A CLEVER ACCOMPANIST

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXI, Issue 4307, 16 March 1901, Page 5 (Supplement)

A CLEVER ACCOMPANIST

In her pretty music-room at Hampstead 1 , a neighbourhood where she is well- known, Miss Ethel •avo is surrounded by many artistic representations of the great musical masters, conspicuous among all being busts of her favourite. composers, Beethoven and Brahms. Miss Cave was asked: < “And what is the great secret of the art of accompanying ?” “To forget self, and think only of your singer or Instrumentalist, and follow her or him with absolute intentness. The accompanist’s share of the work is important, of course, but it must never be assertive or disassociated from the chief instrument, bo it vo«al or stringed, and must be so' sympathetic as to he as far as possible one with the voice. You must, of course, know your music by heart, and he free to concentrate your attention as much as possible on the voice you axe accompanying.”

“To what do you attribute your unusual. facility for sight-reading, Miss Cave-—I mean, how was, it cultivated in the first instance?”

“One of my earliest teachers used to bring mo bundles of new music to try over, and encouraged me to read at sight. As I did ■ nob care for study at that time, this suited me admirably! ’(Subsequently, of course, I delighted in the theoretical part of music. It is absolutely essential,: if you want to succeed in the musical world, that you should go deeply into the laws of harmony and master all the groundwork of your profession.” “How many hours a day do you consider it necessary for a young musician to devote to the piano?” , “I think three. hours’ daily practice is quite sufficient. . And out of those three hours one hour should be devoted to exercises only.”