The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1914-03-01
Should the American
Student Go Abroad !?

A revival of the long. existing con.
troversy as to the relative advantages
of music study at home and abroad by
those whose ambitions for profcs.
sional career dominate all other con
sideraiions. has OF late filled many
pages in the musical magazines of the
highest standing.
Expression has been given to many
opinions, largely conflicting opinions.
We have been told that it is danger
Gus for the young woman who dreams
abroad unless plentifully supplied with
money md possessing much strength
of character; also that the musical
atmosphere Of Europe is largely q
myth; also that many eminent Euro
pean teachers show favoritism. like.
wise unfairDess, encouraging those of
mediocre ability who have money to
pay extreme prices for lessons. md
neglecting others OF great talent whose
circumstances make student life a
struggle.
An unusually dispassionate and COM
Drchpnsivc review and ANALYSIS of the
question, by Harrictte Browcr. an an.
Jborjty Of note IN matters musical. ap.
pears in recent issue Of Musical
reresL TO every student of musical
progress;
Let us look the question fairly
in the eye and see what it is the
American student hopes TO find on
the other side We might briefly
cnumcratc the items as follows:
|. Better piano instruction. ?.
new language 3 New people. 4,
Opportunity 10 hear more music.
.. Personal freedom. 6. Musical
atmosphere.
in answer 10 all but perhaps the
last Of these | feel the American
student can find superior advan-
tages; up to certain point, IN
America
First and foremost is the matter
of instruction Can better teach
ers Of piano he found in Europe
than in America' Emphatically
no! We have Just as able instruc-
tors here, and they will take more
interest and pains. They are will
ing to work patiently with the pu-
pil, going down to The very foun
dation, and working up gradually
correcting faults, encouraging
and urging on the student TO bet
ter and better things.
There are some careful fouuda-
tional teachers in Europe, 1t IS
true. But does the young Ameri-
can student go to the expense of
crossing the ocean TO study with
these? No, indeed She starts
out with the idea of having les
sons with the greatest masters
only, men OF the highest fame and
accomplishment Does the fool
ish American think these artists
are going TO welcome hcr--in her
half crude state or Development
take a special interest in her, give
her a two-hour lesson instead Of
rp6,Icp he miro hpp1uSn che
may have some talent, or do any
Of the other things of which she
has dreamed!
She will soon learu the truth
The great artist may take her. If
she can pay his fee, run over a
few pieces with her, or he will pass
her on to one Of his assistants,
who may or may not teach his sys-
tenn as he would teach it. The
American finds out for the first
time that the artist IS fee is exor-
bitant beyond all reason-$20 or
$25 an hour-and the result is,
she may not he able 10 take more
than one lesson month. What real
good will sixty minutes month do
her, when she has almost every
thing to learn about piano PLAY
ing3 Perhaps she needed this ex-
perience to make her realize the
technic. Let us inform her there
are many good teachers in Amcri-
ca who can both tell her the truth
and who can also cure the trouble
by giving her a reliable technic.
Take our school point-a new
language. This idea OF novelty
may appeal to some, in the alb
stract; but if the student knows
no German whatever, she is great
" handicapped. IT'S not a matter
of "getting along III the pen,
sion, or "picking up enough to
do shopping and finding one Is way
about the city: it's a matter of
taking piano instruction in an un-
known tongue. Piano instruction
is difficult enough even in ones
language,
Is there anything. then. that
Europe can offer the American
girl who wishes to make the most
Of herself in music? Yes; ,Eu-
rope, and especially Germany. can
offer her-what? l almost hest
tate TO write the misunderstood
term-atmosphere. If there IS one
special thing TO absorb in Ger
many. rs the musical and poetic
atmosphere. The very air is full
of it. We know our Grimm fairy