MUSIC

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1295, 25 November 1911, Page 9

MUSIC

(IST s'ilEnLE CLEr.)

Originality in Piano Playing. Writing in the American "Etude" on originality in pianoforte playing, Vladimir do rochmiun, the eminent virtuoso of the pianoforte ami (he proa tost liviuc; exponent of the works of Chopin, say-:— "Originality in pianoforte, playing, what doos it really mean? Nothing more than the interpretation of oiie'= real sell itstcad of the artificial self which traditions, mistaken advisors, nnd our own natural of mimicry impose upon us. Sc-ck for originality ami it is gone like a K'jssaiutr shining in Ihcmorninj grass. Originality is iii one's self. It is the true voice of tho heart. - 1 would enjoin students to listen to their own inner voices. Ido not desire to deprecate teachers, but I think that many are in error when they fail to encouraju their pupils to form their own opinions. "I havo always sought the individual in myself. When 1 have found him I play lit my best. I try to do everything in my own individual way. I work for months to invent, contrive, or design new fingerings— not mj much for simplicity, but to enable me- to manipulate tho keys so that I niiiy express the ihiiiical thought (is it f-eems to me it ought to be p.xpriced. See my hand, my fi'jscr.-—the tlesh is as soft as that of a'child, yet covering muscles of steel. They are thus bemufe I have worked from childhood to make them thus. "The trouble with most pupils in studying a piece is that when I hey seek individuality and originality they go about it in the wrwg way, and the result is a studied, still", hard performance. Let them listen to the voice. I ?ay; to (he inner voice, the voice which is speaking every moment of the day. but to which to mnnv shut the cars of their soul. "Franz Li.v/.t—ah, you fee 1 bow when I ,mcntioa the naip'c— you never heard irons: Liszt? Ah, it. was the great Li=zt who listened—listened (o hi.- inner voice. J.hey slid he was inspired. lie was siiunlv listi-mno in.himself. . '-Vun, i>!>s--cn Sie ma! auf!' I abominate maehinn leaching. \ certain amount of it may he necessary, but I hate it. It -perns so brutal—so barlistie. li'stead of leadini the pupil la fe?k results for himself, ihev lay down laws and see that tho=e laws are obey-!, like Vt-n----darmes.' )t is nosMble. of c .iirse, by nioaus of pv-vtcmatie ('"•iiiin", (o educ-ito a I>nv so flint he could nlny a c-'tcerfn whir-h he eould not possiblv compro'ienrl uitelliseiitly niMil he 1). r:ime !('■>-): twe.'ity years- older; but picas;- tell, what i« the us.- of Fu.-h a train-'n/r 1 T- >!• nrJi'l'c? Is i! im-iical? Would it no! l<o better to (rain him to nlay - p-eco whir-h h? could Cfinuuv-IH-1,,1 aii'l which he ceiilJ exnr«ss in his own wav?

"Of oolv.-o I „„, not's-pMltinir iw of f-l'o boy MozirU. tiie l-.-jv T,jc/f< ,„. n fi,n,. fi-enks of linfuro. hut nf dm citiMion who lj\- nvip!tiiio-i»:u!p niftinod* aro ti-ji-ip to do tiling which iiplin-p never inhn'M (hat tVv should Ho. This forcing mrtlmd to whirh some cwervalori,-? iwm crf rcmmd oiip nf tWo won who in by-rr.-no n.TC= nio-ip n wiallv of diMkuriiW Hip fnnn? ntnl faros pf childrpp. fn mnlco jestpr?, .".iid freaks out of them. "Originality in intevnrMMiri i= pf fom---» ro more ir.'norfanf (linn oru'in.ility in proafinn. See lion- ilip emnpossrs who lyiro l.jwn flip most nviVi>inl liavo liopii t!!P_onps wlm liave lni.-| the t m «f f.v.n,. fm'ion for ppi-mniipiif- t'anip. TTniv n^in trup nnVinalitT lia? Ijppii ii H mt-1v the hi"'i- (•;/ \nrm of spif-exprpsAiou. '\- 01) p v? r?' }ilio'i thp romnrwr lips =ourlit nrkiniil,tr .iv.l PMfrivp-l t 0 K , r H l, y p ,, n , n . 5f1 1 v takiiiß out-nf-tliß-M-av motlimls, what lias ho proflucpd? Xntliinj but n liorrjWe sham—a stniotm-p pf 0.-inVs wliVli is dostrovd by (lip noxt wind of faMsion. "Otli*r c>!i<im)!=«t< write f-r all tim». riioy arn ori.iiii.il bpoame ll, pv ]i«tp-n (o tliplitllp inner voico. Hip trm- Hjiirc- of onamality. It is fVi» sinii; in {m-lnt'-p----tnre. S',v]ps in aiTliitpi.'furf nro'eviilvpi! Tint crpatrd. a>ul whem-vov (lip araliitnot nn.c; c( r; ,- Pn f or Wr Arr » pft-pcte lu> liniMs f-r nnn drpa .1.-. only. Tl.p a rrl. i wh» huilrl for all timi> arp and yet how unlilrc. linn- individual. l™ r oricin3l !i V ,c , ,vor t nf o"o great architect; from that of another.

The Most Original Composer. ' "The most original of all composers, at least as they appear to me (says Pachmami the eminent pianist), is" Juhaun fcabnstiau Bach. Perhaps this is becnuso lie is tho most sincere. Next 1 v.-ould class Beethoven, that great mountain peak to whose heights so few ever soar, •then would camp in order Liszt, Brahms Slnwnaun, Chopin, Weber, and sohn. Schumann is more originrl than Chopin? Yes, at least ?o it seems to me. .that i=, there is something more distinctive, something more indicative oj a great individuality speaking a new language. "Compare these men with composers of the order of Abt, Steibelt, Tbalberg, and Donizetti, and you will see at once- vrhat ] mean about originality being the basis of permanent art. Por ijisr tweutv years my great fondness for mineralogy" and for gems led me to neglect in a measure the development of tho higher works of these composers, but I have realised my error and have been working enormously for years to attain the ttchnic which their works demand. Some years ago I felt •that technical development must cease at a certain age. This is all idiocy. I frel that I havo now many times (lie teebnic I have ever had before and I have acquired it all in recent years. Albani's Advice to Aspirants. Madame- Albani, who has retired after iO years of singin™ in a pa-*» of her own handwriting, gives the benefit of her experience in a few words addressed to 1 J'oimj artists as follows:— "I should like to say a word with reference to the mode of study and life 1 which 1 consider absolutely indispensable that a student should foilow who aspires to rrach hijh rank in the profession. I consider it necessary to obtain early complete mastery of music, mi important in these days, a perfect diction in several lansuagcs. and a continual stmly nf 'the art of• sin.iinj , as the old masters tauyht it. so that the natural beauty of the instrument (voice) :nay b? increased, greater power cained, and complete control of the voice obtained. Nerf F add Kre.?.t perseverance in study anil judicious han! work? However-well artists mav do, and no matter how much success they i"ny have, they should always boar in minn that it is possible to do better, and should never relax their efforts to attain an ever hvjhor standard. It is also wise to live a moderate and healthy life, taking plenty of fresh air and exerH-". a« the voice is verv sensitive and easily affected by the slightest indispositira. J think that. \f nns lias "bi-fn \:!\n\ !>y (he A'.mi.fthty a beautiful voice and talent, the least one cm do is to tab , the fuller advantage nf them. In a word, one must live for one's art."

Notes. Imitation is tho bane of society, and in artistic training is nor only ih.-lri-mer.tal t-i progress.'but ppsitiviOy'de.-lnic-five to the healthy growth of intcllectuul power. Study is necc>«avy to cirvi-10-.i even the highest genius; but if we de-ire to l;a real artists wo must eventually give fiirtlj from within, rather than take in from without. The tencbev who cultivates the faculty of imitation in his lessons, and the student who adopts it. are equally in the wrong; but it must be remembered that only one is culpable, for the latter is passive, while tho former is active.—Henry C. Lunn. Pilippo Capocci, the dean of Italian organists und a musician of-high repute, died in Rome a few wo?ks a?o, at the ago of 71. Mr. Maughan Harnett played two movements from his very beautiful "'Sonata in G Minor" (for organ) on Saturday evening last. A now symphony orchestra is to be formed in San Francisco, backed by some millionaire; of that city. Henry IC. Hadlev has been appointed as director at a salary of lO.Olni dollars a year. The leadership of the orchr-stra carries with it the appointment to the ("hair of Music at the University of California. Mr. Radley has been doing very successful work us a composer and as director of the Seattle Symphony Orchestra. John Phillip Sousa, "tin , March King," threatens to write Iho opening ode fo; , the big Exposition to be held in San Francisco in l'Jlj, in celebration of the opfninj of the Panama Caiu:l. Emmy Destin, the soprano, is said (o luive completed the libretto of an opera, and is now lookirg lor a i\m>po:i.T lo tot it to music.