Semi-weekly interior journal. [volume] (Stanford, Ky.) 1881-1905, 1893-11-30
MUSICAL NOTES.

How the Lost Chord" perhaps the
most successful song OF modern times,
same to be written is narrated 10y Mr..
Wileby in a touching little story. Only
few months after Sir Arthur Sullivan
had excepted the pos. OF Principal of the
National Training School of Music he re
ceived a severe blow in the death OF his
brother Frederick, who was talented
actor. For nearly three weeks he watch
ei by the sick mans bedside, day and
night. One evening when the end was
rapidly approaching, the sufferer bad
for time sunk into a peaceful sleep, aud
as his faithful attendant was sitting as
usual by the bedside, ii CHANGED that he
took up some verses OF the late Miss
Adelaide Proctor, with which he had
some years previously been much i'm.
pressed. Now in the stiffness OF the
night he read them over again, and sl-
most as he did so he conceived their
musical equivalent" A sheet OF mu'
sic paper was at hand, and he began to
write. Slowly the music grew and took
shape, until, becoming absorbed In II, he
determined TO finish the song, thinking
that even il in the cold light OF day 1t
should appear worthless it should at
least have helped TO pass he weary
hours, and so he went on till the last bar
was added. Thus was composed song
OF which the sale up to now has exceed
ell over half a million OF copies The
"Etude."
Put aside the few geniuses who were
born musicians, and it is presumably
true that the men vino have accomplish
ed anything memorable in the execution
or creation of musical ideas have estab-
lished their pre-eminence by hard work
A German pianist, when asked why
America had produced no remarkable
musicians, replied that they might II
they would only go at it right What
We judged tosbe the proper system may |
be gained from his own method. Dur
ing the first few years OF his course he
devoted Is hours .every day to study,
Is hours day is an extreme. William
Vincent Wallace killed himself by prac-
Using 10 hours and devoting the remain
der OF the day to composition. III one
wishes 10 enjoy the fruit OF his labor he
must attend the more carefully to his
physical nature. Hamerton's letters on
the physical Basis" in his "lntellectu'
al Life" are we'll worth perusal. The
exact amount of practice one can endure
must be determined by experience. IL
is useless to spend time after body and
brain are exhausted You are pumping
from an empty cistern.
Students must rid themselves OF the
notion that talent is everything. Talent
is nothing, unless joined with earnest
aud well-directed endeavor. The young
man who studies his features in the glass,
seeking for resemblance to the great
master, will not look in vain. 1t is well
that he should employ his time thus; no
has not the proper temper to resemble
them in anything else.
One more point: do not be player
and nothing else. A prominent must
cian writes me that liberal education,
viz, outside of music proper, is fast he ;
coming sine qua non il one would take
any high stand in the profession" For
he learner, no matter how talented, to
achieve such high position, requires con- :
slant, untiring effort, but he will reap
is SIRE reward il he faint not.-The
'Etude."