The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1904-01-20

! THE MUSICAL CORNER ;
CONDUCTED BY l.. A. THOMPSON, Z
Violin Maker and Teacher. y

We have now entered upon the second
term of the musical season of 1903 /
The first term beginning the first OF
September and ending the last of De
cember is past. Teacher and student
alike before entering upon the musical
work of the second term should look
| back over the work and try to consider
| what has been accomplished in the last
term; what progress has been made.
| The first term is generally preliminary,
especially with young students and to
some extent with older ones. In re-
viewing the past it would be- we'll to ask
ourselves have we made progress? Have
we been energetic! Have we really en-
tered upon the work with the intention
of accomplishing much? If this is
the ease it is well. We can easily Judge
of this by the rcslts In entering upon
the second or winter term we shiuld
start with renewed energy and a de
termination to do more work and a
closer application to study, for in truth
the next three months are the real work
ing months of the musical season.
The last three months. April, May and
part of June will be devoted partly TO
reviewing and polishing that which has
been gone over during the winter term
So what has been accomplished in this
middle term is the bulk of the work of
the musical season. The student whose
work is particularly a strain on con.
centration and attention, who has not
acquired endurance and the power to
keep on at work even though it be tax
ing, especially when progress seems slow
and uncertain, need an impulse to now
eXcrtion and this impulse. must come
! from outside influence The teacher
give, il sometimes and every teacher
should be on the watch for these periods
of tagging and depression to which the
student it liable There is Il delight in
teaching and imparting knowledge to
others. In helping pupils to a broader
view of the possibilities of music, study
and music life. hut it is well to stand by
young student, and steady them at
critical times by helping them to avoid
mistakes. | once had a pupil twelve
| years old and very bright in talent, but
nervor. and eXctable. His greatest
fault was wanting to play too fast, the
result being many mistakes The way
l succeeded in rcmedying this was that
| | worked with him two hours on this
system: ! had him play over the piece
and | marked the mistakes on dupli.
cate copy. The first time playing it he
made twelve mistakes. | showed him
this and had him play it again, when
he made ten mistakes. The third time
he made nine, the fourth time seven
the fifth time five, the sixth time four
Then | left him to himself to try to
when | went back two days later he
played it with one mistake. / have
practiccd the plan on a number of occa
sions and found it worked Well This
method / find is a help to the cultiva-
tion of the eye as well as the ear. and
also impresses the student with the idea
of the necessity of more carefuness in
technic and reading. Another method
| have found to be advantageous as
well a. good policy with some students
and that is when the lesson is of the du-
ration of one hour, Is to relieve the
strain by talking to the student getting
his mind. off the lesson for few min.
utes, by explaining about the different
keys and other principals of music that
will be amusing to him This gives him
a sort rest, besides benefit in theory
Development for musician includes
more than gain In musical knowledge
and in executive skill 1t demands
growth in all the qualities that make
true strong. useful manhood and wo-
manhood But there is one thing that
must he considered and Is imperative
and that is that studnets must wake
up and find where they stand and, what
there is to be done. and then go at il
with a soul and a viii, ror without
this element failure is inevitable.
+. A. T.
The secret of all successful study i.