New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-10-11

be endowed with that most important
of all requisites Of teaching namely,
with an unlimited amount Of sympathy
and Of understanding.
An important factor for the teacher
is not only TO recognize and 10 develop
the strong points i'm his pupil, but also
to understand and TO bring to a better
development the pupils weak points.
In Interpretation, stress must be laid
upon the value of pauSes. which are as
full Of meaning as is the music itself.
A pause gives the mind Just enough
time to grasp what went before and
prepares 1t artistically for what fol-
lows. Those who have done the best
work for the drama and for literature
have understood and have given the
proper place 10 pauscs. In literature,
perhaps, no one understands better the
subtlety Of pauses than does Henry
James.
There must be no unnecessary move
inert; no waste Of energy This will
give TIE player poise. 50 necessary in
every art. Pupils should always begin
by practising slowly; the faster tempo
will develop SubconsciouSly. This does
not mean that the pupil must never
practise in fast tempo: but that only
after piece has been thoroughly stud
mark has been observed, and only after
all of the phrasing. lingering and ac-
cents have been mastered. can the piece
he played in its proper tempo. Fur
thermorc, it should be played several
times in succession. In this way the
pupil will gain much, IN endurance and
in facility. These remarks apply espe-
cially to technical pieces.
Although the rules above outlined
Will prove 10 be of use generally, there
are many deviation;. There cannot be
one method Of technique. for the
teacher must needs study the individ-
ual case. and so one finds that long
fingers must be rounded: whereas
short fingers d" MOI reed this. While
most hands relax when the wrist is
held lower than the hand. there are
some small hands which seem TO relax
more while the hand * in stretched
position, with ;hc high wrist, so the
technique advised must III the indi-
vidJal player. Among the very best
piano players there are come who add
vocate only the high wrist: another
who plays wonderfully advocates the
low wrist in all passage work; another
vlrtuoso advises his pupils 20 raise the
fingers as high as possible. while some
teachers advise hardly raising the fin
gers AT all. An eminent man abroad,
in explaining technical movements in
piano playing. ikcns them 20 the mo-
ton of walking in life. He advises
weight playing. and. as in correct walk
ing. the weight Of the body is slightly
in advance Of the ball of the foot, so.
m proper playing Of the piano. the
weight Of The arm should be IN the tip
Of the finger. and should be transferred
from one finger 10 another the weight
of the arm and shoulder always being
the same.
Much time is wasted in trying to
develop the fingers equally; this, nat
ure never intended; wears Of strength
cning the fourth finger would never
give TO It the natural power of the
thumb. even when unframed. On the
other hand, il takes years of training
to make the thumb as delicate as the
other fingers and TO give to il the
same plabiity and sensibility as these
have.
Dr. Waldemar Schnec, a very emf
nent mechanic erapeutiSt. of Berlin,
Germany has invented "A system where
by he improves and strengthens the
hand of players Of strnged inStru-
mcnts. even away from the instrument
Dr. Schnec dccompishcs this by means
of series of passive and resistive ex-
,rciSes Such men of note as Lhevinne,
Godowsky and Scharwenka are familiar
with, and approve Of, DR.. Sciences
method.