The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1915-05-16
SPEAKS ON MUSIC
STANDARDIZATION
BY MRS. a. r.. sTovALL
of Oklahoma, Miss. Address Delivered
Before mississippi Music Teachers,
Association at Neridfnn

! hefore Mis<isslpp Music Teacher re-
Association at Meridian
President of the Association. Mem
ers of the Association, Ladies arr
| Gentlemen-H Having been actively en-
Gagged in teaching the Godowsky nro
| eressivr series for two years, that is
| since the text was first from the press
| feel confident We now have a happy
and effective medium through which
Standardization may be attained. When
l say Il feel a smile of eeotisn
mingled with the ridiculous passes over
me. When such connolsseurs as Ernest
r. Kroeger. Wilson @. Smith, Sam Ea-
hian. Albino Gorno and Arnold j. CAN'T
WORT say it is a boon to the teach
Jig profession then why should we
CT little moment presume? Still we al
ways have-and that is sufficient rca-
son for the American born, and Mis-
sissippians are not exempt from their
Inheritance of the American audacity.
Now closely considering the subject
regarding the text material IT is net
an uninterestins, bulky mass as might
appear to the casual observer but it
is an open sesame into an easily Ii
gested realm of art. Each phase and
step of progress proving more aascin-
Iiing than the preceding. When sc
realize that true culture means
knowing and loving the best that has
been said and done in the world we
are cognizant of the fact that N
adopting the compilation of the great
masters by such artists and pedagognes
as Messrs Leopold Godowsky, knil
Sauer, friedrich Lillbrioge and the tie
Or. w s. b. Mathews ito which staff
have been recently added the illus
trious personages. Josef Hoffman ard
Edgar Stillman Kelly. composer of the
first and only truly American SYM
nhony yet writter). we can feel as
sured that we are making no mistake
IN selecting our basis for "standardiza-
tlon of music" in our southland STATE.
mississippi. Indeed the road that was
ugged to the goal of success seems.
now to vanish and we travel onwerd.
upward, through the vista made clear
BIZ those to whom the muses. have sung
IN an unmistakable language, which
tells so audibly of the power behind
the throne waited on the ethereal
und- waves to the delicately pulsating
vibration of the master mind Shall
We as music teachers of Mississippi
not lend a hand?" This would put us
On the music map as doing something
worth While. Why should the teach
ers of Mississippi be laggards and con-
tent with that mode of teaching which
REQUIRES the least fatigue and secures
the minirnCm results? Personally must
admit, that | am becoming musically
skeptical Was | trying ardently to
nnpart. more ardentIy to require that
of pupils which meant only a vast
amount of time futilly consumed in
order to secure control when only the
che sense, the aural. was to be salts
lied? Why not strike the key with
two fingers instead of one, or Why
curve the finger or elevate ami de-
rress the wrist-why any previous
preparation to difficult passage? If
You could secure tone and pamrer
tte aural organ by striking the keys
with straight fingers, the nose or toes
or, better still, buy a Vlctrola an
Aeolian attachment or pianola and tell
Your pupils to listen This would be
delightful and educational Very
true but, my friends. is 1t teaching?
Are we fulfilling the basic principle Of
truth entrusted to our keeping? When
ne have labored assiduously to mas
ter the L.eschetizky position of ele-
waited knuckles and depressed wrist
and are taught that the flat back Of
he hand is "amateurish" and some
equally great authority either OF to-
day or Yesterday contradicts this, what
ire we to do, merely accord it all d
fad which is as whimsical as the STYLES
Of the seasons? No. Art means progress.
Standardization is progress THEREFOR
let us standardlze that which is .ae
greatest uplift, solves the most intri-
cate problems, thereby disolves skep-
,icism by establishing truth The
above discussion, as YOU must under
stand Is in the general acceptaton
Of the meaning, termed "technic." This
we have all heard about teyen in Mis-
sissippD Now to clear up this oft
d sputed problem: lis'en.ln 1S2S-1S3n
, DeIpe, realizing the Importance of Sc
curing better pianistic results, made
many scientific Developments OF the
hand positions. Even some of these
lave been refuted by some but while
we hearken to the above discussions
MIR Godowsky answers by telling us
all these accepted ositions are only
relative" Does this not come as
roses after raia?' Again. techliic is
psychological; the power of mind over
the playing apparatus a. e., finscrs,
knucSles, hands, upper and forearm
and shoulderl. In fact. all muscles from
the 'crown of the head to the sole of
the feet must be in a responsive (re-
laxed) condition. free 10 be called upon
to portray any emotion of the heart of
TIE interpreter This ability requires
cultural control thereby the brain Of
the listener becomes quic kened throaen
his sense of sight instead of. as nrst
conceived, through his sense of hear
iag therefore the adequate necessity
of careful and systematized study
A few words upon the, unit basis in
our public and state schools. BY sc-
quiesciig with Nebraska, Ohio, Mime