will be adapted to her needs, this to be fol- 
 lOVved by pertinent selections from the works of the other two. 
 These typical examples have been cited to emphasize the 
 invariable necessity of adapting your methods to the exigen- 
 cies of each case. Let us now recapitulate some 
 
 Summary. 
 
 of our chief conclusions. Your technical instruc- 
 tions to a beginner should include those concerning his position 
 at the piano, the manner of holding his arms and hands, the 
 construction of the keyboard, the location of the first-needed 
 keys, the devices for correct fingering, and the performance of 
 simple finger exercises and scales. Meanwhile notation should 
 be explained from its simplest elements progressively onward, 
 and each step should be applied to piano performance. An 
 element of variety may soon be introduced in the form of five- 
 finger duets and first-grade pieces. You should not hesitate, 
 either, to accept any help from the parent toward the regulation 
 and supervision of the practice. While pupils who have a little 
 knowledge of playing are to be treated like beginners, with 
 some natural modifications of regime, pupils of wider experience 
 must be taught with more variety of method. Victims of poor 
 teaching must be led gradually to a change of ideals. Those 
 who have been more fortunate, however, are to be pushed 
 steadily ahead, while the teacher takes advantage of any oppor- 
 tunity for helpfulness. Thus thoroughly started on their jour- 
 ney, our pupils will require constant nourishment in certain 
 well-defined directions, which we will now proceed to consider. 
 
CHAPTER V 
 
 The Teaching of Technic 
 
 I HAVE already said that your first care at each lesson should 
 be to look after the condition of your pupil's fingers, and to 
 adopt measures which shall tend to increase their The regulation 
 efficiency. This increase will be ideally regulated if °^ ^""^^^ ^^''^'''^■ 
 it exactly keeps pace with the pupil's advancement in the ability 
 to read and comprehend music. It is evident, moreover, that 
 the more consistently and naturally you lead him from one step 
 to another in the development of his finger technic, the more 
 effective will be the results. I therefore ask you now to con- 
 sider how the various groups of his technical work may be most 
 logically arranged and applied. 
 
 Piano technic, in its broadest sense, embraces the whole 
 mechanism of performance. I shall, however, restrict the use 
 of the term in the present chapter to its more ^^ ,. 
 
 '■ ^ . . The historical 
 
 usual meaning, namely, that of skill in the physi- development 
 
 , , 1 • 1 i 1 of technic. 
 
 <;ai movements which are necessary to produce 
 the desired results. It would be interesting, if space permitted, 
 to trace the history of such technic: to show how the earl}^ 
 pianists applied the resources of their instruments, light in touch 
 and limited in compass, in the direction of fluent, delicate runs 
 and embellishments; how, as the piano grew, double notes and 
 chords came into use; and how finally, under such giants as 
 Liszt and Rubinstein and such poets as Chopin and Schumann, 
 extended passage work, sonorous harmonies, singing melodies, 
 and all the modern effects of tone-qualities and daring digital 
 flights were introduced. To fit a pupil to cope with the extraor- 
 dinary difficulties of modern music, in which are frequently 
 united all the effects which have accumulated during the past 
 two centuries,, is, on the face of it, a stupendous task. 
 
 53 
 
54 PIANO TEACHING 
 
 What wonder is it, therefore, that many teachers have 
 
 directed their best thought toward formulating a sequence 
 
 , . . , of exercises to lead, step by step, from the 
 
 Characteristics of _ _ _ i ^ i-; 
 
 various " meth- simplest beginnings up to full-blown virtuos- 
 ity ! What wonder that many mechanical de- 
 vices — finger exercisers and dumb keyboards — should have 
 been invented to act as short cuts toward technical alsility ! 
 From such efforts a number of so-called "methods" have 
 resulted, some based on the above-named contrivances, some 
 derived from practical teaching experience, and some formu- 
 lated from scientific deductions. An examination of these 
 "methods" shows that there has been a steady advance 
 toward finally uniting the fruits of experience with rational 
 principles. The desirability of securing the maximum of com- 
 mand over tone combined with the minimum of effort, is now 
 recognized; and "power through repose" has taken the place of 
 the sensational ravings of the old-time virtuoso. The acquire- 
 ment of a legato style is avowedly the central feature of most 
 "methods;" and the conception of what this style really is 
 and how it is best attained furnishes the chief points of diver- 
 gence between them. So we find all manner of attitudes recom- 
 mended by their respective advocates, some insisting on a high 
 stool, some on a low one; some teaching to raise the fingers, 
 some to keep them on the keys; some turning the hand one 
 way, and some another. 
 
 You must take care, therefore, not to stray in a maze of 
 opposing ideas. Many apparent conflicts between different 
 Emphasis of dif- experts really signify only different phases of the 
 touch*by dlffwent Same subject, just as the' two knights swore each 
 "methods." ^q ^]^g material of his own side of the shield. 
 
 There are many necessary phases of the legato touch, — the 
 plain legato, the overlapping legato, and various modifications 
 of these, each of them adapted to certain demands of musical 
 expression; so that the intelligent teacher, while basing his 
 instructions on the phase which seems most universal, will have 
 other kinds of touch at his command, and will understand how 
 to employ them when needed. 
 
PIANO TEACHING •>•> 
 
 I trust that your iMuno education has inchuled the study 
 either of one of the l)est of these "metliods," or, at any rate, 
 of a consistent and efficient course of finger gym- ., » , . , . 
 
 o o.; Necessity of hold- 
 
 nastics. If such is the case, and if you are con- ing to a logical 
 
 , , , , , f i. I • • 1 • I system of technic. 
 
 vinced that 3'our system ot technic is a logical 
 one, I should advise you to hold firmly to it, and not Hghtly 
 to throw it over for any fashionable "method" that may come 
 up. I have known teachers who began nearly every autumn 
 with a brand-new "method," which they had imbibed during 
 the summer as the latest fashion in piano playing and which 
 was quite at variance with that formerly taught by them. 
 Such a course means a constant overturn for both yourself and 
 your pupils, with no adequate time for rebuilding. Yet I would 
 not advocate a slavish adherence to any one's "method, " Hav- 
 ing adopted a system on which to base your teaching, keep 
 your eyes constantly open to new ideas and be ready to graft 
 them upon your plans of work, whenever they seem useful. 
 Thus your own method should, in time, represent what has 
 proven itself best to you from the experiences of many others, 
 and may finally be quite a different creation from that with 
 which you started. 
 
 Shall you avow your preference by any distinct label ? Shall 
 your cards read "Miss Grant, Teacher of the Virtuowski 
 Method" ? If this be a popular "method" of the How far the 
 day, such a course may prove an attraction to teacher should 
 
 . , assert a prefer- 
 
 some pupils. And yet, unless you intend to be- ence for any 
 come a mere slavish imitator of the distin- 
 guished teacher in whose footsteps you follow, unless you 
 intend to shut your eyes willfully to all merits and helps in 
 other systems of procedure, you will resolve, mentally at least, 
 to keep that independence which is your birthright, and to 
 modify such "method" as you deem it expedient. Would it 
 not therefore be better to announce "Miss Grant, Teacher of 
 the Principles of the Virtuowski Method"? Or, better still, 
 is it not well to say nothing whatever on the subject, leaving 
 the matter to be explained to your patrons, if they inquire 
 about it? If you have to deal with any of the people who 
 
56 PIANO TEACHING 
 
 clamor for a specially tagged "method" and who look with 
 contempt upon any teacher who cannot present such creden- 
 tials, tell them that your method is the "Method of Common- 
 sense." If that is not good enough for them, they must be 
 beyond all human help. 
 
 There is at present, indeed, a prevailing rage for technic, 
 which has caused the pendulum to swing far in the direction 
 The real end of of the merely mechanical side of music. And in 
 techmc. drawing attention to this fact I am not at all 
 
 disparaging the evident advance in accurate and enlightened 
 teaching which has taken place within the past quarter of a 
 century, but I am simply warning you against an enthusiasm 
 for technic which elevates it to the position of the chief end 
 sought. "Technic," says Christiani,* "should not seek to shine 
 by itself, and least of all give the impression of being the per- 
 former's strongest point." Let your first care, therefore, be to 
 prepare your pupil's fingers to meet the demands that are to be 
 put upon them ; but meanwhile remember that all this prepara- 
 tion is but a means to an end, and that it should be only an 
 aid toward achieving the ultimate object, which is the power 
 of expressing musical thought. 
 
 The technical exercises which you give your pupil should con- 
 sequently be chosen both for their gymnastic value and for their 
 ffheef availability for use in actual musical perform- 
 ficiency of a tech- ance. Qucer and exceptional finger- and hand- 
 
 nical exercise. , , • ^ i 1 1 
 
 contortions, however much they may exercise 
 the muscles, should be avoided. For instance, many of the 
 popular "stunts," such as lapping the fingers over one another 
 or bending them from the first joint, might be positively 
 injurious. So the worth of an exercise will be augmented 
 according to the frequency of its application and its efficiency 
 in coping with some recurring and normal difficulty. Thus 
 exercises for putting the thumb under the hand are valuable 
 because such positions are constantly in use while playing 
 scales and arpeggios. 
 
 Another important test of a technical exercise is its simplicity. 
 * Principles of Expression in Piano Playing. 
 
PIANO TEACHING 
 
 67 
 
 In practicing finger exercises the pupil should be able to put 
 his entire thought upon how his fingers are moving and what 
 effects they produce. Thus, the technical figure should be so 
 slight in construction that he may memorize it in a vaiue of simpiic- 
 twinkling, and may afterwards pay no attention "^ '"^ exercises, 
 whatever to the question of what notes he is to strike. A slow 
 trill, for instance, is one of the most valuable exercises in exist- 
 ence on account of its absolute simplicity. 
 
 Whether or not you are a devotee of any particular "method," 
 it is well for you to have a systematized catalogue of the techni- 
 cal devices which you are to use with pupils. I systematized lists 
 will therefore suggest the basis on which such a °^ e^e^-^'ses- 
 list is to be compiled, without reference to the application of the 
 exercises to the different kinds of touch, since such application 
 depends chiefly on the particular school of technic which you 
 have adopted. 
 
 The groundwork of your list must consist of a series of little 
 technical figures, chosen, as suggested above, mainly to antici- 
 pate certain common difficulties. In it, therefore. Division of 
 are found fragments of embellishments, of scales, ^^^^ gymnastics. 
 and of arpeggios, which, if mastered, will facilitate the rendition 
 of the entire runs from which they are taken. Various names 
 are given these exercises, such as "five-finger exercises," and 
 "finger work." I shall refer to them as finger gymnastics. 
 
 Let us now see how these may still further be classified. 
 First, there are exercises in which the fingers are retained in 
 their most normal position, over the first five notes Exercises with 
 of the scale. In this position they are primarily jolnfng keys of" 
 employed in individual motions. Next, the depres- *^® diatomc scale, 
 sion of one key may be followed by that of the adjoining key, 
 as in the slow trill; and finally it may be followed by that of a 
 remoter key, so that eventually the fingers succeed each other 
 without distinction as to their distance apart, as in this exercise: 
 
 5 2 4 3 1 S 3 
 
 14 2 3 5 14 
 
68 
 
 PIANO TEACHING 
 
 The next step lies in note combinations. Two, three, or 
 even four notes may be sounded simultaneously, as in the 
 following : 
 
 
 i 
 
 1 3 
 
 or one or more notes may be sustained while others are sounded. 
 
 Exercises dealing with this normal position are followed by 
 
 , those in which the hand is either contracted or 
 
 Contraction and i r i /> 
 
 ejEpansion exer- expanded. Of the former, the first would be 
 naturally conducted with the fingers over the 
 keys pertaining to the chromatic scale, thus: 
 
 in which position exercises similar to those already suggested 
 are performed. Still further contractions, while possible, are 
 not so usual, excepting those which relate to passing the thumb 
 under, which are of special importance. 
 
 Expansion exercises have a much wider scope. First come 
 those involving a lateral movement of the fingers, in which these 
 alternately approach and recede from each other, as in this one : 
 
 and then follow those in which the fingers, placed each over the 
 note of some important chord, perform evolutions similar to 
 
PIANO TEACHING 59 
 
 those first discussed. The chords of the dominant and dimin- 
 ished sevenths are best adapted for these on account of their 
 frequent appHcation; and of these the diminished seventh is by 
 far the most useful, since in playing it the fingers are practically 
 all at the same distance apart. Greater hand-extensions may 
 follow, such as those in which the thumb and fifth fingers are 
 a tenth apart. When, however, these necessitate skips, the 
 domain of the strict legato is transcended, and there is danger 
 of incursions into the realms of the extraordinary. 
 
 We have many exercises, however, in which beneficial com- 
 binations of the above classes are made, such, for instance, 
 as the alternate expansion and contraction exer- combination ex- 
 cises alluded to; and these combinations, indeed, ^'■'^'^^^• 
 may be listed as especially valuable, since an undue emphasis 
 of one variety of exercise is apt to unfit one for the others. 
 An exclusive practice of scale positions, for instance, makes the 
 playing of arpeggios seem awkward. 
 
 I would particularly urge you, however, to teach j^our pupils 
 to practice all this five-finger work in every available key. 
 With or without a slight modulating figure, the . ,. . 
 
 ^ o o 7 Application of ex- 
 
 pupil may pass readily from one scale to another, ercises to aii keys 
 
 ,,..".,,. , , .,.,. and registers. 
 
 obtammg m this way not only variety in his 
 practice, but an infinitely more extensive acquaintance with his 
 musical material. Some pupils become so glued to the position 
 on the scale of C that any other attitudes are bugbears to them. 
 Whatever exercises the pupil practices, therefore, let him give 
 them the widest possible application, making equal friends with 
 each scale and each register of the keyboard. 
 
 Toward the attainment of this broad outlook the second divi- 
 sion of our subject, namely, that of scale practice, is an invalu- 
 able adjunct. Representing, as they do, the very ^j^^ ^^^j ^^^^^_ 
 alphabet of music, the scales have an importance cance of scale 
 in practice which can hardly be overestimated. 
 Indeed, when a pupil is able to play all of the common scales 
 with equal clearness and facility, he may be considered to be 
 well on the' road toward pianistic ability. And a mastery over 
 the scales means not simply the ability to play them straight up 
 
60 PIANq_ TEACHING 
 
 and down with the hands an octave apart, but also a readiness 
 to perform them in all sorts of combinations, rates, rhj^thms, 
 and touches. By teaching these different modes of practice 
 you will introduce interest and variety into what would other- 
 wise be an insufferably dull routine. 
 
 You will begin, naturally, with the major scales, and will 
 
 dwell upon these until they are thoroughly under the fingers. 
 
 At first, they are taught in the order of signatures: 
 
 Method of pre- i • • i i i i ■ 
 
 senting the major but this Order is quickly replaced by the chromatic 
 sequence of keys, which will break up the depend- 
 ence of each upon the one preceding. It is well also to teach 
 your pupil to begin and end the scales at the top just as often 
 as he plays them from the lower end, in order that he may con- 
 ceive them as readily in one direction as in the other. In first 
 presenting the scales to him, you will explain how each sharp 
 and each flat scale is derived from the one before, and will induce 
 him to trace them out originally by himself, according to your 
 formulae. As to fingering, the scales should be grouped into 
 comprehensive divisions, and each scale should be treated invari- 
 ably with the same fingers on the same notes, except where the 
 fifth or fourth finger is substituted for the thumb in those scales 
 which begin on white keys. For insertion in the pupil's memo- 
 randum book you may employ the following summary: 
 
 MAJOR SCALES 
 
 Order of Intervals: Whole, whole, half, whole, whole, whole, 
 half-step. 
 
 NATURAL SCALE, — C 
 SHARP SCALES 
 
 Formula: Each a fifth above the preceding; new sharp on the 
 seventh. 
 
 Order of scales: 12 3 4 5 
 G D A E B 
 
 Order of sharps: F C G D A 
 
 Fingering for two octaves: 1 2 3, 1 2 3 4, 1 2 3, 1 2 3 4 5 
 (Right hand ascends left to right, left hand ascends right to left.) 
 
 Exception, left hand of B: 4 3 21,4321,321,4321 
 
Fingering . 
 
 PIANO TEACHING 61 
 
 FLAT SCALES 
 
 Formula: Each a fourth above the preceding; new flat on 
 the fourth. 
 
 Order of scales: 12 3 4 5 6 
 F Bl^ Eb Ab Db Gt' 
 
 Order of flats: B E A D G C 
 
 Right — fourth always on B flat. 
 
 f F, like C 
 Left B,^ E,^ A,!' D>: — 3 2 1, 4 3 2 1, 3 __ 
 Ig'': — 4321,321,4 
 
 It remains now for me to outline a course of scale study 
 which will embrace the most useful modes of treatment, leaving 
 the amplification of them to your own ingenuity, outline course of 
 Each variety may be employed at will to illustrate ®'^^'® ^'"'*^- 
 the kinds of touch under consideration, and may also, except 
 where otherwise stated, be practiced at any desired speed or 
 tone power. Combinations of touch — light in one hand, heavy 
 in the other, or legato in one hand and staccato in the other — 
 are also effective factors. Much stress should be placed upon 
 one-hand practice, since in this each hand must stand solely 
 upon its own merits, without the danger of having its deficiencies 
 covered up by the work of the other hand. 
 
 The single-octave scale study by beginners has already been 
 outlined (page 44). After this process has been followed out, 
 scale practice begins in earnest by the slow analy- scales with the 
 sis of each scale for two octaves, with the hands ^^'^'^^ separate, 
 separate. Next, each hand plays up four octaves at the slow 
 rate, and down, fluently, at about twice the rate of ascen- 
 sion. Reverse this process, by playing down slowly and up 
 faster. A useful supplementary drill consists in comparing the 
 work of the two hands directly by playing in the more rapid 
 tempo one up and the other down, in immediate alternation. 
 
 We now begin to unite the hands by playing the scales a 
 single octave with hands together, starting slowly . 
 
 and increasing the speed until a tempo as rapid the hands te- 
 as is consistent with clearness is reached. This 
 is done first in parallel, and then in contrary motion. 
 
62 
 
 PIANO TEACHING 
 
 Making use of the material thus exploited, the pupil now 
 
 begins far down on the keyboard, and plays up one octave in 
 
 ])arallel motion, then separates and approaches 
 
 Combinations of 
 
 parallel and con- the hauds for au octave, then plays up another 
 trary mo ion. Qctave iu parallel motion, and so on, till he reaches 
 the toil of the fourth octave, when he descends straight to the 
 starting-point. This device is then reversed, commencing at 
 the top. The next scheme is to play up two octaves 
 in parallel motion, then to separate and approach for two 
 octaves, then to ascend two octaves, and finally to descend 
 four octaves. 
 
 A series of rhythmic scales is next in order. First, beginning 
 at the bottom, the right hand plays two notes to one in the 
 Rhythmic scale Icft, SO that it asceuds four octaves while the left 
 practice. plays two. This formula is reversed by beginning 
 
 at the top, and playing four octaves in the left to two in the 
 right. Similarly, one hand may play three and then four notes 
 to one note in the other; while cross rhythms, — three in one 
 hand to two in the other, and four in one hand to three in the 
 other, — may follow these. As the last-named scales present- 
 peculiar difficulties, their chscussion is reserved for a later 
 chapter (page 76). 
 
 Up to this point, the scales, when employed in parallel 
 motion, have been practiced with the hands an octave apart. 
 Scales in canon An introduction to the use of other intervals is 
 *°'™- now afforded by playing in caiion form. Leading 
 
 to this, the single-octave scale is at first played as before several 
 times without stopping, and then this exact process is repeated, 
 this time, however, with the right hand two notes ahead of the 
 left, as follows: 
 
 R^ 
 
 -r— *^ 
 
 f— 
 
 4 5 
 
 1 rprVi I'l ii 
 
 fM^ 
 
 ■1 rm 
 
 _ 1 3 
 
 1 r 1 1 -_i 
 
 a 1 „ 
 
 P^ 
 
 
 =^ 
 
 ^ * * 
 
 '^JJj 1 ij= 
 
 yTJ'*' *^^ 
 
 JJj] r^JJ^ 
 
 if ^» ' 
 
 
 ,r-^f^^ 
 
 
 it* - 
 
 etc. 
 
 ./ \j 
 
 -♦ — «-= 
 
 5 
 
 -Tti 
 
 I 3 
 
 '— sW' 
 
 ^ 
 
 J ^^^. 1 
 
 HW 
 
 ^=^ 
 
PIANO TEACHING^ 
 
 63 
 
 The scale is then lengthened by playing it one, two, three, 
 and four octaves respectively, with the right hand invariably 
 leading, thus: 
 
 ri n -TTT n I 'i ''i , '. Yf r p y I ! - ' - ! * r -r~r 
 
 ^ 
 
 — ^*- 
 
 —\ — 
 
 ^ v-T-n 1 
 
 1 — 1 — 
 
 .-tH^ 
 
 -^^^ 
 
 1 rir r 
 
 hj: 1 [ 1 1 - , » F 
 
 C- 1 1 i " 
 
 • 1" « 
 
 
 1 
 
 3 
 
 ^ ^ r 1 1 ^=^ 
 
 — I— 
 
 3 
 
 '""T^^^J 
 
 " r I ' 
 
 ^4^ 
 
 The reversal of the entire exercise follows, with the left, instead 
 of the right, in advance. 
 
 Your pupil is now prepared for a drill upon the scales played 
 entirely in thirds and sixths. Even after your careful pre- 
 liminary work, however, his equilibrium is apt scales in thirds 
 to be disturbed as he attempts to start with one ^'^^ ^^^^^ 
 hand on the third of the scale while the other begins on the 
 first. Foreseeing this trouble, therefore, you will be wise to 
 require him to put each scale rigidl}^ through the following for- 
 mula?, until the proper fingering is instilled into his mind: 
 
 FORMULA FOR SCALES IN THIRDS 
 
 1. Left hand, two octaves. 
 
 2. Right hand, same two octaves. 
 
 3. Right hand, three notes. 
 
 4. Right hand, two octaves, from third note. 
 
 5. Numbers 1 and 4 together. 
 
64 PIANO TEACHING 
 
 FORMULA FOR SCALES IN SIXTHS 
 
 1. Right hand, two octaves. 
 
 2. Left hand, two octaves, beginning an octave lower. 
 
 3. Left hand, three notes. 
 
 4. Left hand, two octaves, from third note. 
 
 5. Numbers 1 and 4 together. 
 
 Having gained this experience, he may now play the scales for 
 the number of octaves and at the rate of speed which you 
 prescribe. 
 
 After the major scales have been thus canvassed, you pro- 
 ceed to treat of the minors. The signature relationship be- 
 Tabie of minor tween the major and minor scales should be 
 scales. pointed out, and the pupil should be led to find 
 
 the minor scale relative to each major by counting down 
 three half-steps from the keynote of the latter. In this way 
 the following table is compiled : 
 
 Major 
 
 Minor 
 
 C Natural 
 
 a 
 
 G 1 sharp 
 
 e 
 
 D 2 sharps 
 
 b 
 
 A 3 sharps 
 
 f^ 
 
 E 4 sharps 
 
 c^ 
 
 B 5 sharps 
 
 g^ 
 
 Major 
 
 Minor 
 
 F 1 flat 
 
 d 
 
 Bb 2 flats 
 
 g 
 
 E\? 3 flats 
 
 c 
 
 A\> 4 flats 
 
 f 
 
 D\> 5 flats 
 
 hb 
 
 Gb 6 flats 
 
 e\? 
 
 You should also show the difference in formation between 
 the harmonic, melodic, and mixed forms of the minors, and 
 Practice of the decide upou the form for immediate study. If 
 minor scales. y^^ choose the mixed form, as I should advise on 
 account of its more extensive application, you will write out, 
 or have your pupil write out, the first scale with its fingering, 
 and will follow this by the others in the order of their signatures, 
 making this process initiate a course of practice which shall pur- 
 sue that prescribed for the major scales, and which should result 
 in an equal facility in all the styles suggested. After this has 
 been attained, the course of practice with the metronome, 
 described in the next chapter (page 72) will solidify and accel- 
 erate the entire series of scales, giving them at the same time 
 rhythmical accuracy. 
 
PIANO TEACHING 65 
 
 At an early period in the scale-practice the chromatic scale 
 should be introduced, and should be practiced with at least two 
 varieties of fin^-eriu^s throughout the entire [)iano Practice of the 
 compass, in the intervals of the octave, major oth°eTforms''ol^" 
 and minor thirds, and major and minor sixths. ^"^^'^ practice. 
 I should not complete the summary of scale-practice with- 
 out emphasizing the study of all scales in double thirds and 
 sixths, since no more thorough or searching technical drill than 
 this exists. Practice of the scales in varied rhythmic groupings, 
 such as are produced by alternating dotted eighths and six- 
 teenths, is invaluable. Also, the principles of melodic expression 
 may be emphasized by rendering the scales in phrases of two 
 or more notes, and with shadings of piano and forte. 
 
 The third division of technical work is devoted to the study 
 of octaves, chords, and arpeggios. Exercises upon octaves con- 
 sist of the consideration of different touches and _. . . 
 
 , . ,. , „ Division of oc- 
 
 their application to different rates of movement, taves, chords, and 
 These are used in exercises upon individual notes, ^''p®^^'°^" 
 in scald passages, and in skips. Broken octaves and octaves 
 in alternating hands also come under this head. 
 
 Chords and their resolution into arpeggios present material 
 both of practical value and of great possibilities of variety. 
 Most useful for technical drill are the major and Exercises based 
 minor triads, and the dominant and diminished mon triads, 
 sevenths, with one or two other seventh chords. You will 
 begin by work upon the six positions of the common 
 chord: 
 
 In order to acquire confidence and surety of fingering, the pupil 
 should sound these combinations many times definitely and 
 clearly in each scale, ascending chromatically. Next, the four 
 notes of each chord may be broken up into pairs, which are 
 sounded alternately, and combinations of three notes with 
 
66 
 
 PIANO TEACHING 
 
 one may be similarly used. The chords will then be resolved 
 into arpeggio figures, such as the following: 
 
 Long arpeggios follow, made of the same material and treated 
 in varying rhythms and in varying styles, such as parallel and 
 contrary motion. 
 
 Similar work applied to chords of the seventh is of even 
 greater value since it involves the continual use of all the fin- 
 gers. The chords of the dominant and diminished 
 
 Exercises upon 
 
 chords of the scvcuths havc already been cited as of especial 
 importance, and to these may be added other 
 positions, as in the following list: 
 
 Dominant Diminislied Donnnanf 
 Si'Vviiih Srvt'nlli Seventh 
 
 Fmaj V7 GminVlIj Db maj V7 C mm 11^ C maj VI- 
 
 The divisions of technical work which I have thus far enu- 
 merated have included most of the legitimate material necessary 
 Exceptional exer- for the wcll-equippcd pianist. Outside these strict 
 "^®®* boundaries, however, lie exercises adapted to ex- 
 
 ceptional situations, and to distinctively modern and experi- 
 mental effects, such as long reaches, skips, and alternating and 
 interlocking hand work. Many of these may be found in the 
 published works of modern masters of technical teaching, like 
 Philipp and Joseffy, while many may be studied best by adapting 
 difficult passages in actual compositions into special technical 
 exercises. A book compiled on this basis. From Bach to Chopin, 
 by Clayton Johns (Ditson edition, No. 109), illustrates the prac- 
 tical bearing of such work. 
 
 Our list of technical devices would not be complete without 
 reference to exercises for the correct use of the pedals, the neces- 
 
PIANO TEACHING 67 
 
 sity for which is evident from the variety of uses to which 
 the pedals are put by modern pianists. Your first care must 
 be to see that, while the pedal movement is „ , . 
 
 Pedal technic. 
 
 prompt and definite, it is noiseless, and thus free 
 from the cracking sound which often results from a too vigorous 
 application of foot power. Then, impress upon your pupil the 
 fact that the damper pedal is a good servant but a bad master. 
 Let him carr}^ out your exercises, keeping his ear constantly on 
 the alert to appreciate the necessity for putting down the pedal 
 nearly alwaj-s after the note it is to sustain, and to detect any 
 blurring of tones caused by a too prolonged depression. The 
 possibilities of color effects which lie in the use of the soft 
 pedal and in the manipulation of both pedals in cooperation, I 
 shall refer to in a later chapter (page 101). The indefinite and 
 often inaccurate directions for pedal use found in most piano 
 music make it necessary for you to revise them upon a clearer 
 basis. For this purpose I advise the adoption, in connection 
 
 with the damper pedal, of the sign I |, the dowTi- 
 
 stroke denoting the depression of the pedal, the horizontal 
 line its continuance, and the up-stroke its removal, thus: 
 
 For the soft pedal, the usual signs una corda (u. c.) and tre 
 corde {t. c.) seem sufficiently comprehensible. 
 
 While I have suggested a continuous course for each division 
 of technical work, 3'ou of course understand that no one kind 
 is to be dwelt upon for a long time, to the cxclu- variety in tech- 
 sion of the others. Occasionally, if the pupil evi- °"^^' practice, 
 dently needs the drill, two kinds of technical work can be given 
 him conjointly, in homeopathic doses, such as a short exercise 
 for finger gymnastics and a few scales; but it is better, in gene- 
 ral, to work along one line for several lessons, and then to induce 
 variety by changing off to another. When the first species is 
 again taken up, you will resume at the point where you left off. 
 
68 PIANO TEACHING 
 
 A subject closely interwoven with that of technic is that of 
 fingering, by which is meant the use of the correct fingers upon 
 Attitude of the the kcys involvcd in musical progressions. An 
 thVmltte^oi 6n- important duty is to see that your pupil uses the 
 germg. fingcrs, so far as possible, best adapted for express- 
 
 ing each shade of the musical thought under consideration. 
 You have as an aid the many excellent fingered editions avail- 
 able; but it is not enough to rely wholly upon these: you should 
 apply your own judgment as a test of their merits; should play 
 over any doubtful passages to ascertain if you can improve 
 upon the fingering given; and should decide whether the fingering 
 which most commends itself to you is best for the particular 
 pupil who is to use it. 
 
 Two systems of fingering have had their adherents among 
 prominent piano pedagogues. The first, championed by Kohler 
 How far to foi- and othcrs of his school, prescribed that the hand- 
 sylte^ms^o" fin- positiou should be kept as immovable as possible; 
 gering. while the other, advocated by Liszt and von 
 
 Billow, went to the other extreme, changing the position almost 
 constantly. As usual, the middle ground is a safe place of 
 refuge; so that you will make no mistake in adopting a form 
 of fingering whic^^does not needlessly or arbitrarily jump the 
 hand about, but which also does not hesitate to assume any 
 position or take any fingers which evidently facilitate the desired 
 effect. To change the fingers when the same note is sounded 
 a number of times in quick succession; to unify, as far as pos- 
 sible, the fingering of scales and arpeggios, and to sound the 
 black keys with the three middle fingers, are sensible ideas from 
 which to start. But all of these can be disregarded wherever 
 common sense prescribes alterations.* 
 
 Whether or not you intend to follow any labeled technical 
 "method," therefore, you must have at the outset a systema- 
 tized scheme of exercises. These will be listed 
 
 Summary. 
 
 under three principal heads, finger gymnastics, 
 scales, and arpeggios. Finger gymnastics include technical 
 
 *For a fuller discussion of the subject of fingering see Clayton Johns' 
 The Essentials of Pianoforte Playing, Part Ten. 
 
PIANO TEACHING 69 
 
 figures played in all keys, with the hand in its most normal 
 position, and with contractions and expansions of this. Scale 
 practice includes the treatment, with various touches and at 
 varied rates, of the major, minor, and chromatic scales, with 
 the hands separate and together. Parallel and contrary motion 
 may be employed, the former with the hands at different inter- 
 vals apart. Double-note scales, following these, are of special 
 importance. Octaves, chords, and arpeggios are also to be 
 treated in various manners. Exercises upon the common triads 
 and upon some of the chords of the seventh are to be extended 
 until fluency is gained in long, sweeping arpeggios. Uses of the 
 pedal should also receive careful attention. Modern devices 
 of technic can be gleaned from the works of modern technicians 
 and by the invention of figures directly from musical works. 
 Finally, problems regarding fingering are to be solved upon 
 certain general principles, which are to be treated, however, as 
 aids rather than as restrictions. 
 
CHAPTER VI 
 
 The Teaching of the Rhythmic Element 
 
 In order to apply his technical skill toward its avowed end, 
 
 namely, the interpretation of musical thought, the pupil must 
 
 first become master of the various elements which 
 
 The three ele- 
 ments involved in go to make up the musical composition. He must 
 in erpre a ion. gj-jjgp d^q substancc out of which the whole struc- 
 ture is modeled, namely, the harmony, and he must render this 
 plastic to receive the graceful outlines imposed upon it by the 
 melody. With these two elements alone developed, however, 
 the music resembles a marble statue which, like Pygmalion's 
 Galatea, awaits the divinely-sent breath to transform it into 
 a living being. Endowed w4th life, the blood courses through 
 the veins of the new creation, and the heart begins to beat in 
 regular pulsations, — to become vital through the element of 
 rhythm. 
 
 In the practical process of teaching a composition it is neces- 
 sary that these three elements develop simultaneously, since 
 they each constitute an integral and necessary 
 
 Importance of "^ 0.7 
 
 comprehension of part of the wholc. Inasmuch, however, as the 
 
 time-values. 1 j c 1 111 
 
 elements or harmony and melody are more tan- 
 gible than that of rhythm, since they are more definitely pre- 
 sented to the eye and grasped by the fingers, it is necessary for 
 you to take special pains in order to give the pupil control over 
 the intricacies and subtleties of time-divisions. I shall discuss 
 first, therefore, the ways and means which lead to such control, 
 since an understanding of these seems first in importance. 
 
 A difficulty which you will encounter in dealing with the 
 subject of rhythm arises from the fact that there is often a wide 
 distinction between absolute and personal time. The clock, 
 with its regular tick-tick, measures the first with relentless ac- 
 curacy; but the latter is at the mercy of the emotions, lagging 
 
 70 
 
PIANO TEACHING 71 
 
 wearily when these are disagreeable, and l)ounding merrily when 
 they are pleasurable. Thus to persons of emotional natures, and 
 especially to children, time is an unfixed factor, ^ 
 
 ' ■ Dependence or 
 
 dependent upon the mood of the moment, meas- tempo upon the 
 ured l)y a very fickle inward monitor, which 
 voices itself in the heartbeats. And unless pupils can be taught 
 to disregard this inward metronome and to attend strictly to 
 external time measurements, they will invariably associate a 
 certain number of physical motions, such as movements 
 of the fingers, with a proportional number of heartbeats, 
 so that if the heartbeats are quickened the fingers fly 
 faster, while if they are retarded the fingers are tranquilized 
 accordingly. These facts will readily account for the reckless 
 pace with which the pupil will sometimes play his piece when 
 he comes before an audience and his nervousness sets his heart 
 a-thumping, and will also demonstrate the need of tying him 
 down to external and absolute time-values by every possible 
 expedient. 
 
 He must first, therefore, be made to comprehend the meaning 
 of regular and inflexible time-beats. Tell him what constitutes 
 time-measure, comparing it to other units of meas- „ , ^ 
 
 ' ^ ^ _ How to teach the 
 
 urement, like the yardstick, and illustrating it nature of time- 
 by referring to the tick of the clock, the tramp- 
 tramp of soldiers, and finally to the even tapping of your pencil 
 upon the piano-case. Let him then repeatedly play one note 
 in even rhythm, comparing it with these time-measures. Sup- 
 plement such exercise by grouping time-beats into bunches of 
 two, three, or four, meanwhile counting to the tap of the pencil 
 the staccato one, two, three, four, and taking care that this count- 
 ing never degenerates into the drawling and useless o-n-e-t-w-o 
 t-h-r-e-e-f-o-u-r. 
 
 It will not be long before you can call the metronome to 
 your aid. Have the pupil play a single note with each click of 
 this, and with a single finger, until he can play it „,^ 
 
 ' o o y . When and how to 
 
 accurately upon the beat; and follow up this pro- use the metro- 
 cess by varying the speed of the metronome, until 
 he can adapt himself readily to different tempi. He is then 
 
72 PIANO TEACHING 
 
 prepared to use the metronome with his finger exercises, for a 
 portion of their practice, at least, ])laying them first with one 
 note to a beat, and eventually with a group of two, three, or 
 even four notes to a beat. I cannot recommend an extensive 
 use of the metronome during the playing of actual musical com- 
 positions, except occasionally as a test; but its frequent employ- 
 ment in the above and other ways with finger exercises will 
 develop a pupil's appreciation of absolute time-values as no 
 other agency can. Only take care in this, as in other matters, 
 to give him no task which is not clearly understood and feasible 
 for him; for having a metronome wagging beside him, and meari- 
 while playing in a state of perfect oblivion as to its movements, 
 is certainly not a salutary performance. 
 
 It may be well at this point to describe the course of scales 
 
 with metronome to which allusion has been made (page 64), 
 
 , although these will not be entered upon until the 
 
 A course of scale- ° ^ 
 
 practice with the scalcs havc been well fixed under the fingers. This 
 
 metronome. . „ ,, ,, , • , • 
 
 course is as toUows, the metronome registermg 
 from 88 to 144 beats per minute: 
 
 1. Scales with hands one octave apart. 
 
 {a) one octave, one note to a beat. 
 (6) two octaves, two notes to a beat, 
 (c) three octaves, three notes to a beat. 
 ((/) four octaves, four notes to a beat. 
 
 2. Scales in thirds, repeating processes a, h, c, d. 
 
 3. Scales in sixths, repeating the same processes. 
 
 Eacli scale is practiced first from the bottom up and down, and 
 then from the top down and up; and the whole course is studied 
 first in the major and then in the minor modes. The results 
 of the work should be to fix firmly the pupil's notion of the rela- 
 tive proportion of notes and to give him confidence and rapidity 
 in passage playing. 
 
 There is another reason why the time is apt to "run away" 
 
PIANO TEACHING 73 
 
 with pupils which siiould not escape us. This consists in a lack 
 of technical control. In ])erforniing a passage of some rapidity, 
 a finger not under perfect connnand is apt to tumble, as it 
 were, upon the key, sooner than its strict time Acceleration of 
 prescribes; and the player immediately adapts ^\^^°oi\echticI\ 
 himself to the quicker time thus started, so control, 
 that each tumble acts as an accelerating factor, causing 
 the fingers finally to fly like a runaway horse, which rushes 
 on headlong until a catastrophe occurs. The recognition of 
 such a danger should be to you an added incentive to attend 
 to the minutest details of technic, and to see that no passage 
 is given your pupil to learn for which he has not had adequate 
 technical preparation. 
 
 We have dealt so far only with the cases where there has 
 been a single note or group of notes to each beat. Of irregular 
 rhythmic groupings the number is well-nigh limit- in-eguiar rhyth- 
 less, since these range from figures composed of care^in'^ntro- 
 notes of simple time-proportions to the most com- Cueing them. 
 plicated and perplexing combinations. In regard to all these I 
 may urge you again to proceed circumspectly, confining your 
 pupil to pieces which involve simple rhythms until he has 
 learned thoroughly to control these, and advancing to more 
 complex relations by slow degrees. Nay, you will find some 
 pupils whose time-perception is so hopelessly blunt that you 
 will do well to keep complex rhythms entirely out of their 
 musical repertory. 
 
 Most of the irregular rhythms can receive treatment similar 
 to that prescribed for even rhythms: they may be carefully 
 dissected, explained, and compared with the even 
 
 Preparations for 
 
 beats; they may be drummed out to the metro- the practice of ir- 
 
 , J • J. J J • J. n • regular rhythms. 
 
 nome counts and introduced into hnger exercises. 
 At all events, you should endeavor to give the pupil the right 
 idea of a rhythm before he practices upon it, since, if he once 
 acquires a wrong conception of it, the task of unloading this 
 from his mind will prove a stupendous one. If you give him a 
 study or piece to practice, therefore, which involves rhythmic 
 pitfalls, at least play over each doubtful phrase several times 
 
74 PIANO TEACHING 
 
 distinctly for him, in order that he may carry away the correct 
 idea of it. 
 
 How much use you shall make of audible counting to deter- 
 mine rhythmic intervals is another matter for consideration. 
 The use of au- Tcachcrs of a quarter-century ago were accus- 
 dibie counting. tomed to tcll their pupils to count their one-and- 
 two-and-three-and aloud religiously from beginning to end of 
 their practice, with the result that they either forgot to count 
 at all, or else banished all traces of inspiration from their 
 performances by putting their thought chiefly on the beats. 
 I am not sure, however, that the modern teacher does not reach 
 the other extreme in requiring scarcely any counting at all. 
 Your pupil should certainly understand how each piece he prac- 
 tices is to be counted, and he should be able to count audibly 
 any portion of it while he is playing it. If unable to do this 
 he will not only play with a lack of intelligence, but he will be 
 paralyzed in the presence of any ensemble work, such as four- 
 hand duets. Counting should invariably be staccato, and 
 enough beats should be assigned each measure to cover all 
 necessary subdivisions: thus, % time should be counted in four 
 beats. In very slow tempo, where many subdivisions are 
 required, I can see no objection to the use of the word and 
 between the numerical beats, although such a custom is decried 
 by some teachers. If this word, or any other word in the 
 lexicon, will help us in teaching rhythm, let us welcome it 
 joyfully! 
 
 Of the many rhythmic pitfalls I will mention but a few, 
 and these only because in them there is a diversity between the 
 Relation of a dot- uotcs as Written and as played. The relation of 
 compi°ementary ^ dottcd notc to its Complementary note (J"^) 
 °°'®- is one such. If the shorter note is distinctly 
 
 melodic, it should be given its full value (page 97), but if, as is 
 often the case, it serves chiefly to accentuate the following note, 
 you should teach the pupil to dwell upon the long note as though 
 it occupied the time of both, and then to play the short note 
 and its following note as a unit, conceiving them to have a 
 relation similar to that which exists between a grace-note and 
 
PIANO TEACHING 
 
 75 
 
 the note it qualifies, as in the following example from Grieg's 
 Humoreske, Op. 6, No. 4: 
 
 . 
 
 Allegro alia burl 
 
 3=q 
 
 fd 
 
 m 
 
 m 
 
 
 ^=^ 
 
 Grieg 
 
 ^ 
 
 77- '*-' W 
 
 P 
 
 -^ 
 
 r 
 
 m 
 
 i^ ^ 
 
 r 
 
 1 
 
 1 J 1 
 
 \ 
 
 
 
 ,.rf f 
 
 ■^ 
 
 ^~~^ — a 
 
 1 
 
 ( 1 
 
 c| 
 
 1= 
 
 
 — 1 
 
 
 ?-j 1 
 
 The exact place of the grace-note, or acciaccatura, is frequently 
 a matter of doubt. The rule in the classic epoch was to play 
 this note invariably on the beat, while the prin- Rendition of 
 cipal note followed in quick succession, assuming e'^^ce-notes. 
 the accent, as in this example from Schubert's Moment Musical, 
 Op. 94, No. 3: 
 
 lif'Vv ^J J J^Pi-i 
 
 Schubert 
 
 uH — ^ 
 
 -"An r..—H= 
 
 # '■••. # 
 
 1 r f r r 1 
 
 In case the grace-note preceded a group of notes in the same 
 hand, it was still played on the beat with all the chord-notes 
 excepting the one which it especially qualified, which followed 
 as before. You wnll be safe in adhering to this rule, although, 
 especially in modern music, instances will occur in which it is 
 evidently to be relaxed ; for instance, when a grace-note or group 
 of grace-notes plainly form a melodic connection with the note 
 preceding, as in the Schubert Impromptu, Op. 142, No. 3. Such 
 grace-notes should be played as an introduction to the note to 
 which they lead, and hence should occur before the beat: 
 
 Schuberl 
 
76 
 
 PIANO TEACHING 
 
 A peculiar difficulty arises in the case of so-called cross- 
 rhythms, where one part involves a group of notes which 
 _,. . ,^ , conflict with those in another part. The most 
 
 The rhythm of ^ 
 
 three notes against frequent example of this occurs when three even 
 notes move against two even notes. This prob- 
 lem, so puzzling to pupils, can be anticipated in a simple manner 
 by treating it in connection with rhythmic scales (page 72). 
 Begin bj' explaining the rhythmic relationship of the two parts. 
 Outline a measure in | time, as in the cut, showing JTjTn 
 that each note of the middle group has the time of two 1^ T\r 
 eighths, and each note of the lower group that ^' ^ 
 of three eighths. Have the pupil play this rhythm repeatedly 
 with one finger of each hand, counting the time: J J^J then 
 show that the construction is the same when one \ i | part 
 is written as a triplet and the other in even eighths. Now 
 write the first three notes of the scale for the right hand against 
 the first two for the left. Let this be played with the two 
 fingers several times, and then let a following group be added: 
 
 2 2 2 2 
 
 2 2 
 
 2 2 2 2 
 
 When these are easily rendered, let the same principle be 
 carried out for three octaves in the right and two in the left, 
 Application of this asccuding and descending, still with the single 
 to scale practice, g^gers. The regular scale fingering is now applied, 
 and from this point the practice of the rhythm in all scales is 
 a simple matter. Even now, however, the goal is not quite 
 attained, for the pupil will be found invariably to think of the 
 triple, rather than the duple rhythm, while for practical pur- 
 poses the duple is almost always to be made prominent. Let 
 him, therefore, play the right hand pianissimo, accentuating the 
 left meanwhile. This process will be found difficult at first, 
 but with the proper amount of thought it should eventually 
 be accomplished. By now inverting our initial rhythms we 
 
PIANO TEACHING 77 
 
 prepare the way for j^layins three notes in the left to two in 
 the rifijht; and this combination is carried out as before, by 
 playing the scales from the top, down and up. 
 
 A still more complicated rhythm is that of four notes against 
 three; and, while this may be easily outlined, I advise you to 
 reserve it for use with advanced pupils, or for „. ., , 
 
 ^ ' ' bimilar use or 
 
 special cases in which it is required. In order to four notes against 
 
 J — JJJJJJJJJ show the mathematical relation- 
 ^i. A.| i»- i|i- ship between the notes in the two hands, place 
 f f f these notes, written in dotted quarters for the 
 
 right hand and halves for the left, under twelve eighth notes^ 
 
 as shown in the cut. 
 
 I i II 
 
 Take now the sentence, "TFAen', wilX he, come' , to-day"' and 
 
 iS <=> c? 
 
 1 I 1 
 
 apply it to the practice ^of the rhythm, and you will lead the 
 pupil insensibly into the proper proportions of time-divisions. 
 The rhythm thus analyzed m&y now be applied to scale prac- 
 tice as above outlined, the right hand playing four octaves while 
 the left plays three; and the reversal of the whole process is 
 next in order. 
 
 The use of the above rhythmic sentence recalls an ingenious 
 employment made by some teachers of the rhythms already 
 familiar to the lips of pupils in the pronunciation 
 of words. Such a word as Prov'idence, for instance, word-accent to 
 illustrates the rhythm J. *^ J excellently; while "^'""^'e r yt ms. 
 
 Monta'na reveals J J J, and Indiana JZ J *\ I suggest 
 
 this as a device out of which the clever teacher may derive 
 considerable capital. 
 
 We have already recognized the fact that the element of 
 rhythm has to do not only with individual short beats, but also 
 with the recurrence of groups of these beats. , 
 
 . ... Importance of ac- 
 
 Smce much of the interest of a composition is cent in defining 
 derived from the varied make-up and the clear ^ ^ ™"^ groups, 
 exposition of these groups, it behooves us to consider every pos- 
 sible device which will tend toward this result. The character 
 and boundaries of each of these groups are expressed by making 
 
T8 PIANO TEACHING 
 
 prominent one or more of its notes and subordinating others. 
 Notes which are thus brought into the foreground are said to be 
 accented. How, therefore, shall you teach your pupils to accent 
 properly? 
 
 Let us first assume that there is an almost infinite variety 
 in the gradation of accents, which extend from the merest sug- 
 "The proportional gcstiou of a strcss to an Overwhelming avalanche 
 nature of accent, of souud; and also that all accents are propor- 
 
 Low-grade and • i i 
 
 high-grade ac- tioual, tlcpendmg not upon the absolute value of 
 '^®°*^' the prominent note itself, but upon its degree of 
 
 supremacy over the notes immediately preceding or accom- 
 panying it. Thus, a note played 'piano may involve the effect 
 of a decided accent if the note before it be played pianissimo. 
 According as this proportional relation is realized in one's play- 
 ing is the proper harmony of tone-qualities maintained; and, 
 moreover, the lower the force or grade which suffices to achieve 
 a certain accent, the more reserve power remains in the pos- 
 session of the pianist for use in attaining a climax. Hence 
 the principle holds that a low-grade accent should invariably 
 be chosen in preference to one of a higher grade, whenever the 
 former will suffice for the effect desired. It also follows that 
 the low-grade accents should be used much more frequently 
 than the others. 
 
 It is evident, therefore, that the form of accent which, with- 
 out intruding itself upon the hearer, yet subtly forces upon him 
 The rubato ac- the significance of a given beat, is in all respects 
 ^^^^- the one most necessary for our pupils to have at 
 
 their command. This accent I will call the rubato or time- 
 changing accent (=-), since it involves a slight modification of 
 the rigidity of the beats, prolonging, often to an infinitesimal 
 extent, the prominent note. In a dance rhythm, like that of 
 the waltz, for instance, the effect of this accent is that of a 
 gentle pressure upon each first beat, as when the initial mo- 
 mentum is given y^^ ^ to a wheel in putting it into 
 revolution, thus: *)• J f r=i The power of this accent may 
 be increased tenfold, ^ ' ' however, by still further 
 elongating the beat for a note of special stress, as at the climax 
 
PIANO TEACHING 
 
 79 
 
 of a melody, thus suggesting the stress of the singer upon a 
 note of great intensity. I instance the climax note of the first 
 phrase in the Chopin Nocturne, Op. 9, No. 2 : 
 
 Chopin 
 
 The second, or dynamic form of accent needs little explana- 
 tion, since it is the form most easily recognized ( A ) . Involving as 
 it does an actual increase in sound in a note over The dynamic ac- 
 that of the preceding note, it must be used with *^^°*" 
 much discretion, in order that the accented note may not be 
 grotesquely out of proportion to its surroundings. It is, how- 
 ever, the form of accent upon which we must rely to say the 
 final decisive word at the apex of a climax, as in the Chopin 
 Funeral March: 
 
 Chopin 
 
 An accent which is really a modified form of the rubato may 
 be called the legato accent {^). This makes a legato note prom- 
 inent by preceding or following it by staccato The legato ac- 
 notes, thus apparently giving it greater dura- '^^°'- 
 tion. The preparatory rest before the entrance of a voice in 
 fugal writing produces an effect analogous to this, drawing 
 attention to the entering note of the subject by the void that 
 was before it. Here is a legato accent from Beethoven, Op. 31, 
 No. 3: 
 
 Beethoven 
 
80 
 
 PIANO TEACHING 
 
 Likewise the staccato accent ( ), a modified form of the dy- 
 namic, in which the note breaks off abruptly on a prominent 
 beat, is occasionally a powerful ally. Combined 
 immediately with the legato accent, this fur- 
 nishes a rhythm of overwhelming intensity, as in Scharwenka's 
 Polish Dance: 
 
 The staccato ac- 
 cent. 
 
 Scharwenka 
 
 Finally we note the pedal accent. The desirability of depress- 
 ing the damper pedal after the note it sustains, on the ground 
 The pedal ac- that the uotc would Otherwise be ])lurred with the 
 *^®°*" one preceding, has been pointed out (page 67). But 
 
 we must understand that, while the damper pedal is used pri- 
 marily to sustain tones, it also does in reality make them some- 
 what louder by releasing all the strings from their dampers and 
 allowing them to vibrate in sympathy with the one sounding. 
 Hence the pedal, used directly after the key is depressed, will 
 produce an added intensity of tone, suggestive of the stress 
 which the singer would give to it. Employed in connection 
 with the ruhato accent, this means of rounding out the tone will 
 prove most serviceable. 
 
 The connection and interplay of these different forms of 
 accent and the varied properties of each ffirnish the resources 
 Connection and upou which the piauist must draw in order to 
 vajied'forms of^ indicate the different grades of rhythmic promi- 
 accent. neuce lietween notes in the same melody, between 
 
 simultaneous melodies involving conflicting rhythms, and finally, 
 in the accompaniment which may lie behind these. It is this 
 last element of accompaniment, a characteristic of the harmonic 
 forms of instrumental music extending historically from Haydn's 
 
PIANO TEACHING 81 
 
 time to the i:)ros(>nt, whicli brings before us the important sub- 
 ject of 77}etcr as involved in that of rhythm. 
 
 Imagine to yourself a stainini-glass window set in a large 
 number of small diamond-shaped leads all of the same size. 
 These leads will correspond closely to what meter j^^ture of meter 
 is in music, namely, a regularly formed framework as distinguished 
 
 ,,..,. Ill- Tc from rhythm. 
 
 subdividmg the rhythmic pattern. If, now, the 
 diamond-shaped panes were all plain and of precisely the same 
 color, they might be likened to the repetition of the same tone, 
 with no variation in rhythm from the meter-beats; while, if 
 they were still plain but of different colors and shades, they 
 would recall a melody, at one, however, with the meter in its 
 rhythm. But our window is of quite a different order of interest. 
 On each piece is a geometrical pattern, these patterns varied 
 individually, but each contributing to a coherent whole. Not 
 only do they fail to correspond minutely wdth the conventional 
 leads, but they are formed occasionally of lines that actually 
 antagonize these. So with rhythms of character and distinc- 
 tion : fitting into their given meter, they yet dominate this by 
 asserting their supremacy to it in phraseology that now coin- 
 cides with it and now defies it, but which always contributes 
 toward the unified pattern that is unfolding. Let us regard the 
 meter, therefore, as the lining-out of the limits, and the rhythm 
 as the working of the music pattern within these limits; or let 
 us call the meter the background, and the rhythm the characters 
 w^hich stand out before it. 
 
 Background as it is, however, the meter must yet be ever in 
 evidence, or the whole structure will collapse for want of coher- 
 encey. Hence, while it should never become obtru- ^j, . 
 
 '' ' Means of ex- 
 
 sive, we must never allow it to become totally pressing the 
 
 , , . . , , metric accent. 
 
 obscured, now suggestmg it by the most subtle 
 of our accents, now reinforcing it to prevent its annihilation by 
 an opposing rhythm, and now emphasizing it with full vigor in 
 a rhythmic climax. For the first-named purpose the slightest 
 of rubato accents is sufficient; for the second we bring the legato 
 and pedal accents to our aid; while for the third, the dynamic is 
 called into play, as in the Chopin Waltz, Op. 64, No. 1 : 
 
82 
 
 PIANO TEACHING 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Ch 
 
 OpiE 
 
 
 — ■ ■ ■" 
 
 
 
 - 
 
 v4^ 
 
 u J J 
 
 '^ 
 
 p 
 
 
 4= 
 
 "^ 
 
 
 - 
 
 ^^4=H^ 
 
 F^^; 
 
 =^=^ 
 
 
 4iM= 
 
 ^-, 
 
 
 P 
 
 
 i 
 
 rz: 
 
 
 
 H 
 
 Li ' ^ m 
 
 ^*H^ ' 
 
 5 
 
 ' ■' ^4 
 
 iat 
 
 = 
 
 — ' 
 
 »^ 
 
 
 ^ 
 
 M= 
 
 Guide in deter- 
 mining normal 
 metric accents. 
 
 Our guide in determining the beginning of the metric scheme 
 is primarily the measure bar, which assumes that the chief 
 metric accent is on the first beat following; and 
 we are safe in ol^eying this cUrection, except in 
 occasional instances where, through the careless- 
 ness of the composer or poor editorship, this bar is misplaced.* 
 Besides this accent, a secondary accent is due on the beginning 
 of the second half of the measure in duple time, and on each of 
 the two secondary beats of triple time; so that a constant suc- 
 cession of trochees (- ^) or dactyls (- ^ ^) lies behind our 
 rhythmic evolutions. 
 
 Occasionally the meter is varied by unwonted reinforcements 
 Unusual metrical or uuusual acccnts. Schubcrt, for instance, often 
 accents. Strengthens his first beats by an immediately fol- 
 
 lowing accent, as in this excerpt from Op. 142, No. 3: 
 
 * Riemann quotes as an example of misplaced bars the Chopin Noc- 
 turne, Op. 9, No. 2. It is obvious that the bars in this composition should 
 have been placed before the middle beat of each measure as it is ordi- 
 narily printed. 
 
PIANO TEACHING 
 
 83 
 
 Some dance forms ^ive an occasional prominence to an unex- 
 pected beat, as in the mazurka, where the accent frequently 
 occurs upon the third beat. Here is an example from Mosz- 
 kowski, Op. 38, No. 3: 
 
 On the other hand, it is sometimes made impossible, by the 
 omission of notes, to assert the meter at all, as in this example 
 from Schumann, Op. 15, No. 13: 
 
 Schumann 
 
 In this, as occasionally in other cases, the mind of the auditor 
 must be made previously so accustomed to a meter that he 
 instinctively supplies its boundaries for himself. 
 
 Over the metrical accompaniment the melodic portions hold 
 sway. Most frequently their rhythn:;s coincide in the principal 
 accents with those of the meter, in which case ^^ , . ^ 
 
 ' _ The relation be- 
 
 these accents may vary in kind or in degree, a tween metric and 
 
 , . , , , f 1 • 1 • J 1 rhythmic accents. 
 
 higher-grade accent oi any kind servmg the pur- 
 pose as required. Sometimes, however, to increase the intensity 
 of expression, the rhythm assumes an antagonistic attitude, 
 boldly defying the metric accent or nervously anticipating it, 
 in both of which cases the sharper dynamics must be employed 
 as the intensity develops. Here is an example of such antago- 
 nism, from Schumann, Op. 15, No. 10: 
 
84 
 
 PIANO TEACHING 
 
 Schumann 
 
 Another form of conflict greets us in the Des Abends, from 
 Schumann's Op. 12, where the ruhato accent must suggest the 
 duple rhythm in the accompaniment, while the melody in triple 
 rhythm stands out above it: 
 
 Schumann 
 
 Your task is, therefore, first to drill the pupil in the compre- 
 hension and use of the several species of accent, then to apply 
 these to each hand or voice taken separately, and finally so to 
 unite metric and rhythmic accents as to secure the proper pro- 
 portion of each. 
 
 I have dwelt much upon the necessity for giving a pupil com- 
 mand over absolute time-values. He must, however, be taught 
 Proportionate that the tcmpo, which means the rate of speed at 
 nature of tempo, ^yj-jich a composition is played, must be decided 
 upon for each individual composition. Indications for tempo 
 are given in general terms, such as allegro and andante, or more 
 accurately by metronome marks; yet it is alwaj^s possible to 
 adopt a rate of speed much lower than that indicated and, by 
 preserving the proportion, perform the selection correctly. This 
 fact is to be taken advantage of in the analytical study of any 
 composition in order to place each note properly in its environ- 
 ment. All the elements can be thus prepared, with the exception 
 of the final pervasive spirit, which depends to a certain extent 
 
PIANO TEACHING 85 
 
 upon speed. TIk^ ])ui)il must he tuu,s»;ht, liowover, that rhythmic 
 verve is a more imjK)rtaiit factor in (Ictcrmininfi; tliis spirit, and 
 that, therefore, a vital ])erforman('o does not vaiue of metro- 
 necessitate the pushing of the speed to the metro- """"^ marks, 
 nome requirements. Disregard tlie metronomes marks in 
 teaching, tlierefore, except as general indications, and let the 
 rate of performance be kept rigidly within the pupil's abilities. 
 
 It has been suggested that the metronome should be used only 
 sparingly in the performance of actual compositions (page 72). 
 The reason for such restriction is that the metro- Necessity for fiex- 
 nome produces an inflexible tempo, and that even '^^''^y"* tempo, 
 in the most formally rhythmic compositions some allowance 
 should be made for variation in this respect. The grace and 
 artistry of j^ersonal performance is dependent upon the sul:)or- 
 dination of all elements to the sense of expression, and it is 
 this flexibility of treatment which distinguishes the work of a 
 pianist from that of a machine. The slight variation caused 
 by the rubato accent (page 78) is our first instance of tempo 
 modification. How much further such changes may extend 
 must now be considered. 
 
 Since, then, it is the personal element which induces elasticity 
 of tempo, it is evident that the more personal the composition 
 is, the more frequently tempo changes will occur. 
 Compositions in which the formal style is domi- by the formal and 
 nant, such as the old-time dances, — Bach Ga- p®"'^"'^* ^ ^ ®' 
 vottes and the like, — should be played in strict time, the only 
 exceptions occurring at the endings of important divisions, 
 where a general broadening of treatment and a pompous retard- 
 ing of tempo are in order. Haydn and Mozart must thus be 
 played upon strict lines. With Beethoven, however, contrast- 
 ing sections of the same movement sometimes vary in tempo; 
 and, as they advance in freedom of personal expression, the 
 works of following composers sanction still greater liberties. 
 When lyric melodies are applied to the piano, they presuppose 
 that the player is to imitate vocal effects.; thus, in the So7ig 
 Without Words style of composition, personal expression vies 
 with formal structure, and sometimes dominates it entirely. 
 
86 PIANO TEACHING 
 
 The true tempo ruhato, or borrowing of time from one side 
 
 of a phrase and repaying it on the other, is supposed to have 
 
 come in with Chopin. Certainly, from his era the 
 
 The use and '■ ^ _ ^ ' 
 
 abuse of the tendency to subordinate time-values to expression 
 
 has had a steady growth, resulting many times in 
 gross exaggerations and affectations. Chopin himself gave no 
 such license, asserting that the accompaniment should remain 
 in even time, while the melody alone might occasionally tran- 
 scend this. We will need, therefore, to place special safeguards 
 about our pupils if we do not wish them to throw all artistic 
 prudence to the winds. 
 
 To assist our judgment we have two helps: the marks 
 
 inserted by the composer, and our own sense of fitness. In 
 
 dealing with the former a policy of assimilation 
 
 Factors which ^ 111 
 
 determine must be pursucd m Order that changes m time 
 
 changes in tempo. j^ • e i_i i -^ 1 j t 
 
 may occur not as it they were arbitrary, but as if 
 demanded by the spirit of the piece itself. Our own artistic 
 sense can be trained on the principle that we should keep to the 
 strict tempo, unless there is some evident and special reason 
 in the nature of the composition to disturb it. The climaxes 
 of a song melody, the quick alternation of the grave and the 
 serious, the pompous and dignified cadence, and the emotional 
 whirl of a finale may be excuses for elasticity of tempo. Err, 
 however, on the safe side, if at all, and discourage your pupil 
 from finicky and spasmodic distortions. 
 
 Your first care, therefore, in the teaching of the rhythmic 
 element, is to educate the pupil to a command over absolute 
 
 time. Illustrations, counting aloud, exercises 
 
 Summary. .11 1 • i\ 1 ^ • 
 
 With the metronome, and care with technic are 
 aids toward this end. Irregular rhythms are studied by similar 
 methods, with the possible addition of the employment of word- 
 rhythms. The various kinds of accent, the ruhato, the dynamic, 
 the legato, the staccato, and the pedal, must be considered sepa- 
 rately and in combination, and applied to the definition of meter 
 and rhythm on the principle of always using an accent of a 
 lower grade in preference to one of a higher. The result of the 
 application of this principle is to create a reserve power for 
 
PIANO TEACHING 
 
 87 
 
 use in crucial climaxes. Finally, while allowing for latitude in 
 the matter of tempo, you must guard against an indiscriminate 
 use of this, and must be guided by the expression marks pre- 
 scribed by the composer and by the evident demands of the 
 composition itself. 
 
 Spring Wave. 
 Photograph from life by Emile Jaquea-Dalcroze. 
 
CHAPTER VII 
 
 The Teaching of the Melodic and Harmonic Elements 
 
 It is often asserted that the piano teacher has an immense 
 advantage over his fellow teachers of the voice or of most other 
 The complex char- instruments, sincc he is not obliged, as they are, 
 of?he°piano^°'^'' to arouse a faculty which is sometimes almost 
 teacher. wholly lacking, namely, that of the appreciation 
 
 of pitch. When, however, the entire scope of his work 
 is considered, it will be seen that the additional problems 
 which he must meet will quite absolve him from the charge of 
 leading a comparatively rose-colored existence. Instead of dwell- 
 ing simply upon a single melody, he must introduce the pupil 
 to a complexity of parts which often rival those of a modern 
 orchestral score; and it must be his aim to give the pupil 
 such a command over each one of these parts that it assumes 
 its due relation to all the others. Thus, he must not only make 
 the pupil an orchestral conductor, but must teach him to play 
 at the same time all the instruments which he is conducting. 
 The simplest piece which you give j^our pupil will probably 
 contain a melody and its accompaniment, the latter either in 
 the harmonic or melodic form ; and of the elements thus involved 
 the melody must express, by its variations of pitch and inten- 
 The robiem of ^^^^'^ ^^^^ shadcs of the emotioual mood of the 
 melody and ac- compositiou, while the Secondary part acts as a 
 background, or a foil, to this mood. Our first 
 object, therefore, is to discover how to impart to the melody 
 its proper significance. 
 
 You are giving your pupil, then, a piece containing a simple 
 melody in the right hand, supported by a flowing harmonic 
 accompaniment in the left; — let us say Melody, the first num- 
 ber of Schumann's Op. 68. He must begin by studying each 
 part separately and deciding upon the quality of tone to use in 
 
PIANO TEACHING 
 
 89 
 
 each; for while you, as a piano teacher, are not obHged to show 
 him how to make the pitch of each note, you nmst take no 
 less care than the vocal teacher to give him com- imitation of a 
 mand over varieties of tone-quality and the menroT melodic" 
 means for their production. The right hand tone-quaiity. 
 must imitate a singer; and in so instructing the pupil, emphasize 
 the fact that he should imitate, not a weak and amateurish apol- 
 ogy for a vocalist, but the greatest singer he has ever heard; 
 that his tone should resemble hers in its roundness, fullness, 
 and expressiveness. Having realized this ideal as nearly as 
 possible, he now turns his attention to the accompaniment. 
 As this is subordinate, its tone-quality should be lighter and 
 thinner than that of the melody, and it should be so managed 
 that it may reflect, at a respectful distance, each change of the 
 mood of the song. 
 
 The tone-quality of the melody is, therefore, normally 
 stronger throughout than that of the accompani- The proportion 
 ment, a forte in the melody equaling a mezzo-forte and^^^*^ me o y 
 in the accompaniment, 
 pianissimo in the other, 
 as follows: 
 
 accompani- 
 ment. 
 
 a piano in the one, a 
 
 the range of tone thus overlapping 
 
 
 fff \ 
 
 
 ff 
 
 
 r / 
 
 Range 
 
 mf 
 
 of . 
 
 mp 
 
 compam- 
 
 V . 
 
 mejit 
 
 pp 
 
 
 • VVV 
 
 Range 
 
 of 
 Melody 
 
 A fact which you should note in this connection is that the 
 notation signs p, f, ff, and the like, are intended to convey only 
 general directions, indicating not the tone-power of individual 
 parts, but rather the effect of the whole, excepting, of course, 
 when they are distinctly applied to separate parts. Thus, a 
 piano may result from the union of a mezzo-forte melody with a 
 piano accompaniment, or a forte from a fortissimo melody plus 
 
90 PIANO TEACHING 
 
 a piano accompaniment. Expressing these formulae in alge- 
 braic terms, we have 
 
 Melody— mf ff 
 
 Accompaniment — pp or p 
 
 Result = mfpp = p, ffp^* f. 
 
 Our scheme of proportions is, of course, subject to modifi- 
 cation in special instances. Sometimes upon the return of a 
 Exceptions to the ^elody formerly announced it is effective to ob- 
 generai rule of scure it by an accompauiment heavier than that 
 
 proportion. . ■ ... , . 
 
 previously used, thus stimulating the interest of 
 the hearers by making it necessary for them to pay careful heed 
 in order to disassociate it from its surroundings. Likewise a 
 staccato accompaniment beneath a legato melody may be em- 
 phasized without interfering with the latter, and important 
 chords, singly or in groups, may demand a special prominence 
 (page 99). Breaks in the continuity of the melody, too, give 
 the accompaniment a chance to assert its own character; and a 
 similar opportunity is afforded by a harmonic introduction or 
 postlude, such as occurs in Mendelssohn's familiar Consola- 
 tion, the ninth of his Songs Without Words. 
 
 Should the melody be in the left hand, with the accompani- 
 ment in the right, as in Schumann's Happy Farmer, from 
 The case in which ^P- ^^^ ^^e problem is practically the same as 
 the melody ap- ^^^^ abovc, with the couditious reversed; except 
 
 pears under more 
 
 obscure con- that, as the left hand plays on the heavier part of 
 the piano, there will be less difficulty in making 
 it prominent. A more serious trouble is reached, however, 
 when the melody is divided between the two hands, or the 
 accompaniment and melody both appear in the same hand. 
 The added necessity for tracing out and perfecting the mel- 
 ody as a prerequisite to any union with the accompaniment 
 is quite apparent; indeed, the pupil should so fix in his mind 
 the character and expression of the melody alone that his 
 sense of right will be shocked if it be at all obscured by the 
 accompaniment. 
 
PIANO TEACHING 91 
 
 And here let me suggest a device which I have found especially 
 efficacious. The chief difficulty in securing a properly subdued 
 tone in the accompaniment lies in reducing the The device of 
 tone which the pupil instinctively asserts until compl1fim*lnru'p 
 it reaches its proper level. But if the problem ^^°™ ^^^''• 
 be reversed, and he have only to bring one part up from absolute 
 zero to the desired level, the solution is much facilitated. Let 
 him, therefore, play the melody with a full and vigorous tone 
 and at the same time make the finger motions necessary for 
 playing the accompaniment on top of the keys, without producing 
 an}' sound whatever from them. This action may prove a little 
 awkward at first, but can generally be accomplished in a short 
 time ; and he may then be allowed to depress the accompaniment 
 keys slightly, with the result that he produces a very light tone. 
 As the whole process is merely that of acquiring a certain knack 
 of execution, it is probable that he will have no further trouble 
 in regulating the proportion according to your instructions. It 
 is well, however, to maintain for some time an exaggerated dis- 
 tinction between the tone of the melody and that of the accom- 
 paniment. The same device is useful when a melody note 
 and a chord of the accompaniment occur simultaneously in 
 the same hand. The execution will then be facilitated if the 
 accompaniment notes are rendered staccato, and the hand, 
 quickly released from them, is thrown over upon the melody 
 key, as in this melody by Tchaikovski: 
 
 Tchaikovski 
 
 Having thus disposed of the single melody and accompani- 
 ment, we are prepared to meet the case in which two or more 
 melodies are involved at the same time. You simultaneous 
 should introduce this problem to the pupil by "^contrapuntaT 
 teaching him music in which these melodies alone ™"sic. 
 appear, with an absence of the harmonic background; in other 
 words, music written in the contrapuntal style. Selecting one 
 
92 PIANO TEACHING 
 
 of Bach's two-part inventions as an excellent example of this, 
 you will have the pupil practice the hands separately, giving to 
 each voice its proper melodic quality of tone, and will then, in 
 letting him put the hands together, show him how, while 
 nominally of equal importance, each of the melodies has yet 
 sections which should rise into special prominence. This pro- 
 ^^ ^ . cess involves an understanding of the thematic 
 
 The thematic as . . 
 
 distinguished from as opposcd to the lyric mclody. Selecting the prin- 
 yric me o y. ^-p^^ theme of the invention w'hich he is study- 
 ing, such as that of the eighth invention: ^ Bach 
 he must learn to play this in such a way 
 that it possesses individuality and distinc- 
 tion. Having attained this object, he proceeds to trace out 
 this theme through the composition, stamping it each time 
 with the character of its first appearance (page 36). Mean- 
 while whenever one of the melodies is subordinated to the 
 other, it should yet retain its melodic and expressive nature. 
 The same principles may now be applied to the study of the 
 simpler fugues from Bach's Well-Tempered Clavichord, such as 
 numbers 1, 2, 5, 10, and 21 of Volume One, each voice receiving 
 minute analysis, and the structure and proportions of the whole 
 having due attention. Special care should be extended to the 
 leads of the fugue subject, which should be foreseen by a pre- 
 vious diminuendo in the voice in which each is to occur, and 
 which should enter with sufficient emphasis to attract the mind 
 of the auditor to the voice which announces it. 
 
 So the pupil is led on, as his advancement warrants, to the 
 more complex and extensive compositions of the polyphonic 
 Melodies and school. But meanwhile he is prepared to work 
 d'iesTn ■harmo'nk"' upon picccs in which harmouic accompaniment is 
 ™"^''=- added to complications of melodies, such as Men- 
 
 delssohn's Duetto, from the Songs without Words. First thread- 
 ing out the melodies and adjusting their relations to each other, 
 the pupil adds the previously mastered accompaniment, raising 
 it from the zero condition as explained on page 91. He 
 must now be made alert to detect the various traces of the 
 polyphonic school of writing which are so common with many 
 
PIANO TEACHING 
 
 93 
 
 modern composers. Occasionally a lyric melody appears in 
 the middle of an apparently purely instrumental composition, 
 such as that in tiie third part of Nevin's Barchetta quoted above 
 (page 37) ; and the i)layer nuist quickly subordinate what before 
 were passages of i)rincipal interest, in order that the singer 
 may occupy the center of the stage. Again, notably in Schu- 
 mann's works, fragments of imitative melody pop out continu- 
 ally, as in the Trdiimerei from Op. 15: 
 
 Schumann 
 
 Sometimes the low bass notes form an insidious melody, as in 
 Godard's Second Waltz: 
 
 Godard 
 
 Any significant group of notes, in fine, wherever they occur, 
 may, by rising into prominence, add an unexpected charm to 
 the flow of musical thought. You should watch continually 
 for such opportunities, therefore, and attract the pupil's atten- 
 tion to them. 
 
 Many attempts have been made to formulate a set of rules 
 for melodic expression. Since, however, a melody of character 
 must express the unfettered individuality of the principle of in- 
 composer, every one of such rules has been repeat- creasing the tone 
 
 , , for high notes and 
 
 edly thrown to the winds by the hands of genius, diminishing it for 
 We are therefore dependent again chiefly upon 
 the resources of our own artistic sense plus the directions, some- 
 times meager, which the composer gives us to determine the 
 fitting trend of expression. We know that upper tones, while 
 normally more intense than low ones, are yet less powerful. 
 
94 PIANO TEACHING 
 
 Illustrate this fact to your pupil by showing him how much 
 shorter and slighter the upper strings of the piano are than the 
 lower ones. If you strike together a very high and a very low 
 note with the same degree of strength, the upper one will be 
 scarcely heard. What follows? The conclusion that, in order 
 to secure a proper tonal balance, the power of tone-production 
 must increase in ascending and decrease in descending the scale. 
 So, normal melodic expression means a crescendo as the notes 
 rise in pitch and a diminuendo as they fall. Then, too, the higher 
 the note, the greater the intensity of its meaning, as is shown 
 by the singer, who puts the acme of her emotion into the high 
 notes; and in imitating this stress the pianist accompanies the 
 greater power which he devotes to the high climax-note by a 
 plentiful use of the ruhato accent (page 78). On the other hand, 
 Exceptions to this employing this principle exceptionally, the com- 
 principie. poscr sometimes produces a terrific climax by a 
 
 crescendo upon descending notes, as in the finale of Liszt's 
 Rigoletto Fantasie: or he gives a delicate and vanishing 
 effect by an upward diminuendo, as at the close of Grieg's 
 Berceuse. 
 
 Melody, like speech, is a kind of discourse in which one idea 
 leads into another, each of these ideas, however, having its 
 component parts which resolve themselves into 
 and its connection a beginning, a middle, and an end. When the 
 wit speec . subordinate clauses are properly adjusted one to 
 
 another, and the idea concludes logically, a complete phrase or 
 musical sentence results. The important process of thus mak- 
 ing clear each thought in its subdivisions and as a whole is the 
 branch of our subject called phrasing. Sometimes you will find 
 editions of works in which you can rely implicitly upon the 
 phrasing marks given; but, unfortunately, there are numerous 
 instances in which either the carelessness of the composer or 
 poor editorship make it necessary for you to revise these. In 
 so doing, treat the phrases in the light of a spoken sentence. 
 Suppose I say, "If to-morrow is a pleasant day, and the weather 
 is warm, I shall take a walk." Here are two conditional clauses 
 and a concluding clause. In speaking, the voice would begin 
 
PIANO TEACHING 
 
 95 
 
 each condition softly, workin g up to a n accent upon the last 
 
 syllable: — "If to-morrow is a pleasant day, and tlie weather is 
 
 warm," while the conclusion, although the most important 
 clause, ends with a falling voice. If the sentence were interroga- 
 tive, the voice would rise at the end. The long musical phrase 
 can be defined on just such lines. Ordinarily its subordinate 
 clauses will begin upon an unaccented beat, and each will end 
 with an accent; but the conclusion will contain the notes of 
 greatest importance, and will frequently end with a light 
 note, unless an interrogative character is to be given. Here 
 is an example from the second fugue of Bach's Well-Tempered 
 Clavichord: 
 
 Bach 
 
 You must remember, however, that while the long phrase is 
 logically divisible into these clauses or musical figures, it is not 
 always well to emphasize these subdivisions by g^g^^^j^ j^ ^^^^, 
 ))reaks in the continuity of the legato, since a treatment of 
 fragmentary or "choppy" effect might result. 
 Take the phrase from Mendelssohn's Song without Words,^o. 22: 
 
 Mendelssohn 
 
 This has two subdivisions in sense, one answering the other, 
 but in actual performance the two are united into a continuous 
 thought. So, while the pupil should understand the smaller 
 divisions, he should be taught to group these into broad phrases, 
 each expressive of a complete musical conception. 
 
 The accentuation employed in such a phrase will depend upon 
 the meter and the points of special stress. The metric accents 
 will generally be assisted by the accompaniment, use of accents in 
 and will not therefore receive special attention, **** '""^ phrase, 
 except where they are coincident with the stress-notes. These 
 latter, however, must be considered carefully, as upon them 
 
96 
 
 PIANO TEACHING 
 
 depends the whole force of the phrases. Normally, the phrase, 
 beginning lightly, works gradually up, sometimes through sev- 
 eral minor points of emphasis, to the final climax-note, which 
 occurs near the end, after which the downward cadence imme- 
 diately follows, as in the theme of Beethoven's Sonata, Op. 26: 
 
 Beethoven 
 
 It is sometimes difficult to determine whether the climax-note 
 or a note which has a stronger metrical accent is the highest 
 note of the phrase. In such a case a stress is frequently placed 
 on this highest note, and a stronger one upon the metrical 
 climax, as in this example from Beethoven, Op. 49, No. 2: 
 
 Bcethuveii 
 
 \H'A rT\ 
 
 -t 
 
 ^r=^ 
 
 ij n 
 
 • 
 
 "T — f T f - 
 
 F^^ 
 
 T^^^=^ 
 
 -J d-.-^ 
 
 ^ j^ — ^- 
 
 + — bf- 
 
 
 
 ••yii a p 
 
 fMi 
 
 ^ 
 
 p 
 
 ffrfi 
 
 g 
 
 ^ 
 
 
 t= 
 
 9. 
 
 
 ^=^- 
 
 s 
 
 
 ti==N= 
 
 B 
 
 
 ^=F=- 
 
 a 
 
 
 » i * 1 II 
 
 The preceding example illustrates the necessity for making 
 
 prominent the note next before the last in a phrase ending in a 
 
 downward inflection. Remember that if a single 
 
 Treatment of the , . , i i p , • •- 1 ^ c 
 
 final note of a notc IS struck a number oi times with equal force, 
 P^*^^" the final impact invariably has the effect of an 
 
 K 
 
 You can easilv 
 
 accent, thus: 
 
 prove 
 
 this by trying the experiment. Hence, in order to render 
 the last note of a phrase really light and unobtrusive, it is nec- 
 essary to accent slightly the note before it, thus neutralizing the 
 
PIANO TEACHING 
 
 97 
 
 natural effect of the concluding note. Teach the pupil, there- 
 fore, not so much to lighten the last note of such a phrase as 
 to accent the note next before it, leaving the latter to produce 
 the necessary diminuendo. If the former be a long note, occur- 
 ring on a metric accent, no difficulty will be found; but if it be 
 a short note, the action is not so easy. In this example from 
 Schubert's Impromptu, Op. 142, No. 3, the delicate stress on 
 the last C gives a graceful fall to the final note: 
 
 Schuberf 
 
 The song-character of a lyric melody is emphasized by giving 
 prominence to the shortest notes which occur in it. Thus, 
 when the dotted eighth and sixteenth (page 74) short notes in 
 each have melodic values, a slight prolongation of °i®'°<^i^s. 
 the sixteenth will enhance this fact. Similarly, notes of embel- 
 lishment, like grace-notes, should be rendered with a melodic 
 tone-quality in harmony with the song-illusion that is desired. 
 
 Piano music embraces many compositions in which rapid run- 
 ning passages, made up of scales and arpeggios arranged in 
 recurring figures, are found in abundance. Since, Application of the 
 however, such passages are merely amplified and pre°sion^to°lu^n- 
 quickened melodies, the same principles apply to """s passages. 
 them as to the latter. Generally, also, their phraseology is of a 
 much simpler order than that of the lyric melody, since their 
 rapidity tends to diminish the individuality of their notes. The 
 principle of making a crescendo upon ascending notes and a 
 diminuendo upon descending ones still holds. Varieties in tone- 
 color, breaks in the flow of tone, emphases of occasional notes, 
 piling up of climaxes, and rubato effects in emotional sections, 
 all contribute to save the performance from monotony. Your 
 greatest care, however, must be to secure technical cleanness 
 
98 
 
 PIANO TEACHING 
 
 and steadiness of tempo throughout. Christian! aptly says,* 
 "It is not so much a question of playing a great many notes 
 with great velocity in a given degree of strength, as to play 
 every note clearly, and in the spirit of the composition." In- 
 terior notes of phrase-groups must not be allowed to blur or to 
 languish in tone, since the slightest deficiency in clearness will 
 often result in their entire loss to the ear of the auditor. Put 
 the pupil especially on his guard as to the middle note of a 
 three-note group, which is particularly prone to shirk its duty. 
 Quick three-note passages, like those in Mendelssohn's Rondo 
 Capricdoso, 
 
 Mendelssohn 
 
 
 should be practiced with a decided accent on the second note, 
 in order that it may actually be heard in the performance. 
 
 Among running passages we must include the elaborate 
 embellishments analogous to vocal cadenzas, which Chopin was 
 The vocal ca- foud of introducing into his Nocturnes, and in 
 denza in piano which his followcrs revel. As these imitate the 
 
 music. 
 
 work of the singer, they are susceptible of more 
 liberty of treatment than is the running style just discussed. 
 Yet even here let us beware of an overdrawn sentimentality, 
 and let us not abet our pupils in a wholesale slaughter of 
 time-regulations. 
 
 Although the relation of the harmonic to the melodic element 
 has alread}^ received attention, something further should be 
 , . . said in regard to its individual intricacies. Pupils 
 
 Long jumps m » ^ 
 
 the harmonic ac- -who are Ordinarily careful about details some- 
 
 companiment. . . ..,,,. , . 
 
 times commit surprismg blunders m rendermg an 
 harmonic accompaniment, seeming to look upon it as a task in 
 which accurac}^ is hopeless. Let us not, moreover, underrate 
 
 * Principles of Expression in Pianoforte Playing. 
 
PIANO TEACHING 99 
 
 the difficulty of the modern chordal schomc which freely uses 
 in apparently easy compositions such ticklish jumps as these: 
 
 To conquer such difficulties the pupil must concentrate his 
 whole attention upon them until the part has been mastered by 
 itself; and in putting it with the right-hand part he must still 
 keep his mind constantly on the alert toward the spacing of the 
 left-hand intervals. One help in such a passage is to spread out 
 the hand so that the little finger is reserved for the single bass- 
 note, while the fourth or even the third plays the lowest note 
 of the following chord, as above. Another is to move the hand 
 directly from the low note to the chord and back again to the 
 next note, without the circuitous gyrations frequently indulged 
 in, thus following out the axiom that a straight line measures 
 the shortest distance between two points. 
 
 The low bass-note in this class of accompaniments, occurring 
 on the metric stress, should be played with a firm and sonorous 
 tone, sometimes reinforced by ruhato, legato, or ^(.(.urac in the 
 pedal accents; and the following chords should piaymg of accom- 
 
 _,^ , , , paniment chords. 
 
 have a precise, staccato character. Care should 
 be taken, moreover, that all the notes of these chords be sounded 
 with an equal finger-pressure. Often the middle note in a chord 
 of three notes is indistinct, and sometimes the upper note dis- 
 appears with it. This effect is especially common in the case 
 of the last chord of a group, where the mind of the performer 
 is so occupied with the jump to the next bass-note that the 
 hand is made simply to give an aimless lunge at the desired 
 chord, frequently with disastrous results. To obviate such 
 trouble you should instruct the pupil in his analytical practice 
 to bring the hand quickly and directly from each note over the 
 note which he is to strike next, so that he may attack it in a 
 straight, downward line, and not by a sidewise stroke. The 
 habit thus acquired will be found applicable to all passages 
 
100 PIANO TEACHING 
 
 involving long jumps, such as hand-interlockings and hand- 
 crossings. 
 
 It goes without saying that the notes of most chords should 
 be sounded absolutely together. But how many pupils really 
 
 The fault of lack ^*^ ^^^^ ^ ^^ ^^'^ Hstcn carcfuUy to their perform- 
 of unison in at- ances do we not detect scores of instances in 
 which one finger strikes a trifle before or after its 
 fellows? The one-sided effect when this ill attack is applied 
 to both hands is all too common, even among pianists who 
 should know better. Tell a pupil to bring out a melody with 
 very great expression, and nine times out of ten, if he has not 
 been forewarned, he will play every note of it a little behind its 
 accompaniment. If we listen to a hymn as played by the 
 average amateur we are greeted by the same stumbling attacks. 
 Have your pupil practice the playing of hymns, repeating each 
 chord until the unison is perfect, and make him afterward watch 
 his work for traces of this error. 
 
 What is thus normally a fault may, however, occasionally 
 be employed intelligently for particular purposes. The arpeg- 
 Use of arpeggi- giatiug of chorcls is very common. While the 
 ated chords. exact method of treating this process must be left 
 
 to your judgment, it should be noted that, although the interior 
 notes of the chord should flow clearly and evenly, the funda- 
 mental note should yet be given prominence, with the upper- 
 most note sometimes a close second. As a general rule, the 
 fundamental note should be played on the beat, the other notes 
 quickly following, like grace-notes; but "when the top notes of 
 rolled chords form a melody, it is these notes that should be 
 played on the beat, the rest of the chord really belonging to the 
 beat before." * Schumann's Nachtsttlch, Op. 23, No. 4, and 
 Mendelssohn's Spring Song involve examples of this latter mode 
 of treatment. 
 
 Modern music is relegating its emotional texture more 
 and more to the harmonic devices of dissonances and modu- 
 lation. In dealing, therefore, with composers of this school — 
 MacDowell, Debussy, and a host of others — we must treat 
 * Foote: Some Practical Things in Piano Playing, p. 16. 
 
PIANO TEACHING 101 
 
 the chordal progressions as indicative of shades of feehng, 
 must color and blend them with a mixture of legato and pedal 
 effects, must give stress to intentionally startling ^^^^^ ^ . 
 dissonances, and must bring forward any other tionai chord pro- 
 significant chord or group of chords. All shades of 
 tone are demanded in the highly-spiced works of the romantic 
 school, from the shrill clang of the treble and the thrilling sonor- 
 it}^ of the bass to the mystic murmurs of the elusive una corda. 
 Contrasts between the driest of staccatos and the overlapping, 
 blended tone-masses succeed each other also in cjuick succes- 
 sion, and make necessary a thorough master}^ of the technic of 
 the damper pedal. 
 
 To decide upon the proper use of this latter, you may start 
 with the principle that a change in harmony or melody requires 
 a change of the pedal. But you must make your use of the damper 
 understanding of this principle broad enough to and^L^om^ni-^^ 
 cover scores of exceptions. A continual use of the ™'^°*- 
 pedal upon accented beats leads to monotony; therefore enhance 
 its effect by leaving it off occasionally. ^Moreover, in music like 
 that of Bach, which was originally plaj'ed entirely without the 
 pedal, the latter should not be employed unless it legitimately 
 emphasizes a climax or solidifies a single chord, and should never 
 be allowed to mix either consecutive chords or melody notes. 
 
 But in modern romantic music considerable latitude in the 
 use of the pedal is frequently desirable. A sonorous chord may 
 sometimes be sustained, while lighter dissonant ^ 
 
 Free uses of the 
 
 chords flit through it; several consonant melody pedai in modem 
 notes may be blended for the purpose of preserv- 
 ing the underlying harmony; or a rapid succession of dissonant 
 notes, like the chromatic scale, may be confused by the pedal, 
 provided the latter is promptly released at the termination of 
 the run. Less intermingling in the case of low tones is per- 
 mitted on account of their heavy character than of those in the 
 higher register. These latter, in fact, become so little sostenuto 
 in power, that, ascending above treble E, — -j^ — ^ -p you 
 may employ the pedal quite freely, with all ^ ^ =° sorts 
 of conflicting sounds. The legato use of the pedal, in which it 
 
102 PIANO TEACHING 
 
 is depressed immediately after the chord which it sustains^ 
 and is removed exactly as the next is sounded, thus: 
 
 is an important factor in softening the outlines of colored chord- 
 sequences. 
 
 The frequent habit of putting on the pedal at the end of 
 phrases, which tends to obliterate the logical divisions, should 
 also be guarded against. 
 
 We have not specifically mentioned the flowing harmonic 
 accompaniment in single notes, such as the well known "Albert! 
 bass: " 
 
 Simplicity in the 
 flowing accom- 
 paniment. 
 
 Simplicity and evenness are prime requisites in its rendition, 
 with emphasis mainly or wholly upon metrical accents. It 
 should thus serve, by its uniform steadiness of tempo, to give 
 stability and coherence to the more emotional parts acting 
 above it. 
 
 Each melody which your pupil studies should, therefore, be 
 given attention apart from its context; and the accompaniment 
 should finally be entirely subordinated to the 
 ummary. mclody, cxcept in so far as its individual charac- 
 
 teristics demand emphasis. Phrasing may be summarized in 
 the excellent words of Riemann: * "Playing with expression 
 is in fact nothing more than speaking with sense. If only one 
 understands the sense of a phrase one hardly needs further 
 directions as to its accentuation; the sense-accent falls, then, as 
 of itself on the right words. It is just the same in music; if only 
 one knows the accent of higher and lower order with the bound- 
 aries of phrases and motives, the rest comes of itself." Melodic 
 progressions normally receive a crescendo in ascending and a 
 diminuendo in descending, while each long phrase rises to a 
 
 * Catechism, of Pianoforte Playing. 
 
PIANO TEACHING 103 
 
 climax and afterwards falls. The notes of chords should be 
 equal in streni^th and squarely together, except where otherwise 
 specified, and tlie hand should be exactly over the chord keys 
 when these are to be struck. Modern harmonic effects require 
 particular expression in the case of especially significant progres- 
 sions, and their coloring frequently calls for skillful manipulation 
 of the pedal. Moreover, accompaniments should be of uniform 
 steadiness, as a general rule, since it is upon these as foundation 
 that the varied play of musical thought is constructed. 
 
CHAPTER VIII 
 
 The Teaching of Unity in Interpretation 
 
 Amid the discouragements incidental to a teaching career, 
 take this thought for your comfort: that you will not have 
 
 lived in vain if you have brought your pupil to 
 stage of a pupil's the poiut whcrc his playing is not disagreeable, 
 eve opmen . jjq^ g^^j jg ^\^q reflection that thousands of young 
 people spend many hours of their lives producing sounds from 
 the piano which fill with anguish every person of sensibilities who 
 comes wuthin the sphere of their audible influence ! Yes, if your 
 pupil plays accurately and neatly, if his time is good and his 
 expression is endurable, you have at least rendered him harm- 
 less, and in some cases you can scarcely hope to do more. But 
 with a pupil of real musical talent this stage of his advance- 
 ment should represent merely a thorough preparation for the 
 good time to come. It is as if he were a carpenter who had 
 sawed and fitted every board for the construction of a house 
 upon specified plans. All this material must now be fastened 
 into place, its crudities must be polished away, and an air of 
 
 solidity must be imparted to the connected whole. 
 
 The stage where 
 
 playing arouses If the analyzed details can only be given the effect 
 
 actual interest. c , , i i i ■ i • i 
 
 01 structural coherence, his playing advances 
 immediately from the merely innocuous stage to that where 
 interest is aroused. The friends who have asked him to play 
 for them no longer endure in polite boredom, but they begin to 
 prick up their ears, to smile approvingly, and finally to pat him 
 on the back with the prediction (alas for him! ) that he is a 
 genius. 
 
 So, after the analytical processes which I have described have 
 been carried out to the extent of his ability, you are to teach 
 him how to build these details together. He must now be made 
 
 104 
 
PIANO TEACHING 105 
 
 to look upon the composition as a whole: to understand what 
 is its general character, to note its broad divisions, and to decide 
 how they and their various parts may he related to one an- 
 other so as to produce the effect of logical sequence. Need of solidified 
 ]\Iusic, indeed, must be clear in form beyond all ^"^"^ *" •"""'"■ 
 other arts. It cannot put definite ideas before us, as words 
 can, and it cannot stand out in tangible and visible form, as 
 can the works of architecture, sculpture, and painting. But 
 these vanishing, mystic sounds floating about our ears must be 
 so clearly grouped and must succeed each other with such per- 
 ceptible ties between them that our interest is held firmly and 
 we are made to feel the presence of a great and burning thought 
 permeating the fabric. It is little wonder, as we view the magni- 
 tude of the task, that the tone-poems of a great genius, when 
 presented to the hearer in a lackadaisical manner, convey no 
 impression save that of weariness to the poor auditor. Why 
 should we blame our friends for their outspoken aversion to 
 "classical music," if they have been obhged to take their doses 
 of it in this milk-and-watery solution? 
 
 Having impressed these facts upon the mind of your pupil, 
 you proceed to unfold various devices by which he may develop 
 this important element of unity in the composi- Devices for unity 
 tion he is studying. He will see the drift of these common to au 
 
 -^ ° the arts. 
 
 more forcibly, too, if you show him that they are 
 devices which are common to the other arts also; that, as all 
 art is simply a formal method of presenting elevated thought, 
 and as this formality of expression is only a means for putting 
 this thought in its most beautiful and striking light, it is natural 
 that the painter, the sculptor, the poet, and the musician should 
 use parallel methods in their treatment of the media in which 
 they work. 
 
 Let us begin this building process by noting the constant 
 recurrence of balancing phrases. We have already seen (page 94) 
 how a phrase is normally made up of a condition ^^^ ^^^^^^ ^^ ^^^^ 
 and a conclusion, or a question and its answer, ance in music and 
 
 ' * kmdred arts. 
 
 Similarly, if we proceed to the next phrase, we 
 
 will often find that it exactly balances the first one, that like- 
 
106 
 
 PIANO TEACHING 
 
 wise these two phrases are balanced by the next two, and so on, 
 as in this theme from Mozart's Sonata in A major: 
 
 Mozart 
 
 Jih^H m^frf ff 
 
 m- P m f ff— 
 
 1 N -^- 
 
 r^^^i 
 
 
 r rr r M' 'T D i 
 
 J 
 
 r n r- 
 
 f#¥=^^^^ 
 
 M- P » f ff 
 
 jT^i^ 
 
 -J — i^ — ^^ 
 
 
 
 ^ ^ r i- 
 
 8 i a ' 
 
 r hJ '- 1 
 
 A similar use of balance is found in Hebrew poetry, which, as 
 voiced in the Psalms, shows a constant use of answering coup- 
 lets, like these from Psalm XXIV: 
 
 "The earth is the Lord's, and the fullness thereof; 
 The world, and they that dwell therein. 
 For he hath founded it upon the seas, 
 And established it upon the floods." etc. 
 
 The balancing towers of the cathedral (page 112) furnish an 
 instance of the architect's employment of the same device, 
 while the conventional Madonnas of the Italian painters dis- 
 play details which, though varied on either side of the picture, 
 yet bear the same relation to each other as the two balancing 
 musical phrases. Note, for example, the perfect equipoise in 
 Raphael's Madonna di Foligno shown on the opposite page. 
 
 Now for the practical application of this principle. Taking 
 the theme of the first movement of Beethoven's Sonata, Op. 26, 
 „. , , . we find that it is divisible into phrases that are 
 
 Structural char- _ '■ 
 
 acter of balancing respectively 4, 4, 4, 4, 2, 2, 6, 4, 4 measures m 
 length. The pupil should, therefore, render these 
 phrases in such a manner that those which balance each other 
 are played with similar expression, with their climaxes at simi- 
 lar points and their endings of like character, as is the case 
 
PIANO TEACHING 
 
 107 
 
 Raphael, Madonna di Foligno. — Pitti Palace, Florence. 
 
 with groups 1 and 3, and groups 2 and 4. The ultimate result 
 will be a series of phrase-waves, which, like the waves of the 
 ocean dashing upon the shore, roll in till they break upon their 
 climax-notes, and then are swept aside by the next comers; 
 while the simile is continued by the fact that groups of long 
 phrase-waves are often succeeded by groups of short ones, and 
 these by an unusually long swell, as in the example just 
 
108 
 
 PIANO TEACHING 
 
 Rembrandt, Portrait of a Rabbi. — National Gallery, London. 
 
 cited. In formal music of the classic type the regularity of 
 balance is easily distinguishable. In modern music, on the 
 other hand, the personal and dramatic character frequently 
 interferes with the natural limits of the waves, chopping them 
 off with a startling blow or protracting them in a strenuous, 
 emotional crisis. Even in such cases, however, the underlying 
 structure is not necessarily obliterated, but should be under- 
 stood and suggested wherever possible. 
 
PIANO TEACHING 109 
 
 The monotony which would ensue in a long composition from 
 an endless succession of similar balancing phrase-waves is 
 avoided by resort to the element of contrast. ^^^ unifying fac- 
 Hamlet soliloquizes: "To be, or not to be," and tor of contrast, 
 then iH'oceeds to place over against each other conditions as far 
 different as day and night. So Rembrandt masses light and 
 shade, as in his Portrait of a Rabbi; so the modern sculptor, 
 Kodin, exhiliits the delicate and ethereal figure starting out 
 from the roughhewn marble. Your pupil, therefore, must be 
 prepared to assert those contrasting moods which complete the 
 masculine bj' the feminine tones in the music-picture he is 
 painting. Let us turn to the classic sonata again for illustrations 
 of thematic contrasts. Here is the characteristic figure from 
 the first subject of Beethoven's Sonata, Op. 2, No. 1: 
 
 Beethoven 
 
 and later on this exultant masculine strain is supplemented by 
 the soothing feminine subject: 
 
 No greater antithesis could be conceived : the first theme leaping 
 upward in staccato arpeggios, the second falling clingingly in 
 more modest measures. In the outspoken passion of modern 
 compositions, a moment of perfect calm is often followed by one 
 in which a raging fury is let loose; and then the demon is again 
 caged, as the first gentle mood returns. Chopin's Nocturne in 
 F major, Op. 15, No. 1, gives an illustration of this favorite form 
 of the piano poets, while its reversal can be noted in the same 
 composer's Fantasie Impromptu, in C sharp minor. After your 
 pupil has, therefore, traced out the lilt of his swaying, closely 
 related phrases, he should rally his opposing forces, offsetting as 
 convincingly as he is able tempest with sunshine, gentleness 
 with wrath, smiles with frowns. 
 
110 
 
 PIANO TEACHING 
 
 Rodin, The Flight of Love. — Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. 
 
 There must be something more than this, however. To give 
 completeness to his performance the pianist must take his audi- 
 The unifying fac- tors on a joumcy and must arrive at his goal, 
 tor of chmax. j^g^ ^^ ^^le painter centers the attention, whether 
 it will or no, upon his chosen object, either by focusing his 
 strongest light upon it or by converging all the principal lines 
 upon it, as Raphael fixes the gaze of the surrounding figures 
 upon the child in his Madonna shown above, so the player 
 must make his auditor feel that he is constantly ascending 
 from height to height, until, — crash! he has mightily struck 
 down the enemy, and he retires with the laurels of the victor. 
 Recall that wonderful climax in the Chopin Funeral March: 
 how, sobbing in those tomb-like chords which first greet the 
 ear, the emotional waves mount slowly but steadily upward 
 until the acme is reached in the daring outburst above quoted 
 
PIANO TEACHING 111 
 
 (page 79) , after which tlio mood sinks back to its initial som- 
 bcrness. So, as the bahincing and contrasting phrases of each 
 part are welded together, they nuist be given point as a whole 
 by their culmination in some towering peak, the apex of all the 
 striving. The modern composers, first and foremost among 
 them that master of climax, Franz Liszt, have invented effects 
 — avalanches of notes, piercing repetitions of tremoldndo pro- 
 gressions — which invest their summits with ineffable vigor. 
 The i)laycr, however, who has technical equipment sufficient to 
 encompass these effects needs little instruction as to their im- 
 portance, since their very structure is in itself an enthusiastic 
 outburst; but your work in teaching will be needed in empha- 
 sizing the crucial point in passages where it is not immediately 
 perceptible, although the demand for it be fully as great. 
 
 And to do this it is necessary to treat phrases in such a manner 
 that there is a constant advance in interest. If the same notes 
 are repeated, something should be put into them, Devices for pro- 
 some greater stress of expression, a softer or louder fdvL^1;e i^n Inter- 
 color, which shall feed the intensity of thought. ^^*- 
 So, while apparently asserting precisely the same idea or one 
 which is its exact complement, the player should add spice to 
 it so subtly that, although not glaringly perceived, it yet gives 
 an added zest to the interest. In like manner, the recurrence 
 of an entire passage must be made tolerable by added graces, 
 so that the auditor unconsciously recognizes in it a new attrac- 
 tion. Note also that a climax effect does not necessarily mean 
 an increase of tone or speed. We may desire a climax of rest- 
 fulness or quiet. Thus a gradual retarding and softening of the 
 flow of tone, like that possible at the close of Grieg's Berceuse, 
 may waft the hearer from heaven back to earth so gently that 
 he is left still hearing the voices of the angels. 
 
 The cultivation of the elements thus far recorded necessitates 
 in itself attention to the property of symmetry, which is a prime 
 requisite in any complete art form, and which The unifying fac- 
 implies that each detail is given an amount of ^°'^ °* symmetry, 
 attention exactly in proportion to its value as a component of 
 the whole. A great architectural structure, like York Minster, 
 
112 
 
 PIANO TEACHING 
 
 for instance, impresses us not so much with wonder at its vast- 
 ness, as of satisfaction at the perfect relevancy and adjustment 
 of each of its numberless parts. In a painting, like Hobbema's 
 Avenue of Trees, symmetry takes the form of accurate perspec- 
 tive and color values; while in literature, sentences like those of 
 
 York Minster. 
 
 Lord Macaulay delight the sense of beauty by their sonorous, 
 complete, rhythmic roll. Of course the interpreter can hardly 
 be called upon to produce a symmetry which is absent from the 
 composition he is interpreting; but the player can at least lend 
 his energies toward a well-adjusted effect by subordinating 
 unimportant passages and dwelling upon important ones. 
 
 There are three classes of passages which engage the player's 
 
 attention, — principal passages, transition passages, and com- 
 
 . binations of these. Those of the first class include 
 
 Passages in music 
 
 divided into prin- all important thcmcs or melodies, and even strik- 
 
 cipal, transition, . .. 11, • ■ n 
 
 and combination mg remmisccnccs 01 thcsc, — all sections, m nne, 
 passages. which are ends in themselves, which are presented 
 
 for their intrinsic beauty or significance, and not merely as a 
 means for reaching some coming point of interest. The fugue 
 
PIANO TEACHING 
 
 113 
 
 subject, enunciated with a (listin('tii(>ss and character destined 
 to impress it indelibly upon the auditor's mind; the sonata 
 themes, contrasting with each other in dramatic and lyric 
 quality; the song theme, soulful in the utterance of each syllable 
 and rising to a climax of intensity, — all are included in the 
 
 HoBBEMA, Avenue of Trees. — National Galleky, London, 
 
 class of passages which should hold the hearer spell-bound, and 
 W'hich he should leave with reluctance. Introducing, connect- 
 ing, and postluding such are the transition sections, sometimes 
 mere groups of flitting notes and harmonies, during the per- 
 formance of w^hich the hearer must be kept on the qui vive for 
 a sight of the new fields toward which he is being transported 
 or else must be soothed into restfulness after a strenuous dra- 
 matic climax. The pla^'ing of these must consequently bear 
 the interest constantly forward. Instead of lingering over indi- 
 vidual charms, the performer should use every device to prod 
 the interest: bits of the coming theme should be emphasized; 
 the rhji;hm should stalk on unfalteringly; and only when the 
 goal is apparently in sight should the auditor be tantalized by a 
 retardation in the time, a hesitation before the curtain is lifted. 
 In the combination passages a slight relaxation of the onward 
 impulse is permitted, while strains of familiar figures are heard 
 
114 
 
 PIANO TEACHING 
 
 interwoven in the unfolding pattern, or new thematic material 
 causes a momentary lull. 
 
 Analyze with me Mendelssohn's Venetian Gondellied, No. 12 
 
 of his Songs without Words. The introductory six measures 
 
 belong to the transition class: they give an index 
 
 Analysis of Men- to what is in prosDcct by initiat- 
 
 delssohn's Gon- . . . 
 
 deiiied, No. 12 of iug the rhythmic swmg, only m- 
 
 the Songs without , ^ i i, xi x x 11 
 
 Words. terrupted by the two-note call: 
 
 The principal theme enters, and unfolds in two 
 long answering phrases of eight and seven measures, respec- 
 tively. Now a transition passage, contrasting in style, ascends 
 
 CoROT, Concert Champetre. — The Louvre. 
 
 sequentially to a climax at the close of nine measures, 
 in which the original two-note call bursts forth vigorously, 
 after which the mood is softened, during six measures, by 
 wavering harmonies that bring on a shortened and beautified 
 reminiscence of the first subject, which comes to a close in the 
 seventh measure. The lapping of the waters continues for 
 twelve measures more, during which the calls of the boatmen 
 
PIANO TEACHING 115 
 
 recede into the distance, and a touch of the tonic chord leaves 
 us in peace. 
 
 Here is balance, contrast, climax, symmetry; and here must 
 be also one more factor, namely, atmosphere. Each composition 
 must reflect a prevailing mood, just as each flower The unifying fac- 
 disseminates its perfume. Every true work of art '°' °^ atmosphere. 
 does this: the mighty cathedral cultivates the feeling of reveren- 
 tial awe; the simple poem calls forth our tears by its compelling 
 pathos; and the painting of Corot as, for instance, his Concert 
 Champetre plunges us into the silver mists of early dawn. 
 Thus the player sets the final seal of authority upon his inter- 
 pretation when he wraps his auditors in the atmosphere of 
 poetic emotion which he expresses through his fingers. ''He 
 who can enter into the spirit of my music," said Beethoven, 
 "will be beyond the reach of this world's misery." The 
 player cannot hope to gain that hypnotic influence over his 
 auditors until he is able to keep his mind so permeated by this 
 "spirit," or mood, that he compels them to subject their own 
 thought to his. 
 
 How, then, shall you induce your pupil to express the proper 
 atmosphere of his piece? Perhaps simply by telling him to 
 hold a certain conception of it in mind: to regard Necessity for 
 it steadily during his performance as expressive of pu^iVlimgina-^ 
 joy, fear, sadness, mysticism, or combinations of *'°'^- 
 these. But he will often need the incentive of more concrete 
 ideas, and then you or he must weave stories into the fabric of 
 the tone-poem, as I have suggested (page 36). His fingers must 
 tell a tale of knightly adventure, must picture the winding flow 
 of a brook, or the ripples of moonlight on the water. His 
 imagination must be stimulated, if he is to play with any vitality; 
 he must see a goal in his mind's eye, and must strive steadily 
 for it. As an instance of how eagerly the pupil will grasp such 
 opportunities when presented to him, try him with a short 
 characteristic piece which has a distinct title, like one of Mac- 
 Dowell's, and observe how his enthusiasm will be kindled by 
 the suggestion. 
 
 Let us just here inquire what is meant in the oft-repeated 
 
116 PIANO TEACHING 
 
 statement that "music is the language of the emotions." A 
 
 young person is frequently pointed out as especially talented 
 
 ^ for music because he puts so much temperament 
 
 Wrong ideas of _ _ ' ' 
 
 emotional ex- into his playing. Perhaps you have had such 
 pression. prodigies come to you to be "finished," and have 
 
 discovered, to your intense disappointment, that what were con- 
 sidered to be the outpourings of genius are in reality unreasoning 
 ravings applied to all kinds of music alike, and accompanied 
 by utter disregard of prescribed rhythms, phrases, or even notes. 
 If you can succeed in regulating these "gushing" tendencies, 
 you may turn them into profitable channels; but it is too often 
 the case that the "genius" refuses to adopt methods necessary 
 for persons made of ordinary clay, and so goes on pouring out 
 his soul to the circle of admirers who are satisfied with this 
 conception of art. 
 
 Let us recognize the fact that music should really be an 
 expression, not of unregulated emotion, which means a kind 
 Variety in emo- of insanity, but of genuine and sincere feelings; 
 tionai expression, h^q^^ thcsc fcclings, covcriug a widc area of 
 human experiences, should therefore be of great variety in 
 kind and intensity; and that the interpreter, of them should 
 have such a perfect command over each kind which he portrays 
 that he uses it knowingly and with discrimination. To acquire 
 that nice balance which results in the appearance of an unfet- 
 tered expression of emotion, while no suggestion of exaggera- 
 tion or striving after effect is allowed to enter, is indeed the 
 consummation of the interpreter's art, and few there are who 
 attain it. 
 
 Glancing, then, at the types of emotion which music most 
 commonly depicts, we place first on the list the childlike. 
 Childlike emo- Demanding preeminently the effect of artlessness, 
 *'°'^- this type is perhaps the most difficult of all to 
 
 practice successfully; for its mortal enemy is exaggeration. 
 Quiet, straightforward tempi, a vital and cheerful atmosphere 
 with only an occasional cloud effect, and a general avoidance of 
 startling heights and depths in phraseology, should character- 
 ize this style. For examples, we have Haydn's and Mozart's 
 
PIANO TEACHING 117 
 
 formal lines of beauty; Schubert's ingenuous Impromptus and 
 Moments Musicals, and Schumaini's Children's Pieces, Op. 15 
 and Op. 68. Who among us has not heard the delicate, naive 
 wanderings of the Schumann Trdunicrei distorted into a senti- 
 mental frenzy ? 
 
 Schubert, you say, was capable of rising to much greater 
 lieights than the merely naive. True: he many times threw 
 op(Mi the door to those more mature emotions Deep and mature 
 which represent the evolution of the artless feel- ^n^°"ons. 
 ings of the child into the nobler and deeper experiences of mature 
 manhood. Masters of such emotions, like Bach, Beethoven, 
 Schumann, and Brahms, demand playing which, while equally 
 genuine and unaffected, must yet be tinged with profounder 
 feeling, with the sense of a wide knowledge of life's joys and 
 sorrows, and a sympathy with the aspirations of mankind. 
 The youthful pupil may be given a taste of such masters in their 
 lighter moods; but you should beware of burdening him with 
 compositions requiring a maturity of thought unadapted to his 
 years. 
 
 Most young people, on the other hand, enjoy Mendelssohn. 
 And indeed his elegant, refined style, demanding the display 
 of emotions which are now delicate and fanciful, „ , , 
 
 Mendelssohn's 
 
 and now push upward toward a seriousness of refined emotional 
 thought only really reached by a Beethoven, fur- ^ ^ ^' 
 nishes opportunities for the evolution of a reserved artistic style. 
 In his light, fairy-like music Mendelssohn is not far from ex- 
 pressing the bizarre, mystic moods which the modern French 
 composers reveal. 
 
 So we are brought to the emotions demanded by the purely 
 romantic school, in which abound pictures of elves at play, of 
 witches in their weird incantations, and of lovers' Emotions of the 
 soft pleadings under the moonlit sky. The "-omantic school, 
 dangerous tendencies of the tempo rubato in which these 
 delight (page 86), must be duly realized; and while the soulful 
 and personal elements must not be repressed, they must at 
 least be made to run in sane grooves, while sentiment must not 
 degenerate into sentimentality. 
 
118 PIANO TEACHING 
 
 More healthful for the young pianist are the compositions 
 embodying the element of pure vitality: the stirring Polo- 
 Pureiy vital emo- naisc, the jolly Giguc, the stately Minuet. The 
 *'°°^- quickening of the pulse which the swing of such 
 
 music induces is a splendid incentive to youthful enthusiasm. 
 Do not hesitate to give your boy-pupil that march which he 
 covets: it will satisfy the demands of his fresh, springing nature, 
 and he will practice it with animated zeal. Pushed beyond cul- 
 tivated bounds, this vital music passes from the restrictions of 
 civilization and voices the mood of primeval man exulting in 
 his savage state. Liszt's Rhapsodies reveal such moods as this, 
 glorying in their lawlessness, rising to chmaxes of unrestrained 
 passion, and ruthlessly throwing aside the graces which human 
 society has been centuries in acquiring. Such music is not for 
 our pupils; it is not our office to turn them adrift in savage seas. 
 
 I must answer your query as to the proper time for empha- 
 sizing the various factors conducive to unity by a resume of the 
 general process of the study of a composition. 
 
 When should the ^ / , . t i • i / rjr.\ 
 
 elements of unity Detailed analysis, I have said (page 70), comes 
 e taug t . g^^^^ .^^^ which intricacies of technic are cleared up 
 
 by piecemeal practice and the construction and expression of 
 the individual phrases are decided upon. Incidental to this 
 last process, the factors of balance and contrast can be unfolded, 
 while that of climax will be brought out in each division of the 
 composition. 
 
 It is at this point that memorizing should begin. How far 
 should this be carried, you ask? I answer, as extensively as pos- 
 The value of siblc. In Order thoroughly to master any compo- 
 memory work. sition, the succcssion of musical thought should be 
 fixed in the mind independently of the printed page. Whether 
 the pupil afterward plays entirely from memory is another 
 matter. Through excessive nervousness he may require the 
 comfort of the music sheet on the piano rack, in order to avoid 
 muscular paralysis; but certainly all short pieces, and at least 
 all the difficult passages of long ones, should be memorized. As 
 to those pupils who avowedly prefer not to do this or are appar- 
 ently lacking in the faculty to do so, I can simply say that you 
 
PIANO TEACHING 119 
 
 must put thorn in the catc^^ory of those whose accomphshmonts 
 are strictly limited, although even with these an occasional 
 memorizing of special phrases may lead the way to greater 
 acquirements. 
 
 You nmst, however, flatly discourage that kind of memorizing 
 which consists in desperate attempts to get through a piece 
 without the notes, after these have becm passably ^^^^^ ^^^ ^^^^^ 
 well studied. Even if a pupil can accomplish this methods of memo- 
 design with some measure of success, he should be 
 shown that this merely instinctive association is unreliable, and 
 unproductive of permanent results. For the chief value in the 
 memorizing process, as I have intimated, is the opportunity it 
 affords for a thorough and minute review of every detail, together 
 with a realization of how these details proceed from one to 
 another. Thus, a system of memorizing should be insisted upon 
 which begins first with analysis, and then applies the con- 
 structive process. A sample of such a system may be found in 
 the application to this work of the practice system on page 22. 
 It is not generally necessary to begin with the hands separate, 
 but note carefully that each measure or group of measures 
 should be played distinctly twice with the notes, before the pupil 
 plays looking at his fingers. Or, better still, instead of single 
 measures, figures, clauses, and finally long phrases and sections 
 can be thus treated. Much is made by some teachers of similar 
 memory work away from the piano by the study of each inter- 
 val and voice progression. Whether or no this work be done 
 at the outset, the final test of memory should be conducted by 
 thinking through the entire passage away from the piano. The 
 player, too, in memorizing is apt to place his attention upon one 
 hand more than upon the other, and is afterward disturbed if 
 he attempts to observe the neglected hand. Try playing each 
 hand in turn with the ordinary tone while the other silently 
 goes through its motions on top of the keys, as a remedy for 
 this. 
 
 At each lesson, therefore, you assign a definite passage for 
 memory work until the composition is complete. It is then best 
 to lay it aside for a few weeks, so that the pupil may put on 
 
120 PIANO TEACHING 
 
 the finishing touches with fresh enthusiasm. With technical diffi- 
 culties now relegated to the background, he is able to adjust 
 The final unify- the Symmetry of the parts, and to throw himself 
 ing touches. jj-^^q ^j^g proper emotional condition necessary for 
 
 the creation of the suggested atmosphere. Illustrating to him 
 at the piano, you will emphasize crucial points, showing how 
 the attention should be held spellbound upon this exquisite 
 chord, or hurried to the catastrophe of that thrilling climax; 
 in short, you incite him to play the composition not as a 
 mass of writhing notes, but as a vivid presentment of a few 
 broadly moving thoughts. 
 
 I have thus attempted to show how necessary is a unified 
 
 conception of a composition to any presentment of its value as 
 
 an art work, and how, moreover, devices like 
 
 Summary. 
 
 balance, contrast, climax, symmetry, and atmos- 
 phere, common to all the arts, are yet especially essential com- 
 ponents of a musical work, both in its composition and in its 
 interpretation. Of these devices, that of atmosphere, above all, 
 demands an appreciation of various types of emotion, such as 
 the childlike, the mature, the intellectual, the mystic, the roman- 
 tic, and the vital, which the player must learn to employ with 
 the finesse and discrimination of the accomplished actor. In 
 the study of a piece its unity should be suggested as the pupil 
 proceeds to build his phrases together. The process of memoriz- 
 ing, however, should prepare him for the final touches; and 
 then, after he has been allowed to rest his mind from the routine 
 of continuous practice upon the composition, he will be prepared 
 to invest it with the proper perspectives of its parts and with 
 its fitting emotional environment. 
 
CHAPTER IX 
 The Public Performances of Pupils 
 
 In all that has hitherto been said it has been tacitly assumed 
 that the primary object of piano study is to enable the per- 
 former to communicate thoueht, in the form of , , . 
 
 ^ ' Importance or 
 
 music, to other minds. A few pupils study osten- teaching how to 
 
 perform in public. 
 
 sil)ly only for self-amusement or self-culture; but 
 even these, inasmuch as they act the role of interpreters, can 
 play their parts with added intelligence if they at least imagine 
 the presence of auditors. As, therefore, the chief end of your 
 teaching is to enable your pupils to put their accomplishment 
 to its practical and legitimate use, and as this final application 
 involves many unique problems of its own, it is evident that 
 you should regard the preparation for public performance as an 
 important and essential part of your teaching, and that you 
 should give careful attention to this culmination of your work. 
 It is perhaps well to emphasize this fact, since many teachers 
 seem to regard their duty as completed if they ground their 
 pupils well in the principles of technic and phrasing, and then 
 leave them to solve for themselves the most difficult problem 
 of all, namely, how to make their music arrest the attention of 
 other minds, and dominate over them for the time being. 
 
 The task before you, briefly stated, is this: to teach your 
 pupil so to concentrate his thought primarily on the expres- 
 sion of ideas, and secondarily on his finger move- Essential and non- 
 ments as the agents of such expression, that he is essential thoughts 
 oblivious to all surrounding circumstances. In 
 his ordinary practice routine he is accustomed to sit in a room 
 by himself, with his sheet of music always in the same place on 
 the music rack, upon the same stool, and at the same piano, 
 with the same furniture, bric-a-brac, and wall paper within his 
 range of vision. All these attendant objects are really forming 
 
 121 
 
122 PIANO TEACHING 
 
 in his mind a background to his playing. If anything should 
 be changed, if the clock should stop ticking, or a new picture 
 should be hung where he could see it, he would probably be 
 somewhat disturbed in his mental equilibrium. 
 
 But if his playing is to have a wider application, he must 
 learn to fix his mind only upon its essential features, and to 
 Mental disturb- cling to these. Uninfluenced by superficial ele- 
 ^he"presem:e of uicnts. His work iu memorizing will help to free 
 auditors. j^jj^ from the printed page. He must also, how- 
 
 ever, accustom himself to the use of other pianos of make and 
 touch different from his own, placed, moreover, in different 
 localities. He will be helped in this matter if he comes to your 
 house for lessons; and he will still further broaden his experience 
 by playing at the houses of his friends. The most disturbing 
 factor, however, is introduced in the person of an auditor. 
 Then, indeed, he feels some of the sensations of one learning 
 to swim when he realizes that the cork on which he is relying 
 has been removed. An awful consciousness of self rises up 
 before him, obliterating all the precepts and principles so care- 
 fully taught him, and he plunges on, relying on blind instinct 
 to keep him afloat. 
 
 It is this last-named l^ugbear in the form of human listeners 
 
 which you must especially assist him to combat, since upon the 
 
 result of the struggle will depend his future as a 
 
 The pupil's atti- °° * 
 
 tude toward an performer. If he be by nature undaunted in the 
 face of danger, your task will be easy; if he be 
 nervous and excitable, it will require infinite tact; but in either 
 case he must be accustomed to the apparent foe by easy and 
 safe stages, until he comes to regard what seemed vindictively 
 hostile as a sympathetic friend, the inspirer of his best efforts. 
 You yourself, of course, have occupied the position of stran- 
 ger-auditor for a time, until he has become so habituated to 
 Playing to imagi- your presence and criticisms that they have taken 
 nary audiences, their placc in his accustomed surroundings. Let 
 him now put his imagination to work. When a piece, or a divi- 
 sion of a piece, approaches the completed stage, let him perform 
 it to you while you assume the character of an audience during 
 
PIANO TEACHING 123 
 
 tho losson. Station yourself at some distance from him, and 
 tell liini to express the ideas of the piece to you as if you had 
 never iieard it, taking pains to make each important theme clear 
 in its outlines, and to convey the proper mood throughout. 
 Encourage him to try a similar experience at home, by imagining 
 his audience. I had a pupil once who used to boast of her 
 ability to induce a cold perspiration by placing chairs about her 
 and peopling them mentally with listeners. If parents or sym- 
 pathetic friends will occasionally take the place of such mystic 
 auditors, the experience can be made more fruitful. Another 
 of my pupils, in studying the Bach Fugues, after technical points 
 had been well mastered, tested her interpretations by her 
 mother's ability to hear the whole number of subject-entrances. 
 
 The actual appearance of your pupil before a crowd of wit- 
 nesses involves such important results, both for his own future 
 as a player and for your reputation as a teacher. Necessity for care- 
 that you should insist upon the fulfillment of cer- b^'forrpubiirper- 
 tain conditions before he is allowed to undertake formance. 
 this responsibility. Stage-fright, resulting in a complete break- 
 down or in a gibberish of rushing notes, represents only one of a 
 long list of catastrophes of which the danger is incurred, and of 
 which the outcome is both the discouragement of the pupil and 
 the discomfiture of the audience. Pupils as a rule have not 
 the smallest conception of the amount of work done by an artist 
 in preparation for a concert performance. Noting the ease and 
 grace with which the fingers of a De Pachmann glide over the 
 keys, they eliminate entirely the weeks of patient, minute study 
 which have preceded such feats of dexterity, and, laughing at 
 the old-fogyish, snail-like methods of their teacher, launch out 
 boldly in pursuit of their distinguished ideals, — quickly to 
 founder on one of the numerous reefs in the way. 
 
 The choice of a piece comes first on the hst of preparations. 
 It must be one which would naturally prove attractive to hear- 
 ers, one which the pupil himself likes, and one ^ . 
 
 Considerations 
 
 entirely within his al)ility. The first of these con- affecting the 
 ditions can be least regarded, for what the pupil °^^° ^ p'^'^®- 
 likes and plays well will generally be acceptable. But the 
 
124 PIANO TEACHING 
 
 character of the entertainment and the position of the piece 
 on the program must affect your choice. If it is to be simply 
 an opening number, to attract attention, brightness and rhyth- 
 mic vigor are determining elements; if, however, the audience 
 is to be a musical one, and the piece comes in a place where 
 attention should be already secured, a quiet and soulful selec- 
 tion may be appropriate. A pupil, too, generally likes whatever 
 he can play well. However intrinsically beautiful the composi- 
 tion, if it eludes his hardest endeavors to make it his own, it is 
 natural that he should come to regard it with disfavor. But 
 there is a dangerous class of compositions which he would like 
 to perform because he wants his playing to sound as pretentious 
 as possible, but which he can only barely get through, under 
 the most favorable conditions. These should be scrupulously 
 avoided in favor of a piece of which his fingers have perfect 
 control, and in the playing of which he can consequently direct 
 his best thought upon the expression. The test of the piece 
 should be his ability to play its most difficult passages with 
 entire ease. Moreover, the piece should have gone through all 
 stages of practice: the technical, the phrasing, the memorizing, 
 and the unifying; and it should have been laid aside and resumed 
 again several times. In the case of his debut as a performer, it 
 would even be well to choose, if possible, a piece which he had 
 learned the previous year, and which had thus been for a long 
 time ingrained into his mind. 
 
 Make sure, also, that the circumstances under which the 
 pupil is to play are such that he will not be placed at a dis- 
 advantage. If the audience is to be one which 
 
 The audience, the .,, . i , . , • 
 
 style and condi- Will evidently pay no attention to the piano selec- 
 tion of the piano ,• • c j.\ • • • xii-i • a. ^ ^ j. 
 
 as factors m the tiou, II this IS inserted plainly as an mterlude to 
 pupil s perform- promotc coiivcrsation, or if the other numbers on 
 
 ance. ^ _ ' _ 
 
 the program will make his performance seem triv- 
 ial or ridiculous, you should discourage him from taking part. 
 The best opportunities for his first appearances are those which 
 you furnish him yourself, and in which your guiding hand is felt 
 throughout. To these I shall shortly refer more explicitly. It is 
 likewise important to look after the piano he is to use. Do not 
 
PIANO TEACH I XG 125 
 
 allow him to play on one that is hopelessly worn-out, or that 
 has a (lull, muffled a]i()l()j2;y for a tone. If it be an upright, it 
 should have a bright, free tone and action; a grand piano, how- 
 ever, will be better, even though he be more accustomed to the 
 former style, since its firmer action will be more likely to furnish 
 a foundation that will withstand the increased nervous force 
 with which he will be animated. Certainly it should be in tune. 
 Do not trust to committees to look after this condition, or a series 
 of ear-rending discords will be a probable effect of his playing, 
 but see that a competent tuner makes his presence felt a few 
 hours before the concert. 
 
 Then must come the full-dress rehearsal. From a list of 
 bitter experiences I conjure you never to allow a pupil to per- 
 form in public with your sanction unless he has conduct of the 
 rehearsed his piece upon the piano on which he is ^^' rehearsal . 
 to play, and in the very spot in which he is to play it. And not 
 only should he play the piece through, but he should also simu- 
 late all the circumstances of the actual performance. Teach 
 him how to approach and leave the stage. Have him walk out 
 boldly to the front, make a bow, and seat himself at the piano 
 from the side nearest the audience; likewise at closing, let him 
 rise, turn toward the audience, make his bow, and walk, 
 not run, oE the stage. IVIuch of the amateurish cast of a per- 
 formance comes from an awkward entrance and exit. The 
 pupil looks foolish, makes a lopsided bow while in the act of 
 walking along, if he makes any bow at all, and finally rushes 
 away as though he were running for a train. Teach him to 
 stand still before bowing, and to assume something of a gracious 
 expression. 
 
 Then as to his mental attitude. Here your positive system 
 of teaching (page 31) can be put to good use. Tell him what 
 to think of while playing, and not what to avoid. Cental attitude 
 Tell him to pause a little after he seats himself at of the pupii before 
 
 . an audience. 
 
 the piano, and to thmk what is the mood which 
 he is to simulate. Then let him try to say something to his 
 hearers with each phrase of his music. Of course he will feel 
 nervous; no player can do his best before an audience without 
 
126 PIANO TEACHING 
 
 some such stimulus; but show him how to control his excite- 
 ment. Let him think continually of keeping his arms relaxed, 
 and let him hold back his strength so that he will not end his 
 piece with an anti-climax. 
 
 "But," you say, " can anything prevent stage-fright?" There 
 are some stubborn cases of this, I admit. When your tyro first 
 Precautions marchcs out before the inquisition of those rows 
 
 against stage- of mercilcss cyes, you can only hold your breath 
 and wonder what will be his succeeding evolutions. 
 It will be l^etter if he be not allowed to catch his first glimpse of 
 the crowd thus alone and unprotected. Let him play a duet 
 with you for his first attempt, and so mitigate the primal shock. 
 Then j^ou may trust to careful preparation, to confidence in 
 his knowledge of the piece, and to the advice you have given 
 him as to his mental attitude, to tide him safely over. Armed 
 thus at all points, he must, however, assume the final respon- 
 sibility alone. Be careful, then, not to produce him at the most 
 important occasions until his mettle has been w^U proven. 
 
 "And what about pupil-recitals?" you remind me. May I 
 have the pleasure of your company to Miss Fitzbang's annual 
 A bad example of cvcut? This estimable lady has spent the entire 
 a pupii-recitai. ^^^^ jj-^ preparations for this. Each pupil has for 
 weeks hammered away at his forthcoming "stunt," which is a 
 long and showy piece, a former war horse of virtuosi, and admi- 
 rably calculated to impress the public by its very name on the 
 program. It is a perspiring evening in June; and as we seat 
 ourselves ]:)ehind a pair of picture hats which furnish most of 
 the scenario to our gaze, we quail upon the j^erusal of the list of 
 thirty-five numbers spread out for our delectation. A half- 
 hour late the first dehutnnte appears, clad in a dazzlingly new 
 frock, and begins the long series of wrestling matches in which 
 Miss Fitz]3ang's -proteges engage in noisy but hopeless struggles 
 with their invincible adversaries. The efforts of each are re- 
 warded by rapturous applause from the quarter of the salon 
 in which special friinids are congregated, and flowers are deftly 
 presented by the ushers, the worst players invariably receiving 
 the largest bouquets, apparently as consolation prizes. At ten 
 
PIANO TEACHING 127 
 
 o'clock we guiltily slink away, as the twentieth number is 
 completed. 
 
 But yet, do not be in haste to condemn the pupil-recital from 
 this example of it. Let us see what m.ay be its advantages, and 
 how we may make use of them. If you are to Advantages in , 
 give your pupil the important knowledge of the w^hen'^righUy' con- 
 proper way to play in public, how better can you <i"cted. 
 do this than by yourself furnishing the occasion and circum- 
 stances of his appearance? Then, too, what an incentive is 
 added to the pupil's labors as the future recital looms close 
 at hand, and what a stimulus does he receive from such art 
 outward and visible sign of the practical value of your instruc- 
 tions! Besides, you are permitted an insight into his real ability, 
 unobtainable in any other way, by thus testing him under fire. 
 I have seen pupils, for instance, upon whom I had firml}^ pinned 
 my faith, retire from the stage with scarcely a hand-clap of 
 approval, while others developed an unexpected magnetism 
 which electrified their auditors into outspoken enthusiasm. 
 Neither should we despise that element of advertising which 
 ]\Iiss Fitz]:)ang so deifies, and which nevertheless results more 
 slowly but more surely from less bombastic methods. 
 
 There is one danger against which we must guard with all 
 our might, however, namely, that of exalting the element of 
 display. The very idea of interpretation implies ^^^^^j ^f ^ver- 
 that the individuality of the performer should be emphasizing the 
 
 element of display. 
 
 lield secondary to the message which he has to 
 impart. The pupil should, therefore, be taught that, in order 
 to advance as an interpreter, the foundations of his work should 
 l)c laid in a broad and catholic musical comprehension. Thus, 
 while the legitimate end of the study of a piece consists in the 
 pupil's performance of it before others, in preparing for this 
 event he should be mainly occupied with thorough foundational 
 work. His playing of a piece, therefore, should represent only 
 an incident in his study of it; and while finishing one piece, he 
 should yet be largely occupied in the preliminary study of 
 other compositions. Thus it is a narrowing and one-sided 
 policy to concentrate his entire attention upon a single piece 
 
128 PIANO TEACHING 
 
 for weeks before its production; and it is a much wiser plan not 
 to allow any such considerations to interrupt or checkmate his 
 regular course of study. 
 
 Accordingly, our pupil-recitals will be strictly incidental to 
 the routine work, and will be made up of selections which hap- 
 Consideration for pen to be at the point of completion. And can 
 audiences. ^^^ ^^^ gj^g thesc TGcitals some real interest to 
 
 those who attend them beside that which proceeds from parental 
 solicitude? There are moments, I fear, when our poor audiences 
 are doomed to be bored; but let us, in the cause of suffering 
 humanity, make these as few as possible. Do not put items 
 on the program about which you cherish grave doubts. Find 
 out what pupils can do before foisting them upon the unsus- 
 pecting public. Why not let them try their wings at some sort 
 of preliminary recitals? I have known teachers who have 
 successfully gathered together a number of their pupils at inter- 
 vals of a month or so during the season, and have given them 
 a pleasant hour by discoursing on some musical topic, serving 
 light refreshments, and letting them play to each other. If in- 
 dividual successes are then noted, a program may be easily 
 constructed for presentation at a more formal occasion. Un- 
 less you have pupils of extraordinary achievements, too, do not 
 bring them out with a flourish of trumpets in a large hall. 
 You may by so doing score a popular success, but you cannot 
 possibly gain an artistic one. 
 
 Make up a program from the regular work of your students; 
 
 let it be short, barely an hour in length; let it be well-balanced 
 
 and nicely contrasted in its construction; let your 
 
 Conditions which i c i i> • i j ii 
 
 will insure sue- audieuce be composed of the friends and well- 
 "^^" wishers of the pupils, and you need have no fears 
 
 for the outcome. Your recitals may be conducted, too, upon 
 a scale commensurate to their importance: the beginners or the 
 elementary pupils may appear informally at your own music 
 room, while the more advanced may perform to a larger audi- 
 ence. Sometimes verbal invitations to the recital will suffice; 
 oftener a printed invitation will give more dignity; while you 
 may, for exceptional occasions, put a price upon your tickets. 
 
PIANO TEACHING 129 
 
 Three bases for the construction of a program are in favor, — 
 the "one composer," the historical, and the cHmactic. Pro- 
 grams based on the works of one man or of one How to plan a 
 school are apt to become monotonous to the gen- p'^^k'^*™- 
 eral band of hearers through lack of variety. The third form, 
 that of a heterogeneous program designed to grow in attractive- 
 ness as it progresses, has greater possibilities, and may also 
 involve the historical element, if the date of each composer's 
 birth and death be placed beside his name. 
 
 The plan for such a general program demands that compo- 
 sitions be placed in conjunction with one another which are 
 written in contrasting styles or keys. A series ^ 
 
 _ Contrasting selec- 
 
 of nocturnes or of waltzes, for instance, would be tions on the pro- 
 insufferable. Contrasts should not be so great, *^'^™' 
 however, as to be ludicrous: a Chopin Polonaise followed by a 
 Dollie's Dream would offer an impossible jump. Again, you 
 should avoid putting all the dull pieces together at the beginning 
 and reserving the brilliant flights for the end, for your audience 
 might become so hopelessly melancholy that nothing could 
 cheer them. Sprinkle your bright pieces through the program, 
 therefore, reserving a chef-d'oeuvre for the last. As to the general 
 scheme, you cannot do better than to follow the principle of 
 the sonata. Put the pieces which are most difficult to under- 
 stand near the beginning, and let your program become grad- 
 ually lighter as it advances, so that a brilliant and rhythmic 
 style marks the close. 
 
 Here is a program for little folk: 
 Solos : — 
 
 (1) Sonatina Xo. 1, in G major Beethoven 
 
 (2) Spanish Dance, Op. 61, No. 10 Oesten A children's 
 
 (3) Melody in C Thome program. 
 
 (4) Waltz, Op. 101, No. 11 Gurlitt 
 
 (5) The Merry-go-round, Op. 6, No. 2 L. E. Orth 
 
 Duet: — 
 
 (6) Sonatina Op. 163, No. 4 DiabelU 
 
 Solos: — 
 
 (7) Hedge Roses, arr. from Op. 3, No. 1 Schubert 
 
 (8) MiHtarv March, Op. 229, No. 3 ' Sartorio 
 
 (9) The Evening Bell, Op. 62, No. 9 Kullak 
 
 (10) Gavotte in C major Reinecke 
 
 (11) First Loss, Op. 68, No. 16 Schumann 
 
 (12) The Butterfly Lege 
 
130 PIANO TEACHING 
 
 For pupils of about the third grade, a program of this sort 
 is suggested: 
 
 Solos : — 
 
 (1) Sonata in C major, first movement Moznrt (1756-1791) 
 
 A slightly more (2) Barcarola in F, No. 2 of Kinder Album 
 advanced program. Bossi (1861- ) 
 
 (3) Gavotte from third English Suite Bach (1685-1750) 
 
 (4) Albumleaf, Op. 12, No. 7 Grieg (1843-1907) 
 
 (5) Elfin Dance, Op. 33, No. 5 Jensen (1837-1879) 
 
 Duet: — 
 
 (6) The Lake, Book I, No. 7 D'Ourville 
 
 Solos: — 
 
 (7) Gipsy Rondo Haijdn (1732-1809) 
 
 (8) To a Wild Rose, No. 1 of Woodland Sketches 
 
 MacDowell (1861-1908) 
 
 (9) Waltz in D flat, Op. 64, No. 1 Chopin (1810-1849) 
 
 (10) Moment Musical, Op. 94, No. 3 Schubert (1797-1828) 
 
 (11) Idilio. Lack (1846- ) 
 
 (12) Arlequine Chaminade (1861- ) 
 
 The duets on these programs are best played by teacher and 
 pupil. It is a difficult and hazardous attempt to drive elemen- 
 Concerted pieces tary pupils ill pairs, since each incites the other 
 on the program. ^^ ecceiitricities. But if your guiding hand 
 steadies one part, the pupil's confidence will be strengthened, 
 and he will be nerved for more ambitious projects. In programs 
 involving more difficult music your range of variety is enlarged. 
 Perhaps you may find it possible to employ two pianos for more 
 elaborate concerts, in which case the opportunity will be pre- 
 sented for performing with the pupil four-hand music written 
 for two pianos or for playing the second piano part while he 
 exploits a movement of a piano concerto. Some teachers form 
 classes for the practice of eight-hand music, which can be made 
 an attractive feature of a program. This work requires much 
 drilling on your part, but is a powerful factor in promoting 
 enthusiasm in the direction of sight-reading. 
 
 I have not mentioned the variety in piano recitals which is 
 evolved from outside assistance. Occasionally a singer or a 
 Outside assistance violiuist may relieve your program by a number 
 at a pupii-recitai. ^j. ^^q- jj^t j^ou must be careful that such inno- 
 vations are not, on the one hand, of so brilliant a nature as to 
 overshadow the pupils' work, and that, on the other, they may 
 
PIANO TEACHING 131 
 
 bo of suffieiont valiK^ to afford a real element of interest. Per- 
 haps your vocalist or violinist friend may wish to add his pupils 
 to yours in a joint reeital. If you assent to this attractive 
 proposition, however, do so with the reservation that the pro- 
 gram must not be unduly lengthened. 
 
 Since class-work may become a powerful factor toward public 
 performance, it may well claim our further attention at this 
 point. The ordinary course of piano instruction Difficulties of 
 is sometimes applied to small groups of pupils, teaching m classes. 
 I have occasionally given "double" lessons to two students of 
 nearly equal attainments by explaining and assigning the same 
 teclmjcal figures to both, and then by criticizing each one's 
 further work while the other acted as listener. With the pres- 
 ence of still other pupils, the individual instruction must be 
 considerably curtailed, while the mental concentration which 
 is so important for progress is apt to be disturbed ; hence it may 
 be doubted whether such a plan is an unqualified success. 
 
 There is a form of cooperative instruction, however, which 
 may be of inestimable value to your students, and which might 
 be ideality introduced into any course. This takes classes in inter- 
 the form of occasional analytical and interpre- p^'s'^""'*- 
 tative class-lessons. The private pupils are divided into com- 
 panies consisting of from four to six pupils each, and these 
 groups meet at intervals of two or four weeks for the discussion 
 of the music which each member is studying. In an hour's 
 session, each one plays the piece or part of a piece which she 
 has prepared, and you then proceed to bring out its salient 
 points by questions and suggestions. No searching criticisms 
 as to individual technic or interpretation need be employed, 
 since such points can be treated privately and personal remarks 
 will only tend to embarrass the participants. 
 
 Cards on which the list of topics for discussion is printed 
 should be provided. Before each selection is rendered, the 
 title and the name and dates of its composer are Manner in which 
 jotted down upon one of these, while any his- cuss"d7n these 
 torical items of interest may incidentally be men- classes. 
 tioned. The playing over, you proceed to discuss the form in 
 
132 PIANO TEACHING 
 
 which the composition is written, noting its divisions by the 
 letters a, b, c, and so forth, with a statement of the principal 
 keys in which these parts are written. The students are then 
 asked to describe melodic values: to tell whether the melodies 
 are vocal or instrumental in style, whether they are thematic or 
 rambling, martial or pathetic, clear or obscure. Similarl}^ 
 the harmony is found to be thin or full, normal or eccentric, 
 diatonic or chromatic. In the discussion of the rhythm the 
 time-divisions of the principal theme may be fixed by writing 
 notes of the proper values, underscored by numbers showing 
 the degrees of the scale on which these occur. The style of the 
 entire composition may now be summed up as classic, romantic, 
 quiet, brilliant, contrasting, and so forth. The cards may finally 
 be arranged in alphabetical order and kept as permanent 
 records. Here is one thus filled out: — 
 
 Class Lessons with Miss Grant 
 
 Dnfr March 29, 1910 
 
 Composer 
 
 Composition. 
 
 Beethoven, L. van, 1770-1827 
 
 Sonata, Op. 2, No. 1, 3d movement. 
 
 Keys f,A^f;F,C,F;f,Ab,f 
 
 Form. 
 
 14 :I 26 :| ID :I23 :|14 26 
 
 Instrumental, in short groups 
 
 Melody^ 
 
 Harmony Conventional 
 
 •^ll I ' } \ 'J 'I ■ 'J 
 
 2* \ * * ^ \ ^ d ^ I * ^ J 
 Rhythm. Allegretto: ^3 I >:<, I ^^■ ^-l " ' '-J 
 
 Stvle Rhythmic, and dignified 
 
 .^ , , By such means the pupils will not only gain 
 
 Advantages or '' ^ ^ ^ ^ 
 
 these classes to confidence in playing before others but they will 
 ''"'''^' also attain a broad and intelligent outlook over 
 
 the entire field of piano music. Instead of confining their 
 
PIANO TEACHING 133 
 
 view to the limited extent of thoir individual activities, they 
 will thus be enabled to gain an insight into the characteristics of 
 many other styles, and will learn to listen to these with the ears 
 of discriminating musicians. 
 
 The opportunities offered by such classes need not be confined 
 to pupils who are studying individually with you. Former 
 pupils who wash to keep their work up to date Extension of 
 can be banded together for such meetings; while ^^^^^ classes. 
 larger and more general classes may be formed of players whose 
 time for practice is limited, but who still wish to retain their 
 interest. In treating the last-named, you will perhaps find it 
 expedient to assume somewhat the attitude of a lecturer, play- 
 ing more of the illustrations yourself than you did in the pupil- 
 classes. You may also have the inspiration to form still 
 other classes, for the study of such subjects as harmony, music 
 history, and sight-reading. All such work will enliven and 
 broaden your teaching, and \\i\\ encourage the desire for real 
 musicianship among your pupils and in your community. 
 
 Havmg decided, then, that an important part of your duty 
 lies in teaching pupils the principles of public performance, you 
 will introduce these ideas to them by inciting them _ 
 
 _ '' ° Summary. 
 
 to play for imaginary or intimate listeners. When 
 your pupil is actually to perform in public, you will choose 
 for him a piece which is well within his ability and which he has 
 thoroughly mastered; will take care that he plays under proper 
 conditions and upon a fitting piano; and will prepare his mind 
 and rehearse him for the coming event. By occasional pupil- 
 recitals you can furnish ideal conditions for his performance 
 under your direct supervision. Such recitals may be given 
 whenever a group of pupils have reached a point in their work 
 at which they are ready to play their pieces before others; but 
 no mere argument of personal display should be made to ani- 
 mate them. Programs which contain well-contrasted selections 
 should be so graded as to represent the work of pupils which is 
 somewhat related; and the importance given a recital should 
 be proportioned to the ability of the participants. Above all, 
 the program should be short! 
 
134 PIANO TEACHING 
 
 Class instruction may conduce profitably to the ability to 
 perform, A most effective form of this work consists in the 
 meetings of a group of pupils at which the composition in process 
 of study by each pupil is analyzed and appreciatively criticized 
 by all. Such class- work, moreover, may represent but one of 
 various means of dealing with music in its broader aspects 
 which you should not hesitate to adopt as the opportunity pre- 
 sents itself. 
 
CHAPTER X 
 
 Various Types of Pupils 
 
 If it were possible, after outlining a logical course of pro- 
 cedure which should cover the entire ground of piano teaching, 
 to pursue this course invariably from beginning to Frequent devia- 
 end without the interruptions of side-issues, your nor"ma^rs^nda^rd 
 path would be smooth indeed. But in actual "^ teaching, 
 experience you will find your best-laid plans frequently upset 
 by obstacles which spring from the very constitution of the 
 pupil with whom you are dealing. The extremely personal 
 element, in fact, inseparable from private teaching, makes each 
 pupil a problem by himself; so that your designs must, in 
 nearly every case, suffer some deviation, of which the amount 
 is proportional to the pupil's approach to the normal condition. 
 It must be your constant care to note the points in which the 
 pupil varies from the standard you set, and to so guide his steps 
 that he may bring these points up to a level with his other 
 attainments. While your own ingenuity must be depended 
 upon to deal with individual cases, these may yet be grouped 
 into a number of familiar types, the characteristics of which I 
 invite you to consider. 
 
 Here, for instance, is the Nervous Pupil. " You have to treat 
 her with great care," her mother warns you, "because she is an 
 abnormally sensitive child, and the doctor has The nervous 
 told us that she must not be excited." Her dis- ^"^''" 
 abilities display themselves in a wrigglesome demeanor and a 
 tendency to burst into tears if you try to teach her anything. 
 A case like this may, of course, arise from some real nervous 
 disease; but it more frequently shows a lack of mental and 
 moral control, a consequence of the deliberate system of spoiling 
 to which she has been subjected. Seated at the piano, she jumps 
 
 135 
 
136 PIANO TEACHING 
 
 at the keys as though she would bite them, and stammers over 
 every other note, trying to play it- correctly by pounding it 
 harder and harder. You can do nothing until you have 
 attacked the evil at its root, by teaching her how to relax. 
 Begin with arm exercises. Let her first sit perfectly still, think- 
 ing only of relaxed arm muscles. Then, with her fingers on 
 the keys, let her move her wrists up and down until these too 
 are flexible. When resort is had to finger motions, let these 
 be carefully planned, deliberate, quiet. Give her a study or 
 piece with a simple, slow melody, upon which she can put these 
 motions into practice. 
 
 When she comes for succeeding lessons, be economical of your 
 teaching. Let her play through what she has been studying 
 Quieting methods without interruptions, since these are apt to upset 
 with such a pupil, j^gj. equilibrium completely. After she has per- 
 formed the piece once, it is often well to ask her to play it over 
 again immediately, while she tries to keep her hands and arms 
 even more quiet than before. When you make suggestions or 
 corrections, do not insist too firmly on any which she cannot 
 readily put into effect, but, if she shows any signs of confusion 
 or self-consciousness, play the passage over for her, explaining 
 what she is to do with it, and then leave it for her to work out. 
 If your excess of zeal causes an outburst of tears, wait quietly 
 until the storm is over and then continue; if the spasm is thus 
 ignored, it will probably not be repeated readily. She will need 
 much encouragement, of course, and can stand little reproof. 
 If she wishes to play in public, let her take part at first in duets 
 and when she attempts solos have her play with the notes 
 before her. 
 
 In contrast to this case comes the Over-Confident Pupil. 
 Far from displaying any timidit}^, she stalks unflinchingly over 
 The over-confi- oH obstaclcs, pouudiug out her piece with a hard, 
 dent pupil. ho\^ tone, and defying small matters to interfere. 
 
 Once under headway, it is almost impossible to stop her, while 
 in the midst of a correction which you are making she starts 
 ahead at full speed, and has again to be forcibly held up. If 
 such a pupil can only be brought under control, she may be 
 
PIANO TEACHING 137 
 
 made to interpret her music with much breadth and dignity, 
 for her tendency is to emphasize unity rather than details. 
 She must be put to work upon music of which she can make 
 nothing unless such details are emphasized and in which deli- 
 cacy of nuance is everything, such as Mozart's Sonatas, or the 
 Bach Inventions. If she once has her eyes opened to the beauty 
 of subtle effects, she will come to appreciate their value and 
 learn to apply them to other styles. In her most virulent form, 
 she has an insatiable craving for "difficult" music. Anything 
 long and showy is her delight, and anything less than this she 
 regards as "babyish." Give her some unconquerable concerto- 
 upon which to expend her enthusiasm, and meanwhile intro- 
 duce as a side issue a short piece which she can creditably 
 master. Perhaps in the end the contrasts in her accomplish- 
 ments may flash upon her a comprehension of the true sphere 
 of music and the part in this for which she is best fitted. 
 
 Closely akin to her is the Talkative Girl. If you permitted it, 
 this pupil would monopolize the entire time by pouring forth 
 a rapid stream of her own ideas, relevant and irrel- The talkative 
 evant to the subject of music. If you do get a p"""'- 
 chance to put in a word, she accompanies it by extemporizing 
 chords on the piano. After the lesson she is another half-hour 
 in making her exit, and she finally leaves you with a dizzy 
 sensation and a feeling of utter helplessness. Put her lesson 
 directly before that of another pupil, and so avoid the latter 
 danger by excusing yourself. You should also, at the beginning 
 of the lesson hour, attain the mastery of the situation by talking 
 volubly yourself, and afterwards only interrupting this process 
 by having her play. When she stops, change places quickly 
 with her at the keyboard, and there do your own illustrating, 
 sticking so closely to the subject that every avenue of escape is 
 closed to her. The Talkative Boy is argumentative; every step 
 of the way is fought to the finish by inquiries as to why it should 
 be thus and so. Within its proper limits this tendency is salu- 
 tary, and will conduce to thoroughness; but you must make 
 him understand that he must accept some things on faith, as 
 justified by experience. 
 
138 PIANO TEACHING 
 
 Indeed, the Indifferent Boy is apt to be a much more unsatis- 
 factory subject. He has been made to take lessons because 
 The indifferent "it wiU be a nice thing for him to know how to 
 P"P^" play when he grows up." He doesn't subscribe 
 
 to this opinion, and consequently decides to make matters as 
 warm as possible for you. It will do no good to beg him to take 
 interest and to practice; you must get hold of him by the sheer 
 force of claiming his attention. The piano must be made more 
 attractive, for the time, than the football game. Find out 
 what his weak points are, and make use of them. If he adores 
 automobiles, give him an exercise which shall represent one in 
 motion. If he likes soldiers (and what boy doesn't?), give 
 him a march, and let him patrol them about to its swing. 
 Grasp his imagination in whatever direction it is tending, and 
 fasten his music to it; he will wake up, and discover that there 
 is some fun lurking within the tone-realm. You must go more 
 than half-way to meet him. He does not desire any bonds of 
 sympathy with you; and it is only after you have discovered 
 what he likes and have made him certain that you are a kindred 
 spirit that he will relent and cater to your wishes. 
 
 Alas! the Careless Pupil takes her lesson directly after his. 
 She has remembered to come to-day, for a wonder, but when you 
 The careless uuroll her music you find that she has left her 
 ^^^^- book of studies, the most important item of all, 
 
 at home. It next develops that she has practiced the wrong 
 technical exercise, and so you go carefully over the same ground 
 as before, in the hope that the process may have more effect 
 this time. Wrong notes, wrong fingerings, and neglected signa- 
 tures engage your attention in the piece prepared for the lesson. 
 Then the height of your exasperation is reached as she plays 
 the review passage, and you discover that every correction which 
 you made the previous week has been consigned to oblivion, 
 and that your work must all be done over. Patience! Insist 
 that wrong notes be played right before they are passed by; 
 and repeat the process for forty consecutive weeks, if necessary. 
 Perhaps, by and by, she will discover that to shirk her duties 
 is not the easiest way to get rid of them. 
 
PIANO TEACHING 139 
 
 She is not very different in principle from the Young Lady 
 with Good Intentions. School children can generally be counted 
 on for steady work, if their music can be made a The pupil with 
 l)art of their daily system. Their habitual mode «°°'* intentions, 
 of life is regular, and piano practice can be made to fit into 
 this naturally. But with the Society Girl the problem is quite 
 dilTerent. Each week she solemnly resolves to devote herself 
 to hard practice. She thinks nothing of planning for three or 
 four hours of it a day, and sometimes she really carries out her 
 intentions for one or two days during the week. But then 
 friends come to make a visit, or parties are rampant, or she 
 goes off on a trip, or she has a headache; and in any case her 
 practice immediately falls to . zero. Her only hope is to set 
 aside the hour in each day just before or after breakfast for 
 music. Let her bring a written account of this hour to you, 
 and use every exertion to inspire her with its importance, for 
 it constitutes her chief hope of musical salvation. If she can 
 only be induced to introduce music into her social festivities, to 
 employ the fruits of her work in connection with the pro- 
 grams of her music club, she will have another compelling 
 factor. 
 
 She is often the alter ego of the Romantic Pupil. "What 
 wonderful temperament she has!" say the friends of the lat- 
 ter. Yes, so wonderful, indeed, that it frequently The romantic 
 transcends all bounds of reason, turning a Bach ^"^*'" 
 Fugue into a Hungarian Rhapsodie, and overriding all the com- 
 poser's explicit directions to voice an exaggerated sentimen- 
 tality. When properly controlled, such exuberance becomes a 
 splendidly vitalizing force; indeed, its presence in a bright 
 child is an earnest of a distinguished future, provided he come 
 under the guidance of a wise and prudent teacher. Such a 
 pupil should therefore be watched with special care; she should 
 be firmly grounded in safe technic and should be given music 
 like Heller's Etudes, in which her emotional tendencies may 
 have a legitimate chance to appear while due attention is yet 
 paid to law and orderliness. Excess of the emotional factor, 
 however, is apt to lead to disregard of the restrictions of rhythm, 
 
140 PIANO TEACHING 
 
 so that the pupil shows a lamentable lack of ability to appre- 
 ciate accurate time-divisions. The situation thus exemplifies 
 the complete victory of impulse over reason. A pupil of this 
 kind to whom I recommended the use of the metronome re- 
 plied that she had never been able to find one which ticked 
 regularly while she was playing. No wonder, for it would be 
 impossible to procure any instrument that could follow her 
 flights of fancy! You must have resort, of course, not only to 
 the metronome, but to all other devices which tend to steady 
 the rhythm (Chapter VI). 
 
 An antithesis is found in the Academic Pupil. This type 
 brings joy to your heart, for she is systematic, accurate, reliable, 
 The academic and her lessous are learned with a flawless preci- 
 ^^^^' sion which defies criticism. Every finger-mark is 
 
 obeyed, whether it be convenient or not; every sign of expression 
 is voiced to the uttermost. But your delight at this ideal stu- 
 dent is dampened as you find that, with all this unimpeachable 
 faithfulness, her playing is cold, dry, uninteresting. You must 
 be careful in dealing with her that you do not impair the admi- 
 rable qualities which she possesses. She is at her best in the 
 severely classic school, — that of Bach, Haydn, Mozart, and 
 the early Beethoven. Very well, let her have constantly on 
 hand something in this style, to act as a preservative. At the 
 same time, however, you can introduce her to the most ad- 
 vanced modern school, — that of Chopin, MacDowell, Debussy. 
 After she has mastered technically a composition of this type, 
 induce her to make out a complete scheme of the picture it pre- 
 sents, and to try to represent the varied moods to you, abandon- 
 ing, for the time, all technical considerations. In interpreting 
 the Chopin Waltz, Op. 34, No. 2, in A minor, for example, 
 
 16 20 16 16 
 
 according to this plan, first map out its divisions as a, b, c, d, 
 
 16 20 16 16 16 16 20 16 
 
 d' , h, c, d, d' , a, e, a. Then let her make a depict a gentle melan- 
 choly, b a more agitated frame of mind, c joy finally becoming 
 tinged with pathos, d tenderness, d' a sense of foreboding 
 and e aspiration. You must, in other words, teach her to 
 act. Her playing is wanting in the element of personal expres- 
 
PIANO TEACHING 141 
 
 sion which is the soul of modern music, and she must learn to 
 free her emotions from the bonds in which she has confined 
 them, and to di.spla,y them in the broad daylight. 
 
 The Mistaught Pupil belongs to a type which, we confidently 
 hope, is becoming less frequent. She has taken lessons for 
 several years of a teacher whom her parents The mistaught 
 thought "good enough to begin with," and now p"''*^' 
 comes to you, incrusted with all sorts of bad habits, to be made 
 over. If she be bright enough to appreciate the situation after 
 a few lessons, you may be able to start her anew, in the right 
 direction. Her case is one of the most difficult to deal with, 
 however, since it arises from an entirely false conception of 
 what musicianship means, and since you must consequently 
 educate both her and her parents up to a knowledge of this 
 before they can comprehend your work. Can you not, there- 
 fore, assume the zeal of a missionary in such an attempt to 
 propagate the gospel of your art? 
 
 What an opportunity for your owti education is presented, 
 however, by the Slow Pupil! Every step of the way must be 
 traversed so minutely, every point must be ^^^ ^^^^ ^ .^ 
 elucidated with such an infinity of detail, in order 
 that her ponderous mind may grasp it, that your own powers of 
 expression are many times magnified in consequence. She will 
 cultivate your store of patience also; for it will do no good for 
 you to attempt to drive her into brilliant courses, since you will 
 thus only paralyze her into a complete standstill. So you will 
 limp along, picking each step with caution, yet, with perse- 
 verance, steadily advancing. Sometimes a child who has thus 
 plodded on for several years comes suddenly to her own, and, 
 with an unexpected comprehension of what she has been accom- 
 plishing all this time, develops an enthusiasm which creates 
 wonderful results. Often, too, the piano teacher receives his 
 greatest credit from the work of a slow pupil, since, as a general 
 rule, such an one is equally backward in other studies, and con- 
 sequently delights the hearts of friends by the evidence that 
 she has really accomplished something in the way of piano 
 playing. 
 
142 PIANO TEACHING 
 
 A magnified edition of this case appears in the Stupid Pupil. 
 The latter, however, may be particularly trying, because she is 
 sometimes quite brilliant in other directions. She 
 may be an excellent mathematician or Greek 
 scholar, for instance, and yet have a blunt faculty for time, 
 rhythm, or finger motions. She is particularly impatient with 
 herself, because, as she frankly acknowledges, she was never so 
 obtuse at anything else. If you study her symptoms carefully, 
 you may be able to hit upon music which exactly appeals to her. 
 Generally, something bright and tuneful will arouse her latent 
 energies, and will give an impetus to her work. Having 
 found this vulnerable point, you can take further advantage 
 of it by gradually introducing music of greater complexity. 
 
 Then there is the Accompaniment Pupil. ''I do not expect," 
 she says, 'Ho become a soloist, but merely wish to be able 
 The accompani- to play for my owH singing and that of my 
 mentpupu. friends." "My dear madam," you reply, "do you 
 
 know that good accompaniments represent the climax of the 
 art of the pianist? For not only must the accompanist be a 
 master of notes and expression, but he must in addition be 
 able to read by intuition the conceptions in the singer's mind, 
 must follow accurately the vocal part, and must subordinate his 
 own interpretation to that of the singer. Look at the typical 
 modern expressive song, with its piano part bristling with diffi- 
 culties, and say if this be an easy task ! ' ' Some of these facts you 
 must show to this ambitious pupil, telling her, moreover, that 
 piano playing makes similar demands in any of its forms, and 
 that hence she must pursue the same course as others, to 
 attain the desired end. You can make her work tend toward 
 the accomplishment of her desires by giving her the piano 
 parts of simple ballads instead of solo compositions. More- 
 over, her study of singing will undoubtedly be much facili- 
 tated by her piano practice. But you should not hold out 
 any unattainable hopes or attempt impossible short-cuts, lest 
 disaster crown your efforts. 
 
 So far, our attention has been directed toward pupils who 
 present special mental peculiarities. The successful pianist, 
 
PIANO TEACHING 143 
 
 however, is he who felicitously combines the action of both 
 mind and matter. To insure such a union you must, therefore, 
 be prei)ared with means for propping up any 
 
 Necessity for 
 
 weak jioints in the action of the fingers. The elastic methods 
 
 11 i-ixi • c • I iOf technic in deal- 
 
 problems which tims arise turnish an argument ing with pupils 
 for a svstem of technic elastic enough to be con- who have snger 
 
 '^ peculiarities. 
 
 siderably modified for special pupils. Whatever 
 your "method," therefore, you must be sufficiently practical 
 in its application to abandon any fixed formula^ in favor of 
 new ones which you may invent to meet unusual conditions. 
 Let me remind 3'ou of a few cases which require treatment of 
 this nature. 
 
 There is the Short-Fingered Pupil, — one of a numerous class, 
 since it includes all the children in your care. The mere fact 
 that the fingers are of less than normal length The pupti with 
 should be of itself no serious disability. Many short fingers, 
 times, indeed, the pupil makes up in facility what she ha.s lost 
 in extent, and is thus able to scamper over the keys with ex- 
 ceptional agility. In the mass of music written with short 
 fingers in mind there should be no difficulty in finding material 
 for practice. But, while children can be treated with the pros- 
 pect of longer fingers in the future, the adult with the same 
 limitations must be considered in a slightly different light. 
 Sometimes she has a fatal desire to overcome long stretches. I 
 have in mind a pupil who, though scarcely able to span an 
 octave, had yet so burning an ambition to play octaves that 
 she practiced exercises involving these without my knowledge 
 or consent until her wrists became seriously lamed. You 
 should teach the pupil how to employ the limited extent of her 
 fingers to the very best advantage. The fingers must be held 
 straighter than usual, and special care must be taken to pre- 
 vent stiffness in the wrists. Then choose music for her which 
 involves as few stretches as possible, and, when these occur, 
 modify them without hesitation, to save straining and blurring. 
 If the hands be thus allowed to develop naturally, the span may 
 gradually and unexpectedly widen from the effect of judicious 
 technical work. 
 
144 PIANO TEACHING 
 
 We would naturally conclude that the advantages of the 
 Long-Fingered Pupil would be many. True, she is not compelled 
 The pupil with to look askance at modern pyrotechnic music ; 
 long fingers. ^^^ gj^g ^^^y. j^gg^j careful advicc upon other 
 
 matters. If her fingers are slim and weak-jointed, they are 
 inclined to be uncertain in stroke and touch, consequently she 
 must practice exercises with fingers considerably curved, and 
 with very precise, direct movements. In the case of large 
 fingers which have broad tips, care must be taken to strike 
 exactly in the middle of each key, in order that it be not blurred 
 with those beside it. Slim fingers may be taught to glide 
 glibly over the sweeping arpeggios of a Liszt Etude, while 
 larger fingers can grasp the sonorous chords of Schumann or 
 Brahms. 
 
 The Pupil with a Weak Touch has fingers so flexible that they 
 flop about absurdly, and are apt to do anything but what she 
 The pupu with directs. When she plays a run, some of them 
 a weak touch. forget to release their keys, and consequently blur 
 the notes ; and when she plays forcibly, the tone is but an echo 
 of what she intends. With children, this condition is often 
 bettered as years increase, but with adults a severe drill for 
 individual fingers is necessary. Sometimes striking each note 
 of a run separately, with the hand thrown smartly up and down 
 by the entire forearm, will eliminate the over-legato; while the 
 playing of chords with the weight of the entire arm applied 
 may infuse some tone-body into them. Practice upon the 
 accents of strongly rhythmic music will help to eliminate the 
 lifeless character of the playing. 
 
 Modifications of an opposite sort must be employed in the 
 case of the Pupil with a Heavy Touch. Perhaps the readiest 
 The pupil with remedy is for her to practice light and deHcatc 
 a heavy touch. music by simply depressing the kej^s, trying mean- 
 while to prevent the hammer from striking at all. She has 
 the capacity for brilliant music; but in playing a loud com- 
 position, like Chopin's Polonaise in A, she should be taught 
 to lighten up all but the accented beats, lest her playing deafen 
 her audience. 
 
PIANO TEACHING 145 
 
 The Pupil with Stiff Muscles has either formed bad habits 
 of playing or is engaged in some pursuit which militates against 
 ease of movement. Organists, for instance, have The pupil with 
 a tendency toward rigidity of wrists. Emphasize, ^*'^ muscles, 
 in the case of this pupil, the necessity for daily relaxation 
 exercises for fingers, hand and arm. Light, flexible rotary 
 motions of the forearm are especially valuable. These may be 
 practiced at first away from the instrument, and then at the 
 keyboard, where the pupil may begin with a 'pianissimo tone, 
 which can be strengthened as the knack of freeing the muscles 
 is gained. Above all, she must be taught to think of the con- 
 dition of her hand and arm, and to discriminate between the 
 different muscular activities, in order that she may exert 
 energy through the direct channels, while muscles not needed 
 are kept passive. Ask her questions frequently which will 
 cause her to analyze the exact physical processes involved in 
 each movement which she makes in playing. 
 
 An extreme instance of trouble arising from stiff muscles is 
 encountered in the Pupil who Cannot Execute. She has begun 
 music as an adult; and although she has plenty of The pupil who 
 temperament and appreciation, she is unable to *=^°°°* execute, 
 make her fingers obey her behests. Probably her case is hopeless 
 in the direction of becoming a fluent player, but she can learn 
 much interesting music, such as the slow movements of sonatas 
 and Songs without Words. If she realizes that she must keep 
 within these limits, she may derive pleasure and profit from 
 her study. 
 
 Then there are pupils with unusual conformations of hand or 
 fingers; pupils who are deaf; pupils who cannot see well; and 
 many other special cases which will exercise your 0^1^^^ special 
 wits. Yes, it is certainly the unexpected that hap- "^^^^s- 
 pens in piano teaching, for ninety-nine out of every hundred 
 pupils will make you decide that, for this time at least, you must 
 set aside your proposed plans. And what about the hundredth, 
 that Normal Pupil whom you expected to meet 
 
 , . ,1 11 . c , 1 1 The normal pupil. 
 
 contmually, and who possesses m perfect balance 
 
 technic, temperament, and mental concentration? Indeed, you 
 
1-46 PIANO TEACHING 
 
 are fortunate if you ever find her; and when she appears, she 
 will add vastly to your responsibility, since, if she does not 
 become a model pianist, you alone are to blame. Keep her, 
 therefore, to the safe and sure paths, neither experimenting with 
 such valuable material nor forcing her beyond her strength to 
 pose as a "show card." Taking advantage of her aptitude for 
 the interpretation of great ideas, acquaint her with examples 
 of whatever is best in music, and do not waste her energies 
 upon anything of lesser value. 
 
 Here are the interesting tests of your tact and patience: first, 
 the pupils of special mental characteristics, including the ner- 
 vous and super-confident pupils, those that are 
 
 Summary. ,, • • i-rc i i 
 
 talkative, mdirferent, careless, and those of good 
 though fruitless intentions, the romantic and academic maidens, 
 the poor misguided pupil, those who are hampered by slowness 
 or musical stupidity, and those who aspire to become accom- 
 panists; second, the pupils of special physical properties of 
 hand and arm, including pupils with short or long fingers, those 
 with weak or heavy touch, and those with stiff muscles or of 
 inability to make their fingers obey them. To crown your 
 efforts, however, comes occasionally the exceptional pupil who 
 apparently labors under no limitations. I have not mentioned 
 specifically, however, the pupil to whom my sympathy especially 
 goes out, who allows herself to be daunted by no obstacles: 
 namely, the Pupil who intends to Teach. It is she who culti- 
 vates the talent which has been intrusted to her, and who 
 finally sets forth to magnify it a hundredfold. It is with her 
 in mind that I have presented these suggestions, which are 
 pictures of my own experiences in the field. There is need 
 enough for her efforts to combat the benighted ignorance of the 
 true nature of music which even yet prevails. May the sense 
 of the exalted character of her mission bear her triumphantly 
 through all its inevitable difficulties and discouragements! 
 
CHAPTER XI 
 
 The Selection of Music 
 
 In considering the problems presented by the question of 
 how we are to teach, let us not neglect those equally important 
 ones involved in the question of what we shall statement of the 
 teach. To fit a pupil's needs to the letter with p^°biem. 
 musical material requires no less acumen than that needed by 
 a doctor in prescribing for a patient; indeed, the two pro- 
 cesses are closely analogous. Many a young teacher, otherwise 
 excellently equipped for his work, is brought to a realizing 
 sense of this fact if he has neglected to provide a systematized 
 supply of material. Perhaps he may tide over the first lessons 
 by using the instruction book from which he himself was taught. 
 But in due course of time he finds that he must produce a 
 new piece, and accordingly he hastens to the music clerk for aid, 
 with the result that he is bewildered by the huge pile of miscel- 
 laneous pieces given him for inspection, and finally chooses at 
 random one which he afterwards discovers to be peculiarly un- 
 adapted to the case in hand. 
 
 From this experience he realizes that, before beginning 
 to teach, he should have provided himself with graded lists 
 of compositions, arranged in groups according to 
 their applicability to certain normal demands of keeping graded 
 his work. The number of compositions thus 
 listed need not be large at first, but should be comprehensive, 
 and should include an outfit in each subject sufficient to carry 
 the salient features of the group through all grades. Thus pre- 
 pared, you will be able to see your way clear through an entire 
 course of one line of work, such as melody 'playing, and will 
 also have material at hand with which to supply a new pupil, 
 whatever may be his needs. 
 
 Moreover, you should place no composition upon your lists 
 
 147 
 
148 PIANO TEACHING 
 
 until you have given it a personal, critical examination, and 
 have decided upon its merits. It is doubtful if j^ou should 
 How far the ^ver essay to teach anything not thus previously 
 
 teacher should approved. Certainly in the early days of your 
 position which he work you should uot Venture upon so hazard- 
 assigns a pupil. ^^^ ^ proceeding; and at any time such a course 
 should be followed only in an emergency, as when a pupil 
 brings to you a piece for offhand criticism. To be sure, you 
 cannot be expected to give a concert performance of every 
 composition which you are teaching, — as the number of your 
 pupils increases, such a requirement would be practically impos- 
 sible to fulfill, — but you can at least be able to illustrate the 
 chief points involved and give the pupil a practical impression 
 of what you want him to do. 
 
 How shall you form these lists, you ask ? In various ways. 
 
 I will shortly endeavor to start you upon them; and there are 
 
 ,. . other books, like Tapper's Graded Piano Course 
 
 How to form lists. ^ ^ ^ 
 
 Books and pub- and Teachevs' Manuals, and Kotzschmar s Half- 
 Hour Lessons in Music, which suggest such ma- 
 terial. You have a stanch ally, too, in the modern music 
 publisher. He has come to realize that his interests and those 
 of the teacher are identical, and so he holds out his hands cor- 
 dially to welcome you to the ranks of the profession and offers 
 you a wealth of advice and practical assistance. He presents 
 you with catalogues containing minute and accurate classifica- 
 tions of teaching material, often illustrated by short, perti- 
 nent excerpts from the compositions recommended, and he is 
 eager to send you ample selections of standard music of the 
 grades you require, as well as to keep you well posted con- 
 cerning his latest output. You are thus enabled, free of cost, 
 to con at your leisure the cream of both new and old compo- 
 sitions, edited by the painstaking hands of experts and 
 adorned with the best efforts of the printer's art. 
 
 You should not hesitate to accept assistance from any other 
 quarter where it is available. If you are taking lessons, ask 
 your teacher for some of the fruits of his experience. Confer 
 also with your fellow teachers. Nothing is more helpful than 
 
PIANO TEACHING 149 
 
 occasional meetings with colahorers, at which each person pre- 
 sents a piece which he has found useful, to be discussed, and 
 noted by the others for future reference. Cur- other aids: teach- 
 rent journals, such as The Musician, teem witli JourMisS'c'oi- 
 helps in the music and recital programs which lections of stand- 
 
 &fd works. 
 
 they publish and in their articles by practical 
 teachers. To avail yourself of all these aids, you should set 
 apart adequate time each week for critical perusal of new mate- 
 rial. Some of this time, too, should be devoted to playing classic 
 and standard works, from which additional gems may contin- 
 ually be mined. 
 
 After your teaching has begun, your lists will be constantly 
 enriched by such work, and also by the fruits of experience. 
 Some compositions which seemed particularly apt ^^^ ^^^ means 
 will be found impracticable, through some hidden «* recording the 
 complexity, and will be eliminated, while others 
 will disclose hitherto unperceived treasures. To keep a history 
 of your dealings with each piece, the card system may again 
 be called into requisition. Each composition should be recorded 
 on a separate card, together with the names of its composer and 
 publisher, its grade, and any further information of importance 
 concerning it. The names of the pupils to whom you give it 
 should afterward be added, with a word as to its effect upon 
 them. Here is a sample card: 
 
 
 Grade III 
 
 TCHAIKOVSKI, 
 
 
 
 Chant sans paroles, 
 
 Op. 40, No. 6. 
 
 
 Imitative melody 
 
 in both hands. 
 
 
 Given to Amelia Black, Jan. 21, 1910 
 (learned successfully, and played at recital, May, 
 
 '10) 
 
 to James Smith, Feb. 4, 
 
 '10 (did not like it). 
 
 
150 PIANO TEACHING 
 
 These cards may be kept, arranged by grades, in groups, each 
 of which is headed by an index card having a title which sug- 
 gests its applicability. 
 
 What, now, are the conditions under which a composition is 
 admitted into the select society which your lists represent? 
 Tests of the teach- First, it should be good music. By this I mean 
 poSr^^iiMr' "^^^^^ ^^^^ ^^ ^^^^ written from a grammatical 
 should be good point of vicw. It is not necessary or wise to com- 
 pose your lists exclusively from the works of the 
 great masters, since for the teaching of musical elements music 
 of complex thought and phrasing is poorly adapted. A Beetho- 
 ven Sonata, even of a comparatively easy grade, for instance, 
 involves a previous knowledge of technic and interpretation 
 which should be derived from compositions in which these ele- 
 ments are presented singly. 
 
 Secondly, the composition should be attractive. It is not 
 always easy to fulfill this condition, since what is interesting to 
 
 (2) It should be 3^ou will sometimcs prove equally uninteresting to 
 attractive. ^.j^^ pupil. But, as a general rule, a composition 
 which has themes of character and brightness, which is concise 
 and well-knit and which is playable, will prove pleasing in the 
 end, if not in the beginning. Mendelssohn's Spring Song, for 
 instance, always asserts its charm, because it possesses these 
 virtues, the lack of which makes other and more pretentious 
 compositions by him tiresomely drawn out. 
 
 Thirdly, the piece should be pianistic. However rich in musi- 
 cal thought it may be, it is ill adapted for teaching if it furnishes 
 
 (3) It should be awkward and discouraging progressions for the 
 pianistic. fingers. Much of Rubinstein's piano music, like 
 his charming Nocturne in G major, is so clumsily written for 
 the pianist as to be shelved in favor of more practical pieces. 
 There is such a wealth of thoroughly pianistic music at hand 
 that it is foolish to waste time in trying to mold into shape 
 these unskillful contrivances. Likewise adaptations of music 
 written for other forms of musical expression are to be avoided. 
 Sousa Marches, for instance, are effective for military bands 
 but execrable for the pianist. Likewise, arrangements of oper- 
 
PIANO TEACHING 151 
 
 atic airs, unless treated V)y a skillful and competent composer, 
 should not be placed in the category of real piano music. 
 
 Fourthly, even if a p'lvve be well written for the instrument, 
 it is not entitUnl to unrestricted favor unless it illustrates in a 
 marked degree some useful teaching jioint. C^on- it should ii- 
 sider the last movement of Beethoven's Op. 2(). lustrate some im- 
 
 .,,. .... portant point. 
 
 Here is a brilliant, interesting piano piece; and, 
 in adtlition, we find a cleverly constructed and useful tech- 
 nical figure played continually^ by the hands in alternation and 
 conjunction, through a wide variety of positions. There are 
 compositions of this kind whose value to the student is at once 
 apparent, and in the use of which he is earning the double 
 increment of proficiency in some common technical device 
 and the conquest of an important and permanent musical 
 possession. 
 
 You are now prepared to consider the models for your lists 
 which I have promised. Perhaps these maj' furnish a nucleus 
 for further development, although I again warn „ , , , ,. 
 
 ' o o Models for lists. 
 
 you not to accept any piece without personal 
 examination of it. I shall employ the customary seven grades, 
 ranging from the earliest to the very difficult, and shall endeavor 
 to include only such compositions as, in the light of experience, 
 have seemed to meet the conditions stated above. The sub- 
 jects emphasized will follow the same order in which they were 
 treated in the earlier part of our discussions. I assume that 
 you deal with mere finger gymnastics solely through the me- 
 dium of the memorandum book, and shall there- varieties of 
 fore not suggest any of the various books filled ^*""*'^^- 
 with these. If you wish to infuse greater system into your 
 ideas of technic, I can recommend the books — ■ Some Practical 
 Things in Piano Playing, by Arthur Foote; The Essentials of 
 Piano Playing, by Clayton Johns; The Principles of Piajio- 
 forte Playing, by Tobias Matthay, and Natural Laws in Piano 
 Technic, by Mary Wood Chase, for the purpose. The pupil 
 passes naturally from such work to studies in w^hich the musical 
 elements peep out more or less timidly from practically applied 
 technical figures. While still concentrating his attention upon 
 
152 PIANO TEACHING 
 
 digital development, he thus unconsciously fits this into con- 
 ventional musical phraseology. Your first group is, therefore^ 
 as follows: 
 
 LIST A 
 
 Grade TECHNICAL STUDIES 
 
 I-II. Kbhler, L., Op. 190. The Very Easiest Studies. 
 
 II-III. Biehl, E., Op. 7, Books 1 and 2. 
 Brauer, Fr., Op. 15. 
 
 III-IV. Czerny, C, Op. 299, Bk. 1. The School of Velocity. 
 
 Berens, H., Op. 61, Books 1 and 2. Newest School of Velocity. 
 
 IV-V. Cramer, J. B., Sixty Selected Studies. (Biilow.) 
 
 All of Book 1, and Nos. 19, 20, 21, 23, 24, 26, 29, 35, 36, 37, 38, 
 39, 42, 51. 
 
 V-VI. Czerny, C, Op. 740. The Art of Finger Dexterity. 
 
 IV-VI. Johns, Clayton, From Bach to Chopin. 
 
 VI-VII. Chopin, F., Etudes, Op. 10, Nos. 1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 11. 
 Op. 25, Nos. 1, 2, 3, 6, 8, 10, 11, 12. 
 
 In employing any succession of these studies, which you 
 observe are overlapping in their scope, you should select those 
 ^ ^ . ^. ^ best adapted for the individual pupil and assign 
 
 Order in which _ ^ r- x- o 
 
 these should be them ill their most logical order. No book can 
 be so compiled and graded as to fit every case, 
 owing to the peculiarities of different pupils. It is well, there- 
 fore, to pursue the cour.se laid out in a given collection only so 
 long as this is as good as any other, and to change the order 
 or to omit studies whenever such a proceeding seems beneficial. 
 You may occasionally choose to use books of already selected 
 material, such as Tapper's Graded Piano Course ; but even then 
 your own judgment should finally determine the order and 
 nature of the work which you give. The earlier grades will 
 naturally keep to the beaten track more strictly, since the 
 demands of beginners are nearly identical; but, as the pupil 
 advances, the necessity for added discrimination increases. I 
 have indicated, in a few instances, the particular studies found 
 most useful, as examples of such choice. 
 
PIANO TEACHING 153 
 
 Sometimes you may desire to break the monotony of purely 
 technical work by studies in which the elements of interpreta- 
 tion are prominent. The old notion, dating to the interpretation 
 time when the most nauseous drugs were assumed s^"^'^^- 
 to be most curative, was that the piano student should subsist 
 for years on the driest bones of music, so that his mind should 
 not be distracted from the seriousness of the subject by anything 
 of an agreeable character. Having now discovered that pleasure 
 and profit may be made to go hand in hand, we do not hesitate 
 to select pleasing material and to whet the interest by intro- 
 ducing variety. If the child has a natural taste for expression, 
 let him be fed with choice musical morsels from the very begin- 
 ning. Let technical work be disguised within attractive melo- 
 dies and rhythms, and let the pupil perceive that his labor is 
 tending directly toward the coveted end. 
 
 I have chosen the studies in the above list because they con- 
 tain much of musical interest besides the element of finger exer- 
 cise. Those in the second list, however, exalt still further the 
 musical factors. 
 
 LIST B 
 
 Grade INTERPRETATION STUDIES 
 
 I-II. Gurlitt, C, Op. 117. The First Lessons. 
 
 I-III. Ehmant, A., Petite ecole melodique, four books. 
 Loeschhom, A., Op. 65, three books. 
 
 II-III. Macdougall, H. C, Studies in Melody Playing. 
 Burgmiiller, F., Op. 100 (for small hands). 
 Heller, St., Op. 47. 
 
 IV-V. Heller, St., Op. 46. 
 
 V. Dom, A., Op. 100, Bk. 2. 
 
 IV-VI. Haberbier, E., Op. 53. Etudes Poesies. 
 
 V-VI. Foote, A., Nine Etudes, Op. 27. 
 
 MacDowell, E., Twelve Etudes, Op. 39. 
 
 VI. Moscheles, I., Op. 70, Bk. 1. 
 
 VII. Chopin, F., Etudes, Op. 10, No. 3., Op. 25, No. 7, etc. 
 Rubinstein, A., Six studies, Op. 23. 
 Liszt, F., 12 Etudes d'execution transcendante. 
 
154 PIANO TEACHING 
 
 There is a growing and salutary tendency to supplant pre- 
 paratory studies by some of the longer standard compositions. 
 Especially where the pupil's time for practice is 
 
 Pieces which may . , ,. . i • •, i • i i , i i 
 
 be used in place strictly hmited IS it desirable to expend as large 
 of studies. ^^ amount of it as possible upon works which will 
 
 constitute a permanent addition to his repertoire. A pupil who 
 has a natural aversion to what he terms "classical" music may 
 be willing to accept it if given in the guise of studies, with 
 the frequent result that he finds its interest grow as his desire 
 for the lighter style diminishes. I therefore proceed to a list of 
 what may be termed study pieces, or groups of pieces. Espe- 
 cially valuable in the advanced grades are the concertos, which 
 will receive their crowning glory in the final addition of the 
 second piano part. 
 
 LIST C 
 
 Grade StUDY PiECES 
 
 1 Reinecke, Seven Little Pieces on Five Tones. 
 
 I-IL Oesten, T., Op. 6L May Flowers. 
 
 IL Beethoven, Sonatina in G major. 
 
 Kullak, Th., Scenes from Childhood, Op. 6L 
 
 in. Kuhlau, Fr., Sonatinas, Op. 55, Nos. 1, 2, 3. 
 Clementi, Sonatinas, Op. 36, Nos. 1 and 2. 
 Beethoven, Sonata, Op. 49, No. 1. 
 
 III-IV. Mozart, Sonata in C major (Edition Peters, No. 15). 
 Reinecke, C, vSonatina in D major. 
 
 IV. Haydn, Sonata in F major (Edition Peters, No. 20). 
 Mozart, Sonata in G major (Edition Peters, No. 14). 
 
 V. Beethoven, Sonatas, Op. 2, No. 1 ; Op. 10, No. 1 ; Op. 14, Nos. 1 
 and 2. 
 Mozart, Concertos in D, E flat, and C major. 
 Beethoven, Concerto No. 1, Op. 15. 
 
 V-VI. Bach, Italian Concerto. 
 
 Schumann, Papillons, Op. 2. 
 Mendelssohn, Concerto in G minor. 
 
 VI. Bach, Chromatic Fantasie. 
 
 Mendelssohn, Fantasie, Op. 28. 
 Hiller, F., Concerto, Op. 69. 
 
PIANO TEACHING 155 
 
 VI-VII. Grieg, Sonata, O]). 7. 
 
 Beethoven, Sonatas, Op. ^^S and Op. 57. 
 
 \'II. Chopin, Sonata in B flat minor. 
 Schumann, Concerto, Op. 54. 
 Grieg, ("oncorto, Oj). Itj. 
 
 Your most effective material, however, will lie in the care- 
 fully selected lists of short pieces. These should be so compre- 
 hensive that, whatever element you are desirous ^^^^^ ^^ ^^^^^ 
 of emphasizing in any grade, you will have some- pieces as teaching 
 thing to illustrate it. As far as possible, too, the 
 piece should exalt one element to the entire subordination of all 
 others. Especially when the pupil is laying his technical foun- 
 dations should his pieces contain no complications of interpre- 
 tation. In his first piece, the simplest form of melodic legato 
 should prevail, as in the following compositions: 
 
 LIST D 
 
 Grade TeCHNIC, LeGATO WoRK 
 
 I. Armand, J. C, Four little pieces in C major. 
 Pratt, S. G., A Prelude, C major. 
 Behr, Fr., Shepherd's Song, Op. 575, No. 6. 
 
 II. Cadman, C. W., Under the SpreadingChestnut Tree, Op. 37, No. G. 
 Orth, L. E., The Merry-go-round, Op. 6, No. 2. 
 Cadman, C. W., In the Hammock, Op. 35, No. 3. 
 
 III. Bohm, La Fontaine, Op. 22L 
 Lange, New Spring. 
 
 Pacher, Austrian Song, Op. 69. 
 
 IV. Daquin, Le Coucou. 
 
 Haberbier, Scherzino, Op. 53, No. 10. 
 Lavallee, Le Papillon, Op. 18. 
 Handel, Fantasia in C major. 
 
 IV-V. Seeling, Impromptu, Op. 8, No. 1. 
 
 MacDowell, Alia Tarantella, Op. 39, No. 2. 
 Mendelssohn, Spinning Song. 
 
 V. Chopin, Prelude, Op. 28, No. 3. 
 Godard, B., .4u Rouet. 
 
 V-^'I. Sinding, Friihlingsrauschen. 
 
 Beethoven, Last Movement of Sonata, Op. 26. 
 
156 PIANO TEACHING 
 
 VI. Raff, La Fileuse. 
 
 MacDowell, Hexentanz, Op. 17, No. 2. 
 
 VI-VII. Moszkowski, In Autumn, Op. 36, No. 4. 
 Schumann, Traumeswirren, from Op. 12. 
 
 VII. Liszt, Etude in D flat. 
 
 Pieces involving varied forms of the staccato touch will he 
 required somewhat later, but are introduced at this point since 
 they involve mainly the question of technic. 
 
 LIST E 
 
 Grade TeCHNIC, StaCCATO WoRK 
 
 I. Wohlfahrt, H., Polketta, Op. 61, No. 22. 
 
 II. Hofmann, H., Little Rogue, Op. 77, No. 1. 
 Kern, C. W., Moorish Dance, Op. lOG. 
 GurUtt, C, Salto Mortale, Op. 101, No. 20. 
 Hackh, Otto, The Little Soldier, Op. 380, No. 1. 
 Sartorio, A., A Frolic, Op. 229, No. 16. 
 
 III. Guilmant, Petite Marche, Op. 48, No. 4. 
 Bohm, .Joyous Youth. 
 
 Spmdler, Staccato Etude, Op. 221, No. 2. 
 
 IV. Chaminade, Calhrhoe, Air de Ballet in G major. 
 Lack, Th., Pizzicato-Bluette, Op. 152. 
 Delahaye, Menuet Columbine. 
 
 Huss, H. H,, Etude Mclodique (for wrist movement). 
 
 V. Moszkowski, Scherzino, Op. 18, No. 2. 
 Mendelssohn, Fantasie, Op. 16, No. 2. 
 
 VI. Nevin, E., Arlecchino, Op. 21, No. 1. 
 Mendelssohn, Rondo Capriccioso. 
 
 VI-VII. Raff, Rigaudon, Op. 204, No. 3. 
 
 VII. Moszkowski, Etincelles, Op. 36, No. 6. 
 Brahms, J., Capriccio, Op. 76, No. 2. 
 
 When the elements of interpretation are reached, the task of 
 finding pieces which emphasize only one phase of the subject 
 Grouping of pieces bccomcs more difficult, and you will be obliged 
 S^mentfci'intl somctimcs to assigu to a given list a piece of 
 pretation. which important parts belong logically to other 
 
 groups. If, however, a factor like that of rhythm stands out 
 
PIANO TEACHING 
 
 157 
 
 prominently, you will not hesitate to classify the piece upon 
 this basis. 
 
 There are two varieties of rhythmic pieces, namely, those in 
 which the metric accent is strong with few complicated time- 
 divisions, and those in which such complications are numerous. 
 
 LIST F 
 
 Grade RhythM, PlaiN 
 
 I. Evarts, Ralph., Let's be Merry. 
 
 Bordman, G. N., The lihu-ksmith's Song. 
 Ehmant, A., Waltz in C. (Four First Grade Pieces.) 
 IL Cadman, C. W., Mi.ster Policeman (March), Op. 35, No. 9. 
 Muller, C, Minuet in G. 
 Orth, L. E., The Merry-so-round, Op. 6, No. 4. 
 
 IIL Guilmant, A., Tarantelle, Op. 48, No. 6. 
 
 Hofmann, H., Gavotte, Op. 77, Bk. 2, No. 5. 
 Hitz, F., Bonjour. 
 
 III-IV. Von Wilm, N., Mazurka, Op. 8, No. 2. 
 
 IV. Dolmetsch, V., En Balancelle, Op. 93. 
 
 Orth, John, Valse Gracieuse, Op. 7, No. 3. 
 Schubert, Minuet in B minor. 
 Grieg, Humoreske, Op. 6, No. 3. 
 
 V. Borowskl, F., Minuet in G major. 
 
 Bach, J. S., Gavotte in E (Saint-Saens) . 
 
 Nevin, E., Shepherds all and Maidens Fair, Op. 16, No. 2. 
 
 VI. Weber, Invitation to the Dance. 
 Sjogren, Eroticon in A fiat. 
 Chopin, Polonaise in A, Op. 40, No. 1. 
 
 VI-VII. MacDowell, Polonaise, Op. 46, No. 2. 
 
 Schutt, Valse, A la bien aim'ee, Op. 59, No. 2. 
 
 VII. Moszkowskl, Liebeswalzer. 
 
 Chopin, Polonaise in A flat, Op. 53. 
 
 LIST G 
 
 Grade RhYTHM, CoMPLEX 
 
 I. Armand, J. O., Slow Waltz (Four Little Pieces in C). 
 IL Gurlitt, Scherzo, Op. 101, No. 16. 
 
 Cadman, C. W., The Circus Parade, Op. 34, No. 4. 
 Reinecke, Gavotte in C, No. 1 (Old and New Dances). 
 
158 PIANO TEACHING 
 
 III. Sartorio, Military March, Op. 229, No, 3. 
 Strelezki, Polkette in B flat major. 
 Tchaikovsky, The Lark's Song. 
 Lichner, On the Meadow, Op. 95, No. 2. 
 
 III-IV. Lack, T., Idilio. 
 
 Bargiel, Idylle, G major. 
 
 Debussy, The Little Shepherd, from the "Children's Corner." 
 
 IV. Chaminade, Arlequine, Op. 53. 
 Godard, B., Bergers et Bergeres. 
 Whelpley, B., Serenade, Op. 4, No. 3. 
 
 V. Bach, J. S., Fantasia in C minor. 
 Debussy, Arabesque in E major. 
 Tchaikovsky, Troika, Op. 37, No. 11. 
 
 VI. Moszkowski, Air de Ballet, Op. 36, No. 5. 
 Raff, Villanella, Op. 89. 
 
 VI-VII. Liszt, Rhapsodic, No. 11. 
 
 VII. Chopin, Scherzo, Op. 35. 
 
 Melodies, likewise, may be grouped in two divisions, embrac- 
 ing first those which appear only in a single voice with har- 
 monic accompaniment, and second those which appear in 
 more than one part either as contrasting tunes or as thematic 
 fragments. 
 
 LIST H 
 
 Grade SiNGLE MeLODY, "WITH ACCOMPANIMENT 
 
 I. Schumann, Melody, Op. 68, No. 1, 
 Behr, F., Always Gay. 
 Thome, F., Melody in C. 
 
 II, Gurlitt, C, Waltz, Op. 101, No. 11. 
 
 Matthey, J. H., In the Meadow, Op. 80, No. 2. 
 Grieg, Albumleaf, Op. 12, No. 7. 
 
 III. Schubert, Hedge Roses, arr. from Op. 3, No. 3. 
 Bossi, M, E., Barcarola, No. 2 of Kinder Album. 
 Massenet, Melodie, Op. 10. 
 
 III-IV. Kjerulf, Spring Song, Op. 28, No. 5. 
 Schytte, Berceuse in G major. 
 
 IV. Ilynski, Berceuse, Op. 13, No. 7. 
 Schiitt, Canzonetta in D major. 
 
 IV-V. Mendelssohn, Prelude in E minor. 
 Sinding, Serenade in D flat. 
 
PIANO TEACHING 169 
 
 V, Chopin, Nocturne in G minor, Op. 37. 
 
 Raff, I'^tutle Mclodique. 
 VI. Schiitt, Romance in G flat. 
 Chopin, Berceuse. 
 VI-VII. Liszt, Liel)estraum in A flat. 
 VII. Chopin, Nocturne, Op. 37, No. 2. 
 Faure, Sixth BarcaroUe. 
 
 LIST I 
 
 Grado MeLODY, COMPLEX 
 
 I. Ascher, J., Song without Words, Op. 59, No. 4. 
 
 Wohlfahrt, H., A Little Dialogue, Op. 61, No. 7. 
 II. Schumann, Happy Farmer, Op. 68, No. 10. 
 
 Cadman, C. W., The Race (Galop), Op. 37, No. 7. 
 KuUak, Th., Theme and Variations in A major. 
 
 III. Handel, Fugue in C major. 
 
 Paine, J. K., Wayside Flowers, Op. 26, No. 2. 
 Nevin, E., Barchetta, Op. 21. 
 III-IV. Beethoven, Third movement from Sonata, Op. 2, No. 2. 
 Rubinstein, A., Romance in F, Op. 26, No. 1. 
 
 IV. Chammade, C, Serenade, Op. 29. 
 
 Bach, J. S., Passepied from Fifth English Suite. 
 Jadassohn, S., Scherzo in Canon fc^m. Op. 35. 
 V. Schumann, Warum, Op. 12, No. 3. 
 
 Bach, J. S., Fugue in D major, Vol. 1, No. 5 of W. T. C. 
 VI. Schumann, Aufschwung, Op. 12, No. 2. 
 
 Bach, J. S., Fugue in C sharp minor. Vol. 1, No. 3 of W. T. C. 
 VII. Mendelssohn, Prelude and Fugue in E minor. 
 Brahms, Rhapsodic, Op. 79, No. 2. 
 
 Pieces in which the harmony is supreme are naturally scarce 
 in the earliest grades, where s mplicity is the watchword. They 
 may be anticipated by the practice of simple hymns. In the 
 later grades, the modern compositions based upon shifting, 
 kaleidoscopic harmonies find their place. 
 
 LIST J 
 
 Grade HarMONY 
 
 I. Oesten, T., The Dancing Master, Op. 61, No. 6. 
 II. Behr, F., Quiet Prayer, F major. 
 
 Gurlitt, C, Morning Prayer, Op. 101, No. 2. 
 Cadman, C.W., The Curfew, Op. 35, No. 10. 
 Schumann, Choral, Op. 68, No. 4. 
 
160 PIANO TEACHING 
 
 III. Mendelssohn, Klavierstiick, Op. 72, No. 1. 
 Jensen, The Mill, Op. 17, No. 3. 
 
 Schubert, Hark, Hark, the Lark, arr. by A. Ruthardt. 
 
 IV. Grieg, Erotik, Op. 43, No. 5. 
 Paderewski, Melodie, Op. 8, No. 3. 
 Chopin, Prelude, Op. 28, No. 4. 
 
 IV-V. MacDowell, Old Love Story, Op. 61, No. 1. 
 Strauss, R., Tri.iumerei. 
 
 V. Schumann, Arabesque, Op. 18. 
 Paderewski, Nocturne in B flat. 
 
 VI. MacDowell, From a German Forest, Op. 61, No. 3. 
 
 From a Wandering Iceberg, Op. 55, No. 2. 
 Grieg, To Spring. 
 Debussy, Clair de Lune, from Suite Bergamasque. 
 
 VII. Brahms, Intermezzo, Op. 117, No. 1. 
 Reinecke, Ballade in A flat. 
 Ravel, Jeux d'eau. 
 
 Finally, those pieces are grouped together in which balancing 
 phrases and their union in a S3'mmetrical architectural structure 
 form the basis of study. As the factor of diversity is here a 
 prime necessity, the elements of rhythm, melody, and harmony, 
 will each present points of interest. 
 
 LIST K 
 
 Grade PHRASING 
 
 I. Breslauer, E., Little Gavotte, Op. 46, No. 28. 
 Loomis, H. W., A True Story, Op. 78, No. 3. 
 Remecke, Little Song, Op. 183, No. 2. 
 
 II. Hofmann, H., Little Rogue, Op. 77, Bk. 1, No. 1. 
 
 Cadman, C. W., Dance of the Sunbeams, Op. 34, No. 8. 
 
 III. Guilmant, A., Alia Siciliana, Op. 48, No. 2. 
 Sartorio, A., Airiness, Op. 229, No. 17. 
 Von Wilm, N., Gavotte, Op. 81, No. 10. 
 
 III-IV. Lack, Th., Madrigal, Op. 136. 
 Ehrlich, Barcarolle in G major. 
 
 IV. Backer-Grdndahl, A., Serenade in F major. 
 Mozart, Fantasia in G minor. 
 
 IV-V. Reinhold, H., Impromptu, Op. 28, No. 3. 
 Nevin, E., II Rusignuolo, Op. 21, No. 5. 
 
PIANO TEACHING 161 
 
 V. Von Wilm, N., Impromptu, Op. 57, No. 1. 
 Rheinberger, Ballade in G minor. 
 Schumann, Vogel als Prophet, Op. 82, No. 7. 
 
 V-VI. Schubert, Impromptu, Op. 142, No. 3. 
 
 MacDowell, Poems after Heine, Nos. 2 and 3. 
 
 VI. Saint-Saens, Caprice on Gluck's " Alceste." 
 Moszkowski, Gondoliera, Op. 41. 
 
 VII. Schubert-Liszt, Hark, Hark, the Lark! 
 Sgambati, Fifth Nocturne. 
 
 Another grouping separates compositions into the brilliant 
 and the soulful styles. Inasmuch, however, as most rhythmic 
 and technical pieces fall under the former cate- other possible 
 gory while the purely melodic are found in the ''^*^' 
 latter, these have already been systematized. You may also 
 wish to group those compositions which have some special 
 application, like those for octave playing, or those for the 
 development of the weak fingers. Ensemble works, too, will 
 be assigned their place. Since, however, all these are not 
 essential to your primal equipment, I shall leave them to grow 
 from your own experience. I may suggest, however, as a 
 starting point for four-hand performances among the little 
 folk, the two books of Very Easy Piano Duets, in Ditson's 
 Half-dollar Music Series, in whxh both treble and bass parts 
 are adapted to the capacity of beginners. 
 
 It is evident, then, that the problems relating to the selection 
 of music are some of the most important which the teacher has 
 to face. He must, accordingly, keep a series of ^ 
 
 . '^ -^ ' ^ Summary. 
 
 graded lists, covering at least all the ordinary 
 cases which he is apt to meet, and of which each item has 
 received careful examination previous to its insertion. The 
 lists may originally be culled from friends, publishers, and 
 musical literature, and will be enriched by after experience. To 
 be considered worthy of admission, also, a piece must be well 
 written, attractive, pianistic, and illustrative. The range of 
 subjects covered will include studies, both technical and inter- 
 pretative, pieces which emphasize individually each of the 
 
162 PIANO TEACHING 
 
 musical elements, compositions of special application, and 
 ensemble works. 
 
 In thus outlining the work which you are called upon to per- 
 form in the various branches of piano instruction, I realize 
 that I am proposine what seems at first sight an 
 
 Conclusion. f t a ,, t i 
 
 Herculean task. "How can I ever hope, I hear 
 you say, " to lead this poor little mind of my timid beginner 
 through such a maze of perplexities!" I have, however, 
 described only the real and necessary factors of a complete 
 knowledge of piano playing; and, in becoming a teacher of the 
 instrument, you assume the responsibility of bringing your 
 pupils to a comprehension of these. It is not often that you 
 will have the opportunity of leading an individual pupil through 
 every step of the journey, — many will drop out on the way, some 
 will not have the endurance to proceed beyond a certain stage, 
 while others will have traversed part of the distance before 
 coming under your care, — but whatever their aptitudes or wishes, 
 you should remain loyal to your own ideals and convictions, 
 and lead your pupils unswervingly along the path which you 
 have recognized as that tending toward thoroughness and sin- 
 cerity. There will be many discouragements, and frequent 
 temptations to cater to popular or unworthy tastes. Only by 
 overcoming these, however, will you retain your final self- 
 respect. The piano has become one of the important and 
 necessary factors of modern civilization. Thousands of 
 children, youths and maidens, men and women, are spending 
 many hours of their lives in persevering attempts to extract 
 its hidden treasures. It remains for you and your colleagues 
 to decide whether they shall discover only tinsel and dross, or 
 the pure gold and priceless gems that lie ready to reveal them- 
 selves at the magic touch .which it is your duty and privilege 
 to impart. 
 
LIST OF BOOKS MENTIONED IN THE TEXT 
 
 Apthorp, William Fosteu. The Opera, Past and Present. 
 
 Pp. xiv + 238. Charles Scribner's Sons, New York, 1901. $1.25. 
 Summarizes the development of opera, with sketches of composers 
 and their works. 
 Baltzell, W. J. Biographical Dictionary of Musicians. 
 Pp. 300. Oliver Ditson Company, Boston, 1910. $1.25. 
 
 Concise biographical sketches of nearly three thousand musicians, with 
 pronunciation of proper names. 
 Brown, Jean Parkman. Intervals, Chords, and Ear Training. 
 Pp. 110. Oliver Ditson Company, Boston, 1897. $1.00. 
 
 A course in elementary harmony, admirably adapted for use in con- 
 nection with piano instruction. 
 Bcllard, Frederic Field, Editor. Burrowes' Piano Primer. 
 Pp. X + 86. Ohver Ditson Company, Boston, 1904. .$0.50. 
 A critically revised edition of a standard work. 
 \J Caffin, Charles. How to Study Pictures. 
 
 Pp. XV + 513. The Century Co., New York, 1906. $2.00. 
 By the method of comparison the characteristics of the great artists 
 and schools of art are admirably presented. 
 Chase, Mary Wood. Natural Laics in Piano Technic. 
 Pp. xiv + 128. Oliver Ditson Company, Boston, 1910. $1.2.5. 
 
 A practical course in technic, with many plates showing hand- and 
 finger-positions. 
 Christiani, A. F. The Principles of E.rpression in Piano Playing. 
 Pp. 303. Harper and Brothers, New York, 1885. S3.00. 
 
 Treats the whole subject of phrasing and interpretation in rausicianly 
 style. 
 Dickinson, Edward. The Study of the History of Music. 
 
 Pp. xhi + 409. Charles Scribner's Sons, New York, 1905. $2.50. 
 Summarizes the results of each musical epoch, and points the way to 
 further study. 
 Elson, Louis C. Music Dictionary. 
 
 Pp. 306. Oliver Ditson Coini)any, Boston, 1905. SI. 00. 
 
 A pronouncing dictionary of all terms connected with music. The 
 same author's Pocket Music Dictionary, at thirty-five cents per copy, 
 is useful for pupils. 
 FiNCK, Henry T. Songs and Song Writers. 
 
 Pp. XV -I- 254. Charles Scribner's Sons, New York, 1902. $1.25. 
 Traces the development of the Song from the earliest times to the 
 present. 
 
 103 
 
1G4 PIANO TEACHING 
 
 Fisher, Henry. Psychology for Music Teachers. 
 
 Pp. vi + 181. J. Curwen and Sons, Ltd., London. $1.20. 
 
 A thoughtful and stimulating book, treating of the philosophical side 
 of teaching. 
 FooTE, Arthur. Some Practical Things in Piano Playing. 
 Pp. 34. Arthur P. Schmidt, Boston, 1909. $0.50. 
 
 Full of suggestive points relative to technic and interpretation. 
 GoEPP, Philip H. Symphonies and their Meaning (two series). 
 Pp., 1st series, 407; 2nd series, xx + 498. Each, $2.00. 
 J. B. Lippincott Co., Philadelphia, 1908. 
 Gives a critical analysis of the standard symphonic works. 
 
 GoETSCHius, Percy. Lessons in Musical Form. 
 
 Pp. vii + 14G. Oliver Ditson Company, Boston, 1904. $1.25. 
 A brief and clear outline of musical structure. 
 Grove's Dictionary of Music and Musicians. 
 
 Five volumes, revised edition beginning in 1904. Macmillan Co., 
 New York. $25.00. 
 Although not without many faults, this is still the most complete 
 existing encyclopedia of music. 
 Hamilton, Clarence G. Outlines' of Music History. 
 
 Pp. xi + 292. Oliver Ditson Company, Boston, 1908. $1.50. 
 
 A fully illustrated summary of musical systems and events, which is 
 now in use in many colleges, conservatories, and high schools. 
 HoRNE, H. H. The Psychological Principles of Education. 
 
 Pp. xiii + 433. The Macmillan Co., New York, 1906. $1.75. 
 A philosophical treatment of pedagogy. 
 
 James, William. Talks to Teachers. 
 
 Pp. xi + 301. Henry Holt and Co., New York, 1899. $1.50. 
 A stimulating series of lectures to teachers. 
 
 Johns, Clayton. The Essentials of Pianoforte Playing. 
 
 Pp. ix + 84. Oliver Ditson Company, Boston, 1909. $1.50. 
 
 A clear exposition of the materials of music, designed to produce 
 musicians as well as pianists. 
 
 KoTZSCHMAR, Mrs. Hermann. Half-Hour Lessons in Music. 
 Pp. vi + 122. Oliver Ditson Company, Boston, 1907. $1.00. 
 A practical system of class-work with small children; fully illustrated. 
 
 Lavignac, Albert. Musical Education. 
 
 Pp. vii + 447. D. Appleton and Co., New York, 1903. $2.00. 
 
 Tells how to study and teach every branch of music, and includes a 
 resume of the work of prominent conservatories. 
 Lavignac, Albert. Music and Musicians. 
 ■ Pp. viii + 504. Henry Holt and Co., New York, 1901. $3.00. 
 
 A popular presentation of musical subjects, from the science of acous- 
 tics to music h.istory. 
 
PIANO TP: ACHING 165 
 
 Matthay, ToniAS. The First Principles of Pianoforte Playing. 
 
 Pp. viii + 1-9- Longmans, Grcon and Co., London, 1905. $0.75. 
 An exposition of tlie ideas on technic of a prominent modern teacher. 
 
 MoKciAN, C. Lloyd. Psijchnlofjij for Teachers. 
 
 Pp. xi + 240. Charles Scribner's Sons, New York, 19()L $L25. 
 A clear and simple treatment of an abstruse subject. 
 
 Myers, P. V. N. General History, revised edition. 
 Pp. 779. Ginn and Co., Boston. $L50. 
 
 A complete outline of the world's history, with many illustrations and 
 colored maps. 
 
 Parry, C. Hubert H. The Evolution of the Art of Music. 
 
 Pp. X + 342. D. Appleton and Co., New York, 190G. $L75. 
 A philosophical treatise which is recognized as an authority. 
 
 Pratt, Waldo S. The History of Music. 
 
 Pp. 683. G. Schirmer, New York, 1907. $2.50. 
 
 An encyclopedic amount of information as to musical events and 
 personages is here logically arranged and summarized. 
 
 Reinach, S. The Story of Art throughout the Ages. 
 
 Pp. xi + 31G. Charles Scribner's Sons, New York, 1905. $2.00. 
 The story is briefly and clearly told, with numerous illustrations. 
 
 Riemann, Dr. Hugo. Catechism of Pianoforte Playing. 
 Pp. 92. Augener and Co., London. $1.00. 
 
 The form of question and answer is used to discuss many important 
 problems connected with piano playing. 
 
 Stainer, Sir John. Harmony. 
 
 Pp. 12G. Oliver Ditson Company, Boston. $0.75. 
 
 A fine edition of the standard work on the English system of harmony. 
 
 Streatfeild, R. a. Modern Music and Musicians. 
 
 Pp. xi + 355. Methuen and Co., London, 1906. $2.75. 
 
 A critical and reliable estimate of the works by the great composers. 
 
 Van Dyke, John C. Art for Art' s Sake . 
 
 Pp. xii + 249. Charles Scribner's Sons, New York, 1893. $1.50. 
 Explains the principles involved in modern painting. 
 
 Williams, C. F. Abdy. The Story of Notation. 
 
 Pp. xvi + 265. Charles Scribner's Sons, New York, 1903. $1.25. 
 Illustrates the history of notation by many examples. 
 
 York, Francis W. Harmony Simplified. 
 
 Pp. 135. Oliver Ditson Company, Boston, 1901. $1.00. 
 A clear, elementary treatise. 
 
INDEX 
 
 Academic pupil, 110 
 Accent, gradations of, SO 
 
 importance of, 77 
 
 legato, 79, 99 
 
 low grade and high grade, 78 
 
 metric, 81, 82, 83, 95, 96 
 
 pedal, 80, 99 
 
 rubato, 78, 94, 99 
 
 staccato, 80 
 
 word, 77 
 Accompaniment chords, 99 
 
 pupil, 142 
 Accounts, how to keep, IG, 17 
 Age to begin lessons, 41 
 Alberti bass, 102 
 Amount of study required, 2 
 Analysis of Mendelssohn's Venetian 
 
 Gondellied, 114 
 Arpeggiated chords, use of, 100 
 Arpeggios, 65, 66 
 
 Atmosphere, a unifying factor, 115 
 Attack, unison in, 100 
 Audible counting, 74 
 Audience, consideration for, 128 
 
 imaginary, 122 
 
 mental attitude toward, 122, 125 
 
 Balance in music and kindred arts, 
 
 105, 100 
 Balancing phrase-waves, 106, 107, 
 
 108 
 Beginners, 40 
 mature, 48 
 Bills, how to collect, 17 
 
 how to render, 17 
 Blunders and mistakes, how to 
 eradicate, 33 
 how to prevent, 32 
 
 Business details, 13 
 principles, 1 
 
 Cadenza, 98 
 
 Card system, 10, 149 
 
 Cards, professional, 10 
 
 Careless pupil, 138 
 
 Chord practice, 65, 66 
 
 Chord progressions, emotional, 101 
 
 Chords, arpeggiated, 100 
 
 Chords of the seventh, 66 
 
 Chromatic scale, 65 
 
 Circulars, 13, 15 
 
 Class-work, 131, 132, 134 
 
 advantages of, 132 
 Clef, F, 46 
 
 G, 43 
 Client and teacher, 25, 26, 27 
 Climax, a unifying factor, 110, 111 
 Combination exercises, 59 
 Concentration, 30 
 Concerted pieces, 130 
 Conduct of the lesson, 18 
 Contraction exercises, 58 
 Contrast, a unifying factor, 109 
 Counting, audible, 74 
 Criticism, methods of, 35 
 Cross-rhythm, 76, 77 
 
 Desk supplies, 10 
 Dotted notes, 74, 97 
 
 Emotion, childlike, 116 
 
 mature, 117 
 
 vital, 118 
 Equipment necessary, 1, 2, 4, 12 
 Exercises, application of, to all keys 
 and registers, 59 
 
 167 
 
168 
 
 INDEX 
 
 Exercises, Continued, 
 
 combination, 59 
 
 contraction and expansion, 58 
 
 exceptional, 66 
 
 with fingers over adjoining keys, 
 57 
 Expansion exercises, 58 
 Expression, principles of, 97, 111 
 
 variety in, 116 
 
 wrong ideas of, 116 
 
 Finger gymnastics, 57 
 
 technic, 19; regulation of, 53 
 
 work, 43, 44, 57 
 Fingering, 68 
 
 attitude of teacher toward, 68 
 
 prescribed systems of, 68 
 Four-hand pieces, 161 
 
 Grace-notes, rendition of, 75 
 Graded lists of music, 5, 151 
 
 Hand-position, changing, 46 
 Harmony pieces, list of, 159 
 Historical perspective, 5 
 
 Illustrative playing by the teacher, 
 
 34 
 Imagination, stimulation of, 115 
 Imaginative ideas, how to attach, 
 
 to a piece, 36 
 Imitation of a singer, 89 
 Indifferent pupil, 138 
 Individuality of pupils, 28 
 Instruction book, first, 41 
 Interpretation studies, list of, 153 ; 
 
 the three elements involved in, 70; 
 
 unity in, 104 
 
 Jumps, long, 98, 99 
 
 Keyboard, location of fingers on, 42 
 Knowledge of compositions, 5 
 
 of fundamentals, 4 
 
 of harmony, 5 
 
 Legato accent, 79, 81, 99 
 Lesson hours, how to arrange, 18 
 Lessons, age at which to begin, 41 
 
 conduct of, 18 
 
 frequency of, 14 
 
 length of, 14 
 
 omitted, 15 
 
 plan of, 19 
 
 price for, 14 
 List of books mentioned in the 
 text, 163 
 
 of harmony pieces, 159 
 
 of interpretative studies, 153 
 
 of melody pieces, complex, 159 ; 
 single, 158 
 
 of phrasing pieces, 160 
 
 of rhythmic pieces, complex, 157; 
 plain, 157 
 
 of study pieces, 154 
 
 of technic pieces, legato work, 
 155; staccato work, 156 
 
 of technical studies, 152 
 Lyric melody, 92, 93, 97 
 
 Melodic expression, 93, 94 
 Melodies, simultaneous, 91 
 Melody and accompaniment, pro- 
 portion between, 89, 90, 91 
 
 and accompaniment, problem of, 
 88 
 
 divided between the hands, 90 
 
 fragmentary, 92 
 
 lyric, 92, 93, 97 
 
 pieces, complex, list of, 159 
 
 pieces, single, list of, 158 
 
 playing, 147 
 
 thematic, 92 
 Memorandum books, 18 
 Memorizing, 118, 119, 122 
 Mendelssohn's style, 117 
 Meter, nature of, 81 
 Method, 143 
 Methods, 54, 55 
 
 characteristics of, 54 
 
INDEX 
 
 169 
 
 Metric accent, 81, 82, 83, 95, 96 
 Metronome, use of, 71 
 
 in scale practice, 72 
 Metronome marks, 85 
 Mistakes and blunders, how to 
 eradicate, 33 
 
 how to prevent, 32 
 Mistaufiht pupil, 141 
 Music, chanjiinfi the style of, 37 
 
 for pupils, how to furnish, 16 
 
 how to form lists of, 148 
 
 how to record lists of, 149 
 
 principles in selection of, 150, 151 
 
 room and its furniture, 9 
 
 selection of, 147 
 
 when to give first piece, 47 
 
 Nervous pupil, 135 
 Normal pupil, 145 
 Note-values, 45 
 Notes, dotted, 74, 97 
 
 grace, 75 
 
 short melodic, 97 
 
 Omission of lessons, how to treat, 15 
 Over-confident pupil, 136 
 
 Parents, cooperation of, 47 
 Passages, combination, 112, 113 
 
 principal, 112, 113 
 
 running, 97, 98 
 
 transition, 112, 113 
 Patron, how to meet, 25 
 Pedal accent, 80, 81, 99 
 
 technic, 67 
 
 use of, in modern music, 101 
 
 use of, with melodj' and accom- 
 paniment, 101 
 Phrasing, 94, 95, 96, 97 
 
 accents in, 95 
 
 breadth in, 95 
 
 pieces, list of, 160 
 Physical exercises, 8 
 Piano, choice and care of, 6 
 
 Piano teacher's capital, 1 
 
 library of books about music, 7, 8 
 
 library of music, 7 
 Places for teaching, 8 
 Playing in public, 121, 122 
 
 necessity of preparation for, 123 
 
 to imaginary audiences, 122 
 Position, change of, wiiile teaching, 
 
 35 
 Positive methods of teaching, 31 
 Practice, how to secure regular, 20 
 
 schemes for, 22 
 
 slips, 21 
 
 system in, 21 
 Preparation for public performance, 
 
 123 
 Price for lessons, how to fix, 14 
 Principles of expression, 93, 97, 111 
 Program, how to plan, 129, 130 
 
 outside assistance at, 130 
 Public performance of pupils, con- 
 ditions which insure success, 
 128 
 
 importance of, 121 
 
 mental attitude of pupil, 125 
 
 preparation for, 123, 124 
 
 rehearsal for, 125 
 Pupil, academic, 140 
 
 accompaniment, 142 
 
 amount of work assigned to, 33 
 
 attitude of, toward his music and 
 instrument, 38 
 
 careless, 138 
 
 first lessons with, 40 
 
 how to enlist interest of, 34 
 
 indifferent, 138 
 
 long-fingered, 144 
 
 mistaught, 141 
 
 nervous, 135 
 
 normal, 145 
 
 over-confident, 136 
 
 short-fingered, 143 
 
 slow, 141 
 
 stimulation of, 35 
 
170 
 
 INDEX 
 
 Pupil, Continued, 
 
 stupid, 142 
 
 talkative, 137 
 
 who cannot execute, 145 
 
 with a heavy touch, 144 
 
 with a weak touch, 144 
 
 with good intentions, 139 
 
 with stiff muscles, 145 
 Pupil-recitals, advantages in, 127 
 
 bad example of, 126 
 
 danger in display, 127 
 
 conditions which insure success, 
 128 
 
 how to plan a program, 129, 130 
 
 outside assistance at, 130 
 Pupils, attitude toward an audience, 
 122 
 
 influence, 11 
 
 mistaught advanced, 49, 50 
 
 public performances of, 121 
 
 securing of, 10 
 
 soliciting of, 11 
 
 well-taught, 51 
 
 who have previous knowledge, 48 
 Pupil's development, stages of, 104 
 
 music, how to furnish, 16 
 
 Rehearsal for public performance, 
 
 125 
 Rhythm, 81; cross, 76, 77 
 Rhythmic accent, 83 
 
 element, 70 
 
 grouping irregular, 73 
 
 pieces, complex, 157 
 
 pieces, plain, 157 
 Romantic pupil, 139 
 
 school, emotions of, 117 
 Rubato accent, 78, 81, 84, 94, 99 
 
 tempo, 86, 117 
 Running passages, 97, 98 
 
 Scale, chromatic, 65 
 
 practice, beginning of,44 
 practice, significance of, 59 
 
 Scale, Continued, 
 
 practice with metronome, 72, 76 
 
 study, outline course of, 61 
 Scales, 60, 61 
 
 in canon form, 62 
 
 in contrary motion, 62 
 
 in parallel motion, 62 
 
 in sixths, formula for, 64 
 
 in thirds, formula for, 63 
 
 minor, practice of, 64 
 
 minor, table of, 64 
 
 rhythmic, 62 
 
 with hands separate, 61 
 
 with hands together, 61 
 Selection of music, 147 
 Self-command, 28 
 Self -consciousness, 122 
 Short-fingered pupil, 143 
 Short notes in melodies, 97 
 Sight-reading, 3, 23 
 Slow pupil, 141 
 Staccato accent, 80 
 Staff-construction, 42, 43 
 Stage fright, 126 
 Stimulation of imagination, 115 
 Studio, 9 
 
 Stu ly pieces, list of, 154 
 Stupid pupil, 142 
 Style, Mendelssohn's, 117 
 Symmetry, a unifying factor. 111, 
 
 112 
 Sympathy, 27, 28 
 
 Talkative pupil, 137 
 
 Teacher and client, 25, 26 
 
 Teaching in classes, 131, 132, 134; 
 advantages of, 132 
 positive methods of, 31 
 time, how to arrange, 18 
 
 Technic, 19 
 
 historical development of, 53 
 list of pieces for legato work, 155 
 necessity for elastic methods of, 
 143 
 
INDEX 
 
 171 
 
 Technic, Continued, 
 
 necessity of a logical system of, 
 
 55 
 pedal, 67 
 real end of, 56 
 
 staccato work, list of pieces, 156 
 Technical exercise, first, 42 
 
 exercise, test of its efficiency, 56 
 exercises, systematized list of, 
 
 57 
 exercises, value of simplicity in, 
 
 57 
 exercises, variety in, 67 
 Technical studies, list of, 152 
 Tempo, acceleration of, through lack 
 of control, 73 
 as affected by the style, 85 
 changes in, 86 
 
 Tempo, Continued, 
 
 dependence of, upon the 
 tions, 71 
 
 flexibility in, 85 
 
 nature of, 84 
 
 rubato, 86, 117 
 Thought-stimulation, 36 
 Time-beats, how to teach 
 
 nature of, 71 
 Time-signatures, 45 
 Time-values, importance of 
 
 prehension of, 70 
 Tone-quality, melodic, 89 
 Touch, phases of, 54 
 Transition passages, 112 
 
 Unity common to all arts, 105 
 elements of, 118 
 
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