The sun., 1902-12-21
4 Remarkable Collection of studtes !
Piano Technics.

| ~
Piano Technics.
When that great artist Of the plano
Rafael Joseify voluntarily abandoned a
public career which brought him fsnatical
admirers and fame in abundance, the
reason must have been a powerful one
Mr.. JoselYy, with q self-abnegation that
his late illustrious master. Carl Tausig
would have admired. has been devoting z
his enforced exile from the concert room
to a profound consideration Of technical
problems He is now become Rafael
JosefYy. Peda9ogue, and the first fruit OF
his arduous labors II embodied in -The
School Of Advanced Piano Playing ISSUED
by the Schirmers).
Every practical teacher Of the piano.
forte knows that technical exercises are
a the -unnumbered sands Of the sea. And
a. the years sift the legions Of this litera-
tute, two or three. or at the utmost hall
dozen, systems survive the salutary test
Of time. Tausig Is one; but his daily
studies were not happily edited by Helm
rich Ehrlich; they sadly lack logical ar.
rsngement Besides. these studies are too
difYacult: they belong to a species OF tran.
scendental acrostics. digital puzzles. that
are not adapted 10 the normal hand.
.Isiior Philippe work in this field has
been largely a collation. OF other mems =
ideas; his proceeding is to collect difficult
passage specimens from standard CON-
positions and place them under suitable
captions II In an excellent editorial
scheme. And then there il Louis Plaidy
sound old-fashioned Plaidy. who keeps
we'll within well-defned boundaries. For
obvious reasons the methods OF Lebert
and Stark and others need not be dwell,
upon; they are tediously bulky and time.
devouring in their int6lerable lengths
The Brahms daily studies are mainly de.
voted TO the building up Of . specific Brahms
technique. So are, each in their way, the
multitude Of special studies. some fashioned
to display the inherent viciousness Of sheer
virtuosity; some written to order; Others
mere experimenting in speed and dis.
pl,3 nav Jo,~nv .,.rc,.e, ar. no, :,
be compressed within these categories
For the normal hand they are conceived
for the development OF a normal piano
forte technique: hest Of ell, they are time
saving to remarkable degree. Students
hours wasted through many years in the
pursuit OF finger facility. Strangely enough
4 was frst Chopin and Taussig later who
pointed out the way TO economy Of time
and muscular movements; for muscular
| exercises there must be-no amount OF
devices, mechanical or otherwise, can do
away, with the necessity Of severe finger
and wrist drill. There is no FOOLS para
| disc on the stony slopes OF ParnaBsus!
But this task may be 40 ordered that
with strenuous mental application one-hali
| the time spent in dull souless practice
| will be saved. Mr.. Josefy shows the way
| in his. exerciees, the outcome Of a life's
| experience and devotion TO All ideal, Every
| form OF movement from single finger stroke
| TO skips, from double notes to stretches, /,
worked out unerringly. The thumb--tha,
| strategic position In scale playtne-is
| separstsly treated. The double-note prop.
lem 10 carefully considered-it is much
neglected in the Tausig method. But why
enumerated Practical tests have con.
WINGED us that here at least is the long.
desired Vdde Msetm Of pianoforte tech.
MICS And while It is not for beginners
gio forms will find In this work invaluable
aids to perfection. 1t Ia with constant ly
renewed admiration and gratitude tina,
we study the novel, ingenious, though
ever normal treatment Of trills, octaves
! repeated notes and chords. The wris
here IL transformed into the true hero o.
the arm. And those who recall the exqu
Joseny's playing will find in this volum,
its chief source-the elastic use OF the wris
in every form Of finger and forearm attack
I,Rhythns, too; are made to enact an impor
tant roie throughout. Brain power as on
posed to senselees repetition pervades ever,
exercise. and q searching analysis Of fnge
weakness hes essa nsroilessly made