Omaha daily bee., 1914-10-11

WniCh nave been written about
music, and musical subjects. a
new one has recently been ad-
IdLNINI ded in Great Pianists on
- Piano Playing" by James
Francis Cooke. Theodore Presser COM
pany. PHILADELPHIA
This is a series OF personal educational
conferences with renowned masters OF
the keyboard, presenting the most modern
ideas upon the subject of technic. inter
probation, style and expression. Its read
ing was intensely interesting to the
writer, and pianists especially will not
find a dull passage in the entire book.
The artists interviewed are Pepito Arri-
ola wonder child, wilhelm Bachous.
Harold Bauer. Fannie Bloomfield Zeisler
Ferruccio Busoni, Theresa Carreno. os-
sip Gabrilowitch. Leopold Godowsky
Katharine Goodson. Josef Hofmann, Josef
Lhevinne, Vladimir de Pachmann, Max
Pauer, s. V. Raohmaninoff, A. Reisen-
auer, Emil Sauer, Xavier Scharwcnka
Ernest Schelling and Sigismund StoJow-
ski. Upon looking over the list we find
artists from practically all nationalities,
and those who rank the highest in their
profession.
An Introductory chapter upon the Ar
lists Life" tries to present It impartlally
as it really is, touches upon the different
types of persons who have been success
full as virtuosos. and discourses at length
upon the elusive something called magne-
tism. 1t mentions the greatest thing in an
artists life, a rather extraordinary thing,
by the way, II is so seldom done WELL
This thing is word of four letters called
work. An entertaining chapter is devoted
to whether pianists are born or made. In
this, Mr. Cooke gives an estimate OF the
financial cost of preparation for a virtu-
oso'S career, which. although conserve
tive, amounts to 1885, After this follows
a brief discussion of the general cost OF
legitimate publicity for the virtuoso, and
other matters of the sort, which are re-
uulred to bring him before the public.
Lack OF space prevents a brief review OF
each chapter devoted to each artist. Per-
sonally. we found the ones by Wilhelm
Bachous, Nine. Decentralization Cod
owsky, Carreno. Josef Lhevinne, Reisen-
auer. Busoni. Katherine Goodson. and last
but not least Vladimir de Pachmann ex-
ceptionally interesting. ... .... .....
Through all OF them runs the same
story of careful, conscientious, accurate
work. Each has his or her own opinion
about different details (perhaps that is
one reason why they are great artists).
but there is one author who is mentioned
by almost all OF them for technic, finish,
style, ear-training. and general broaden
ing and development, and that is-whom
do you suppose? Nobody but that stale
old Bach that your next to the last
teacher insisted upon your studying to
such an extent that you decided to change
teachers. Now. IL the greatest artists and
teachers of this day and age in the world
found the most value in the works of this
great master, II one of Polish origin,
one OF German, one of Russian, and an
other of English, all without knowing
that the others had said anything about
It. should mention exactly the same COM
poser's works, does It not look very much
as II it would be a good thing for all of
us to study little more seriously and
carefully these same compositions?
b
Many OF these celebrated ones discuss
methods. and the general consensus Of
opinion here is that students should not
pin their faith to methods. The method
should differ with the different pupils, and
Madame Bloomfield Zeisler lays down ten
rules for the success of the would-be
successful artist. Those discussing
methods in particular are Madame Bloom