Selected Content from the August 1910 Edition of The Etude
FRANZ LACHNER. (Lahch'-ner, ch gutteral.) Franz Lachner was born April 2, 1803, at Rain, on the Lech, in Bavaria. He was a member of a large family, many of whom attained distinction as musicians. Franz was well educated in... Read More
The death of King Edward has brought to our attention the somewhat unique fact that music has advanced in England during the last decade with greater rapidity than at any time since the days of Purcell. Queen Victoria was… Read More
We recently received from a foreign publisher in Germany a list of musicians whom he considered composers of the first rank who are living in Europe to-day. These composers have gained sufficient fame to warrant the preservation of their… Read More
We have repeatedly urged our readers, both the teachers and the pupils, to adopt the plan of giving a recital as early as possible in the fall. This plan has three advantages and we are so firm in our… Read More
Very few of us are not conscious of our weak spots. The man who is ignorant of his weak spots is in a pitiable state. Not until the great weakness is realized and remedied is success possible. Some make… Read More
The crusty old bachelor who said that the popular toast "The Ladies— God Bless 'em!" would soon be turned into "The men—Lord help 'em!" may have been unnecessarily sour, but we would like to know if it isn't time… Read More
By ARTHUR ELSON In the Quarterly of the Musical Society, Thomas Casson has an article on some improvements of his in organ building. He deplores the present lack of delicate tones in the bass, and regrets the… Read More
By MARY M. SCHMITZ Mankind is so constituted that he requires a reward of some kind for every effort made. Even great virtuosi, such as Paderewski, Busoni and de Pachmann, who have made music an end in itself,… Read More
If one is not related to Chopin by nationality there exists only one power which can raise a bridge across the chasm, and make one understand the great piano poet somewhat better—it is love! A great, deep, almost religious love, will bring one nearer to the spirit of Chopin’s music. Read More
By LAURA REMICK COPP. [This essay was one of the successful essays in the "1,200 words" class submitted in our Prize Essay contest for 1909.] Playing by ear should not only be countenanced and tolerated, but it… Read More
That the Mexicans have a wind instrument called Ac'ocotl, which is played by inhaling through it instead of blowing upon it? It is made of the dried stalk of a plant. That any sound with more than 4,224… Read More
Whether the popular prophecy that the music of the future will come from Russia is fulfilled or not, the musical accomplishments of the country which covers far more territory than any other in the world have been so astonishing that the musical world is looking to the land of the Czar with eager interest. The writer of this article has long been a resident of Russia. She is a close observer and most interesting writer. We are sure that our readers will be glad to know something of the part women have had in Russian musical development. In the March issue of The Etude M. S. Rachmaninoff, under whose supervision all the conservatories of Russia are conducted, gave our readers some splendid opinions upon piano playing. Read More
By FREDERICK KITCHENER. Some folks assure us that a piano should never be used when composing; such persons, however, are apt (if themselves composers) to pen strains which are found upon acquaintance to be noways free from fustiness…. Read More
Don't thump. Don't begin to play until you are ready. Don't count to your playing, but play to your counting. Don't jerk your hand when you put your thumb under. Don't play one hand after… Read More
BY HARRIETTE BROWER The Student entered the music room with hasty strides; he seemed perturbed. The Pianist looked up from the Brahms Capriccio she was silently memorizing. "I wish you would tell me what rhythm means,… Read More
Let us not err through false modesty, and let us hold fast to the true, which is much more difficult to practice and far more rare to find. The artist in our sense, should be neither the servant nor… Read More
BY EDWARD ELLSWORTH HIPSHER. Yes, when you are once thoroughly equipped, a very sure way to do the very best work is to look out first of all for your own comfort. In doing this you will, in… Read More
BY GUY S. MAIER. Theodor Leschetizky is but one of the many who has demonstrated to us that teaching is no mere drudgery and that it is not without its own great reward. While Leschetizky is truly distinguished… Read More
By RICHARD WAGNER A Remarkable Indication of the Astonishing Imagination of the Great Musician-Dramatist Reprinted by Special Request [It is hard to read the following without believing that Richard Wagner actually made the trip to Vienna… Read More
BY JO-SHIPLEY WATSON. Sarah was leaving the Conservatory and going to a little town out West. "One of those stupid places where you vegetate," she told her friends. She was leaving a good deal behind—the conservatory, the concerts,… Read More
BY DR. ANNIE PATTERSON. Fingering presents a very real difficulty to the pianoforte student, even at advanced stages of his practice. Teachers' systems of fingering also differ, which still further complicates the problem. Indeed, the learner soon finds… Read More
BY THOMAS TAPPER In these days the quest for attractive teaching material for the young pianist not infrequently leads us to seek the element of novelty, irrespective of any higher consideration. It is true that this must be… Read More
BY ROBERT SCHUMANN. "Above all things, persevere in composing mentally, not with the help of the instrument, and keep on turning and twisting the principal melodies about in your head until you can say to yourself, 'Now it… Read More
The Views of Some of the Most Prominent Teachers of the Day on a Subject of Great Interest to Piano Students By FANNIE EDGAR THOMAS "There is a stage of piano study in which the pupil becomes… Read More
BY SIDNEY SILBER. How many pianoforte students and players really hear themselves as others do? Perhaps, just as few as see themselves as others do. My experiences with students of varied temperaments, coupled with my own, have led… Read More
BY CAROL SHERMAN. That genius and insanity are allied has been a long-accepted fact among scientists. By insanity of the kind represented in the cases of famous musicians the reader should not paint a picture of the kinds… Read More
HIS FIRST ORCHESTRAL CONCERT. Robert Schumann was the son of a man in whom the love of literature and the aesthetic side of life had finally triumphed after confronting many difficulties. It may therefore be imagined that the youthful… Read More
In a recent issue of the London Musical Times Mr. Ernest Newman, the eminent English critic, has been discussing the ever-interesting subject as to why there are no great women composers. He points out the fact that women have… Read More
The prominent part played by music in the death of King Edward VII recalls to one's mind the fact that music not only serves to voice a nation's mourning, but is also a means of giving vent to national… Read More
BY FANNIE GILBERT. In teaching children I have found some difficulty in making the study of scales sufficiently interesting. They say they forget to practice the scales. Lately I have hit upon a plan that helps them to… Read More
BY SARAH A. PALMER. The scientists of to-day are able to tell us just how many vibrations per second produce a given tone, just what ratio this number of vibrations bears to that of every other tone, just… Read More
BY AMY U. W. BOGG. Stage fright, though ordinarily laughed at and made a joke of, is in reality a very serious affection of the nerves, at times producing a condition which, from any other cause, would merit… Read More
Picture Object Lessons that show at a glance why some teachers and why some pupils fail to succeed. THAT $1,000 PIECE. How often have you seen the above scene enacted? The guests assemble, and proud mamma, after… Read More
BY D. C. PARKER. In a recent publication fame was defined as "not being published at sixpence during one's lifetime." The remark is not without its substratum of truth. It serves to remind one how fickle is the… Read More
I was born in a little village near Warsaw in the year 1809. Two children had already been born to my parents, and a fourth came to them a few years later, but I was the only son. While I was very young, my parents moved to Warsaw. The village in which I was born belonged to the Countess Sharbek, whose son, my father’s pupil, stood God-father for me, and gave me his name of Frederic. Read More
By Mary A. Schmitz. A good method of combining instruction and amusement is to arrange an imaginary trip through Europe, calling at all the principal towns and citiesassociated with the names of famous musicians, or in any way… Read More
Those music lovers who pray with Charles Dickens, "Lord, keep my memory green," will hardly need to be reminded that 1910, besides being the centenary of Chopin and Schumann, is also the bicentenary of Dr. Thomas Arne, the composer… Read More
All the necessary news of the musical world told concisely, pointedly and justly At Home. There has been a successful convention of the music teachers of Ohio at Columbus. A concert was given recently by the Young… Read More
Pupils of Adolph H. Stadermann, Miss Hattie J. Walker, Miss Ellen Annette Hewins, Mrs. M. R. Kevil, and others. Read More
Are compositions ever written with both sharps and flats in the same signature? — Not in our scale system, but in other scales it is perfectly possible. Thus it occurs in Byzantine music. The Byzantine scale has intervals like our harmonic minor scale, with the fourth note sharp instead of natural. The Byzantine scale corresponding to our D minor would have G-sharp, B- flat, and C-sharp in the signature. Read More
By OSCAR HATCH HAWLEY. We all know that there is a difference in the sight-reading ability of our pupils. Some of them seem naturally to read rapidly, while others seem never to be able to read, no matter how… Read More
It is doubtful if anything is seen more frequently upon programs of violin music just at present than the Humoresque, by Anton Dvorak. It is used in recitals by the world's greatest violinists, and never fails to make a… Read More
The words "Col Legno" placed over a passage in violin playing mean "with the wood," and indicate that the strings are to be struck with the stick of the bow, and not the hair. The bow is turned in… Read More
London is the world's greatest violin market as regards Cremona violins and string, instruments of artistic excellence generally. There are more real experts in the art of judging old violins in London than in any other city in the… Read More
Edited by ROBERT BRAINE FRITZ KREISLER ON VIOLIN PLAYING. The views of Fritz Kreisler on the violin art are always of interest, since he occupies a position as one of the world's greatest violin artists, and aside from… Read More
