The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-03-05
A PIANISTS SOCIAL AID.
INFLUENCES THAT HELP Y0UNG MU-
SICIANS TO SUCCEED.

am doing very well now. nave Dopun TO
make II good many friends in society. and that
will help me a great denl. You know, that's quite
necessary here. That was the frat thing l had
to struggle to accomplish when 1 came over"
That was the remark which n young musl-
clan made to a friend whom he met In the
street. The young man seemed to regard his
future career in New York rs a settled matter.
He had begun to make friends In society, and
he was satisfied. His friend wondered how
much good these acqualntances were going to
do him. He became 30 much interested In
this phase OF a musical career In New York
that he thought OF the matter longer than he
did OF most others 30 casually introduced. He
knew the, man who spoke 10 him ne an earnest
student Of music who had shown about rs
much progress as a man we'll could without
accomplishing anything TO make him remark
able In his profession; but he was still young.
and there was reason to believe that he might
some day make n name for himself as a thor
ougbly serinus and artistic musician. For
that reason 1t rather puzzled his friend TO find
that he laid so much stress on the possession
of friends with social influence. 1t seemed to
him quito unworthy OF ar artist. The next
time they met he asked him. with a slight tone
OF remonstrance in his voice. why he was so
satisfied at knowing people who are conspicu-
Gus in society.
It's quite necessary the musician said.
FOR a man Who wants to make progress here.
l can cite to you a half dozen instances OF
men. musicians, who. merely through lack OF
such influence az this. had to give up alto
gether here or quietly become members OF an
orchestra In which they will play for the rest
OF their lives without the world ever know
ing whether their name is Smith or Jones.
Even that course would not be possible for me.
Tor l am a pianist. without acquaintance able
to give mo the appearance ot being fash
ionable. and without the possibility OF bring
ing my nams before the public occasionally
in the test way. l might take.pupils for half
the price l expect to get: 30. you see. social
influence isn't such a bad thing after all"
But you don't mean to say" his friend
asked again. that Paderewski. Joseffy and
such artists are tho slightest bit dependent
upon social influence to help them along"
Not In the least" was the answer. They
are the great ones OF their profession. and there
are very few like them. 1 can count on the
fingers Of ono hand the number OF pianists
who come to New York and make money
through their appearances in ~recitals. They
como here. indeed, In the expectation OF losing
1t. and those who live In New York and give
concerts for the purpose Of advertising them
selves invariably lose money. II 1 give a re-
cital In n fashionable ballroom or music hall.
or. what is better still. in the parlor OF some
1aSflOnaDl0 mouse, ana nave q NSt OF laSn1On-
able patronesses to buy my tickets or sell
them. then I will pay for my recital. make
money in addition and make myself known to
the set of people who will pay moro than any
other for the privilege OF having their children
taught by me. When 1 am prepared to do
something more ambitious for myself. to give
n concert or recite under different eircum-
stances. for instance. l have my fashionable
friends to fall back on, and the chances are
that through them I will attract the general
public II l succeed in getting them at all. For
all this / am supposing on my part a.certain
amount Of talent. 1t could not be done with
out that pos sibly. but the amount required is
not ANYTHING like what would be necessary to
earn an equivalent sum under ordinary cir
cumstances."
But isn't the task OF cultivating those peo-
ple rather distasteful to a man supposed to be
so absorbed in his profession?"
Sometimes it is almost impossible to bear.
For the musician 1t is not so difficult as 1t Is
for artists Of other kinds. 1 know one por-
trait painter who dimes out every night. visits
every box at the opera. and rarely passes an
afternoon without being seen at one or two
teas. That Is far more difficult for him than
my task is. It is absolutely necessary for him
to do that. to keep himself known. to get him
self talked about and to mingle with the kind Of
people who are likely to get portraits painted.
He told me the other day that his digestion
was ruined. but that in other respects he had
nothing to complain OF. With me the thing is
not 10 hard. Women interested in music are
supposed to be serious IN q certain extent.
My line OF campaign requires me 10 20 to din
ners occasionally whore music Is likely to be
talked. about moro than anything else. U.s.
ually I play the piano atterward. although it IL
q fatal thing for any professional ever to play
much for nothing. ] merely sit down at the
piano Tor q few moments, perhaps to illustrate
something thar we've been talking about, and
usually the person / talk with Is one OF the
guests. In nine cases out OF ten 1t ends in an
invitation to call; SO out OF every dinner l am
likely to add one or two families to my li1t.
1T is necessary. OF course. to get started
first In a proper fashion. After that the thing
travels rapidly. l know a foreigner who came
here three winters ago with letters to two fam
lilies. He presented them. assiduously fol-
lowed up every opportunity for making new
acQuaintances showed himself In fashionable
restaurants when he hadn'. the money to buy
anything In them and succeeded In advancing
himself-so that he now gets SO a lesson for
his piano instruction and is immensely liked
by society. 1t was a great advantage to him
that he was a foreigner. 1t Is very difficult for
an American. and the only Americans who ever
seem to be taken up by society in the sam
""y hiios "tS ND'i' iNh o'o
Why Boston should appeal to New Workers as
the home OF music / do not know: but I'm not
an American myself. and that fact is going to
help me along with the people who take an in
terest in me. BY the end OF next year / shall
be we'll supplied with pupils. ! hope at least
to give one concert. one recital. each winter.
under fashionable patronage. and organize
two or three concerts on my own account.
Then l shall be paid well for getting up must
Gales in private houses. Every one OF these
things will be the direct result Of my first
meeting with a woman who had a position:in
society. II was In reference to a charity con-
cert at which / was asked to play two numbers
because the programme that had been paid for
was not long enough. l was glad Of the oppor-
tunity. was invited afterward to dinner. and
that course OF events has kept me from drop
ping into the obscurity OF twenty other men In
New York who would be considered as capable
as IAN. It's all a question OF making ones
choice at the outset. Perhaps II l had pre-