The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-09-30
CLASS MUSIC TEACHING.
Mr.. j. Alfred Pennington Quotes
History on the Subject.
Editor Tribune.

Editor Tribune.
Slr:-Among the Musical Notes of last
Saturdays Tribune there appeared
short article under the head of "A few
good reasons why music students should
take private lessons in preference to class
instruction" By "class instruction" the
writer evidently means the Conservatory
system as taught in the Conservatories of
the world.
In the course Of the article above al
luded to occurs the following remarkable
statement: Another reason is because
most Of our leading musicians and solo
lists received their instruction privately"
II the writer means the great musicians
and soloists throughout the world We
can conclude that he is painfully ignorant
of the truth.
With your permission, desire to prove
the falsity Of the quoted assertion. With
but few exceptions the famous musicians
of this century have been educated liz
Conscrvatories, or have indorsed the sys-
| tenn by teaching 1t in Conservatives, or
in their own homes
To prove this assertion, let US take in
| alphabetical order the celebrated pianists
and famous teachers of the piano. My
authorities are Ehlerts "The Tone
| World" a book of biographical sketches,
and Ehrlich's Celebrated Pianists of
|
works are translations from the original
| German. A copy of the latter is in the
| Albright library.
| Eugene d'Albert studied with the great
pianist, Franz Liszt. who taught in
classes (see Fay's Student Life in Ger
many; Heinrich Barth, the great Ber-
lin pianist. was educated in Tausig's Con-
servatorium in Berlin. afterward taught
in the Stern Conservatorium, and Is now
! connected with the Royal High School
for Music (Conservatorium) in Berlin.
| Hans Won BuelOw, one of the most fam
Gus pianists that the world has known.
taught in the Stern Conservatorum.
Chopin the famous composer studied
in the COnservatorium at Warsaw, Po-
land. Dannreuther was educated at the
I,cipslc Conservatorium: Louis Diemer,
the leading French pianist, received his
instruction at the Paris Conservatoire;
Alexander Dreyschock was professor at
the Conservatorium at St. Petersburg, of
which Rubnstein was director; Heinrich
Ehrlich, Of whom the writer had the
honor of being a pupil, is now, and has
been for many years, professor at the
Stern ConscrVatOrium in Berlin.
Annette Essipoff, one of the best lady
pianists, studied at the st. Petersburg
COnservatorium, afterward with Lesche-
tit2liy, the most celebrated teacher of the
present day, who teaches only in classes
Edouard Grieg, probably the most celc-
brated composer now living, who is a
fine pianist, was educated at the Leipslc
Conservatorium. Albert Grucnfeld wa.
educated at the Prague Conservatorium.
Rafael Joseffy, one of the greatest liv-
ing pianists, now resident in New York
was educated in Tausig's Conservatorium
and Is now teaching in a New York Con-
lservatory. Theodore Kirchncr was a
pupil Of the Leipsic Conservatorium, and
was appointed professor in the Dresden
Conservatorium. ClOtilde KleeberE, one
OF the best lady pianists, was educated
In the Paris Conservative; Theodore Kul.
lax. one of the most famous pianists and
teachers of this century founded the
Stern Conservatorium at Berlin, from
which he retired to found his own, which
was known as the New Academy of Mu.
sic.
] have already said that Theodor Les.
ChetitZky, in his school in Vienna, teach
es the conservatory system, as may bC
seen from letters of his pupils which APP
pear from time to time in the musica
journals 1 have also mentioned tha
| Franz List, the most famous pianist
that has ever lived, gave instruction II
| classes. william Mason, n well-knowr
pianist and teacher studied at the Leipsit
ConservatOrium.
Mendelssohn, the great composer
| lOullutu, III 1910 tIit lLtllSlC NOIStTNdlO
rum, of which he was the director unit
his DEATH His partiality to the class
system is shown by his own words al
follows: "An institution such as th'
Conservatory, whose object is to give 1T
pupils an opportunity of making them
selves thoroughly acquainted with al
those branches of study the knowledg,
of which is necessary and indispensable
to the educated musician, and TO educat
them thoroughly and practically in tn
same, has this advantage over the prl
vate instruction of the individual. that b.
the participation Of several in the sam
lesson and I'm the same studies a tru
musical feeling Is awakened and KEEP
fresh among the pupils; that it promote
industry and spurs on to emulation; ant
that it is a preservative against one
sidedness in education and taste" Men
dessohn's opinion, it will be seen,
somewhat at variance with that of tn
writer in last weeks Tribune.
Sophie MCnter was educated at tn
Stuttgart Conservatorium; S. b. Mills
|