Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1906-10-13


in order the pupil gets a postcard that
reads something like this, IN German,
however: Your lesson with the pro-
fessor Will be next Thursday at l 80.
OF course between the reception OF
this card and the fateful Thursday the
pupil usually puts IN his time between
sleepless nights and minor fits Of ner-
vous prostra ton. I'm anticipation OF the
coming event. This condition as a rule
terminates In a sickening giddiness and
general unfitness that come over him
Just as he turns into the Kari Ludwig
Strasse and approaches the unpreten.
tious porticoed doorway.
STORIES OF THE GREAT TEACHER
A minute or two on the doorstep in
which TO quiet as much as possible the
heart -thumpings that are beating
against the ribs, a pull at the bell wire
and the door Is opened by the comcy
Leopold, who Is prime minister Of the
promises. lie is all politeness and cour-
tesy, while he shows you into the large
front room and assures you the pro-
fessor will be ready I'm few moments.
A large double door connects this
front room with the plano or music
room IN which the professor does most
Of his teaching. And as a rule while
waiting for a lesson you have the BEN
eft of hearing your predecessor at the
plano get the shaking-up you know il
coming to you afterward, as the large
doors are nearly always open. This
doesn't tend TO reassure you In the
least.
Several stories are told OF how tho
professor talks to his pupils when CIV
Ing lesson, only one or two OF which
come TO me at this time. think they
must be told as stories, however. and
not as facts, Experience has certainly
not tended 10 confirm their severity.
The following are samples of such:
on one occasion a new pupil II say
new pupil because no old pupil would
have vontured 10 do such a thing) pre-
scented himself for lesson, and when
told to begin started with the Chopin
Z minor concerto. The professor lis
tened quietly TIL the first movement
was about half finished. then told the
young man to stop. and went TO the
door and called Leopold. When Leo
pold came in he turned TO the young
man and said, Leopold Is my servant,
ne has never played note on the
piano nor studied music OF any sort or
description, but l Will wager you he
can play that concerto thousand
times better than you. Don't come
back again till you know your capabil-
tiles better"
Another story Is 10 the effect that
the professor, having listened to a pupil
play Beethoven Sonata went down on
his knees in the attitude of prayer be-
fore a bust OF Beethoven and softly
murmured, "Oh master forgive this
Imagine that pupils feelings.
Such thoughts pass through the mind
% H. A. o.. 4.
of which is not at all conducive to
condition OF the ease and assurance,
so necessary.
Carefully are the joints in the PAM
eled ceiling regarded, and the pattern
OF the wallpaper Analysed, the beauti-
ful china PLAQUES examined and even
the carvings OF the furniture come In
for their share of close inspection in
the hopo OF removing the mind from
that which Is about To happen In the
immediate future. and of becoming cool.
calm and collected. But in truth II
all ayaileth nothing, for every few mo-
ments the wandering thoughts are
brought to the matter In hand by some
not very reassurng word from the adj
Joining room.
IN THE TEACHERS ROOM.
The time spent IN waiting is really the
worst part OF lesson with Leschetlzky.
II is pretty safe to say the majority
of pupils feel this way though perhaps
not all.
The room OF the professor is a very
long and large one, but Is so crowded
with beautiful things in the way OF por-
trait busts OF great musicians, oil paint
lngs, carpets and beautiful hangings.
that IL appears much smaller room
than Il really is And the space over
head seems to be all taken up by two
elaborate candle chandeliers which look
like they might have stepped over
from Schonbrunn palace. A glance
through the windows reveals pretty
garden AT the rear OF the house, into
which flight OF steps descends from
the door OF the music room.
In one end OF the room the two grand
pianos are placed side by side running
the long way OF the studio. so that when
seated the player being at the extreme
end has the whole room In his vision:
Il fact not little disconcerting to many
performers when the studio IL filled
with a critical audience on n class eve
mig.
When giving a lesson, Prof. Les
chetizky usually sits at the plano on
the right from where the pupil Mt
the other piano receives his sugges-
tons and explanations
One must not go with the idea OF