The Roanoke times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1897-1977, 1897-08-19
MARCHESI METHODS,
HOW THE GREAT TEACHER TERROR
lies HER SCHOLARS.

III tho musical world Of Europe no
teacher stands higher than Mime. Mar
chest, and yet first interview with her
is an ordeal to be dreaded. She may tell
you with almost brutal frankness that
your cherished vocal projects oro thin
as air bubbles and that you had better
turn your attention to cooking. Or,
with one unusual CLEAN of her gray
eyes and one sudden indrawn breath,
making her thin lips still thinner, she
may tell you that you are destined to
lift the heart Of the world in immortal
song and wear the laurels of a great
lyric career. Again, she may tell you
with the samo blunt severity that you
have no looks at all for the stage, and
after you have been accepted as pupil
you are still subjected to her merciless
severity.
To be taught by Nine. Marchesi is
not to have the luxury of all individual
lesson, an hours good, cozy, comfort
able time NIL to yourself. BY no means
That is not her plan. You are taught
i'll class. You arc thus introduced at
once to al audience. You thus have an
opportunity of conquering stage fright
You are thus submitted to the criticism
of others. Not only your voice, but
your manners, your gait, your way of
holding your hands are studied. From
head to foot you arc scrutinized.
a small platform is in the center of
Marchesi's salon, where tho pupil stands
and recites Cor sings) her lesson. The
class sit around tho room and criticise
The pupil has to face not only the class,
but tho audience includes often the first
musicians Of the world. How does
sensitive woman bear tho gun fire of
Mime. Marchesi's criticism, her ridicule,
her sarcasm and severity? One day one
of the class was having her 5 minutes
of lesson before crowded room. Mar
chest was in sardonio humor that
morning. Her remarks were brilliant,
but moro cutting than Damascus
blade. The audience felt that climax
was coming. 1t came Tho girls lip
began to tremble as Marchcsi's COM
mentary sparkled and cut and sparkled
again. Her lip trembled moro and
moro The agitation gained upon her
whole body, till she shook like willow
III the wind. Poor dear, the other pu-
pills held their breath. The room was
silent rs tomb. You could hear Mar
chests watch tick in her pocket Still
tho pupil strove to bring out the tone
that those severe lips of Marchesi had
commanded. At last the voice rolled
out. Tho tone gained upon the room
The voice stopped.
"You sing like foolr' literally
Missed Marchesi, and tho storm broke.
Tho girl burst into tears. Her sobs,
coming upon the silence, were most
painful. Not one of the pupils dared to
rush forward with comfort or handker-
chief. The girl threw tho sheet of mu-
$40 on the floor and covered her face
with her hands. Then, dashing the
tears away from her face, she stopped
down, gathered up the scattered music,
tore it into shreds, tossed it to every
part of the room, and rushed from the
platform stage All felt it was over
with her forever, SO far as lessons with
Marchesi were concerned, and more
than ono heart ached for her.
'Ha, hail. laughed Marchesi, rising
delightedly from the piano, rubbing her
hands together and walking, or rather
stalking, majestically through the room
and up and down and again seating
herself at the piano. ''Ha, hal That
girl will singl She has the grand fire
She is dramatic. She has tho fine pas
sion of the devil" And the girl came
back the next day and won Marchesi's
braves and hand clapping.
Upon another occasion Marchesi sat
in Judgment upon pupils hands as
she stood upon the platform.
Now, don't put up your lip like a
baby, p" she says, "if I tell you that !
never saw such a BOBBY. You're as awk-
ward as country clown Look at your
bands! just look ut them dangling
down ut your sides like jumping jack
waiting to witch on pole. Mais, vol
ia, she continued, softening little
IF do not tell you. ma cherc, of these
things now while you are in my salon,
do you know who will tell you of them
later on when you stand for the first
time before one Of the great audiences
of Europe? The reporters will tiay you
alive and dcservedly. Will they not motto
down every awkward gesture, every
i;aucherie? Will they not say, She has
u divine voice. but she held her hands
like clown? And when you read it in
oil the papers tho next morning, ali,
how you will exclaim. Why did not
Marchesi correct me, tell me, reprove
me, no matter how severely Now,
hold your hands easily, one palm crossed
upon the other, the right hand across
the left. the forefinger and middle fin
ger of the right hand between the thumb
and forefinger of the left hand. Bon