Obstacles Melt Before Determination.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXV, Issue XI, 15 September 1900, Page 480

Obstacles Melt Before Determination.

HOW GREAT PIANISTS HAVE RISEN FROM POVERTY. There is often a feeling among young people, and perhaps more among- students of music than others, that obstacles in the way of progress are simply and purely obstacles, and nothing more. It matters not what the obstacles may be—whether technical, financial or physical—they- are apt to cause despondency out of all proportion to their size, and to make the student feel that it is hardly worth while to keep on. This is exactly as it ought not to be, for if we look carefully into the matter we shall find that obstacles and difficulties are the stepping stones to proficiency, and they should be welcomed.

Charles Dickens hit the nail squarely on the head when he told us, by means of the inimitable Mark Tapley, that there was no credit in being happy when everything was going well, but to keep cheerful under difficulties was something worth trying to do. The student should learn to regard obstacles as eharacter-developers. His success in life will depend, far more than he can realise, on the spirit with which he attacks, and the courage with which he combats, the numerous obstacles which are sure to come across his path. Not only is character developed by these trials, but their effect is to broaden the mind, and this breadth shows in the person’s work, no matter whether it is teaching or public performance. Thalberg. the pianist, who was a man of undoubted talent, was brought up in easy circumstances, he was started on his career in princely fashion, and he was called the “gentleman rider" of the piano. His playing never appealed to the heart. People marvelled at his skill, and admired his deportment and appearance. In short, he was polished and refined, but not sunl-stirring. Liszt, whose rival Thallx-rg was considered to be, for a time at least, was n man of entirely different stamp. lie was brought up in comparative poverty, he lost his father when he was at an impressionable age and largely dependent upon him for sympathy and guidance. He fell in love with

one of his pupils, and had the mortification of seeing her married to somebody else. This threw him into a bad state of health, during whieh he grew morbid, and on the poipt of devoting himself to the church, but instead he went off on another taek and broke some of its most sacred laws. Then he set himself to work to create and overcome difficulties in piano-forte-playing. He heard Paganini and determined to rival him, with the result that he made himself the greatest pianist of the century—he made himself a giant. His playing was considered sublime, for he threw himself into his task with his whole soul. His long hair flew, his hands and arms seemed to be everywhere, and his body underwent the strangest contortions. All this would have been ridiculous In him, as it was in many of his imitators, had it not been for the overwhelming force of character and genius which captivated the hearer and made him forget the extravagances. Von Bulow and Rubinstein, a few years later, were both great pianists —their genius triumphed over all obstacles. Von Bulow was remarkable for his memory, Rubinstein for his fire and passion. Neither was perfect as a pianist, but Von Bulow could fill the intellectual person with admiration, and Rubinstein overwhelmed hts audience by his force. They both had indomitable will, and certainly Rubinstein knew the pinch of poverty when young, while Bulow’s difficulties were rather of an intellectual nature. Paderewski is another and more moaern instance of character developed in the school of misfortune. His playing, at least in the early days when he first became celebrated, showed, without doubt, the effect of his early trials. Brought up in poverty, married in poverty while still almost a boy, and deprived of his wife in less than a year—such matters are apt to leave their impression on the character of the sufferer. In his case the trouble was aggravated by the fact that money would have purchased such

comforts as might have saved the life of his young wife, but he was unable to find the money, and he had to witness her slow death, with the full knowledge that she could live under proper treatment. When it was over he turned to his music with the utmost energy, and the result was the most marvellous success, in the eyes of the world, that has fallen to the lot of a pianist.

While we look at the lives of these great musicians and know what they have had to contend with, we are not called upon to imitate their faults or peculiarities. It is not necessary to cultivate long hair and gyrate at the piano, nor is it necessary to cultivate perpendicular hair and look interesting. Nor need one imagine himself in love and grow despondent to the verge of entering a monastery. Still less need one break any moral laws or marry young without means of support. We all have our own obstacles to overcome without borrowing those of other people, but we can admire their courage and their perseverance —-that which enabled them to rise above their trials—and endeavour to equal them in that respect. One can see that this can be done by patience, courage and faith, and that if we only “keep moving” we can rise superior to the tribulations of the moment, no matter how heavy they seem to be when we are first brought face to face with them. Still, if we have the power to overcome obstacles and develop a character which will insure success in life, that success may not be exactly in the path which we had planned. We may not have genius or talent in the necessary qualities. Genius is heaven-born and occurs only in race cases, and it is useless by itself. Who has not known of the musical genius who has failed dismally from lack of the above-mentioned qualities? Who has not, among his acquaintances, some young musician ■who is lazy, self-satisfied, self-opinl-ated, unmethodical —who feels obliged to tell you that he is an artist because his lack of character and perseverance has never allowed, and never will allow, him to demonstrate his genius in public. He has talent, but his playing is uneven, careless, marked by moments of genius, but spoiled by technical deficiencies. One day he plays fairly well, the next very badly—and he is never certain. He is unsatisfactory and tantalising. He will never amount to anything unless he speedily institutes a radical reform in his habits. There is onlv one road to success, and that is by work supported by courage and conviction. Obstacles melt before determination, and as each one is conquered a step upward is gained, not merely in the musical profession, but in the great school of life. Meet each day’s trials as they come, and do not hunt for imaginary difficulties.—Henry Lahee, in “The Etude.”