The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-05-14
MUSICAL LIFE IN VIENNA.


FRANCES b. DIMMICK.
MUSICAL LIFE IN VIENNA.
The adjective qualifying the substan-
tive in the title of this article stands for
q vast difference. If were to write Of
Life in Vienna" it would be in very
different terms from what I shall use
in short description Of the life Of the
musical students In this city. Life in
Vienna may be fairly summed up In
one word-amusement. Cafe houses,
theatres, Volks garden, beginning next
noon the same idle, jolly. for as they
say. "lusty" life over again, never find
Ing 1t fiavorless. never becoming sated
with its ephemeral delights. But the
musical life-that Is 1t twas anderes''-
that Is quite another tn ng. So differ
ent Ia 1t from any other life Of its kind
that know anything of, that one IL in
clined to say before 1t, the deluge; after
1t, nothing! So unique, so thoroughly
desirable Is 1t. There is a large conser-
vatory here which sends forth yearly
Its quota OF musical people, who make
their own circle, do plain work Of more
or less merit. and that Is all. On the
other hand, out In Wahling College sits
one little old man with an unpronounce-
able name, an unspeakable temper, but
with secret OF power which over rides
all objections, and answers all ques-
tions, whose house Is q centre and home
of that beautiful, that mysterious, that
enchanting thing-modern, dramatic
no-playing. OF course, there are not
wanting people who have a different
name for all this; people who call 1t a
fad, who say that Leschetizky is fam
v.ta =
mitting that his fame Is worldwide,
say that il is an accident. There are
many answers to such expressions, one
of which is,
SUCH ACCIDENTS DO NOT HAP
PEN.
A few years ago he gave @ specially
interesting soiree even for him to give,
which is saying good deal. and among
the dozen or so picked pupils who were
asked to play, were four Russians,
three Austrians one German, one Eng
lishman. and the rest Americans, the
ones having the highest position on the
programme being the two Russians,
Mark Hamburb and Mr.. Gabrielovitch,
of whom you will soon here great things
in America
Eut what Is the secret of his power,
what are his methods Of working, you
will ask. The first great demand, sup
posing one to have musical ability
enough to be accepted as his pupil Is
to get the hand in order A certain
amount Of strength not only in the
hand but in the fingers themselves, a
certain amount and q certain kind of
technique are an absolute necessity,
without which Leschetizky will simply
have nothing whatever to do with you.
II you do not possess this technique
and this strength you must get 1t, and
you must have patience till you do get
1t. Many players have come here sup
posing they had q perfectly competent
technique, only to find they had next to
nothing that would serve them here,
nothing that would produce the great,
round, telling tone one hears from all
his pupils. or that will stand the strain
OF going out with intelligence and dra-
matte power musical literature Of any
Kind. TO say that getting this sort Of
technique taxes ones patience and for
titude to the utmost, Is to put 1t very
mildly. Nothing but mingling freely
with other pupils who have passed
through the process and came out on
the farther side. keeps the courage up;
nothing but hearing In his Wednesday
afternoon classes, where only the best
pupils play, this same clear, mastery,
telling tone, the tone that makes every
other tone insipid and dull, holds one to
the hard task, and makes him feel that
he wants nothing SO much as to dis
cover what Is for him on the other side
Of the barrier. He says to himself, TT
may be hard to get. but 1t Is life from
the dead, and I must have It," But
having at last got 1t, what then? You
must use it we'll or the master will have
none OF you. Many one has struggled
bravely through with the preparatory
teacher. and has had the first lesson
very successfully with Leschetizky, and
has fondly imagined the worst was
over. only to find q host Of fresh trou-
bles awaiting him.
Dillettantism, want of rhythm,
and above all, inability to i'm
itate quickly what he shows you. are
nkeiy to provoke a storm which the
pupil feels must overwhelm him. But
let 1t not be supposed that such things
are the vagaries of nervous man, Inn
patient Of dilettante playing There Is
a sturdy vein for honesty in It all that
Is life-giving. No earnestness, no mus
ical enthusiasm. nothing will save you
from merciless criticism, but 1t does not
end there. The great master, or his
preparatory teacher, will show you the
broad open highway to sure goal.
If your faults are laid bare with re-
morseless severity the hand that does
1t guides to great deliverance Instead
Of being sugared with compliments, you
are led, nay, thrust, into a new life. It
was my privilege years ago to be in one
Of the Liszt classes. and 1t Is no dis
paragement to the great master who
was so adored by the piano. playing
world. to say that every Wednesday
one heard far better playing in the
LeschetiZky classes than was common
ly heard in the Liszt classes. And it is
simply because a. certain standard Of
excellence is absolutely demanded and
inexorably maintained.
GREAT CONCERTS AND OPERA.
To say that the musical student has
abundance Of the best concerts here in
Vienna is only to state q perfectly we'll
known fact. D'Albert Sauer, Adele
Aus der Ohe. Grieg and Reineclse have
given delightful concerts in Vienna this
winter, not to mention many lesser
lights. But must add one word about
the opera. One day German said to
me, You Americans care nothing for
opera; you only want to hear some
great singer whom you fondly COLL the
best" had no very good weapons OF
defence against that thrust, and had to
confess sadly enough that for q great
music drama ne n yvOrk we dO pof m ro