, 1878-09-05
MUSIC TEACHING.
A CHAPTER FOR PARENTS.
tBY LEROY ]. BoGGs.l

Nothing IS more calculated to pro-
mote the formation of bad habits in
beginners than the method of Tune
Teaching employed by inexperienced
persons styling themselves "Teach.
ers of Music" Teacher is a misomer
for such instructors, They should be
exposed wherever found, AMI not per.
mitted to sail under false colors.
They are not las will be seen before
this chapter is ended) teachers of
music.
Parents, as a general and almost
universal rule allow themselves to be
deceived by the tlateery and misrepre.
sentation of this class Of musical cor.
ruptors. The writer viii concede
that it is quite natural for parents to
wish their children to rapidly become
proficient, and they think if the pu.
pill does not play few nice little tunes
it is not learning fast. o, how it
fills father and mother with JOY, when
their little one, who, upon being in.
troduced to the company, is led to
piano or organ, and with her tiny
fingers and feeble touch, plays the
"Campbell's are Coming" Won. der.
full! Remark able! Exclamations Of
surprise, of which the foregoing is a
fair specimen, take possession of the
company, who look at each other ir
blank amazement and astonishment,
far surprising that which periodically
attacked the tender -harted Pickwick.
BY this spasmodic explosion of ap.
plau--ignorance, the child is at once
convinced that she knows something.
She has astonished her audience, and
why should she not feel elated too?
Mother is conveyd by the approx.
ing manifestation to the highest pin.
nacle of joy accessible by the ladder
of flattery, and with dramatic tone
informs the admiring friends (P) that
the "little dear has been taking les.
sons just two months" Two months!
Think Of it-taking lessons Just two
months! "Her teacher?" so, she is
par excellence" "why, only think,
she says Minnie will be able in two
more months to play show piece!"
"a regular teacher?' so, yes, she is
splendid teacher. She don't give any
of this nonsensical note instruction,
but sets the pupils right to playing"
Trul y a wonderful teacher. We
know not how long this burst Of en-.
thusiasm would have continued, had
it occurred to one present to place the
simple music of "Hold the Fort"
before the re mark. able child, who,
upon being urged to play it, confus.
edly said "she couldn't" whereupon
mamma turned very red in the face
and blushingly con fessed that her
"teacher hadn't taught her that yetm
Now, parents you can see that the
instructor employed by Minnie's
mother was a tune teacher.
This is an important, a serious mat.
ter, and simple duty demands that
you who are responsible for the prop
er education of your children, should
consider it careful and not act hastily.
Do you ask what kind Of a teacher
you should employ? We answer.
The teacher you engage should poss.
ess thorough knowledge of music.
He should be experienced and be
able to point to the fruits Of his teach,
ing. One, who instead OF teaching a
beginner tunes, should require his
pupil to learn and correctly under.
stand the elementary principles of
music. Without such knowledge, a
thorough musical education cannot
be attained. You might just as well
try to produce an effect without first
having cause, or to expect to read
without first learning the alphabet.
Because your child can play few
tunes is not proof that it is ''learning
fast" or even understands what it
plays.
1t is hoped these hints will be ia.
ken, as "a word to the wise is suffi.
cient."
WASHINGTON, ID. c., July 6, 1873.