The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-09-18

and therefore needs individual treat
ment. There is no one process guaran-
teed to turn out n piano player. Pa
derewski might be given as an example
of one of the worlds greatest artists
who In spite of his great genius did NO.
md class teaching adequate. lie u
graduated and took the first prize at the
Warsaw Conservatory and yet found 1t
necessary afterward TO knuckle down to
hard work with l.eschetizky. .
Class teaching has been the weakness
OF all conservatorics Music has been
taught i'm too wholesale a manner. and
all students put through the same mill
in too mechanical a process often with
fine technical equipment, but utterly
lacking the personal note, the self-ex-
preston without which technical prof.
cheney becomes a bore.
WHY should co~nServatories be such
mammoth affairs, where students are
taught in droves and herded together in
classes?
The ideal conservatory should nos
contain more students than could be
easily graded under an efficient faculty,
where each pupil could be given at leas;
two forty minute private lessons a
week.
In this way the talent of the pupil
can be evolved, according to his or her
individual equipment, and the gifted
ones reach the goal much quicker. Also
honesty in rating talent should be a
matter OF course. The survival Of the
.t,,st should be insisted upon. thus rails
ing the standards and reducing the enor-
nous per cent. of mediocre musicians.
There is a high degree of musical
talent in the States. our girls board
ing schools are filled with embryo
musicians with real native talent. But
these schools treat music as a side issue.
Professional standards are cried down
ana there is a great deal OF nonsense
talked about not making too much of
The technical side. the chief aim being.
as they are wont 10 say. to tit girls to
make music in the home" thus Great
Ing false standards and poor concep-
tons Of the best composers.
] would recommend one OF our me-
%chaniCai pianos or n photograph as an
educator in the home rather than one OF
our boarding school graduates who has
no knowledge of the production Of tone
or the mechanical equipment necessary
TO interpret the great masters. Tech
meal proficiency must be back of must
cal ability, otherwise ones soul may
burn with music. but the avenues to
expression and demonstration will re-
main closed.
Our boarding schools should have an
bAtludA' department OF music on pro-
l~esS,ondl lines. There is but one royal
road TO fine production. There is not
one method OF training for the profess
sional and another for the amateur. I
am far from advocating the stage for
every talented student. n out of a
thousand is fitted for such a career. But
l advocate proficiency and perfection in
any work attempted. In other words.
the professional standard should be also
the standard for the home.
Many of our schools seem hypnotized
with the strife for quantity. Their
students are given ten, hfteen maior
subjects to attack. digest and finish.
they are graduated, turned loose in the
world, their education finished" their
lives to face, and no equipment.
Do we often find trained minds among
our school graduates? Minds trained t.
respond quickly To serve their owners
at call. working. balanced. accurate ma
chimes?
The lack of this kind of a mind in
girls is usually ascribed to their sex.
we are becoming more enlightened OF
late years.
From observation ! would say that
the ordinary girls mind is overtaxed and
overfatigued by the tumble OF subjects
she is given to study. And that exact
ness and mastery of the subjects she
takes up are not generally REQUIRED
she swallows masses Of facts and at
examinations she unburdens herself OF
them. The instrument itself-that fine,
pliable, responsive instrument. the
human mind-gets no real training at
all.
There Is no possibility of training the
mind unless positive results can be OBJ
tanned. For this reason an art with a
mechanical foundation Is a splendid
means Of educating the mind. Each step
is the result of a voluntary thought, and
as II volve itself and becomes more
complicated the interest grows. 1t Is ex-
citing TO watch principles develop, to
feel the channels of expression within
yourself growing wider. more perfect.
II is a marvellous developer of mind and
character, Should any one doubt this
! can only ask him to watch the process
for himself. 1t develops accuracy and
self-control. The co%ordinatIng faculties
get special training. and 1t p~erfects to a
degree the analytical powers.
To interpret a musical composition,
however small, to a few people even re-
quires perfect mental control n polse.
|, good memory perfect command over
tone, phrasing. tempo, rhythm and dyna-
mi~s.
Can this fail to develop the mental
efficiency?
our music students should be made "a
do this, holding always the highest pro-
fess!onal standards in view. To lower
the standard Is TO lower the whole atti-
tude toward lifc.
There should be a consistent attitude
toward art in our general schools as
we'll as In u Conservatives. The
standard should pc thai nothing should
be attempted in music unless the studeni
is prepared 10 strive for the perfection
OF the artist. They may not be able
always to cover a broad field, but fine
workmanship, accuracy and the perfect
production should be kept always before
them. Fewer might attempt 1t, but we
should gain in quality, not only in ono
thing but in our whole standard of living
American music schools established or
such a basis are bound TO supersede tn,
European institutions OF the kind. And
, hat day. which ! hope Is close at hand
, will witness the appearance OF the first
full fedged artists upon our concerI
a stage who can be said in the present
; day language to be made in America
Boat Employees to Beneat.