The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1896-08-29
VIRGIL METHOD OF TEcHNIc.
An Interesting Letter from One of Port
lands Prominent Teachers.
10 the Editor of the Press:

NeW IoFk, AISusb Souus loSO.-N6W
York City is not just the place one
would choose to spend midsummer
vacation, unless it contai ned some unus-
ual attraction. This attraction it pos
sesses this summer to piano teachers; in
the Virgil Summer School for teachers.
over the broad land, learning how to
teach the Clavier; for strange as it may
| seem to the uninitiated. the fact that one
Is finely educated musician, or brilliant
pianist. has proved, over and over again,
to be qnite aas much a hindranoe, as
otherwise to learner on the "Clavler
Method" in the first stages. do not
wish to be understood to say chat must
cal ability is useless, that of course has
its place further on. Mr.. and Mrs. Vir-
gil seem to have done one thing for
piano students, that will make their
name known from now on, as long as
pianos and pianists exist; and that is a
separation of technique from tone. The
l"Virgil Method of Technic'' and l say
Virgil Method" rather than "Clayier
Method" because the Clavier is the out
come of the Q Method and not the re-
verse as many suppose, is peculiar in that
every playing movement Is analysed into
/ It's most elementary form and develop
ment from this accurate and solid foun-
dnt1on, to the point where we have a
thoroughly finished pianist. For exam
pie, every teacher of the piano under the
ordinary methods, has much difficulty
with his pupils, to secure proper Cup
action" of the fingers; the reason is that
/ 10 mo ,f J. -
movement which produces effect ii. Q.
tone) to the young students mind; and
having measure, time, notes, keys, and
lingering to look out for, is it much
wonder that lie fails to secure good up
aotlonp Well! the Virgils' have changed
all that. The first finger move
| ment Is an up movement, and
gers at one time. until they make per-
fectly correct movements with Ga Oh indi-
vldual finger. These conditions ressecured
| In short time, because the attention of
| the pupil is concentrated on these few
points. and perhaps he has already o bet
ter finger action than player of several
years experience under the old methods.
And so on through the whole system.
| Everything is analysed, and Individual
lied and to one who has studied the
method thoroughly, it ceases to be n mar
| vel that the students on the ClRvier are
| the best players to be found. and that
| too in few years from the time of be-
ginning. don't mean to say that a
| Clavier student does not work as hard as
Others. but that every minute of practice
counts; the progress is rapid, becausesthe
work ia definite; the Clsyier student
know If his practice is wrong, and what ia
OF quite as much Importance just what
is wrong, and consequently does not
have to wait for the next lesson before
| the error Is corrected.
| Every year the Clavier makes more
friend, and the time is approaching when
everyone who Is studying the piano
seriously will use the "Clavier'' for
technical practice. The leading musical
cities of our country are well represented
| here at the School, and only Boston has
sent more teachers than Portland We
have five teachers from Boston and three
| from our own city. Mr.. and Mrs, Her
man Kotzsohmar and the writer This
seems 10 place Portland in the front rank
as an cup to date town, at sleast as far
as piano teaching is concerned | am re-
minded of a conversation with the gentle
man who brought the ChickePing piano
to Portland last winter. ''This must be
a very musical town" he said. "Why do
you think so?" questiond. "Wby" he
said, ''even the little girls twelve and
thirteen years old, who come in with
their parents to see our pianos, play we'll
and play good music too and they don {
pound either. Last week a girl surely
not over fifteen came in, and being asked
| to try piano. astonished me with two
Chopin Nooturnes finely played. I was
SO surprised, and delighted that / asked
for more, and more, until she had actual
| ly played over an hour, and all from
memory too" then took the opportun-
lty to inquire who this young musician
might be, and was quite delighted to he
able to tell my friend, who did not be-
lieve in the Clayier that the young
lady WAS Clavier pupil. The Summer
School is in session two weeks moro, land
then the teachers will return to their
homes. each prepared to do better work
than ever. May we not confidently ex-
poet, that America will soon not only
enjoy the reputation Of making the best
pianos in the world, but also of playing
these same pianos, better than the rest
of tbs World. One thing is sure, many
of the students in this school are pupils
of some of the most renowned teachers of
Europe.
| FRANK J.. RANKIN.