The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1900-02-11
VICTOR EHLlNG
TO THE PIANO


WRITTEN rOp rITF SUNDAY PEPTRIIc.
Nj. Victor Ehuar. the locally eminent piano teacher, Is ON
Thaue in saying that practice 81 the "'gs' s'S.", rr Hm' 'S w."
This practice" said Mr.. EhUng. must lie confined to tho
same time Of the day. wherever It is possible. pupils who thhe
piano lessons should be a. regular IN preparing 10 mem as M
are IN preparing themselves for their daily lessons 81 school IN
,hs Undertaking We must rely almost ALTOGETHER "ro" HE PAT
ents. The mother must enforce the Oh u 's"f' 's 'A''
for practic,ns. .
MY beginners I Go no, want to practice at all !, Is better
tor them TO take three lessons Il week for " qha''t % q" "'..'
or a half hour each tn the child is tired when home rIhciti-
:ns IS once begun. the mother can assist "l'ei'~" " TIC
PROGRESS the child makes on the piano.
"rne o., the finest amateur pians,es in the city today. who
has been taking lessons from me since her cniIIhood' once p'i'-
;i-ei a little march at home. It was 1" the very early stages
Of her instruction. Her mother. who was not a musical woman
by any means. ou, who ha; a good ear for music detected 'N4
there a something wrong with the march movement
Wait She said TO her daughter. Let m g march up ~ Town
n, oou TO yoIrt tune ard then see II you cannot 60 better.
This a done. and Immediately the two-s'ep rhythm was
obtained. Such help as this is invaluable to tho teacher o. mus.
treated AZ ii matter OF recreation. II this l. done II helps along
with the other studies by Frightening the child ana minimizing II
for ,ts school work. l; IS :ct the game with singing. Singing
In the schools Is not SO much a study a > Il r~s''me' L fe1'eau'"'
and a relief from more serious work.
The amount OF practice. or the time that nnN' De gwen "
e. depends upon the Individual Some learn IN FOUR 1ou:s "tas
others scarcely master IN eight The lamb piaho Is tN . ny -.
TO have my pupils practice on 4 regular Instrument. ! it-'s'
rpou the sea',s being praetoyi slow and loud. I group them
80, tFrsa dfYorar. ,lrts an! allow the speed 70 be accelerated
only v,r. gradually. The hardest hing 20 g; pupils to q o !s TO
mat he r-.,ticsd ;he last movement Of the Il fiat minor sonata
o. chopin for a solid six months. Now. Il q mah WIN ne teen
r.s,e {. pal.-easki considers 81 necessary to devote half i year
20 or, movement. what would you say u a pupil who thinks that
IN paying a passage fifty or q III, 1rei times h' "a dom moe
han enough. Any passage that IS in tho least d''eH.t should
he uraGi.sI over and over again un:l the pupil can I"y It with
TIaes~ massage IS unnecessary. EXCEPT Whom The hands are
r.r1, with cold. II might help along a little lit IN making ne
fingers supple. b.: 7 have not much faith I" u Inc D" '"s
Is constant practice. , never heard Of Hue:ov' I'sEi o y !Ee"'-a
.-!rz finger message. and am therefor" not q believer IN EN-
p.,v!ug artificial! means TO l'irs about a-~rt'ess OF ''s'E move
II piano r-actlsirg IS conducted seudby and systematically
:: VIII Ho, hurt anyone" No rAAi l' E[. 'F yo."E ". .r ~a
down from oyerrr1.:;" O" TIE piano. Society," ff-- are s,iIr,
times :oI 10y r.,i- 9Ays' ."" that plan" playing mis- '.~'
nervous. ~, THAT is Ho' the case Thy Keep .s .~.r- son m-
times ., nt -, ro hi a"fr OF ! o'clock IN the morning l'
week. IN succession. ans ;h.u. ~ order +" keep zap 'h".r "S'Fue-
ton. they are Required FL" devote IA ''''"'n 'i't %, 80 rS ~,
prac,ic.ng. When TIE .a;e hours beg" to have their '"s'' ''
DO y4 play ,he piano he asks. II yon do. Sop II. 1t
.,ra v.rl.r- ra,rss ,lare which have been started In this city
have dom" much TO foster "S.' The '." 's 49,,
Morning choral and o;nefs ''s Of great benefit 70 teachers an
~>s I SAID before. The number Of hours given to practice de
ponds r-st upon the iutelis'H'" o; The pupil an. upon '' P"'
- lis ie,rutrr. wouIdlc professionals cannot get along with
ou- p,a5ririug from seven To eish; hours every day jewish
pupils. I have found +" al my experience as a "'ei'' g 80
The r,--: somehow they derive mole help anc ercouras -F2"n;
from their parents Then. again. l notice that pups t,'''s
from thu middle classes make the bSt '+r'SS Il ".U- 80"
yu 20 know how many wealthy families employ cheap teichers'
They think a cheap teacher VIII do in the hegtnninf II $ hSe
asking m ar'tftc' =" Ply ~ d I""P -. 100
"a 20 he added after a time. / IS verv difficult to make any,
~ m,omrorert teachers. AID tails s'a'" Of affairs VIII nor he
r,m,,,I until an improve! standard IS demanded Of a" mHs''
..4,n.r= and they are required 10 obtain diplomas 'hat quality
them ,o teach. lust as doctors must 10. in order to he allowed
10 ,.y,ty Womb ! ra,her have children from the middle class f-
my pupils Because ;hey devote themselves TO the study OF
uusf. al the year round.
The wealthy. As you know, are swaF nom the cry me pS'
ra~, Of the wear. They GO South in ~" winter and North In the
s-mrnr-. and the holidays always interfere with the destruction
81 tf.'r children. I have always obtained the best results from
chill ru belonging TO people from the miidi" walks of lie.
In closing my remarks. l MAJ say that constant pract. e
and only that. viii bring about good results. There IS no end
3. tra learning ~ music. FIarfts who play IN concert should
never fail 30 practice AZ least four hours every day. Padere"ski
rrlr-icos eis-t hours. and he does that even while he IS o his
concert to.rs. The literature ~ Music IS SO enormous that Il
fakes i've or six lives 20 know everything. not mentioning actual
s.--- .r.r-.s Tn, demand TO-DAY made upon a pianist Il ever
50, much greater than upon amy other iustrinl"n'aHst. and ouy
constant application vii result IN great accomplishments.
There are some exceptional men, Hike Mr. 2 r. kroeger.
Cor instance. who can work ~ more than ore branch OF music
IN a lifetime. Mr.. Kvoe=er is not only a teacher. he Is also a
corrnns.r. q choir director and a club leader; bt II takes Won
a.reui power to accomplish all that he does. and there are few
musicians Ike him"