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PIANO AND SONG. 
 
Piano and Song 
 
 HOW TO TEACH, HOW TO LEARN, 
 
 HOW TO FORM A JUDGMENT OF MUSICAl 
 PERFORMANCES. 
 
 Cvanslattli {torn tbe German 
 
 FRIEDRICH WIECK. 
 
 BOSTON: 
 
 OLIVER DITSON COMPANY. 
 
 KEWYOKK: CHICAGO: FHILA: koston: 
 
 e. H. DIM & Co, Lyon & Healy, f. E, Ditson & Co. lonn C. Haynes & Co. 
 
 Copyright, 1875, by IjOOKwood & Bbooki. 
 
TRANSLATOR'S PREFACE. 
 
 Friedrich Wieck, the author of the work a 
 translation of which is here offered to the public, 
 was during his long life a distinguished teacher 
 of music. He died in the autumn of 1873. He 
 was the father and teacher of the celebrated 
 pianist, Clara Wieck, now Fr. Dr. Clara Schu- 
 mann, widow of the renowned composer Robert 
 Schumann, who was also a pupil of Wieck. His 
 second daughter, Fraulein Marie Wieck, is well 
 known in Germany as an artistic performer on 
 the piano-forte. 
 
 I have translated this little book, with the belief 
 that a knowledge of the author's views will be no 
 less valuable in America than in his own country ; 
 and with the hope that it may find readers who 
 will be glad to receive the suggestions of so expe- 
 rienced a teacher. 
 
 In illustration of his method, in addition to the 
 two Etudes, already published by F. Whistling, 
 Leipzig, a number of piano exercises, &c., selected 
 
vi Translator's Preface. 
 
 from the literary remains of Wieck, by his daugh- 
 ter Marie Wieck and his pupil Louis Grosse, are, 
 it is said, about to be published. 
 
 I have omitted in the translation a few portions 
 on the composition and management of the opera, 
 on the giving of concerts, and on the construction 
 of the piano, thinking that they would be of little 
 interest or practical value to the general public. 
 
 Mary P. Nichols. 
 
PREFACE TO THE FIRST EDITION. 
 
 I HERE present to the musical public a book 
 written in a style of my own, not a scientific and 
 systematically well-arranged treatise. This no 
 reaspnable man would expect of an old music- 
 master, who, in his long practice in the realm of 
 tones, could not arrive at learned and too often 
 fruitless deductions. Nature made me susceptible 
 to that which is good and beautiful ; a correct 
 instinct and a tolerable understanding have taught 
 me to avoid the false and the vicious ; a desire 
 for increased knowledge has led me to observe 
 carefully whatever I met with in my path in life ; 
 and I may say, without hesitation, that I have 
 endeavored, according to my ability, to fill the po- 
 sition to which I have been called. This is no 
 vain boast, but only the justifiable assertion of a 
 good conscience; and this no man needs to with- 
 hold. For these reasons, I have been unwilling to 
 refrain from giving to the world a true expression 
 of my opinions and feelings. I trust they will 
 
viii Preface to the First Edition. 
 
 meet with a few sympathizing spirits who are 
 willing to understand my aims ; but I shall be still 
 more happy if, here and there, a music-teacher 
 will adopt the views here set forth, at the same 
 time carefully and thoughtfully supplying many 
 things which it did not enter into my plan to 
 explain more in detail. Abundant material lay 
 spread out before me, and even increased upon my 
 hands while I was writing. Art is indeed so com- 
 prehensive, and every thirig in life is so closely con- 
 nected with it, that whoever loves and fosters it 
 will daily find in it new sources of enjoyment and 
 new incitements to study. The most experienced 
 teacher of art must be a constant learner. 
 
 I have always held and still hold the opinions 
 advanced in this work, and I have neglected no 
 opportunity to impress them upon my pupils. 
 
 I may be allowed to mention here, with some 
 satisfaction, my daughters Clara and Marie ; and, 
 among numerous other pupils, I speak with equal 
 pleasure of the estimable Herr Waldemar Heller, 
 of Dresden, and Prof. E. F. Wenzel, of Leipzig. 
 I have always enjoyed their affection and gratitude, 
 and I feel a pride that they continue to defend and 
 to teach the principles which they have received 
 from me. 
 
 This is not the first time that I have appeared 
 as an author. The " Signale f iir die musikalische 
 
Preface to the First Edition. ix 
 
 Welt," as well as the " Neue Zeitschrift fiir Musik," 
 have published numerous essays from my pen 
 under various titles. The approval which they 
 met with, at the time of their appearance, has 
 induced me to undertake this larger work. Several 
 of those earlier writings are included in this book, 
 but in a partially altered form. The frequently 
 recurring character, the teacher Dominie, originated 
 with these essays ; I need hardly say that he rep- 
 resents my humble self. Those who are otherwise 
 unacquainted with me will through him understand 
 my character, and will moveover see that a man of 
 such caustic brevity can be, by no means, a master 
 of polished style. May this last acknowledgment 
 appease all those critics whose hair is made to 
 stand on end by my inelegant mode of writing. I 
 will make no further apology for my style. I have 
 often availed myself of the dialogue form, because 
 it was conducive to brevity ; not less frequently I 
 have made use of the form of the epistle and of 
 personal discourse, as being more congenial to my 
 individual manner than that of a serious treatise. 
 I have also undertaken to say something about 
 singing! A piano-teacher, if he is possessed of 
 mind and talent, as I suppose him fo be, whether 
 he teaches the elements or occupies himself with 
 more advanced instruction, should understand the 
 art of singing ; he, at least, should show a warm 
 
X Preface to the First Edition. 
 
 interest in it, and should have an earnest love for 
 it. When I speak in general of singing, I refer to 
 that species of singing which is a form of beauty, 
 and which is the foundation for the most refined 
 and most perfect interpretation of music ; and, 
 above all things, I consider the culture of beautiful 
 tones the basis for the finest possible touch upon 
 the piano. In many respects, the piano and sing- 
 ing should explain and supplenient each other. 
 They should mutually assist in expressing the sub- 
 lime and the noble, in forms of unclouded beauty. 
 My book will make this evident to many ; but 
 whether it will succeed with all, I doubt. Not 
 a few will even be found who will lay aside my 
 book with contempt, and who will scorn the zeal 
 of the " man of the past age." I am quite prepared 
 for this : it is the fashion at present to undervalue 
 the old times and their defenders ; but I shall con- 
 tinue to be conservative, until the "men of the 
 future " shall be able to show me results which 
 shall excel those of the past, or at least shall equal 
 them. 
 
 And now I commend my little book to the pub- 
 lic, trusting that it will instruct the willing, correct 
 the erring, incite the indolent, and chastise those 
 who wilfully persist in the wrong. 
 
 The Author. 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 Chap. Page 
 
 I. On Elementary Piano-forte Instruction i 
 II. An Evening Entertainment at Herr 
 
 Zach's 17 
 
 III. Many Students of the Piano and Few 
 
 Players 24 
 
 IV. A Conversation with Mrs. Solid, and 
 
 Four Lessons to her Daughter ... 31 
 
 V. On the Pedal 59 
 
 VI. The Soft-Pedal Sentiment 65 
 
 VII. A Musical Tea-Party at the House of 
 
 John Spriggins 72 
 
 VIII. Singing and Singing-Teachers .... 85 
 
 IX. Thoughts on Singing 96 
 
 X. Visit at Mrs. N.'s 121 
 
 XI. Secrets .128 
 
 XII. Thoughts on Piano-playing 144 
 
 XIII. On Musical Talent 163 
 
 XIV. Extravagances in Singing and Piano- 
 
 flaying 173 
 
 XV. Conclusion 186 
 
PIANO AND SONG. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 ON ELEMENTARY PIANO-FORTE INSTRUCTION. 
 
 You ask, my dear friend, for some particular 
 information about my piano method, especially 
 with regard to my mode of elementary instruc- 
 tion, which differs essentially from that in common 
 use. 
 
 I give you here the main points; and, if you 
 place confidence in my experience of forty years, 
 and if you will supply those details which I have 
 omitted, your own varied experience as a thought- 
 ful, talented, and earnest piano-teacher will enable 
 you to understand my theory, from the following 
 dialogue between my humble self under the title 
 of Dominie, my friend, and the little Bessie: — 
 
 Dominie. My dear friend, how have you man- 
 aged to make piano-playing so utterly distasteful 
 to little Susie i and how is it that the instruction 
 
2 Piano and Song. 
 
 which you have given her for the last three years 
 actually amounts to nothing ? 
 
 Friend. Well, I will tell you how I have pro- 
 ceeded. First I taught her the names of the keys, 
 that was pretty dull work for her ; then I made her 
 learn the treble notes, which was a difficult matter ; 
 after that I taught her the bass notes, which puz- 
 zled her still more ; then I undertook to teach her 
 a pretty little piece, which she hoped to perform 
 for the delight of her parents. Of course she con- 
 stantly confused the bass and treble notes, she could 
 not keep time, she always used the wrong fingers 
 and could not learn it at all. Then I scolded her, 
 — she only cried ; I tried a little coaxing, — that 
 made her cry worse ; finally I put an end to the 
 piano lessoijis, and she begged me never to begin 
 them again ; and there you have the whole story. 
 
 Dominie. You certainly might have begun more 
 judiciously. How is it possible for a child to climb 
 a ladder when not only the lower rounds, but a 
 great many more, are wanting } Nature makes no 
 leaps, least of all with children. 
 
 Friend. But did she not begin to climb the 
 ladder at the bottom .' 
 
 Dominie. By no means. She certainly never 
 was able to reach the top. I should say, rather, 
 
On Elementary Piano-forte Instruction. 3 
 
 that she tumbled down head foremost. To speak 
 mildly, she began to climb in the middle ; and even 
 then you tried to chase her up, instead of allowing 
 her, carefully and quietly, to clamber up one step 
 at a time. Bring me your youngest daughter, 
 Bessie, and I' will show you how I give a first 
 lesson. 
 
 Dominie. Bessie, can you say your letters after 
 me .' so, — c, d, e,f. 
 
 Bessie, c, d, e,f. 
 
 Dominie. Go on, — g, a, b, c. 
 
 Bessie, g, a, b, c. 
 
 Dominie. Once more : the first four again, then 
 the next four. That's right : now all the eight, 
 one after the other, c, d, e,f, g, a, b, c. 
 
 Bessie, c, d, e,f, g, a, b, c. 
 
 Dominie {after repeating this several times). 
 That's good : now you see you have learned some- 
 thing already. That is the musical alphabet, and 
 those are the names' of the white keys on the 
 piano-forte. Presently you shall find them out, 
 and learn to name them yourself. But, first, you 
 must take notice (I strike the keys in succession 
 with my finger, from the one-lined c to the highest 
 treble) that these sounds grow higher and become 
 sharper one after the other ; and in this way (I 
 
4 Piano and Song. 
 
 strike the keys from one-lined c to the lowest 
 bass) you hear that the sounds grow lower and 
 heavier. The upper half, to the right, is called the 
 treble ; the lower half is the bass. You quite un- 
 derstand now the difference between the high sharp 
 tones and the low deep ones ? Now we will go 
 on. What you see here, and will learn to play 
 upon, is called the key-board, consisting of white 
 keys and black ones. You shall presently learn 
 to give the right names both to the white keys and 
 the black ; you see there are always two black keys 
 and then three black keys together, all the way up 
 and down the key-board. Now put the fore-finger 
 of your right hand on the lower one of any of the 
 two black keys that are together, and let it slip off 
 on to the wliite key next below it ; now you have 
 found the key called c ; what is the name of the 
 next key above it ? Say the whole musical alpha- 
 bet. 
 
 Bessie, c, d, e,f, g, a, b, c. 
 
 Dominie. Well, then, that key is called d. 
 
 Bessie. Then this one must be e. 
 
 Dominie. And now comes _/I Anywhere on 
 the key-board you can find / just as easily, if you 
 put your finger on the lowest of any three black 
 keys that are together, and let it slip off on to the 
 
On Elementary Piano-forte Instruction. 5 
 
 white key next below it. If you remember where 
 these two keys, /and c, are, both in the treble and 
 the bass, you can easily find the names of all the 
 other keys. Now what is the next key above/.? 
 
 Bessie, g, and then a, b, c. 
 
 Dominie. Now we will say over several times 
 the names of the keys, upwards and downwards, 
 and learn to find them skipping about in any irreg- 
 ular order. At the end of the lesson we will try 
 them over once more, and before the next lesson 
 you will know the names of all the white keys. 
 You must practise finding them out by yourself ; 
 you can't make a mistake, if you are careful to 
 remember where the c and the / are. 
 
 I told you that the sounds this way (I strike the 
 keys upward) grow higher, and this way (I strike them 
 downwards) they grow lower. So you see no tones 
 are just alike : one is either higher or lower than 
 the other. Do you hear the difference.' Now 
 turn round so as not to see the keys ; I will strike 
 two keys, one after the other ; now which is the 
 highest (the sharpest), the first or the second .' (I 
 go on in this way, gradually touching keys nearer 
 and nearer together ; sometimes, in order to puzzle 
 her and to excite close attention, I strike the lower 
 one gently and the higher one stronger, and keep 
 
6 Piano and Song. 
 
 on sounding them, lower and lower towards the 
 bass, according to the capacity of the pupil) I 
 suppose you find it a little tiresome to listen so 
 closely ; but a delicate, quick ear is necessary for 
 piano-playing, and by and by it will become easier 
 to you. But I won't tire you with it any more now, 
 we will go on to something else. Can you count 
 3, — I. 2, 3 ? 
 
 Bessie. Yes, indeed, and more too. 
 
 Dominie. We'll see ; now keep counting i, 2, 3, 
 
 1, 2, 3, as evenly and regularly as you can. (I lead 
 her to count steadily, and strike at the same time 
 a chord in three even quarter-notes.) Now we'll 
 see if you can count evenly by yourself. (I count 
 
 1 of the chord with her, and leave her to count 
 
 2 and 3 by herself; or else I count with her at 
 
 2, and let her count i and 3 alone ; but I am 
 careful to strike the chord promptly and with pre- 
 cision. Afterwards I strike the chord in eighth- 
 notes, and let her count i, 2, 3 ; in short, I give 
 the chord in various ways, in order to teach her 
 steadiness in counting, and to confine her atten- 
 tion. In the same way I teach her to count i, 2, 
 I, 2 ; or I, 2, 3, 4, 'i, 6\ at the same time telling 
 her that music is sometimes counted in triple time, 
 and sometimes in \ or \ time.) Now, Bessie, you 
 
On Elementary Piano-forte Instruction. 7 
 
 ■have learned to count very well, and to know the 
 difference in the tones. It is not every child that 
 learns this in the first lesson. If you don't get 
 tired of it, you will some time learn to be a good 
 player.. As soon as you are rested, I will tell you 
 about something else, that you will have to listen 
 to very carefully. 
 
 Bessie. But I like it, and will take pains to listen 
 just as closely as I can. 
 
 Dominie. When several tones are struck at the 
 same time, if they sound well together, they make 
 what we call a chord. But there are both major 
 and minor chords : the major chord sounds joyous, 
 gay ; the minor, sad, dull, as you would say ; the 
 former laugh, the latter weep. Now take notice 
 whether I am right. (I strike the chord of C 
 major ; then, after a short pause, that of C minor ; 
 and try, by a stronger or lighter touch, to make 
 her listen first to the major and then to the minor 
 chords. She usually distinguishes correctly ; but 
 it will not do to dwell too long upon these at first, 
 or to try to enforce any thing by too much talk 
 and explanation.) Now I will tell you that the 
 difference in the sounds of these chords is in the 
 third, counted upwards from the lower note c, and 
 depends upon whether you take it half a tone higher 
 
8 Piano and Song. 
 
 or lower, ^ or ^ flat. I shall explain this better to 
 you by and by, when you come to learn about the 
 tonic, the third, the fifth or dominant, the octave, 
 and so on. (It is advantageous and psychologically 
 correct to touch occasionally, in passing, upoq points 
 which will be more thoroughly taught later. It 
 excites the interest of the pupil. Thus the cus- 
 tomary technical terms are sometimes made use 
 of beforehand, and a needful, cursory explanation 
 given of them.) That is right ; you can tell them 
 pretty well already ; now we will repeat once more- 
 the names of the keys, and then we will stop for 
 to-day. Just see how many things you have learned 
 in this lesson. 
 
 Bessie. It was beautiful ! 
 
 Dominie. I hope you will always find it so. 
 
 Bessie. When may I have another lesson ? 
 
 Dominie. Day after to-morrow ; at first, you 
 must have at least three lessons a week. 
 
 Bessie. What shall I do in the next lesson ? 
 
 Dominie. I shall repeat all that I have taught 
 you to-day ; but I shall teach you a great deal of it 
 in a different way, and every time I shall teach it 
 to you differently, so that it shall always be inter- 
 esting to you. In the next lesson we will begin to 
 pky, first on the table, and at last on the piano. 
 
On Elementary Piano-forte Instruction. 9 
 
 You will learn to move your fingers lightly and 
 loosely, and quite independently of the arm, though 
 at first they will be weak ; and you will learn to 
 raise them and let them fall properly. Besides 
 that, we will contrive a few exercises to teach you 
 to make the wrist loose, for that must be learned 
 in the beginning in order to acquire a fine touch 
 on the piano ; that is, to make the tones sound as 
 beautiful as possible. I shall show you how to sit 
 at the piano and how to hold your hands. You 
 will learn the names of the black keys and the 
 scale of C, with the half-step from the 3d to the 
 4th and also that from the 7th to the 8th, which 
 latter is called the leading note, which leads into 
 C. (This is quite important for my method, for 
 in this way the different keys can be clearly ex- 
 plained.) You will learn to find the chord of C 
 in the bass and the treble, and to strike them with 
 both hands together. And then in the third or 
 fourth lesson, after you know quite perfectly all 
 that I have already taught you, I will teach you to 
 play a little piece that will please you, and then you 
 will really be a player, a pianist. 
 
 Friend. From whom have you learned all this ? 
 It goes like the lightning-train. 
 
 Dominie. A great many people can learn what 
 
10 Piano and Song. 
 
 is to be taught ; but how it is to be taught I have 
 only found out by devoting my whole mind, with 
 real love and constant thought, to the musical 
 improvement and general mental development of 
 my pupils. The advancement will unquestionably 
 be rapid, for it proceeds step by step, and one thing 
 is founded upon another; the pupil learns every 
 thing quietly, thoughtfully, and surely, without 
 going roundabout, without any hindrances and 
 mistakes to be unlearned. I never try to teach 
 too much or too little ; and, in teaching each things 
 I try to prepare and lay the foundation for other 
 things to be afterwards learned. I consider it very 
 important not to try to cram the child's memory 
 with the teacher's wisdom (as is often done in a 
 crude and harsh way) ; but I endeavor to excite 
 the pupil's mind, to interest it, and to let it develop 
 itself, and not to degrade it to a mere machine. 
 I do not require the practice of a vague, dreary, 
 time and mind killing piano-jingling, in which way, 
 as I see, your little Susie was obliged to learn ; 
 but I observe a musical method, and in "doing 
 this always keep strictly in view the individuality 
 and gradual development of the pupil. In more 
 advanced instruction, I even take an interest in 
 the general Culture and disposition of the pupil. 
 
On Elementary Piano-forte Instruction. 1 1 
 
 and improve every opportunity to call forth the 
 sense of beauty, and continually to aid in the in- 
 tellectual development. 
 
 Friend. But where are the notes all this time ? 
 
 Dominie. Before that, we have a great deal to 
 do that is interesting and agreeable. I keep con- 
 stantly in view the formation of a good technique ; 
 but I do not make piano-playing distasteful to the 
 pupil by urging her to a useless and senseless 
 mechanical " practising." I may perhaps teach the 
 treble notes after the first six months or after sixty 
 or eighty lessons, but I teach them in my own 
 peculiar way, so that the pupil's mind may be kept 
 constantly active. With my own daughters I did 
 not teach the treble notes till the end of the first 
 year's instruction, the bass notes several months 
 later. 
 
 Friend. But what did you do meanwhile ? 
 
 Dominie. You really ought to be able to an- 
 swer that question for yourself after hearing this 
 lesson, and what I have said about it. I have cul- 
 tivated a musical taste in my pupils, and almost 
 taught them to be skilful, good players, without 
 knowing a note. I have taught a correct, light 
 touch of the keys from the fingers, and of whole 
 chords from the wrist ; to this I have added the 
 
12 Piano and Song. 
 
 scales in all the keys ; but these should not be 
 taught at first, with both hands together. The 
 pupil may gradually acquire the habit of practis- 
 ing them together later ; but it is not desirable to 
 insist on this too early, for in playing the scales 
 with both hands together the weakness of the 
 fourth finger is concealed, and the attention dis- 
 tracted from the feeble tones, and the result is an 
 unequal and poor scale. 
 
 At the same time, I have in every way cultivated 
 the sense of time, and taught the division of the 
 bars. I have helped the pupils to invent little 
 cadences with the dominant and sub-dominant 
 and even little exercises, to their great delight and 
 advantage ; and I have, of course, at the same time 
 insisted on the use of the correct fingering. You 
 see that, in order to become practical, I begin with 
 the theory. So, for instance, I teach the pupil to 
 find the triad and the dominant chord of the 
 seventh, with their transpositions in every key, 
 and to practise them diligently ; and to make lise 
 of these chords in all sorts of new figures and 
 passages. But all this must be done without haste, 
 and without tiring the pupil too much with one 
 thing, or wearing out the interest, which is all- 
 important. 
 
0» Elementary Piano-forte Instruction. 13 
 
 After that, I teach them to play fifty or sixty 
 little pieces, which I have written for this purpose. 
 They are short, rhythmically balanced, agreeable, 
 and striking to the ear, and aim to develop grad- 
 ually an increased mechanical skill. I require them 
 to be learned by heart, and often to be transposed 
 into other keys ; in which way the memory, which 
 is indispensable for piano playing, is unconsciously 
 greatly increased. They must be learned perfectly 
 and played well, often, according to the capacity 
 of the pupil, even finely ; in strict time (counting 
 aloud is seldom necessary) and without stumbling 
 or hesitating; first slowly, then fast, faster, slow 
 again, staccato, legato, piano, forte, crescendo, dimin- 
 uendo, &c. This mode of instruction I find always 
 successful ; but I do not put the cart before the 
 horse, and, without previous technical instruction, 
 begin my piano lessons with the extremely difficult 
 acquirement of the treble and bass . notes. In a 
 word, I have striven, as a psychologist and thinker, 
 as a man and teacher, for a many-sided culture. 
 I have also paid great attention to the art of sing- 
 ing, as a necessary foundation for piano-playing. 
 I have devoted some talent, and at least an enthu- 
 siastic, unwearied love to the subject. I have never 
 stood still; have learned something of teaching 
 
14 Piano and Song. 
 
 every day, and have sought always to improve 
 myself; I have always been something new and 
 different, in every' lesson and with every chUd ; I 
 have alwa)rs kept up a cheerful, joyous courage, 
 and this has usually kindled. the same in my pupil, 
 because it came from the heart. Moreover, I halve 
 never been a man of: routine, have never shown 
 myself a pedant, who is obliged to hold fast to 
 certain ideas and views. 
 
 I have lived up to the century, and have tried 
 to understand and to advance the age ; have heard 
 every thing great and fine in music, and have in- 
 duced my pupils also to hear it. I have opposed- 
 with determination all the prejudices and false 
 tendencies of the times, and never have allowed 
 impatient parents to give advice about my lessons. 
 I have insisted upon a good and well-tUned instru- 
 ment for my pupils, and have endeavored to merit 
 the love and confidence both: of my pupils and 
 of their parents. In fact, I have devoted myself 
 thordughly to my calling, and have been wholly 
 a teacher, always fixing my eye on the true, the 
 beautiful, and the artistic; and in this way have 
 been of service to my pupils. 
 
 Friend. But how do you find parents who sym- 
 pathize with your ideas and with your lofty views ? 
 
On Elementary Piano-forte Instruction. I J 
 
 Dominie. I have found that almost all the par- 
 ents of my pupils have entered into my views, if 
 not immediately, at least. after they had been pres- 
 ent at a few lessons. In the case of those few who 
 WQuld not enter into them, I, have abandoned the 
 lessons ; but, nevertheless, I have found that my 
 time has been fully occupied. My friend, do you 
 not think that views like these will assist in the 
 training of young ;and inexperienced teachers, who, 
 are striving for improvement .' and do you not think 
 they will be useful even to those who already possess; 
 general mental culture, and who are animated by 
 an ardent Ipve for. their calling .' I especially avoid 
 giving here any exclusive method, a seryile. follow-, 
 ing of which would be entirely contrary to my in-, 
 tentions, and, in fact, contrary to my method. 
 
 But. as for the rest ! . Alas, all those who do not. 
 understand . me, or .who choose to misunderstand 
 me, those are the worst ! — especially the ill-natured 
 people, the classical people who bray about music, 
 stride straight to the notes, and have no patience 
 till they come to Beethoven; who foolishly prate 
 and fume about my unclassical management, but 
 at bottom only wish to conceal their own unskil- 
 fulness, their want of culture and of disinterested'- 
 ness, or to excuse their habitual drudgery. Lazy 
 
i6 Piano and Song. 
 
 people without talent I cannot undertake to inspirit, 
 to teach, and to cultivate. 
 
 This chapter will, almost by itself, point out to 
 unprejudiced minds my method of giving more 
 advanced instruction, and will show in what spirit 
 I have educated my own daughters, even to the 
 highest point of musical culture, without using the 
 slightest severity. It will, indeed, cause great vex- 
 ation to the ill-minded and even to the polite world, 
 who attribute the musical position of my daughters 
 in the artistic world to a tyranny used ty me, to 
 immoderate and unheard-of "practising," and to 
 tortures of every kind ; and who do not hesitate 
 to invent and industriously to circulate the most 
 absurd reports about it, instead of inquiring into 
 what I have already published about teaching, 
 and comparing it with the management which, 
 with their own children, has led only to senseless 
 thrumming. 
 
An Evening Entertainment at Herr ZacKs. 17 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 .AN EVENING ENTERTAINMENT AT HERR ZACH'S. 
 
 DRAMATIS PERSONiE. 
 
 Herr Zacb., formerly a flute-player, not very wealthy. 
 His Wife, of the family of Tz. (rather sharp-tempered). 
 Stock, her son, i j years old (is studying the piano thoroughly"). 
 Mr. Buffalo, music-master of the family. 
 'Dom.THXE., ^ano-teacher (rather gruff). 
 Ceciiaa,' his daughter, i^ years old (shy). 
 
 Zach (toj^pminie). I regret that I was unable 
 to attend the concert yesterday. I was formerly 
 musical , myself and played on the flute. Your 
 daughter, I believe, plays pretty well. 
 
 DoMikiE. Well, yes ! perhaps something more 
 than prettjrjitell. We are in earnest about music. 
 
 Madame, of the Tz. family (envious because Cecilia 
 received applftuse for her public performance yester- 
 day, and^because Mr. Buffalo had been unable to 
 bring out Stock, — all in one breath). When did 
 your daughter begin to play ? Just how old is she 
 now ? Does she like playing ? They say you are 
 very strict, and tie your daughters to the piano- 
 stool. How many hours a day do you make her* 
 
18 Piano and Song. 
 
 practise ? Don't you make her exert herself too 
 much ? Has she talent ? Isn't she sickly ? 
 
 Dominie. Don't you think; she looks in good 
 health, madam, — tall and strong for her years ? 
 •■ Madame, of the Tz. family. But perhaps she 
 might look more cheerful, if she was not obliged to 
 play on the piano so much. " ^, 
 
 DoMlNiE {bowing)^. I can't exactly say. 
 , .,Zach {suddenly interrupting, and hold! "-Dp^' 
 
 -^- . cilcxcSSf 
 
 by the button-k&le). They say you tormen * 
 
 treat your daughters dreadfully; that"'.;' , 
 
 ,,. , ■ . , , ; , yd in these 
 
 was obliged to practise day and night. ■ 
 , „ , ' ' ;r , , , . . k, — that is 
 
 shall hear' riiy Stock play this, eveni' " , 
 
 . _ , . 'ij!i,«nusual patience 
 time, by the grace of God, is i, 
 
 of Thalbei-g iii^ the world. Now 
 
 opinion freely (of course, I was only to pr? 
 
 i em ; but 
 should like very much to hear wh?*-'.^ 
 
 o jade round 
 about' his playing, though perhaps Mi . 
 
 ( ih air. 
 not agree with you. , , 
 
 ,,^ „ ^ , . , ., . , nit was aunt are 
 (Mr. Buffalo is looking through \ 
 
 and picking out all the Etudes, "hf' 
 
 to which Dominie is to earn his a '*r). 
 
 Dominie {Resigned and foreseeing that he shall be 
 
 bored). I have lieard a great deal of the industry 
 
 of youi" son. Stock. What are you studying now, 
 
 Mr. Stock? 
 
An Evening Eniertainment at Herr ZacKs. 19 
 
 Stock (/« proud self-consciousness, rCither Sopho- 
 moric). I play six hours a day, two hours scales 
 with both hands together, and four hours Etudes. 
 I have already ' gone through the first book of 
 Clementi and four books of Cramer. Now I am 
 in the Gradus ad Parhassum : I have already studied 
 the right fingering for it. 
 
 Dominie. Indeed, you are very much in earnest : 
 hi." t speaks well for VoU, and for Mr. Buffalo. But 
 dullf^ii 'js are you studying with the Etudes? 
 
 Mr. h. Mendelssohn, Chopin, or Schumann ? 
 was it ^ytitempttiously). Mr. Buffalo can't bear 
 it is true ;\ Schumann. Mr. Buffalo lately played 
 and I thought--.. I's " Kinderscenen," that people 
 D0MINIE.J33 'i a talk about. My mamma, who 
 a bea^'" ' ,ai, arid Used to sing when papa played 
 withouu'.^aid, "What ridiculous little things are 
 to excite tis they waltzes for children ? and then 
 even in *' names for them ! He may play such 
 neglect of fifo, but not to us." 
 are ohXxsf Well, these " Kinderscenen " are cu- 
 :**'~S*^' Je bits for grown-up inen's hands. Your 
 riiother Is right, they are too short : there cer- 
 tainly ought to be more of them. But they are 
 not waltzes ! 
 
 Stock. Indeed, I am not allowed to play waltzes 
 
20 Piano and Song. 
 
 at all. My teacher is very thorough : first, I shall 
 have to dig through all the Gradus ad Parnassum ; 
 and then he is going to undertake a concerto of 
 Beethoven's with me, and will write the proper 
 fingering over it. I shall play that in public ; and 
 then, as he and my aunt say, " I shall be the death 
 of you all." 
 
 Mr. Buffalo {^ho has overheard him, steps up). 
 Now, Herr Dominie, how do you like my method"? 
 
 r'" 
 
 Perhaps you have a different one ? Nevertheless, 
 that shan't prevent our being good frienj^s. Cer- 
 tainly, if any thing is to be accompUsh^d in these 
 times, it is necessary to keep at woris, — that is 
 my doctrine. But Stock, here, has^nusual patience 
 and perseverance. He has worked 
 Cramer's 96 Etudes in siiccession withofi^ 
 bling. He was wretched enough over th 
 his papa bought him a saddle-horse tfc ri3e round 
 on every day, and he revived in the freah air. 
 
 {Herr Zach with his wife and anJjfld aunt are 
 playing cards in the further room.) "^^^ 
 
 Dominie. But do you not combine the*sttidy 
 of musical pieces with the study of exercises, in 
 order that the cultivation of the taste may go hand 
 in hand with mechanical improvement .' 
 
 Mr. Buffalo. My dear friend, you are too nar- 
 
An Evening Entertainment at Herr Zaclis. 21 
 
 row-minded there, —-you make a mistake: taste 
 must come of itself, from much playing and with 
 years. Your Cecilia played the two new waltzes, 
 and the Nocturne of Chopin, and Beethoven's trio 
 very nicely. But then that was all drilled into her : 
 we could tell that well enough by hearing it, — Stock 
 and I. 
 
 Dominie. Did it sound unnatural to you, — 
 mannered ? and did you think it wooden, dry, 
 dull .? 
 
 Mr. Buffalo. Not exactly that ; but the trouble 
 was it sounded studied. The public applauded, 
 it is true ; but they don't know any thing. Stock 
 and I thought — 
 
 Dominie. Do you not think that the taste for 
 a beautiful interpretation may be early awakened, 
 without using severity with the pupil? and that 
 to excite the feeling for music, to a certain degree, 
 even in early years, is in fact essential ? The 
 neglect of this very thing is the reason that we 
 are obliged to listen to so many players, who really 
 have mechanically practised themselves to death, 
 and have reduced musical art to mere machinery, 
 — to an idle trick of the fingers. 
 
 Mr Buffalo. That's all nonsense, I say teach 
 them the scales, to run up and down the gamut ! 
 
22 Piano and Song. 
 
 Gradus ad Parnassum's the thing ! Classical, clas- 
 sical ! Yesterday you made your daughter play 
 that Trill-Etude by Carl Meyer." Altogether too 
 fihe-souhdihg ! It tickltes the ear, to be sure, 
 especially when it is played in such' a studied 
 manner. W^ stick to Clementi and Cramer, and 
 to Hummel's piano-school, — the good old school. 
 You have made a great mistake with your eldest 
 daughten ' ^ " • 
 
 Dominie. The world does not seem to agree 
 with you. : . .. 
 
 ' Madame, of the Tz. family (fias listened and hit 
 a trick by it, steps up quickly, and says maliciously). 
 You must agree that she would have played better, 
 if you had left her for ten years with Cr^iier and 
 Clementi. We don't like this tendency to Schu- 
 mann and Chopin. But what folly to talk f One 
 must be careful what one says to the father of such 
 a child ! It is quite a different thing with us. Mr. 
 Buffalo is bound to our Stock by no bond of affec- 
 tion. He follows out his aim without any hesita- 
 tion or vanity, and looks neither to the right nor 
 to the left, but straightforward. 
 
 Dominie. I beg your pardon, madam : you may 
 be right, — from your point of view. We must be 
 
An Evening Entertainment at Herr Zack's. 23 
 
 a little indulgent with sensitive people. But will 
 
 not your son play to us ? 
 
 {Stock plays two Etudes of dementi, three of 
 Cramer, and four from the Gradus, but did 
 not even grow warm over them. The hors* 
 his father gave him has made him quite 
 strong^ 
 
 I may be asked, " But how did Stock play ? " 
 How? I do not wish to write a treatise: my 
 plan is only to give hints and suggestions. I am 
 not writing in the interest of Stock, Buffalo, 
 & Co. 
 
 After the playing, we went to supper : the oysters 
 were good, but the wine left a little sharp taste. 
 My timid daughter did not like oysters ; but she 
 ate a little salad, and at table listened instead of 
 talking. 
 
 A few innocent anecdotes were related at table 
 about horses and balls and dogs and Stock's f utuie. 
 On taking leave, Madame said condescendingly to 
 Cecilia, " If you keep on, my dear, one of these 
 days you will play very nicely." 
 
24 Piano and Song. 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 MANY STUDENTS OF THE PIANO AND FEW 
 PLAYERS. 
 
 {A Letter addressed to the Father of a Piano Pupil). 
 
 It is a pity that you have no sons, for a father 
 takes great delight in his sons ; but I agree with 
 you, when you say that, if you had one, you would 
 rather he should break stones than pound the 
 piano. You say you have many friends who re- 
 joice in that paternal felicity,* and whose sons, 
 great and small, bright and dull, have been learn- 
 ing the piano for three years or more, and still can 
 do nothing. You are doubtless right ; and, further, 
 they never will learn any thing. You ask. Of what 
 use is it to man or boy to be able to stammer 
 through this or that waltz, or polonaise or mazurka, 
 with stiff arms, weak fingers, a stupid face, and 
 lounging figure? What gain is it to art? You 
 say. Is not time worth gold, and yet we are offered 
 lead ? And the poor teachers torment themselves 
 and the boys, abuse art and the piano ; and at the 
 end of the evening, in despair, torment their own 
 
Many Students of the Piano and Few Players. 25 
 
 wives, after they have all day long been scolding, 
 cuffing, and lamenting, without success or consola- 
 tion. You speak the truth. I have had the same 
 experience myself, though not to the same degree, 
 and though I did not bring home to my wife a 
 dreary face, but only a good appetite. But I did 
 not give myself up to lamentation over piano- 
 teaching. I gathered up courage and rose above 
 mere drudgery. I reflected and considered and 
 studied, and tried whether I could not manage 
 better, as I found I could not succeed with the 
 boys ; and I have managed better and succeeded 
 better, because I have hit upon a different way, 
 and one more in accordance with nature than that 
 used in the piano schools. I laid down, as the first 
 and most important principle, the necessity for 
 "the formation of a fine touch," just as singing- 
 teachers rely upon the culture of a fine tone, in 
 order to teach singing well. I endeavored, without 
 notes, to make the necessary exercises so interest- 
 ing that the attention of the pupils always increased ; 
 and that they even, after a short time, took great 
 pleasure in a sound, tender, full, singing tone ; an 
 acquirement which, unfortunately, even many vir- 
 tuosos do not possess. In this way, we made an 
 opening at the beginning, not in the middle : we 
 
26 Piano and. Song. 
 
 harnessed the horse before the wagon. The pupil 
 now obtained a firm footing, and had something 
 to enjoy, without being tormented at every lesson 
 with dry matters to be learned, the advantage of 
 which was not obvious to him, and the final aim 
 of which he did not perceive. Until a correct 
 touch has been acquired, it is df no use to talk 
 about a fine singing tone. How can we expect 
 to arouse an interest by mere toneless tinkling, 
 while stiff, inflexible fingers are struggling with 
 the notes ; while the pupil sees only his inability 
 to dp any thing right, and receives nothing but 
 blame frotn the teacher ; while, at the same time, 
 so much is to be kept in mind, and he must be 
 required to observe the tiine, and to use the right 
 fingers ? Poor, stupid children ! Later, after teach- 
 ing the notes, I did not fall into the universal error 
 lOf selecting pieces which were either too difficult, 
 or such as, though purely musical, were not well 
 adapted to the piano ; but I chose short, easy pieces, 
 without prominent difficulties, in the correct and 
 skilful performance of which the pupil might take 
 pleasure. Consequently, they were studied care- 
 fully, slowly, willingly, and with interest, which 
 last"^is a great thing gained ; for the pupil rejoiced 
 in the anticipation of success. The struggle over 
 
Many Students of the Piano and Few Players. 27 
 
 sitigle difificult places destroys all pleasure, palsies 
 talent, creates disgust, and, what is worse, it tends 
 to render uncertain the confirmation of the faculty 
 already partially acquired, "^ of bringing out a fine 
 legato tone, with loose and quiet fingers and a 
 yielding, movable wrist, without the assistance of 
 the arm. 
 
 You suppose that talent is especially wanting, 
 and not merely good teachers ; for otherwise, with 
 the- zealous pursuit of piano-playing in Saxony, we 
 should produce hundreds who could, at least, play 
 correctly and with facility, if not finely. Here you 
 are mistaken: we have, on the contrary, a great 
 deal of musical talent. There are, also, even in; the 
 provincial cities, teachers who are not only musical, 
 but who also possess so much zeal and talent for 
 teaching that many of their pupils are able to play 
 tolerably well. I will add further, that the taste 
 for music is much more cultivated and improved, 
 even in small places, by singing-societies and by 
 public and private concerts, than was formerly the 
 case. We also have much better aids in instruc- 
 tion books, Etudes, and suitable piano pieces ; but 
 still we find everywhere "jingling" and "piano- 
 banging," as you express it, and yet no piano- 
 playing. 
 
28 Piano and Song. 
 
 Let us consider this aspect of the subject a little 
 more closely. In the first place, the proper basis 
 for a firm structure is wanting. The knowledge 
 of the notes cannot afFord a proper basis, except 
 in so far as it is of service in the execution of a 
 piece. Of what use are the notes to a singer, if 
 he has no attack, and does not understand the 
 management of the voice ? of what use to the 
 piano-learner, if he has no touch, no tone on 
 the piano-forte. Is this to be acquired by playing 
 the notes .' But how then is it to be learned ? 
 
 One thing more. Owing to an over-zeal for 
 education, children are kept in school from seven 
 to ten hours in a day, and then they are required 
 to work and commit to memory in their free hours, 
 when they ought to be enjoying the fresh air. But 
 when are they then to have their piano lessons ? 
 After they have escaped from the school-room, 
 and consequently when the children are exhausted 
 and their nerves unstrung. What cruelty! In- 
 stead of bread and butter and fresh air, piano 
 lessons ! The piano ought to be studied with 
 unimpaired vigor, and with great attention and 
 interest, otherwise no success is to be expected. 
 Besides this, much writing, in itself, makes stiff, 
 inflexible fingers. But when is the child to find 
 
Many Students of the Piano and Few Players. 29 
 
 time for the necessary practice of the piano lessons ? 
 Well, in the evening, after ten o'clock, foi- refresh- 
 ment, while papa and mamma are in bed ! And 
 now, after the school-days are happily over, and the 
 children have possibly retained their red cheeks, 
 then their occupations in life lay claim to their 
 time ; or, if they are girls, they are expected to 
 busy themselves with embroidery, knitting, sewing, 
 crochet, making clothes, house-work, tea parties, 
 and alas ! with balls ; and now, too, comes the time 
 for lovers. Do you imagine that the fingers of 
 pupils sixteen years old can learn mechanical 
 movements as easily as those of children nine 
 years old? In order to satisfy the present de- 
 mands in any degree, the technique should be 
 settled at sixteen. Under all these circumstances, 
 we find the best teachers become discouraged, and 
 fall into a dull routine, which truly can lead to no 
 success. 
 
 In conclusion, I beg you to invite the piano 
 teacher, Mr. Strict, to whom you have confided 
 the instruction of your only daughter, Rosalie, to 
 pay me a visit, and I will give him particular direc- 
 tions for a gradual development in piano-playing, 
 up to Beethoven's op. 109 or Chopin's F minor 
 concerto. But I shall find Wra too fixed in. his 
 
30 Pidno and Smg. 
 
 own theorieis, too much of a composer, too con- 
 ceited and dogmatic, ahd not sufficiently practical, 
 to be a good teacher, or to exert much influfefice ; 
 arid, indeedj he has himself a stiff, restlessj Clumsy 
 touch, that expends half its efforts in the air. He 
 talks bravfely of Etudes, scales, &c. ; but the qties- 
 tion with regard to these is koiV they are taught. 
 The so-called practising of exercises, without hav- 
 ing previously formed a sure toutb, and carefully 
 and skilfully fostering it is not much more use- 
 ful than playing pieces. But I hear him reply, 
 with protid and learned self-conscibusness : " Music, 
 -music ! Classical, classical ! Spirit ! Expression! 
 Bach, Beethoven, Mendelssohn! " That is just the 
 difficulty. Look at his pupils, at his pianists 1 
 See how his children are musically stifled, and hear 
 his daughter sing the classical arias composed by 
 himself ! However^ it is all musical ! Farewell. 
 
A Conversation with Mrs. Solid. 31 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 A CONVERSATION WITH MRS. SOLID, AND FOUR 
 LESSONS TO HER DAUGHTER. 
 
 Mrs. Solid. I should be glad to understand hovi 
 it is, that your daughters are able to play the 
 numerous pieces which I have heard from them 
 so .correctly and intelligently, without bungling 
 or. hesitation, and with so much, expression, arid 
 the most delicate shading ; in fact, in such a mas- 
 terly manner. From my youth upwards,- 1 have 
 had tolerable instruction. I have played scales and 
 Etudes for a long time ; and have taken great pleas- 
 ,ure in studying and industriously practising nu- 
 merous-compositions of Kalkbrenner aiid Hummel, 
 under their own direction.- I have- even been 
 celebrated for my talent ;. but, nevertheless, I never 
 have had the pleasure of being able to execute any 
 considerable piece of music to my own satisfaction 
 or that of others ; and I fear it Will be the same 
 with my daughter Emily. 1 
 
 Dominie. In order to give a satisfactory answer 
 to your question, I will lay before you a few of my 
 
32 Piano and Song. 
 
 principles and opinions in respect to musical culture, 
 with special reference to piano-playing. Educated 
 ladies of the present time make greater pretensions 
 and greater demands than formerly in regard to 
 music and musical execution ; and consequently 
 their own performances do not usually correspond 
 with their more or less cultivated taste for the 
 beautiful, which has been awakened by their care- 
 ful general education. Thus they are aware that 
 they are not able to give satisfaction, either to them- 
 selves or to others ; and from this arises a want of 
 that confidence in their own powers, which should 
 amount almost to a consciousness of infallibility, 
 in order to produce a satisfactory musical perform- 
 ance. This confidence has its foundation in a full, 
 firm,' clear, and musical touch, the acquisition of 
 which has been, and is still, too much neglected by 
 masters and teachers. A correct mechanical facil- 
 ity and its advanced cultivation rest upon this basis 
 alone ; which, moreover, requires special attention 
 upon our softly leathered pianos, which are much 
 more difficult to play upon than the old-fashioned 
 instruments. It is a mistake to suppose that a 
 correct touch, which alone can produce a good 
 execution, will come of itself, through the practice 
 of Etudes and scales. Even with masters, it is 
 
A Conversation with Mrs. Solid. 33 
 
 unusual to meet with a sound, fine, unexception- 
 able touch, like that of Field and Moscheles, and 
 among the more recent that of Thalberg, Chopin, 
 Mendelssohn, and Henselt. 
 
 I will speak now of the selection of pieces. Our 
 ladies are not contented to play simple music, which 
 presents few difficulties and requires no involved 
 fingering ; and from which they might gradually 
 advance by correct and persevering study to more 
 difficult pieces. They at once seize upon grand 
 compositions by Beethoven, C. M. von Weber, 
 Mendelssohn, Chopin, and others, and select also, 
 for the sake of variety, the bravoura pieces of Liszt, 
 Thalberg, Henselt, &c. How can they expect to 
 obtain a command of such pieces, when their early 
 education was insufficient for our exalted demands 
 in mechanical skill, and their subsequent instruc- 
 tion has also been faulty and without method ? 
 
 If you were to request me to supply in some 
 degree your own deficiencies, before I proceed to 
 the further education of your daughter, I should 
 not begin with the wisdom of our friend Mr, Buf- 
 falo : " Madam, you must every day practise the 
 major and minor scales, in all the keys, with both 
 hands at once, and also in thirds and in sixths ; 
 and you must work three or four hours daily at 
 
34 Piano and Seng. 
 
 Etudes of Clementi, Cramer, and Moscheles ; other- 
 wise, your playing w'lW. never amount to any thing." 
 Such advice, has frequently been given by 
 teachers like Mr. Buffalo, and is still daily in- 
 sisted on ; but we will, for the present, set such 
 nonsense aside. I shall, in the first place, endeavor 
 to improve your touch,^ which is too thin, feeble, 
 and incorrect ; which makes too much unnecessary 
 movement, and tries to prpduce the tone in the air,, 
 i^istead of drawing it out with the keys. This will 
 not require a Iqng time, for I have well-formed, 
 young hands to work upon, with skilful fingers in 
 good condition. I will employ, for this, purpose, 
 several of. the short exercises mentioned in my first 
 chapter, and shall require them to be transposed 
 into various keys, and played without notes, in 
 order that you may give your whole attention to 
 your hands. and fingers. Above all things, I wish 
 you to observe how I try to bring but from the 
 piano the most beautiful possible tone, with a quiet, 
 movement of the fingers an,d fi correct position ot 
 the ha,nd ;; without an uneasy jerking of the arm,, 
 and with ease,, lightness, and sureness. I shall cer- 
 tainly insist upon scales also, for it is necessary to 
 pay great care and, attention to passing the thumb: 
 under promptly and quietly, and to the correct. 
 
A Conversation witk Mrs. Solid) 35 
 
 easy position of the arm. But I shall be content! 
 with the practice of scales for a quarter of an hour 
 each day, which I require to be played, according 
 to my discretion, staccato, legato, fast, slow, forte, 
 piano, with one hand or with both hands, according 
 to circumstances. This short time daily for scale-; 
 practice is sufficient,. provided, always, that I have 
 no stiff fingers, or unpractised or ruined structure 
 of the hand to educate. For very young beginners, 
 with weak fingers, the scales should be practised; 
 orHiy piano, until the fingers acquire strength. 
 
 I should continue in this way with you for two 
 weeks, but every day withi some, slight change^ 
 After a short time, I would combine with this prac-. 
 tice '.the study of two or three 1 pieces, suitably ar- 
 ranged for the piano ; for example, Mozart's minyet 
 in E flat, arranged by Schulhoff, and his drinking- 
 song, or sim,ilar. pieces. We will, at present, have 
 nothing to do with Beethoven. You are, perhaps, 
 afraid that all this might be tedious ; but I have 
 never been considered tedious in my lessons. I 
 wish you, foir the present, not to practise any 
 pieces or exercises except in my presence, until a 
 better touch has bpen thoroughly established. ; You- 
 must also give up entirely, for a time, playing your 
 previous pieces ; for they would give you .oppor^ 
 
36 Piano ai^ Song, 
 
 tunity to fall again into your faulty mode of playing. 
 I shall also soon put in practice one of my maxims 
 in teaching ; viz., that, merely for the acquisition of 
 mechanical facility, all my pupils shall be in the 
 habit of playing daily some appropriate piece, that 
 by its perfect mastery they may gain a fearless 
 confidence. They must regard this piece as a com- 
 panion, friend, and support. I wish you to learn to 
 consider it a necessity every day, before practising 
 or studying your new piece of music, to "play this 
 piece, even if it is done quite mechanically, two or 
 three times, first slowly, then faster ; for without 
 ready, flexible fingers, my teaching and preaching 
 will be valueless. 
 
 Mrs. Solid. But what pieces, for instance ? 
 
 Dominie. For beginners, perhaps one or two of 
 Hunten's Etudes Melodiques ; a little later, one of 
 Czerny's very judicious Etudes from his opus 740 ; 
 and for more advanced pupils, after they are able to 
 stretch easily and correctly, his Toccata, opus 92, 
 — a piece which my three daughters never give 
 up playing, even if they do not play it every day. 
 They practise pieces of this description as a rem- 
 edy for mechanical deficiencies, changing them 
 every three or four months. In the selection of 
 these, I aim especially at the practice of thirds. 
 
A Conversation with Mrs. Solid. 37 
 
 trills, stretches, scales, and passages for strength- 
 ening the fourth finger ; and I choose them with 
 reference to the particular pieces, sonatas, varia- 
 tions, concertos, &c., which they are at the time 
 studying. Likewise, in the choice of the latter, 
 I pursue a different course from that which the 
 teachers alluded to above and others are accus- 
 tomed to follow ; though I hope my management 
 is never pedantic, but cautious, artistic, and psycho- 
 logic. It is easy to see that many teachers, by 
 giving lessons continually, particularly to pupils 
 without talent, are led, even with the best inten- 
 tions, to fall into a mere routine. We find them 
 often impatient and unsympathetic, especially in 
 the teaching of their own compositions ; and again, 
 by their one-sided opinions and capricious require- 
 ments, by devoting attention to matters of small 
 importance, and by all sorts of whimsicalities, they 
 contract the intellectual horizon of their pupils, and 
 destroy their interest in the lessons. 
 
 Mrs. Solid. Your careful mode of proceeding 
 is certainly extremely interesting and convincing ; 
 but allow me to request an answer to various objec- 
 tions and considerations which are now and then 
 brought forward, particularlyby teachers. 
 
 Dominie. To that I am quite accustomed. The 
 
38 Piano and Song. 
 
 good and the beautiful never obtain uncontested 
 recognition. No one has ever offered any new 
 improvement, and fearlessly spoken the truth, 
 without being attacked, defamed, and despised, or 
 entirely misunderstood. Our age can show many 
 proofs of this ; for example, let us remember 
 homoeopathy and magnetism. Clara Wieck was 
 not appreciated in Leipzig until she had been ad- 
 mired in Paris ; nor Marie Wieck, because she 
 does not play exactly as her sister Clara does. The 
 same is the case with my present book, which 
 relentlessly treads upon the incredible follies and 
 lamentable errors of the times. I am quite pre- 
 pared for opposition of any kind. 
 
 Mrs. Solid. I should like to suggest to you 
 that there are other teachers who have given them- 
 selves a great deal of trouble, and who are very 
 particular ; but it is not their good fortune to have 
 daughters like yours to educate. 
 
 Dominie. Have given themselves a great deal 
 of trouble ? What do you mean by that ? If they 
 do not take pains in the right way, or at the right 
 time and place, it is all labor in vain. Of what use 
 is mere unskilful, stupid industry ? For instance, 
 when a teacher, in order to correct a stiff use of 
 the fingers and wrist, and the general faulty touch 
 
A Conversation with Mrs. Solid. 39 
 
 of his pupil, gives some wonderful dtude or a piece 
 with great stretches and arpeggios for the left 
 hand, and gives himself unwearied trouble over it, 
 it is a proof of abundant pains-taking; but it is labor 
 thrown away, and only makes the imperfect mode 
 of performance the worse. 
 
 And now with regard to my daughters. It has 
 been their fortune to have had me for a father and 
 teacher: they certainly have talent, and I have 
 been successful in rousing and guiding it. Envy, 
 jealousy, pride, and offended egotism have tried as 
 long as possible to dispute this ; but at last the 
 effort is abandoned. They say that it requires no 
 art to educate such talent as theirs, that it almost 
 " comes of itself." This assertion is just as false 
 and contrary to experience as it is common, even 
 with educated and thoughtful people, who belong 
 to no clique. Lichtenburg says : " It is just those 
 things upon which everybody is agreed that should 
 be subjected to investigation." Well, I have made 
 a thorough investigation of these accusations, with 
 regard to my three daughters, and all the talented 
 pupils whom I have been able to educate for good 
 amateurs, and, according to circumstances, for good 
 public performers. The great number of these suf- 
 fices for my justification. I must add, still further, 
 
40 Piano and Song. 
 
 that it is exactly the " great talents " for singing, or for 
 the piano, who require the most careful, thoughtful, 
 and prudent guidance. Look around at the multi- 
 tude of abortive talents and geniuses ! Talented 
 pupils are just the ones who have an irresistible 
 desire to be left to their own discretion ; they es- 
 teem destruction by themselves more highly than 
 salvation by others. 
 
 Mrs. Solid. But it is said that you have been 
 able to educate only ypur three daughters, . and 
 none others for public performers. 
 
 Dominie. Madam, you cannot be serious. If 
 I were to declaim Leporello's list, you might justly 
 consider it an exaggeration ; but if, instead of re-- 
 plying to you, I should urge you to read what I 
 have written on the subject, or if I should present 
 your daughter Emily to you, after three or four 
 years, as a superior performer, you might pardon 
 my vanity and my ability. I , do. not possess any 
 magic wand, which envy and folly could not impute 
 to me as an offence. Nevertheless, unless circum- 
 stances were very adverse, I have, at all events, 
 been ableJn a short time to accomplish for my 
 pupils the acquisition of a good, or at least an 
 improved, musical touch ; and have thus laid a 
 foundation,, which other teachers have failed to do 
 
A Conversation with Mrs. Solid. 41 
 
 by their method, or rather want of method. But 
 you have something else on your mind ? 
 
 Mrs. Solid. You anticipate me. I was educated 
 in Berlin, and in that capital of intelligence a taste 
 prevails for opposition, negation, and thorough 
 criticism. How can ;you educate artists and vir- 
 tuosos, when yoii yourself are so little a virtuose? 
 You are not even a composer or learned contra- 
 puntist. A teacher of music wins "much greater 
 consideration, if he himself plays concertos and 
 fcomposes pretty things, and if he can calculate 
 and give vent to his genius in double and triple 
 fugues, and in inverse and retrograde canons. You 
 cannot even accompany your pupils with the vio- 
 lin or flute, which is certainly very useful and 
 improving. 
 
 Dominie. The egotist is seldom capable of giv- 
 ing efficient instruction : that lies in the nature of 
 the case. Even a child will soon perceive whether 
 the teacher has a sole eye to its interest, or has 
 other and personal aims in view. The former 
 bears good fruits, the latter very doubtful ones. 
 I will say nothing about the stand-point of those 
 egotistical teachers whose first aim is to bring 
 themselves into prominence, and who at the same 
 time are perhaps travelling public performers and 
 
42 Piano and Song. 
 
 composers. They are, it may be, chiefly occupied 
 with double and triple fugues (the more inverted 
 the more learned), and they consider this knowl- 
 edge the only correct musical foundation. At the 
 same time, they often possess a touch like that 
 of your brother, Mr. Strict, mentioned in my third 
 chapter, and are utterly devoid of true taste and 
 feeling. While pursuing their fruitless piano les- 
 sons, which are quite foreign to their customary 
 train of thought, they regard their occupation only 
 as a milch cow ; and they obtain the money of 
 sanguine parents, and sacrifice the time of their 
 pupils. You may try such agreeable personages 
 for yourself : I could wish you no greater punish- 
 ment. 
 
 And now I will speak of the violin and the flute. 
 I have never availed myself of those expedients ; 
 it is a method which I have never learned. I will 
 describe for your amusement a few interesting 
 incidents, which I had an opportunity to witness 
 in a not inconsiderable city, while on a journey 
 with my daughters. The teacher with the flute 
 was a gentle, quiet, mild' musician ; he was on 
 very good terms with his pupil, and indulged in 
 no disputes ; every thing went on peaceably, with- 
 out passion, and " in time." They both twittered 
 
A Conversation with Mrs. Solid. 43 
 
 tenderly and amicably, and were playing, in cele- 
 bration of the birthday of an old aunt who was 
 rather hard of hearing, a sonata by Kuhlau, which 
 was quite within the power of both. The old aunt, 
 who, of course, could hear but little of the soft, flute 
 tones, and the light, thin, modest, square piano, 
 kept asking me : " Is not that exquisite ? what do 
 you think of it ? " I nodded my head and praised 
 it, for the music was modest and made no pre- 
 tension. 
 
 I will pass next to the violin. The possessor 
 of this was a type of presumption, vulgarity, and 
 coarseness, and understood how to make an im- 
 pression on his pupils and their parents by the 
 assumption of extraordinary ability. He conse- 
 quently enjoyed a certain consideration. He was, 
 moreover, a good musician, and played the violin 
 tolerably in accompanying the piano, in Beethoven's 
 opus 17 and 24. In this portrait you have a speci- 
 men of the violinist as a piano teacher. Of course 
 he understood nothing of piano-playing, and took 
 no interest in Wieck's rubbish about beauty of 
 tone ; he cared only for Beethoven. He now and 
 then tried to sprawl out a few examples of finger- 
 ing, in a spider-like fashion ; but they were seldom 
 successful. His pupils also possessed the peculiar 
 
44 Piano and Song. 
 
 advantage of playing " in time," when they did not 
 stick fast in the difficult places. At such times 
 he ;always became very cross and severe, and talked 
 about "precision; "in that way instilling respect. 
 His pupils did not jingle, but they had a peculiarly 
 short, pounding touch ; and floundered about among 
 the keys with a sort of boldness, and with resolute, 
 jerking elbows. They certainly had no tone, but 
 the violin was therefore heard the better; and 
 after each performance we might have heard, " Am 
 I not the first teacher in Europe ?" 
 
 Mrs, Solid. You certainly have shown up two 
 ridiculous figures. 
 
 . ' Dominie. True ; but I leave it to every one to 
 make themselves ridiculous. 
 
 Mrs. Solid. I am very glad that you have 
 furnished me here with the criticisms of which I 
 stand in need ; for I might otherwise have been 
 in danger of supplying you with an example at the 
 next soir6e, perhaps at the banker's, Mr. Gold's. 
 But, as I should like to hear your answer, I will 
 listen to, and report to you, what is said in a 
 certain though not very numerous clique, who are 
 opposed to you and your labors. 
 
 Dominie. Those people would act more wisely, 
 if they were to study my writings ; in which I will 
 
Pour Piano Lessons. 45 
 
 make any corrections, if there is. any thing that I 
 can add to them, for the advantage of truth, right, 
 and beauty. 
 
 ' And now allow me, Misa Emily, since you , are 
 pretty well advanced, and are not quite spoiled, to 
 show you in a few lessons how to study these vari- 
 ations by Herz (Les Trois Graces, No. i, on a theme 
 from " The Pirates "). They are not easy ; but I 
 will teach them in a way that shall not weary you 
 or give you a distaste for them. I have intention- 
 ally chosen these variations, because they do not lay 
 claim to great musical interest ; and, consequently, 
 their mode of performance, their execution, gives 
 them their chief value. Moreover, they possess 
 the disadvantage for teaching that they are of un- 
 equal difficulty, and require, therefore, the more 
 skill on the part of the teacher to compensate for 
 this. 
 
 Pirst Lesson. Miss Emily, these are very clear, 
 graceful variations, which require an extremely nice, 
 delicate execution ; and, especially, a complete me- 
 chanical mastery of their various difficulties. Al- 
 though these variations may seem to you too easy, 
 I am governed in the selection of them by the 
 maxim that " what one would learn to play finely 
 must be below the mechanical powers of the pupil." 
 
46 Piano and Song. 
 
 The theme of the Italian song, which is the basis 
 of these variations, is very well chosen, and you 
 must take great pains to execute it as finely as 
 possible, and to produce a singing effect upon the 
 piano-forte. After the piece is thoroughly learned, 
 you will be greatly aided in the production of this 
 imitation of singing by the careful and correct use 
 of the pedal which raises the dampers. The theme 
 does not offer great mechanical difficulties ; but it 
 requires a loose, broad, full, and yet tender touch, 
 a good portamento, and a clear and delicately shaded 
 delivery ; for you must remember that " in the per- 
 formance of a simple theme the well-taught pupil 
 may be recognized." ' 
 
 Emily. But you do not begin at the beginning : 
 there is an introduction to the piece. 
 
 Dominie. Perhaps we shall take that at the 
 last : I can't tell yet when. A great many things 
 in my instruction will seem to you misplaced : it 
 may be that the final result will restore to me the 
 approval which I desire. 
 
 Emily. Do you always give such a preliminary 
 description before you begin a piece with a pupil ? 
 
 Dominie. I like to do so ; for I wish to create 
 an interest in the piece, and to state in connection 
 my principles and views about music and piano- 
 
Four Piano Lessons. 47 
 
 playing. Now we will try the theme, first quite 
 slowly ; and then the first easy variation, with the 
 last bars at the end of it, which introduce the theme 
 once more, and which should be played very clearly 
 and smoothly. We will then take from the intro- 
 duction only the right hand, and study the most 
 appropriate fingering for it. I never write this 
 out fully ; but only intimate it here and there, in 
 order not to interfere with the spontaneous activity 
 of the learner. We will also take a few portions 
 for the left hand from the finale. In these you 
 must carefully observe the directions which are 
 given for its performance, and try to execute every 
 thing correctly and clearly ;, for a careless bass is 
 prejudicial to the very best playing in the treble. 
 
 My lesson is now at an end ; lor we have taken 
 up a good deal of time at the beginning with the 
 scales, and passing the thumb under correctly, 
 with the different species of touch, and the appro- 
 priate exercises for these. I do not wish you yet 
 to practise the first variation with both hands to- 
 gether, for you do not yet strike the skipping bass 
 evenly enough and with sufficient precision ; and 
 you might accustom yourself to inaccuracies, espe- 
 cially as your left hand has, as usual, been neglected, 
 and is inferior to the right in lightness and rapidity 
 
48 Piano and Song.. 
 
 We shall find this a hindrance ; for the object is 
 not to practise much, but to practise correctly. 
 Therefore play these passages first slowly, then 
 quicker, at last very fast; then slow again, some- 
 times staccato, sometimes legato, piano, and also 
 moderately loud ; but never when the hands and 
 fingers are fatigued, therefore not too continuously ; 
 but many times in the course of the day, and always 
 with fresh energy. At present, you need not play 
 fortissimo, or with the pedal : for in that way you 
 might be led into a tramping . style, with a weak, 
 stiff touch, and a habit of striking at the keys with 
 straight fingers ; and that I do not like. We will 
 look for the true and the beautiful in a very differ- 
 ent treatment of the piano ; and, first of all, in a 
 clear, unaffected, ' healthy performancej free from 
 any forced character. 
 
 Second Lesson. Transposition of the triads and 
 dominant chord in their three positions, and in 
 various kinds of measure ; and practice of these, 
 with careful attention to a correct touch and loose 
 wrist ; cadences on the dominant and sub-domi- 
 nant ; practice of the skipping bass in the theme, 
 and in the first and third variations, with practice 
 in striking and leaving the chords, observing care- 
 fully the precise value of the notes. You must 
 
Four Piano Lessons. 49 
 
 attend also to strikirg them not too forcibly or 
 too feebly, and take special care with regard to 
 the fourth and fifth fingersj. which do not easily 
 give the tone with so full a sound as the other 
 three fingers. Now we will try the theme witli 
 both hands together, and consider the correct ex- 
 pression, and likewise the piano and forte, as well 
 as the nicest crescendo and diminuendo. We will 
 then take the first easy variation, of which you 
 have already acquired a mastery : we will play it 
 exactly a tempo and with the bass chords, which 
 should usually be given staecato, and which must be 
 played with delicacy and flexibility ; but it will be 
 well for you to practise first the bass part once 
 alone, in order that you may hear whether all the 
 tones sound evenly. Now the fifst variation will 
 go pretty well with both hands together ; with 
 increasing mastery of it, the requisite shading in 
 the right hand can be produced. As your right 
 hand is not yet tired, play to me now several times, 
 first slowly and then faster, the passages which I 
 gave you from the introduction. When the right 
 hand becomes a little fatigued, take a portion from 
 the finale for the left hand. You may also try 
 over the adagio ; but I recommend for your special 
 practice the part for the right hand in the third 
 
5© Piano and Song. 
 
 variation. You cannot make a mistake about it, 
 if you do not try to play it too fast, and if you 
 carefully observe the fingering indicated. Now I 
 will play the theme to you, as nearly as possible as 
 I heard the famous tenor Rubini sing it. You see 
 I place the fingers gently upon the keys and avoid 
 raising them too high, in order not to injure the 
 nice connection of the tones, and to produce a 
 singing tone as far as possible. At the end of the 
 lesson you will play the theme to me once more. 
 ... I perceive you play it with too much embar- 
 rassment, and not freely enough. It will go still 
 better two days hence, if you play it frequently 
 during that time, slowly, and become quite accus- 
 tomed to it. In addition, you will practise indus- 
 triously every thing which we have gone through, 
 especially the first variation ; but you must always 
 do it with interest, and never with weariness. Of 
 course you will practise without notes all the little 
 exercises for the touch, and for the fourth and fifth 
 fingers, and the cadences. 
 
 Third Lesson. Other little exercises ; trills, scales 
 with shading for one hand alone and for both to- 
 gether ; • the skipping basses, &c. We will begin 
 to-day with the bass part of the second variation. 
 You observe that often there are even eighth notes 
 
Four Piano Lessons. 5 1 
 
 in the treble, while in the bass there are even trip- 
 let eighth notes. In order to play these properly 
 together, even with only mechanical correctness, 
 it is necessary that the left hand shall acquire a 
 perfectly free and independent movement, and shall 
 bring out the bass with perfect ease. You must 
 pay special attention to any weak notes, and ac- 
 custom yourself not to give the last triplet, in each 
 bar, and the last note of this triplet, too hurriedly, 
 too sharply, or with too little tone. Notice how 
 much difficulty this equal playing of the triplets 
 occasions to the right hand, which moves in even 
 eighth notes. While you play the left hand, I will 
 play the right : you must listen as little as possible 
 to my playing, and preserve your own independence. 
 You must learn to play this variation entirely by 
 yourself with both hands together ; but we must 
 not be too much in a hurry about it, and must give- 
 time to it. All restless urging, all hurry, leads to 
 inaccuracies in playing. You have learned enough 
 for to-day ; but you may play the other variations, 
 with the whole finale, straight through, that you 
 may not get into the habit of stopping at the diffi- 
 cult passages which you have already learned. 
 
 Fourth Lesson. New exercises for striking 
 stretches, and for the extension of the hand and 
 
52 Piano and Song. 
 
 fingers ; but this must be done prudently, that the 
 sound touch, which is always of the first impoi'- 
 tance, shall not be endangeied. Besides this, the 
 repetition of the exercises lea,rned in the preced- 
 ing lessons ; but all to be played with a certain 
 shading and delicacy. We will to-day begin at 
 the beginning, with the introduction. I will now 
 make amends for my want of regularity, and show 
 you that I can begin at the beginning, lijce other 
 people ; but all in good time. To-day, in those 
 portions of which you have acquired a mastery, 
 we will give particular attention to the expression, 
 and to the correct use of the pedal. If what I sug- 
 gest to you with regard to the shading at any place 
 does not entirely correspond, to your understanding 
 of the piece, or to your feeling, you must at once 
 express your difference of opinion, and ask me for 
 »the reason of my view. You, perhaps, do not like 
 to play this place crescendo, but diminuendo. Very 
 well ; only play it finely in your own way ; it will 
 also sound very well so. I proposed the crescendo 
 there, because the feeling grows more intense ; 
 perhaps, in the next lesson, you will acknowledge 
 that I was right. This place I should play a very 
 little slower, though without a striking ritardando ; 
 then a little faster here ; do you think it ought to 
 
Four Piano Lessons. 53 
 
 h&T^zyt6. crescendo, or diminuendo? We, must try 
 in this variation to present nicely shaded Uttle 
 pictures. Here you might use more energy and 
 decision. This place you should play merely with 
 a correct mechanical execution, but without special 
 expression ; for we require shadow, in order that 
 the succeeding idea, eminently suggestive of the 
 theme, shall be brought out with more brilliancy. 
 In general, the whole must be made to sound nat- 
 ural, without musical pretension, and as if it were 
 the production of the moment ; and should not 
 create a distorted, overdrawn effect, or exhibit 
 modern affectation. 
 
 Each piece that I undertake to teach you will 
 give me an opportunity to talk to you a great deal 
 about the correct expression in, playing, and about 
 its innumerable beauties, shades, and delicacies ; 
 while I shall pay constant attention to the produc- 
 tion of a beautiful singing tone. The next piece 
 will be Chopin's Notturno in E flat ; for your touch 
 has already gained in fulness, and is now unobjec- 
 tionable. 
 
 This is the tyranny with regard to correct execu- 
 tion, which stupidity and folly have taxed me with 
 having exercised towards my daughters. " Expres- 
 sion must come of itself ! " How cheap is this 
 
54 Piano and Song. 
 
 lazy subterfuge of the followers of routine, and of 
 teachers wanting in talent ! We see and hear a 
 great many virtuosos, old and young, with and with- 
 out talent, renowned and obscure. They either 
 play in an entirely mechanical manner and with 
 faulty and miserable touch, or else, which is less 
 bearable, they strut with unendurable affectation 
 and produce musical monstrosities. In order to 
 conceal their indistinct mode of execution, they 
 throw themselves upon the two pedals, and are 
 guilty of inconceivable perversions. 
 
 But let us proceed with your instruction. You 
 already play your piece intelligently, with interest 
 and enthusiasm, and without any of the modern, 
 empty affectations. If any other passage should 
 occur to you at the fermata in the second part, 
 which shall lead appropriately to the dominant,, 
 try it ; and combine it, perhaps, with that which 
 is written. You may make two passing shakes 
 upon the four final sixteenth notes ; but you must 
 play them very distinctly and clearly, and the last 
 one weaker than the first, in order to give it a 
 delicate effect, as is done by singers. With light 
 variations of this kind, it is allowable to introduce 
 various ornaments, provided they are in good taste 
 and nicely executed. The case is quite different in 
 
Four Piano Lessons. 5 5 
 
 the performance of .the compositions of Beethoven, 
 Mozart, Weber, and others, where reverence for the 
 composer requires a stricter interpretation, although 
 even this is sometimes carried to a point of exagger- 
 ation and pedantry. Now try the first variation 
 once more. That is better : you already play the 
 skipping bass with more precision, more briskly 
 and evenly. We begin to perceive the correct 
 speaking tone in the bass, and a certain delicacy 
 and freedom in the treble. You need not play 
 both hands together in the second variation, which 
 is the most difficult, until the next lesson. To-day 
 you may first play the bass alone, while I play the 
 treble ; and afterwards we will change parts, and 
 you can play the treble while I play the bass. But 
 we will not go farther than the fourth variation. 
 I have not much more to say about this piece. We 
 will begin next a beautiful Etude by Moscheles, 
 which I recommend highly to you, in order to 
 strengthen and give facility to the fourth and fifth 
 fingers: this may be your companion and friend 
 during the next two or three months. 
 
 Mrs. Solid. Your very careful mode of instruc- 
 tion assures me that Emily will acquire a mastery 
 of these variations, and will learn to perform them 
 finely. 
 
$6 - Piano and Song. 
 
 Dominie. She will be able, after a week or two, 
 to execute this piece with understanding and con- 
 fidence, and to play it to her own satisfaction and 
 that of others; while her awakened consciousness 
 of its beauties and of her ability to interpret it 
 will preserve her interest for it. 
 
 The objection is quite untenable " that children 
 lose their pleasure in a piece, if they are obliged 
 to practise it until they know it." Do people sup- 
 pose that it gives more pleasure, when the teacher 
 'begins, in a stupid, helpless way, and tries to make 
 the pupil swallow several pieces at once, while 
 he continually finds fault and worries them, than 
 when the pupil: is enabled to play a few short, 
 well-sounding exercises, with perfect freedom and 
 correctness, and to take delight in his success ? 
 or when afterwards, or perhaps at the same time, 
 he is conscious that he can play one piece nicely 
 and v^ithout bungling, while it is all accomplished 
 in a quiet and pleasant manner ? 
 
 Mrs. Solid. Do you pursue the same course 
 with longer and more difficult pieces ? 
 
 Dominie. Certainly, on the same principle. 
 
 Mrs. Solid. But, if you are so particular about 
 every piece, and always take so much pains to im- 
 prove the touch, it will be a long time before Emily 
 
A Conversation with Mrs. Solid. 57 
 
 will be able to execute several long pieces and can' 
 learn other new ones beside. : 
 
 Dominie. Do you wish your daughter to learn 
 to jingle on the piano, in order to become musical 1 
 or shall she grow more musical by learning to play 
 finely ? I am sure the latter is your wish, as it is 
 mine : otherwise, you would be contented with an 
 ordinary teacher. You must consider that, when 
 she has made a beginning; by learning to play one 
 piece thoroughly and quite correctly, the following 
 pieces will be learned more and more quickly ; for 
 she will have acquired a dexterity in playing, as 
 you may observe with yourself and with every one. 
 To be able to drum off fifty pieces in an imperfect 
 manner does not justify the expectation that the 
 fifty-first piece will be learned more easily or bet- 
 ter ; but to attain a perfect mastery of four or five 
 pieces gives a standard for the rest. 
 
 In this way, and by mechanical studies, such 
 as I have begun with Emily, the greatest ease in 
 reading at sight is gradually developed, in which 
 all my pupils excel, when they have remained long 
 enough under my instruction, and in which my 
 daughters are pre-eminent. But for this it is nec- 
 essary to continue to study single pieces, industri- 
 ously and artistically, and with great exactness ; for 
 
S8 Piano and Song. 
 
 otherwise the practice of reading at sight, which 
 often amounts to a passion, leads very soon to 
 slovenliness in piano-playing and to more or less 
 vulgar machine-music. 
 
 Mrs. Solid. I am more and more convinced 
 that a style of instruction which is illogical, inter- 
 mittent, superficial, and without method, can lead 
 to no good result, or at least to nothing satis- 
 factory, even with extraordinary talents j and that 
 the unsound and eccentric manifestations and cari- 
 catures of art, which cause the present false and 
 deplorable condition of piano-playing, are the con- 
 sequence of such a prevalent mode of instruction. 
 
On the Pedal. 59 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 ON THE PEDAL. 
 
 I HAVE just returned exhausted and annihi- 
 lated from a concert, where I have been hear- 
 ing the piano pounded. Two grand bravoura 
 movements have been thundered off, with the 
 pedal continually raised ; and then were suddenly 
 succeeded by a soft murmuring passage, during 
 which the thirteen convulsed and quivering bass 
 notes of the fortissimo were all the time re- 
 sounding. It was only by the aid of the con- 
 cert programme that my tortured ears could 
 arrive at the conclusion that this confusion of 
 tones was meant to represent two pieces by 
 Dohler and Thalberg.. 
 
 Cruel fate that invented the pedal ! I mean the 
 pedal which raises the dampers on the piano. A 
 grand acquisition, indeed, for modern times ! Good 
 heavens ! Our piano performers must have lost 
 their sense of hearing ! What is all this growling 
 and buzzing ? Alas, it is only the groaning of the 
 
6o Piano and Song. 
 
 wretched piano-forte, upon which one of the mod- 
 ern virtuosos, with a heavy beard and long hang- 
 ing locks, whose hearing has deserted him, is 
 blustering away on a bravoura piece, with the 
 pedal incessantly raised, — with inward satisfaction 
 and vain self-assertion ! Truly , time brings into 
 use a great deal that is far from beautiful: does, 
 then, this raging piano re^yolutionist think it beau- 
 tiful to bring the pedal into use at every bar ? 
 Unhappy delusion. 
 
 Sut enough of this serious jesting. Hummel 
 never used the pedal. He was an extremist ; and, 
 in his graceful,, clear, eldgant, neat, though not 
 grand playing, often lost fine effects, which would 
 have been produced by the correct and judicious 
 use of the pedal ; particularly on the instruments 
 of Stein, Brodmann, Conrad Graff, and others then 
 in use, which were usually lightly leathered, and 
 had a thin, sharp tone. The use of the pedal, of 
 course always allowing it to fall frequently with 
 precision, was especially desirable in the upper 
 treble, in cases where the. changes of the harmony 
 T*ere not very frequent ; for the tone of those 
 instruments; although sweet and agreeable, had 
 hot Inuch depth, and the action had but little 
 strength and elasticity. But on our instruments, 
 
On the Pedal. 6i 
 
 frequently too softly leathered, which have a full 
 tone, and are so strong and penetrating, especially 
 in the bass, it is enough to endanger one's sense 
 of hearing to be subjected to such a senseless, 
 incessant, ridiculous, deafening use of the pedal; 
 frequently, moreover, combined with a hard, stiff 
 touch, and an unsound, incorrect technique. A 
 musical interpretation in any degree tolerable is 
 out of the question. You cannot call that art, it 
 cannot even be called manual labor : it is a freak 
 of insanity! 
 
 A few words to the better sort of players. The 
 foot-piece to the right on the piano-forte raises the 
 dampers, and in that way makes the tones resound 
 and sing, and takes from them the dryness, short- 
 ness, and want of fulness, which is always the 
 objection to the piano-forte, especially to those 
 of the earlier construction. This is certainly an 
 advantage ; the more the tone of the piano-forte 
 resembles singing, the more beautiful it is. But, 
 in order not to injure the distihctness and detract 
 from the clear phrasing of the performance, a 
 very skilful and prudent use of the pedal is 
 necessary in rapid changes of harmony, particu- 
 larly in the middle and lower portion of the in- 
 strument. 
 
62 Piano and Song. 
 
 You all use the pedal too much and too often, 
 especially on large, fine concert pianos of the new 
 construction, which, with their heavy stringing, 
 have in themselves a fuller, more vibrating tone ; 
 at least you do not let it fall frequently enough, 
 and with precision. You must listen to what you 
 are playing. You do not play for yourselves alone ; 
 frequently you play to hearers who are listening 
 for the first time to the pieces you are performing. 
 Try a few passages without pedal, — for instance, 
 those in which the changes of the harmony succeed 
 each other rapidly, even in the highest treble, — 
 and see what repose, what serene enjoyment, what 
 refreshment is afforded, what delicate shading is 
 brought out. Or at first listen, and try to feel it in 
 the playing of others ; for your habit is so deeply 
 rooted that you no longer know when and how 
 often you use the pedal. Chopin, that highly 
 gifted, elegant, sensitive composer and performer, 
 may serve as a model for you here. His widely 
 dispersed, artistic hatmonies, with the boldest and 
 most striking suspensions, for which the funda- 
 mental bass is essential, certainly require the fre- 
 quent use of the pedal for fine harmonic effect. 
 But, if you examine and observe the minute, criti- 
 cal directions in his compositions, you can obtain 
 
On the Pedal. 63 
 
 from him complete instruction for the nice and 
 correct use of the pedal. 
 
 By way of episode to my sorrowful lecture on 
 the pedal, we will take a walk through the streets 
 some beautiful evening. What is it that we hear 
 in almost every house .■' Unquestionably it is 
 piano-playing ; but what playing ! It is generally 
 nothing but a continual confusion of different 
 chords, without close, without pause ; slovenly 
 passages, screened by the raised pedal ; varied 
 by an empty, stiff, weak touch, relying upon the 
 pedal for weight. We will escape into the next 
 street. Oh, horrors 1 what a thundering on this 
 piano, which, by the way, is sadly out of tune ! 
 It is a grand — that is, a long, heavy — 6tude, with 
 the most involved passages, and a peculiar style 
 of composition, probably with the title " On the 
 Ocean," or "In Hades," or "Fancies of the In- 
 sane ; " pounded off with the pedal raised through 
 the most marvellous changes of harmonies. Finally, 
 the strings snap, the pedal creaks and moans ; 
 conclusion, — c, c sharp, d, d sharp resound to- 
 gether through a few exhausted bars, and at last 
 die away in the warm, soft, delicious air. Uni- 
 versal applause from the open windows ! But who 
 is the frantic musician who is venting his rage or 
 
64 Piano and Song, 
 
 this piano? It is a Parisian or other travelling 
 composer, lately arrived with letters of recommen- 
 dation, who has just been giving a little rehearsal 
 of what we may expect to hear shortly in a concert 
 at the " H6tel de Schmerz." 
 
The Soft-Pedal Sentiment. 65 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 THE SOFT-PEDAL SENTIMENT. 
 
 You exclaim : " What is that ? — a sentiment 
 for the soft pedal ! a sentiment of any kind in our 
 times ! most of all, a musical sentiment ! I have 
 not heard of such a thing in a concert-room for a 
 long time ! " 
 
 When the foot-piece to the left on the piano 
 is pressed down, the key-board is thereby moved 
 to the right ; so that, in playing, the hammers 
 strike only two of the three strings, in some 
 pianos only one. In that way the tone is made 
 weaker, thinner, but more singing and more ten- 
 der. What follows from this } Many performers, 
 seized with a piano madness, play a grand bravoura 
 piece, excite themselves fearfully, clatter up and 
 down through seven octaves of runs, with the pedal 
 constantly raised, — bang away, put the best piano 
 out of tune in the first twenty bars, — snap the 
 strings, knock the hammers off their bearings, 
 perspire, stroke the hair out of their eyes, ogle 
 
66 Piano and Song. 
 
 the audience, and make love to themselves. Sud- 
 denly they are seized with a sentiment! They 
 come to a piano or pianissimo, and, no longer 
 content with one pedal, they take the soft pedal 
 while the loud pedal is still resounding. Oh, 
 what languishing-! what soft murmuring, and what 
 a sweet tinkling of bells ! what tenderness of feel- 
 ing ! what a soft-pedal sentiment 1 The ladies fall 
 into tears, enraptured by the pale, long-haired young 
 artist. 
 
 I describe here the period of piano mania, which 
 has just passed its crisis ; a period which it is 
 necessary to have lived through, in order to be- 
 lieve in the possibility of such follies. When, in 
 the beginning of this century, the piano attained 
 such conspicuous excellence and increased power, 
 greater technical skill could not fail to be called 
 out ; but, after a few years, this degenerated into 
 a heartless and worthless dexterity of the fingers, 
 which was carried to the point of absurdity and 
 resulted in intellectual death. Instead of aiming to 
 acquire, before al^ things, a beaatiful, full tone on 
 these rich-sounding instruments, which admit of 
 so much and such delicate shading, essential to 
 true excellence of performance, the object was 
 only to increase mechanical facility, and to culti- 
 
The Soft-Pedal Sentiment. 67 
 
 vate almost exclusively an immoderately powerful 
 and unnatural touch, and to improve the fingering 
 in order to make possible the execution of pas- 
 sages, roulades, finger-gymnastics, and stretches, 
 which no one before had imagined or considered 
 necessary. From this period dates the introduc- 
 tion of virtuoso performances with their glittering 
 tawdriness, without substance and without music, 
 and of the frightful eccentricities in art, accom- 
 panied by immeasurable vanity and self-conceit, — 
 the age of " finger-heroes." It is indeed a melan- 
 choly reflection, for all who retain their senses, 
 that this charlatanry is made the solitary aim of 
 numberless ignoble performers, sustained by the 
 applause of teachers and composers equally base. 
 It is sad to see how, engaged in artificial formal- 
 isms and in erroneous mechanical studies, players 
 have forgotten the study of tone and of correct 
 delivery, and that few teachers seek to improve 
 either themselves or their pupils therein. Other- 
 wise they would see and understand that, on a 
 good piano, such as are now to be found almost 
 everywhere, it is possible with correct playing, 
 founded on a right method, to play, without exter- 
 nal aids, forte, fortissimo, piano, pianissimo, — in 
 a word, with every degree of shading, and with at 
 
68 Piano and Song. 
 
 least formal expression; and that this style of 
 playing, with the requisite mechanical skill, sounds 
 far more pure, and is more satisfactory than when 
 a feeling is affected through the crude, unskilful, 
 and absurd use of the pedal, especially of the soft 
 pedal of which we are now speaking. This affec- 
 tation only gives one more proof of our unhealthy, 
 stupid, and unmusical infancy in piano perform- 
 ances. A good-natured public, drummed up and 
 brought together by patient persuasion and by 
 urgent recommendations, of which virtuosos can 
 obtain an abundance (for the tormented cities 
 which they have visited cannot otherwise get rid 
 of them), attend these concerts and listen to dozens 
 of such inexperienced piano-players. One plays 
 exactly like another, with more or less faulty 
 mechanical execution ; and none of them are able, 
 with all their thumping and caressing of the keys, 
 to bring out from the instrument a broad, healthy, 
 full, and beautiful tone, delicately shaded and dis- 
 tinct even to the softest //. But, instead of this, 
 they fall into a pedal sentiment ; i.e., they play with 
 outside pretension, and with intrinsic emptiness. 
 
 You unworthy performers, who have so dis- 
 gusted the artistic public with piano-playing that 
 they will no longer, listen to fine, intelligent, sen- 
 
The Soft-Pedal Se7iiiment. 69 
 
 sible artists, whose dignity does not permit them 
 to force themselves into the concert-hall, or to drag 
 people into it from the streets ! you base mor- 
 tals, who have exposed this beautiful art to 
 shame ! I implore you to abandon the concert 
 platform, your battle-field ! Hack at the piano no 
 longer! Find positions on a railroad or in a facr 
 tory. There you may perhaps make yourselves 
 useful ; while by the lessons you give (for it usually 
 comes to that, after you have travelled all over the 
 world) you will only ruin our young people, now 
 growing up with promising talent for piano-play- 
 ing, and will produce successors like yourselves, 
 but not artists. 
 
 I must whisper one thing more in your ear. I 
 will say nothing about simple truthfulness, about 
 tenderness and sincerity of feeling, or wholesome 
 refinement, about poetry, inspiration, or truly im- 
 passioned playing. But, if your ears are not already 
 too much blunted, you should be able to discover, 
 at least in a very few minutes, on any instrument, 
 unless it is of the worst sort, or has already been 
 battered to pieces by you, how far you can carry 
 the pianissimo and fortissimo, and still preserve 
 the tone within the limits of beauty and simplicity. 
 You will thus be able to interpret a piece with 
 
yo Piano and Song. 
 
 at least superficial correctness, without mortally 
 wounding a cultivated ear by exaggerations and 
 by maltreatment of the instrument and its two 
 pedals. 
 
 This style of playing has nevertheless found 
 its numerous defenders and admirers in our cen- 
 tury, which has made every thing possible. This 
 senseless enslavement and abuse of the piano has 
 been said to be " all the rage ; " a fine expression 
 of our piano critics to justify insane stamping and 
 soft-pedal sentimentality. 
 
 How far what I have here said relates to our 
 modern errors in singing, and how far it may be 
 applied to them, I leave to the intelligence of 
 ray readers and to my explanations in subsequent 
 chapters. 
 
 To return to my theme : I have still one word 
 on this subject for rational players. Even they 
 use the soft pedal too much and too often, and at 
 unsuitable places ; for instance, in the midst of a 
 piece, without any preparatory pause ; in melodies 
 which require to be lightly executed ; or in rapid 
 passages which axe to be played piano. This is 
 especially to be noticed with players who are 
 obliged to use instruments of a powerful tone 
 and stiff, heavy action, on which it is difficult to 
 
The Soft-Pedal Sentiment. 71 
 
 insure a delicate shading in piano and forte. For 
 this reason, a sensible and experienced teacher, 
 whose sole aim is the true and the beautiful, 
 should make the attainment of an elastic touch 
 and well-grounded style of playing an indispen- 
 sable requirement. I prefer that the soft pedal 
 should be used but seldom, and, if the pedal which 
 raises the dampers is used at the same time, it 
 must be only with the greatest nicety. The soft 
 pedal may be used in an echo ; but should be 
 preceded by a slight pause, and then should be 
 employed throughout the period, because the ear 
 must accustom itself gradually to this tender, 
 maidenly, sentimental tone. There must again 
 be a slight pause before the transition to the usual 
 more masculine tone, with the three strings. The 
 soft pedal is, moreover, most effective in slow move- 
 ments with full chords, which allow time to bring 
 out the singing tone, in which consists the advan- 
 tage of the stroke of the hammers on two strings 
 alone. 
 
72 Piano and Song, 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 A MUSICAL TEA-PARTY AT THE HOUSE OF JOHN 
 SPRIGGINS. 
 
 I ONCE more introduce my readers to the scenes 
 of my active, musical life, with an invitation to 
 accompany me to a musical tea-party. My object 
 is, in a short and entertaining manner, to remove 
 very common prejudices ; to correct mistaken ideas ; 
 to reprove the followers of mere routine ; to oppose 
 to malicious cavilling the sound opinions of an ex- 
 perienced teacher ; to scourge dogmatic narrow- 
 mindedness ; and in this way to advance my method 
 of instruction. 
 
 DRAMATIS PERSONiE. 
 
 John Spriggins (Jovial and narrow-minded, a member of 
 
 an ancient musical family). 
 Mrs. Spriggins {irritable, envious, and malicious). 
 Lizzie, their daughter, i'^ years old {lively and pert). 
 Shepard, her piano-teacher {very laborious). 
 Dominie, a piano-master (^ery stem). 
 Emma, his daughter, a pianist {silent and musical). 
 
 Mrs. Spriggins {to Dominie). So this is your 
 daughter who is to give a concert to-morrow .' She 
 
A Musical Tea-Party. 73 
 
 is said to have less talent than your eldest daughter. 
 With her, they say^ nothing requires any labor. 
 
 Dominie. You must ask my eldest daughter 
 herself about that. I have hitherto held the opin- 
 ion that both of them played correctly, musically, 
 and perhaps finely, and yet both differently : that 
 is the triumph of a musical education. But this 
 cheap comparative criticism is already too thor- 
 oughly worn out. Pray what else have you on 
 your mind. 
 
 Mrs. S. Have you not yet sent your younger 
 daughter to school ? They say your eldest could 
 neither read nor write at fourteen years of age. 
 
 Dominie. My daughters always have a private 
 teacher in the house, in connection with whom I 
 instruct them in music, in order that their literary 
 education shall occupy fewer hours, and that they 
 shall have time left for exercise in the open air 
 to invigorate the body ; while other children are 
 exhausted with nine hours a day at schools and 
 institutes, and are obliged to pay for this with the 
 loss of their health and the joyousness of youth. 
 
 Mrs. S. It is very well known that your daughters 
 are obliged to play the whole day long. 
 
 Dominie. And not all night too? You prob- 
 ably might explain their skill in that way. I am 
 4 
 
74 Piano and Song. 
 
 astonished that you have not heard that too, since 
 you have picked up so many shocking stories about 
 me and my daughters. 
 
 Mrs. S. (dismisses the subject, and asks suddenly). 
 Now just how old is your daughter Emma .' 
 
 Dominie. She is just sixteen years and seven 
 weeks old. 
 
 Mrs. S. Does she speak French ? 
 
 Dominie. Oui, elle parle Frangais, and in musi- 
 cal tones, too, — a language which is understood 
 all over the world. 
 
 Mrs. S. But she is so silent! Does she like 
 to play.? 
 
 Dominie. You have given her no opportunity 
 to speak, she is certainly not forth-putting. For 
 the last two years she has taken great pleasure in 
 playing. 
 
 Mrs. S. You acknowledge, then, that formerly 
 you had to force her to it ? 
 
 Dominie. In the earlier years of her natural 
 development, as she was a stranger to vanity and 
 other unworthy motives, she certainly played, or 
 rather pursued her serious studies, chiefly from 
 obedience and habit. Does your daughter of thir- 
 teen years old always practise her exercises with- 
 out being required to do so ? Does she like to go 
 
A Musical Tea-Party. "jt^ 
 
 to school every day? Does she ilways sew and 
 knit without being reminded of it ? 
 
 Mrs. S. {interrupting). Oh, I see you are quite 
 in love with your daughters ! But they say you 
 are terribly strict and cruel in the musical educa- 
 tion of your children ; and, in fact, always. 
 
 Dominie. Do you suppose I do this from affec- 
 tion 1 or do you infer it, because they have proved 
 artists, or because they look so blooming and 
 healthy, or because they write such fine letters, 
 or because they have not grown crooked over 
 embroidery, or because they are so innocent, unaf- 
 fected, and modest.'' or — 
 
 Mrs. S. {irritably). We will drop that subject. 
 But I must give you one piece of good advice. Do 
 not make your daughter Emma exert herself too 
 much, as you have done with your eldest daughter. 
 
 Dominie. If that is so, Mrs. Spriggins, it seems 
 to have agreed with her very well. 
 
 Mrs. S. {vehemently). But she would have been 
 better — 
 
 Dominie. If she had not played at all } That 
 I can't tell exactly, as I said yesterday. Well, you 
 are satisfied now with Emma's state of health ? 
 
 Mrs. S. It is of no use to advise such people 
 as you. 
 
76 Piano and Song. 
 
 Dominie. Phave always devoted myself to my 
 business as a teacher, and have daily taken coun- 
 sel with myself about the education of my daugh- 
 ters, and of other pupils whom I have formed for 
 artists ; and, it must be acknowledged, I have done 
 so with some ability. 
 
 Mrs. S. {^ot attending to him, but turning to 
 Emma). But does it not make your fingers ache 
 to play such difficult music ? 
 
 Dominie. Only when her teacher raps her on 
 the knuckles, and that I never do. 
 
 {Emma looks at the parrot which is hanging in 
 the parlor, and strokes the great bull-dog^ 
 
 John Spriggins (entering with his daughter 
 Lizzie). Herr Dominie, will you be so good as 
 to hear our daughter Lizzie play, and advise us 
 whether to continue in the same course. Music 
 is, in fact, hereditary in our family. My wife played 
 a little, too, in her youth, and I once played on the 
 violin ; but my teacher told me I had no talent for 
 it, no ear, and no idea of time, and that I scraped 
 too much. 
 
 Dominie. Very curious ! He must have been 
 mistaken ! 
 
 John S. But I always was devotedly fond of 
 music. My father and my grandfather, on our 
 
A Musical Tea-^Party. yy 
 
 estate, often used to play the organ for the organ- 
 ist in church, and the tenants always knew when 
 they were plaiying. My father used often to tell 
 that story at table. Ha, ha ! It was very droll 1 - 
 
 Dominie. Curious ! 
 
 John S. Well, to return to my violin. I gave 
 it up after a year, because it seemed rather 
 scratchy to me, too. 
 
 Dominie. Curious ! Probably your ear and 
 your taste had become more cultivated. 
 
 John S. Afterwards, when I accepted an office, 
 my wife said to me, " My dear, what a ,^ity it is 
 aboiit your violin." So I had it restrung, and took 
 a teacher. It seems as if it were only yesterday. 
 
 Dominie {casting down his eyes, — the servant 
 brings ice). That was very curious ! 
 
 John S. But the government horn -player 
 thought he. could not get on in duets with me. 
 
 Dominie. Curious ! So you were obliged to 
 play only solos ? But to return to your daugh- 
 ter. Will you be good enough to play me some- 
 thing, Miss Lizzie ? 
 
 Mrs. S. {condescendingly, in a low voice). She 
 is a little timid and embarrassed at playing before 
 your daughter Emma. 
 
 Emma. You really need not be so. 
 
78 Piano and Song. 
 
 Mrs. S. Bring " Les Graces " by Herz, and 
 Rosellen's " Tremolo." 
 
 Lizzie. But, mamma, I have forgotten that- 
 piece by Herz, and I have not learned the " Tre- 
 molo" very well yet. That is always the way 
 with me. Mr. Shepard says I rhay console myself : 
 it was always the same with his other scholars. 
 He says I shall finally make my way. But Mr. 
 Shepard is so strict. Are you very strict, Herr 
 Dominie ? 
 
 Mrs. S. Why, my child, you have heard me 
 say so before. Herr Dominie is the very strict- 
 est — but (^playfully) he will not acknowledge it. 
 
 Dominie. There is oiie thing you must allow, 
 Mrs. Spriggins, — that my pupils always take pleas- 
 ure in my lessons ; and that must be the case 
 because their progress is evident and gives them 
 delight, and every thing is developed in the most 
 natural way. 
 
 Mrs. S. (less sharply). We won't discuss that ; 
 but how are your daughters able to play so many 
 pieces to people, and moreover without notes, if 
 they have not been obliged to practise all day 
 long, and if you have not been very cruel with 
 them, while my Lizzie cannot play a single thing 
 without bungling ? 
 
A Musical Tea-Party. 79 
 
 Dominie. Allow me, madam, it must be the 
 fault of Mr. Shep — 
 
 Mrs. S. No, no ! you must excuse me, but we 
 don't permit any reflections on our Mr. Shepard : 
 he is very particular and unwearied. 
 
 Dominie. It does not depend entirely upon 
 that, but — 
 
 John S. Upon my honor, it is marvellous to see 
 how talented pupils always seem to flock to you. 
 It is easy to teach such ! Ha, ha ! You must not 
 forget, however, that my grandfather played on 
 the organ. Now, Lizzie, sit down and play some- 
 thing. 
 
 (She chooses a cavatina from ^^ The Pirates" with 
 variations. The introduction begins with e 
 flat in unison. Lizzie strikes e in unison and 
 the same in the bass, and exclaims : " There, 
 m.am,m,a, didiit I tell you so f T don't remem- 
 ber it now'' Mr. Shepard enters, steps up 
 hastily, and puts her finger on e flat^ 
 Shepard. Pardon me, Herr Dominie, I will 
 only set her going : it makes her a little confused 
 to play before such connoisseurs ; she loses her 
 eyesight. Don't you see, Lizzie, there are three 
 flats in the signature .' 
 John S. Courage now! Aha! Lizzie can't 
 
8o Piano and Song. 
 
 get at the pedal, the bull-dog is Ijnng over it 
 John, take him out. 
 
 {After the removal of the hull-dog, Lizzie. plays as 
 
 far as the fourth bar, when 'she strikes c sharp 
 
 instead of c, and stops.) 
 
 Mrs. S. Never mind, begin again. Herr Dominie 
 
 is pleased to hear that : he has gone through it all 
 
 with his own children^ 
 
 {Lizzie begins again at the beginning, and goes 
 
 on to the eighth bar, where she sticks fast) 
 Shepard. Don't make me ashamed of you, 
 Lizzie. Now begin once more: a week ago it 
 went quite tolerably. 
 
 {Lizzie begins once more, and plays or rather 
 scrambles through it, as far as the eighteenth 
 bar ; but now it is all over with her, and she 
 gets up) 
 Dominie. Skip the introduction, it is too diffi- 
 cult : begin at once on the theme. 
 
 John S. (to his wife). We will go away and 
 leave the gentlemen alone. By and by, gentlemen, 
 we will talk about it further over a cup of tea. 
 {Lizzie refuses to play) 
 Dominie. Mr. Shepard, let Lizzie play a few 
 scales or some chords ; a few finger exercises, or 
 some easy dance without notes. 
 
A Musical Tea-Party. 8i 
 
 Shepard. She has nothing of that kind ready. 
 You see I always take up one piece after another, 
 and have each one played as well as I can ; she 
 repeats the difficult parts, I write the proper finger- 
 ing over them, and am very particular that she does 
 not use the wrong fingers. I have taken a great 
 deal of pains, and quite worn myself out over the 
 lessons. Lizzie does the same, and practises her 
 pieces two hours a day ; but — but — 
 {Lizzie goes away with Emma) 
 
 Dominie. Mr. Shepard, with the best intentions 
 in the world, you will never accomplish your end. 
 Even if Miss Lizzie is only to play as an amateur, 
 and is not intended for any thing higher, for which 
 in fact she has not sufficient talent, you must pay 
 some attention beforehand to the acquirement of 
 a correct tone, and get rid of this robin-red-breast 
 touch ; and you must then endeavor, by scales and 
 exercises of every kind, to give to her hands and 
 fingers so much firmness, decision, and dexterity, 
 that she can master her pieces, at least with a 
 certain distinct tone and a tolerable touch. You 
 are not less in error in the choice of her pieces, 
 which are far too difficult, — a fault of most teachers, 
 even with the most skilful pupils. The pieces which 
 your pupils are to execute should be below their 
 4* ? 
 
82 Piajio and Song. 
 
 mechanical powers ; for, otherwise, the struggle with 
 difficulties robs the player of all confidence in the 
 . performance, and gives rise to stumbling, bungling, 
 and hurry. The mechanical powers should be cul- 
 tivated by studies and exercises, in preference to 
 pieces, at least to those of certain famous com- 
 posers, who do not write in a manner adapted to 
 the piano ; or who, at any rate, regard the music 
 as of more importance than the player. This may 
 apply even to Beethoven, in the higher grade of 
 composition ; for his music is full of danger for the 
 performer. The only course which can ever lead 
 to a sure result, without wearying both pupil and 
 parent, and without making piano-playing distaste- 
 ful, is first to lay a foundation in mechanical power, 
 and then to go on with the easier pieces by Hiinten 
 and Burgmiiller. If you try to produce the me- 
 chanical dexterity essential for piano performance 
 by the study of pieces, except with the most care- 
 ful selection, you will waste a great deal of time 
 and deprive the pupil of all pleasure and interest ; 
 and the young Lizzie will be much more interested 
 in the hope of a husband than in the satisfaction 
 of performing a piece which will give pleasure to 
 herself and her friends. There can be no success 
 without gradual development and culture, with- 
 
A Musical Tea-Party. 83 
 
 out a plan, without consideration and reflection, — • 
 in fact, without a proper method. How can there 
 be any good result, if the pupil has to try at the 
 same time to play with a correct touch, with the 
 proper fingering, in time, with proper phrasing^ 
 to move the fingers rightly, to gain familiarity 
 with the notes, and to avoid the confusion between 
 the treble and the bass notes, — and in fact has 
 to struggle with every thing at once ? And what 
 vexations ! what loss of time without success ! 
 
 {Skepard listened "with attention, and a light 
 seemed to dawn upon him) 
 
 {Dominie and Shepard go in to tea) 
 
 Mrs. S. Well, gentlemen, have you come to 
 any conclusion ? Is not Lizzie a good pupil ? 
 She is obliged to practise two hours every day, 
 however tired she may be. Do you think we 
 should continue in the same course, Herr Dom- 
 inie .' 
 
 Shepard. Herr Dominie has called my atten- 
 tion to some points which will be of use to me. 
 
 Dominie. Only a few trifles. 
 
 John S. After tea will not Miss Emma play 
 to us ? 
 
 Emma. The piano is very much out of tune, 
 some of the keys stick, the action is too light, and 
 
84 Piano and Song. 
 
 the instrument generally is not calculated for tlie 
 successful execution of any thing. 
 
 John S. I beg your pardon : it was considered 
 by everybody a very fine instrument when we 
 bought it, sixteen years ago. We had a great 
 bargain in it at the time, for we purchased it of a 
 neighbor who had improved it very much by use. 
 Mr. Shepard will confirm what I say. Miss. 
 
 (Emma bows her head thotightfuUy, and looks at 
 Shepard suspiciously^ . 
 
 John S. My violin has very much improved 
 during the last twenty years. On my honor, if 
 Lizzie were a boy, she should learn to play on 
 the violin, to keep it in the family. Ha, ha, ha ! 
 
 Dominie. That would be curious ! 
 
 (Dominie wishes to take leave with his daughter^ 
 
 Mrs. S. (condescendingly). I hope you will come 
 to see us again soon. The next time Lizzie will 
 play you Rosellen's " Tremolo ; " and Miss Emma 
 must play us a piece too. 
 
 DoMiNis. You are extremely kind 1 (Takes Uave^ 
 
Singing and Singing-Teachers, 85 
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 SINGING AND SINGING-TEACHERS. 
 
 {A Letter to a Young Lady Singer^ 
 
 My dear Miss , — You are endowed with 
 
 an admirable gift for singing, and your agreeable 
 though not naturally powerful voice has vivacity 
 and youthful charm, as well as a fine tone : you 
 also possess much talent in execution ; yet you 
 nevertheless share the lot of almost all your sisters 
 in art, who, whether in Vienna, Paris, or Italy, find 
 only teachers who are rapidly helping to annihi- 
 late the opera throughout Europe, and are ruling 
 ' out of court the simple, noble, refined, and true 
 art of singing. This modern, unnatural style of 
 art, which merely aspires to superficial effects, 
 and consists only in mannerisms, and which must 
 ruin the voice in a short time, before it reaches 
 its highest perfection, has already laid claim to 
 you. It is scarcely possible to rescue your talent, 
 unless, convinced that you have been falsely 
 guided, you stop entirely for a time, and allow 
 your voice to rest during several months, and then, 
 
86 Piano and Song 
 
 by correct artistic studies, and with a voice never 
 forced or strong, often indeed weak, you improve 
 your method of attack by the use of much less 
 and never audible breathing, and acquire a cor- 
 rect, quiet guidance of the tones. You must also 
 make use of the voice in the middle register, and 
 strengthen the good head-tones by skilfully lower- 
 ing them ; you must equalize the registers of the 
 voice by a correct and varied use of the head- 
 tones, and by diligent practice of solfeggio. You 
 must restore the unnaturally extended registers 
 to their proper limits ; and you have still other 
 points to reform. Are you not aware that this 
 frequent tremulousness of the voice, this immod- 
 erate forcing of its compass, by which the chest- 
 register is made to interfere with the head-tones, 
 this coquetting with the deep chest-tones, this 
 affected, offensive, and almost inaudible nasal 
 pianissimo, the aimless jerking out of single tones, 
 and, in general, this whole false mode of vocal 
 execution, must continually shock the natural 
 sentiment of a cultivated, unprejudiced hearer, as 
 well as of the composer and singing-teacher.' 
 What must be the effect on a voice in the middle 
 register, when its extreme limits are forced in 
 such a reckless manner, and when you expend as 
 
Singing and Singing-Teachers. 8/ 
 
 much breath for a few lines of a song as a cor- 
 rectly educated singer would require for a whole 
 aria? How long will it be before your voice, 
 already weakened, and almost always forced be- 
 yond the limits of beauty, shall degenerate into a 
 hollow, dull, guttural tone, and even into that 
 explosive or tremulous sound, which proclaims 
 irremediable injury ? Is your beautiful voice and 
 your talent to disappear like a meteor, as others 
 have done ? or do you hope that the soft air of Italy 
 will in time restore a voice once ruined ? I fall 
 into a rage when I think of the many beautiful 
 voices which have been spoiled, and have dwindled 
 away without leaving a trace during the last forty 
 years ; and I vent my overflowing heart in a brief 
 notice of the many singing-teachers, whose rise 
 and influence I have watched for twenty years 
 past. 
 
 The so-called singing-teachers whom we usually 
 find, even in large cities and in musical institu- 
 tions, I exempt from any special criticism, for they 
 would not be able to understand my views. They 
 permit soprano voices to sing scales in all the five 
 vowels at once ; begin with c instead oi/; allow a 
 long holding of the notes, " in order to bring out 
 the voice," until the poor victim rolls her eyes 
 
88 Piano and Song. 
 
 and grows dizzy. They talk only of the fine chest« 
 tones which must be elicited, will have nothing to 
 do with the head-tones, will not even listen to them, 
 recognize them, or learn to distinguish them. Their 
 highest principle is : " Fudge ! we don't want any 
 rubbish of Teschner, Miksch, and Wieck. Sing in 
 your own plain way : what is the use of this mur- 
 muring without taking breath ? For what do you 
 have lungs if you are not to use them "i Come, 
 try this aria : ' Grice,' ' gr&ce ! ' Produce an effect ! 
 Down on your knees ! " 
 
 There are again others who allow screaming, — 
 " the more the better," — in order to produce power 
 and expression in the voice, and to make it service- 
 able for public performances. They may, indeed, 
 require the singing of solfeggio, and prattle about 
 the requisite equality of the tones ; and they con- 
 sequently make the pupil practise diligently and 
 strongly on the two-lined a, b flat, b, where kind 
 Nature does not at first place the voice, because 
 she has reserved for herself the slow and careful 
 development of it. As for the unfortunate gasp- 
 ing medium voices, which are still less docile, and 
 which sigh in the throat, and after all can only 
 speak, such teachers postpone the cultivation of 
 these to the future, or else they exclaim in a sat-r 
 
Singing and Singing-Teachers. 89 
 
 isfied way, " Now we will sing at sight ! Hit the 
 notes ! Let us have classical music ! " Of these, 
 also, I forbear to speak. 
 
 And as for the singing-teachers, whose business 
 it is to educate the voice for "the opera of the 
 future," I am really unable to write about them. 
 In the first place, I know nothing about "the 
 future," the unborn ; and, in the second place, I 
 have more than enough to do with the present. 
 
 And now I come to those who honestly wish to 
 teach better, and who in a measure do so. But 
 even they are too pedantic: with prejudiced views, 
 they pursue one-sided aims. Without looking 
 around to the right or to the left or forwards, and 
 without daily learning, reflecting, and striving, they 
 run in a groove, always ride their particular hobby, 
 cut every thing after one pattern, and use up the 
 time in secondary matters, in incredible trifles. 
 For the formation of a fine tone, not a minute 
 should be lost, particularly with lady singers, who 
 are not strong, and usually cannot or ought not to 
 sing more than twenty days in a month, and who 
 surely ought to be allowed to use their time in 
 a reasonable manner. Moreover, these are the 
 teachers whom it is most difficult to comprehend. 
 Though they use only seven tones, they are 
 
90 Piano and Song. 
 
 plunged in impenetrable mysteries, in incompire- 
 hensible knowledge and a multitude of so-called 
 secrets, out of which, indeed, nothing can ever 
 be brought to light. For this, however, they do 
 not consider themselves to blame, not even their 
 hobby-horses ; but, as they say, "the higher 
 powers." We will, for once, suppose that three- 
 fourths of the measures which they are accus- 
 tomed to employ in their treatment of the voice 
 and of the individual are good and correct (the 
 same is true of many piano-teachers) ; but the 
 remaining fourth is sufficient to ruin the voice, or 
 to prevent its proper development, and therefore 
 nothing correct is to be gained. There are other 
 teachers who never can get beyond the formation 
 of the tone, and are lost in the pursuit of perfec- 
 tion, — that " terrestrial valley of tears." Truly a 
 beautiful country, but which is only to be found in 
 Paradise ! 
 
 Others, instead of thinking, " I will try for the 
 present to do better than others have done," so 
 harass and torment the poor mortal voices with 
 their aim at perfect equality and perfect beauty of 
 tone, the result often is that every thing becomes 
 unequal and far from beautiful. Some teachers 
 make their pupils so anxious and troubled that, 
 
Singing and Singing-Teachers. 91 
 
 owing to their close attention to the tone, and the 
 breath, and the pronunciation, they sing their 
 songs in an utterly wooden manner, and so in 
 fact they, too, are lost in optimism and in tears ; 
 whereas, for singing, a happy confidence in the 
 ability to succeed is essential. Others pursue an 
 opposite course, and are guilty of worse faults, as 
 you will see if you look around. Some of them 
 have no standard of perfection, but use up the 
 time in an exchange of ideas with their pupils, 
 with mysterious and conceited " ifs " and " buts." 
 They are very positive, but only within the narrow 
 circle of their own ideas. They make no advance 
 in a correct medium path. Some allow pupils to 
 practise only staccato, and others only legato, aim- 
 ing thereby at nobody knows what. Some allow 
 them to sing too loud, others too feebly ; some phi- 
 losophize earnestly about beauty in the voice, and 
 others grumble about unpleasantness in the same ; 
 some are enthusiastic about extraordinary talents, 
 others fret about the want of talent ; some have 
 a passion for making all the sopranos sing alto, 
 others do just the reverse ; some prefer a shadowy, 
 others a clear voice. They all rest their opinions 
 upon the authority of some famous screaming- 
 master who has written a singing-system. Upon 
 
92 Piano and Song. 
 
 like authority, some cultivate chiefly the deep 
 tones, because it is very fine, and "creates an 
 effect," for soprano voices to be able suddenly to 
 sing like men, or rather to growl, and because it 
 is the fashion in Paris. Others, on the contrary, 
 pride themselves upon the head-tones ; but they 
 are none of them willing to pay much attention 
 to the medium voices : that is too critical and too 
 delicate a matter, and requires too much trouble, 
 for the modern art of singing. As a last resort, 
 they bethink themselves of kind Nature, and lay 
 the blame upon her. 
 
 Well, I will say no more upon this point, but 
 will proceed. Have I not already, in my piano 
 instructions, insisted on the importance of a grad- 
 ual and careful use of every proper expedient to 
 extend, strengthen, beautify, and preserve the 
 voice.' I am thought, however, to infringe upon 
 the office of the singing-masters, who hold their 
 position to be much more exalted than that of 
 the poor piano-teacher. Still, I must be allowed to 
 repeat that voices are much more easily injured 
 than fingers ; and that broken, rigid voices are 
 much worse than stiff, unmanageable fingers, un- 
 less, after all, they amount to the same thing. I 
 demand of singing-teachers that they show them- 
 
Singing and Singing-Teachers. 93 
 
 selves worthy of their position, and allow no more 
 voices to go to destruction, and that they give us 
 some satisfactory results. I believe in fact, in my 
 homely simplicity, that the whole thing may be 
 accomplished without any mystery, without trading 
 in secrets or charlatanry ; without the aid of mod- 
 em anatomical improvement, or rather destruction, 
 of the worn-out throat, through shortening or 
 increasing the flexibility of the palate, through the 
 removal of the unnecessary glands or by attempts 
 to lengthen the vocal passage, or by remedying a 
 great many other things in which Nature has 
 made a mistake, and on which special doctors for 
 the voice, in Paris and London, are now em- 
 ployed. 
 
 We supply the want of all these by the following 
 little rule : — 
 
 Three trifles are essential for a good piano or 
 singing-teacher, — 
 
 The finest taste, 
 The deepest feeling. 
 The most delicate ear, 
 and, in addition, the requisite knowledge, energy, 
 and some practice. Voild. tout I I cannot devote 
 myself to the treatment of the throat, for which I 
 have neither time not fitness ; and my lady singers 
 
94 Piano and Song. 
 
 are so busy with the formation of true tone, and 
 in attention to the care and preservation of their 
 voices, that they only wish to open their mouths 
 for that object, and not for anatomical purposes. 
 In piano-playing also, I require no cutting of the 
 interdigital fold, no mechanical hand-support, no 
 accelerator for the fingers or stretching machine ; 
 and not even the " finger-rack " invented and used, 
 without my knowledge, by a famous pupil * of 
 mine, for the proper raising of the third and fourth 
 fingers. 
 
 My dear young lady, if the Creator has made the 
 throat badly for singing, he alone is responsible. 
 I cannot come to his assistance by destroying the 
 throat with lunar caustic, and then reconstructing 
 it. If the throat is really worn out, may it not 
 perhaps be owing to the teacher, and to his mis- 
 taken management ? 
 
 Nature does many things well, and before the 
 introduction of this modern fashion of singing pro- 
 duced many beautiful voices : has she all at once 
 become incapable of doing any thing right ? 
 
 * Reference is here made to Robert Schumann, who, in order 
 to facilitate the use o£ the weaker fingers, employed a machine 
 for raising the fingers artificially, which resulted in loss of power 
 over them, and necessitated the abandonment of piano-playing.— 
 Tr. 
 
Singing and Singing-Teachers. 95 
 
 We will, then, simply return to the three trifles 
 above-mentioned ; and in these we will live and 
 work " with all our heart, with all our soul, and 
 with all our mind." 
 
96 Piano and Song. 
 
 CHAPTER iX. 
 
 THOUGHTS ON SINGING. 
 
 Our vocal composers, followed by many singing- 
 teachers and singing institutions, have almost ban- 
 ished from music the true art of singing ; or, at 
 least, have introduced an unnatural, faulty, and 
 always disagreeable mode of delivery, by which 
 the voice has been destroyed, even before it has 
 attained its full development. The consideration 
 of this fact induces me to communicate some por- 
 tions from my journal, and to unite with them a 
 few opinions of the noted singing-master, Teschner, 
 of Berlin. 
 
 Must we again and again explain to German 
 composers thut, though we do not require them to 
 compose in Italian, they ought, at least, to learn 
 to write in German in a manner suited for singing? 
 otherwise, in their amazing ignorance and infatua- 
 tion, they will wear out the powers of opera singers, 
 and torture the public, apparently without a sus- 
 
Thoughts on Singmg. 97 
 
 picion that it is possible to write both grand and 
 light operas with true, characteristic German thor- 
 oughness. Even German opera requires a con- 
 stant attention to the right use of the voice, and a 
 rriethodical, effective mode of singing. It tolerates 
 no murderous attacks on single male and female 
 voices, or on the full opera company ; it is opposed 
 to that eager searching after superficial effect, 
 which every sincere friend of the opera must lament. 
 Is it, then, so difficult to obtain the requisite 
 knowledge of the human voice, and to study the 
 scores of Gluck, Haydn, Mozart, Rossini, Bellini, 
 and Donizetti with a special regard to this 1 Do 
 our vocal composers make too great a sacrifice to 
 their creative genius in making a study of those 
 things which are essential .' You consider it 
 mortifying to inquire of those who understand 
 singing, and you are sensitive about any dis- 
 turbance of your vain over-estimate of your own 
 powers ; but you are not ashamed to cause the 
 destruction of man's noblest gift, — the human 
 voice! If taste, feeling, and a fine ear are, and 
 always must be, the chief requirements in compos- 
 ing for the great public, I ask you how you can lay 
 claim to these three trifles, when you constantly 
 violate them 1 
 
 S G 
 
98 Piano and Song. 
 
 Composer. If Mrs. N. had executed my aria to- 
 day in as earnest and masterly a style, and with as 
 agreeable a voice, as she did that of Rossini yester- 
 day, she would have given as much satisfaction; 
 for it is much more interesting and expressive 
 both musically and harmonically, and written with 
 more dramatic effect. 
 
 Singer. You make a mistake, and you always 
 will do so, as long as you consider the study of the 
 voice as of secondary importance, or, in fact, pay 
 no attention whatever to it. The latter aria, which 
 is composed with a regard to the voice, and to the 
 employmerit of its most agreeable tones, puts me 
 into a comfortable mood, and gives me a feeling 
 of success ; yours, on the contrary, into one of dis- 
 satisfaction and anticipation of failure. Of what 
 ■importance is the musical value of a composition, 
 if it can only be sung with doubtful success, and if 
 the voice is obliged to struggle with it, instead of 
 having it under control .' You attach less impor- 
 tance to the free, agreeable exercise of the voice 
 than does the unanimous public. I do not wish to 
 excite compassion, but to give pleasure by a beau- 
 tifully developed style of singing. You pay some 
 attention to adaptability to the piano or the violin : 
 why are you usually regardless of fitness for the 
 voice .' 
 
Thoughts on Singing. 99 
 
 Critics have often asked, Why does Jenny Lind 
 sing so coolly ? why does she not sing grand, pas- 
 sionate parts ? why does she not select for her per- 
 formances some of the later German or even Italian 
 operas ? why does she always sing Amina, Lucia, 
 Norma, Susanna, &c. ? In reply to these and simi- 
 lar questions, I will ask, Why does she wish always 
 to remain Jenny Lind ? why does she endeavor to 
 preserve her voice as long as possible ? why does 
 she select operas in which she may use her pure, 
 artistic, refined mode of singing, which permits no 
 mannerism, no hypocritical sentiment, and which 
 possesses an ideal beauty? why does she choose 
 operas in which she can give the most perfect pos- 
 sible image of her own personality ? why operas in 
 which she may allow the marvellous union of her 
 powers of song to shine conspicuously, without- 
 doing violence to her voice and forcing its tones, 
 or casting doubt upon her lofty, noble, and beautiful 
 art ? why does she first regard the singing, and only 
 afterwards the music, or both united ? This is the 
 answer to the same questions which are likewise 
 asked about Henrietta Sontag and all great sing- 
 ers. Even the passionate Schroder-Devrient sel- 
 dom made an exception to this rule, although she 
 was not independent of the theatres. 
 
loo Piano and Song. 
 
 These questions should be an urgent warning 
 to our young female singers not to sacrifice them- 
 selves to any of the modern screaming operas, 
 unsuited for singing ; but to preserve and watch 
 over their voices, and to guard them from immod- 
 erate, continued, and often inartistic exertion ; in 
 fact, to sing always in the voice-register with 
 which nature has endowed them, and never to 
 shriek ; to renounce the present, fashionable, so- 
 called "singing effects," and the modern scene- 
 screaming, as Jenny Lind and Henrietta Sontag 
 have always done. Then their voices would re- 
 main usefulfor the opera, as was formerly the case,, 
 from ten to twenty years ; and they would not have 
 to mourn, as is too common, after a very short time, 
 a feeble, broken voice and departed health. 
 
 Let Jenny Lind and Henrietta Sontag be placed 
 as the finest models before our young, gifted, ambi- 
 tious singers. They are to be regarded as miracu- 
 lous phenomena ; especially in our times, when the 
 modern style of singing has, for reasons difficult 
 to justify, so widely deviated from the old school 
 which was so fruitful in brilliant results, — that 
 of Pistocchi, Porpora, and Bernacchi. What could 
 show more clearly the destructiveness of our pres- 
 ent opera style than the sublime beauty of their 
 
Thoughts on Singing. loi 
 
 singing, combined with their noble, refined, sound 
 voices, such as may perhaps still be found among 
 you? 
 
 The managers of our theatres are in want of 
 tenor singers who can act. They should consider 
 that tenors who have any voices left have never 
 learned to act, and tenors who are able to act 
 no longer have any voices ; because, as a rule, they 
 either have studied too little, or have studied erro- 
 neously. Unless the voice has received a correct 
 and fine culture, the German comic operas lead 
 immediately to destruction of the voice, especially 
 of the sensitive, easily injured German tenor voice. 
 
 Here I take occasion to remark upon the univer- 
 sal prejudice, that " a tenor ought to develop the 
 chest-tones as far as possible, that they are the 
 finest." In tenors, with very few exceptions, this 
 mistaken treatment has been speedily followed by 
 the loss both of voice and health. Nicely shaded 
 singing, from piano onwards, is thereby rendered 
 impossible ; and tones which are always forced 
 must remain unpleasant, even although powers 
 thus laboriously gained may sometimes have a 
 fine effect in the opera. A tenor who wishes to 
 preserve his voice and not to scream in the upper 
 
I02 Piano and Song. 
 
 tones, who desires always to have a piano at com- 
 mand and to possess the necessary shading and 
 lightness as well as elegance and flexibility, should 
 cultivate \h& falsetto, and endeavor to bring it down 
 as far as possible into the chest-register. This is 
 as indispensable as is the use of the head-tones 
 for the soprano. When the falsetto has too strik- 
 ing a resemblance to the chest-voice, and is even 
 inferior to it in power, it is the result of want of 
 perseverance and prudence in its cultivation. It 
 ought to be almost imperceptibly connected with 
 the chest-register by the introduction of the mixed 
 tones. 
 
 We shall probably soon be called upon to read 
 an "Address of Young Female Singers to the 
 Composers of Germany," as follows : " Freedom 
 of thought ! freedom in composition ! freedom in 
 the opera ! but no annihilation of the throat ! You 
 are hereby notified that we protest against all 
 operas which are repugnant to the true art of 
 singing ; for it is not in your power to compensate 
 us for the loss of our voices, although it may 
 be possible for you, after using up our talent as 
 quickly as possible, to look around for others, with 
 whom you can do the same. First learn to under« 
 
Thoughts on Singing. 103 
 
 stand singing, or, ratlier, first learn to sing, as your 
 predecessors have done, and as Italian composers 
 still do, and then we will talk with you again." 
 
 "What a pedantic outcry about German want 
 of adaptability for singing ! Pray where is there 
 the most singing ? " It is, I agree, in Germany. 
 " Is not singing taught in the public schools "i 
 And consider, too, the innumerable singing clubs, 
 singing societies, and singing institutions ! " 
 
 That is just the misfortune which requires a 
 thorough investigation. How many promising 
 voices do these institutions annually follow to the 
 grave .' Who is it who sing in the schools ? Boys 
 and girls from thirteen to fifteen years old. But 
 boys ought not to be allowed to sing while the 
 voice is changing ; and girls, also from physical 
 reasons, ought not to sing at all at that age. And 
 what kind of instructors teach singing here .' Our 
 epistolary and over-wise age overwhelms our super- 
 intendents and corporations with innumerable peti- 
 tions and proposals ; but no true friend of humanity, 
 of music, and of singing, has yet been found to 
 enlighten these authorities, and to prove to them 
 that the most beautiful voices and finest talents are 
 killed in the gerra by these unsuitable so-called 
 
104 Piano and Song. 
 
 singing-lessons, especially in the public schools. 
 Girls' voices may be carefully awakened, and skil- 
 fully practised, and made flexible and musical ; but 
 they should be used only in mezso-voce, and only 
 until the period of their development, or up to the 
 thirteenth year, or a few months sooner or later. 
 This ought also to be done with great experience, 
 delicacy, practical knowledge and circumspection. 
 But where are we to find suitable singing-profes- 
 sors, and who is to pay them a sufficient salary ? 
 Therefore, away with this erroneous instruction 
 of children in singing ! away with this abortion 
 of philanthropy and the musical folly of this ex- 
 travagant age ! Can such a premature, unrefined, 
 faulty screaming of children, or croaking in their 
 throats, without artistic cultivation and guidance, 
 compensate for the later inevitable hoarseness and 
 loss of voice, and for the destruction of the organs 
 of singing ? 
 
 The tenors who belong to these singing societies 
 and institutions force out and sacrifice their un- 
 cultured voices, and scream with throat, palate, 
 and nasal tones, in the execution of four-part songs 
 by this or that famous composer, which are far 
 from beautiful, and which serve only to ruin the 
 voice. Who was the lady who sang the solo in 
 
Thoughts on Singing. 105 
 
 yonder singing academy? That girl, a year ago, 
 had a fresh, beautiful, sonorous voice ; but, although 
 she is only twenty years old, it already begins to 
 fail her, and she screws and forces it, by the help 
 of the chest-tones, up to the two-lined a, without 
 any thing having ever been done for the adjust- 
 ment of the voice-registers and for the use of 
 the head-tones, and without proper direction from 
 a competent superintendent. Instead of this, he 
 was continually exclaiming : " Loud ! forcibly ! con 
 espressione I " 
 
 While even the street boys in Italy sing clearly, 
 and often with great ability, their national songs, 
 so well suited to the voice, and in their most beau- 
 tiful language, our northern voices, which are 
 obliged to contend with the great difficulties of 
 the German language, are sacrificed in the most 
 cold-blooded and self-satisfied manner in the schools 
 and singing societies, while all artistic preparation, 
 by which alone the voice may be preserved and 
 cultivated, is neglected. 
 
 Who are at the head of these institutions and 
 
 societies .' Musicians it is true ; but they are 
 
 strangers to any special education in singing, or 
 
 are not skilful singing-teachers, who understand 
 
 how to combine methodical cultivation of the voice 
 5* 
 
io6 Piano and Song. 
 
 with practical execution. Their entire instruction 
 consists, at most, in hitting the notes and keeping 
 time. These musicians say : " Whoever joins my 
 society must know how to sing ! " What does that 
 mean } Where are they to learn it ? And, even 
 when you have succeeded in obtaining for your 
 academy a few imprudent but well-taught singers, 
 does not the preservation of their voices then 
 require the greatest care and watchfulness ? Is 
 that in your power "i Have you the requisite 
 knowledge for it.' Are not these few well-edu- 
 cated voices obliged to sing by the side of singers 
 who have been taught in a wrong manner, and 
 who have no pure, correct intonation } Then what 
 do these societies amount to .■' Do they improve 
 or destroy the voice .' They make the members 
 musical. A fine consolation for the loss of the 
 voice ! They teach them to hit the notes and to 
 keep time. A great comfort after the voice has 
 been destroyed by false culture ! 
 
 A singing-teacher who has no firm, decided 
 principle, who is constantly wavering backwards 
 and forwards, and who frequently leads others into 
 error by his untenable opinions ; who cannot quickly 
 discern the special talent and capacity of his pupils, 
 
Thoughts on Singing. 107 
 
 or discover the proper means to get rid of what is 
 false or wrong, and adopt the speediest road to 
 success, without any one-sided theories of perfec- 
 tion ; who mistrusts and blames, worries, offends, 
 and depresses, instead of encouraging ; who is 
 always dissatisfied instead of cordially acknowl- 
 edging what is good in the pupil ; who at one time 
 rides a high horse instead of kindly offering a help- 
 ing hand, and at another time praises as extrava- 
 gantly as he before has blamed, and kills time in 
 such ways as these, — he may be an encyclopaedia 
 of knowledge, but his success will always fall short 
 of his hopes. Firmness, decision, energy, and a 
 delicate, quick perception ; the art not to say too 
 much or too little, and to be quite clear in his own 
 mind, and with constant considerate kindness to 
 increase the courage and confidence of his pupils, — 
 these are requisite above all things for a singing- 
 master as well as for a piano-teacher. 
 
 " My singers are to be educated for the public, 
 for the stage, and must therefore sing loud, study 
 hard, force their execution, and make use of a 
 great deal of breath. How else will they be able 
 to produce an effect .' " 
 
 Answer. What, then, is the effect of your cul- 
 
lo8 Piano and Song. 
 
 ture ? I know of none, except that they at first 
 are applauded, because they are young and pretty, 
 and are novelties ; because they have good voices, 
 and the benevolent public wishes to encourage 
 them ; and then they disappear in a year or two 
 without leaving any trace. 
 
 " The singing-teacher can succeed in cultivating 
 not more than one good voice in twenty, with any 
 noteworthy result. Hence the decadence of the 
 art of singing." 
 
 Answer. Unless some unusual disturbance oi 
 sickness occur, all voices improve till the twenty- 
 fourth year. When this is not the case, it is to 
 be attributed only to the singing-teacher. 
 
 " Many voices acquire a sharp tone, which is the 
 precursor of decay." 
 
 Answer. All voices are, and will . remain, more 
 or less tender, if their culture is correct. 
 
 " Only Jenny Lind and Henrietta Sontag were 
 allowed by the public to give out their voices nat- 
 urally and lightly without straining them, and to 
 sing piano and pianissimo, and their celebrity is a 
 justification of this privilege." 
 
 Answer. But how would they have obtained 
 their celebrity, if this were not the true, correct, 
 and pure mode of singing .? 
 
Thoughts on Singing. 109 
 
 " Ouj singers also try the piano and pianissimo ; 
 but they can produce no effect on their audiences 
 by it, as you may see every day." 
 
 Answer. Good heavens ! I should think so ! 
 With such a piano, with strained voices, faulty 
 attack, and the use of too much breath, — a piano 
 which only gurgles in the throat, or deeper ! That 
 I do not mean : I must refer you again to the three 
 trifles mentioned in my eighth chapter. 
 
 "But some voices have no piano, and many 
 singers do not take the right course to acquire 
 it." 
 
 Answer. What a wide-spread, groundless ex- 
 cuse ! Here we may see the error of our times. 
 People look for the fault outside of themselves, 
 and not in themselves. The inventive power of 
 the age is here truly astonishing! When, owing 
 to false management, the voice soon degenerates 
 instead of improving with time, it is the conse- 
 quence of a faulty formation of the throat, and of 
 the neglect of London throat brushes ! If such 
 badly educated voices can no longer produce a 
 piano, it is owing to the unskilfulness of nature, 
 and to the false construction of the necessary 
 organs ! If the piano is only a wheeze, the reason 
 is found in the deficiency of' palate, and excess of 
 
no Piano and Song. 
 
 muscles ! If several times in the month, the worn 
 out, weary voice can only groan and sigh, or cannot 
 emit a sound, it is the result -of a change in the 
 weather, or other meteorological conditions ! If we 
 complain of unpleasant, shrieking tones, occasioned 
 by the mouth being too widely stretched, then " the 
 rays of sound take an oblique, instead of a direct 
 course " ! If the poor, strained medium voice, even 
 with the help of a great deal of breath, can only 
 produce dull, hollow, veiled, and unpleasant tones, 
 that is said to be a necessary crisis, of which cruel 
 Nature requires a great many in the course of her 
 development of the voice! Finally, if from long 
 and forced holding of the chest-tones, they are 
 changed into noises like the bellowing of calves 
 and the quacking of ducks, and the instructor 
 finally perceives it, then again we have a crisis ! 
 And, alas ! no one thinks of " the three trifles." 
 
 What occasions the want of success of our sing- 
 ing-teachers, many of whom are musical, possess 
 a delicate ear, fine culture and feeling, have studied 
 systems of singing, and exert themselves zealously 
 to teach rightly ? < 
 
 They fail in the culture of the tone, which is not 
 to be learned from books or by one's self, but only 
 
TJwughts on Singing. iii 
 
 from verbal communication. To learn to produce 
 a clear tone, with a light, free, natural attack ; to 
 understand how to draw forth the sound with 
 the use of no unnecessary breath, and to cause 
 the sound to strike againgt the roof of the mouth 
 above the upper row of teeth ; to improve the 
 pronunciation ; to adjust the registers, — these, 
 with many other things, may seem very easy ; but 
 to teach them all in the shortest time, without wear- 
 ing out the voice and without falling into errors; 
 to persevere in teaching to the end, even if the 
 pupil already sings correctly ; to know what is still 
 wanting and how it is to be attained, — all these 
 one must acquire by long and constant experience. 
 When Schroder-Devrient came from Vienna to 
 Dresden, a young but already celebrated singer, 
 though at that time wanting in the proper founda- 
 tion for singing, she was not a little surprised when 
 Miksch called her attention to this deficiency. She 
 devoted herself thoroughly to the primary forma- 
 tion of the tone under the instruction of Miksch, 
 and must still remember the old master, and his 
 extraordinary practice in this particular. Miksch 
 learned it from Caselli, a pupil of Bernacchi. He 
 had just sung as a young tenor, with great ap- 
 plause, in a concert, and introduced himself to 
 
112 Piano and Song. 
 
 Caselli, who was present, expecting to receive his 
 approbation ; but the latter, instead of commend- 
 ing, assured him frankly that his mode of singing 
 was false, and that with such misuse his voice 
 would succumb within a year, unless he adopted 
 a correct culture of tone. After much hard strug- 
 gle, the young Miksch renounced all further public 
 applause, and studied the formation of tone assid- 
 uously and perseveringly with Caselli, after having 
 previously allowed his over-strained voice a time 
 for rest. 
 
 If a singing-teacher has, by chance, met with 
 a docile pupil, possessed of a voice of unusual 
 beauty, it frequently happens that the studies are 
 not pursued with sufficient perseverance ; and, per- 
 haps, are continued only for a few weeks or months, 
 instead of allowing a year or more, according to 
 circumstances. Richard Wagner agrees with me, 
 when he says, " Why, then, write operas to be sung, 
 when we no longer have either male or female 
 singers ? " 
 
 Since modern progress has come to regard " the 
 three trifles " as belonging entirely to the past, and 
 in their place has proclaimed, "Boldness, Spirit, 
 Power," two evil spirits have had rule : they go 
 
Thoughts on Singing. 113 
 
 hand in hand, ruin the voice, wound the cultivated 
 ear, and provide for us — only empty opera houses. 
 One of these evils has been frequently alluded to 
 by me. It is " the expenditure of a great deal too 
 much breath." The finest voices are obliged to 
 practise with full breath until they shriek, and 
 the result is mere sobbing, and the heavy draw- 
 ing of the breath, just at the time when the tone 
 should still be heard. Even if every thing else 
 could be right, in such a culture of the tone, which 
 must very shortly relax the muscles of the voice, 
 that one thing, in itself, would be sufficient to de- 
 stroy all promise of success. 
 
 The second evil endangers even the male voice, 
 which is able to endure much ill-treatment ; while 
 the female voice is quickly forced by it into a pierc- 
 ing shrillness, or is driven back into the throat, 
 soon to be entirely exhausted, or is, at least, pre- 
 vented from attaining a natural, fine development. 
 This second evil is the reckless and destructive 
 straining of single tones to their extreme limits, 
 even to perfect exhaustion. The poor singer urges 
 and squeezes out the voice, and quivers to the 
 innermost marrow, in order that the two require- 
 ments of " Boldness " and " Power " may be satis- 
 fied. But the " Spirit " is still wanting, which should 
 
 H 
 
114 Piano and Song. 
 
 be shown in a light and well-shaded delivery. The 
 effect of extreme shading, however, is accomplished 
 in a single "romanza." The unfortunate, misdi- 
 rected singer, who must aim at effect, lays out so 
 much force on single tones, or even on whole lines, 
 and that, too, in the best register of his voice (the 
 other registers do not permit this), that the suc- 
 ceeding tones are forced to retire powerless into 
 the throat ; and the beautiful, fresh, youthful tenor 
 or bass voice concludes with exhausted groaning 
 and mere speaking tones. The " romanza " is now 
 at an end, and certainly " Boldness, Spirit, and 
 Power " have worked in union. The task is exe- 
 cuted the better, because a rude accompaniment 
 has probably sustained the singer in a most strik- 
 ing manner, and has completed the total effect. 
 
 By such management, to which I must emphati- 
 cally add the continual holding of the tones, even 
 in ^& forte, voices are expected " to come out," to 
 be developed, inspired, and made beautiful. What 
 healthy ear can endure such enormities in tone 
 formation, such tortures in singing ? These, then, 
 are the modern contributions for the embeUish- 
 ment of art ! A curse on these evil spirits ! If 
 my feeble pen shall assist in bringing such singing- 
 teachers to their senses, and shall help to save only 
 
Thoughts on Singing. 115 
 
 a few of our fine voices, I shall consider my mis- 
 sion fulfilled, and the aim of this book, so far as it 
 concerns singing, accomplished. 
 
 I have heretofore combated many prejudices, 
 both in earnest and in sport, successfully and 
 unsuccessfully ;. but one I find very obstinate, — it 
 has pursued me incessantly for years. A piano- 
 player, with a rigid, strained, and vicious touch, 
 proceeding from the arm, may play a great deal, 
 but his playing is thoroughly vulgar and without 
 beauty. He feels this himself, and the playing of 
 my pupils pleases him better. He wishes me to 
 change his style to their better manner; but he 
 still continues to pound, to bang, to exaggerate, 
 and to play in his own way, and only wishes his 
 style to be improved, and his power of execution 
 to be increased. If a performer of this sort is not 
 much more than twenty years of age, something 
 may yet be done for the improvement of his touch, 
 and consequently of his style of playing ; but this 
 is only possible by laying aside all his accustomed 
 pieces of music, and by diligently practising, daily, 
 small easy exercises, which must be played deli- 
 cately, with loose fingers, and without allowing the 
 arm to give the slightest assistance ; otherwise, all 
 
Il6 Piano and Song. 
 
 labor will be thrown away upon him. How else 
 can you begin, except by laying a proper founda- 
 tion for a better style? I have frequently urged 
 this principle both by speech and in writing ; but 
 the difficulty always returns, and especially in the 
 cultivation of female singers. 
 
 A girl of eighteen comes to me : she has heard 
 of the excellent cultivation of my lady singers, and 
 wishes to obtain the same for herself. In order that 
 I may hear her voice, she selects the " Erlkonig," 
 by Schubert, that perilous piece, which is apt to 
 lead even highly cultivated singers into frightful 
 atrocities. Heavens ! what must I hear ? With 
 the remains of a fine, youthful voice, whose regis- 
 ters are already broken up and disconnected, she 
 shrieks out the "Erlkonig," between sobs and 
 groans, with screwed-up chest-tones, and many 
 modern improprieties, but nevertheless with dra- 
 matic talent. The piercing voice, forced to its 
 utmost, fills me with horror ; but also with pity for 
 such a glorious endowment, and such an unnatural 
 development. At the conclusion, her voice suc- 
 cumbed to the effort, and she could only groan 
 hoarsely, and wheeze without emitting a sound. 
 She has, however, frequently produced great effect 
 in society, and drawn tears with this performance : 
 
Thoughts on Singing. 117 
 
 it is her favorite piece. Let us abandon this 
 singing for parties, this melancholy dilettavtismus, 
 everywhere so obtrusive ! The girl is only eighteen 
 years old : is she beyond salvation ? I endeavor to 
 build her voice up again, gradually, by gentle prac- 
 tice. She succeeds very well in it, and after six 
 lessons her natural docility arouses hope. The 
 head-tones again make their appearance, and the 
 practice of solfeggio brings out once more the stifled 
 voice which had been forced back into the throat by 
 senseless exertions ; a better attack begins to be 
 developed, and the chest-register returns to its nat- 
 ural limits. She now declared, with her mother's 
 approval, that she really would continue to study in 
 this way, but she could not give up the perform- 
 . ance of her effective and spirited conception of the 
 " Erlkonig." She came a few times more : I could 
 perceive that the good structure was tottering. 
 After a few months, she had entirely sacrificed her 
 voice to this single "Erlkonig." In such tender 
 years, one such idol is sufficient. What a price for 
 an " Erlkonig " ! The old, experienced singing- 
 teacher, Miksch, of Dresden (with ^he exception of 
 Rossini, the last famous champion of the old school), 
 has often warned me that radical amendment is 
 seldom possible with such over-strained and broken 
 
Ii8 Piano and Song. 
 
 voices, which already are obliged to struggle with 
 enfeebled muscles, even although youth may excite 
 great and decided hopes. There is also another 
 difficulty: that one of these strong, overstrained 
 voices must hereafter be used with much less 
 strength, if we wish to cultivate a correct tone ; 
 and it is impossible to tell whether the chest-tones, 
 when they are restored to their true limit, will ever 
 come out again as powerful and at the same time as 
 beautiful. Let no musician, however talented and 
 cultivated he may be, ever adopt the teaching of 
 singing, unless he can combine with firmness of 
 character ^reat patience, perseverance, and disin- 
 terestedness ; otherwise, he will experience very lit- 
 tle pleasure and very little gratitude. Even if the 
 " Erlkonig " does not stand in the way, every voice 
 presents new and peculiar difficulties. 
 
 A Few Words addressed to Singing-Teachers on the Accom- 
 paniment of Etudes, Exercises, Scales, b'c. 
 
 It is common for teachers to play their accom- 
 paniments as furiously as if they had to enter into 
 a struggle for Ijfe and death with their singers. At 
 the beginning of the lesson, the lady singer ought 
 to commence quite piano, at / in the one-lined 
 octave, and to sing up and down from there through 
 
Thoughts on Singing. irg 
 
 five or six notes, without any expenditure of breath, 
 and should guide and bring out her voice by a gen- 
 tle practice of solfeggio ; and yet you bang, and 
 pound on the keys, as if you had to accompany 
 drums and trumpets. Do you not perceive that in 
 this way you induce your pupils to strain and force 
 their voices, and that you mislead them into a false 
 method ? In such a noise, and while you are mak- 
 ing such a monstrous expenditure of strength, to 
 which you add a sharp, uneasy touch, and a frequent 
 spreading of the chords, how can you watch the 
 delicate movements of the singer's throat? Is it 
 necessary for me to explain how such a rude ac- 
 companiment must interfere with the effort to sing 
 firmly and delicately ? Are you not aware that a 
 light and agreeable, but at the same time firm and 
 decided, accompaniment encourages and sustains 
 the singer, and also assists and inspires her ? You 
 ought, in every way, to seek to cultivate in your 
 pupil the feeling for the right, the true, and the 
 beautiful ; but what is the girl of eighteen to think 
 of your culture and your sentiment, if you pound 
 the keys as if you were one of the " piano-furies " ? 
 While this is your mode of accompanying the 
 Etudes, how then do you accompany the aria, the 
 song ? If, for instance, the pupil is singing tenderly. 
 
I20 Piano and Song. 
 
 and wishes to bring out an artistic, delicate shading, 
 you take advantage of that occasion to make your- 
 self heard, and to annoy the singer and the audience 
 with your rough shading. A singing-teacher who 
 does not take pains to acquire a good, delicate touch, 
 and who neglects to pay constant attention to it, is 
 wanting in the first requirement ; and this is closely 
 connected with the want of " the three trifles." 
 
Fisit at Mrs. N.'s. 121 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 VISIT AT MRS. N.'S. 
 
 Mrs. N. Her daughter Fatima, eighteen years old. An 
 Aunt. Dominie. Towards the end of the evening, 
 the piano-teacher, Mr. Teeble. 
 
 Dominie {rather anxiously to Fatima). Will you 
 do me the favor, Miss, to play something on the 
 piano .' Your aunt has told me a great deal about 
 your playing. 
 
 Fatima {smiling graciously). But, really, the 
 piano is out of tune, — so my teacher says. 
 
 Dominie. But does not your teacher attend to 
 having your piano always kept in tune 1 
 
 Fatima. Mamma says it is too expensive to 
 have it tuned so often ; it gets out of tune again 
 so quickly. It is an old, small-legged piano, as 
 you see: mamma is always saying, when I am 
 older I shall have a Chickering. The tuner comes 
 regularly once in three months ; the time is not 
 yet up. 
 
 Dominie. But is your teacher satisfied with the 
 tuning of your piano .■• 
 6 
 
122 Piano and Song. 
 
 Fatima. Well, he has got used to it It is the 
 same with the other instruments he teaches on. 
 
 Mrs. N. Now, pet, play us something. Mr. 
 Dominie likes music ; he is a judge of it ; his 
 daughters play too. 
 
 Fatima. But what shall I play, mamma ? 
 
 Mrs. N. You have got heaps of notes there. 
 Mr. Dominie, pray select something. 
 
 Dominie. But I don't know which pieces Miss 
 Fatima can master, and which she has now at her 
 fingers' ends. 
 
 Aunt. Pray, Mr. Dominie, choose any thing. 
 They are all fine pieces. It makes no difference 
 to her which she plays. 
 
 Dominie. But do you play that whole heap ? 
 
 Aunt. She has played it all. She has played 
 ever since she was ten years old, and she has a 
 very good teacher. He taught here when my 
 sister used to accompany her lover's solos on the 
 flute. Oh, those were charming musical evenings ! 
 And the teacher often played the guitar with them 
 extempore. It was just like a concert. 
 
 Dominie. Indeed! that must have been very 
 fine. Now, Miss, I beg — 
 
 Fatima. But, mamma, just say what I shall 
 play. 
 
Visii at Mrs. N.'s. 123 
 
 Dominie. Is not your teacher here this even- 
 ing ? He will know best. 
 
 Aunt {whispers to Dominie). He is busy this 
 evening, composing some grand bravoura varia- 
 tions, which are to be dedicated to Fatima on 
 her eighteenth birthday, the day after to-morrow. 
 You must come to see us on that day. Fatima will 
 play them at sight. 
 
 Mrs. N. Fatima, don't hold back any longer. 
 Play " The Huguenots " by Thalberg : that's a very 
 fine piece. 
 
 Dominie. Pray do ! I have not heard it since 
 I heard Thalberg play it. 
 
 Aunt {to Dominie). Don't you make your 
 daughters play it then .' , Oh, that magnificent 
 choral ! That brings tears to my eyes ! But the 
 dear child always takes it too fast: her fingers, 
 run away with her. 
 
 Mrs. N. Here it is. Will you have the good- 
 ness to turn over for her, Mr. Dominie .' You are 
 such a famous teacher, perhaps you can make some 
 suggestions. (/ was expected only to admire^ 
 
 Dominie. I don't like to disturb, her free- 
 dom in playing ; but I will turn over, if you 
 say so. 
 
124 Piano and Song. 
 
 (Fatima scurries through the piece excitedly, and 
 
 plays in a bold way, — not, however, without 
 
 ability, but with a feeble touch, without proper 
 
 fingering, without tone, without time ; and gets 
 
 over the first two pages, with her foot always 
 
 on the pedal, in such a senseless, indistinct 
 
 manner that Dominie, in despair, was forced 
 
 to interrupt with the remark, " But you might 
 
 take the tempo a little m.ore quietly'' ) 
 
 {Fatima leans back amazed, and stops playing, 
 
 looking at her mother with a contemptuous 
 
 expression^ 
 
 Aunt. It is owing to her great execution, and 
 
 then, too, her youthful enthusiasm. Don't you 
 
 like her natural expression ? 
 
 Fatima. My teacher always makes me play it 
 so. It is in that way that I have learned to play 
 so much at sight 
 
 Dominie. But don't you study your pieces ? 
 Fatima. For the last four years I have played 
 only at sight, so that now I can get on anywhere 
 in the musical clubs. That is what mamma likes. 
 
 Dominie. But do you not play any scales and 
 Etudes ? do you not practise any exercises ? 
 
 Aunt. She has not .done those things for the 
 last four years. My sister thinks it is rather a 
 
Visit at Mrs. N.'s. 125 
 
 hiniirance, and is too pedantic. Her teacher 
 thinks so too, and he teaches her the fine concert 
 pieces of Dohler, Liszt, Dreyschock, Willmer, and 
 Thalberg. She learns execution by these. She 
 has gone through ^11 Thalberg's music ; and we 
 have sent to Leipzig for Willmer's " Pompa di 
 Festa." 
 
 Dominie. All this shows great enthusiasm, but 
 really a little too much hot haste. 
 
 {Dominie wishes to continue the conversation, in 
 order to escape the unpleasant necessity of turn- 
 ing the leaves.^ 
 Mrs. N. (interrupts). My child, just begin again 
 at the beginning, and let us enjoy the whole of 
 " The Huguenots." Mr. Dominie likes it. 
 
 (Fatima consents, and hurries through the whole 
 
 Potpourri with a confident, conceited air, to the 
 
 great despair of Dominie. At the choral, the 
 
 aunt taps him on the shoulder, and whispers^ 
 
 Aunt. Is not that touching } It is a little too 
 
 fast, you will agree ; but then the execution ! Has 
 
 not the girl a great deal of talent 1 Just hear ! 
 
 But what did Dominie say after the performance 
 was over? He only bowed stiffly, and what he 
 said to himself will always remain a secret. He 
 only felt. 
 
126 Piano and Song: 
 
 They go in to supper. All who submitted to 
 hearing the daughter perform on the badly tuned 
 piano, which was at least a tone and a half too 
 low, were invited to supper and handsomely treated. 
 The wine was better than thg piano. Presently 
 the teacher, Mr. Feeble, having finished his birth- 
 day bravoura composition, appeared and was in- 
 troduced. Fatima whispered to him, giggling, " I 
 played the whole of ' The Huguenots ; ' it went 
 splendidly." Mr. Feeble simpered. Dominie and he 
 talked together, unheard, at the end of the table. 
 
 Dominie. The young lady has talent» Mr. 
 Feeble. 
 
 Mr. Feeble. Indeed she has ! 
 
 Dominie. How is it, Mr. Feeble, that she does 
 not combine serious studies with her playing ? 
 
 Mr. Feeble. Oh ! I used to make her play 
 exercises by A. E. Mueller, and some Etudes of 
 Czerny's, and sometimes a few scales. But the 
 child was so volatile, and had so little persever- 
 ance, and was so quick at learning every thing! 
 And then her mother wanted her to play modern 
 pieces for parties, and we had to busy ourselves 
 with those. But our method has borne good fruit, 
 as you can see. Is not it so .' 
 
Visit at Mrs. N.'s. 127 
 
 Dominie. Do you not think, with firmness and 
 decision, you could have set Mrs. N. on the right 
 track .'' Could not you cultivate the mechanical 
 powers of your pupil, and combine an understand- 
 ing of the musical construction of the piece, with 
 her "playing at sight" ? The young lady, not to 
 speak of other faults, has no tone on the piano. 
 
 Mr. Feeble. She can use the pedal for that, 
 and, when she is older, she will acquire more 
 strength ; her touch is a little too weak at present. 
 And, besides, she is not to play in public for 
 money, but only in company, and because it is 
 the fashion. Indeed, my dear sir, if I insisted on 
 scales and exercises, I should have very few lessons 
 in this city. I have a wife and children to support, 
 and my old father, the former organist, is dependent 
 upon me. You can do all this with your own chil- 
 dren ; but think how much time it requires to study 
 the music ! 
 
 {Tke company bid each other "good-night") 
 
 Fatima {Jlippantly to Dominie). I believe your 
 daughter Emma is a very good player ; but they 
 say she has not so much talent as your eldest 
 daughter. 
 
 Dominie. Indeed I who told you that ? 
 
128 Piano and Song. 
 
 CHAPTER XI. 
 
 SECRETS. 
 
 yA Discourse on Piano-Playing, delivered to an Audietice 
 of Lady Pupils.) 
 
 Ladies, — As I am about to make a journey of 
 a few weeks with my daughters, we will suspend 
 for a short time our musical meetings. On my 
 return, you will resume them with fresh interest. 
 We will then not only play and sing together, but 
 occasionally talk upon kindred subjects. Your 
 friends will be made welcome, provided they are 
 really interested in simple and noble musical per- 
 formances, which make no attempt at display. 
 We will exclude from our circle malicious criticism 
 and idle curiosity : we require the accompaniment 
 of the violin and 'cello, but not of those two dis- 
 turbing elements. 
 
 To-day I wish to propound a query in regard to 
 piano-playing, to the partial solution of which you 
 will perhaps be glad to give some attention. You 
 may be sure that I shall always speak only upon 
 
Secrets. ' 1 29 
 
 subjects which are not even mentioned in the 
 most crowded piano-schools. 
 
 Query. Why is it that our young, educated 
 ladies, who enjoy the advantages of sufficient 
 talent, industry, a serious purpose, and all the 
 necessary aids, are usually dissatisfied with their 
 progress and with their success in piano-playing ? 
 
 Their education is a sufficiently careful one, 
 extending to all branches of knowledge ; but their 
 intellectual advancement in music (although it has 
 been fostered for years, by constantly listening to 
 good music, and frequently to the performances of 
 distinguished players, and by a critical comparison 
 of their own performances with these) is still 
 small in proportion to their power of execution, 
 and to the mechanical facility which they have 
 acquired. These are certainly essential to a cor- 
 rect and agreeable rendering of a piece of music : 
 the compositions which are to be performed ought, 
 however, never to demand the exercise of all the 
 mechanical skill which has been acquired, for in 
 that case, by the struggle with mechanical diffi- 
 culties, only embarrassment, discouragement, and 
 anxious haste are apt to take the place of boldness, 
 confidence in one's self, and command of the music. 
 It is the duty of teachers, in choosing studies for 
 6* I 
 
130 Piano and Song. 
 
 the improvement of technique, to select only such 
 as are within the mechanical powers of the pupil, 
 in order that he may make steady progress, and 
 may acquire a pure and delicate style of execution, 
 retaining at the same time a lively interest in his 
 pursuit. But why has the acquirement of this 
 technique been usually unsuccessful ? 
 
 I. Because you begin to acquire it too late. In 
 order to gain facility and flexibility of the fingers 
 and wrist (which a child in the sixth or seventh 
 year, with a skilful teacher, may acquire in four 
 lessons), from fifteen to twenty lessons, according 
 to the construction of the hand, are necessary with 
 persons from ten to fourteen years, old. For other 
 reasons also, we must urge that the mechanical 
 facility should usually be acquired, or at least a 
 complete foundation for it laid in childhood, and 
 not left to be formed by a course which is destruc- 
 tive of all spirit, at an age when labor is performed 
 with self-consciousness, — an age when our ladies 
 are talking a great deal of musical interpretations, 
 of tenderness and depth of feeling, of poetry and 
 inspiration in playing, to which they are led by 
 the possession of our classical piano compositions 
 and immortal master-works, and by intellectual 
 friends and teachers aiming at the highest culture. 
 
Secrets. 1 3 1 
 
 You reply : " But even if your mode of elementary 
 instruction should meet with faithful disciples, 
 how, in such young pupils, are we to find perse- 
 verance and sense enough to continue these severe 
 exercises, even in your interesting manner ? " 
 My dear ladies, children ought to do it merely 
 from habit, although in many cases, after the 
 beginning, talent and correct musical instinct may 
 make their appearance. Uninterrupted enjoyment 
 would indeed be unnatural, and where you find it 
 vanity will usually be its moving spring, and this 
 seldom bears good fruit. You may as well ask 
 whether our great literary men and artists always 
 like to go to school, or whether they did not 
 delight in a holiday. Let this be the answer to 
 the strange question. Do your daughters like to 
 play ? Good heavens ! After they are able 
 to play, and that without much effort, and a little 
 at sight ; when they can master, with a musical 
 appreciation, easy, graceful salon music, or even 
 the easier compositions of Beethoven, Mendelssohn, 
 Chopin, Hummel, Moscheles, &c., — then they take 
 pleasure in playing, and they play a ^reat deal, and 
 with enthusiasm. 
 
 2. But, in case children should sometimes begin 
 in their sixth year, you must remember what is said. 
 
132 Piano and Song. 
 
 in the first chapter of this work, with regard to the 
 prevalent false method of teaching beginners. You, 
 however, are supposed to have had better and more 
 sensible teachers. Let me nevertheless quote for 
 your amusement the remark which I have heard 
 so frequently in the course of my long life as a 
 piano-teacher : " In the beginning, a poor, rattling 
 piano, that is forty years old, and that is tuned regu- 
 larly once a year, and a cheap teacher, will do well 
 enough. As soon as the children learn to play 
 really well, then we will have a better piano and a 
 better teacher." Yes ; but that time never comes, 
 and the parents soon conclude that even the most 
 gifted children have no talent, and take no pleasure 
 in music ; and so they stop learning, only to regret 
 it when they are older. But the parents console 
 themselves, and after a while the old piano is never 
 tuned at all. But, as I have told you, I do not refer 
 here to your teachers, for whom I have a personal 
 regard, and who teach on excellent pianos. 
 
 3. Don't be angry with me for my suggestion, 
 ladies : you do not make enough use of the minutes. 
 While our learned education absorbs so much time, 
 while our friends require so many hours, while, 
 alas ! balls and dinners consutne whole days, we 
 must be sparing of the remaining minutes. 
 
Secrets. 133 
 
 " Now I must rush to the piano ! I must go to 
 dinner in ten minutes : two scales, two finger exer- 
 cises, two difficult passages out of the piece I have 
 to learn, and one exercise to invent on the domi- 
 nant and sub-dominant, are soon done ; and then 
 the dinner will taste all the better." 
 
 "My dear Agnes, \»« might talk for ever about 
 this dreadful snow, it won't melt the sooner for it : 
 how do you like this passage that I am going to 
 play to you ? It is from a charming Nocturne, by 
 Chopin, and is so difficult that I shall have to play 
 it over fifty times, or else I shall always stumble at 
 this place, and I never shall know the Nocturne to 
 play to any one. Don't you think it is beautiful ? — 
 so spiritual and original ! I can tell you it will be 
 something to boast of, when I have accomplished 
 that. You like it better the oftener I play it ? So 
 do I." 
 
 " We have an invitation out. Mother has a great 
 deal to arrange, and directions to give. We shall 
 have to go in ten minutes. I must rush to the 
 piano, though I am in rather an inconvenient 
 toilette : I may as well accustom myself to play in 
 it. I shall have to spend three hours this evening 
 without any music. Well, to make up for it, I will 
 occupy myself for the next ten minutes with an 
 
134 Piano and Song. 
 
 exercise for this obstinate fourth finger, though it 
 is pretty dry. That weak finger has been a hin- 
 drance to many a fine passage and scale. That is 
 better ! Now I can put on my tight gloves. Sup- 
 pose I should put on the left glove on the way." 
 
 Well, my young ladies, how many hours do you 
 think all those minutes would make in a year ? 
 But I hear you say, " What is the use of worrying 
 to pick up all those stray minutes, like lost pins } 
 We have a whole hour to practise every day, when 
 nothing prevents." Exactly, when nothing pre- 
 vents. 
 
 I will now tell you a few of my secrets for piano 
 performers. 
 
 If in piano-playing, or in any art, you wish to 
 attain success, you must resolve to work every day, 
 at least a little, on the technique. Sickness and 
 other unavoidable interruptions deprive you of 
 days enough. 
 
 Practise always with unexhausted energy: the 
 result will be tenfold. Do you not frequently use 
 the time for practising, when you have already been 
 at work studying for five or six hours ^ Have you 
 then strength and spirit enough to practise the 
 necessary exercises for an. hour or more, and to 
 study your music-pieces carefully and attentively. 
 
Secrets. . 135 
 
 as your teacher instructed you ? Is not your mind 
 exhausted, and are not your hands and fingers tired 
 and stiff with writing, so that you are tempted to 
 help out with your arms and elbows, which is worse 
 than no practice at all ? But, my dear ladies, if you 
 practise properly, several times every day, ten min- 
 utes at a time, your strength and your patience are 
 usually sufficient for it ; and, if you are obliged to 
 omit your regular "hour's practice," you have, at 
 any rate, accomplished something with your ten 
 minutes before breakfast, or before dinner, or at 
 any leisure moment. So, I beg of you, let me have 
 my minutes. 
 
 Practise often, slowly, and without pedal, not 
 only the smaller and larger Etudes, but also your 
 pieces. In that way you gain, at least, a correct, 
 healthy mode of playing, which is the foundation of 
 beautiful playing. Do you do this when neither 
 your teacher, nor your father or mother is present 
 to keep watch over you ? Do you never say, " No- 
 body is listening " .? 
 
 Do you take enough healthy exercise in the open 
 air ? Active exercise, in all weather, makes strong, 
 enduring piano fingers, while subsisting on indoor- 
 air results in sickly, . nervous, feeble, overstrained 
 playing. Strong, healthy fingers are only too 
 
136 Piano and Song. 
 
 essential for our present style of piano-playing, 
 which requires such extraordinary execution, and 
 for our heavy instruments. So I still beg for the 
 minutes : your walks take up hours enough. 
 
 Excessive and fatiguing feminine occupations, 
 and drawing, or painting, are by no means consist- 
 ent with an earnest, practical musical education ; 
 not only because both those occupations require so 
 much time, but because they deprive the fingers of 
 the requisite pliability and dexterity, while knitting, 
 according to the latest discoveries, produces an un- 
 natural nervous excitement, which is unfavorable to 
 healthy progress in music. I at least, in my instruc- 
 tion on the piano, have never been able to accom- 
 plish much with ladies who are devoted to knitting, 
 crochet, and embroidering. My dear ladies, you 
 who have been born in fortunate circumstances, 
 and have been educated by your parents, without 
 regard to expense, should, at leastj allow the poor 
 girl in the country, who is obliged to hide her tal- 
 ents under a bushel, the small privilege of making 
 a collar for your mother's or your aunt's birthday 
 present. I assure you your mother or your aunt, 
 if you surprise them instead with a fine piano per- 
 formance, will be as much pleased as if you strained 
 your eyes and bent your back for days and nights 
 
. Secrets, 137 
 
 over the needle-work. And now as regards paint- 
 ing : painting and music, though theoretically so 
 nearly related, agree but poorly in practice ; at least, 
 if you are in earnest about either. You say paint- 
 ers often play on the guitar and the flute. That 
 may be true : I will allow them those two instru- 
 ments. But piano-playing stands on a different 
 footing, even for mere amateurs. Sweet melodies 
 on those instruments may afford an agreeable com- 
 panionship for the painter in his rambles through 
 the woods and over the hills ; but piano-playing 
 should be the friend of a life-time, ennobled by the 
 elevating enjoyment of lofty master- works. There- 
 fore, I beg you, do not dissipate your powers too 
 much. Leave the art of painting to your friends, 
 who are either without talent for music, or who 
 have no opportunity to study it. Our short lives 
 do not allow the successful practice of several arts. 
 Of what advantage to our higher culture is it to be 
 able to do ten things tolerably well ; what gain for 
 the future, for humanity, or for the true happiness 
 of the individual? And even if you can succeed 
 in painting something which scarcely can be said 
 to resemble a rose, of what advantage is it, when 
 we have so many real roses to admire .' 
 
 My dear ladies, I warn you, generally, do not 
 
138 Piano and Spng. 
 
 be afraid of the so-called classical, heavy music, 
 especially Beethoven's, if you desire to learn from 
 it, only or chiefly, repose, lightness, facility, elas- 
 ticity, graceful, delicate playing,, and a fine touch. 
 It is necessary to play such music after those brill- 
 iant qualities have already been, to a certain degree, 
 acquired by mere studies and appropriate pieces. 
 It is, however, still more foolish and impractical, 
 when- parents (who perhaps are skilful musicians, 
 but who have no recollection of their own youth) 
 hold the mistaken opinion that their children ought, 
 from the very beginning, to practise and play only 
 fine classical music, in order that the children's 
 ears may not be injured by false progressions, by 
 insignificant finger exercises, and by easily com- 
 prehensible Italian airs, and that they themselves 
 may not be ruined body and soul. Gracious 
 heavens ! how much, pure musiq, suited to the 
 piano, have not my daughters, as well as many 
 others whom I have brought up to be fine per- 
 formers, played and studied ! : — such, for instance, 
 as the music of Hiinten, Czerny, Burgmiiller, 
 Kalkbrenner, A. and, J. Schmitt, Herz, and many 
 others. Who finds fault now with their musical 
 culture, with their sound taste, or their want of 
 love for classical music? What a long road a 
 
Secrets. 139 
 
 child has to travel through Etudes of Ciamer, 
 Moscheles, and Chopin, before he comes to Bach's 
 Well-tempered Clavichord, or before he is able, 
 or ought even, to .study Beethoven's Senate 
 Pathdtique ! It is not well, though quite in the 
 spirit of the times, to condemn without experi- 
 ence, from one's own prejudiced point of view, 
 the methods which those skilled in their business 
 have for years successfully tried and practised. It 
 is possible to make pupils musical in the above 
 way, but they will be only dull, clumsy bunglers 
 on the piano ; not fine artists, who alone can give 
 a worthy and noble interpretation of classical music. 
 I desire that my daughters may never forget my 
 well-considered instructions, sustained by the ex- 
 perience of many years ; and that they may, in 
 grateful remembrance of their father and teacher, 
 repay to their pupils what they owe to him. 
 
 But I see among my audience several beginners 
 in singing, and I beg to be allowed a word to them. 
 So long as many of our German song composers 
 consider it beneath their dignity to study the art 
 of singing in the old Italian master-works, and 
 under the guidance of well-qualified singing mas- 
 ters, — as Gluck, Naumann, Hasse, Handel, Haydn, 
 Mozart, Salieri, Winter, and others have done, — I 
 
140 Piano and Song. 
 
 warn you to take care of your tender voices, which 
 are so easily ruined, and not to allow yourselves 
 to be misled by ingenious opinions, and by music 
 otherwise good. The loss of your voices follows 
 in the footsteps of modem tortures in singing, as 
 you may see sufficiently in all our theatres, or, 
 indeed, may experience yourselves in numberless 
 German songs. Apply also to singing what I have 
 just said about piano-playing : as you should choose 
 for the piano music suited to the piano, so for your 
 studies in singing select only that which is adapted 
 to the voice ; under the guidance of prudent and 
 educated teachers, not of modem voice breakers, 
 who allow you to scream, "in order to bring out 
 the voice." When you have acquired a good tech- 
 nique, when your attack is sure, and a certain skil- 
 fulness in singing has been developed, then only 
 you may try, by way of experiment, a few pieces 
 of such spirited but unskilled song composers, who 
 frequently commit sins in every line against correct 
 representation, the register of the voice, the breath- 
 ings, the pronunciation, and a hundred other things. 
 Look around and see who sing these so-called 
 classical songs. They are either singers who do not 
 know what singing is, and who have no taste for 
 it, which, in consequence of their education, they 
 
Secrets. 141 
 
 never can have ; or those who no longer have any 
 voice, and accordingly sing every thing, or, rather, 
 declaim it, because they cannot sing. I recommend 
 you to sing (to mention the names of two only of 
 our most excellent song composers) the charming 
 songs of Fr. Schubert and Mendelssohn, who, in 
 constant intercourse with the most judicious mas- 
 ters of singing in Vienna and Italy, have striven 
 constantly to compose scientifically, and have at 
 the same time produced clever songs ; but you 
 should sing them not too often, or too many of 
 them. Singing in the German language, and in 
 syllables, and often with clumsy melodies, requires 
 a great deal of voice, and easily leads to many 
 faults and to a false manner. Remember how 
 strictly Jenny Lind selected, for performance in 
 her concerts, the songs of Schubert, Mendelssohn, 
 and Schumann. In this way she succeeded in 
 winning great success, even with small, short 
 songs. 
 
 Finally, one more secret for performers, which 
 weighs heavy in the balance. You ought, espe- 
 cially if you have not received good early instruc- 
 tion, to acquire a habit of moving the fingers very 
 frequently, at every convenient opportunity ; and 
 particularly of letting them fall loosely and lightly 
 
142 Piano and Song. 
 
 upon any hard object, while the hand lies upon 
 something firm, in an extended position. 
 
 You must accustom yourselves to do this uncon- 
 sciously. For example, while reading, at table, or 
 while listening to music, allow your hand to lie 
 upon the table, raise the fingers, and let them fall, 
 one at a time, quite independently of the wrist ; 
 particularly the weak fourth and fifth fingers, which 
 require to be used a hundred times more than the 
 others, if you wish to acquire evenness in the scales. 
 If it attracts attention to do this on the table, then 
 do it in your lap, or with one hand over the other. 
 To drum with your fingers and stretch your hands 
 on the backs of other people is not often practica- 
 ble, and is not necessary. That was only pardoned 
 in the zealous and original Adolph Henselt, who, 
 though otherwise such a modest and amiable artist, 
 even now, in St. Petersburg, makes himself ridicu- 
 lous in this way, by his practice of finger move- 
 ments. 
 
 Now you perceive the reason why I cannot answer 
 the question which has been asked me innumerable 
 times. How much do your daughters practise } I 
 cannot count up the finger movements and the 
 stray ten minutes just spoken of; but it is certain 
 that they practise fewer hours in the day than 
 
Secrets. 143 
 
 many thousands who learn nothing, for they never 
 practise and never have practised wrongly, but 
 always correctly and advantageously. 
 
 One thing more. After my experienced, watch- 
 ful eye had observed in our circle many moving 
 fingers in consequence of my lecture, a distin- 
 guished lady of Vienna whispered in my ear : 
 " But, niy dear Herr Wieck, my Amelia is not to 
 be a professional player : I only want her to learn 
 a few of the less difficult sonatas of Beethoven, to 
 play correctly and fluently, without notes." My 
 dear ladies, I do not aim with you at any thing 
 more than this. A great many circumstances must 
 combine for the formation of fine concert perform- 
 ers ; in fact, the whole education, from the earliest 
 youth, must have reference to this end. If this 
 were not so, Grermany especially, on account of its 
 natural musical talent, would be able annually to 
 furnish thousands of virtuoso performers. 
 
 Has my lecture been too long to-day ? I ask 
 your pardon. My desire to make myself useful to 
 you must be my excuse, if I cannot dispose of such 
 an extensive subject in a few words. I have not 
 yet exhausted it. 
 
144 Piano and Sojig. 
 
 CHAPTER XII. 
 
 THOUGHTS ON PIANO-PLAYING. 
 
 My daughters play the music of all the principal 
 composers, and also the best salon music. Limited 
 views of any kind are injurious to art. It is as 
 great a mistake to play only Beethoven's music as 
 to play none of it, or to play either classical or salon 
 music solely. If a teacher confines himself to the 
 study of the first, a good technique, a tolerably 
 sound style of playing, intelligence, and knowledge 
 are generally sufficient to produce an interpretation 
 in most respects satisfactory. The music usually 
 compensates for a style which may be, according 
 to circumstances, either dry, cold, too monotonous 
 or too strongly shaded, and even for an indifferent 
 or careless touch. Interest in the composition fre- 
 quently diverts the attention of even the best player 
 from a thoroughly correct and delicate mode-of exe- 
 cution, and from the effort to enhance the beauty 
 of the composition, and to increase its appreciation 
 with the hearer. In the performance of classical 
 music, inspiration — that is, the revelation of an 
 
Thoughts on Piano-Playing. 145 
 
 artistic nature and not empty affectation — can 
 be expected only from an artist, and not from a 
 pupil. Therefore, with more advanced pupils, I take 
 up in my lessons, in connection with a sonata by 
 Beethoven, a nocturne or waltz by Chopin, and a 
 piece by St. Heller or Schulhoff, Henselt, C. Meyer, 
 &c. Elegance and polish, a certain coquetry, nicety, 
 delicacy, and fine shading cannot be perfected in 
 the study of a sonata by Beethoven ; for which, 
 however, the latter pieces present much greater 
 opportunities. Besides this, variety is much more 
 sustaining to the learner ; it excites his interest ; 
 he does not so soon become weary, and is guarded 
 from carelessness ; his artistic knowledge is in- 
 creased, and he is agreeably surprised to find him- 
 self able to perform three pieces so distinct in 
 character. 
 
 " Expression cannot be taught, it must come of 
 itself." But when are we to look for it ? When 
 the stiff fingers are fifty or sixty years old, and 
 the expression is imprisoned in them, so that noth- 
 ing is ever to be heard of it } This is a wide- 
 spread delusion. Let us look at a few of those to 
 whom expression has come of itself. X. plays 
 skilfully and correctly, but his expression con- 
 7 J 
 
146 Piano and Song. 
 
 tinues crude, cold, monotonous ; he shows too 
 pedantic a solicitude about mechanical execution 
 and strict time ; he never ventures on a //., uses 
 too little shading in piano, and plays the forte too 
 heavily, and without regard to the instrument ; his 
 crescendi and diminuendi are inappropriate, often 
 coarse and brought in at unsuitable places ; and — 
 his ritardandi I they are tedious indeed ! " But 
 Miss Z. plays differently and more finely." Truly, 
 she plays differently ; but is it more finely ? Do 
 you like this gentle violet blue, this sickly pale- 
 ness, these rouged falsehoods, at the expense of 
 all integrity of character? this sweet, embel- 
 lished, languishing style, this rubato and dis- 
 membering of the musical phrases, this want of 
 ■ time, and this sentimental trash ? They both have 
 talent, but their expression was allowed to be 
 developed of itself. They both would have been 
 very good players ; but now they have lost all taste 
 for the ideal, which manifests itself in the domain 
 of truth, beauty, and simplicity. If pupils are left 
 to themselves, they imitate the improper and erro- 
 neous easily and skilfully ; the right and suitable 
 with difficulty, and certainly unskilfully. Even 
 the little fellow who can hardly speak learns to 
 use naughty, abusive words more quickly and 
 
Thoughts on Piano-Playing. 147 
 
 easily than fine, noble expressions. What school- 
 master has not been surprised at this facility, and 
 what good old aunt has not laughed at it ? But 
 you say, "It is not right to force the feelings of 
 others ! " That is quite unnecessary ; but it is 
 possible to rouse the feelings of others, to guide 
 and educate them, without prejudicing their indi- 
 viduality of feeling, and without restraining or dis- 
 turbing them, unless they are on the wrong path. 
 Who has not listened to performers and singers 
 who were otherwise musical, but whose sentiment 
 was .either ridiculous or lamentable ? 
 
 It is generally acknowledged that, among other 
 things, I have succeeded more or less with all my 
 scholars in the attainment of a fine touch. People 
 desire to obtain from me the requisite exercises 
 for the development of this ; but not much can be 
 gained from these. The important thing is how 
 and when they are to be used ; and that most care- 
 ful attention shall be paid in the selection of other 
 6tudes and pieces, in order that nothing shall be 
 played which shall endanger the confirmation of 
 the correct touch already acquired, or shall undo 
 what has been accomplished in the lessons. As 
 I have said before, it does not depend upon much 
 
148 Piano and Song. 
 
 practising, but upon correct practising ; and that 
 the pupils shall not be allowed to fall into errors. 
 I am constantly asked, " How many hours a day do 
 your daughters practise ? " If the number of hours 
 spent in practising gives the measure of the stand- 
 ing of a virtuoso, then my daughters are among the 
 most insignificant, or in fact should not belong to 
 the order at all. 
 
 This is the place for me to explain myself more 
 fully with regard to playing with a loose wrist, in 
 order that I shall not be misunderstood. The tones 
 which are produced with a loose wrist are always 
 more tender and more attractive, have a fuller 
 sound, and permit more delicate shading than the 
 sharp tones, without body, which are thrown or 
 fired off or tapped out with unendurable rigidity 
 by the aid of the arm and fore-arm. A superior 
 technique can with few exceptions be more quickly 
 and favorably acquired iri this way than when the 
 elbows are required to contribute their power. I 
 do not, however, censure the performance of many 
 virtuosos, who execute rapid octave passages with a 
 stiff wrist ; they often do it with great precision, in 
 the most rapid tempo, forcibly and effectively. It 
 must, after all, depend upon individual peculiarities 
 whether the pupil can learn better and more quickly 
 
Thoughts on Piano-Playing. 149 
 
 to play such passages thus or with a loose wrist. 
 The present style of bravoura playing for virtuosos 
 cannot dispense with facility in octave passages ; 
 it is a necessary part of it. 
 
 I will now consider the use of loose and inde- 
 pendent fingers, in playing generally ; i.e., in that 
 of more advanced pupils who have already acquired 
 the necessary elementary knowledge. The fingers 
 must be set upon the keys with a certain decision, 
 firmness, quickness, and vigor, and must obtain a 
 command over the key-board ; otherwise, the result 
 is only a tame, colorless, uncertain, immature 
 style of playing, in which no fine portamento, no 
 poignant staccato, or sprightly accentuation can be 
 produced. Every thoughtful teacher, striving for 
 the best result, must, however, take care that this 
 shall only be acquired gradually, and must teach it 
 with a constant regard to individual peculiarities, 
 and not at the expense of beauty of performance, 
 and of a tender, agreeable touch. 
 
 It is a mortifying fact for many critics, artists, 
 composers, and teachers, that the general public 
 show much more correct judgment and appreciation 
 of a fine, noble piano performance, and of a simple, 
 pure, well-taught style of singing^ and also under- 
 
1 50 Piano and Song, 
 
 stand the characteristics of the performer, much 
 more quickly than they do. The sensibility and 
 appreciation of beauty with the public is less prej- 
 udiced, less spurious, more receptive, and more 
 artless. Its perceptions are not, disturbed by theo- 
 ries, by a desire to criticise, and many other sec- 
 ondary matters. The public do not take a biassed 
 or stilted view. The admiration for Jenny Lind is 
 a striking proof of this, as is also the appreciation 
 of many piano-players. 
 
 The age of progress announces, in piano-playing 
 also, " a higher beauty " than has hitherto existed. 
 Now, I demand of all the defenders of this new 
 style, wherein is this superior beauty supposed to 
 consist ? It is useless to talk, in a: vague way, about 
 a beauty which no one can explain. I have listened 
 to the playing — no, the thrumming and stamp- 
 ing — of many of these champions of the modern 
 style of beauty ; and I have come to the conclu- 
 sion, according to my way of reasoning, that it 
 ought to be called a higher, — quite different, in- 
 verted beauty, — a deformed beauty, repugnant to 
 the sensibilities of all mankind. But our gifted "age 
 of the future " protests against such cold conserva- 
 tism. The period of piano fury which I have lived 
 
Thoughts on Piano-Playing. 151 
 
 to see, and which I have just described, was the 
 introduction to this new essay, oiily a feeble attempt, 
 and a preliminary to this piano future. Should this 
 senseless raging and storming upon the piano, where 
 not one idea can be intelligently expressed in a half- 
 hour, this abhorrent and rude treatment of a grand 
 concert piano, combined with frightful misuse of 
 both pedals, which puts the hearer into agonies of 
 horror and spasms of terror, ever be regarded as 
 any thing but a return to barbarism, devoid of 
 feeling and reason ? This is to be called music ! 
 music of the future ! the beauty of the future 
 style ! Truly, for this style of music, the ears 
 must be differently constructed, the feelings must 
 be differently constituted, and a different nervous 
 system must be created ! For this . again we shall 
 need surgeons, who lie in wait in the background 
 with the throat improvers. What a new and grand 
 field of operations lies open to them ! Our age 
 produces monsters, who are insensible to the plain- 
 est truths, and who fill humanity with horror. Polit- 
 ical excesses have hardly ceased, when still greater 
 ones must be repeated in the world of music. But 
 comfort yourselves, my readers : these isolated in- 
 stances of madness, these last convulsions of musi- 
 cal insanity, with however much arrogance they 
 
152 Piano and Song. 
 
 may be proclaimed, will not take the world by 
 storm. The time will come when no audience, not 
 even eager possessors of complimentary tickets, 
 but only a few needy hirelings, will venture to 
 endure such concert performances of " the future." 
 
 I ought to express myself more fully with regard 
 to expression in piano-playing. It is difficult to 
 perform this task, at least in writing; for it can 
 more easily be practically explained to individual 
 learners. Intelligent teachers, who are inclined to 
 understand my meaning, will find abundant mate- 
 rial, as well as all necessary explanations, in the 
 preceding chapters ; and I will merely say that a 
 teacher who is endowed with the qualities which I 
 have designated as " the three trifles " will seek to 
 excite the same in his pupils ; will refine and culti- 
 vate them, according to his ability, with disinter- 
 estedness, with energy, and with perseverance ; and 
 truth and beauty v/ill everywhere be the result. 
 Thus he will remain in the present, where there is 
 so much remaining to be accomplished. These 
 three trifles certainly do not have their root in 
 folly, want of talent, and hare-brained madness ; 
 therefore the possessors of the latter must look to 
 the "future," and proclaim a "higher," that is, an 
 " inverted beauty." 
 
Thoughts on Piano-Playing. 153 
 
 Rules for Piano Pupils. 
 
 You must never begin to learn a second piece 
 until you have entirely conquered the first. 
 
 You ought to fix your eyes very carefully on the 
 notes, and not to trust to memory ; otherwise, you 
 will never learn to play at sight. 
 
 In order to avoid the habit of false fingering, you 
 should not play any piece which is not marked for 
 the proper fingers. 
 
 You should learn to play chords and skipping 
 notes, without looking at the keys, as this inter- 
 feres with a prompt reading of the notes. 
 
 You must learn to count nicely in playing, in 
 order always to keep strict time. 
 
 To use for once the language of the times, which 
 boldly proclaims, " Such things as these belong to 
 a stand-point which we have already reached," I 
 wish that the musicians of "the future" may as 
 happily reach their "stand-point," not by hollow 
 phrases and flourishes, and the threshing of empty 
 straws, but by practical, successful efforts, and striv- 
 ing for that which is better. 
 
 " What is the value of your method, in the in- 
 struction of pupils who have for years played 
 
1 54 Piano and Song. 
 
 many pieces from notes, but have played them 
 badly, and whom we are called upon to lead into a 
 better way of playing ? " 
 
 A reply to this frequent inquiry can be found in 
 my first chapter. Above all things, let the notes 
 which have already been played be laid aside for a 
 long time ; for a mistaken style of playing these 
 has become so confirmed that to improve them is 
 hopeless, and the tottering edifice must fall to the 
 ground. First, improve the touch ; help to acquire 
 a better and more connected scale ; teach the forma- 
 tion of different cadences on the dominant and sub- 
 dominant ; and the construction of various passages 
 on the chord of the diminished seventh, to be played 
 with correct, even, and quiet fingering, legato and 
 staccato, piano, axiA forte ; pay strict attention to the 
 use of loose fingers and a loose wrist ; and allow no 
 inattentive playing. You may soon take up, with 
 these studies, some entirely unfamiliar piece of 
 music, suited to the capacity of the pupil. It is 
 not possible or desirable to attempt to make a sud- 
 den and thorough change with such pupils, even if 
 they should show the best intentions and docility. 
 You should select a light, easy piece of salon music, 
 but of a nature well adapted to the piano, which 
 shall not be wearisome to the piipil, and in the im- 
 
Thoughts on Piano-Playing. 155 
 
 proved performance of which he will take pleasure. 
 But, if you still find that he falls into the old, faulty 
 manner of playing, and that the recently acquired 
 technique, which has not yet become habitual, is 
 endangered by it, lay this too aside, and take 
 instead some appropriate ^tude, or perhaps a little 
 prelude by Bach. If, in the place of these, you 
 choose for instruction a ponderous sonata, in which 
 the music would distract the attention of the pupil 
 from the improved technique, you give up the most 
 important aim of your instruction, and occupy 
 yourself with secondary matters ; you will censure 
 and instruct in vain, and will never attain success. 
 You must consider, reflect, and give your mind to 
 the peculiar needs of the pupil, and you must teaci 
 in accordance with . the laws of psychology. You 
 will succeed after a while, but precipitation, com- 
 pulsion, and disputes are useless. The improve- 
 ment of a soprano voice, ruined by over-screaming, 
 requires prudence, patience, calmness, and mod- 
 esty, and a character of a high type generally. It 
 is also a very thankless task, and success is rare ; 
 while on the piano a fair result may always be 
 accomplished. 
 
 I return once more to the subject so frequently 
 
IS6 Piano and Song. 
 
 discussed, that I may try to relieve the universal 
 difficulty of our lady pianists. I have heard much 
 playing of late, in parties both small and large, on 
 well-tuned and on ill-tuned pianos, on those with 
 which the performer was familiar, and on those to 
 which she was unaccustomed ; from the timid and 
 the self-possessed ; from ladies of various ages, 
 possessed of more or of less talent, and in various 
 cities : the result was always the same. 
 
 We hear from the ladies that they could play 
 their pieces at home before their parents or their 
 teachers ; but this is never sufficient to enable 
 them to save their hearers from weariness, anxiety, 
 and all sorts of embarrassment. My honored 
 ladies, you play over and over again two mazourkas, 
 two waltzes, two nocturnes, and the Funeral March 
 of Chopin, the Mazourka and other pieces by 
 Schulhoff, the Trill-Etude, and the Tremolo by 
 Carl Meyer, &c. : " it makes no difference to you 
 which." You might be able to master these pieces 
 pretty well, but, instead of this, you yourselves are 
 mastered. You become embarrassed, and your 
 hearers still more so : the affair ends with apologies 
 on both sides, with equivocal compliments, with 
 encouragement to continue in the same course, 
 with acknowledgment of fine hands for the piano. 
 
Thoughts on Piano-Playing. 157 
 
 with uneasy, forced congratulations to the parents 
 and teacher; but it is always a happy moment 
 when the fatal soirde is over. The next day I am 
 forced to sigh again over the same, miserable, 
 poorly and tediously performed Funeral March of 
 Chopin, and over the timorous B major Mazourka 
 by Schulhoff. The left hand is always left in the 
 lurch in the difficult, skipping basses of this piece, 
 and in others of the present style, which are rich in 
 harmony and modulations. The bass part in this 
 piece is apt to suffer from timid and false tones ; 
 frequently the fundamental tone is omitted, or the 
 little finger remains resting upon it, instead of 
 giving the eighth note with a crisp, elastic, and 
 sprightly touch, and the chords are tame and incom- 
 plete. You do not give them their full value ; you 
 leave them too quickly, because you are afraid of 
 not striking the next low note quickly enough ; 
 but, on the other hand, you do not strike it at 
 all, and one missing tone brings another one 
 after it. The right hand, being the most skilful, 
 is supposed to play with expression, and really does 
 so; but this only makes the performance the worse. 
 The fundamental tone is wanting, and you are led 
 to make a mistake in the skip, and strike the wrong 
 key. Finally, the whole thing is ended in terror. 
 
158 Piano and Song. 
 
 I have an uneasy night ; I dream of your fine 
 hands, but the false and the weak notes start up 
 between like strange spectres or will o' the wisps, 
 and I wake with the headache, instead of with 
 pleasant memories. 
 
 Allow me to give you a piece of advice. Play 
 and practise the bass part a great deal and very 
 often, first slowly, then quicker, during one Or two 
 weieks, before playing the right hand with it, "va 
 order that you may give your whole attention to 
 playing the bass correctly, delicately, and surely. 
 Even when you can get through the mazourka 
 tolerably well, you must not think, on that ac- 
 count, that you will be able to play it in company, 
 tinder trying circumstances. You ought to be 
 able to play the piece by yourself with ease, very 
 frequently, perfectly, and distinctly, and in Very 
 rapid tempo, before you trust yourself to perform 
 it even slowly in company. At Wast, practise th6 
 more difficult passages for the right hand very 
 frequently, particularly the difficult and bold con- 
 clusion, that it may not strike the hearer as rough; 
 weak, tame, or hurried. ' It is an old rule, " If ybu 
 begin well and end well, all is well." You ought 
 to practise the skipping bass over and over agaiii 
 by itself, otherwise it will not go. An incorrect 
 
Thoughts on Piano-Playing. 159 
 
 or deficient bass, without depth of ,tone and with- 
 out accentuation, ruin? esvery thing, even the good 
 temper of the hearer. One thing more : you know 
 very well Chopin's Nocturne in E flat, and have 
 played it, among other 'things, for the last four 
 we^ks. Suddenly you are called upon to play in 
 company. You choose tl^is Nocturne because you 
 have played it,, nearly, every day for four weeks. 
 But alas ! the piano fiends have come to confuse 
 y.ou ! You strike a false bass note, and at the rpod- 
 ulation the weak little finger touches too feebly: 
 bah! the fundamental tone is wanting. You are 
 frightened, and grow still more so; your musical 
 aunt is frightened, also ; th^ blood rushes to your 
 teacher's face, and I mutter to, myself, "C'esi tou' 
 jours la mime" The present , style of skipping 
 basses requires a grea.t deal of practice and perfect 
 security; it is necessary for you to know t,he piece 
 by heart, in order to give your whole attention to 
 the left hand. It is also essential that you shall 
 have acquired a clear, sound touch ; otherwise, you 
 cannot give a delicate accent and shading. You 
 must never allow yourself, without previous prepa- 
 ration, to play those pieces of music in company, 
 in which an elegant mode of execution is all-im- 
 portant ; otherwise, you will be taken by surprise 
 
i6o Piano and Song. 
 
 by unexpected difficulties. You must always pay 
 special attention to the fundamental tones, even if 
 there should be imperfections elsewhere. Where 
 one fault is less important than another, of two 
 evils choose the least. You have been playing 
 now for six or eight years : are you repaid for the 
 trouble, if it only enables you to prepare embarrass- 
 ments for others ? You are not willing to play 
 easy, insignificant pieces ; and such pieces as you 
 choose require industry, earnestness, and per- 
 severance. 
 
 Young ladies, it is easy to discover the char- 
 acter of a person from his manner of standing, 
 walking, moving, and speaking, from the way he 
 bows, puts on and takes off his hat, or the arrange- 
 ments of the household; and we seldom are in 
 error about it. It is also possible to infer before- 
 hand how you will play and what sort of a perform- 
 ance you will give, from the manner in which you 
 take your seat at the piano. You sidle up to the 
 piano lazily, bent over in a constrained manner ; in 
 your embarrassment, you place yourself before the 
 one-lined or two-lined c, instead of before/"/ you 
 sit unsteadily, either too high or too low, only half 
 on the seat, leaning either too much to the right 
 
Thoughts on Piano-Playing. i6i 
 
 or to the left ; in a word, as if you did not belong 
 to the fatal music-stool. Your manner awakens 
 no confidence, and in this way announces that you 
 have none yourself. How do you expect to exer- 
 cise control over a grand seven octave piano,, if you 
 do not sit exactly in the middle, with the body 
 erect and the feet on the two pedals ? You are 
 not willing to look the friend straight in the face, 
 with whom you are to carry on a friendly, confi- 
 dential discourse ! Even if your attitude and bear- 
 ing were not so injurious and dangerous for the 
 performer as it is, still propriety and. good sense 
 would require that you should excite the confidence 
 of your hearers in you and in your playing by a 
 correct position of th^ body, and by a certain de- 
 cision and resolution, and should prepare him to 
 form a good opinion of you. 
 
 There are, indeed, many virtuosos who think 
 they give evidence of genius, by throwing them- 
 selves on to the music-stool in a slovenly, lounging 
 manner, and try to show in this way their superi- 
 ority to a painstaking performance, and to make 
 up by a showy nonchalance for what is wanting 
 in their playing. You are, however, a stranger to 
 such assertion of superior genius, and to such an 
 expression of intensity of feeling ; you do it only 
 
i62 Piano and Song. 
 
 from embarrassment, and from a modest want of 
 confidence in your own powers, which is quite 
 unnecessary. Our great masters, such as Field, 
 Hummel, Moscheles, Mendelssohn, and others, had 
 no taste for such improprieties, for such manifes- 
 tations of genius. They applied themselves to 
 their task with earnest devotion, and with respect 
 for the public. 
 
On Musical Taletit, 163 
 
 CHAPTER XIII. 
 
 ON MUSICAL TALENT. 
 
 A LARGE and varied experience is required for 
 a correct estimate of musical talent in the young. 
 Do not be deceived by the early evidences of talent; 
 for instance, interest in melodies, correct feeling 
 for time, an instinct for accenting the important 
 notes, inclination for some peculiar though often 
 perverted style of performance, quick apprehen- 
 sion, a natural aptitude for playing, a nice hear- 
 ing, animation, rapid progress, docility, superficial 
 gayety; even if all or a part of these traits are 
 observable in early youth, they must not excite too 
 sanguine hopes. I have often met with such phe- 
 nomena, and have been called upon to educate 
 such little piano prodigies. They advanced quite 
 rapidly, and understood every thing readily, if I 
 did not make too much demand upon their waver- 
 ing attention. I dreamed of the extraordinary 
 surprises that these marvellous youths would create 
 at twelve or fourteen years of age ; but the fulfil- 
 ment of my ideal I saw only in my mind's eye, 
 
164 Piano and Song. 
 
 for just then the improvement came to a sudden 
 stand-still, — a fatal moment, when the teacher is 
 perplexed to know what to do next. The musical 
 nature seemed to have exhausted itself, to have 
 out-lived itself. The pupil even felt this : his 
 interest in the piano and in music generally grew 
 feeble, his playing suddenly became careless, power- 
 less, spiritless ; he played with evident indifference. 
 Out into the fresh air ! into open natural scenes ! 
 Now for a journey ! I allowed a long vacation to 
 intervene ; the pupil was quite contented, and had 
 no desire for the piano, or, if so, only jingled a 
 little. At last we began again, but we spent our 
 time without much result ; he was nevertheless 
 still musical, but he finally ranked at best with 
 dozens of other players, and ended as an ordinary 
 piano teacher. Similar halts in progress occur in 
 fact with all pupils, especially with female schol- 
 ars ; but they are not usually so lasting, so dis 
 couraging, or so significant of exhaustion. They 
 are surmounted, after a short interval, by the dis- 
 continuance of serious musical studies ; perhaps by 
 reading at sight for a while; by occupying the 
 pupil for a time with the theory, or with attempts 
 at composition or improvisation ; by allowing him 
 to listen to other players better or worse ; by giv- 
 
On Musical Talent. 165 
 
 ing him interesting books to read ; by making him 
 acquainted with Beethoven, or in other ways. 
 
 From our observation of such sudden changes, 
 and of the frequent occurrence of unskilful man- 
 agement, we can explain the sudden appearance 
 and equally sudden disappearance of innumerable 
 infant prodigies in our age, who have excited hopes, 
 and have almost all of them been lost, or have 
 passed out of sight, and resulted in nothing of 
 value. 
 
 I have always preferred a gradual, even a slow 
 development, step by step, which often made no 
 apparent progress, but which still proceeded with a 
 certain constancy, and with deliberation, and which 
 was combined with dreamy sensibility and a mu- 
 sical instinct, requiring slow awakening, and even 
 with a certain flightiness, one for which the patient 
 labor and perseverance of six years or more was 
 required, and where childishness allowed no en- 
 couragement to sordid speculations for the future. 
 In such cases, when my instructions were not 
 disturbed by untoward circumstances, the result 
 has always been a desirable one. But how much 
 patience and perseverance has this required ! I have 
 reflected much and have often spoken, both seri- 
 ously and playfully, of the slow advancement of 
 
i66 Piano and Song. 
 
 tpy pupils. Allow me h,erei to describe five .phases 
 or stages oi human development. , 
 
 pirst Stage, Ii; the first two or tl^r,ee yqars, 
 man is far behind the animal, whose quick instinct 
 distinguishes the good from the . bad, the useful 
 from the injurious. The child, wijthput hesitation, 
 rolls o£E the table, or knocks his, brains out, or 
 destroys, himself with, poisonous herbs or arsenic. 
 Nevertheless, let him ;at that age hear plenty . o% 
 pure sounds, music, singing, &c. He will soon 
 learn to , listen, like the , little black poodlp. He 
 already has a dim suspicion that other things 
 exist which are not evil, besides mamma, .papa, 
 the nurse, the doll, and the sound of ;Words. , 
 . Second Stage. From t:he fourth to the seventh' 
 year, instinct is developed ; which, in the ; animal, 
 surprises the observer in .the first two weeks of 
 life. Now we should begin with the technique, 
 at least with the correct movement of the fingers 
 upon the table. The child should be told that he 
 shall soon produce the pleasant tones, which he 
 has been accustomed to hear from infancy ; but 
 that for this a quick and quiet movement of the 
 fingers is necessary, which must be acquired by 
 daily practice. This is entirely in accordance with 
 nature, for man is appointed to learn. Let the 
 
On Musical Talent. 167 
 
 ebild lay his hand upon the table, and knock upon 
 it with the first finger («>., the thumb) stretched 
 out, without using the muscles of the arm, then 
 with the second, third, and fourth fingers, in an 
 almost perpendicular position, and with the fifth 
 finger extended. Then let him strike a third with 
 the first and third fingers together ; a fourth, with 
 the first and fourth fingers; first with the right 
 hand, then with the left hand, and afterwards with 
 both together, &c. 
 
 Third Stage. From the seventh to the twelfth 
 year. At this stage unruliness makes its appear- 
 ance, and at the same time — the notes ; but not 
 Beethoven. That would indeed be an unfortunate 
 musical indulgence. Violent outbreaks of untamed 
 strength ; unexpected freaJss ; alternations of rude 
 instinct and quick intelligence, of lofty fancy and 
 artless simplicity ; disobedience ; much appetite, 
 &c., — all these must be shaped, and made sub- 
 servient to the object we Jiave in view. Do you 
 understand me, gentlemen ? 
 
 Fourth Stage. Excellent parents, who desire to 
 see the ripe fruits of your cafe and labor, have 
 patience ! First there comes the foreshadowing 
 of manhood. — a very interesting period. The 
 youth steps out of the animal into the human 
 
1 68 Piano and Song. 
 
 kingdom, and often is unable to forget his earlier 
 condition, but revels in sweet remembrance of it. 
 Try now, gently and timidly, Beethoven, Chopin, 
 Schumann, and the like. This extraordinary being, 
 "one-fourth animal and three-fourths human," re- 
 quires to be awakened, excited, and to have the 
 imagination aroused ; and, above all, requires the 
 most careful guidance. It is necessary to stir and 
 agitate the nature, in order that reflection, con 
 science, the sensibilities of the soul, feeling, crea- 
 tive power, and all inward conditions shall be 
 developed ; and that out of this chaos shall be 
 brought a clear and beautiful order. 
 
 Fifth Stage. The adult man in his eighteenth 
 year. The year, however, varies with individuals, 
 and can be modified at will. If I should enter 
 into details of the four earlier stages of humanity, 
 and treat in addition of the adult man, I should be 
 obliged to write a philosophical work on the sub- 
 ject, and that might not be entertaining. I should 
 be obliged to beg your indulgence for a tedious 
 book, and my daughters certainly would not thank 
 me for it ; they are very sensitive. But I must, 
 nevertheless, secretly whisper in your ear that 
 " my daughters, like the daughters of many others, 
 have been carried through these five stages in the 
 
Cautions. 169 
 
 most careful and thorough manner." I ought to 
 know that best. Here you have the answer to 
 many strange questions. 
 
 Cautions. 
 
 I warn pianists, and others also, in playing : 
 I. Against any showy and unsuitable display. 
 Why should you wish to attract attention, and 
 to create an effect by foppishness and all sorts 
 of grimaces, or by curious and marvellous exhibi- 
 tions of virtuoso-shvp ? You have only to play 
 musically and beautifully, and to deport yourselves 
 with modesty and propriety. Direct your whole at- 
 tention to the business in hand, — that is, to your 
 performance ; and endeavor to secure for it the 
 interest of the public, who are so easily rendered 
 inattentive. We want no more public perform- 
 ances from eccentric geniuses. 
 
 2. Do not devote yourself exclusively to pieces 
 calculated to show the skill of the performer. Why 
 desire always to show off your power in octave 
 passages, your trills, your facility in skips, your 
 unprecedented stretches, or other fantastic feats ? 
 You only produce weariness, satiety, and disgust, 
 or, at least, you make yourselves ridiculous. 
 
 3. Play good music in a musical and rational 
 
 8 
 
I/O Piano and Song. 
 
 manner. The public are tired of hearing Pot- 
 pourris, made up of odds and ends, tedious Etudes, 
 Rhapsodies, Fantasias without fancy, dismal mo- 
 notonies and endless, cheap, silly cadences that 
 mean nothing. Learn to understand the age, and 
 the world in which you live. 
 
 4. Do not make yourselves ridiculous by new 
 inventions in piano-playing. I mention, for ex- 
 ample, one of the most foolish affectations of 
 modern times. You try to quiver on a note, just 
 as violin and 'cello players are unfortunately too 
 much inclined to do. Do not expose yourselves 
 to the derision of every apprentice in piano manu- 
 facture. Have you no understanding of the con- 
 struction of the piano .' You have played upon it, or 
 have, some of you, stormed upon it, for the last ten 
 years ; and yet you have not taken pains to obtain 
 even a superficial acquaintance with its mechanism. 
 The hammer, which by its stroke upon the string 
 has produced the sound, falls immediately when 
 the tone resounds j and after that you may caress 
 the key which has set the hammer in motion, fidget 
 round on it as much as you please, and stagger up 
 and down over it, in your intoxicated passion, — 
 no more sound is to be brought out from it, with 
 all your trembling and quivering. It is only the 
 
Cautions. 171 
 
 public who are quivering with laughter at your 
 absurdity. 
 
 5. Give up the practice of extreme stretches. 
 Widely dispersed harmonies may sometimes pro- 
 duce a good effect, but not by too frequent and 
 too eager an employment of them at every oppor- 
 tunity. Even the greatest beauties in art can lead 
 to mannerism, and this again to one-sidedness. 
 Art should be many-sided, and you must never 
 produce the impression that you are inclined to 
 make the means an end. I beg you to reflect 
 that too much practice of very wide stretches 
 enfeebles the muscles and the power of the hand 
 and fingers, endangers an pven, sound touch, and 
 makes the best style of playing a doubtful acqui- 
 sition. Teachers ought therefore to use great 
 prudence, and only gradually to permit their pupils, 
 especially young girls, to practise great extensions 
 and wide stretches. To learn to be able to strike 
 ten notes is quite enough. 
 
 6. Before you perform a piece, play a few suit- 
 able chords, and a few appropriate passages or 
 scales up and down (but play no stupid trash, 
 such as I have heard from many virtuosos), in order 
 to try whether the condition of the instrument 
 presents any unexpected difficulties. Try carefuUy 
 
172 Piano and Song. 
 
 also the unavoidable pedal. A creaking, rattling, 
 grating pedal is a frightful annoyance ; I wonder 
 if the piano of " the future " is to suffer from this 
 also. Chopin's Funeral March, with obligato ac- 
 companiment of a squeaking pedal sentiment, even 
 although the omissions and mistakes in the bass 
 do not occur, — alas ! who can describe the effect 
 of this melancholy march? 
 
 7. I have written a special article on the manner 
 of sitting at the piano, and I will refer you once 
 more to that. 
 
 8. Use no mechanical aids in practising, not even 
 the dumb key-board ; although, with very careful 
 use, that is not without value. Strength will come 
 with time ; do not try to hurry nature. The table 
 is the best "dumb key-board," as I have already 
 explained. The " hand-guide " is also unnecessary : 
 its value is compensated by its disadvantages. 
 
 9. Do not let your hearers crowd too near while 
 you are playing. Do not play the same piece 
 da capo. You may be justified in breaking off in 
 the midst of a piece, if there is loud and continuous 
 talking, &c. 
 
 I hope you will give me the honor of your com- 
 pany again at my soirees : I am no writer of come- 
 dies, but I can tell you a great deal that is interesting 
 and amusing" which I have myself experienced. 
 
Extravagances in Singing, ^c. 173 
 
 CHAPTER XIV. 
 
 EXTRAVAGANCES IN SINGING AND PIANO- 
 PLAYING. 
 
 {/in Evening Party at Mr. Gold's.') 
 
 DRAMATIS PERSONiE. 
 
 Mr. Gold, the banker {fond of music). 
 
 Mrs. Gold (sings, and is an invalid). 
 
 Mr. Silver, bookkeeper {formerly a singer with Strauss). 
 
 Mr. Pious, a friend of the family (a musical impostor, and 
 
 a hypocrite generally). 
 Mr. Forte, a foreign piano virtuoso {of weak nerves). 
 Dominie, a piano-teacher. 
 Emma, his daughter. 
 
 {Mrs. Gold has just been singing in the modem 
 Italian manner; suddenly alternating exagger- 
 ated high and low tones, given in a jerking man- 
 ner, with inaudible pianissimo in the throat, 
 and quavering on every note, with tnany orna- 
 ments, and always a quarter of a tojte too Jlat. 
 She sang all the four verses of "Fondly I 
 Think of Thee" by Krebs.) 
 
 Dominie. Will you not go on, Mrs. Gold ? The 
 piano is a little too high, and you are obliged to 
 accustom yourself a little to it. 
 
174 Piano and Song. 
 
 Mrs. Gold. I cannot sing any more. That 
 beautiful song has taken such hold of me, and I 
 feel so badly. ( Whispers to Dominie^ Mr. Forte 
 did not accompany me well, either : sometimes he 
 did not come in right, and played too feebly ; and 
 sometimes he improvised too much in playing, and 
 overpowered my voice, which is a little weak just 
 now. 
 
 Dominie iflside to Emma). What an evening of 
 singing! Oh dear! 
 
 Mr. Gold {who has been earnestly talking about 
 stocks all the evening in an adjoining room, rushes 
 in, but -father late., after the close of the song, and 
 impetuously presses his wife's hand). Marvellous ! 
 magnificent ! delicious ! wonderful ! My dear, you 
 are in excellent voice this evening. If Jenny Lind 
 could only have heard you ! 
 
 Mr. Pious. Charming ! superb ! how touch- 
 ing ! There is a religious character in this piece, 
 something holy about it ! I beg of you, do sing 
 that air by Voss, "True Happiness." That will 
 make our enjoyment complete ; it is truly ravish- 
 ing! There is something divine in singing, and 
 your expression, your feeling. Madam ! You give 
 yourself up so entirely to the composition ! 
 
Extravagances in Singing, &c. 175 
 
 {Mrs. Gold has already taken up " True Hap- 
 piness" and can hardly wait while Mr. Forte 
 murmurs off the introduction, quite after his 
 own fancy, with a sentimental piano. Mr. 
 Pious drops a tear at the close of the introduc- 
 tion, the four bars of which have been trans- 
 formed into eight bars by the great virtuoso. 
 During the tremulous, affected performance of 
 " True Happiness" Mr. Pious rolls up his 
 moistened eyes; and, at the end of the first verse, 
 where the accompanist once more gives the 
 reins to his fancy, he says, " I am, speechless, I 
 cannot find words to express my emotion^) 
 Dominie (aside to Emma). That you may call 
 forged sentiment, the counterfeit of feeling. You 
 hear now how one ought not to sing. For an 
 earnest, true musician, such a warmth in singing is 
 only empty affectation, disgusting, sentimental rub- 
 bish, and hollow dissimulation. You will, however, 
 frequently meet with such amateur infelicities. 
 {Mrs. Gold has finished singing all the verses 
 of " True Happiness" and seems now to have 
 almost entirely recovered. Mr. Gold continues 
 to converse about stocks in the adjoining room. 
 Dominie remains with Emma at the end of the 
 parlor, depressed and worried^ 
 
176 Piano and Song. 
 
 Mr. Forte {keeps his seat at the piano, and 
 says in French to Mrs. Gold). Madam, you have 
 reached the climax of the beautiful in music. I 
 count it one of the happiest moments of my 
 artistic tour to be allowed to breathe out my soul 
 at the piano, in the presence of one like yourself. 
 What a loss, that your position must prevent you 
 from elevating the German opera to its former 
 greatness, as its most radiant star! 
 
 Mrs. Gold {by this time quite well). I must 
 confess that Jenny Lind never quite satisfied me 
 when she was here. She is, and must always 
 remain, a Swede, — utterly cold. If she had been 
 educated here, she would have listened to more 
 passionate models than in Stockholm, and that 
 would have given the true direction to her sensi- 
 bility. 
 
 Mr. Forte. You are quite right ; you have a 
 just estimate of her. In Paris, where she might 
 have heard such examples, she lived in perfect 
 retirement. I was giving concerts there at the 
 time ; but she refused to sing in my concerts, and 
 therefore she did not even hear me. 
 
 Mr. Silver (whom the excitement of the singing 
 has at length reached). Do you feel inclined now, 
 Madam, to execute with me the duet from " The 
 Creation," between Adam and Eve. 
 
Extravagances in Singing, &rc. 177 
 
 Mrs. Gold. Here is "The Creation," but we 
 will sing it by and by. Mr. Forte is just going to 
 play us his latest composition for the left hand, and 
 some of the music of that romantic, deeply sensi- 
 tive Chopin. 
 
 Mr. Gold {pishes in from his stock discussion). 
 Oh, yes ! Chopin's B major mazourka ! That was 
 also played at my house by Henselt, Thalberg, 
 and Dreyschock. Oh, it is touching ! 
 
 All {except Mr. Silver, Dominie, and Emma). 
 Oh, how touching! 
 
 Dominie {to his daughter). If he plays it in the 
 same manner in which he accompanied "True 
 Happiness," you will hear how this mazourka 
 should not be played. It, by the way, is not at 
 all touching: it gives quite boldly the Polish dance 
 rhythm, as it is improvised by the peasants in that 
 country ; but it is, however, idealized after Chopin's 
 manner. 
 
 {Mr. Forte plays several perilous runs up and 
 down with various octave passages, all the 
 time keeping his foot on the pedal ; and con- 
 nects with these im.mediately, and without a 
 pause, the mazourka, which he commences presto. 
 He played it without regard to time or rhythm, 
 but with a constant rubato, a7id unmusical jerks. 
 8* X 
 
178 Piano and Song. 
 
 A few notes were murmured indistinctly pp., 
 and played very ritardando ; then suddenly a 
 few notes were struck very rapidly and with 
 great force, so that the strings rattled ; and, 
 the final B major chord cost the life of one 
 string^ 
 Mr. Gold. Excellent ! bravissimo ! What a 
 comprehension of the piece! Such artistic per- 
 formances make one even forget the stock-ex- 
 change ! 
 
 Mrs. Gold. You agitate my inmost nerves ! 
 The English poet, Pope, holds that no created 
 man can penetrate the secrets of nature ; but you 
 have penetrated the secrets of my soul. Now 
 do play at once the F sharp minor mazourka, 
 opus 6. 
 
 Mr. Pious. What a musical evening Mrs. Gold 
 has prepared for us ! What sublime sorrow lies 
 in this production ! 
 
 Mr. Silver (aside). What would Father Strauss 
 say to this affected, unmusical performance, that 
 bids defiance to all good taste .', 
 
 Dominie. Mrs. Gold, it would be well to send 
 for the tuner to replace this broken B string. The 
 next one will break soon, for it is already cracked, 
 and its tone is fallen. 
 
Extravagances in Singing, &c. 179 
 
 Mr. Forte {with a superior air). It is of no 
 consequence. That frequently happens to me ; 
 but I never mind it. The piano is a battle-field 
 where there must be sacrifices. 
 
 Dominie {whisfers to Emma). He thinks that 
 if the sound is not musical, still it makes a noise ; 
 and tones out of tune produce more effect than 
 those that are pure. 
 Emma. Where did he learn piano-playing .? 
 Dominie. My child, he has not learned it. That 
 is genius, which comes of itself. Instruction would 
 have fettered his genius, and then he would have 
 played distinctly, correctly, unaffectedly, and in 
 time ; but that would be too much like the style 
 of an amateur. This uncontrolled hurly-burly, 
 which pays no regard to time, is called the soaring 
 of genius. 
 
 (Mr. Forte storms tJtrough various unconnected 
 chords with the greatest rapidity, with the pedal 
 raised; and passes without pause to the F sharp 
 minor mazourka. He accents vehemently, di- 
 vides one bar and gives it two extra quarter 
 notes, and from the next bar he omits a quar- 
 ter note, and continues in this manner with 
 extreme self-satisfaction till he reaches the 
 close; and then, after a few desperate chords 
 
l8o Piano and Song. 
 
 of the diminished seventh, he connects with, it 
 
 Liszfs Transcription of Schubert's Serenade in 
 
 D minor. The second string of the two-lined 
 
 b snaps with a rattle, and there ensues a 
 
 general whispering "whether the piece is by 
 
 Mendelssohn, or D'dhler, or Beethoven, or Proch, 
 
 or Schumann," until finally Mr. Silver mentions 
 
 Schubert's Serenade. Mr. Forte concludes with 
 
 the soft pedal, which in his inspired moments 
 
 he had already made frequent use of) 
 
 Dominie {to Emma). You should never play 
 
 in company, without mentioning previously what 
 
 you are going to perform. You observe, as soon 
 
 as the Serenade was mentioned, it put a stop to 
 
 the guessing. 
 
 All {except Mr. Silver and Dominie). What a 
 glorious performance ! what an artistic treat ! 
 Mrs. Gold. What spirituality in his playing ! 
 Mr. Silver {asking Mr. Forte for information). 
 I noticed, in the Serenade, you made only one bar 
 of the two where it modulates to F major, in your 
 rapid playing of the passage. Was that accidental } 
 Emma {aside). He ought to have played a little 
 slower just there. 
 
 Mr. Forte. In such beautiful passages, every 
 thing must be left to the suggestion of one's feel 
 
Extravagances in Singing, &rc. i8i 
 
 ings. Perhaps another time 1 may make three 
 bars, just as inspiration and genius may intimate. 
 Those are aesthetic surprises. Henselt, Moscheles, 
 Thalberg, and Clara Wieck do not execute in that 
 manner, and consequently can produce no effect, 
 and do not travel. 
 
 Dominie {fo Emma). I hope that your natural 
 taste and your musical education will preserve you 
 from such preposterous extravagances. 
 
 Emma. Such playing makes one feel quite un- 
 comfortable and worried. Probably that is what 
 you call "devilish modern"? 
 Dominie. Yes. 
 Emma. But do people like it ? 
 Dominie. Certainly : a great many people do. 
 It has the superior air of genius, and sounds very 
 original. 
 
 {Mrs. Gold has " The Creation " in her hand, and 
 Mr. Silver leads her to the piano for the execution 
 of the grand duet between A dam and Eve. Mr. 
 Forte is exhausted, and Dominie plays the ac- 
 companiment. Mr. Silver sings intelligently 
 and unaffectedly ; Mrs. Gold, as before, but with 
 still less regard to time, and more out of tune ; 
 but she tries to compensate for this by introduc- 
 ing very long ornaments at the fermate,«« the 
 
1^82 Piano emd Seng. 
 
 allegro, sung with her thin, pierdng, ever- 
 strained vmce; and she frequently roUs up her 
 black efes. At the ecmclusion, Mrs. Gold was 
 led to the arm-thair, iti great exhaustion of 
 
 Mr. Pious. The divine art of miisic celebrates' its 
 perfect triuTnj^ isn such interpretations of H*ydn. 
 Mrsi GfoM, were those d^^iovea ferMate cxf your own 
 invention ? 
 
 Mrsi Goi.6. No : the charming: Viardot-'Garcia 
 fiirst introduced them as Eosina in " The Barber of 
 Seville," and I had theifl written down by a iiniasi6i<a:n 
 in the theatre. But the employment of them m this 
 duet is my own idea. 1 have ^realdy sarpris^- and 
 delighited a great many people with them in parties. 
 The giraand,- rushing,, chroitoatic scale With which the 
 artistic Garcia astonishes every one, when acting 
 the dreaming, fainting, Amina m "La Somwam- 
 buk," I introduce in the graind aria of the divine 
 " Frophet ; " rather timidly, it is true, for the bold- 
 ness of a Garcia can only be acquired on the 
 stage. 
 
 Emma, Bu!t, faitber, Jenny Lind satwg 'M this duet 
 in Vien'na:^ quite' simply, and witb a pure religious 
 spirits 
 
 Dominie. That is the reitson Mrs. Gold says 
 
Extravagances in Singing, &c. a.83 
 
 t'hat Jenny ILind sings too cdlffiy, and ougfat to 
 Esten to more passionate inoddls. 'But 'we will talk 
 more about this at home. 
 
 Mrs. Gold. Now, Mr. Dominie, will not your 
 daughter Emma play us some Itttile trifle? After- 
 wai!(3B I will execute with Mt. Silver, " ©y thy 'lovireg 
 kindness, O Lord," aiad a few duets by Kiieken, and 
 finish, if the company wishes, with the " Gr^oe " 
 aria. 
 
 Dominie. WiM you aSllow .me first to replace this 
 broken string ? 
 
 {After D&tmnie has finished, Mr. Forte brides up 
 ^0 t'hefiano,'andplc^s his Etude for the left hand,, 
 fivith the 'right Jmnd em^tended towards thecom- 
 
 DoMiNiE {to Mr. Forte, after the eondhtsion of the 
 ]f)iece). Would it 'not have fceen -easier and more to 
 the pfirpose, if you bad used both hands .' 
 
 Mr. Forte. We must iforgive old people such 
 pedantic ^observaitions. You entirdy -mistake -my 
 Stand-point. Do you not see that I am Standioig 
 with one foot in the future ? Are you 'not aware 
 that the public wish not oBty to listen, ibut to see 
 scwmething stramge ? Do you not perceive also thast 
 my appearance of Ul-health produces a great musi- 
 cal effect ? 
 
1 84 Piano and Song. 
 
 Mr. Pious. Do you not feel the special charm 
 and the fine effect which is produced by the left 
 hand playing alone, and no less by the right hand 
 extended ? 
 
 Dominie. Is it so ? Well, probably feeling has 
 taken a false direction with me. I shall be obliged 
 to accustom myself to such Parisian flights of sen- 
 timent. 
 
 (Emma played Chopitis Ballad in A flat major, 
 after Dominie had previously announced it. The 
 company were attentive^ 
 
 Mr. Forte (at the conclusioti). Bravo ! A very 
 good beginning, Mr. Dominie. I am sorry that I 
 am obliged to take leave now : I am obliged to go 
 to two more soirdes this evening, and have many 
 letters of introduction to deliver. 
 
 Mr. Silver. Miss Emma, I have just heard that 
 you play finely a great deal of Chopin's music.' Let 
 us hear his two latest nocturnes, 
 
 Mrs. Gold (to Emma). Have you heard the 
 famous Camilla Pleyel play Kalkbrenner's charming 
 D minor concerto ? Do you not also play such 
 brilliant music? for example, Dohler's beautiful, 
 pathetic Notturno in D flat. Mr. X. lately played 
 that to us enchantingly. 
 
 Emma. I know it. I am teaching it to my little 
 sister, Cecilia. 
 
Extravagances in Singing, &c. 185 
 
 Dominie. Will you allow her now to play 
 Chopin's two nocturnes, Opus 48 ? 
 
 I will say nothing about the conclusion of the 
 singing, — the " Grdce " aria. At midnight there 
 was a grand supper, washed down with sweet wine, 
 and seasoned with bitter recollections of this musi- 
 cal evening. 
 
1 86 Piano and Song. 
 
 CHAPTER XV. 
 
 CONCLUSION. 
 
 I HAVE received the following communication 
 from an old literary friend, to whom I sent my 
 eighth chapter, requesting his opinion of it : — 
 
 Motto. 
 There are unreceptive times, but 
 that which is eternal outlives all 
 times. — JoH. von Muller. 
 
 My dear Friend, — I have read your eighth 
 chapter. What you facetiously call "the three 
 trifles" seem to me to be three most important 
 points, even if you had described them simply as 
 fine taste, deep feeling, and a good ear. Who ex- 
 pects superlative excellence from the age in which 
 he lives, and who dares to attack it, in its most 
 vulnerable parts .' You grow more harsh and disa- 
 greeable, and you do not seem to consider how 
 many enemies you make, among those who think 
 that they have long ago advanced beyond these 
 
Conclusion. 187 
 
 three points. Just now, too, when there is so much 
 said about "the intellectual" in music, and about 
 "the inner nature of the future," and when such 
 fine expressions are invented about it, you come 
 forward with your three unseasonable trifles in 
 the superlative degree. Do you imagine that 
 our intelligent age cannot discern your hidden 
 satire ? 
 
 You say that our times are in need of your three 
 trifles, and the necessary knowledge and experience. 
 Voildi tout ! 
 
 As for Prince Louis Ferdinand, Dussek, dementi, 
 Himmel, Hummel, C. M. v. Weber, Beethoven, &c., 
 — who has not heard all about them .' 
 
 After them, comes the period of " piano fury," 
 and the compositions appropriate for it. Now the 
 three trifles required are distorted taste, hypocriti- 
 cal feeling, and a depraved ear, combined with the 
 necessary superficiality and some power of produc- 
 tion. Voila tout ! 
 
 After that, musicians bethink themselves once 
 more of the genuine three trifles, and return to rea- 
 son, and we are allowed to take delight in Chopin, 
 Mendelssohn, Fr. Schubert, Robert Schumann, 
 and a few others of the same sort, and again in 
 Beethoven, 
 
1 88 Piano and Song. 
 
 These were succeeded by mere dry imitators ; 
 they were not, however, of much significance. 
 
 Finally, the very latest progress introduces a still 
 more extravagant piano fury. The three trifles are 
 now distorted taste, no feeling, and no ear for tone ; 
 and with these are required the necessary audac- 
 ity, . immeasurable vanity, senseless exhibitions of 
 strength, a poor touch upon the piano, and what 
 they call "intellect." The compositions are now 
 embellished with appropriate pictures on the cover, 
 and with attractive title-pages. In addition, there 
 is much talk about a " higher beauty," " the stand- 
 points which have been already surmounted," " artis- 
 tic flights," and the " misunderstanding of the inner 
 consciousness," " Genius must be free," &c. 
 
 My old conservative friend, you are seen through. 
 Your influence, and more especially your ideas 
 about singing, belong only to a past age. They 
 date from the last century. You will be derided 
 with your Jenny Lind and Henrietta Sontag. They 
 are lifeless images of singers, to be kept in a glass 
 case. Are you willing to remain ignorant of the 
 magnificent modem style of voice } Can you not 
 go forward with the advancing age ? Progressive 
 philosophers will rap you over the knuckles. You 
 imagine that our times will stop for a couple of 
 
Conclusion. 189 
 
 lectures ! You will yet have to learn what " intel- 
 lect" signifies. In short, I should not like to stand 
 in your shoes. You should conclude your book 
 with "Pater, peccavi." 
 
 Even in misfortune. 
 
 Your sympathizing friend, 
 
 V.E.