Selected Content from the March 1912 Edition of The Etude
FRITZ SPINDLER. Spindler was born at Wurzbach, Lobenstein, November 24, 1817, and died at Niederlössnitz, near Dresden, December 26, 1905. He was originally intended for the ministry, and studied theology with that in mind, but eventually gave it up in... Read More
People talk about ‘using the music of Bach’ to accomplish some technical purpose in a perfectly heartbreaking manner. They never seem to think of interpreting Bach, but, rather, make of him a kind of technical elevator by means of which they hope to reach some marvelous musical heights. We even hear of the studies of Chopin being perverted in a similarly vicious manner, but Bach, the master of masters, is the greatest sufferer. Read More
In presenting the following article to the readers of The Etude, we must ask them to recollect that the sole mission of the editor is to seek for the truth in all its phases. It is not within the editor’s province to determine arbitrarily what is right and what is wrong. Consequently many articles are presented in this magazine which may be exactly opposite to the principles maintained by some of our teachers. We cannot take one side and maintain that that side only is right. We must present all sides of a question. Read More
This list contains some of the most interesting and melodious violin duets in musical literature, and some of those best adapted for the use of students. Read More
Some difference of opinion exists among violinists and teachers as to the proper position in which the player should stand when playing. Read More
Teachers frequently neglect to instruct their pupils in what is known as the “turn” of the bow—the little connecting motion of the wrist after the stroke has reached its limit. Read More
Man is by nature a lazy animal, and is, on occasion, turned aside by very slight obstacles. Read More
Many violin teachers will contend that, as many of their pupils come for only a single lesson a week, and that possibly but for thirty minutes, they cannot afford to devote so much of the lesson hour to these matters. They would find, however, that their pupils would make far better progress in the long run, if they would devote half or even all of the lesson period for a few lessons, to instruction in tuning and care of the violin, until the pupil has mastered it. Read More
We are all familiar with the stretching of the hand by corks, that is, by placing corks between the first, second and third fingers of the left hand, and pushing them down to the sockets of the fingers. The corks are left in this position several minutes daily, the object being to develop the stretching capacity of the fingers. Read More
One cause of the immense popularity of the piano is the fact that it is ready for use at a moment’s notice. With two tunings a year a good piano will stand in tune fairly well, and in these days of perfection in the manufacture of pianos, repairs are rarely necessary. Contrast this instant availability with the case of the violin, where the player has to keep the instrument properly strung, and constantly to keep tuning it. Read More
An instrument called a “melograph” has been invented by a Swedish scientist, which automatically writes music … Mr. John Philip Sousa—or could it be his press agent?—has started a crusade against the hackneyed themes and names used by composers … In one of our most esteemed French contemporaries we find among the musical notices an account of the hanging of a negro in a small American city, which, because of the fact that the negro’s relatives objected to his being hung in the open in a pouring rain, was transferred to the stage of the local opera house by the tender-hearted sheriff. This evidently found its way into the musical notices because of the “opera house” connection. Read More
Composers are usually poor critics, as each one, if sincere, must give most admiration to the style that he chooses for his own work. The world then keeps what it judges best. The haunting sweetness of Couperin and the elders, the subtle beauty and infinite skill of Bach, the glory of the Messiah, the deep expressiveness of Beethoven, the romance of Schumann, the richness of Wagner—must we give up these to appreciate the elfin delicacy of Debussy? Decidedly not. Debussy does not abolish the others, any more than Swinburne abolishes Shakespeare, or the bittersweet of grape-fruit abolishes roast beef. Read More
Pupils of Miss Grace M. Bramhall, Herbert William Reed, Miss Chalmers, Mrs. O. S. Kinney, Miss Smith, Mrs. Wood-Arfwedson, Miss Jessie Whittaker. Read More
