The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-10-01

Allegro--I read the statement the
other day in musical journal that
1T was no longer necessary to go
abroad to study music that the largo
cities of the United States, like New
Yorl. and BOSTON, afforded as good ad-
'antGSes for music study as any or
the German cities. Knowing that you
have studied abroad, | would like
your opinion on the subject.
Answer-Boston and New York do,
indeed. offer many splendid advant-
ages to the earnest music-student, yet
there are important reasons why every
musician who aspires high in his pro-
fession should spend several years
abroad. What those reasons are l
shall give later. Before going abroad
there should be several years of prep
aration, but the large majority of those
who go from this country to Europe to
study lack this preparation and con-
sequently fail to receive the great bene-
fit which they would otherwise receive.
If student has at his command a
sufficient amount of money to keep
him five years in some musical centre
like, for instance, Berlin, he should
take the next steamer. But the ma
jority of students can not afford to
remain so long. l have seen students in
Berlin by the score who had come
from America without ever having
studied with a first-class teacher; with
out any knowledge of the art of music
which is obtained from reading musical
history and the lives of the great COM
posers; who never, until they came
to Berlin, had heard a great orchestra
or had attended upon a performance
fNf a
come with only sufficient money to de-
fray the expenses of one year. On 60
ing to the celebrated teachers with
whom they had expected to study they
found that they were not sufficiently
advanced and must spend at least one
year, possibly longer, with a prepara-
tory teacher. Moreover they had come
with no knowledge of the German
language and must struggle with that.
After year spent in what was really
a preparation to study, l have heard
these same students say, with tears in
their eyes: II must go back to America;
father writes that he can keep me here
no longer. l have come abroad at so
much expense only to find out how
little l know" And the fond father
imagines that because his son has spent
one year abroad" he must be a fin
ished musician. The best preparation
for the music student who intends to
study in Europe is at least three years
of hard study in one of the best Ameri-
can Conservatives, preferably In a
musical centre, where he comes in con-
tact with other students; where he
hears much about the history of music
and the famous composers and their
works; learns something about orches-
trail instruments and acquires the abil-
ity to distinguish them when in COM
bination with other Instruments;
learns to analyze the various musical
forms, as the song-form, the sonata
form. the fugue, etc; omits no oppor-
tunity of hearing concerts and recitals,
draws books from the public library
and reads every spare minute about
music and musicians, art and archi-
lecture. In addition TO this he will
spend as much time as possible in ac-
quiring some knowledge OF the foreign
languages. Now when he goes abroad,
he is ready to profit by what he sees
and hears. The advantages which are
offered to him in Europe are not only
in the line of music, but in all that has
to do with culture-a necessity to eV-
cry cultivated musician. Your music
student abroad will pay attention to
the architecture of cathedrals, castles
and other buildings of past ages; he
will go frequently to the picture gal
leries and study the masterpieces of
Michael Angelo, Of Rembrandt, Rubens.
Titan and Murillo: he will lose no on
portunity of gazing upon the MASTER
pieces of ancient Greek and modern
sculpture; he will take every advantage
of learning the foreign languages and
will attend now and then upon the
performances Of the classic plays which
are constantly being given at the state
theatres. shakespeare, for example is
more frequently heard in the royal
theatre in Berlin than in any other
city in the world) he will have op-
portunity at small expense 10 attend
orchestral concerts, recitals by great
artists or performances of celebrate ted
operas every night in the week (the