The Washington herald., 1916-01-22

When the girl entered she showed at once that she
was quite unspoiled. In her manner there was q
delightful youthfulness and simplicity.
At the suggestion of her father, she walked di-
rectiy to the piano and began to play Like light
ming those long girlish fingers flew over the keys
1t was startling to hear the difficult Scherzo Of
Chopin. interpreted with the breadth and the power
of man. At the close we all burst into applause
We realized that we were witnessing remarkable
exhibition.
The Scherzo was followed by several other
pieces, for the most part heavy works, all played
with brilliancy and vigor. Then some one said:
"Do you play the Minuet of Mozart?" The girl
shook her head. 81 have never learned it." she
replied. Then her father spoke up: "My younger
daughter plays that piece" he said, with charm
ing smile at is very simple" He evidently re-
garded it as too simple for the more advanced per-
former
Soon the girl was launched another piece
presenting tremendous difficulties. all of which
she mastered with apparent Later, at our
request, she played some of the lighter works OF
Grieg original and graceful and full Of feeling
Then | saw that, besides being technician, she
was born artist, and | wondered why she had
been encouraged to devote herself so largely to
heavy work I decided that it must be because
of the chance it gave her to show her command of
the piano, her skill with her fingers. her ability to
overcome difficulties of Interpretation that, to me,
seemed almost superhuman.
Since that evening have thought great deal
about that girl and about music in general. 1t
seems to me a pity that in her case, so much
should be made of technique at the expense OF
music for the sake of music Perhaps, however
at this stage of her career, she is doing just what
she ought to do. Her teacher with his long ex-
pcrience is doubtless wiser than could possibly
be, with no experience at all. And yet, what she
does can be thoroughly enjoyed only by the skilled
musician; and even his enjoyment is less that Of
the artist than OF the observer of feat. Wonder
full as her technical ability is. it is far less wonder
full than the genius required for interpreting, as
she does the soul of music.
In the heavy work of the great masters there
lis, to the unframed car at any rate, often more
ingenuity and agility than soul. 1t is if the
master had lent himself to conspiracy to show
how hard he could make his work and what a
technical perfection. In other words he has seem
ed to work less for music than for the technical
musician. And the technical musician has eagerly
co-operated In this regard the work of Pade-
rewski has not been altogether wholesome. He has
thrilled his audiences, not so much with beauty of
sound as with pyrotechnics of dexterity. He has
and spirit behind it, to be sure but with agility Of
the fingers as its most thrilling quality.
In listening to music we ought not to think Of
technique at all. When watch the fingers OF a
pianist and admire their swift obedience to the
hrat tt,aS,r
our enjoyment OF music, that introduces distrac
ton. What is vital in music is not the notes but
what the notes ought to express. Where they are
introduced for their own sake they have little JUS
tihcation When music is perfectly interpreted, we
ought not to thing of the notes. We ought to give
ourselves up to the inspiration of it and to the
pure enjoyment. Here we find great justifca-
ton of the public attitude toward music, an atti
tude that many professional musicians do not un-
dcrstand or appreciate. 1t is very easy for the
professional musician to lose sight Of the real
meaning of music, and to become biased and dis
eorted to miss in a large measure the deeper sig
nihcancc.
As that young girl develops into the great artist
that she is destined to be, it is quite likely that
she will become comparatively Indifferent to tech
nique In her work it will take its properly sub
ordinate place. 1t will be, not in control, but at
her service, like second nature 1t is not possible
that she will then hnd herself caring less for the
pyrotechnical pieces, and going back to the more
simple works that have succeeded in reaching the
heart OF the people!
In listening to the great works written for the
piano | often feel as | do in reading the master
pieces of literature | regret that they have been
made so difficult as to crowd out the multitude
from full appreciation, in some cases, from any
appreciation at all
Occasionally on the other hand feel little
suspicious of the claims to greatness So often
they are based on form rather than substance on
the inessential rather than the essential Perhaps
in rejecting them remaining Indifferent the
public shows wisdom that never wins professional
appreciation. There is doubt that in music,
muchsconfusion of thought prevails. The musician
that writes for other musicians like the writer
that writes for other writers, is almost certain to
After all, that music is best which comes
straight out of the heart and that, simply and
directly, appeals to the large heart of mankind
1t is only by keeping close to the feelings and
the aspirations of common humanity that real
greatness can be achieved. For this reason il is