Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1903-12-12
Requirements for the Sue
cessfral Study of Music ~ "
BY PROF. RICHARD ARNOLD,
vace-prcsiecnt New york pai1har.ronic Society.

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III @A TIA HERE is no reason why ambitious American
N eMTyZ Ha girls should go to Europe to study music. We
IA IN have as good or better teachers in America. We
m @Ea have the musical atmosphere in our great cities
8 III We have the temperament. We have the concerts,
SHHMEN8MgyRNgHM the singers, the performers. There is no great
sYssS SSEssbN artist in the world but sometimes comes to Amer
8 RNHHsNMWA A Our American girls are right in their desire
ri KsNT@MNsSWY ia to become great musicians. They are the finest
III sgNMSgIXk&sa Ia specimens OF womanhood in the world. They are
n EESa8&asa al all around the brightest women, the most lovely,
b MAYIsINMNSA al the most intelligent.
III EfblIEUNIEas Ia Given the ordinary common school education,
n I~lRfISIiNNF 81 with the finishing influences of a high school,
nj MsEIRtllNN IN where boys and girls are taught Anericanism and
SAEaa2aaaalxa1 classic lore together, they are pretty well fitted
to commence the work of studying music in earnest.
The reasonwhy most girls and boys can study better in Paris, or
Berlin, or Rome, is because there are fewer distractions. They go
there knowing nothing about the country or the people. Perhaps
they do not know the language. They live as cheapy as. they can in
some pension, and go out daily to study or rehearse with their pro-
fessor. They take walks in the morning, perhaps, or ride into the
country to sketch. They have no friends to run in and interrupt
them. They have no social duties to perform.
So they give their whole time and attention to their work.
On the other hand, if they are studying here the home influences
distract their attention. I have hundreds OF pupils in New York who
have talent. They might accomplish grand things. Some OF them
will. Most OF them disappoint me. Not because they have not tai
ent, but because they do not give their undivided attention to music.
If they are New York girls, they live at home. Before they come to
me in the morning they have to help get breakfast for the family, or
run errands for their mamma. Perhaps they are more fortunate, and
do not do any house workout have social duties. There is a party
up on Fifth avenue tonight. A round dozen OF my girls will be ex-
pected by their fond mammas to shine at that function. They have
had to shop to get ready for it. All day to-day they have planned
their costumes. Tonight they will sit up till midnight.
Tomorrow morning they will stay in bed till noon. They will
not be fit to study any for the rest of the day. They will drop be-
hind in their practice. They are ambitious and full of hope. Their
mothers and fathers want them to shine as artists. But they will
not rank with the poor girl from the country who is eking out a poor
living on the money she has saved to study music in New York. She
is living in a house, in a six by nine room. She has no
social duties. lNos1nother calls her away to run down to Twenty
third street to shop. She has her whole time. She will succeed.
For the girl with a good voice, or a love and talent for the piano,
there is no better place in the world to study than New York city.
Here we have everything that is necessary. We have the finest nu-
sicians. The most excellent instruments. The societies that encour-
age and aid. Music is patronized here, too. The people of New York
are fond of music. It is the second German city in the world, and the
Germans are all music lovers.
The cost ofiying in New York is great-if one wants to make it
So 1t is an art to live cheap here. But it can be done. For the
poor girl or. boy who is bound to get on in the study of his chosen
branch of music, it is better than Paris or Rome, because here there
is always employment of some sort for the person who is anxious to
work. / have known girls to work as house servants and continue
their study, earning their living and tuition fees.
There are a fewthings that the student of music should make up
his mind to. He must make music his one aim. 1t must be king.
There can be no side lights. No fads. He must live rightly. Keep
the heart pure, the head clear, the body sound. Upon the strength
and purity of the blood depends a great deal. Upon the general
health Of the student depends everything. And, having health and
talent, one other thing is necessary to become great. A clean and
upright heart. To get soul and spirituality into your singing or play
ing, you must have a healthy and hearty soul to begin with. Music
should be the religion of the student. With a little natural talent,
great pluck, willingness to sacrifice amusements, and work hard, Paris
and Rome can be cut out and America substituted, and still success
assured.
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