The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1902-12-26

the End of Many careers-FaIIacy OF
BeIiefIn En- ropean study.
The mysterious death of the Ameri-
can woman, Mrs. Gore, in Paris, has
again called attention to the dangers
that meset the young women who go
there to study. Not many of them
meet with fate so tragic as that of
Mrs. Gore. but tragedy of some kind
Is far from infrequent among them,
and it seems to occur most commonly
in the case of women who go to Paris
to study music.
The tragedy of bIighted ambition,
wasted time and money and final fail
ure is, of course, the most frequent
But other kinds of tragedies end the
apprenticeship of American girls in Eu-
rope very much oftener than most per-
sons suppose. And the uselessness of
the whole system, the mistaken views
which take young women to Europe to
study, accentuate the pathos of the suf-
ferings that so many of them undergo
there.
1t is fact that nine out of every ten
young men and women who go to Eu-
rope to study music could find in this
country teachers entirely capable of de-
yeloping their talents. What they will
ultimately become depends, of course,
on themselves.
They may possess great natural pow
er and they may have the best teachers
in the world, but if they lack the equal
ity essential to success they will never
arrive at the end they are seeking. So
there is every reason in the world why
they should remain here, and when it
has become evident that their talents
demand degree of cultivation not to
be acquired in this country European
experience may be valuable.
But that experience is certainly not
needed until the opportunities there
have been exhausted. It is said by
singers, and in less degree by instru-
mental musicians, that they consider it
important to go abroad that they may
have the advice of the greatest author
. flies. and be started in the right way,
without faults that may always hamp-
er the development of their natural tall
ents.
The reply to this is that students of
music rarely go to Europe until they
have studied here and would never be
accepted as beginners by the fomous
persons they seek. So they are certain
to run the risk of acquiring faults
whether they begin here or in Europe,
and they will do quite as we'll in this
country as abroad. Nobody denies any
longer that there are good singing
teachers here, just as there are in Eu-
rope. And it is just as true that there
are fine teachers of the piano and the
violin. They are capable of develop
ing any talent that comes to them so
long as they have the intelligent coop
Grafton of the student. And that is as
true of Europe.
Look at the number of American girls
with beautiful voices who go to study
with Nine. Marchesi in Paris and then
drop out of sight entirely. Nine. Mar
chest is the most famous teacher of
singing to-day, and she never acquired
her reputation by accident. But she
cannot make singer out of woman
who has not the necessary musical in
telligence.
She can give her all the benefit of her
great knowledge and experience, but
she cannot make her utilize them.
That is the quality that decides wheth-
er or not the woman is to rise above
her colleagues.
In the case of violinists, the same
conditions exist. There come back here
every year pupils Of Cesar Thomson,
Sauret and Ysaye. There can be no
criticism of their masters. But how
many of those who study under them
reveal anything that could not have
been acquired here? How many pupils
fo Leschetisk learn from him any dis
tinguishing quality that compensates
for the time and money spent in study
ing under him In Vienna?
But that does not prove that he is
any less great as a teacher than he is
supposed to be. 1t proves merely that
there was no talent in the pupil requir-
ing the cultivation of such a teacher.
If European teachers would tell the
truth, nine out of ten would tell the
American pupils who come to them
that they could learn as much as they
needed at home.
Once when an American artist re-
turned from Paris he said it was full Of
art students from this country who
wandered through the Louvre CRITICS.
ing the paintings or declaring how
worthless the exhibition of the salon
was. All the time their relatives at
home were saving in order to send
them money.
Several years ago season of opera
In English was given here by a compa-
ny that included a. number of young
Americans who had studied. in Paris
They were especially amusing to the
persons that heard them criticising adj
versely the great singers of the foreign
company, who are recognized over the
whole world.
This point of view is one of the most
noticeable results of European study.
1t shows that the musicians have alb
sorbed the "tamosphere" that they go
abroad to seek. Talk to an aspiring pi-
anist or singer for an hour, tell him
that he can learn just as much here
and finally convince him that there is
no reason why he should waste time
and money in going abroad. He will
probably admit the truth of all the ar
gument and then declare that what he
wants is the artistic atmosphere of
European cities. 1t has generally been
noticed that the students who acquire
/ a.. Of n{f