diff options
Diffstat (limited to 'old')
| -rw-r--r-- | old/14339-8.txt | 3931 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | old/14339-8.zip | bin | 0 -> 69960 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | old/14339.txt | 3931 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | old/14339.zip | bin | 0 -> 69953 bytes |
4 files changed, 7862 insertions, 0 deletions
diff --git a/old/14339-8.txt b/old/14339-8.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..b2aaacd --- /dev/null +++ b/old/14339-8.txt @@ -0,0 +1,3931 @@ +The Project Gutenberg eBook, Music Talks with Children, by Thomas Tapper + + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + + + + +Title: Music Talks with Children + +Author: Thomas Tapper + +Release Date: December 13, 2004 [eBook #14339] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + + +***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK MUSIC TALKS WITH CHILDREN*** + + +E-text prepared by David Newman, Keith M. Eckrich, and the Project +Gutenberg Online Distributed Proofreading Team + + + +MUSIC TALKS WITH CHILDREN + +by + +THOMAS TAPPER + +Philadelphia +Theodore Presser + +1898 + + + + + + + + "Dear child! dear girl! that walkest with me here, + If thou appear untouched by solemn thought, + Thy nature is not therefore less divine: + * * * * * + "God being with thee when we know it not." + + --WILLIAM WORDSWORTH. + + + + + +TO THE CHILDREN AT HOME + + + "Teach me to live! No idler let me be, + But in Thy service _hand and heart_ employ." + + --BAYARD TAYLOR. + + + + +PREFACE + + +A book of this kind, though addressed to children, must necessarily +reach them through an older person. The purpose is to suggest a few of +the many aspects which music may have even to the mind of a child. If +these chapters, or whatever may be logically suggested by them, be +actually used as the basis of simple Talks with children, music may +become to them more than drill and study. They should know it as an +art, full of beauty and of dignity; full of pure thought and abounding +in joy. Music with these characteristics is the true music of the +heart. Unless music gives true pleasure to the young it may be doubted +if it is wisely studied. + +Our failure to present music to the young in a manner that interests +and holds them is due not so much to the fact that music is too +difficult for children, but because the children themselves are too +difficult for us. In our ignorance we often withhold the rightful +inheritance. We must not forget that the slower adult mind often meets +a class of difficulties which are not recognized by the unprejudiced +child. It is not infrequent that with the old fears in us we persist +in recreating difficulties. + +There should be ever present with the teacher the thought that music +must be led out of the individuality, not driven into it. + +The teacher's knowledge is not a hammer, it is a light. + +While it is suggested that these chapters be used as the +subject-matter for talks with the children, they may read verbatim if +desired. All foot-note references and suggestions are addressed to the +older person--the mother or the teacher. There is much in the +literature of art that would interest children if given to them +discriminatingly. + +THOMAS TAPPER. + +BOSTON, October 30, 1896 + + + + +CONTENTS + + +CHAPTER + + PREFACE + + I. WHAT THE FACE TELLS + + II. WHY WE SHOULD STUDY MUSIC + + III. MUSIC IN THE HEART + + IV. THE TONES ABOUT US + + V. LISTENING + + VI. THINKING IN TONE + + VII. WHAT WE SEE AND HEAR + + VIII. THE CLASSICS + + IX. WHAT WE SHOULD PLAY + + X. THE LESSON + + XI. THE LIGHT ON THE PATH + + XII. THE GREATER MASTERS + + XIII. THE LESSER MASTERS + + XIV. HARMONY AND COUNTERPOINT + + XV. MUSIC AND READING + + XVI. THE HANDS + + XVII. WHAT THE ROMAN LADY SAID + +XVIII. THE GLORY OF THE DAY + + XIX. THE IDEAL + + XX. THE ONE TALENT + + XXI. LOVE FOR THE BEAUTIFUL + + XXII. IN SCHOOL + +XXIII. MUSIC IN SCHOOL + + XXIV. HOW ONE THING HELPS ANOTHER + + XXV. THE CHILD AT PLAY + + APPENDIX + + + + +BY THE SAME AUTHOR. + + +Chats with Music Students; or Talks about Music and Music Life. + +"A remarkably valuable work. It is made up of talks to students, +calculated to make them think; of hints and suggestions which will be +of immense assistance to those who are earnestly trying to become +proficient in music."--_Boston Transcript._ + +"No other book covers the same broad field which this covers in such a +pleasant and inspiring manner."--_The Writer (Boston)._ + + +The Music Life and How to Succeed in it. + +"These ideas are worthy of attention from students and workers in all +branches of art, science, and literature, who mean to be serious and +earnest."--_Boston Transcript._ + +"Exceedingly valuable because of its broad impartiality in its +exposition of truth, its depth of understanding, and, above all, for +its earnest desire, manifest in every word, to lead music students to +a love for music itself.... It abounds in high artistic thought and +insight."--_The Boston Times._ + + + + +CHAPTER I. + +WHAT THE FACE TELLS. + + + "And the light _dwelleth_ with him."--_Daniel II: 22._ + + +Once a master said to a child: + +"If thou wilt study diligently, learn, and do good unto others, thy +face shall be filled with light." + +So the child studied busily, learned, and sought how she could do good +unto others. And every little while she ran to the glass to see if the +light was coming. But at each time she was disappointed. No light was +there. Try as faithfully as she would, and look as often as she would, +it was always the same. + +I do not know if she doubted the master or not; but it is certain she +did not know what to make of it. She grieved, and day after day her +disappointment grew. At length she could bear it no longer, so she +went to the master and said: + +"Dear master, I have been so diligent! I have tried to learn and to do +good unto others. Yet every time I have sought in my face the light +_which you promised_, it has not been there. No, not a single time." + +Now the master listened intently, and watching her face as she spoke, +he said: + +"Thou poor little one, in this moment, as thou hast spoken to me, thy +face has been so filled with light that thou wouldst not believe. And +dost thou know why? It is because every word thou hast spoken in this +moment has come from thy heart. + +"Thou must learn _in the first days_ this lesson: When the thought and +the deed are in the heart, then the light is in the face, always, and +it is there at no other time. It could not be. And what is in thy +heart when thou art before the glass? In that moment hast thou turned +away from diligence, and from learning, and from the love of doing +good unto others and in thy heart there is left only the poor +curiosity to see the light which can never shine when it is sought. +Thou canst never see the light of thy own face. For thee that light is +forever within, and it will not prosper thy way to want to look upon +it. It is only as thou art faithful that this is added unto thee." + +Sorrowing yet more than before the little child said: + +"Master, I do not understand what thou hast said, yet I believe thee; +but the wish is yet within me to see the light of my face, if only for +once. Thou who art wise, tell me why it is denied me." + +And the master made answer: + +"It is denied to us all. No one may see the light of his own face. +Therefore thou shalt labor daily with diligence that thy light shall +shine before others. And if thou wouldst see the light thou shalt +cause it to shine _in another_. That is the greatest of all--to bring +forth the light. And to do this, thou shalt of thyself be faithful in +all things. By what thou art thou must show diligence, the love for +learning, and the desire to do good unto others, even as these things +have been taught thee." + + + + +CHAPTER II. + +WHY WE SHOULD STUDY MUSIC. + + + "Music makes people more gentle and meek, more modest and + understanding."--_Martin Luther._[1] + +It was this same music lover who said once, "Music is the fairest gift +of God." Just these words should be a sufficient answer to the +question which we have asked in this Talk, but a little more may make +it clearer. Here we are, gathered together to talk about music. We +know music is pleasing; to many of us it is even more than a pleasure; +of course, it is difficult to get the lessons properly and we must +struggle and strive. Often the way seems so rude and stony that we +cannot advance. We are hurt, and hot tears of discouragement come, and +we sit down dejected feeling it were best never to try again. But even +when the tears flow the fastest we feel something within us which +makes us listen. We can really hear our thoughts battling to tell us +something,--prompted by the heart, we may be sure. + +And what is music making our thoughts say? + +"Have I not been a pleasure and a comfort to you? Have I not set you +to singing and to dancing many and many times? Have I not let you sing +your greatest happiness? And am I not ever about you, at home, in +school, in church? even in the streets I have never deserted you. +Always, _always_ I have made you merry. But this was music you +_heard_. Now you have said you wished to know me yourself; to have me +come to dwell in your heart that you might have me understandingly, +and because I ask labor of you for this, you sit here with your hot +tears in your eyes and not a bit of me present in your heart. Listen! +Am I not there? Yes, just a bit. Now more and more, and now will you +give me up because I make you work a little?" + +Well, we all have just this experience and we always feel ashamed of +our discouragements; but even this does not tell us why we should +study music. Some people study it because they have to do so; others +because they love it. Surely it must be best with those who out of +their hearts choose to learn about tones and the messages they tell. + +Did you ever notice how people seem willing to stop any employment if +music comes near? Even in the busiest streets of a city the organ-man +will make us listen to his tunes. In spite of the hurry and the crowd +and the jumble of noises, still the organ-tones go everywhere clear, +full, melodious, bidding us heed them. Perhaps we mark the music with +the hand, or walk differently, or begin to sing with it. In one way or +another the music will make us do something--that shows its power. I +have seen in many European towns a group of children about the +organ-man,[2] dancing or singing as he played and enjoying every tune +to the utmost. This taught me that music of every kind has its lover, +and that with a little pains and a little patience the love for music +belongs to all alike, and may be increased if other things do not push +it aside. + +Now, one of the first things to be said of music is that it makes +happiness, and what makes happiness is good for us, because happiness +not only lightens the heart, but it is one of the best ways to make +the light come to the face. The moment we study music we learn a +severe lesson, and that is this: There can be no use in our trying to +be musicians unless we are willing to learn perfect order in all the +music-tasks we do. + +In this, music is a particularly severe mistress. Nothing slovenly, +untidy, or out of order will do. The count must be absolutely right, +not fast nor slow as our fancy dictates, but even and regular. The +hands must do their task together in a friendly manner; the one never +crowding nor hurrying the other, each willing to yield to the other +when the right moment comes.[3] The feet must never use the pedals so +as to make the harmonies mingle wrongly, but at just the right moment +must make the strings sing together as the composer desires. The +thoughts can never for a single moment wander from the playing; they +must remain faithful, preparing what is to come and commanding the +hands to do exactly the right task in the right way. That shows us, +you see, the second quality and a strict one of music. It will not +allow us to be disorderly, and more than this, it teaches us a habit +for order that will be a gain to us in every other task. Now let us +see: + +First, we should study music for the happiness it will give us. + +Second, we should study music for the order it teaches us. + +There is a third reason. If music gives us happiness, do we not in +learning it gain a power to contribute happiness to others? That is +one of the greatest pleasures in learning. Not only does the knowledge +prove of use and joy to us, but we can constantly make it useful and +joy-giving to others. Does this not teach us how thankful we should be +to all those who live usefully? And think of all the men who have +passed their lives writing beautiful thoughts, singing out of their +very hearts, day after day, all their life long, for the joy of others +forever after. + +In our next Talk we shall learn that pure thought, written out of the +heart, is forever a good in the world. From this we shall learn that +to study music rightly is to cultivate in our own hearts the same good +thought which the composer had. Hence the third reason we can find for +studying music is that it makes us able to help and to cheer others, +to help them by willingly imparting the little knowledge we have, and +to cheer them by playing the beautiful thoughts in tone which we have +learned. + +These are three great reasons, truly, but there are many others. Let +us speak about one of them. In some of the Talks we are to have we +shall learn that true music comes from a true heart; and that great +music--that is the classics--is the thought of men who are pure and +noble, learned in the way to write, and anxious never to write +anything but the best. There is plainly a great deal of good to us if +we study daily the music of men such as these. In this way we are +brought in touch with the greatest thought. This constant presence and +influence will mold our thoughts to greater strength and greater +beauty. When we read the history of music, we shall see that the +greatest composers have always been willing to study in their first +days the master works of their time. They have strengthened their +thoughts by contact with thoughts stronger than their own, and we may +gain in just the same way if we will. We know now that there are many +reasons why it is good for us to study music. We have spoken +particularly of four of these. They are: + +First, for the happiness it will give us. + +Second, for the order it demands of us. + +Third, for the power it gives us to help and cheer others. + +Fourth, for the great and pure thought it brings before us and raises +in us. + +All these things, are they true, you ask? If the little child had +asked that of the master he would have said: + +"These things shalt thou find real because they make thee brave. And +the pain and the drudgery and the hot tears shall be the easier to +bear for this knowledge, which should be strong within thee as a pure +faith." + + + + +CHAPTER III. + +MUSIC IN THE HEART. + + + "Raffaello's genius goes directly to the heart."--_Autobiography of + Benvenuto Cellini._[4] + +The only true way to learn is by doing. The skill of the hand and the +skill of the thought can be brought out only by use. We shall not +become very skilful, nor very learned, nor very good unless we daily +devote ourselves to tasks--often difficult and unpleasant--which shall +bring to us wisdom, or success, or goodness. None of these things, nor +any other like them, come merely by talking about them. That is the +worst way of all--merely to talk and not to act. But if we talk +truthfully and act with care, we shall gain a great deal. Pleasant +companionship often brings forth thoughts which if we follow them +industriously, lead a long way in a good direction. + +I do not know that any one has likened music to a country. But we can +make the comparison, and then it becomes plain that we may either +wander through it, seeing the beautiful things, wondering about them, +and talking over our admiration and our wonder; or we may join to this +a true and an earnest inquiry, which shall give us, as a reward, the +clear understanding of some things which we see. Let us travel in this +way; first, because we shall gain true knowledge by it, but better +still, because we shall thereby learn _in the first days_ that the +truest pleasures and the dearest happinesses are those for which we +have done something; those for which we have given both of labor and +of pains. + +One of the wisest little philosophers in the world was Polissena,[5] +and I think she became wise just because she labored. As we become +more and more acquainted with true music we shall learn this: True +music is that which is born in some one's heart. "All immortal writers +speak out of the heart."[6] Nothing could be truer; and as they speak +_out_ of their hearts you may be sure they intend to speak _into_ +ours. Nowhere else. As true music is made in some one's heart, we must +feel it in our own hearts as we play it or it will mean nothing. The +heart must make it warm, then the beauties of the music will come out. +It is strange how our moods tell themselves. All we do with our eyes +and with our ears, with the tongue and with the hands, what we do with +our thoughts even, is sure to say of itself whether we are doing with +a willing heart or not. It is curious that the truth will come out of +whatever seems to be a secret, but curious as it may be, it does come +out. We must think of that. + +Every one of us knows the difference between doing willingly and +unwillingly. We know that things done with joy and with eagerness are +well done and seem to spring directly from the heart. Not only that, +but they really inspire joy and eagerness in those who are about us. +_Inspire_ is just the word. Look it up in your dictionary and see that +it means exactly what happens--_to breathe into_--they breathe joy and +happiness _into_ all things else, and it comes out of our hearts. + +Now happiness can be told in many ways: in laughter, in the eyes, in a +game, in a life like that of Polissena's, in anything, but in nothing +that does not win the heart. As happiness can be shown in anything, it +can be shown in music. We can put happiness into play, likewise we can +put happiness into music. And as much of it as we put into anything +will come out. Besides, we might just as well learn now as at another +time, this: Whatever we put into what we do will come out. It may be +happiness or idleness or hatred or courage; whatever goes into what we +do comes out very plainly. Everything, remember. That means much. If +you should practise for an hour, wishing all the time to be doing +something else, you may be sure that your wish is coming out of your +playing so plainly that every one knows it. Do you think that is +strange? Well, it may be, but it is strictly true. + +No one may be able to explain why and how, but certainly it is true +that as we play our music all that goes on in the heart finds its way +into the head, and the arms, and the hands, into the music, off +through the air, and into the hearts of every one who is listening. So +it is a valuable truth for us to remember, that whatever we put into +our music will come out and we cannot stop it; and other people will +get it, and know what we are by it. + +Once we fully understand how music will show forth our inmost feelings +we shall begin to understand its truthfulness and its power, as well +as its beauty. We shall see from our first days that music will tell +the truth. That will help us to understand a little the true mission +of art, "either to state a true thing, or adorn a serviceable one."[7] +The moment we understand this _a very little_ we shall begin to love +art. We shall be glad and willing for music to reveal us, to show the +spirit within us, because little by little with the understanding will +come love and reverence for the beautiful thoughts that are locked up +in tones. + +Men who want to tell something to very many people, many of whom they +do not know and to whom they cannot go, write down all they have to +say and make a book of it. There are some men, however, who have many +beautiful thoughts which they wish to tell to those who can +understand; these may dwell in their own land or in other lands; in +their own time or in future time. But the message of these men is so +beautiful and so delicate that it cannot be told in words, so they +tell it in music. Then, in their own land and in other lands, in their +own day and forever after, people can find out the delicate thoughts +by studying the pages of the music, seeking _with their hearts_ the +thought that came out of the master's heart. + +Do you wonder that composers revere their art? We are told of Chopin +that art was for him a high and holy vocation.[8] Do you wonder? Let +me read you a few words about his devotion: "In order to become a +skilful and able master he studied, without dreaming of the ... fame +he would obtain." "Nothing could be purer, more exalted, than his +thoughts,"[9] because he knew that if his thoughts were not pure the +impurity would come out in his music. + +The music that has first been felt in the heart and then written down +finds its way and tells all about the heart, where it was born. When +you play and feel that you are playing from the heart, you may be sure +you are on the right path. The beautiful thing is, that this is true +no matter how simple music is. The very simplest will tell all about +us. Remember, in playing music, that great and good men have put into +tones thoughts which will be a joy and comfort to the world forever. +Some one of these Talks will be about classic and common music. But +even now I am sure we understand that good music comes from pure +thought, and pure thought comes from a good heart. That, surely, is +clear and simple. + +Pure music is earnest and songful. It has meaning in every part. No +tone is without a lofty purpose. That is true music. It is classic +from the heart that is put into it. + +By being faithful to our music it will do for us more than we can +dream. Do you know the inscription that used to be over the north gate +of the city of Siena, in Italy? + +"Siena opens not only her gates, but her heart to you." + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + +THE TONES ABOUT US. + + +"Scientific education ought to teach us to see the invisible as well +as the visible in nature."--_John Tyndall_.[10] + +There used to live in England a famous scientist named Tyndall, who +was interested, among other things, in the study of sound. He studied +sounds of all kinds, made experiments with them, wrote down what he +observed, and out of it all he wrote a book,[11] useful to all who +desire to learn about sound and its nature. + +One day, Tyndall and a friend were walking up one of the mountains of +the Alps.[12] As they ascended the path, Tyndall's attention was +attracted by a shrill sound, which seemed to come from the ground at +his feet. Being a trained thinker he was at once curious to know what +was the cause of this. By looking carefully he found that it came from +a myriad of small insects which swarmed by the side of the path. +Having satisfied himself as to what it was he spoke to his companion +about the shrill tone and was surprised to learn that he could not +hear it. Tyndall's friend could hear all ordinary sound perfectly +well. This, however, seemed to be sound of such a character as did not +reach his sense of hearing. One who like Tyndall listened carefully to +sounds of all kinds would quickly detect anything uncommon. This +little incident teaches us that sounds may go on about us and yet we +know nothing of them. Also it teaches us to think about tones, seek +them, and in the first days increase our acquaintance and familiarity +with them. + +Men of science, who study the different ways in which the mind works, +tell us that habit and also a busy mind frequently make us unconscious +of many things about us. Sometimes we have not noticed the clock +strike, although we have been in the room on the hour; or some one +speaks to us, and because we are thinking of something else we fail to +hear what is said to us. It certainly is true that very many people do +not hear half of the sounds that go on about them, sounds which, if +but heeded, would teach people a great deal. And of all people, those +who study music should be particularly attentive to sounds of all +kinds. Indeed, the only way to begin a music education is to begin by +learning to listen. Robert Schumann, a German composer, once wrote a +set of rules for young musicians. As it was Schumann's habit to write +only what was absolutely needed we may be sure he regarded his rules +as very important. There are sixty-eight of them, and the very first +has reference to taking particular notice of the tones about us. If we +learn it from memory we shall understand it better and think of it +oftener. Besides that, we shall have memorized the serious thought of +a truly good and great man. This is what he says: + +"The cultivation of the ear is of the greatest importance. Endeavor +early to distinguish each tone and key. Find out the exact tone +sounded by the bell, the glass, and the cuckoo." + +There is certainly a good hint in this. Let us follow it day by day, +and we shall see how many are the tones about us which we scarcely +ever notice. We should frequently listen and find who of us can +distinguish the greatest number of different sounds. Then we shall +learn to listen attentively to sounds and noises. Bit by bit all +sounds, especially beautiful ones, will take on a new and deeper +meaning to us; they will be full of a previously unrecognized beauty +which will teach us to love music more and more sincerely. + +In order that we may better understand how sounds are related to each +other we should learn early to sing the major scale so that it will go +readily up and down as a melody. As we become more and more familiar +with it we must think frequently of its separate tones so as to feel +just how each one sounds in the scale, how it fits in the scale, and +just what it says, in fact; we shall then notice after a while that we +can hear the scale with the inner ear, which is finer and more +delicate.[13] + +We should have names for the scale-tones like the pretty Italian +syllables, or, if not these, whatever our teacher suggests. Then we +should have a conception of the tones as they are related. We should +learn that every tone of the scale is colored by the tonic. Every one +gets a character from the tonic which tells us all about it, because +we learn to hear its relation to its principal tone. In a little +while, with patience, we shall be able to hear the scale-tones in any +order we may choose to think them. That power will be a fine help +forever after--we must be sure to get it in the first days. + +Whenever we hear two tones we should try to find them on the piano. +This will make us listen more attentively to the tone sounded by the +clock, the church-bell, the bird, the drinking-glass. And what a lot +there are, like the squeaking door, the cricket, the noise of the wind +and rain, the puff of the engine, and all the other sounds we hear in +a day. Bit by bit, in this way, our familiarity with tones will grow +and we shall be well repaid for all the trouble. Gradually we shall +become better listeners--but about listening we are to speak in our +next Talk. This, however, may be said now: Let us always be sure to +listen with special care to two tones, calling one the tonic, or +first, of the major scale and finding what degree the other is, or +near what degree it lies. This will make us better acquainted with the +scale and we shall learn that all the music we have comes out of it. + +We must also listen to tones so that we can tell something about them +besides their scale names. We must learn to describe tones, tell +whether they are high or low, sweet or harsh, loud or soft, long or +short. For instance, through the window I can hear a church-bell. Some +one is ringing it slowly so that the tones are long. The tone is not a +very high one (it is G above middle C) and the quality is rich and +mellow. This describes the church-bell tone quite well, and in like +manner we may describe all the sounds we hear. We should make it a +habit often to stand or to sit perfectly still and to listen to +everything that goes on about us. Even in the country, where all seems +as quiet as possible, we shall be surprised at the great number of +sounds. + +There are some other tones to which I fear we are prone not to listen. +I mean the tones which the piano makes when we play finger-exercises. +We think perhaps of the finger motion, which is not all; or we think +of nothing, which is very bad; or our thoughts begin to picture other +things even while we play, which is the worst of all, and bit by bit +we actually forget what we are doing. One of the quickest ways to +become unable to hear sounds correctly is to play the piano without +thinking fully of what we are doing. Therefore it must be a rule never +to play a tone without listening acutely to it. If in the first days +we determine to do this and remain faithful to it, we shall always +touch the piano keys carefully, thoughtfully, and reverentially. + +Elsewhere we shall have some definite tone lessons for the purpose of +making us familiar with the tones about us. But no rule can exceed in +importance this one, never to make any music unthinkingly. + +By care and practice we soon become so skilful as to notice tones with +the readiness we notice colors in the garden. The sense of tone must +be as strong in us as is the sense of color. Then we shall be able to +tell differences of tones which are nearly the same, as readily as we +can now tell two varieties of yellow, for instance. A bit of +perseverance in this and the beauties even of common sounds shall be +revealed to us. + + + + +CHAPTER V. + +LISTENING. + + + "You must listen as if listening were your life."--_Phillips + Brooks._[14] + +In our last Talk we learned that it was quite possible for sounds to +be about us and yet we not hear them. Sometimes, as in the case of +Tyndall's companion, it is because we are not capable; at other times, +as when the clock strikes and we do not hear, it is because we are +occupied with other things. It is from this latter fact--being +occupied with other things--that we can learn what listening is. +Listening is not being occupied with other things. It is being +completely attentive to what we are expected to hear. + +The condition of being occupied with other thoughts when we should be +listening is known as inattention. To listen with full attention, all +other things being entirely absent from the mind, is one form of +concentration. + +Inattention is a destroyer. It divides our power between two or more +things when it should be directed upon a single thing. Concentration +gives us greater and greater mind-power. If you will look in the +dictionary to find what concentration means (you should be good +friends with the dictionary) you will find it is made up of _con_[15] +meaning with, and _centrum_, a center, "with a center," or "to come to +a center." If you hold a magnifying-glass between your hand and the +sun you will find that at a certain distance the sunlight is in a +circle. By changing the distance with delicacy you can diminish the +circle to almost a point,--you make the light _come to a center_. When +the circle of light is large, no particular effect is noted by the +hand. When, however, the circle is as small as it can be made you feel +a sensation of warmth which, if continued long enough, will really +burn the hand. That small circle is the sunlight _in concentration_. +The rays of sunlight, instead of being scattered, are centered. They +burn the hand because they are full of power--powerful. + +By way of example: Let the different rays stand for inattention and +the tiny circle of light for concentration. The former has little or +no power; the latter is full of power. This very well illustrates what +happens, both when our thoughts are scattered over a large area, and +when they are brought together--concentrated--in a small circle. The +first listening indeed which should claim our attention is not +tone-listening, but listening to what is said to us. No one under a +good teacher ever learns well who is not attentive and obedient. And +then _listening_ and _doing_ are inseparably joined. Tone-listening +makes us self-critical and observant, and we are assured by men of +science that unless we become good observers in our early years, it is +later impossible for us.[16] + +In the previous Talk we spoke about listening to all kinds of sounds, +particularly those out-of-doors. In this Talk we shall speak only of +real music-listening. You know, now, that music born out of the heart +is the thought of a good man. Of course, beautiful thoughts of any +kind should be listened to not only with attention, but with +reverence. Reverence is the tribute which the thoughtful listener pays +to the music of a man who has expressed himself beautifully in tone. +This at once reveals to us that we should listen to what is great for +the purpose of getting ideals. We hear what we hope to attain. It is +said of the violinist, Pierre Baillot, that when only ten years of age +he heard the playing of Viotti, and though he did not hear it again +for twenty years the performance ever remained in his mind as an ideal +to be realized in his studies, and he worked to attain it. + +The pupils of the great Viennese teacher of the piano, Theodor +Leschetizky, say he asks no question more frequently than "Can you not +hear?" It is not only difficult to listen to ourselves, but listening +is one thing and decidedly a superior thing, while hearing is another +and equally inferior thing. And it shows us, when we think of it, that +no self-criticism is possible until we forget all things else and +listen to what we are doing and listen with concentration. It now +becomes clear to us that no one becomes an intelligent musician who is +not skilled in tone sense, in listening, and having thoughts about +what is heard. + +We may read again from the excellent rules of Robert Schumann: + +"Frequently sing in choruses, especially the middle parts; this will +help to make you musical." + +Out of this we learn to try to hear more than the melody, to try +sometimes not to think of the melody, but to listen only to that which +accompanies it. When, in school, you sing in two and three parts, +notice how one is inclined always to sing the soprano. The melody +pulls us away from another part if we are not concentrated upon our +part. Yet notice how beautifully musical the lower parts are. Listen +intently to them whatever part you sing. + +It seems in music that we learn to listen in two directions. First, by +training the attention merely to follow prominent sounds and to be +conscious of all of them; then, later, we do not need to think so much +of the prominent melody but we strive to hear the accompanying parts. +These are the melodies which are somewhat concealed by the principal +one; not truly concealed either, for they are plain enough if we will +listen. They make one think of flowers hidden in the grass and +foliage. They are none the less beautiful though they are concealed; +for the sunlight seeks them out and makes them blossom. + +We find hidden melodies in all good music because it is the character +of good music to have interesting and beautiful melodic thought +everywhere. There are never meaningless tones allowed. Every sound +says something and is needed. It is curious that in our playing the +moment we put our thoughts upon any tone or voice part with the desire +to hear it, it comes out at once as plainly as if it was the highest +melody. That illustrates the power of thought concentrated upon even a +hidden thing. You know how in Bach even the piano works move as if all +parts were to be sung by voices. It reminds one of conversation; of +the story, of the question and answer, of the merry chat in a pleasant +company. Some bits of sentence are tripping and full of laughter,[17] +others grave and majestic,[18] others have wonderful dignity of heart +and mind.[19] + +Such qualities give music interest and meaning in every part. It will +not take you long to discover that it is just the absence of these +qualities that makes other music common. + +The melody is not sustained by anything particularly well worth +listening to. One might say that good music is like the foliage of the +garden, every leaf and petal variously yet finely formed, and all +combined to make a beautiful whole. + +When you have learned carefully to follow the accompaniment of a +melody, try to follow the single voice parts in the chorus, +particularly the Bass, Tenor, and Alto. And when you go to orchestral +concerts learn early to follow special instruments like the clarinet, +the oboe, the drum. + +Especially try to follow the lower strings, the viola, the 'cello, and +the bass. They are strongly characteristic. You will learn their +peculiar qualities only by giving them special and concentrated +thought. You will now see that acute and careful listening has its +definite ways and purposes. Here they are: + + I. Listening comes from concentration. + + II. When listening to great music it must be with reverence as well + as with attention. + + III. We must listen for ideals. + + IV. We must listen in order to be self-critical. + + V. Constant listening to true music reveals that there is never a + tone used unless it has a meaning. + +And besides all this we must think that among those who listen to us +there may be some one who has learned this careful concentrated way. +Then we shall have it ever in mind to "play as if in the presence of a +master."[20] + + + + +CHAPTER VI. + +THINKING IN TONE. + + + "The gods for labor sell us all good things."--_Epicharmus_.[21] + +Perhaps you have some doubt as to exactly what is meant by +music-thinking. Being somewhat acquainted with composers and with +music, the thought may here come to you that all the music we hear in +the world must have been made by somebody--by many somebodies, in +fact. They have had to sit down, and forgetting all things else, +listen intently to the music-thought which fills the mind. If you will +sit quietly by yourself you will discover that you can easily think +words and sentences and really hear them in the mind without +pronouncing anything. In quite the same way the composer sits and +hears music, tone by tone, and as clearly as if it were played by a +piano or an orchestra. And to him the tones have a clear meaning, just +as words have a clear meaning to us. Naturally, one can see that there +could be no other way. Unless the composer can think out everything +exactly there could be no music, for music must be written, and one +can only write what one thinks. So at this point the thought to +remember is this: Music must exist in some one's mind before others +can have it to hear and enjoy. + +In like manner--just the same manner, in fact--the painter is one who +thinks pictures; the sculptor, one who thinks statues; the architect, +one who thinks buildings. They think these things just as you think +words; and as you tell your thoughts in spoken words, so they tell +their thoughts in printed music, in painted pictures, in chiseled +statues, and in erected buildings. Now, from all this it should be +clear to you that there can be nothing which has not first been +thought of by some one. You _think_ the door must be closed and you +close it; you _think_ you must know the time and you look at the +clock; you _think_ the one hand should play more loudly than the other +and you try to do it. + +Power to get things and to do things comes to us rapidly only in the +fairy-tales. In the real, beautiful, healthy world in which we live we +have to work hard and honestly for the power either to get things or +to do things. By faithful labor must we win what we want. What we do +not labor for we do not get. That is a condition of things so simple +that a child can readily understand it. But all, children and their +elders, are apt to forget it. In the life of every great man there is +a story different from that of every other great man, _but in every +one of them_ this truth about laboring for the power one has is found. + +In our Talk on Listening, it was said that the sounds we hear around +us are the more easily understood if we first become familiar with the +melody which is called the major scale. But in order to think music it +is necessary to know it--in fact, music-thinking is impossible without +it. As it is no trouble to learn the scale, all of you should get it +fixed in the mind quickly and securely. + +It is now possible for you to hear the scale without singing its tones +aloud. Listen and see if that is not so! Now think of the melodies you +know, the songs you sing, the pieces you play. You can sing them quite +loudly (_can_ you sing them?) or in a medium tone, or you can hum them +softly as if to yourself; or further yet, you can think them without +making the faintest sound, and every tone will be as plain as when you +sang it the loudest. Here, I can tell you that Beethoven wrote many of +his greatest works when he was so deaf that he could not hear the +music he made. Hence, he must have been able to write it out of his +thought just as he wanted it to sound. When you understand these steps +and ways you will then know about the beginning of music-thinking. + +Let us inquire in this Talk what the piano has to do in our +music-thinking. What relation is there between the music in the mind +and the tones produced by the piano? It seems really as if the piano +were a photographic camera, making for us a picture of what we have +written,--a camera so subtle indeed, that it pictures not things we +can see and touch, but invisible things which exist only within us. +But faithful as the piano is in this, it may become the means of doing +us much injury. We may get into the habit of trusting the piano to +think for us, of making it do so, in fact. Instead of looking +carefully through the pages of our new music, reading and +understanding it with the mind, we run to the piano and with such +playing-skill as we have we sit down and use our hands instead of our +minds. Now a great many do that, young and old. But the only people +who have a chance to conceive their music rightly are the young; the +old, if they have not already learned to do it, never can. That is a +law which cannot be changed. + +We have talked about listening so much that it should now be a settled +habit in us. If it is we are learning every day a little about tones, +their qualities and character. And we do this not alone by hearing the +tones, but by giving great heed to them. Let us now remember this: +listening is not of the ears but of the thoughts. It is thought +_concentrated_ upon hearing. The more this habit of tone-listening +goes on in us, the more power we shall get out of our ability to read +music. All these things help one another. We shall soon begin to +discover that we not only have thoughts about sounding-tones, but +about printed tones. This comes more as our knowledge of the scale +increases. + +We can now learn one of the greatest and one of the most wonderful +truths of science: _Great knowledge of anything comes from never +ceasing to study the first steps._ + +The major scale, as we first learn it, seems a perfectly simple thing. +But if we think of it all our lives we shall never discover the +wonders there are in it. Hence, three simple rules for us to follow in +learning to think music are these: + + 1. To listen to all tones. + + 2. Never to stop studying the major scale. + + 3. To become accustomed to hear tones within. + +If we are faithful to these we shall, with increasing study and +industry, become more and more independent of the piano. We shall +never think with our hands, nor depend upon anything outside of +ourselves for the meaning contained in printed tone-thought. + +If now we join two things we shall get the strength of both united, +which is greater than of either alone. + +If in our playing lessons we have only the very purest music (heart +music, remember), and if we are faithful in our simpler thinking +lessons, we shall gain the power not only of pure thought, but of +stronger and stronger thought. This comes of being daily in the +presence of great thoughts--for we are in the presence of great +thoughts when we study great music, or read a great poem, or look at a +great picture, or at a great building. All these things are but signs +made manifest,--that is to say, made plain to us--of the pure thought +of their makers. + +Thomas Carlyle, a Scotch author of this century, spoke very truly when +he said: + +"Great men are profitable company; we cannot look upon a great man +without gaining something by him."[22] + + + + +CHAPTER VII. + +WHAT WE SEE AND HEAR. + + + "You must feel the mountains above you while you work upon your + little garden."--_Phillips Brooks._[23] + +Somewhere else we shall have some definite lessons in music-thinking. +Let us then devote this Talk to finding out what is suggested to us by +the things we see and hear. + +Once a boy wrote down little songs. When the people asked him how he +could do it, he replied by saying that he made his songs from thoughts +which most other people let slip. We have already talked about thought +and about learning to express it. If a person of pure thought will +only store it up and become able to express it properly, when the time +comes he can make little songs or many other things; for all things +are made of thought. The poem is stored-up thought expressed in words; +the great cathedral like the one at Winchester, in England, or the one +near the Rhine, at Cologne, in Germany, is stored-up thought expressed +in stone. So with the picture and the statue: they are stored-up +thought on canvas and in marble.[24] In short, we learn by looking at +great things just what the little ones are; and we know from poems and +buildings and the like, that these, and even commoner things, like a +well-kept garden, a tidy room, a carefully learned lesson, even a +smile on one's face result, every one of them, from stored-up thought. + +We can consequently make a definition of THINGS by saying they are +what is thought. Things are made of thought. Even if you cannot +understand this fully now, keep it by you and as you grow older its +truth will be more and more clear. It will be luminous. Luminous is +just the word, for it comes from a word in another language and means +_light_. Now the better you understand things the more _light_ you +have about them. And out of this you can understand how well ignorance +has been compared with darkness. Hence, from the poem, the building, +the painting, the statue, and from commoner things we can learn, as it +was said in a previous Talk, that music is stored-up thought told in +beautiful tones. + +Now let us heed the valuable part of all this. If poems, statues, and +all other beautiful things are made out of stored-up thought (and +commoner things are, too), we ought to be able, by studying the +things, to tell what kind of a person it was who thought them; or, in +other words, who made them. It is true, we can. We can tell all the +person's thought, so far as his art and principal work are concerned. +Nearly all his life is displayed in the works he makes. We can tell +the nature of the man, the amount of study he has done, but best of +all we can tell his meaning. The face tells all its past history to +one who knows how to look.[25] His intentions are everywhere as plain +as can be in what he does. + +Thus you see there is more in a person's work than what we see at the +first glance. There are reflections in it as plain as those in a +mountain lake. And as the mountain lake reflects only what is _above_ +it, so the work of the musician, of the artist, of any one in fact, +reflects those thoughts which forever hover above the others. Thoughts +of good, thoughts of evil, thoughts of generosity, thoughts of selfish +vanity, these, _and every other kind_, are so strongly reflected in +the work we do that they are often more plainly seen than the work +itself. And with the works of a great artist before us we may find out +not only what he did and what he knew, but what he felt _and even what +he did not want to say_. + +We now know what music-thinking is. Also, we see why the young +musician needs to learn to think music. Really, he is not a musician +until he can think correctly in tone. And further than this, when we +have some understanding of music-thought we not only think about what +we play and hear, but we begin to inquire what story it tells and what +meaning it should convey. We begin to seek in music for the thought +and intention of the composer, and, little by little, even before we +know it, we begin to seek out what kind of mind and heart the composer +had. We begin really to study his character from the works he has left +us. + +We have now taken the first really intelligent step toward knowing for +ourselves something about common and classic music. Later on, as our +ability increases, this will be of great value to us. We begin to see, +bit by bit, what the author intended. That is the real test of it all. +We do not want to find mere jingle in music, we want music that says +something. Even a very young child knows that "eenty meenty meiny moe" +is not real sense, though it is a pleasant string of sounds to say in +a game. + +Thus we learn to look into what we hear and into what we see and try +to find how much thought there is in it, and the kind of thought it +is. We want to know if goodness is expressed; if the best work of the +man is before us, or if, for a lower reason, his selfishness and +vanity are most prominent. And let us remember that as we seek these +things in the works of others, so others of thoughtful kind will watch +our doings, our playing, our speech, our little habits, and all to see +what our intentions are each time we express ourselves. They will look +to see what thoughts we are putting into our doings, whether thoughts +of goodness or of selfishness. And our actions will always be just as +good as the thought we put into them. + +Now a great and a common mistake is, that sometimes we hope by some +mysterious change, as in a fairy tale, that they will be better than +what we intend. But in the first days let us learn that this is not +possible. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII. + +THE CLASSICS.[26] + + + "Genuine work done faithfully, that is eternal."--_Thomas Carlyle._ + +The older we grow and the more we study, the more we shall hear about +the classics, about classic music, and classic art, and classic books. +From the beginning let us keep it in our minds that one of our duties +is to find out the difference between what is classic and what is not. +Then we shall have a proper understanding. An English writer on art +says: "The writers and painters of the classic school set down nothing +but what is known to be true, and set it down in the perfectest manner +possible in their way."[27] + +And we have already learned that thought from the heart, expressed in +tones, is good music. On the other hand, a thought with the heart not +in it, expressed in tone, makes poor or common music. Mendelssohn +wrote in one of his letters: "When I have composed a piece just as it +springs from my heart, then I have done my duty toward it."[28] But in +writing thoughts, whether in words or in tones, there is a very +important thing to add to the bidding of the heart. It is the training +of the mind. With both of these one works and judges wisely. + +With thought and intention ever so pure, but with no education, one +would not be able to write for others, and with a little education one +would be able to write only in a partially correct way. This brings us +to one of the most interesting Talks we shall have. Let us try to make +it clear and simple. + +We can easily imagine a man both true and good who can neither write +nor spell. Happily, in these days, nearly all people who are old +enough know how to do both. We can understand that this man may have +beautiful thoughts--the thoughts of a true poet or of a true +artist--but being unable to write or to spell he could not put his +thoughts on paper for others to read and to study. This is the way +thoughts are preserved and made into books so that people may benefit +by them. + +It would, therefore, be necessary for this man, about whom we speak, +to get the assistance of some one who knew how to write thoughts and +to spell their words. Then, together, they would have to talk about +the thoughts, choose proper words, form the sentences, and make all +fit rightly together as a writer must who desires to be clear. But it +is more than likely that the one who writes would not do all these +things to the satisfaction of the other. Of this there could be but +one result. The person who had the beautiful thoughts would be forever +wishing that he had learned in the first days to write and to spell. +Then he could do all these things for himself and show his thoughts to +others exactly as he wished them to appear. + +Now it is clear that some may have beautiful and valuable thoughts and +not know how to write them, while others may have the ability to write +without having thoughts worth preserving. Evidently what one must have +are both beautiful thoughts and ability to write them. + +Did you think when I read you that bit from the letter of Mendelssohn +that all a composer has to do is to find in his heart just what he +wants to say? As we have already discovered, that is not enough. To +show you that Mendelssohn was not afraid of hard work let us read a +little from another of his letters.[29] Mendelssohn had resolved to +work in Germany and maintain himself. "If I find that I cannot do +this, then I must leave it for London or Paris, where it is easier to +get on. I see indeed where I should be more honored, and live more +gaily and more at my ease than in Germany, where a man must press +forward, and toil, and take no rest,--still, if I can succeed there, +_I prefer_ the latter."[30] + +We can now understand that it is quite the same with word-thinkers and +with tone-thinkers. Good thoughts and the proper writing of them make +the classics. + +Out of this thought there comes another. It is this: Great thoughts, +expressed well, out of a great heart, make the works which last the +longest; and still further, for one truth leads out of another. Only +they can appreciate the classics who have something that is classic +within them. They must have the heart true in its feeling, tender in +its sentiments. Even a child can have that. They must have the mind +trained in the truest and best way of expressing thought. And a child +may begin to learn that. Hence we see that a child may be classic +worthy. Only we must never, _never_, no matter what is our ability, +think we are better or above others. The more talents one has the more +one is expected to do and the greater duty it is.[31] + +Thus far we have three truths; now here is a fourth: Some love the +classics sooner and better than others because they have more power. +And how do they get it? They think more (thought-making); they feel +more (heart-learning); and they see more (truth-seeking). + +Let us at once go back and gather together these four truths. They are +important. Perhaps some of us who are willing to spend the time will +learn them from memory. + +And to repay us for the trouble of doing it we shall have greater and +greater understanding of many things. Here they are: + + I. Good thoughts and the proper writing of them make the classics. + + II. Great thoughts, expressed well, out of a great heart, make the + works which last the longest. + + III. Only they can appreciate the classics who have something that + is classic within them. + + IV. Some love the classics sooner and better than others because + they have more power. + +What shall these truths teach us? That true music cannot be learned +rapidly; that the way of Art is long and difficult. But if the way is +long, it is yet beautiful in every turn; if it is difficult, it is yet +worth a struggle for what comes. As you read the lives of the great +composers you will learn that they went willingly about their tasks, +doing each one well. This is done by all great men. _Great men take +short steps carefully_, no matter how rapidly they can go. + +One of them [32] wrote: "Success comes with tiny steps." And it comes +entirely unsought. Besides all this we are to remember that the power +for these things comes from + + I. Thought-making; + + II. Heart-learning; + + III. Truth-seeking. + +Now, just to end with let us read a few words from a book I trust we +all may read some day: [33] "Great art is the expression of the mind +of a great man, and mean art of a weak man." Let us remember that in +choosing things to play. + +Further on Ruskin says: "If stone work is _well_ put together, it +means that a thoughtful man planned it, and a careful man cut it, and +an honest man cemented it." [34] + +Likewise in these things one can see what is classic--work out of the +heart and well done, and that comes from a thoughtful, careful, honest +person. + + + + +CHAPTER IX. + +WHAT WE SHOULD PLAY. + + + "But blessings do not fall in listless hands."_--Bayard Taylor._ + +We already begin to understand what the classics are. Year by year as +our interest in the beautiful increases, we shall gain more definite +knowledge about classic art. That which is classic will begin to +announce itself in us. Our own choice indicates our taste but does not +always indicate what is best for us. And one of the purposes of art is +to improve the taste by setting before us the finest works; in these, +by study, we find beauty with which we are unacquainted. Thus we +enlarge our capacity for it. + +Because we are born with taste unformed and untrained you can at once +see the reason for gradually increasing the tasks. They are always a +little more difficult--like going up a mountain--but they give a finer +and finer view. The outlook from the mountain-top cannot be had all at +once. We must work our way upward for it. Hence you will observe in +your lessons that what was once a fitting task is no longer of quite +the same value because of your increased power. But about this +especially we shall have a Talk later on. + +When one has heard much music of all kinds, one soon begins to +understand that there are two kinds commonly chosen. Some players +choose true music with pure thought in it, and do their best to play +it well after the manner called for by the composer. Their aim is to +give truthful expression to the music of a good writer. Other players +seem to work from a motive entirely different. They select music which +is of a showy character, with much brilliancy and little thought in +it. Their aim is not to show what good music is, but to show +themselves. The desire of the first is truth, of the second is vanity. + +Now, as we examine into this, and into both kinds of music, we +discover much. It proves that we must work for the best; for the +truthful music, not for the vain music. As we get better acquainted +with true music we find it more and more interesting--it keeps saying +new things to us. We go to it again and again, getting new meanings. +But the showy music soon yields all it has; we find little or nothing +more in it than at first. As it was made not from good thought but for +display, we cannot find newer and more beautiful thought in it, and +the display soon grows tiresome. True music is like the light in a +beautifully-cut gem, it seems that we never see all it is--it is never +twice the same; always a new radiance comes from it because it is a +true gem through and through. It is full of true light, and true light +is always opposed to darkness; and darkness is the source of +ignorance. + +From all this you can now understand the quaintly-expressed opinion of +a very wise man, who said: "In discharge of thy place, set before thee +the best example."[35] That means whatever we strive to learn should +be learned from works of the best kind. In the beginning, we cannot +choose wisely the best examples to set before ourselves; therefore it +is for us to heed what another wise man said: "As to choice in the +study of pieces, ask the advice of more experienced persons than +yourself; by so doing you will save much time." [36] You thereby save +time doubly. Later on in your life you will have no bad taste to +overcome--that is one saving; and already you know from childhood many +classics, and that is another saving. What we learn in childhood is a +power all our lives. + +You can see plainly, now, that both in the choice of pieces and in the +manner of playing them, a person's character will come out. We saw in +the last Talk how character has to come out in writing. Only a very +common character would select pieces written entirely for a vain +show--of rapid runs, glittering arpeggios, and loud, unmeaning chords. +Worse than that, such a choice of pieces displays two common +people,--three, in fact: A composer who did not write pure thought +from the heart; a teacher who did not instil good thoughts into the +pupil's heart; and yourself (if really you care for such things) who +play from a vain desire to be considered brilliant. + +A player who devotes the mind and the hands only to what a meaningless +composer writes for them is not worthy of any power. With our hands in +music, as with the tongue in speech, let us strive from the beginning +to be truthful. Let us try in both ways to express the highest truth +we are able to conceive. Then in art we shall, at least, approach near +unto the true artist; and in life we shall approach near unto the true +life. Every mere empty display-piece we study takes up the time and +the opportunity wherein we could learn a good composition, by a master +of the heart. And it is only with such music that you will, during +your life, get into the hearts of those who are most worthy for you to +know. Out of just this thought Schumann has two rules now very easy +for us to understand: + +"Never help to circulate bad compositions; on the contrary, help to +suppress them with earnestness." + +"You should neither play bad compositions, nor, unless compelled, +listen to them." + +We now come to a really definite conclusion about the compositions we +should play and to an extent as to how we should play them. + +The heart, the mind, and the hands, or the voice, if you sing, should +unite in our music; and be consecrated to the beautiful. Consecrate is +just exactly the word. Look for it in your dictionary.[37] It comes +from two other words, does it not? _Con_ meaning _with_ and _sacer_ +meaning _holiness._ Thus devote heart and head and hands _with +holiness_ to the beautiful. This is very clear, I am sure. + +It is also worth doing. "With holiness" describes _how_ to play and +really _what_ to play. A composition which has been born of a true man +is in thought already consecrated. He has heard it and felt it within +himself. Daily you must get closer and closer to these messages and +meanings. And are they not already more _luminous_ to you? And do you +remember what we said luminous means? + + + + +CHAPTER X. + +THE LESSON. + + + "All people value most what has cost them much labor." + --Aristotle.[38] + +It is true that music is beautiful and that it gives us happiness and +comfort. But, nevertheless, music is hard to learn _for every one_; +harder for some than for others, but hard for all. It is well and best +that it should be so. We appreciate most highly that which we labor +for earnestly. Just imagine if every one could sing or play merely by +wishing it! Then music would be so common and so much the talent of +all that it would cease to give us joy. Why? Because one gained it by +a wish. That is not enough. From this can we learn to understand the +great secret of it all? I think we can. Let us see! The secret is +this: Music is a joy because it takes us out of ourselves and we work +hard to get it. Music teaches us what a wonderful power there is +within us, if we will only strive to bring it out. Education is good +for us for this same reason. As you learn more and more about words, +you will see more in this word Education. + +It means to lead out _what is within us_. To lead music out of the +heart becomes the object, then, of your lessons. One cannot drive +music into you; it must be led out. + +Where shall we look for music that it may be led out? Only in the +heart. That is where all is in every one of us. But often in our +hearts there is so much else, so much vanity, self-love, conceit, love +for other things, that the music is almost beyond reach. _Almost_, but +never entirely. In the heart of every one is music. But often it is +deep, deep down, covered by these other things. The older we grow and +the more other things we see and think about, the deeper and deeper +down does the music get. + +It is like heaping rocks, and dirt, and sticks on a bubbling spring. +The spring is down there, bubbling freely beneath it all, still +striving to be as free and as songful as before; but it cannot. People +may come and go, may pass near to it, and hear not one of its sounds; +they may never suspect that there is such a thing ready to go on +merrily if it could. + +When is the best time to lead water out of the spring, and music out +of the heart? Before other things begin to cover it. With music the +best time is in the early days, in childhood time--_in the first +days_. We shall hear those words many times. Then little by little the +bubbling spring of melody gains its independence; then, even if other +things do come in, they cannot bury the music out of sight. The spring +has been led forth _and has grown stronger_. + +Thoughtful people who have suffered in learning--all people suffer in +learning, thoughtful ones the most--wonder how they can make the task +less painful for others. It will always cause us sorrow as well as joy +to learn, and many people spend their lives in trying to have as +little sorrow as possible come with the learning of the young. When +such people are true and good and thoughtful and _have infinite +kindness_, they are teachers; and the teachers impose tasks upon us +severely, perhaps, but with kind severity. They study us and music, +and they seek out the work each one of us must perform in order that +we may keep the heart-springs pure and uncovered. Further than this, +they find the way by which we shall lead the waters of life which flow +out of the heart-springs. They find the way whither they should flow +best. + +Often in the doing of these things we find the lessons hard and +wearisome, infinitely hard to bear, difficult, and not attractive. We +wonder why all these things should be so, and we learn in the moment +we ask that question that these painful tasks are the price we are +paying for the development of our talent. That is truly the purpose of +a lesson. And the dear teacher, wise because she has been painfully +over the road herself, knows how good and necessary it is for us to +labor as she directs. + +Let us suppose you play the piano. There will be two kinds of +lessons--one will be for the fingers, one for the mind. But really the +mind also guides the finger-work; and the heart must be in all. Your +exercises will give you greater power to speak with the fingers. Every +new finger-exercise in piano-playing is like a new word in language. +Provided with it, you can say more than you could before. The work for +the mind is the classics. These are compositions by the greater and +lesser masters with which you form the taste, while the technical +exercises are provided to give you the power, the ability, to play +them. Thus you see how well these two things go together. + +Year after year, if you go on patiently, you will add to each of these +tasks; more power will come to the fingers and to the mind. All this +time you will be coming nearer and nearer to the true music. More and +more will be coming out of your heart. The spring will not only +continue to bubble clearly but it will become more powerful. Nothing +is so wonderful as that. + +Do you know what a sad thing it was for the man not to increase that +one talent which had been given to him? [39] Perchance you have also +one. Then find it, love it, increase it. Know that every step of the +way, every bit of task, every moment of faith is paid for in later +years ten thousandfold. + +If now we remember our Talk on Listening it will serve us. Did we not +say then that the first duty of a listener is to the one who speaks +for his good? Lesson time is an opportunity above nearly all others +when we should listen with love in our attention. Yes, nothing less +than that, because--how many times we have heard it already--putting +love into anything, is putting the heart into it, and with less than +that we do not get all we may have. + +This Talk, then, is important, because it gathers together many things +that have gone before, and hints at some to come. Let us give the last +words to speaking about that. A lesson suggests listening; listening +suggests the teacher, who with infinite kindness and severity guides +us; and the teacher suggests the beautiful road along which we go and +what we hear as we travel, that is the music of the heart; and the +music of the heart has in it the tones about us, and the greater and +lesser masters who thought them into beautiful forms. The masters are +as servants unto whom there is given to some one talent, to others +two, and four, and more, but to each according to his worth, to be +guided and employed in truth and honor; increased by each in +accordance to his strength. + + + + +CHAPTER XI. + +THE LIGHT ON THE PATH. + + + "Let us seek service and be helpers of one another." + +"Master," said the little child, "I am unhappy. Though I have +companions and games, they do not content me. Even the music which I +love above all the rest is not truly in my heart; nor is it the +pleasure to me which it should be. What am I to do?" + +And the master replied: + +"There is a task, the greatest and severest of all. But a child must +learn it. Thou must know _from the first days_, that all thou doest +and sayest, whither thou goest, what thou seekest; these, all these, +come from within. All that is seen of thee is of thy inner life. All +thy doings, thy goings and comings, thy ways and thy desires, these +are from within. And when all these things _are for thyself_ there is +misery. + +"Now there are many things which may not be had by directly seeking +them; of these the greatest are two. The one is that which already has +given thee sadness in the heart,--the Light of the Face. And the other +is happiness. + +"But there is a way in which these are to be found. Dost thou not know +that often, even with much trouble, thou canst not please thyself? But +always, _with little trouble or none_, thou canst please another. + +"And the way is Service. + +"Thou poor little one! Thou hast come with thy complaint of +unhappiness; and yet thou hast all that is bright and rare; +companions, and music, and a dear home. Dost thou know that there are +in the world uncounted poor ones, children like thyself, who have not +their daily bread? And yet there are many of them who never fail to +say: 'Lead us not into temptation.' And they say this _without having +tasted_ of the daily bread for which they have been taught to pray. + +"And thou? Thou art unhappy. And thy daily bread is set before thee +with music and with sunshine. + +"Yet there are little ones, like thyself, who are hungry in the +darkness. + +"And thou? Thou art unhappy." + + + + +CHAPTER XII. + +THE GREATER MASTERS. + + + "In spite of all, I have never interrupted the study of music." + --_Palestrina._ + +An opera writer of Italy, named Giovanni Pacini, once said that to +study the writings of Mozart, Haydn, and Beethoven "lightens the mind +of a student, since the classics are a continuous development of the +most beautiful and simple melodies," and we sometimes hear it said +that great men are they who dare to be simple. In our Talks thus far +we have learned one important fact, which is, that music is truth +expressed out of the heart. Of course we know that to be in the heart +it must be felt, and to be expressed we must know a great deal about +writing. Now we are able to imagine quite well what a great master is +in music. As Pacini says, his melodies will be simple and beautiful, +and as we ourselves know, his simple melodies will be an expression of +truth out of the heart. + +But to go only as far as this would not be enough. Many can write +simply and well, and truthfully, yet not as a master. There must be +something else. When we have found out what that something else is we +shall understand the masters better and honor them more. + +Everywhere in the history of music we read of what men have been +willing to do for the love of their art. It is not that they have been +willing to do when told; but that they have cheerfully done painful, +laborious tasks of their own accord. The name of every master will +recall great labor willingly given for music and equally great +suffering willingly endured, nay, even sought out, that the music +might be purer to them. Poor Palestrina went along many years through +life with the scantiest means. But, as he says, "in spite of all, I +have never interrupted the study of music." Bach was as simple and +loyal a citizen as any land could have, and from the early years when +he was a fatherless boy to the days of his sad affliction, he +sacrificed always. Think of the miles he walked to hear Buxterhude, +the organist; and in the earlier years, when he lived with Johann +Christopher, his brother, how eagerly he sought learning in the art +that so fascinated him. It was a constant willingness to learn +honestly that distinguished him. + +Any of us who will labor faithfully with the talents we have can do a +great deal--more than we would believe. Even Bach himself said to a +pupil: "If thou art _equally_ diligent thou wilt succeed as I +have."[40] He recognized that it matters little how much we wish for +things to be as we want them; unless our wish-thoughts are forced into +prompt action we cannot succeed; for while all thoughts seek action, +wish-thoughts demand the most labor. + +It would be pleasant to have a Talk about every one of the great +masters to see in what particular way each of them sacrificed for the +art he loved. In all of them the true qualities come out: in one as +earnestness; in another as determination; in another as patriotism; +but all are loyal to the art itself. It must be a very plain lesson to +us to see that when men are willing to give all their thoughts to a +subject they get much from it. And is it not quite as plain to see +that no one can get much if he gives but a few unwilling minutes to +it? I trust none who hear these Talks will ever think that with a +little time given to their music, and that not freely given, they can +ever get either pleasure or comfort from it. They never can. And +rather than do it so they would better leave it undone. If we set out +on the way to go to the masters we shall get there only by +earnestness. Lagging is a disgrace to the one who travels and to the +one to whom we go. It shows his laziness on the one hand, and his +misunderstanding of the master on the other; for if he understood he +would take no listless step. + +Now we have said again and again that true music comes from the heart, +and is simple. At the same time we find it difficult to understand the +music of the masters. That is, some of us find it so. It seems +anything but simple to us; and naturally we conclude that there is +something wrong somewhere. We sit at our tasks, poring over the music, +and we grow discouraged because we cannot play it. To think it a very +hard task is natural, and we cannot bear to hear such tones. Well, let +us not get discouraged for that; let us see! + +First of all, the playing is more difficult to do than the music is to +understand. Once a great master of the piano played to a lady who had +never heard a great master before, and the playing was like beautiful +lace. When it was over and the master had gone away, some one asked +the lady how he had played, and she said: + +"He played so that the music sounded as I thought it should." + +And they asked her what she meant. + +"Always I have been taught," she said, "to listen to music and to +think it. I have been taught this more than I have been taught to +play. And the music of the master-composers I always think of as +beautiful and simple but hard to make it sound as it should. Often I +have heard others say that the music of the masters is dull, and not +beautiful, but that is really not what the people feel. It is +difficult for them to play the music rightly. And again they cannot +understand this: that art is often simple in, its truth, while those +who look upon it are not! simple-hearted, as they regard it. This is +hard to understand, but it is the true reason." + +Now, if we think of what this cultured lady said, we shall think her +wise. Whatever stumbling we may do with our fingers, let us still keep +in our minds the purity of the music itself. This will in a sense +teach us to regard reverentially the men who, from early years, have +added beauties to art for us to enjoy to-day. The wisest of the Greeks +[41] said: + +"The treasures of the wise men of old, which they have left written in +books, I turn over and peruse in company with my friends, and if we +find anything good in them, we remark it, and think it a great gain, +if we thus become more attracted to one another." + +Once an English lady[42] wrote about a verse-writer: "No poet ever +clothed so few ideas in so many words." Just opposite to this is a +true poet, he who clothes in few words many and noble ideas. A master +tells his message in close-set language. + +Now, in the last minutes, let us see what a great master is: + + I. He will be one who tells a beautiful message simply. + + II. He has been willing to sacrifice and suffer for his art. + + III. He has lived his every day in the simple desire to know his own + heart better. + + IV. Always he has concentrated his message into as few tones as + possible, and his music, therefore, becomes filled to + overflowing with meaning. + +About the meaning of the masters, one of them has written this: +"Whenever you open the music of Bach, Mozart, or Beethoven, its +meaning comes forth to you in a thousand different ways." That is +because thousands of different messages from the heart have been +_concentrated_ in it. + + + + +CHAPTER XIII. + +THE LESSER MASTERS. + + + "And the soul of a child came into him again."--_I Kings, XVII: 22._ + +If, one day, some one should say to you, earnestly: "Well day are to +you!" you would scarcely know what to make of it. You would at once +understand that the person had knowledge of words but could not put +them together rightly. And if the person continued to talk to you in +this manner you might feel inclined to lose your patience and not +listen. But if you would stop and consider things and examine yourself +you would learn something well worth thinking about. + +You would discover that your own ability to put words in the right +order has come from being obedient. First of all, you have been +willing to imitate what others said until you have thereby learned to +speak quite well. Besides that, you have been corrected many times by +those about you at home, and in school, until language is at length a +careful habit in you. Every one knows at once what you mean. You see, +therefore, that you may combine words in such a manner that you will +be easily comprehended by others; or, as in the case of the imaginary +person we began with, they may be combined in a perfectly senseless +way. Consequently, it is not enough to know words alone, we must know +what to do with them. The true art of using words is to put full and +clear meaning into a few of them; to say as much as possible with as +few words as you may select. + +Tones may be treated in the same manner as words. One can write tones +in such a manner as to say quite as senseless a thing as "Well day are +to you!" Many do. This teaches you that true and simple +tone-sentences, like similar word-sentences, must have for their +object to say the fullest and clearest meaning in as little space as +possible. + +For many hundreds of years thoughtful composers have studied about +this. They have tried in every way to discover the secrets underlying +tone-writing so that the utmost meaning should come out when they are +united. Tones thus arranged according to the laws of music-writing +make sense. To learn this art all great composers have studied +untiringly. They have recognized the difficulty of putting much +meaning in little space, and to gain this ability they have found no +labor to be too severe. + +We must remember that there is no end of music in the world which was +not written by the few men whom we usually call the great composers. +Perhaps you will be interested to know about these works. Many of them +are really good--your favorite pieces, no doubt. When we think of it, +it is with composers as with trees of the forest. Great and small, +strong and weak, grow together for the many purposes for which they +are created. They could not all be either great or small. There must +be many kinds; then the young in time take the place of the old, and +the strong survive the weak. Together beneath the same sky, +deep-rooted in the beautiful, bountiful earth, they grow side by side. +The same sun shines upon them all, the same wind and the same rain +come to them, selecting no one before another. What are they all +doing? Each living its true life, as best it can. It is true they may +not come and go, they may not choose, but as we see them, beautiful in +their leaves and branches we feel the good purpose to which they live +and, unconsciously, perhaps, we love them. + +Among us it is quite the same. Some are more skilful than others. But +be our skill great or small, we are not truly using it until we have +devoted it to a worthy purpose. And as with us, so it is with the +musicians. There are the great and small. The great ones--leaders of +thought--we call the great masters. The lesser are earnest men, who +have not as much power as the masters, but they are faithful in small +things. + +They sing lesser songs it is true, but not less beautiful ones. Often +these lesser ones think more as we do. They think simply and about the +things which we have often in our minds. It is such thoughts as these +which we have in our best moments that we love so much when we see +them well expressed by one who is a good and delicate writer, either +of tones or words. Particularly do we understand these thoughts well +in the first years of our music when nearly all the works of the +greater composers are above us. + +Thus are the many composers (who yet are not great masters) of value +to us because they write well a kind of thought which is pure and full +of meaning, and which we can understand. They give us true pleasure +day after day in the beginning and seem at the same time to help us +onward to the ability of understanding the great masters. This they do +by giving our thought training in the right direction. + +Now, we know that the very best music for a young musician to learn in +the first days is that of the lesser tone masters, together with those +simpler pieces of the great composers which come within his power to +comprehend--within the power of a child's hands and voice. Let us see, +once again, if it is not clear: + +True composers, great and small, sing from the heart. If one having a +little skill turn it unworthily away from the good and true work he +might do, then he does not use rightly his one talent. He does not +give us true thought in tone. He writes for vanity or a low purpose, +and is not a lesser master but he is untrue. + +It is not our right to play anything. We may rightly play only that +which is full of such good thought as we in our power may understand. +It is to supply us with just this that the lesser masters write. In +simple, yet clear and beautiful pictures, they tell us many and many a +secret of the world of tone into which we shall some day be welcomed +by the greater ones if we are faithful unto the lesser. + + + + +CHAPTER XIV. + +HARMONY AND COUNTERPOINT. + + + "Whilst I was in Florence, I did my utmost to learn the exquisite + manner of Michaelangelo, and never once lost sight of + it."--_Benvenuto Cellini._[43] + +On any important music subject Schumann has something to say. So with +this: + +"Learn betimes the fundamental principles of harmony." "Do not be +afraid of the words theory, thorough-bass, and the like, they will +meet you as friends if you will meet them so." + +We now begin to feel how definitely these rules treat everything. They +pick out the important subjects and tell the simplest truth about +them. The meaning of these two rules is this: From the beginning we +must try to understand the grammar of music. Some of the great +composers could in childhood write down music with the greatest +fluency. Handel, even as a boy, wrote a new church composition for +every Sunday. Mozart began to write music when less than five years +old, and when he was yet a boy, in Rome, he wrote down a +composition,[44] sung by the choir of the Sistine Chapel, which was +forbidden to the public. + +Harmony and counterpoint stand to music very much as spelling and +grammar stand to language. They are the fundamentals of good writing +and of good--that is, of correct--thinking in music. Harmony is the +art of putting tones together so as correctly to make chords. +Counterpoint has to do with composing and joining together simple +melodies. A modern writer[45] on counterpoint has said: "The essence +of true counterpoint lies in the equal interest which should belong to +ever part." By examining a few pieces of good counterpoint you will +readily see just what this means. The composer has not tried to get +merely a correct chord succession, such as we find in a choral. Let us +play a choral; any good one of a German master will do.[46] We notice +that the soprano is the principal part, and that the other voices, +while somewhat melodic, tend rather to support and follow the melody +than to be independent. If, now, we play a piece of counterpoint like +the G-Minor Prelude by Bach,[47] we shall have quite a good piece of +counterpoint, as far as separate melodies being combined is concerned. +Let us play the voice-parts separately. We shall find equal melodic +interest in each. The chords grow out of the music. Comparing this +with the choral, the main difference between harmony and counterpoint +should be clear to us. We shall observe that the three voices do _not_ +proceed in the same way. If one part moves quickly, as in the bass of +the first two measures, the other parts are quieter; if the bass +ceases to move rapidly some other voice will take up the motion, as we +see in the third and following measures. As a general thing no two +voices in contrapuntal writing move in the same way, each voice-part +being contrasted with different note-values. This gives greater +interest and makes each voice stand forth independently. + +At first contrapuntal music may not seem interesting to us. If that is +so, it is because we are not in the least degree conscious of the +wonderful interest which has been put into every part. The truth is, +that in the beginning we cannot fully understand the thought that has +been put into the music, but by perseverance it will come to us little +by little. This is what makes great music lasting. It is so deftly +made, yet so delicately, that we have to go patiently in search of it. +We must remember that gems have to be cut and polished from a bit of +rock. + +In this case the gem is the rich mind-picture which comes to us if we +faithfully seek the under-thought. And the seeking is polishing the +gem. + +Music written entirely by the rules of counterpoint is called +contrapuntal music; that written otherwise is known as free harmonic +music. In the one case the composer desired to have a beautiful +weaving of the parts--clear as the lines in a line-engraving. In the +other, the intention is to get effects from tones united into chords, +such as is obtained from masses of color in a painting. Neither form +may be said to be the superior of the other. Each is valuable in its +place, and each has possibilities peculiarly its own, which the other +could not give. Pure counterpoint could not give us such a charming +effect as Chopin obtains in the first study of Opus 10; nor could the +plainer and more free harmonic style give us such delicate bits of +tracery as Bach has in his fugues. + +If now you will take the trouble to learn two long words, later in +your study of music they will be of use to you. The first is +Polyphonic; the other is Monophonic. Both, like many other words in +our language, are made up of two shorter words, and come from another +language--Greek. In both we have "phonic," evidently meaning the same +in each case, limited or modified by the preceding part--_poly_ and +_mono_. Phonic is the Anglicized Greek for _sound_. We use it in the +English word _telephonic_. Now if we define mono and poly we shall +understand these two long words. + +Mono means one, poly means many. We say _mono_tone, meaning one tone; +also _poly_gon, meaning many sides. + +In the musical reference monophonic music means music of one voice, +rather than of one tone, and polyphonic music is that _for many +voices_. Simple melodies with or without accompanying chords are +monophonic; many melodies woven together, as in the Bach piece which +we have looked over, are polyphonic. + +In the history of music two men surpassed all others in what they +accomplished in counterpoint--that is, in polyphonic writing. The one +was Palestrina, an Italian; the other was Bach, a German. Palestrina +lived at a time when the music of the church was very poor, so poor, +indeed, that the clergy could no longer endure it. Palestrina, +however, devoted himself earnestly to composing music strictly adapted +to the church use. The parts were all melodic, and woven together with +such great skill that they yet remain masterpieces of contrapuntal +writing. Later Bach developed counterpoint very much more in the +modern way. He did with polyphony for the piano and organ much the +same as Palestrina did for the voice. There have never lived greater +masters than these in the art of polyphonic music. + +There is still another form of writing which is neither strictly +harmonic, nor strictly contrapuntal,--it is a combination of both. +There is not the plain unadorned harmonic progress as in the simple +choral, nor is there the strict voice progression as in the works of +Bach. This form of writing which partakes of the beauties of both the +others has been called the free harmonic style. It has been followed +by all the great masters since the time of Bach,[48] even before, +indeed. If you can imagine a beautiful song-melody with an artistic +accompaniment, so arranged that all can be played upon the piano, you +will understand what the third style is. It is wonderfully free, +surely; sometimes proceeding in full free chords, as in the opening +measures of the B flat Sonata of Beethoven,[49] again running away +from all freedom back to the old style, until the picture looks as old +as a monkish costume among modern dress. + +All of the great sonatas and symphonies are of this wonderfully varied +form of writing. How full it can be of expressiveness you know from +the Songs without Words by Mendelssohn, and the Nocturnes of Chopin; +how full of flickering humor you hear in the Scherzo of a Beethoven +symphony; how full of deep solemnity and grief one feels in the +funeral marches.[50] + +This school of composition has been followed by both the greater and +the lesser masters. Every part is made to say something as naturally +and interestingly as possible, being neither too restricted nor too +free. Then, in playing, both hands must be equally intelligent, for +each has an important part assigned to it. + +The great good of study in harmony and counterpoint is that it +increases one's appreciation. As soon as we begin to understand the +spirit of good writing we begin to play better, _because we see more_. +We begin, perhaps in a small way, to become real music-thinkers. By +all these means we learn to understand better and better what the +meaning of true writing is. It will be clear to us that a composer is +one who thinks pure thoughts in tone, and not one who is a weaver of +deceits. + + + + +CHAPTER XV. + +MUSIC AND READING. + + + "Truly it has been said, a loving heart is the beginning of all + knowledge."--_Thomas Carlyle._ + +A beautiful thing in life is the friendship for books. Every one who +loves books pays some day a tribute to them, expressing thankfulness +for the joy and comfort they have given. There are in them, for +everybody who will seek, wise words, good counsel, companies of great +people, fairies, friends for every day, besides wonders we never see +nor dream of in daily life. + +Some of the great men have told us about their love for books; how +they have saved penny by penny slowly to buy one, or how after the +day's labor a good book and the firelight were prized above anything +else. All tell us how much they owe to books and what a blessing books +are. Imagine the number of heart-thoughts there must be in a shelf +full of good books! Thoughts in tones or thoughts in words may be of +the heart or not. But it is only when they are of the heart that they +are worthy of our time. + +You will not only love books, but gain from them something of the +thoughts they contain. We might, had we time, talk of classic books, +but as we have already talked of classic music we know what the +principal thing is. It is that good thought, out of the heart, be +expressed in a scholarly way--"Great thought needs great +expression."[51] This teaches us the necessity for choosing good books +for our instruction and for our entertainment. They present beautiful +pictures to us truthfully, or they present truth to us beautifully. +And these are the first test of a written thought--its truth and its +beauty. + +If you read good books you will have in every volume you get something +well worth owning. You should bestow upon it as much care as you would +want any other good friend to receive. And if it has contributed help +or pleasure to you it is surely worth an abiding place. A fine +pleasure will come from a good book even after we are quite done with +it. As we see it in years after it has been read there comes back to +one a remembrance of all the old pleasures, and with it a sense of +thankfulness for so pleasant a friendship. Hence any book that has +given us joy or peace or comfort is well worth not only good care, but +a place _for always_; as a worthy bit of property. + +In the early days of your music study, it will be a pleasure to you to +know that there are many and delightful books _about_ music written, +sometimes by music-lovers, sometimes by the composers. The written +word-thoughts of the composers are often full of great interest. They +not only reveal to us many secrets of the tone-art, but teach us much +about the kinds of things and of thoughts which lived in the minds of +the composers. We learn definitely not only the music-interests of the +composers, but the life-interest as well. It really seems as if we +were looking into their houses, seeing the way they lived and worked, +and listening to their words. Never afterward do we regard the great +names in music as uninteresting. The most charming and attractive +pictures cluster about them and it all gives us a new inspiration to +be true to music, loyal to the truth of music, and willing to do as we +see others have done, and to learn by doing. The lesson we get from +the life of every man is, that he must _do_ if he would learn. + +I am sure you will spend many delightful minutes with the Letters of a +great composer. Every one is like a talk with the writer. They are so +friendly, and so full of the heart, and yet so filled with the man +himself. Especially the Letters of Mendelssohn and Schumann will +please you. In truth the Letters of all the composers are among the +most valuable music writings we have. In some way they seem to explain +the music itself: and the composer at once becomes a close friend. But +besides these read the biographies. Then it is as if we were +personally invited home to the composer and shown all his ways and his +life. And besides these, there are some friendly books full of the +very best advice as to making us thoughtful musicians; many and many +again are the writers who have so loved art--not the art of tone +alone, but all other arts as well--that they have told us of it in +good and earnest books which are friendly, because they are written +from the right place; and that you must know by this time is the +heart. + +You will soon see when you have read about the composers that true +music comes out of true life. Then you will begin to love true life, +to be useful, and to help others. But all these things do not come at +once. Yet, as we go along step by step, we learn that art is +unselfish, and we must be so to enjoy it; art is truthful--we must be +so to express it; art is full of life--we must know and live truth in +order to appreciate it. And the study of pure thoughts in music, in +books, and in our own life will help to all this. + + + + +CHAPTER XVI. + +THE HANDS. + + + "The skill of their hands still lingers."--_John Ruskin._[52] + +In one of our Talks, speaking about the thoughts in our hearts, we +said that they crept from the heart into our arms and hands, into the +music we play, and off to those who hear us, causing in them the +thoughts by which they judge us. Thus we see, that as Janus stands +sentinel at the doorway of the year, so the hands stand between the +secret world of thought within and the questioning world of curiosity +without. + +If we were not in such a hurry usually, we might stop to think that +every one, all over the world, is training the hands for some purpose. +And such a variety of purposes! One strives to get skill with tools, +another is a conjurer, another spends his life among beautiful and +delicate plants, another reads with his fingers.[53] In any one of +these or of the countless other ways that the hands may be used, no +one may truly be said to have skill until delicacy has been gained. +Even in a forcible use of the hands there must be the greatest +delicacy in the guidance. You can readily see that when the hands are +working at the command of the heart they must be ever ready to make +evident the meaning of the heart, and that is expressed in truthful +delicacy. Not only are all the people in the world training their +hands, but they are, as we have already said, training them in +countless different ways. + +Have you ever stopped to think of another matter: that all things +about us, except the things that live, have been made by hands? And of +the things that live very many are cared for by the hands. These +thoughts will suggest something to us. Those things which are good and +beautiful suggest noble use of the hands; while those which are of no +service, harmful and destructive, show an ignoble use. But noble and +ignoble use of the hands is only another evidence of thought. Thought +that is pure in the heart guides the hands to beautiful ends. And if +the heart is impure in its thoughts, of course you know what follows. + +I have always been impressed in reading the books of John Ruskin to +note how many times he speaks about the hands. Very truly, indeed, +does he recognize that back of all hand work there is heart-thought, +commanding, directing, actually building. It shows everywhere. The +building of a wall with the stones rightly placed demands _honor_. The +builder may be rude, but if his hands place the stones faithfully one +upon another, there is surely honor in his heart. If it were not so +his hands could not work faithfully. + +If the work is finer, like that work in gold which many have learned +eagerly in former times, in Rome and Florence, still the spirit must +be the same. So we see, that be the work coarse or fine, it is in +either case prompted by the same kind of heart-thought. + +Many times in these Talks I have spoken of Ruskin's words to you; for +two reasons: first, his words are always full of meaning, because he +was so full of thought when he wrote them; and second, I would have +you, from the first days, know something of him and elect him to your +friendship. Many times he will speak to you in short, rude words, +impatiently too, but never mind that, his heart is warm and full of +good. + +Now from what was said a moment ago about the stone work and the gold +work we can understand these words: + +"No distinction exists between artist and artisan, except that of +higher genius or better conduct." + +Learn from this then, be the work of our hands what it may, its first +quality and the first things for which it shall be judged are its +honor, its faithfulness, and its sincerity. + +Of themselves the hands are absolutely without power. They cannot +move, they cannot do good things nor bad things, they can do nothing +until we command them. And how shall this be done? Surely I can +understand it if you have wearied of this Talk a little. But I have +said all the things just for the sake of answering this question, so +that you should understand it. How do we command? not the hands alone +but all we do and say? + +By our THOUGHTS. + +Without them there is no power whatever. Until they have commanded, +the hands cannot make a motion; the feet must have direction ordered +to them, the tongue must be bidden to speak, and without the command +there is nothing. + +Of course, all these Talks are about thoughts. But we shall need a +little time to speak of them particularly. And little by little it +will be clear to us all why the hands need to act thoughtfully. Now +the harm of the world is done by two forces,--by evil thought and by +thoughtlessness. Then it is no wonder that Ruskin speaks much about +the hands, for it is thought that gives them guidance. Can you wonder, +that when he says, "the idle and loud of tongue" he associates the +"_useless hand_."[54] These things go together, and together they come +either from evil thought or from lack of thought. The moment Ruskin +speaks of one who uses his hands with honor, his words glow. So he +speaks of the laborer, describing him as "silent, serviceable, +honorable, keeping faith, untouched by change, to his country and to +Heaven." + +Thus, when we are earnestly asked to do something worthy with the +hands every day, we can understand why. I do not mean one worthy +thing, but some one particular worthy act, especially thought out by +us. To do that daily with forethought will purify the heart. It will +teach us to devote the hands to that which is worthy. Then another old +truth that every one knows will be clear to us: "As a man--or a child, +for that matter--thinketh in his heart, _so he is_." + +Bit by bit the thoughts of this Talk will become clear to you. You +will feel more friendly toward them. Then you will really begin to +think about hands; your own hands and everybody's hands. You will +become truthful of hand, guiding your own thoughtfully; watching those +of others carefully. And you will find that in the smallest tasks of +your hands you can put forethought, while every use to which people +put their hands will teach you something if you observe carefully. It +may be folding a paper or picking up a pin, or anything else quite +common; that matters not, common things, like any others, can be done +rightly. + +By this observation we shall see hands performing all sorts of odd +tricks. The fingers are drumming, twitching, twirling, closing, +opening, doing a multitude of motions which mean what? Nothing, do you +say? Oh! no, indeed; not _nothing_ but _something_. Fingers and hands +which perform all these unnecessary motions are not being commanded by +the thoughts, and are acting as a result of _no_ thought; that is, of +thoughtlessness. Every one does it do you say? No, that is not true. +Many do these things, but those who command their thoughts never allow +it. If we never moved the hands except in a task when we commanded +them, we should soon become hand-skilled. The useless movements I have +spoken of _un_skill the hand. They are undoing motions, and teach us +that we must govern ourselves if we would become anything. Do you know +how it is that people do great things? They command themselves. Having +determined to do something, they work and work and work to finish it +at any cost. That gives strength and character. + +Having observed the hands and their duties, we can readily see the +kind of task they must do in music. It is just the same kind of task +as laying a wall of stone. Every motion must be done honorably. +Everything must be thought out in the mind and heart before the hands +are called upon to act. Wise people always go about their tasks this +way. Unwise people try the other way, of acting first and thinking it +out afterward, and, of course, they always fail. You can now +understand that a great pianist is one who has great thought with +which to command the hands. And to be sure they will obey his commands +at once, he has made them obey him continuously for years. This +teaching the hands to obey is called Practice. + +The Italian artist, Giotto, once said: + +"You may judge my masterhood of craft by seeing that I can draw a +circle unerringly." + + + + +CHAPTER XVII. + +WHAT THE ROMAN LADY SAID. + + + "You may always be successful if you do but set out well, and let + good thoughts and practice proceed upon right method."--_Marcus + Aurelius._[55] + +The same wise Roman emperor who said this tells us a very pretty thing +about his mother, which shows us what a wise lady she must have been, +and how in the days of his manhood, with the cares of a great nation +upon him, he yet pondered upon the childhood teaching of home. First, +he speaks of his grandfather Verus, who, by his example, taught him +not to be prone to anger; then of his father, the Emperor Antoninus +Pius, from whom he learned to be modest and manly; then of his mother, +whose name was Domitia Calvilla. Let us read some of his own words +about her, dwelling particularly upon a few of them. He writes: "As +for my mother, she taught me to have regard for religion, to be +generous and open-handed, and not only to forbear from doing anybody +an ill turn, _but not so much as to endure the thought of it_." + +Now these words are the more wonderful when we remember that they were +not taken down by a scribe in the pleasant apartments of the royal +palace in Rome, but were written by the Emperor himself on the +battlefield; for this part of his famous book is signed: "Written in +the country of the Quadi." + +In our last Talk on the Hands we came to the conclusion, that unless +the hands were commanded they could not act. And on inquiring as to +what gave these commands we found it was the thoughts. Many people +believe it is perfectly safe to think anything, to have even evil +thoughts in their hearts, for thoughts being hidden, they say, cannot +be seen by others. But a strange thing about thought is this: The +moment we have a thought, good or bad, it strives to get out of us and +become an action. And it most always succeeds. Not at once, perhaps, +for thoughts like seeds will often slumber a long time before they +spring into life. So it becomes very clear to us that if we wish to be +on the alert we must not watch our actions, but look within and guard +the thoughts; for they are the springs of action. + +You now see, I am sure, how wise the Emperor's mother was in teaching +her boy not even to _endure_ a thought to do evil unto others. For the +thought would get stronger and stronger, and suddenly become an +action. Certainly; and hence the first thing to learn in this Talk is +just these words: + +Thoughts become actions. + +That is an important thing. In a short time you will see, that if you +do not learn it you can never enjoy music, nor beautiful things, nor +the days themselves. Let us see how this will come about. + +I have told your teacher[56] the name of the book which was written by +the Roman lady's boy. Well, in that book, running through it like a +golden thread, is this bit of teaching from his mother. + +Not only did he think of it and write it on the battlefield, but at +all times there seemed to come to him more and more wisdom from it. +And he tells us this same thought over and over again in different +words. Sometimes it leads him to say very droll things; for instance: + +"Have you any sense in your head? Yes. Why do you not make use of it +then? For if this does its part, for what more can you wish?"[57] +Then, a very good thought which we frequently hear: + +"Your manners will very much depend upon what you frequently +think."[58] There are many others, but these show us that the meaning +of his mother's words went deep, teaching that not action must be +guarded but the thought which gives rise to action. Now, what can be +the value of speaking about the Roman lady? Let us see. + +In music, the tones are made either by the hands or by the voice. And +to make a tone is to _do_ something. This doing something is an +action, and action comes from thought. No music, then, can be made +unless it be made by thinking. And the right playing of good music +must come from the right thinking of good thoughts. It may be that you +will hear some one say that to think good thoughts is not needed in +making good music. Never believe it! Bad thought never made anything +good, and _never_ will because it never can. In the very first days +you must learn, that good things of all kinds come from good thoughts, +because they can come from nothing else. + +Here, then, is the second truth of this Talk: + +Good music being the fruit of good thought can be played rightly only +by one who thinks good thoughts. + +This leads us to another matter. First, let us see if everything is +clear. True music is written out of good thought; hence, when we begin +to study music we are really becoming pupils of good thought. We are +learning the thoughts good men have had, trying to feel their truth +and meaning, and from them learning to have our own thoughts not only +good but constantly better and better. This now seems simple and +necessary. We see that if we would faithfully study a composer's work +it must be our principal aim to get into his heart. Then everything +will be clear to us. + +But we can never find our way to the heart of another until we have +first found our way somewhere else. Where, do you think? To our own +hearts, being willing to be severe with ourselves; not to be deceitful +in our own eyes; not to guard the outer act, but the inner thought; +not to study nor to be what _seems_, but what _is_.[59] This may seem +a long and roundabout way of learning to play music, but it is the +honest, straightforward way of going to the great masters whom we wish +to know. + +In one of the books of the Greek general, Xenophon,[60] Socrates is +made to say that men do nothing without fire; and quite in the same +way we may learn nothing of each other, especially of those greater +than ourselves, without thought; which should be pure, strong, +inquiring, and kind. With this we may do all. + +Thus far we have two principles. Let us review them: + + I. Thoughts become actions. + + II. Good music being the fruit of good thought can be played rightly + only by one who thinks good thoughts. + +Now, is it not clear that this can come about only when we watch over +our own thoughts and govern them as if they were the thoughts of +others? And when we do not so much as _endure_ the thought of harm or +evil or wrong we shall be living in the spirit of the Roman lady whose +son's life was lived as his mother taught. + + + + +CHAPTER XVIII. + +THE GLORY OF THE DAY. + + + "Be not anxious about to-morrow. Do to-day's duty, fight today's + temptation; and do not weaken and disturb yourself by looking + forward to things which you cannot see, and could not understand if + you saw them."--_Charles Kingsley._ + +Nearly all of us have heard about the little child who one day planted +seeds and kept constantly digging them up afterward to see if they +were growing. No doubt the child learned that a seed needs not only +ground and care, but time. When it is put in the earth it begins to +feel its place and to get at home; then, if all is quite right,--but +not otherwise--it sends out a tiny rootlet as if it would say that it +trusts and believes the earth will feed that rootlet. And if the earth +is kind the root grows and finds a solid foothold. At the same time +there is another thing happening. When the seed finds it can trust +itself to root it feels no longer afraid to show itself. It goes down, +down quietly for a _firmer hold_, and upward feeling the desire for +light. + +_A firm hold and more light_, we cannot think too much of what they +mean. + +Every day that the seed pushes its tender leaves and stem upward it +has more and more to encounter. The rains beat it down; the winds bend +it to the very earth from which it came; leaves and weeds bury it +beneath their strength and abundance, but despite all these things, in +the face of death itself, the brave little plant strongly keeps its +place. It grows in the face of danger. But how? Day after day, as it +fights its way in the air and sunshine, blest or bruised as it may be, +the little plant never fails to keep at one thing. That is, to get a +firmer and firmer hold. From that it never lets go. Break its leaves +and its stem, crush it as you will, stop its upward growth even, but +as long as there is a spark of life in it there will be more roots +made. It aims from the first moment of its life to get hold strongly. + +And it seems as if the plant has always a great motive. The moment it +feels it has grasped the mother-earth securely with its roots it turns +its strength to making something beautiful. In the air and light, in +the dark earth even, every part of the plant is seeking for the means +to do a wonderful thing. It drinks in the sunshine, and with the +warmth of it, _and to the glory of its own life_, it blossoms. It has +come from a tiny helpless seed to a living plantlet with the smallest +stem and root, and while the stem fights for a place in the air the +root never ceases to get a strong hold of the dear earth in which the +plant finds its home. Then when the home is firmly secured and the +days have made the plant stronger and more shapely, it forgets all the +rude winds and rain and the drifting leaves, and shows how joyful it +is to live _by giving something_. + +Then it is clear that every hardship had its purpose. The rains beat +it down, but at the same time they were feeding it; the leaves dropped +about and covered it, but that protected its tenderness: and thus in +all the trials it finds a blessing. Its growth is stronger, and +thankful for all its life it seeks to express this thankfulness. In +its heart there is something it is sure. And true enough, out it comes +some day in a flower with its color and tenderness and perfume; all +from the earth, but taken from it by love which the plant feels for +the ground as its home. + +We can see from this, that the beauty of a plant or of a tree is a +sign of its relation to the earth in which it lives. If its hold is +weak--if it loosely finds a place for a weak root--it lies on the +ground, helpless, strengthless, joyless. But firmly placed and feeling +safe in its security, it gives freely of its blossoms; or, year after +year, like a tree, shows us its wonderous mass of leaf, all of it a +sign that earth and tree are truely united. + +It has been said, and no doubt it is true, that one who cares for +plants and loves them becomes patient. The plant does not hurry; its +growth is slow and often does not show itself; and one who cares for +them learns their way of being and of doing. The whole lesson is that +of allowing time, and by using it wisely to save it. The true glory of +a day for a plant is the air and sunlight and earth-food which it has +taken, from which it has become stronger. And every day, one by one, +as it proves, contributes something to its strength. + +All men who have been patient students of the earth's ways have +learned to be careful, to love nature, and to take time. And we all +must learn to take time. It is not by careless use that we gain +anything, but by putting heart and mind into what must be done. When +heart and mind enter our work they affect time curiously; because of +the great interest we take in what we do time is not thought of; and +what is not thought of, is not noticed. + +Hence, the value of time comes to this: to use any time we may have, +much or little, with the heart in the task. When that is done there is +not only better work accomplished but there are no regrets lingering +about to make us feel uncomfortable. + +A practice hour can only be an hour of unwelcome labor when one thinks +so of it. If we go to the piano with interest in the playing we shall +be unconscious of time. Many men who love their labor tell of sitting +for hours at their work not knowing that hours have gone by. + +If there is a love for music in any of us it will grow as a seed. And +as the seed needs the dear mother-earth, so the music needs the heart. +When it has taken root there and becomes firmer and firmer it will +begin to show itself outwardly as the light of the face. After it is +strong and can bear up against what assails it--not the wind and the +rain and the dry leaves, but discouragement and hard correction and +painful hot tears--then with that strength it will flourish. + +Now, sometimes, in the days of its strength the music will seek far +more in its life, just as the plant seeks for more and blossoms. The +flower in the music is as great for all as for one. It is joy and +helpfulness. When for the love of music one seeks to do good then +music has borne its blossom. + +Thus, by learning the life of a simple plant we learn the true mission +of the beautiful art of tone. It must put forth deeply its roots into +the heart that it may be fed. It must strive for strength as it grows +against whatever may befall it. It must use its food of the heart and +its strength for a pure purpose, and there is but one--to give joy. + +This turns our thoughts to two things: First, to the men and women who +by their usefulness and labor increased the meaning of music. This is +the glory of their days. Second, we look to ourselves with feeble +hands and perhaps little talent, and the thought comes to us, that +with all we have we are to seek not our own glorification but the joy +of others. + + + + +CHAPTER XIX. + +THE IDEAL. + + + "Le beau est aussi utile que l'utile, plus peutêtre."--_Victor + Hugo._ + +Mozart once had a friend named Gottfried von Jacquin, who was a man of +careful thought, and evidently a good musician,--for we are told that +a melody composed by him is frequently said, even to this day, to be +by Mozart. This Gottfried lived in Vienna with his father, and to +their house Mozart often went. At this time Mozart had an album in +which his friends were invited to write. Among the verses is a +sentiment written by Gottfried von Jacquin, saying: + +"True genius is impossible without heart; no amount of intellect alone +or of imagination, no, nor of both together, can make genius. Love is +the soul of genius." + +Here we have the same truth told us which we have already found for +ourselves, namely, that all good music comes from the heart. We have +found it by studying music and striving faithfully to get deep into +its real meaning. But to-day we have the words of one who was enabled +to watch closely as a friend one of the greatest composers that ever +lived. And being much with him, hearing the music of the master played +by the master himself, put the thought into his head, that it is +impossible to be a true genius without heart and love. + +From this we shall have courage to know that what we pursue in music +is real; that the beauties of great music, though they may just now be +beyond us, are true, and exist to those who are prepared for them. +When in our struggle to be more capable in art than we are to-day we +think of the beauty around us, and desire to be worthy of it, we are +then forming an ideal, and ideals are only of value when we strive to +live up to them. + +Once in Rome there lived a Greek slave--some day you may read his +name. He has told us, that "if thou wouldst have aught of good, have +it from thyself."[61] Of course we see in this, immediately, the truth +that has been spoken of in nearly every one of these Talks. It is +this: We must, day by day, become better acquainted with ourselves, +study our thoughts, have purity of heart, and work for something. + +Now, working for something may be accomplished in a simple manner +without thinking of it. If every task is done in our best way it adds +something to us. It is true and beautiful, too, that the reward for +patient, faithful work comes silently to us, and often we do not know +of its presence. But some day, finding ourselves stronger, we look to +know the cause of it, and we see that the faithfulness of past days +has aided us. + +So art teaches us a very practical lesson in the beginning. If we +would have her favors we must do her labors. If we say to music: "I +should love to know you;" music says to us, "Very well, work and your +wish shall be gratified." But without that labor we cannot have that +wish. The Greek slave knew that and said: + +"Thou art unjust, if thou desire to gain those things for nothing." + +Now we begin to see that art has no gifts to bestow upon us for +nothing. Many think it has, and pursue it until the truth dawns upon +them; then, because of their error, they dislike it. To recognize the +truth about art and to pursue that truth, despite the hard road, is to +have courage. And the Ideal is nothing else than the constant presence +of this truth. + +And what do we gain by pursuing it? Not common pleasure, but true +happiness; not uncertainty, but true understanding; not selfish life, +but true and full life. And we can see the beauty of art in nothing +more plainly than in the fact that all these things may come to a +child, and a new and brighter life is made possible by them. + +The very first day we came together, the little child said to the +master: + +"Master, I do not understand what thou hast said, yet I believe thee." + +It is hard, sometimes, to feel the truth and to keep it with us; hard, +not only for a child, but for any one; and yet, if with faith we will +labor with it _until the light comes_, then we are truly rewarded and +made richer according to our faith. + +We must not forget in the first days, as we leave our music, that the +path we have taken since we came together is the hardest; not for +always, but for now. The right path is hard at first--the wrong one is +hard always. + +We will understand it all better in other days if we remain faithful +now. If, however, we should forget for a moment that art demands our +loyalty, there will be no joy or peace in it for us. Worse, perhaps, +than starting out upon the wrong path, is the deserting of the right +one. Sometimes out of impatience we do this; out of impatience and +self-love, which is the worst of all. "Truth is the beginning of all +good, and the greatest of all evils is self-love."[62] + +With the trials that music costs us, with its pains and +discouragements, we might easily doubt all these promises which are +contained in our ideals, but we shall be forever saved from deserting +them if we remember that these ideals have been persistently held by +great men. They have never given them up. One of the strongest +characteristics of Bach and of Beethoven was their determination to +honor their thoughts. Sometimes we find the same persistence and +faithfulness in lesser men. + +I am sure you will see this faith beautifully lived in the few facts +we have about the life of Johann Christian Kittel, a pupil of Bach, +and it is strongly brought out by the pretty story told of him, that +when pleased with a pupil's work he would draw aside a curtain which +covered a portrait of Bach and let the faithful one gaze upon it for a +moment. That was to him the greatest reward he could give for +faithfulness in the music task. + +And this reminds us of how the teacher, Pistocchi, who, in teaching +the voice, kept in mind a pure tone, a quiet manner of singing, and +the true artistic way of doing. Among his pupils was a certain Antonio +Bernacchi, who, after leaving his master, began to display his voice +by runs and trills and meaningless tones. And this he did, not because +of true art, for that was not it, but because it brought him the +applause of unthinking people. + +Once, when the master, Pistocchi, heard him do this he is said to have +exclaimed: "Ah, I taught thee how to _sing_, and now thou wilt +_play_;" meaning that the true song was gone and the pupil no longer +sang out of the heart, but merely out of the throat. Pistocchi kept +his ideal pure. + +We have then among our ideals two of first importance. The ideal +perception of music, as being the true heart-expression of great men; +and the ideal of our doings, which is the true heart-expression of +ourselves. And to keep these ideals is difficult in two ways: The +difficulty of keeping the pure intention of great men ever before us, +and the difficulty of keeping close and faithful to the tasks assigned +us. Then we can say with the little child: + +"Master, I do not understand what thou hast said, yet I believe thee." + + + + +CHAPTER XX. + +THE ONE TALENT. + + + "Then he which had received the one talent came."--_Matthew, XXV: + 24._ + +Some day, when you read about the great composers, you will be +delighted with the pictures of their home-life. You will see how they +employed music every day. In all cases, as we study them, we learn how +very much they have sacrificed for the music they love, studying it +daily because of the joy which it yields them. We see them as little +children, eager to be taught, wanting to listen to music, and to hear +about it. Many of the composers whose child-life is thus interesting +were children in very poor families, where things were neither fine +nor beautiful, where the necessary things of life were not plentiful, +and where all had to be careful and saving so that every bit should be +made to go as far as possible. The eagerness and determination of some +children in music-history is really wonderful. It is the true +determination. And you are not surprised, in following it, to note +that it leads the children who have it into lives of great usefulness. + +All through the life of Handel we find determination running like a +golden thread. He was just as determined to be a musician as Lincoln +was to get an education when he read books by the firelight. Handel's +father was a surgeon, and knew so little about music that he failed +entirely to understand the child. He not only forbade the boy to study +music, but even kept him away from school that he might not by any +chance learn to read the notes. But one who was in future years to +befriend homeless children and to write wondrous music for all the +world could not be held back by such devices. By some means, and with +friendly assistance (perhaps his mother's), he succeeded in smuggling +into the garret a spinet, which is a kind of piano. By placing cloth +upon the strings he so deadened the wires that no one downstairs could +hear the tones when the spinet was played. And day after day this +little lad would sit alone in his garret, learning more and more about +the wonders which his heart and his head told him were in the tiny +half-dumb spinet before him. Not the more cheerful rooms down-stairs +nor the games of his playmates drew him away from the music he loved, +the music which he felt in his heart, remember. + +One would expect such determination to show itself in many ways. It +did. Handel does not disappoint us in this. All through his life he +had strong purposes and a strong will--concentration--which led him +forward. You know how he followed his father's coach once. Perhaps it +was disobedience,--but what a fine thing happened when he reached the +duke's palace and played the organ. From that day every one knew that +his life would be devoted to music. Sometimes at home, sometimes in +foreign lands, he was always working, thinking, learning. He is said, +in his boyhood, to have copied large quantities of music, and to have +composed something every week. This copying made him better acquainted +with other music, and the early habit of composition made it easy for +him to write his thoughts in after years. Indeed, so skilled did he +become, that he wrote one opera--"Rinaldo"--in fourteen days, and the +"Messiah" was written in twenty-four days.[63] + +Yet parts of his great works he wrote and rewrote until they were +exactly as they should be. _It will do_ is a thought that never comes +into the head of a great artist. How do you imagine such a man was to +his friends? We are told that, "he was in character at once great and +simple." And again it has been said that, "his smile was like heaven." + +We have seen Handel as the great composer, but he was not so busy in +this that his thoughts were not also dwelling upon other things. If +ever you go to London, you should of a Sunday morning hear the service +at the Foundling Hospital. You will see there many hundreds of boys +and girls grouped about the organ. Their singing will seem beautiful +to you, from its sweetness and from the simple faith in which it is +done. After the service you may go to the many rooms of this home for +so many otherwise homeless ones. + +There are for you to visit: the playroom, the schoolroom, the long +halls with the pretty white cots, and the pleasant dining-room. Here +it will please you to see the little ones march into dinner, with +their similar dresses, and all looking as happy as possible. But the +picture you will, no doubt, longest keep, is that of the children +about the organ. + +They will tell you there that it was Handel who gave this organ to the +chapel, and who, for the benefit of the children who might come here, +gave concerts, playing and conducting, which were so successful that +they had to be repeated. A "fair copy" of the "Messiah" will be shown +you as one of the precious possessions. + +It will very plainly be present in your mind how the little boy sat +alone playing day after day in the garret, wishing no better pastime +than to express the feelings of his heart in tones. Perhaps you will +think of his words: "Learn (of) all there is to learn, then choose +your own path." He will appeal to you as having possessed an "early +completeness of character," which abided always with him. It is +evident in following the life of Handel, and it would be equally plain +with any other composer, that great talent is developed out of a small +beginning, and if small, is yet earnest and determined. From the first +days of a great man's life to the last we find constant effort. "I +consider those live best who study best to become as good as +possible."[64] Music helps us to keep the upper windows open; that is +why it does so much for us even if we have but one talent. + +To develop our one talent is a duty, just as it is a duty to develop +two or five talents. It is given to us to increase. And no one knows +how much joy may come to us and to others from the growing of that +talent. We gain much in power to give pleasure to others, if the +talent we have be made stronger by faithful effort. As we have seen +good come forth from the story of the man with many talents, we can +see how, similarly, he with one talent has also great power with which +he may add unto himself and others. + +In all of our Talks it has been evident from what we have said, that +music is a beautiful art to us, even though we may have but little of +it. But equally we have learned, that for ever so little we must prove +ourselves worthy. We must honestly give something for all we get. This +is the law, and the purpose of all our Talks is to learn it. + +We have, likewise, learned that true music, _out of the heart_, may +not at the first please us, but within it there is a great deal and we +must seek it. The history of all who have faithfully studied the works +of the great masters is, that for all the thought and time one spends +in studying master works a great gain comes. On the other hand, +everybody's experience with common music is, that while it may please +much at first and even captivate us, yet it soon tires us so that we +can scarcely listen patiently to it. + +Still a further lesson is, that working with many talents or with one +is the same. Talents, one or many, are for increase and faithful +development. Handel's life was a determined struggle to make the most +of his power. It should be ours. + + + + +CHAPTER XXI. + +LOVE FOR THE BEAUTIFUL. + + + "Every color, every variety of form, has some purpose and + explanation."--_Sir John Lubbock_.[65] + +Now, when we are almost at the end of the way we have traveled +together, it will be natural to look back upon the road over which we +have come. Not all of it will be visible, to be sure. We have +forgotten this pleasant scene and that; others, however, remain fresh +in our minds. And as the days pass and we think over our way there +will now and again come to us a scene, a remembrance, so full of +beauty and of pleasure that we shall feel rich in the possession of +it. + +To me there is nothing we have learned together greater in value, +richer in truth and comfort than the thought that the beautiful in +music and in art is at the same time the good. Even if a person is not +at all times good, there is raised in him the feeling of it whenever +he consciously looks upon a beautiful object. We see in this how wise +it is for one to choose to have beautiful things, to surround others +with them, to love them, and to place reverent hands upon them. + +We can never make a mistake about gentle hands. Once a lady said to a +boy: + +"You should touch all things with the same delicacy that one should +bestow upon a tender flower. It shows that deep within yourself you +are at rest, that you make your hands go forward to a task carefully +and with much thought. In the roughest games you play do not forget +this; then your hands shall be filled with all the thought you have +within yourself." + +Sometimes, when I am in a great gallery, the thought is very strong in +me, that many (ever, and ever so many) people, in all countries and in +all times, have so loved the beautiful as to devote their lives to it. +Painters, who have made pictures to delight men for generations, +looked and looked and _prayed_ to find the beautiful. And we must +believe that one looks out of the heart to find the beautiful or he +finds only the common. And the sculptors who have loved marble for the +delight they have in beautiful forms, they, too, with eyes seeking +beauty, and hands so gentle upon the marble that it almost breathes +for them, they, too, have loved the beautiful. + +But commoner ones have the tenderest love for what is sweet and fair +in life,--people who are neither painters nor sculptors. In their +little way--but it is a _true_ way--they have sunlight in their +hearts, and with it love for something. + +Perhaps it is a flower. I have been told of a man--in fact I have seen +him--who could do the cruelest things; who was so bad that he could +not be permitted to go free among others, and yet he loved plants so +much that if they were put near him he would move quietly among them, +touching this one and that; gazing at them, and acting as if he were +in another world. As we said once before about the spring, so we may +say here about love for the beautiful: it may be covered up with every +thing that is able to keep it down, but _it is always there_. + +It is always pleasanter to hear about people and their ways than to +heed advice. But people and their ways often set us good examples; and +we were curious, indeed, if we did not look sharply at ourselves to +see just what we are. From all we have been told about the beautiful +we can at least learn this: that it sweetens life; that it makes even +a common life bright; that if we have it in us it may be as golden +sunlight to some poor one who is in the darkness of ignorance, that is +the advantage and the beauty of all good things in our lives, namely, +the good it may be unto others. And the beautiful music we may sing or +play is not to show what we are or what we can do--it will, of course +do these things--but it is to be a blessing to those who listen. And +how are blessings bestowed? _Out of the heart._ + +Once there was a nobleman[66] with power and riches. He loved +everything. Learning and art and all had he partaken of. But the times +were troubled in his country, and for some reason he lost all he had +and was imprisoned. Then there was scarcely anything in his life. All +he had was the cell, the prison-yard, and, now and again, a word or +two with his keeper. The cell was small and gloomy, the keeper silent, +the yard confined and so closely paved with cobblestones that one +could scarcely see the earth between them. + +Yes, indeed, it was a small world and a barren one into which they had +forced him. But he had his thoughts, and daily as he walked in his +confined yard, they were busy with the past, weaving, weaving. What +patterns they made, and he, poor one, was sometimes afraid of them! +But still they kept on weaving, weaving. + +One day, as he walked in his yard, he noticed that between two of the +stones there seemed to be something and he looked at it. With the +greatest attention he studied it, then he knelt on the rude stones and +looked and looked again. His heart beat and his hands trembled, but +yet with a touch as gentle as any one could give, he moved a grain or +two of soil and there, beneath, was something which the poor captive +cried out for joy to see--a tiny plant. As if in a new world, and +certainly as if another man, he cared daily for the tender little +companion that had come to share his loneliness; he thought of it +first in the morning and last at night. He gave it of his supply of +water and, as a father, he watched over it. + +And it grew so that one day he saw that his plant must either die or +have more room. And it could not have more room unless a cobblestone +were removed. Now this could only be done with the consent of the +Emperor. Well, let us not stop to hear about the way he found, but he +did get his request to the Emperor and, after a while, what happened +do you think? That the plant was given more room? Yes, that is partly +it, and the rest is this: the prisoner himself was given more room--he +was liberated. + +Just because the seed of a beautiful thing came to life in his tiny +world he found love for it and a new life, a care, _something outside +of himself_. And it brought him all. + +That love which is not given to self reveals the beauty of the world. + + + + +CHAPTER XXII. + +IN SCHOOL. + + + "Every successive generation becomes a living memorial of our public + schools, and a living example of their excellence."--_Joseph Story._ + +In these days we learn many things in our schools--even music. They +surely must have a purpose, all the studies and the music as well. Let +us in this Talk see if we can find what the purpose is. + +It costs our Government a great deal to educate the children of the +land. There are now nearly twenty million children in our country. +That is a number you cannot conceive. But every morning of the year, +when it is not a vacation day, you may think of this vast number +leaving home and going to school to be taught. I am sure the picture +will make us all think how wise a Government is that devotes so much +to making us know more, because by learning more we are able to enjoy +more, to do more, to be more. And this makes us better citizens. + +Year after year, as men study and learn about what is best to have +children taught in school, the clearer it becomes that what is given +is dictated because of its usefulness. Arithmetic teaches us to +calculate our daily affairs. Grammar teaches us to listen and to speak +understandingly. Penmanship and Spelling teach us properly to make the +signs which represent speech. Geography teaches us of the earth on +which we live, and how we may travel about it. History teaches us how +to understand the doings of our own day and makes us acquainted with +great men of former times, who by striving have earned a place in our +remembrance. + +As we go on in our school education, taking up new studies, we find to +a still greater degree that what we learn is for usefulness. +Arithmetic becomes mathematics in general. Grammar is brought before +us in other languages, and branches out into the study of Rhetoric and +Literature. History is taught us of many lands, particularly of +Greece, Rome, and England. And, bit by bit, these various histories +merge into one, until, perhaps not until college years or later, the +doings of the countries in all the centuries of which we have +knowledge is one unbroken story to us. We know the names of lands and +of people. Why Greece could love art, why Rome could have conquest; +why these countries and all their glories passed away to give place to +others; all these things become clear to us. We learn of generals, +statesmen, poets, musicians, rulers. Their characters are made clear; +their lives are given to us in biography, and year after year the +story of the earth and man is more complete, more fascinating, more +helpful to us in learning our own day. + +Then, besides all these studies, we are taught to do things with the +hands. After the Talks we have already had about doing, we know what +it means to have training of the hands. It really means the training +of the thoughts. We are training the mind to make the hands perform +their tasks rightly. It is the same in the science lesson which +teaches us to see; actually to use our eyes until we see things. That +may not seem to be a difficult task, but there are really very few +people who can accurately and properly use their eyes. If there were +more, fewer mistakes would be made. + +Thus we can see that school work divides its tasks into two general +classes: + +First, the learning of facts. + +Second, the actual doing of things. + +You will readily see that to do things properly is possible only when +we know facts which tell us how to do them. That shows you at once the +wisdom of the education you receive. + +Now, let us imagine that school life is over. For many years you have +gone faithfully every day to your place, you have done your tasks as +honestly as you could, and said your lessons, being wounded no doubt +by failures, but gladdened again by successes. Now, when it is all +over, what is there of it? + +Well, above all things, there is one truth of it which it is wonderful +people do not think of more frequently. And that truth is this: The +only education we may use in our own life is that which we have +ourselves. No longer have we help of companions or teachers. We depend +entirely upon our own personal knowledge. If we speak it is our own +knowledge of Grammar that is used. We cannot have a book at hand in +order to know from it the words we should use. If we make a +calculation about money, or do anything with numbers, it must be done +from our knowledge of Arithmetic, and it must be right or people will +very soon cease to deal with us. Then, if we have a letter from a +friend, we must of ourselves know how to read it, and if we have aught +to say to another at a distance, we must be able clearly to express +ourselves in writing, so that we may make no mistake in our meaning. + +And this, likewise, is to be said of all the rest. Our knowledge of +History, of Geography, of men of past times, of the boundaries of +countries, of cities, of people, of everything, must come from +ourselves. And, further yet, according as we have been careful to see +in the right way and to do in the right way while we were under +instruction in school, so we shall be likely to see and to do when we +are not in school, and no longer have some one over us who will kindly +and patiently correct our errors, teach us new ways, and give us +greater powers. We may, of course, go on learning after our school +days are ended; and really much of the best education comes then, if +we will immediately set about correcting the faults which we find in +ourselves. + +Indeed, many men have gained the best part of their education after +leaving school, where, perhaps, it was their fortune to stay but a +short time.[67] But we must remember that the habits of learning, +doing, seeking, are gained in early years, and if they are not gained +then they rarely come. + +Now, what have we learned about schools and school-tasks? We have +learned a little of the purpose which lies in the education we +receive; that out of it must come the power to do and to know; that is +our own power; not that of any one else. We have seen the usefulness +of school-studies, and how practical they are in our daily life. + +In all this Talk we have said nothing about Music. If, however, we +understand what the other studies mean, what their purpose is, we +shall learn something which shall be valuable when we come to study +the meaning and purpose of music in schools. That shall be our next +Talk. + + + + + +CHAPTER XXIII. + +MUSIC IN SCHOOL. + + + "Become in early years well-informed concerning the extent of the + four voices. + +"Try, even with a poor voice, to sing at sight without the aid of an +instrument; from that your ear will constantly improve. In case, +however, that you have a good voice, do not hesitate a moment to +cultivate it; and believe, at the same time, that heaven has granted +you a valuable gift."--_Robert Schumann._[68] + +In the previous Talk we learned two very important facts about school +studies. They were these: + + I. They are useful. + + II. They are useful in proportion to our own (not to anybody else's) + real knowledge of them. + +We do not study useless subjects, and it is not from our books, nor +from our teacher that we go through life, making our way. In other +words, the harder we work, the more independent we become; and the +more independent we become, the more power we have to help others. + +Now, whatever is true about other school studies is likewise true +about music. It is given to children in school because it is useful, +and because a child can gain power by learning it. Let us see about +this. + +To one who does not think deeply, it might seem that if any study in +school is merely ornamental, that study is music. He might say that +all the other studies tend to some practical end in life and business: +that one could not add, nor read, nor transact business, nor write a +letter any more correctly by knowing music. It is only an unthinking +person--_none other_--who would say that. + +Of the usefulness of all the school studies we have spoken. We need +only to take a few steps along the pleasant road, about which we have +had so many Talks, and we shall see how much music means in life. To +us it is already plain. Music is a new world, to enter which +cultivates new senses, teaches us to love the beautiful, and makes us +watchful of two of the most important things in life: the thoughts and +the heart. We must have exact thoughts or the music is not made +aright, and the heart may be what it will, music tells all about it. +Therefore, let it be good. + +But music in school brings us to daily tasks in tone. What do we +learn? After the difficulties of reading the notes and making the +voice responsive are somewhat overcome, we study for greater power in +both, the one-, two-, or three-part exercises and songs; the exercises +for skill and the songs to apply the skill, and make us acquainted +with the music of great masters. + +In one Talk, one of the first, we spoke of the major scale. It has +eight tones only, and though it has existed for many hundreds of +years, no one has yet dreamed of all the wonderful tone-pictures which +are contained in it. It is out of it that all the great composers have +written their works, and for centuries to come men will find in it +beauties great, and pure, and lasting. + +As we sing in school, we are learning to put the major scale to some +use. It calls upon us in the melodies which it expresses, to be +careful that each tone shall be right in length, in pitch, in +loudness, in place. We must sing exactly with the others, not +offensively loud, nor so softly as to be of no service. And this +demands precision of us; and precision demands thought. And if we are +singing to gain a better use of voice we must, in every sound we make, +have our thoughts exactly upon what we are doing. This is +Concentration. If, on the other hand, we are trying our skill on a +song, we shall have, in addition, to be careful to give the right +expression, to sing not only the tones clearly, but the words, to feel +the true sentiment both of the poem and of the music, and to express +from our hearts as much of the meaning of poet and composer as we +understand. All these things are more particularly required of us if +we are singing in parts. The melody must be properly sustained and +must not cover the under parts; while the under parts themselves +should never intrude upon the melody, nor fail to be a good background +for it. The singing of part music is one of the best ways to train the +attention--that is, to get Concentration. As we sing our part we must +have in mind these things: + + + I. To keep to it and not be drawn away by another part. + + II. To give the part we sing its due prominence. + + III. Never to destroy the perfect equality of the parts by unduly + hastening or holding back. + + IV. To remember that each part is important. The other singers have + as much to think of and to do as we have, and they are entitled + to just as much praise. + + V. To be alert to take up our part at exactly the right place. + + VI. To put the full meaning of the poet and of the composer into + every word and tone. + +These, after all, are only a few of the things; but from them we may +learn this, that to sing (and to play is quite the same) is one of the +most delicate tasks we can learn to perform, requiring attention from +us in many ways at the same time. Even now the usefulness of music is +clear, for the faculties we learn to employ in music form a power that +can be applied in anything. + +But music has even a greater reward for us than this. It presents to +us many kinds of thoughts and pictures,--of bravery, of +thoughtfulness, of gaiety, and others without number--and then it +demands that we shall study so as to sing them truthfully from our +hearts. And when we can do this music is then a joy to us and to +others. + +Now we see that music, just like the other studies, is useful and +gives us the power to do something. And besides its use and power it +is, perhaps more than any other study, the greatest means of giving +happiness to others. But of that there is yet a word to be said. That +shall be our next Talk. + + + + +CHAPTER XXIV. + +HOW ONE THING HELPS ANOTHER. + + + "Music washes away from the soul the dust of everyday + life."--_Berthold Auerbach._ + +Just at the end of our Talk about Music in School, I said that music +was the most powerful of all the studies for giving joy to others. In +this Talk we shall try to learn what the studies do for each other. + +Once more--and we must never get tired if the same thought comes again +and again--let us remember that music is thought expressed in tone. +Classic music is great and strong thought; poor, unworthy music is +weak, perhaps wrong or mean thought. + +Further, we have learned that thought may be good and pure, and yet +that of itself is not sufficient. It must be well expressed. In short, +to thought of the right sort we must add knowledge, so that it may be +set before others in the right way. + +Now, it is true that the more knowledge we have, the more we can do +with music. We can put more meaning into it; we can better perform all +the exacting duties it demands; we can draw more meaning from its art, +and we can see more clearly how great a genius the composer is. +Besides these things, a well-trained mind gets more thoughts from a +subject than an untrained mind. Some day you will see this more +clearly by observing how much better you will be able to understand +your own language by possessing a knowledge of Greek and Latin. + +All the school studies have a use, to be sure--a direct use--in giving +us something to help us in life in one way and another. But besides +this, we get another help from study; namely, the employment of the +mind in the right way. For the right way of doing things which are +worthy of the heart, gives power and good. It is the wrong way of +doing things that causes us trouble. Some studies demand exactness +above all this,--like the study of Arithmetic--others a good +memory,--like History--others tax many faculties, as we have seen in +our Talk about School Music. + +Some of the studies are particularly valuable to us at once because +they make us _do_. They may be called _doing_ studies. In Arithmetic +there is a result, and only one result, to be sought. In Grammar every +rule we learn is to be applied in our speech. Manual training demands +judgment and the careful use of the hands. Penmanship is a test for +the hand, but History is a study touching the memory more than the +doing faculty. + +School music, you see at once, is a doing study. Not only that, it is +full of life, attractive, appealing to the thoughts in many ways, and +yet it is a hearty study--by that I mean a study for the heart. + +If you have noticed in your piano music the Italian words which are +given at the beginning of compositions, you may have thought how +expressive most of them are of the heart and of action. They are +_doing_ words particularly. _Allegro_ is cheerful; that is its true +meaning. It directs us to make the music sound cheerful as we sing it +or play it. What for? So that the cheerfulness of the composer shall +be for us and for other people. And _Vivace_ is not merely quickly, +but vivaciously. Now what does vivacious mean? It means what its +root-word _vivere_ means, to live. It is a direction that the music +must be full of life; and the true life of happiness and freedom from +care is meant. So with _Modcrato_, a doing word which tells us very +particularly how to do; namely, not too fast, spoiling it by haste, +nor too slowly, so that it seems to drag, but in a particular way, +that is, with moderation. + +Music takes its place as a _doing_ study; and as we have already +discovered, its doing is of many kinds, all requiring care. Singing or +playing is doing; reading the notes is doing; studying out the +composer's meaning is doing; making others feel it is doing; +everything is doing; and _doing_ is true living, _provided it is +unselfish_. + +Let us see if there is not a simple lesson in all this. To seek it we +shall have to say old thoughts over again. Music itself uses the same +tones over and over again; it is by doing so that we begin to +understand tone a little. + +The school studies try the mind; with the tasks increased bit by bit, +the mind is made stronger. Thus is Strength gained. By the tasks +demanding exactness, the thoughts must not be scattered everywhere, +but centered upon the thing to be done. Thus is Concentration gained. +By making the hand work with care and a definite purpose, Skill is +gained. By demanding of the thoughts that they must seek out all the +qualities of an object, Attention is gained. By placing things and +signs for things before us, we are taught to See. By educating us in +sounds, we are taught to Listen. When we have a task that admits of a +single correct result, we are taught Exactness. + +Now, from all we have learned in these Talks about music it must be +clear that all these qualities are just what are needed in music: + + I. Strength of thought for Real doing. + + II. Concentration for Right doing. + + III. Skill for Well doing. + + IV. Seeing and listening for the cultivation of Attention. + + V. Correctness for the Manner of doing. + +We sought for a simple lesson. It is this: + +Let us learn all we can that is right and worthy for the strengthening +of the mind, for the cultivation of the heart, for the good and joy of +others; for these things are the spirit of music. + + + + +CHAPTER XXV. + +THE CHILD AT PLAY. + + + "When the long day is past, the steps turn homeward." + +Once a child played on the sea-shore. The waves sang and the sand +shone and the pebbles glistened. There was light everywhere; light +from the blue sky, and from the moving water, and from the gleaming +pebbles. + +The little one, in its happiness, sang with the murmuring sea and +played with the stones and the shells that lay about. Joy was +everywhere and the child was filled with it. + +But the day passed. And the little one grieved in its heart to leave +the beautiful place. Delight was there and many rare things that one +could play with and enjoy. + +The child could not leave them all. Its heart ached to think of them +lying there alone by the sea. And it thought: + +"I will take the pebbles and the shells with me and I will try to +remember the sunlight and the song of the sea." + +So it began to fill its little hands. But it saw that after as many as +possible were gathered together there were yet myriads left. And it +had to leave them. + +Tired and with a sore heart it trudged homeward, its hands filled to +overflowing with the pebbles that shone in the sun on the sea-shore. +Now, however, they seemed dull. And because of this, the child did not +seem to regret it so much if now and then one fell. "There are still +some left in my hands," it thought. + +At length it came near to its home; so very tired, the little limbs +could scarcely move. And one who loved the child came out smiling to +welcome it. The little one went up close and rested its tired head; +and opening its little hand, soiled with the sea and the sand, said: + +"Look, mother, I still have one. May I go for the others some day?" + +And the mother said: + +"Yes, thou shalt go again." + +And the child fell asleep to dream of the singing sea and of the +sunlight, for these were in its heart. + + + + +APPENDIX + + +The following works are referred to in these Talks: + + Addison, Joseph, "Spectator." + + Alexander, Francesca, "Christfolk in the Apennine." + + Antoninus, M. Aurelius, "Meditations." + + Aristotle, "Ethics." + + Bach, J.S., "The Well-tempered Clavicord." + + Bach, J.S., "Kleine Präludien." + + Baldwin, James, "Old Greek Stories." + + Bacon, Francis, "Essays." + + Bridge, J.F., "Simple Counterpoint." + + Carlyle, Thomas, "Heroes and Hero-worship." + + Cellini, Benvenuto, "Autobiography." + + Epictetus, "Memoirs." + + Grove, Sir George, "Dictionary of Music and Musicians." + + Halleck, R.P., "Psychology and Psychic Culture." + + Handel, G.F., "The Messiah." + + Haupt, August, "Choralbuch." + + Liszt, Franz, "Life of Chopin." + + Lubbock, Sir John, "Pleasures of Life." + + Luther, Martin, "Table Talk." + + Mendelssohn, Felix, "Letters from Italy and Switzerland." + + Parker, J.H., "ABC of Gothic Architecture." + + Ruskin, John, "Queen of the Air." + + Ruskin, John, "Sesame and Lilies." + + Ruskin, John, "Val d'Arno." + + Saintine, X.B., "Picciola." + + Schubert, Franz, "Songs." + + Schumann, Robert, "Album for the Voung." + + Schumann, Robert, "Letters." + + Schumann, Robert, "Rules for Young Musicians." + + Tapper, Thomas, "Chats with Music Students." + + Tyndall, John, "Glaciers of the Alps." + + Tyndall, John, "On Sound." + + Various Authors, "Les Maitres du Clavicin." + + Xenophon, "Memorabilia." + + * * * * * + + + + +Chats with Music Students + +OR + +TALKS ABOUT MUSIC AND MUSIC LIFE. + +BY + +THOMAS TAPPER. + +Price, Bound in Cloth, $1.50. + +This volume appeals to every student of music, however elementary or +advanced. It is designed to bring to the attention of those who make +music a life-work, the very many contingent topics that should be +considered in connection with music. To this end the subjects selected +for the chats have a practical value, cover considerable ground, and +are treated from the point of view that best aids the student. The +reader is taken into confidence, and finds in the chapters of this +work many hints and benefits that pertain to his own daily life as a +musician. + + * * * * * + +21 SELECTED + +CRAMER STUDIES. + +From the Von Bülow Edition. + +PRICE $1.50, FIRMLY BOUND. + +The present complete edition sells for $2.50 and $3.00, retail. Much +of the material in the complete edition can be eliminated without +injury to its technical value. We have, therefore, made a selection of +the choicest of Von Bülow's edition, which we have bound, in one +volume, in very neat style. Only the most difficult and unimportant +ones have been eliminated. + + * * * * * + +The Normal Course of Piano Technic. + +DESIGNED FOR + +SCHOOLS, TEACHERS, AND STUDENTS. + +By WM. B. WAIT. + +Price $1.50, Bound. + +The NORMAL COURSE is based upon the fundamental idea that, for the +purpose of the development, discipline, and formation of the mind, and +for teaching the learner how to think and to do, Technical Studies in +Music are as useful as any other branch. + +FEATURES OF THE BOOK: + + Clear, concise statements of facts and principles. + + It deals only with essentials. + + It arranges the materials in grades, by Divisions, Courses, and + Steps. + + It exhibits a distinct mode and order of development. + + The course is as clearly laid out as in any other branch of study. + + Practice based upon understanding of means as applied to ends. + + It permits the attention to be given to the hands in practice, and + not to the pages. + + In schools it will secure uniformity in the instruction given. + + It furnishes the bases for oral recitations and examinations as in + other subjects. + + It is logical, systematic, thorough. + + It is a book for use by schools, teachers, and students. + + + + +NOTES: + + 1: From the "Table Talk." + + 2: Play to the children Schubert's song entitled "The Organ-man." + + 3: Phillips Brooks says in one of his sermons ("Identity and + Variety"): "Every act has its perfect and entire way of being + done." + + 4: Bohn edition, p. 35. + + 5: Read to the children such parts of Francesca Alexander's "Christ's + folk in the Apennine" as seem to you pertinent. + + 6: John Ruskin, from the ninth lecture of "Val d'Arno." + + 7: John Ruskin. Third lecture of "Val d'Arno." + + 8: Franz Liszt's "Life of Chopin," Chapter V. + + 9: _Ibid_, Chapter VI. + + +10: "On Sound." + +11: "On Sound" is referred to. The last paragraph of Section 10, + Chapter II, may interest the children. The last two paragraphs of + Section 13 are not only interesting, but they show how simply a + scientist can write. + +12: If the original is desired, see Tyndall's "Glaciers of the Alps." + +13: Schumann wrote in a letter to Ferdinand Hiller, "We should learn + to refine the inner ear." + +14: From the sermon entitled "The Seriousness of Life." + +15: Notice sometime how many of our English words have the Latin + _con_. + +16: See the fourth chapter of Reuben Post Halleck's "Psychology and + Psychic Culture." + +17: For instance, the subject of the C minor Fugue in the first book + of "The Well-tempered Clavicord." + +18: The subject of the C sharp minor Fugue. + +19: The prelude in E flat minor and the subject of the G sharp minor + Fugue. + +20: Robert Schumann. + +21: Quoted by Xenophon in the "Memorabilia," Book II, Chapter I, Bohn + edition. + +22: "Heroes and Hero Worship," Lecture I. + +23: From the sermon entitled "Backgrounds and Foregrounds." + +24: I should again suggest the value of letting the children become + familiar with such books as J.H. Parker's "A B C of Gothic + Architecture;" and of having always about plenty of photographs of + great buildings, great men, great works of art and of famous + places for them to see and to know ("_letting_ them _become_ + familiar," remember). + +25: See R.P. Halleck's "Psychology and Psychic Culture." + +26: Read paragraphs 41 and 42 of John Ruskin's "Athena Chalinitis," + the first lecture of "Queen of the Air." + +27: John Ruskin, from the lecture entitled "Franchise," in "Val + d'Arno," par. 206. + +28: "Letters of Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy from Italy and + Switzerland." Letter of July 15, 1831. + +29: "Letter of December 19, 1831." + +30: Read also what is said of Chopin on p. 28. + +31: Read to the children "The Wonderful Weaver" in "Old Greek + Stories," by James Baldwin. It is only a few pages in length, and + is well told. + +32: Robert Schumann. + +33: John Ruskin's "Queen of the Air," par. 102. ("Athena Ergane.") + Read all of it to the children. + +34: _Idem_. + +35: Lord Bacon, from the essay "Of Great Places." + +36: Robert Schumann. + +37: Read John Ruskin's "Sesame and the Lilies," par. 19, and as much + of what follows as you deem wise. + +38: "The Ethics," Book IX, Chapter VII. + +39: Always I have it in mind that the teacher will read or make + reference to the original when the source is so obvious as in this + case. The teacher's, or mother's, discretion should, however, + decide what and how much of such original should be read, and what + it is best to say of it. + +40: I have not attempted to quote the exact words usually given. + +41: Socrates. This quotation is from the "Memorabilia of Xenophon," + Book I, Chapter VI. + +42: Mary Russell Mitford. + +43: "Autobiography of Benvenuto Cellini," Bohn edition, p. 23. + +44: "The Miserere" of "Gregorio Allegri." It was written for nine + voices in two choirs. "There was a time when it was so much + treasured that to copy it was a crime visited with + excommunication. Mozart took down the notes while the choir was + singing it." (See Grove's "Dictionary of Music and Musicians." + Vol. I, page 54.) + +45: Dr. Bridge "On Simple Counterpoint." Preface. + +46: Take, in August Haupt's "_Choralbuch zum häuslichen Gebrauch_," + any simple choral. The one entitled "_Zion klagt mit Angst und + Schmerzen_" is of singular beauty and simplicity. + +47: Peters Edition, No. 200, page 11. + +48: I should advise the teacher to have the two volumes entitled "_Les + Maitres du Clavicin_." (They can be had in the Litolff + collection.) + +49: Op. 106. + +50: "_Der Erster Verlust_" in Schumann's Op. 68 is well conceived in + the sense that it is freely harmonic in some places, imitative in + others, while in the opening the melody is very simply + accompanied. Show the children how interesting the left-hand part + is in this little composition. + +51: From a Letter of the Spectator. + +52: From the eighth paragraph of the Lecture entitled "Nicholas, the + Pisan," in "Val D'Arno." + +53: A blind beggar sitting on a bridge in an English town (it was + Chester) many times astonished me with the rapidity of his + hand-reading, and by the wonderful light of his face. It was + wholly free from the perplexity which most of us show. It must + arise in us from being attracted by so many things. + +54: Eighty-first paragraph of "Val d'Arno." + +55: Marcus Aurelius Antoninus, "The Meditations," Book V, Par. 34. + +56: See footnote, p. 119. + +57: From the thirteenth paragraph of the fourth book. I have changed + the wording a very little to make it simple. + +58: Sixteenth paragraph of the fifth book. + +59: _Essi quam videri._ + +60: "The Memorabilia." + +61: "Epictetus," H.W. Rollison's Translation. + +62: Plato. + +63: Mozart wrote three symphonies between June 26th and August 10th, + in the year 1778; and an Italian, Giovanni Animuccia, is said to + have written three masses, four motettes, and fourteen hymns + within five months. As an instance of early composition, Johann + Friedrich Bernold had written a symphony before he was ten years + of age, and was famous all over Europe. + +64: Xenophon, "The Memorabilia," Book IV, Chapter VIII. + +65: From the "Pleasures of Life." Eighth Chapter of the Second Series. + +66: The little romance of N.B. Saintine is referred to. + +67: Read to the children Chapter XIV in my "Chats with Music + Students." + +68: "Rules for Young Musicians." + + + +***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK MUSIC TALKS WITH CHILDREN*** + + +******* This file should be named 14339-8.txt or 14339-8.zip ******* + + +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: +https://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/1/4/3/3/14339 + + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, +set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to +copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to +protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark. Project +Gutenberg is a registered trademark, and may not be used if you +charge for the eBooks, unless you receive specific permission. If you +do not charge anything for copies of this eBook, complying with the +rules is very easy. You may use this eBook for nearly any purpose +such as creation of derivative works, reports, performances and +research. They may be modified and printed and given away--you may do +practically ANYTHING with public domain eBooks. Redistribution is +subject to the trademark license, especially commercial +redistribution. + + + +*** START: FULL LICENSE *** + +THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE +PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK + +To protect the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting the free +distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work +(or any other work associated in any way with the phrase "Project +Gutenberg"), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full Project +Gutenberg-tm License (available with this file or online at +https://gutenberg.org/license). + + +Section 1. General Terms of Use and Redistributing Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic works + +1.A. By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to +and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property +(trademark/copyright) agreement. If you do not agree to abide by all +the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or destroy +all copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in your possession. +If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work and you do not agree to be bound by the +terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the person or +entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in paragraph 1.E.8. + +1.B. "Project Gutenberg" is a registered trademark. It may only be +used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who +agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement. There are a few +things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works +even without complying with the full terms of this agreement. See +paragraph 1.C below. There are a lot of things you can do with Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works if you follow the terms of this agreement +and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. See paragraph 1.E below. + +1.C. The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation ("the Foundation" +or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection of Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works. Nearly all the individual works in the +collection are in the public domain in the United States. If an +individual work is in the public domain in the United States and you are +located in the United States, we do not claim a right to prevent you from +copying, distributing, performing, displaying or creating derivative +works based on the work as long as all references to Project Gutenberg +are removed. Of course, we hope that you will support the Project +Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting free access to electronic works by +freely sharing Project Gutenberg-tm works in compliance with the terms of +this agreement for keeping the Project Gutenberg-tm name associated with +the work. You can easily comply with the terms of this agreement by +keeping this work in the same format with its attached full Project +Gutenberg-tm License when you share it without charge with others. + +1.D. The copyright laws of the place where you are located also govern +what you can do with this work. Copyright laws in most countries are in +a constant state of change. If you are outside the United States, check +the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this agreement +before downloading, copying, displaying, performing, distributing or +creating derivative works based on this work or any other Project +Gutenberg-tm work. The Foundation makes no representations concerning +the copyright status of any work in any country outside the United +States. + +1.E. Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg: + +1.E.1. The following sentence, with active links to, or other immediate +access to, the full Project Gutenberg-tm License must appear prominently +whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg-tm work (any work on which the +phrase "Project Gutenberg" appears, or with which the phrase "Project +Gutenberg" is associated) is accessed, displayed, performed, viewed, +copied or distributed: + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + +1.E.2. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is derived +from the public domain (does not contain a notice indicating that it is +posted with permission of the copyright holder), the work can be copied +and distributed to anyone in the United States without paying any fees +or charges. If you are redistributing or providing access to a work +with the phrase "Project Gutenberg" associated with or appearing on the +work, you must comply either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1 +through 1.E.7 or obtain permission for the use of the work and the +Project Gutenberg-tm trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1.E.8 or +1.E.9. + +1.E.3. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is posted +with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution +must comply with both paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 and any additional +terms imposed by the copyright holder. Additional terms will be linked +to the Project Gutenberg-tm License for all works posted with the +permission of the copyright holder found at the beginning of this work. + +1.E.4. Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License terms from this work, or any files containing a part of this +work or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg-tm. + +1.E.5. Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this +electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without +prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with +active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project +Gutenberg-tm License. + +1.E.6. You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary, +compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including any +word processing or hypertext form. However, if you provide access to or +distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg-tm work in a format other than +"Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other format used in the official version +posted on the official Project Gutenberg-tm web site (www.gutenberg.org), +you must, at no additional cost, fee or expense to the user, provide a +copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a means of obtaining a copy upon +request, of the work in its original "Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other +form. Any alternate format must include the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License as specified in paragraph 1.E.1. + +1.E.7. Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying, +performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg-tm works +unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9. + +1.E.8. You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing +access to or distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works provided +that + +- You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive from + the use of Project Gutenberg-tm works calculated using the method + you already use to calculate your applicable taxes. The fee is + owed to the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark, but he + has agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the + Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation. Royalty payments + must be paid within 60 days following each date on which you + prepare (or are legally required to prepare) your periodic tax + returns. Royalty payments should be clearly marked as such and + sent to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation at the + address specified in Section 4, "Information about donations to + the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation." + +- You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies + you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he + does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg-tm + License. You must require such a user to return or + destroy all copies of the works possessed in a physical medium + and discontinue all use of and all access to other copies of + Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +- You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1.F.3, a full refund of any + money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in the + electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90 days + of receipt of the work. + +- You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free + distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +1.E.9. If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work or group of works on different terms than are set +forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing from +both the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation and Michael +Hart, the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark. Contact the +Foundation as set forth in Section 3 below. + +1.F. + +1.F.1. Project Gutenberg volunteers and employees expend considerable +effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe and proofread +public domain works in creating the Project Gutenberg-tm +collection. Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works, and the medium on which they may be stored, may contain +"Defects," such as, but not limited to, incomplete, inaccurate or +corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other intellectual +property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or other medium, a +computer virus, or computer codes that damage or cannot be read by +your equipment. + +1.F.2. LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except for the "Right +of Replacement or Refund" described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner of the Project +Gutenberg-tm trademark, and any other party distributing a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all +liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal +fees. YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE, STRICT +LIABILITY, BREACH OF WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE +PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH F3. YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION, THE +TRADEMARK OWNER, AND ANY DISTRIBUTOR UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE +LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR +INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH +DAMAGE. + +1.F.3. LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you discover a +defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving it, you can +receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by sending a +written explanation to the person you received the work from. If you +received the work on a physical medium, you must return the medium with +your written explanation. The person or entity that provided you with +the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in lieu of a +refund. If you received the work electronically, the person or entity +providing it to you may choose to give you a second opportunity to +receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund. If the second copy +is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing without further +opportunities to fix the problem. + +1.F.4. Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth +in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you 'AS-IS', WITH NO OTHER +WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO +WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTIBILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE. + +1.F.5. Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied +warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of damages. +If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement violates the +law of the state applicable to this agreement, the agreement shall be +interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or limitation permitted by +the applicable state law. The invalidity or unenforceability of any +provision of this agreement shall not void the remaining provisions. + +1.F.6. INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation, the +trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation, anyone +providing copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in accordance +with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with the production, +promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works, +harmless from all liability, costs and expenses, including legal fees, +that arise directly or indirectly from any of the following which you do +or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this or any Project Gutenberg-tm +work, (b) alteration, modification, or additions or deletions to any +Project Gutenberg-tm work, and (c) any Defect you cause. + + +Section 2. Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg-tm + +Project Gutenberg-tm is synonymous with the free distribution of +electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of computers +including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers. It exists +because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations from +people in all walks of life. + +Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the +assistance they need, is critical to reaching Project Gutenberg-tm's +goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg-tm collection will +remain freely available for generations to come. In 2001, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation was created to provide a secure +and permanent future for Project Gutenberg-tm and future generations. +To learn more about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation +and how your efforts and donations can help, see Sections 3 and 4 +and the Foundation web page at https://www.gutenberg.org/fundraising/pglaf. + + +Section 3. Information about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive +Foundation + +The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non profit +501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the +state of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal +Revenue Service. The Foundation's EIN or federal tax identification +number is 64-6221541. Contributions to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent +permitted by U.S. federal laws and your state's laws. + +The Foundation's principal office is located at 4557 Melan Dr. S. +Fairbanks, AK, 99712., but its volunteers and employees are scattered +throughout numerous locations. Its business office is located at +809 North 1500 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84116, (801) 596-1887, email +business@pglaf.org. Email contact links and up to date contact +information can be found at the Foundation's web site and official +page at https://www.gutenberg.org/about/contact + +For additional contact information: + Dr. Gregory B. Newby + Chief Executive and Director + gbnewby@pglaf.org + +Section 4. Information about Donations to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation + +Project Gutenberg-tm depends upon and cannot survive without wide +spread public support and donations to carry out its mission of +increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can be +freely distributed in machine readable form accessible by the widest +array of equipment including outdated equipment. Many small donations +($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt +status with the IRS. + +The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating +charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United +States. Compliance requirements are not uniform and it takes a +considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and keep up +with these requirements. We do not solicit donations in locations +where we have not received written confirmation of compliance. To +SEND DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any +particular state visit https://www.gutenberg.org/fundraising/donate + +While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we +have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no prohibition +against accepting unsolicited donations from donors in such states who +approach us with offers to donate. + +International donations are gratefully accepted, but we cannot make +any statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from +outside the United States. U.S. laws alone swamp our small staff. + +Please check the Project Gutenberg Web pages for current donation +methods and addresses. Donations are accepted in a number of other +ways including including checks, online payments and credit card +donations. To donate, please visit: +https://www.gutenberg.org/fundraising/donate + + +Section 5. General Information About Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. + +Professor Michael S. Hart was the originator of the Project Gutenberg-tm +concept of a library of electronic works that could be freely shared +with anyone. For thirty years, he produced and distributed Project +Gutenberg-tm eBooks with only a loose network of volunteer support. + +Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks are often created from several printed +editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the U.S. +unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we do not necessarily +keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition. + +Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search facility: + + https://www.gutenberg.org + +This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm, +including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary +Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to +subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks. + diff --git a/old/14339-8.zip b/old/14339-8.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..0452e48 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/14339-8.zip diff --git a/old/14339.txt b/old/14339.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..0914ec9 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/14339.txt @@ -0,0 +1,3931 @@ +The Project Gutenberg eBook, Music Talks with Children, by Thomas Tapper + + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + + + + +Title: Music Talks with Children + +Author: Thomas Tapper + +Release Date: December 13, 2004 [eBook #14339] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-646-US (US-ASCII) + + +***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK MUSIC TALKS WITH CHILDREN*** + + +E-text prepared by David Newman, Keith M. Eckrich, and the Project +Gutenberg Online Distributed Proofreading Team + + + +MUSIC TALKS WITH CHILDREN + +by + +THOMAS TAPPER + +Philadelphia +Theodore Presser + +1898 + + + + + + + + "Dear child! dear girl! that walkest with me here, + If thou appear untouched by solemn thought, + Thy nature is not therefore less divine: + * * * * * + "God being with thee when we know it not." + + --WILLIAM WORDSWORTH. + + + + + +TO THE CHILDREN AT HOME + + + "Teach me to live! No idler let me be, + But in Thy service _hand and heart_ employ." + + --BAYARD TAYLOR. + + + + +PREFACE + + +A book of this kind, though addressed to children, must necessarily +reach them through an older person. The purpose is to suggest a few of +the many aspects which music may have even to the mind of a child. If +these chapters, or whatever may be logically suggested by them, be +actually used as the basis of simple Talks with children, music may +become to them more than drill and study. They should know it as an +art, full of beauty and of dignity; full of pure thought and abounding +in joy. Music with these characteristics is the true music of the +heart. Unless music gives true pleasure to the young it may be doubted +if it is wisely studied. + +Our failure to present music to the young in a manner that interests +and holds them is due not so much to the fact that music is too +difficult for children, but because the children themselves are too +difficult for us. In our ignorance we often withhold the rightful +inheritance. We must not forget that the slower adult mind often meets +a class of difficulties which are not recognized by the unprejudiced +child. It is not infrequent that with the old fears in us we persist +in recreating difficulties. + +There should be ever present with the teacher the thought that music +must be led out of the individuality, not driven into it. + +The teacher's knowledge is not a hammer, it is a light. + +While it is suggested that these chapters be used as the +subject-matter for talks with the children, they may read verbatim if +desired. All foot-note references and suggestions are addressed to the +older person--the mother or the teacher. There is much in the +literature of art that would interest children if given to them +discriminatingly. + +THOMAS TAPPER. + +BOSTON, October 30, 1896 + + + + +CONTENTS + + +CHAPTER + + PREFACE + + I. WHAT THE FACE TELLS + + II. WHY WE SHOULD STUDY MUSIC + + III. MUSIC IN THE HEART + + IV. THE TONES ABOUT US + + V. LISTENING + + VI. THINKING IN TONE + + VII. WHAT WE SEE AND HEAR + + VIII. THE CLASSICS + + IX. WHAT WE SHOULD PLAY + + X. THE LESSON + + XI. THE LIGHT ON THE PATH + + XII. THE GREATER MASTERS + + XIII. THE LESSER MASTERS + + XIV. HARMONY AND COUNTERPOINT + + XV. MUSIC AND READING + + XVI. THE HANDS + + XVII. WHAT THE ROMAN LADY SAID + +XVIII. THE GLORY OF THE DAY + + XIX. THE IDEAL + + XX. THE ONE TALENT + + XXI. LOVE FOR THE BEAUTIFUL + + XXII. IN SCHOOL + +XXIII. MUSIC IN SCHOOL + + XXIV. HOW ONE THING HELPS ANOTHER + + XXV. THE CHILD AT PLAY + + APPENDIX + + + + +BY THE SAME AUTHOR. + + +Chats with Music Students; or Talks about Music and Music Life. + +"A remarkably valuable work. It is made up of talks to students, +calculated to make them think; of hints and suggestions which will be +of immense assistance to those who are earnestly trying to become +proficient in music."--_Boston Transcript._ + +"No other book covers the same broad field which this covers in such a +pleasant and inspiring manner."--_The Writer (Boston)._ + + +The Music Life and How to Succeed in it. + +"These ideas are worthy of attention from students and workers in all +branches of art, science, and literature, who mean to be serious and +earnest."--_Boston Transcript._ + +"Exceedingly valuable because of its broad impartiality in its +exposition of truth, its depth of understanding, and, above all, for +its earnest desire, manifest in every word, to lead music students to +a love for music itself.... It abounds in high artistic thought and +insight."--_The Boston Times._ + + + + +CHAPTER I. + +WHAT THE FACE TELLS. + + + "And the light _dwelleth_ with him."--_Daniel II: 22._ + + +Once a master said to a child: + +"If thou wilt study diligently, learn, and do good unto others, thy +face shall be filled with light." + +So the child studied busily, learned, and sought how she could do good +unto others. And every little while she ran to the glass to see if the +light was coming. But at each time she was disappointed. No light was +there. Try as faithfully as she would, and look as often as she would, +it was always the same. + +I do not know if she doubted the master or not; but it is certain she +did not know what to make of it. She grieved, and day after day her +disappointment grew. At length she could bear it no longer, so she +went to the master and said: + +"Dear master, I have been so diligent! I have tried to learn and to do +good unto others. Yet every time I have sought in my face the light +_which you promised_, it has not been there. No, not a single time." + +Now the master listened intently, and watching her face as she spoke, +he said: + +"Thou poor little one, in this moment, as thou hast spoken to me, thy +face has been so filled with light that thou wouldst not believe. And +dost thou know why? It is because every word thou hast spoken in this +moment has come from thy heart. + +"Thou must learn _in the first days_ this lesson: When the thought and +the deed are in the heart, then the light is in the face, always, and +it is there at no other time. It could not be. And what is in thy +heart when thou art before the glass? In that moment hast thou turned +away from diligence, and from learning, and from the love of doing +good unto others and in thy heart there is left only the poor +curiosity to see the light which can never shine when it is sought. +Thou canst never see the light of thy own face. For thee that light is +forever within, and it will not prosper thy way to want to look upon +it. It is only as thou art faithful that this is added unto thee." + +Sorrowing yet more than before the little child said: + +"Master, I do not understand what thou hast said, yet I believe thee; +but the wish is yet within me to see the light of my face, if only for +once. Thou who art wise, tell me why it is denied me." + +And the master made answer: + +"It is denied to us all. No one may see the light of his own face. +Therefore thou shalt labor daily with diligence that thy light shall +shine before others. And if thou wouldst see the light thou shalt +cause it to shine _in another_. That is the greatest of all--to bring +forth the light. And to do this, thou shalt of thyself be faithful in +all things. By what thou art thou must show diligence, the love for +learning, and the desire to do good unto others, even as these things +have been taught thee." + + + + +CHAPTER II. + +WHY WE SHOULD STUDY MUSIC. + + + "Music makes people more gentle and meek, more modest and + understanding."--_Martin Luther._[1] + +It was this same music lover who said once, "Music is the fairest gift +of God." Just these words should be a sufficient answer to the +question which we have asked in this Talk, but a little more may make +it clearer. Here we are, gathered together to talk about music. We +know music is pleasing; to many of us it is even more than a pleasure; +of course, it is difficult to get the lessons properly and we must +struggle and strive. Often the way seems so rude and stony that we +cannot advance. We are hurt, and hot tears of discouragement come, and +we sit down dejected feeling it were best never to try again. But even +when the tears flow the fastest we feel something within us which +makes us listen. We can really hear our thoughts battling to tell us +something,--prompted by the heart, we may be sure. + +And what is music making our thoughts say? + +"Have I not been a pleasure and a comfort to you? Have I not set you +to singing and to dancing many and many times? Have I not let you sing +your greatest happiness? And am I not ever about you, at home, in +school, in church? even in the streets I have never deserted you. +Always, _always_ I have made you merry. But this was music you +_heard_. Now you have said you wished to know me yourself; to have me +come to dwell in your heart that you might have me understandingly, +and because I ask labor of you for this, you sit here with your hot +tears in your eyes and not a bit of me present in your heart. Listen! +Am I not there? Yes, just a bit. Now more and more, and now will you +give me up because I make you work a little?" + +Well, we all have just this experience and we always feel ashamed of +our discouragements; but even this does not tell us why we should +study music. Some people study it because they have to do so; others +because they love it. Surely it must be best with those who out of +their hearts choose to learn about tones and the messages they tell. + +Did you ever notice how people seem willing to stop any employment if +music comes near? Even in the busiest streets of a city the organ-man +will make us listen to his tunes. In spite of the hurry and the crowd +and the jumble of noises, still the organ-tones go everywhere clear, +full, melodious, bidding us heed them. Perhaps we mark the music with +the hand, or walk differently, or begin to sing with it. In one way or +another the music will make us do something--that shows its power. I +have seen in many European towns a group of children about the +organ-man,[2] dancing or singing as he played and enjoying every tune +to the utmost. This taught me that music of every kind has its lover, +and that with a little pains and a little patience the love for music +belongs to all alike, and may be increased if other things do not push +it aside. + +Now, one of the first things to be said of music is that it makes +happiness, and what makes happiness is good for us, because happiness +not only lightens the heart, but it is one of the best ways to make +the light come to the face. The moment we study music we learn a +severe lesson, and that is this: There can be no use in our trying to +be musicians unless we are willing to learn perfect order in all the +music-tasks we do. + +In this, music is a particularly severe mistress. Nothing slovenly, +untidy, or out of order will do. The count must be absolutely right, +not fast nor slow as our fancy dictates, but even and regular. The +hands must do their task together in a friendly manner; the one never +crowding nor hurrying the other, each willing to yield to the other +when the right moment comes.[3] The feet must never use the pedals so +as to make the harmonies mingle wrongly, but at just the right moment +must make the strings sing together as the composer desires. The +thoughts can never for a single moment wander from the playing; they +must remain faithful, preparing what is to come and commanding the +hands to do exactly the right task in the right way. That shows us, +you see, the second quality and a strict one of music. It will not +allow us to be disorderly, and more than this, it teaches us a habit +for order that will be a gain to us in every other task. Now let us +see: + +First, we should study music for the happiness it will give us. + +Second, we should study music for the order it teaches us. + +There is a third reason. If music gives us happiness, do we not in +learning it gain a power to contribute happiness to others? That is +one of the greatest pleasures in learning. Not only does the knowledge +prove of use and joy to us, but we can constantly make it useful and +joy-giving to others. Does this not teach us how thankful we should be +to all those who live usefully? And think of all the men who have +passed their lives writing beautiful thoughts, singing out of their +very hearts, day after day, all their life long, for the joy of others +forever after. + +In our next Talk we shall learn that pure thought, written out of the +heart, is forever a good in the world. From this we shall learn that +to study music rightly is to cultivate in our own hearts the same good +thought which the composer had. Hence the third reason we can find for +studying music is that it makes us able to help and to cheer others, +to help them by willingly imparting the little knowledge we have, and +to cheer them by playing the beautiful thoughts in tone which we have +learned. + +These are three great reasons, truly, but there are many others. Let +us speak about one of them. In some of the Talks we are to have we +shall learn that true music comes from a true heart; and that great +music--that is the classics--is the thought of men who are pure and +noble, learned in the way to write, and anxious never to write +anything but the best. There is plainly a great deal of good to us if +we study daily the music of men such as these. In this way we are +brought in touch with the greatest thought. This constant presence and +influence will mold our thoughts to greater strength and greater +beauty. When we read the history of music, we shall see that the +greatest composers have always been willing to study in their first +days the master works of their time. They have strengthened their +thoughts by contact with thoughts stronger than their own, and we may +gain in just the same way if we will. We know now that there are many +reasons why it is good for us to study music. We have spoken +particularly of four of these. They are: + +First, for the happiness it will give us. + +Second, for the order it demands of us. + +Third, for the power it gives us to help and cheer others. + +Fourth, for the great and pure thought it brings before us and raises +in us. + +All these things, are they true, you ask? If the little child had +asked that of the master he would have said: + +"These things shalt thou find real because they make thee brave. And +the pain and the drudgery and the hot tears shall be the easier to +bear for this knowledge, which should be strong within thee as a pure +faith." + + + + +CHAPTER III. + +MUSIC IN THE HEART. + + + "Raffaello's genius goes directly to the heart."--_Autobiography of + Benvenuto Cellini._[4] + +The only true way to learn is by doing. The skill of the hand and the +skill of the thought can be brought out only by use. We shall not +become very skilful, nor very learned, nor very good unless we daily +devote ourselves to tasks--often difficult and unpleasant--which shall +bring to us wisdom, or success, or goodness. None of these things, nor +any other like them, come merely by talking about them. That is the +worst way of all--merely to talk and not to act. But if we talk +truthfully and act with care, we shall gain a great deal. Pleasant +companionship often brings forth thoughts which if we follow them +industriously, lead a long way in a good direction. + +I do not know that any one has likened music to a country. But we can +make the comparison, and then it becomes plain that we may either +wander through it, seeing the beautiful things, wondering about them, +and talking over our admiration and our wonder; or we may join to this +a true and an earnest inquiry, which shall give us, as a reward, the +clear understanding of some things which we see. Let us travel in this +way; first, because we shall gain true knowledge by it, but better +still, because we shall thereby learn _in the first days_ that the +truest pleasures and the dearest happinesses are those for which we +have done something; those for which we have given both of labor and +of pains. + +One of the wisest little philosophers in the world was Polissena,[5] +and I think she became wise just because she labored. As we become +more and more acquainted with true music we shall learn this: True +music is that which is born in some one's heart. "All immortal writers +speak out of the heart."[6] Nothing could be truer; and as they speak +_out_ of their hearts you may be sure they intend to speak _into_ +ours. Nowhere else. As true music is made in some one's heart, we must +feel it in our own hearts as we play it or it will mean nothing. The +heart must make it warm, then the beauties of the music will come out. +It is strange how our moods tell themselves. All we do with our eyes +and with our ears, with the tongue and with the hands, what we do with +our thoughts even, is sure to say of itself whether we are doing with +a willing heart or not. It is curious that the truth will come out of +whatever seems to be a secret, but curious as it may be, it does come +out. We must think of that. + +Every one of us knows the difference between doing willingly and +unwillingly. We know that things done with joy and with eagerness are +well done and seem to spring directly from the heart. Not only that, +but they really inspire joy and eagerness in those who are about us. +_Inspire_ is just the word. Look it up in your dictionary and see that +it means exactly what happens--_to breathe into_--they breathe joy and +happiness _into_ all things else, and it comes out of our hearts. + +Now happiness can be told in many ways: in laughter, in the eyes, in a +game, in a life like that of Polissena's, in anything, but in nothing +that does not win the heart. As happiness can be shown in anything, it +can be shown in music. We can put happiness into play, likewise we can +put happiness into music. And as much of it as we put into anything +will come out. Besides, we might just as well learn now as at another +time, this: Whatever we put into what we do will come out. It may be +happiness or idleness or hatred or courage; whatever goes into what we +do comes out very plainly. Everything, remember. That means much. If +you should practise for an hour, wishing all the time to be doing +something else, you may be sure that your wish is coming out of your +playing so plainly that every one knows it. Do you think that is +strange? Well, it may be, but it is strictly true. + +No one may be able to explain why and how, but certainly it is true +that as we play our music all that goes on in the heart finds its way +into the head, and the arms, and the hands, into the music, off +through the air, and into the hearts of every one who is listening. So +it is a valuable truth for us to remember, that whatever we put into +our music will come out and we cannot stop it; and other people will +get it, and know what we are by it. + +Once we fully understand how music will show forth our inmost feelings +we shall begin to understand its truthfulness and its power, as well +as its beauty. We shall see from our first days that music will tell +the truth. That will help us to understand a little the true mission +of art, "either to state a true thing, or adorn a serviceable one."[7] +The moment we understand this _a very little_ we shall begin to love +art. We shall be glad and willing for music to reveal us, to show the +spirit within us, because little by little with the understanding will +come love and reverence for the beautiful thoughts that are locked up +in tones. + +Men who want to tell something to very many people, many of whom they +do not know and to whom they cannot go, write down all they have to +say and make a book of it. There are some men, however, who have many +beautiful thoughts which they wish to tell to those who can +understand; these may dwell in their own land or in other lands; in +their own time or in future time. But the message of these men is so +beautiful and so delicate that it cannot be told in words, so they +tell it in music. Then, in their own land and in other lands, in their +own day and forever after, people can find out the delicate thoughts +by studying the pages of the music, seeking _with their hearts_ the +thought that came out of the master's heart. + +Do you wonder that composers revere their art? We are told of Chopin +that art was for him a high and holy vocation.[8] Do you wonder? Let +me read you a few words about his devotion: "In order to become a +skilful and able master he studied, without dreaming of the ... fame +he would obtain." "Nothing could be purer, more exalted, than his +thoughts,"[9] because he knew that if his thoughts were not pure the +impurity would come out in his music. + +The music that has first been felt in the heart and then written down +finds its way and tells all about the heart, where it was born. When +you play and feel that you are playing from the heart, you may be sure +you are on the right path. The beautiful thing is, that this is true +no matter how simple music is. The very simplest will tell all about +us. Remember, in playing music, that great and good men have put into +tones thoughts which will be a joy and comfort to the world forever. +Some one of these Talks will be about classic and common music. But +even now I am sure we understand that good music comes from pure +thought, and pure thought comes from a good heart. That, surely, is +clear and simple. + +Pure music is earnest and songful. It has meaning in every part. No +tone is without a lofty purpose. That is true music. It is classic +from the heart that is put into it. + +By being faithful to our music it will do for us more than we can +dream. Do you know the inscription that used to be over the north gate +of the city of Siena, in Italy? + +"Siena opens not only her gates, but her heart to you." + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + +THE TONES ABOUT US. + + +"Scientific education ought to teach us to see the invisible as well +as the visible in nature."--_John Tyndall_.[10] + +There used to live in England a famous scientist named Tyndall, who +was interested, among other things, in the study of sound. He studied +sounds of all kinds, made experiments with them, wrote down what he +observed, and out of it all he wrote a book,[11] useful to all who +desire to learn about sound and its nature. + +One day, Tyndall and a friend were walking up one of the mountains of +the Alps.[12] As they ascended the path, Tyndall's attention was +attracted by a shrill sound, which seemed to come from the ground at +his feet. Being a trained thinker he was at once curious to know what +was the cause of this. By looking carefully he found that it came from +a myriad of small insects which swarmed by the side of the path. +Having satisfied himself as to what it was he spoke to his companion +about the shrill tone and was surprised to learn that he could not +hear it. Tyndall's friend could hear all ordinary sound perfectly +well. This, however, seemed to be sound of such a character as did not +reach his sense of hearing. One who like Tyndall listened carefully to +sounds of all kinds would quickly detect anything uncommon. This +little incident teaches us that sounds may go on about us and yet we +know nothing of them. Also it teaches us to think about tones, seek +them, and in the first days increase our acquaintance and familiarity +with them. + +Men of science, who study the different ways in which the mind works, +tell us that habit and also a busy mind frequently make us unconscious +of many things about us. Sometimes we have not noticed the clock +strike, although we have been in the room on the hour; or some one +speaks to us, and because we are thinking of something else we fail to +hear what is said to us. It certainly is true that very many people do +not hear half of the sounds that go on about them, sounds which, if +but heeded, would teach people a great deal. And of all people, those +who study music should be particularly attentive to sounds of all +kinds. Indeed, the only way to begin a music education is to begin by +learning to listen. Robert Schumann, a German composer, once wrote a +set of rules for young musicians. As it was Schumann's habit to write +only what was absolutely needed we may be sure he regarded his rules +as very important. There are sixty-eight of them, and the very first +has reference to taking particular notice of the tones about us. If we +learn it from memory we shall understand it better and think of it +oftener. Besides that, we shall have memorized the serious thought of +a truly good and great man. This is what he says: + +"The cultivation of the ear is of the greatest importance. Endeavor +early to distinguish each tone and key. Find out the exact tone +sounded by the bell, the glass, and the cuckoo." + +There is certainly a good hint in this. Let us follow it day by day, +and we shall see how many are the tones about us which we scarcely +ever notice. We should frequently listen and find who of us can +distinguish the greatest number of different sounds. Then we shall +learn to listen attentively to sounds and noises. Bit by bit all +sounds, especially beautiful ones, will take on a new and deeper +meaning to us; they will be full of a previously unrecognized beauty +which will teach us to love music more and more sincerely. + +In order that we may better understand how sounds are related to each +other we should learn early to sing the major scale so that it will go +readily up and down as a melody. As we become more and more familiar +with it we must think frequently of its separate tones so as to feel +just how each one sounds in the scale, how it fits in the scale, and +just what it says, in fact; we shall then notice after a while that we +can hear the scale with the inner ear, which is finer and more +delicate.[13] + +We should have names for the scale-tones like the pretty Italian +syllables, or, if not these, whatever our teacher suggests. Then we +should have a conception of the tones as they are related. We should +learn that every tone of the scale is colored by the tonic. Every one +gets a character from the tonic which tells us all about it, because +we learn to hear its relation to its principal tone. In a little +while, with patience, we shall be able to hear the scale-tones in any +order we may choose to think them. That power will be a fine help +forever after--we must be sure to get it in the first days. + +Whenever we hear two tones we should try to find them on the piano. +This will make us listen more attentively to the tone sounded by the +clock, the church-bell, the bird, the drinking-glass. And what a lot +there are, like the squeaking door, the cricket, the noise of the wind +and rain, the puff of the engine, and all the other sounds we hear in +a day. Bit by bit, in this way, our familiarity with tones will grow +and we shall be well repaid for all the trouble. Gradually we shall +become better listeners--but about listening we are to speak in our +next Talk. This, however, may be said now: Let us always be sure to +listen with special care to two tones, calling one the tonic, or +first, of the major scale and finding what degree the other is, or +near what degree it lies. This will make us better acquainted with the +scale and we shall learn that all the music we have comes out of it. + +We must also listen to tones so that we can tell something about them +besides their scale names. We must learn to describe tones, tell +whether they are high or low, sweet or harsh, loud or soft, long or +short. For instance, through the window I can hear a church-bell. Some +one is ringing it slowly so that the tones are long. The tone is not a +very high one (it is G above middle C) and the quality is rich and +mellow. This describes the church-bell tone quite well, and in like +manner we may describe all the sounds we hear. We should make it a +habit often to stand or to sit perfectly still and to listen to +everything that goes on about us. Even in the country, where all seems +as quiet as possible, we shall be surprised at the great number of +sounds. + +There are some other tones to which I fear we are prone not to listen. +I mean the tones which the piano makes when we play finger-exercises. +We think perhaps of the finger motion, which is not all; or we think +of nothing, which is very bad; or our thoughts begin to picture other +things even while we play, which is the worst of all, and bit by bit +we actually forget what we are doing. One of the quickest ways to +become unable to hear sounds correctly is to play the piano without +thinking fully of what we are doing. Therefore it must be a rule never +to play a tone without listening acutely to it. If in the first days +we determine to do this and remain faithful to it, we shall always +touch the piano keys carefully, thoughtfully, and reverentially. + +Elsewhere we shall have some definite tone lessons for the purpose of +making us familiar with the tones about us. But no rule can exceed in +importance this one, never to make any music unthinkingly. + +By care and practice we soon become so skilful as to notice tones with +the readiness we notice colors in the garden. The sense of tone must +be as strong in us as is the sense of color. Then we shall be able to +tell differences of tones which are nearly the same, as readily as we +can now tell two varieties of yellow, for instance. A bit of +perseverance in this and the beauties even of common sounds shall be +revealed to us. + + + + +CHAPTER V. + +LISTENING. + + + "You must listen as if listening were your life."--_Phillips + Brooks._[14] + +In our last Talk we learned that it was quite possible for sounds to +be about us and yet we not hear them. Sometimes, as in the case of +Tyndall's companion, it is because we are not capable; at other times, +as when the clock strikes and we do not hear, it is because we are +occupied with other things. It is from this latter fact--being +occupied with other things--that we can learn what listening is. +Listening is not being occupied with other things. It is being +completely attentive to what we are expected to hear. + +The condition of being occupied with other thoughts when we should be +listening is known as inattention. To listen with full attention, all +other things being entirely absent from the mind, is one form of +concentration. + +Inattention is a destroyer. It divides our power between two or more +things when it should be directed upon a single thing. Concentration +gives us greater and greater mind-power. If you will look in the +dictionary to find what concentration means (you should be good +friends with the dictionary) you will find it is made up of _con_[15] +meaning with, and _centrum_, a center, "with a center," or "to come to +a center." If you hold a magnifying-glass between your hand and the +sun you will find that at a certain distance the sunlight is in a +circle. By changing the distance with delicacy you can diminish the +circle to almost a point,--you make the light _come to a center_. When +the circle of light is large, no particular effect is noted by the +hand. When, however, the circle is as small as it can be made you feel +a sensation of warmth which, if continued long enough, will really +burn the hand. That small circle is the sunlight _in concentration_. +The rays of sunlight, instead of being scattered, are centered. They +burn the hand because they are full of power--powerful. + +By way of example: Let the different rays stand for inattention and +the tiny circle of light for concentration. The former has little or +no power; the latter is full of power. This very well illustrates what +happens, both when our thoughts are scattered over a large area, and +when they are brought together--concentrated--in a small circle. The +first listening indeed which should claim our attention is not +tone-listening, but listening to what is said to us. No one under a +good teacher ever learns well who is not attentive and obedient. And +then _listening_ and _doing_ are inseparably joined. Tone-listening +makes us self-critical and observant, and we are assured by men of +science that unless we become good observers in our early years, it is +later impossible for us.[16] + +In the previous Talk we spoke about listening to all kinds of sounds, +particularly those out-of-doors. In this Talk we shall speak only of +real music-listening. You know, now, that music born out of the heart +is the thought of a good man. Of course, beautiful thoughts of any +kind should be listened to not only with attention, but with +reverence. Reverence is the tribute which the thoughtful listener pays +to the music of a man who has expressed himself beautifully in tone. +This at once reveals to us that we should listen to what is great for +the purpose of getting ideals. We hear what we hope to attain. It is +said of the violinist, Pierre Baillot, that when only ten years of age +he heard the playing of Viotti, and though he did not hear it again +for twenty years the performance ever remained in his mind as an ideal +to be realized in his studies, and he worked to attain it. + +The pupils of the great Viennese teacher of the piano, Theodor +Leschetizky, say he asks no question more frequently than "Can you not +hear?" It is not only difficult to listen to ourselves, but listening +is one thing and decidedly a superior thing, while hearing is another +and equally inferior thing. And it shows us, when we think of it, that +no self-criticism is possible until we forget all things else and +listen to what we are doing and listen with concentration. It now +becomes clear to us that no one becomes an intelligent musician who is +not skilled in tone sense, in listening, and having thoughts about +what is heard. + +We may read again from the excellent rules of Robert Schumann: + +"Frequently sing in choruses, especially the middle parts; this will +help to make you musical." + +Out of this we learn to try to hear more than the melody, to try +sometimes not to think of the melody, but to listen only to that which +accompanies it. When, in school, you sing in two and three parts, +notice how one is inclined always to sing the soprano. The melody +pulls us away from another part if we are not concentrated upon our +part. Yet notice how beautifully musical the lower parts are. Listen +intently to them whatever part you sing. + +It seems in music that we learn to listen in two directions. First, by +training the attention merely to follow prominent sounds and to be +conscious of all of them; then, later, we do not need to think so much +of the prominent melody but we strive to hear the accompanying parts. +These are the melodies which are somewhat concealed by the principal +one; not truly concealed either, for they are plain enough if we will +listen. They make one think of flowers hidden in the grass and +foliage. They are none the less beautiful though they are concealed; +for the sunlight seeks them out and makes them blossom. + +We find hidden melodies in all good music because it is the character +of good music to have interesting and beautiful melodic thought +everywhere. There are never meaningless tones allowed. Every sound +says something and is needed. It is curious that in our playing the +moment we put our thoughts upon any tone or voice part with the desire +to hear it, it comes out at once as plainly as if it was the highest +melody. That illustrates the power of thought concentrated upon even a +hidden thing. You know how in Bach even the piano works move as if all +parts were to be sung by voices. It reminds one of conversation; of +the story, of the question and answer, of the merry chat in a pleasant +company. Some bits of sentence are tripping and full of laughter,[17] +others grave and majestic,[18] others have wonderful dignity of heart +and mind.[19] + +Such qualities give music interest and meaning in every part. It will +not take you long to discover that it is just the absence of these +qualities that makes other music common. + +The melody is not sustained by anything particularly well worth +listening to. One might say that good music is like the foliage of the +garden, every leaf and petal variously yet finely formed, and all +combined to make a beautiful whole. + +When you have learned carefully to follow the accompaniment of a +melody, try to follow the single voice parts in the chorus, +particularly the Bass, Tenor, and Alto. And when you go to orchestral +concerts learn early to follow special instruments like the clarinet, +the oboe, the drum. + +Especially try to follow the lower strings, the viola, the 'cello, and +the bass. They are strongly characteristic. You will learn their +peculiar qualities only by giving them special and concentrated +thought. You will now see that acute and careful listening has its +definite ways and purposes. Here they are: + + I. Listening comes from concentration. + + II. When listening to great music it must be with reverence as well + as with attention. + + III. We must listen for ideals. + + IV. We must listen in order to be self-critical. + + V. Constant listening to true music reveals that there is never a + tone used unless it has a meaning. + +And besides all this we must think that among those who listen to us +there may be some one who has learned this careful concentrated way. +Then we shall have it ever in mind to "play as if in the presence of a +master."[20] + + + + +CHAPTER VI. + +THINKING IN TONE. + + + "The gods for labor sell us all good things."--_Epicharmus_.[21] + +Perhaps you have some doubt as to exactly what is meant by +music-thinking. Being somewhat acquainted with composers and with +music, the thought may here come to you that all the music we hear in +the world must have been made by somebody--by many somebodies, in +fact. They have had to sit down, and forgetting all things else, +listen intently to the music-thought which fills the mind. If you will +sit quietly by yourself you will discover that you can easily think +words and sentences and really hear them in the mind without +pronouncing anything. In quite the same way the composer sits and +hears music, tone by tone, and as clearly as if it were played by a +piano or an orchestra. And to him the tones have a clear meaning, just +as words have a clear meaning to us. Naturally, one can see that there +could be no other way. Unless the composer can think out everything +exactly there could be no music, for music must be written, and one +can only write what one thinks. So at this point the thought to +remember is this: Music must exist in some one's mind before others +can have it to hear and enjoy. + +In like manner--just the same manner, in fact--the painter is one who +thinks pictures; the sculptor, one who thinks statues; the architect, +one who thinks buildings. They think these things just as you think +words; and as you tell your thoughts in spoken words, so they tell +their thoughts in printed music, in painted pictures, in chiseled +statues, and in erected buildings. Now, from all this it should be +clear to you that there can be nothing which has not first been +thought of by some one. You _think_ the door must be closed and you +close it; you _think_ you must know the time and you look at the +clock; you _think_ the one hand should play more loudly than the other +and you try to do it. + +Power to get things and to do things comes to us rapidly only in the +fairy-tales. In the real, beautiful, healthy world in which we live we +have to work hard and honestly for the power either to get things or +to do things. By faithful labor must we win what we want. What we do +not labor for we do not get. That is a condition of things so simple +that a child can readily understand it. But all, children and their +elders, are apt to forget it. In the life of every great man there is +a story different from that of every other great man, _but in every +one of them_ this truth about laboring for the power one has is found. + +In our Talk on Listening, it was said that the sounds we hear around +us are the more easily understood if we first become familiar with the +melody which is called the major scale. But in order to think music it +is necessary to know it--in fact, music-thinking is impossible without +it. As it is no trouble to learn the scale, all of you should get it +fixed in the mind quickly and securely. + +It is now possible for you to hear the scale without singing its tones +aloud. Listen and see if that is not so! Now think of the melodies you +know, the songs you sing, the pieces you play. You can sing them quite +loudly (_can_ you sing them?) or in a medium tone, or you can hum them +softly as if to yourself; or further yet, you can think them without +making the faintest sound, and every tone will be as plain as when you +sang it the loudest. Here, I can tell you that Beethoven wrote many of +his greatest works when he was so deaf that he could not hear the +music he made. Hence, he must have been able to write it out of his +thought just as he wanted it to sound. When you understand these steps +and ways you will then know about the beginning of music-thinking. + +Let us inquire in this Talk what the piano has to do in our +music-thinking. What relation is there between the music in the mind +and the tones produced by the piano? It seems really as if the piano +were a photographic camera, making for us a picture of what we have +written,--a camera so subtle indeed, that it pictures not things we +can see and touch, but invisible things which exist only within us. +But faithful as the piano is in this, it may become the means of doing +us much injury. We may get into the habit of trusting the piano to +think for us, of making it do so, in fact. Instead of looking +carefully through the pages of our new music, reading and +understanding it with the mind, we run to the piano and with such +playing-skill as we have we sit down and use our hands instead of our +minds. Now a great many do that, young and old. But the only people +who have a chance to conceive their music rightly are the young; the +old, if they have not already learned to do it, never can. That is a +law which cannot be changed. + +We have talked about listening so much that it should now be a settled +habit in us. If it is we are learning every day a little about tones, +their qualities and character. And we do this not alone by hearing the +tones, but by giving great heed to them. Let us now remember this: +listening is not of the ears but of the thoughts. It is thought +_concentrated_ upon hearing. The more this habit of tone-listening +goes on in us, the more power we shall get out of our ability to read +music. All these things help one another. We shall soon begin to +discover that we not only have thoughts about sounding-tones, but +about printed tones. This comes more as our knowledge of the scale +increases. + +We can now learn one of the greatest and one of the most wonderful +truths of science: _Great knowledge of anything comes from never +ceasing to study the first steps._ + +The major scale, as we first learn it, seems a perfectly simple thing. +But if we think of it all our lives we shall never discover the +wonders there are in it. Hence, three simple rules for us to follow in +learning to think music are these: + + 1. To listen to all tones. + + 2. Never to stop studying the major scale. + + 3. To become accustomed to hear tones within. + +If we are faithful to these we shall, with increasing study and +industry, become more and more independent of the piano. We shall +never think with our hands, nor depend upon anything outside of +ourselves for the meaning contained in printed tone-thought. + +If now we join two things we shall get the strength of both united, +which is greater than of either alone. + +If in our playing lessons we have only the very purest music (heart +music, remember), and if we are faithful in our simpler thinking +lessons, we shall gain the power not only of pure thought, but of +stronger and stronger thought. This comes of being daily in the +presence of great thoughts--for we are in the presence of great +thoughts when we study great music, or read a great poem, or look at a +great picture, or at a great building. All these things are but signs +made manifest,--that is to say, made plain to us--of the pure thought +of their makers. + +Thomas Carlyle, a Scotch author of this century, spoke very truly when +he said: + +"Great men are profitable company; we cannot look upon a great man +without gaining something by him."[22] + + + + +CHAPTER VII. + +WHAT WE SEE AND HEAR. + + + "You must feel the mountains above you while you work upon your + little garden."--_Phillips Brooks._[23] + +Somewhere else we shall have some definite lessons in music-thinking. +Let us then devote this Talk to finding out what is suggested to us by +the things we see and hear. + +Once a boy wrote down little songs. When the people asked him how he +could do it, he replied by saying that he made his songs from thoughts +which most other people let slip. We have already talked about thought +and about learning to express it. If a person of pure thought will +only store it up and become able to express it properly, when the time +comes he can make little songs or many other things; for all things +are made of thought. The poem is stored-up thought expressed in words; +the great cathedral like the one at Winchester, in England, or the one +near the Rhine, at Cologne, in Germany, is stored-up thought expressed +in stone. So with the picture and the statue: they are stored-up +thought on canvas and in marble.[24] In short, we learn by looking at +great things just what the little ones are; and we know from poems and +buildings and the like, that these, and even commoner things, like a +well-kept garden, a tidy room, a carefully learned lesson, even a +smile on one's face result, every one of them, from stored-up thought. + +We can consequently make a definition of THINGS by saying they are +what is thought. Things are made of thought. Even if you cannot +understand this fully now, keep it by you and as you grow older its +truth will be more and more clear. It will be luminous. Luminous is +just the word, for it comes from a word in another language and means +_light_. Now the better you understand things the more _light_ you +have about them. And out of this you can understand how well ignorance +has been compared with darkness. Hence, from the poem, the building, +the painting, the statue, and from commoner things we can learn, as it +was said in a previous Talk, that music is stored-up thought told in +beautiful tones. + +Now let us heed the valuable part of all this. If poems, statues, and +all other beautiful things are made out of stored-up thought (and +commoner things are, too), we ought to be able, by studying the +things, to tell what kind of a person it was who thought them; or, in +other words, who made them. It is true, we can. We can tell all the +person's thought, so far as his art and principal work are concerned. +Nearly all his life is displayed in the works he makes. We can tell +the nature of the man, the amount of study he has done, but best of +all we can tell his meaning. The face tells all its past history to +one who knows how to look.[25] His intentions are everywhere as plain +as can be in what he does. + +Thus you see there is more in a person's work than what we see at the +first glance. There are reflections in it as plain as those in a +mountain lake. And as the mountain lake reflects only what is _above_ +it, so the work of the musician, of the artist, of any one in fact, +reflects those thoughts which forever hover above the others. Thoughts +of good, thoughts of evil, thoughts of generosity, thoughts of selfish +vanity, these, _and every other kind_, are so strongly reflected in +the work we do that they are often more plainly seen than the work +itself. And with the works of a great artist before us we may find out +not only what he did and what he knew, but what he felt _and even what +he did not want to say_. + +We now know what music-thinking is. Also, we see why the young +musician needs to learn to think music. Really, he is not a musician +until he can think correctly in tone. And further than this, when we +have some understanding of music-thought we not only think about what +we play and hear, but we begin to inquire what story it tells and what +meaning it should convey. We begin to seek in music for the thought +and intention of the composer, and, little by little, even before we +know it, we begin to seek out what kind of mind and heart the composer +had. We begin really to study his character from the works he has left +us. + +We have now taken the first really intelligent step toward knowing for +ourselves something about common and classic music. Later on, as our +ability increases, this will be of great value to us. We begin to see, +bit by bit, what the author intended. That is the real test of it all. +We do not want to find mere jingle in music, we want music that says +something. Even a very young child knows that "eenty meenty meiny moe" +is not real sense, though it is a pleasant string of sounds to say in +a game. + +Thus we learn to look into what we hear and into what we see and try +to find how much thought there is in it, and the kind of thought it +is. We want to know if goodness is expressed; if the best work of the +man is before us, or if, for a lower reason, his selfishness and +vanity are most prominent. And let us remember that as we seek these +things in the works of others, so others of thoughtful kind will watch +our doings, our playing, our speech, our little habits, and all to see +what our intentions are each time we express ourselves. They will look +to see what thoughts we are putting into our doings, whether thoughts +of goodness or of selfishness. And our actions will always be just as +good as the thought we put into them. + +Now a great and a common mistake is, that sometimes we hope by some +mysterious change, as in a fairy tale, that they will be better than +what we intend. But in the first days let us learn that this is not +possible. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII. + +THE CLASSICS.[26] + + + "Genuine work done faithfully, that is eternal."--_Thomas Carlyle._ + +The older we grow and the more we study, the more we shall hear about +the classics, about classic music, and classic art, and classic books. +From the beginning let us keep it in our minds that one of our duties +is to find out the difference between what is classic and what is not. +Then we shall have a proper understanding. An English writer on art +says: "The writers and painters of the classic school set down nothing +but what is known to be true, and set it down in the perfectest manner +possible in their way."[27] + +And we have already learned that thought from the heart, expressed in +tones, is good music. On the other hand, a thought with the heart not +in it, expressed in tone, makes poor or common music. Mendelssohn +wrote in one of his letters: "When I have composed a piece just as it +springs from my heart, then I have done my duty toward it."[28] But in +writing thoughts, whether in words or in tones, there is a very +important thing to add to the bidding of the heart. It is the training +of the mind. With both of these one works and judges wisely. + +With thought and intention ever so pure, but with no education, one +would not be able to write for others, and with a little education one +would be able to write only in a partially correct way. This brings us +to one of the most interesting Talks we shall have. Let us try to make +it clear and simple. + +We can easily imagine a man both true and good who can neither write +nor spell. Happily, in these days, nearly all people who are old +enough know how to do both. We can understand that this man may have +beautiful thoughts--the thoughts of a true poet or of a true +artist--but being unable to write or to spell he could not put his +thoughts on paper for others to read and to study. This is the way +thoughts are preserved and made into books so that people may benefit +by them. + +It would, therefore, be necessary for this man, about whom we speak, +to get the assistance of some one who knew how to write thoughts and +to spell their words. Then, together, they would have to talk about +the thoughts, choose proper words, form the sentences, and make all +fit rightly together as a writer must who desires to be clear. But it +is more than likely that the one who writes would not do all these +things to the satisfaction of the other. Of this there could be but +one result. The person who had the beautiful thoughts would be forever +wishing that he had learned in the first days to write and to spell. +Then he could do all these things for himself and show his thoughts to +others exactly as he wished them to appear. + +Now it is clear that some may have beautiful and valuable thoughts and +not know how to write them, while others may have the ability to write +without having thoughts worth preserving. Evidently what one must have +are both beautiful thoughts and ability to write them. + +Did you think when I read you that bit from the letter of Mendelssohn +that all a composer has to do is to find in his heart just what he +wants to say? As we have already discovered, that is not enough. To +show you that Mendelssohn was not afraid of hard work let us read a +little from another of his letters.[29] Mendelssohn had resolved to +work in Germany and maintain himself. "If I find that I cannot do +this, then I must leave it for London or Paris, where it is easier to +get on. I see indeed where I should be more honored, and live more +gaily and more at my ease than in Germany, where a man must press +forward, and toil, and take no rest,--still, if I can succeed there, +_I prefer_ the latter."[30] + +We can now understand that it is quite the same with word-thinkers and +with tone-thinkers. Good thoughts and the proper writing of them make +the classics. + +Out of this thought there comes another. It is this: Great thoughts, +expressed well, out of a great heart, make the works which last the +longest; and still further, for one truth leads out of another. Only +they can appreciate the classics who have something that is classic +within them. They must have the heart true in its feeling, tender in +its sentiments. Even a child can have that. They must have the mind +trained in the truest and best way of expressing thought. And a child +may begin to learn that. Hence we see that a child may be classic +worthy. Only we must never, _never_, no matter what is our ability, +think we are better or above others. The more talents one has the more +one is expected to do and the greater duty it is.[31] + +Thus far we have three truths; now here is a fourth: Some love the +classics sooner and better than others because they have more power. +And how do they get it? They think more (thought-making); they feel +more (heart-learning); and they see more (truth-seeking). + +Let us at once go back and gather together these four truths. They are +important. Perhaps some of us who are willing to spend the time will +learn them from memory. + +And to repay us for the trouble of doing it we shall have greater and +greater understanding of many things. Here they are: + + I. Good thoughts and the proper writing of them make the classics. + + II. Great thoughts, expressed well, out of a great heart, make the + works which last the longest. + + III. Only they can appreciate the classics who have something that + is classic within them. + + IV. Some love the classics sooner and better than others because + they have more power. + +What shall these truths teach us? That true music cannot be learned +rapidly; that the way of Art is long and difficult. But if the way is +long, it is yet beautiful in every turn; if it is difficult, it is yet +worth a struggle for what comes. As you read the lives of the great +composers you will learn that they went willingly about their tasks, +doing each one well. This is done by all great men. _Great men take +short steps carefully_, no matter how rapidly they can go. + +One of them [32] wrote: "Success comes with tiny steps." And it comes +entirely unsought. Besides all this we are to remember that the power +for these things comes from + + I. Thought-making; + + II. Heart-learning; + + III. Truth-seeking. + +Now, just to end with let us read a few words from a book I trust we +all may read some day: [33] "Great art is the expression of the mind +of a great man, and mean art of a weak man." Let us remember that in +choosing things to play. + +Further on Ruskin says: "If stone work is _well_ put together, it +means that a thoughtful man planned it, and a careful man cut it, and +an honest man cemented it." [34] + +Likewise in these things one can see what is classic--work out of the +heart and well done, and that comes from a thoughtful, careful, honest +person. + + + + +CHAPTER IX. + +WHAT WE SHOULD PLAY. + + + "But blessings do not fall in listless hands."_--Bayard Taylor._ + +We already begin to understand what the classics are. Year by year as +our interest in the beautiful increases, we shall gain more definite +knowledge about classic art. That which is classic will begin to +announce itself in us. Our own choice indicates our taste but does not +always indicate what is best for us. And one of the purposes of art is +to improve the taste by setting before us the finest works; in these, +by study, we find beauty with which we are unacquainted. Thus we +enlarge our capacity for it. + +Because we are born with taste unformed and untrained you can at once +see the reason for gradually increasing the tasks. They are always a +little more difficult--like going up a mountain--but they give a finer +and finer view. The outlook from the mountain-top cannot be had all at +once. We must work our way upward for it. Hence you will observe in +your lessons that what was once a fitting task is no longer of quite +the same value because of your increased power. But about this +especially we shall have a Talk later on. + +When one has heard much music of all kinds, one soon begins to +understand that there are two kinds commonly chosen. Some players +choose true music with pure thought in it, and do their best to play +it well after the manner called for by the composer. Their aim is to +give truthful expression to the music of a good writer. Other players +seem to work from a motive entirely different. They select music which +is of a showy character, with much brilliancy and little thought in +it. Their aim is not to show what good music is, but to show +themselves. The desire of the first is truth, of the second is vanity. + +Now, as we examine into this, and into both kinds of music, we +discover much. It proves that we must work for the best; for the +truthful music, not for the vain music. As we get better acquainted +with true music we find it more and more interesting--it keeps saying +new things to us. We go to it again and again, getting new meanings. +But the showy music soon yields all it has; we find little or nothing +more in it than at first. As it was made not from good thought but for +display, we cannot find newer and more beautiful thought in it, and +the display soon grows tiresome. True music is like the light in a +beautifully-cut gem, it seems that we never see all it is--it is never +twice the same; always a new radiance comes from it because it is a +true gem through and through. It is full of true light, and true light +is always opposed to darkness; and darkness is the source of +ignorance. + +From all this you can now understand the quaintly-expressed opinion of +a very wise man, who said: "In discharge of thy place, set before thee +the best example."[35] That means whatever we strive to learn should +be learned from works of the best kind. In the beginning, we cannot +choose wisely the best examples to set before ourselves; therefore it +is for us to heed what another wise man said: "As to choice in the +study of pieces, ask the advice of more experienced persons than +yourself; by so doing you will save much time." [36] You thereby save +time doubly. Later on in your life you will have no bad taste to +overcome--that is one saving; and already you know from childhood many +classics, and that is another saving. What we learn in childhood is a +power all our lives. + +You can see plainly, now, that both in the choice of pieces and in the +manner of playing them, a person's character will come out. We saw in +the last Talk how character has to come out in writing. Only a very +common character would select pieces written entirely for a vain +show--of rapid runs, glittering arpeggios, and loud, unmeaning chords. +Worse than that, such a choice of pieces displays two common +people,--three, in fact: A composer who did not write pure thought +from the heart; a teacher who did not instil good thoughts into the +pupil's heart; and yourself (if really you care for such things) who +play from a vain desire to be considered brilliant. + +A player who devotes the mind and the hands only to what a meaningless +composer writes for them is not worthy of any power. With our hands in +music, as with the tongue in speech, let us strive from the beginning +to be truthful. Let us try in both ways to express the highest truth +we are able to conceive. Then in art we shall, at least, approach near +unto the true artist; and in life we shall approach near unto the true +life. Every mere empty display-piece we study takes up the time and +the opportunity wherein we could learn a good composition, by a master +of the heart. And it is only with such music that you will, during +your life, get into the hearts of those who are most worthy for you to +know. Out of just this thought Schumann has two rules now very easy +for us to understand: + +"Never help to circulate bad compositions; on the contrary, help to +suppress them with earnestness." + +"You should neither play bad compositions, nor, unless compelled, +listen to them." + +We now come to a really definite conclusion about the compositions we +should play and to an extent as to how we should play them. + +The heart, the mind, and the hands, or the voice, if you sing, should +unite in our music; and be consecrated to the beautiful. Consecrate is +just exactly the word. Look for it in your dictionary.[37] It comes +from two other words, does it not? _Con_ meaning _with_ and _sacer_ +meaning _holiness._ Thus devote heart and head and hands _with +holiness_ to the beautiful. This is very clear, I am sure. + +It is also worth doing. "With holiness" describes _how_ to play and +really _what_ to play. A composition which has been born of a true man +is in thought already consecrated. He has heard it and felt it within +himself. Daily you must get closer and closer to these messages and +meanings. And are they not already more _luminous_ to you? And do you +remember what we said luminous means? + + + + +CHAPTER X. + +THE LESSON. + + + "All people value most what has cost them much labor." + --Aristotle.[38] + +It is true that music is beautiful and that it gives us happiness and +comfort. But, nevertheless, music is hard to learn _for every one_; +harder for some than for others, but hard for all. It is well and best +that it should be so. We appreciate most highly that which we labor +for earnestly. Just imagine if every one could sing or play merely by +wishing it! Then music would be so common and so much the talent of +all that it would cease to give us joy. Why? Because one gained it by +a wish. That is not enough. From this can we learn to understand the +great secret of it all? I think we can. Let us see! The secret is +this: Music is a joy because it takes us out of ourselves and we work +hard to get it. Music teaches us what a wonderful power there is +within us, if we will only strive to bring it out. Education is good +for us for this same reason. As you learn more and more about words, +you will see more in this word Education. + +It means to lead out _what is within us_. To lead music out of the +heart becomes the object, then, of your lessons. One cannot drive +music into you; it must be led out. + +Where shall we look for music that it may be led out? Only in the +heart. That is where all is in every one of us. But often in our +hearts there is so much else, so much vanity, self-love, conceit, love +for other things, that the music is almost beyond reach. _Almost_, but +never entirely. In the heart of every one is music. But often it is +deep, deep down, covered by these other things. The older we grow and +the more other things we see and think about, the deeper and deeper +down does the music get. + +It is like heaping rocks, and dirt, and sticks on a bubbling spring. +The spring is down there, bubbling freely beneath it all, still +striving to be as free and as songful as before; but it cannot. People +may come and go, may pass near to it, and hear not one of its sounds; +they may never suspect that there is such a thing ready to go on +merrily if it could. + +When is the best time to lead water out of the spring, and music out +of the heart? Before other things begin to cover it. With music the +best time is in the early days, in childhood time--_in the first +days_. We shall hear those words many times. Then little by little the +bubbling spring of melody gains its independence; then, even if other +things do come in, they cannot bury the music out of sight. The spring +has been led forth _and has grown stronger_. + +Thoughtful people who have suffered in learning--all people suffer in +learning, thoughtful ones the most--wonder how they can make the task +less painful for others. It will always cause us sorrow as well as joy +to learn, and many people spend their lives in trying to have as +little sorrow as possible come with the learning of the young. When +such people are true and good and thoughtful and _have infinite +kindness_, they are teachers; and the teachers impose tasks upon us +severely, perhaps, but with kind severity. They study us and music, +and they seek out the work each one of us must perform in order that +we may keep the heart-springs pure and uncovered. Further than this, +they find the way by which we shall lead the waters of life which flow +out of the heart-springs. They find the way whither they should flow +best. + +Often in the doing of these things we find the lessons hard and +wearisome, infinitely hard to bear, difficult, and not attractive. We +wonder why all these things should be so, and we learn in the moment +we ask that question that these painful tasks are the price we are +paying for the development of our talent. That is truly the purpose of +a lesson. And the dear teacher, wise because she has been painfully +over the road herself, knows how good and necessary it is for us to +labor as she directs. + +Let us suppose you play the piano. There will be two kinds of +lessons--one will be for the fingers, one for the mind. But really the +mind also guides the finger-work; and the heart must be in all. Your +exercises will give you greater power to speak with the fingers. Every +new finger-exercise in piano-playing is like a new word in language. +Provided with it, you can say more than you could before. The work for +the mind is the classics. These are compositions by the greater and +lesser masters with which you form the taste, while the technical +exercises are provided to give you the power, the ability, to play +them. Thus you see how well these two things go together. + +Year after year, if you go on patiently, you will add to each of these +tasks; more power will come to the fingers and to the mind. All this +time you will be coming nearer and nearer to the true music. More and +more will be coming out of your heart. The spring will not only +continue to bubble clearly but it will become more powerful. Nothing +is so wonderful as that. + +Do you know what a sad thing it was for the man not to increase that +one talent which had been given to him? [39] Perchance you have also +one. Then find it, love it, increase it. Know that every step of the +way, every bit of task, every moment of faith is paid for in later +years ten thousandfold. + +If now we remember our Talk on Listening it will serve us. Did we not +say then that the first duty of a listener is to the one who speaks +for his good? Lesson time is an opportunity above nearly all others +when we should listen with love in our attention. Yes, nothing less +than that, because--how many times we have heard it already--putting +love into anything, is putting the heart into it, and with less than +that we do not get all we may have. + +This Talk, then, is important, because it gathers together many things +that have gone before, and hints at some to come. Let us give the last +words to speaking about that. A lesson suggests listening; listening +suggests the teacher, who with infinite kindness and severity guides +us; and the teacher suggests the beautiful road along which we go and +what we hear as we travel, that is the music of the heart; and the +music of the heart has in it the tones about us, and the greater and +lesser masters who thought them into beautiful forms. The masters are +as servants unto whom there is given to some one talent, to others +two, and four, and more, but to each according to his worth, to be +guided and employed in truth and honor; increased by each in +accordance to his strength. + + + + +CHAPTER XI. + +THE LIGHT ON THE PATH. + + + "Let us seek service and be helpers of one another." + +"Master," said the little child, "I am unhappy. Though I have +companions and games, they do not content me. Even the music which I +love above all the rest is not truly in my heart; nor is it the +pleasure to me which it should be. What am I to do?" + +And the master replied: + +"There is a task, the greatest and severest of all. But a child must +learn it. Thou must know _from the first days_, that all thou doest +and sayest, whither thou goest, what thou seekest; these, all these, +come from within. All that is seen of thee is of thy inner life. All +thy doings, thy goings and comings, thy ways and thy desires, these +are from within. And when all these things _are for thyself_ there is +misery. + +"Now there are many things which may not be had by directly seeking +them; of these the greatest are two. The one is that which already has +given thee sadness in the heart,--the Light of the Face. And the other +is happiness. + +"But there is a way in which these are to be found. Dost thou not know +that often, even with much trouble, thou canst not please thyself? But +always, _with little trouble or none_, thou canst please another. + +"And the way is Service. + +"Thou poor little one! Thou hast come with thy complaint of +unhappiness; and yet thou hast all that is bright and rare; +companions, and music, and a dear home. Dost thou know that there are +in the world uncounted poor ones, children like thyself, who have not +their daily bread? And yet there are many of them who never fail to +say: 'Lead us not into temptation.' And they say this _without having +tasted_ of the daily bread for which they have been taught to pray. + +"And thou? Thou art unhappy. And thy daily bread is set before thee +with music and with sunshine. + +"Yet there are little ones, like thyself, who are hungry in the +darkness. + +"And thou? Thou art unhappy." + + + + +CHAPTER XII. + +THE GREATER MASTERS. + + + "In spite of all, I have never interrupted the study of music." + --_Palestrina._ + +An opera writer of Italy, named Giovanni Pacini, once said that to +study the writings of Mozart, Haydn, and Beethoven "lightens the mind +of a student, since the classics are a continuous development of the +most beautiful and simple melodies," and we sometimes hear it said +that great men are they who dare to be simple. In our Talks thus far +we have learned one important fact, which is, that music is truth +expressed out of the heart. Of course we know that to be in the heart +it must be felt, and to be expressed we must know a great deal about +writing. Now we are able to imagine quite well what a great master is +in music. As Pacini says, his melodies will be simple and beautiful, +and as we ourselves know, his simple melodies will be an expression of +truth out of the heart. + +But to go only as far as this would not be enough. Many can write +simply and well, and truthfully, yet not as a master. There must be +something else. When we have found out what that something else is we +shall understand the masters better and honor them more. + +Everywhere in the history of music we read of what men have been +willing to do for the love of their art. It is not that they have been +willing to do when told; but that they have cheerfully done painful, +laborious tasks of their own accord. The name of every master will +recall great labor willingly given for music and equally great +suffering willingly endured, nay, even sought out, that the music +might be purer to them. Poor Palestrina went along many years through +life with the scantiest means. But, as he says, "in spite of all, I +have never interrupted the study of music." Bach was as simple and +loyal a citizen as any land could have, and from the early years when +he was a fatherless boy to the days of his sad affliction, he +sacrificed always. Think of the miles he walked to hear Buxterhude, +the organist; and in the earlier years, when he lived with Johann +Christopher, his brother, how eagerly he sought learning in the art +that so fascinated him. It was a constant willingness to learn +honestly that distinguished him. + +Any of us who will labor faithfully with the talents we have can do a +great deal--more than we would believe. Even Bach himself said to a +pupil: "If thou art _equally_ diligent thou wilt succeed as I +have."[40] He recognized that it matters little how much we wish for +things to be as we want them; unless our wish-thoughts are forced into +prompt action we cannot succeed; for while all thoughts seek action, +wish-thoughts demand the most labor. + +It would be pleasant to have a Talk about every one of the great +masters to see in what particular way each of them sacrificed for the +art he loved. In all of them the true qualities come out: in one as +earnestness; in another as determination; in another as patriotism; +but all are loyal to the art itself. It must be a very plain lesson to +us to see that when men are willing to give all their thoughts to a +subject they get much from it. And is it not quite as plain to see +that no one can get much if he gives but a few unwilling minutes to +it? I trust none who hear these Talks will ever think that with a +little time given to their music, and that not freely given, they can +ever get either pleasure or comfort from it. They never can. And +rather than do it so they would better leave it undone. If we set out +on the way to go to the masters we shall get there only by +earnestness. Lagging is a disgrace to the one who travels and to the +one to whom we go. It shows his laziness on the one hand, and his +misunderstanding of the master on the other; for if he understood he +would take no listless step. + +Now we have said again and again that true music comes from the heart, +and is simple. At the same time we find it difficult to understand the +music of the masters. That is, some of us find it so. It seems +anything but simple to us; and naturally we conclude that there is +something wrong somewhere. We sit at our tasks, poring over the music, +and we grow discouraged because we cannot play it. To think it a very +hard task is natural, and we cannot bear to hear such tones. Well, let +us not get discouraged for that; let us see! + +First of all, the playing is more difficult to do than the music is to +understand. Once a great master of the piano played to a lady who had +never heard a great master before, and the playing was like beautiful +lace. When it was over and the master had gone away, some one asked +the lady how he had played, and she said: + +"He played so that the music sounded as I thought it should." + +And they asked her what she meant. + +"Always I have been taught," she said, "to listen to music and to +think it. I have been taught this more than I have been taught to +play. And the music of the master-composers I always think of as +beautiful and simple but hard to make it sound as it should. Often I +have heard others say that the music of the masters is dull, and not +beautiful, but that is really not what the people feel. It is +difficult for them to play the music rightly. And again they cannot +understand this: that art is often simple in, its truth, while those +who look upon it are not! simple-hearted, as they regard it. This is +hard to understand, but it is the true reason." + +Now, if we think of what this cultured lady said, we shall think her +wise. Whatever stumbling we may do with our fingers, let us still keep +in our minds the purity of the music itself. This will in a sense +teach us to regard reverentially the men who, from early years, have +added beauties to art for us to enjoy to-day. The wisest of the Greeks +[41] said: + +"The treasures of the wise men of old, which they have left written in +books, I turn over and peruse in company with my friends, and if we +find anything good in them, we remark it, and think it a great gain, +if we thus become more attracted to one another." + +Once an English lady[42] wrote about a verse-writer: "No poet ever +clothed so few ideas in so many words." Just opposite to this is a +true poet, he who clothes in few words many and noble ideas. A master +tells his message in close-set language. + +Now, in the last minutes, let us see what a great master is: + + I. He will be one who tells a beautiful message simply. + + II. He has been willing to sacrifice and suffer for his art. + + III. He has lived his every day in the simple desire to know his own + heart better. + + IV. Always he has concentrated his message into as few tones as + possible, and his music, therefore, becomes filled to + overflowing with meaning. + +About the meaning of the masters, one of them has written this: +"Whenever you open the music of Bach, Mozart, or Beethoven, its +meaning comes forth to you in a thousand different ways." That is +because thousands of different messages from the heart have been +_concentrated_ in it. + + + + +CHAPTER XIII. + +THE LESSER MASTERS. + + + "And the soul of a child came into him again."--_I Kings, XVII: 22._ + +If, one day, some one should say to you, earnestly: "Well day are to +you!" you would scarcely know what to make of it. You would at once +understand that the person had knowledge of words but could not put +them together rightly. And if the person continued to talk to you in +this manner you might feel inclined to lose your patience and not +listen. But if you would stop and consider things and examine yourself +you would learn something well worth thinking about. + +You would discover that your own ability to put words in the right +order has come from being obedient. First of all, you have been +willing to imitate what others said until you have thereby learned to +speak quite well. Besides that, you have been corrected many times by +those about you at home, and in school, until language is at length a +careful habit in you. Every one knows at once what you mean. You see, +therefore, that you may combine words in such a manner that you will +be easily comprehended by others; or, as in the case of the imaginary +person we began with, they may be combined in a perfectly senseless +way. Consequently, it is not enough to know words alone, we must know +what to do with them. The true art of using words is to put full and +clear meaning into a few of them; to say as much as possible with as +few words as you may select. + +Tones may be treated in the same manner as words. One can write tones +in such a manner as to say quite as senseless a thing as "Well day are +to you!" Many do. This teaches you that true and simple +tone-sentences, like similar word-sentences, must have for their +object to say the fullest and clearest meaning in as little space as +possible. + +For many hundreds of years thoughtful composers have studied about +this. They have tried in every way to discover the secrets underlying +tone-writing so that the utmost meaning should come out when they are +united. Tones thus arranged according to the laws of music-writing +make sense. To learn this art all great composers have studied +untiringly. They have recognized the difficulty of putting much +meaning in little space, and to gain this ability they have found no +labor to be too severe. + +We must remember that there is no end of music in the world which was +not written by the few men whom we usually call the great composers. +Perhaps you will be interested to know about these works. Many of them +are really good--your favorite pieces, no doubt. When we think of it, +it is with composers as with trees of the forest. Great and small, +strong and weak, grow together for the many purposes for which they +are created. They could not all be either great or small. There must +be many kinds; then the young in time take the place of the old, and +the strong survive the weak. Together beneath the same sky, +deep-rooted in the beautiful, bountiful earth, they grow side by side. +The same sun shines upon them all, the same wind and the same rain +come to them, selecting no one before another. What are they all +doing? Each living its true life, as best it can. It is true they may +not come and go, they may not choose, but as we see them, beautiful in +their leaves and branches we feel the good purpose to which they live +and, unconsciously, perhaps, we love them. + +Among us it is quite the same. Some are more skilful than others. But +be our skill great or small, we are not truly using it until we have +devoted it to a worthy purpose. And as with us, so it is with the +musicians. There are the great and small. The great ones--leaders of +thought--we call the great masters. The lesser are earnest men, who +have not as much power as the masters, but they are faithful in small +things. + +They sing lesser songs it is true, but not less beautiful ones. Often +these lesser ones think more as we do. They think simply and about the +things which we have often in our minds. It is such thoughts as these +which we have in our best moments that we love so much when we see +them well expressed by one who is a good and delicate writer, either +of tones or words. Particularly do we understand these thoughts well +in the first years of our music when nearly all the works of the +greater composers are above us. + +Thus are the many composers (who yet are not great masters) of value +to us because they write well a kind of thought which is pure and full +of meaning, and which we can understand. They give us true pleasure +day after day in the beginning and seem at the same time to help us +onward to the ability of understanding the great masters. This they do +by giving our thought training in the right direction. + +Now, we know that the very best music for a young musician to learn in +the first days is that of the lesser tone masters, together with those +simpler pieces of the great composers which come within his power to +comprehend--within the power of a child's hands and voice. Let us see, +once again, if it is not clear: + +True composers, great and small, sing from the heart. If one having a +little skill turn it unworthily away from the good and true work he +might do, then he does not use rightly his one talent. He does not +give us true thought in tone. He writes for vanity or a low purpose, +and is not a lesser master but he is untrue. + +It is not our right to play anything. We may rightly play only that +which is full of such good thought as we in our power may understand. +It is to supply us with just this that the lesser masters write. In +simple, yet clear and beautiful pictures, they tell us many and many a +secret of the world of tone into which we shall some day be welcomed +by the greater ones if we are faithful unto the lesser. + + + + +CHAPTER XIV. + +HARMONY AND COUNTERPOINT. + + + "Whilst I was in Florence, I did my utmost to learn the exquisite + manner of Michaelangelo, and never once lost sight of + it."--_Benvenuto Cellini._[43] + +On any important music subject Schumann has something to say. So with +this: + +"Learn betimes the fundamental principles of harmony." "Do not be +afraid of the words theory, thorough-bass, and the like, they will +meet you as friends if you will meet them so." + +We now begin to feel how definitely these rules treat everything. They +pick out the important subjects and tell the simplest truth about +them. The meaning of these two rules is this: From the beginning we +must try to understand the grammar of music. Some of the great +composers could in childhood write down music with the greatest +fluency. Handel, even as a boy, wrote a new church composition for +every Sunday. Mozart began to write music when less than five years +old, and when he was yet a boy, in Rome, he wrote down a +composition,[44] sung by the choir of the Sistine Chapel, which was +forbidden to the public. + +Harmony and counterpoint stand to music very much as spelling and +grammar stand to language. They are the fundamentals of good writing +and of good--that is, of correct--thinking in music. Harmony is the +art of putting tones together so as correctly to make chords. +Counterpoint has to do with composing and joining together simple +melodies. A modern writer[45] on counterpoint has said: "The essence +of true counterpoint lies in the equal interest which should belong to +ever part." By examining a few pieces of good counterpoint you will +readily see just what this means. The composer has not tried to get +merely a correct chord succession, such as we find in a choral. Let us +play a choral; any good one of a German master will do.[46] We notice +that the soprano is the principal part, and that the other voices, +while somewhat melodic, tend rather to support and follow the melody +than to be independent. If, now, we play a piece of counterpoint like +the G-Minor Prelude by Bach,[47] we shall have quite a good piece of +counterpoint, as far as separate melodies being combined is concerned. +Let us play the voice-parts separately. We shall find equal melodic +interest in each. The chords grow out of the music. Comparing this +with the choral, the main difference between harmony and counterpoint +should be clear to us. We shall observe that the three voices do _not_ +proceed in the same way. If one part moves quickly, as in the bass of +the first two measures, the other parts are quieter; if the bass +ceases to move rapidly some other voice will take up the motion, as we +see in the third and following measures. As a general thing no two +voices in contrapuntal writing move in the same way, each voice-part +being contrasted with different note-values. This gives greater +interest and makes each voice stand forth independently. + +At first contrapuntal music may not seem interesting to us. If that is +so, it is because we are not in the least degree conscious of the +wonderful interest which has been put into every part. The truth is, +that in the beginning we cannot fully understand the thought that has +been put into the music, but by perseverance it will come to us little +by little. This is what makes great music lasting. It is so deftly +made, yet so delicately, that we have to go patiently in search of it. +We must remember that gems have to be cut and polished from a bit of +rock. + +In this case the gem is the rich mind-picture which comes to us if we +faithfully seek the under-thought. And the seeking is polishing the +gem. + +Music written entirely by the rules of counterpoint is called +contrapuntal music; that written otherwise is known as free harmonic +music. In the one case the composer desired to have a beautiful +weaving of the parts--clear as the lines in a line-engraving. In the +other, the intention is to get effects from tones united into chords, +such as is obtained from masses of color in a painting. Neither form +may be said to be the superior of the other. Each is valuable in its +place, and each has possibilities peculiarly its own, which the other +could not give. Pure counterpoint could not give us such a charming +effect as Chopin obtains in the first study of Opus 10; nor could the +plainer and more free harmonic style give us such delicate bits of +tracery as Bach has in his fugues. + +If now you will take the trouble to learn two long words, later in +your study of music they will be of use to you. The first is +Polyphonic; the other is Monophonic. Both, like many other words in +our language, are made up of two shorter words, and come from another +language--Greek. In both we have "phonic," evidently meaning the same +in each case, limited or modified by the preceding part--_poly_ and +_mono_. Phonic is the Anglicized Greek for _sound_. We use it in the +English word _telephonic_. Now if we define mono and poly we shall +understand these two long words. + +Mono means one, poly means many. We say _mono_tone, meaning one tone; +also _poly_gon, meaning many sides. + +In the musical reference monophonic music means music of one voice, +rather than of one tone, and polyphonic music is that _for many +voices_. Simple melodies with or without accompanying chords are +monophonic; many melodies woven together, as in the Bach piece which +we have looked over, are polyphonic. + +In the history of music two men surpassed all others in what they +accomplished in counterpoint--that is, in polyphonic writing. The one +was Palestrina, an Italian; the other was Bach, a German. Palestrina +lived at a time when the music of the church was very poor, so poor, +indeed, that the clergy could no longer endure it. Palestrina, +however, devoted himself earnestly to composing music strictly adapted +to the church use. The parts were all melodic, and woven together with +such great skill that they yet remain masterpieces of contrapuntal +writing. Later Bach developed counterpoint very much more in the +modern way. He did with polyphony for the piano and organ much the +same as Palestrina did for the voice. There have never lived greater +masters than these in the art of polyphonic music. + +There is still another form of writing which is neither strictly +harmonic, nor strictly contrapuntal,--it is a combination of both. +There is not the plain unadorned harmonic progress as in the simple +choral, nor is there the strict voice progression as in the works of +Bach. This form of writing which partakes of the beauties of both the +others has been called the free harmonic style. It has been followed +by all the great masters since the time of Bach,[48] even before, +indeed. If you can imagine a beautiful song-melody with an artistic +accompaniment, so arranged that all can be played upon the piano, you +will understand what the third style is. It is wonderfully free, +surely; sometimes proceeding in full free chords, as in the opening +measures of the B flat Sonata of Beethoven,[49] again running away +from all freedom back to the old style, until the picture looks as old +as a monkish costume among modern dress. + +All of the great sonatas and symphonies are of this wonderfully varied +form of writing. How full it can be of expressiveness you know from +the Songs without Words by Mendelssohn, and the Nocturnes of Chopin; +how full of flickering humor you hear in the Scherzo of a Beethoven +symphony; how full of deep solemnity and grief one feels in the +funeral marches.[50] + +This school of composition has been followed by both the greater and +the lesser masters. Every part is made to say something as naturally +and interestingly as possible, being neither too restricted nor too +free. Then, in playing, both hands must be equally intelligent, for +each has an important part assigned to it. + +The great good of study in harmony and counterpoint is that it +increases one's appreciation. As soon as we begin to understand the +spirit of good writing we begin to play better, _because we see more_. +We begin, perhaps in a small way, to become real music-thinkers. By +all these means we learn to understand better and better what the +meaning of true writing is. It will be clear to us that a composer is +one who thinks pure thoughts in tone, and not one who is a weaver of +deceits. + + + + +CHAPTER XV. + +MUSIC AND READING. + + + "Truly it has been said, a loving heart is the beginning of all + knowledge."--_Thomas Carlyle._ + +A beautiful thing in life is the friendship for books. Every one who +loves books pays some day a tribute to them, expressing thankfulness +for the joy and comfort they have given. There are in them, for +everybody who will seek, wise words, good counsel, companies of great +people, fairies, friends for every day, besides wonders we never see +nor dream of in daily life. + +Some of the great men have told us about their love for books; how +they have saved penny by penny slowly to buy one, or how after the +day's labor a good book and the firelight were prized above anything +else. All tell us how much they owe to books and what a blessing books +are. Imagine the number of heart-thoughts there must be in a shelf +full of good books! Thoughts in tones or thoughts in words may be of +the heart or not. But it is only when they are of the heart that they +are worthy of our time. + +You will not only love books, but gain from them something of the +thoughts they contain. We might, had we time, talk of classic books, +but as we have already talked of classic music we know what the +principal thing is. It is that good thought, out of the heart, be +expressed in a scholarly way--"Great thought needs great +expression."[51] This teaches us the necessity for choosing good books +for our instruction and for our entertainment. They present beautiful +pictures to us truthfully, or they present truth to us beautifully. +And these are the first test of a written thought--its truth and its +beauty. + +If you read good books you will have in every volume you get something +well worth owning. You should bestow upon it as much care as you would +want any other good friend to receive. And if it has contributed help +or pleasure to you it is surely worth an abiding place. A fine +pleasure will come from a good book even after we are quite done with +it. As we see it in years after it has been read there comes back to +one a remembrance of all the old pleasures, and with it a sense of +thankfulness for so pleasant a friendship. Hence any book that has +given us joy or peace or comfort is well worth not only good care, but +a place _for always_; as a worthy bit of property. + +In the early days of your music study, it will be a pleasure to you to +know that there are many and delightful books _about_ music written, +sometimes by music-lovers, sometimes by the composers. The written +word-thoughts of the composers are often full of great interest. They +not only reveal to us many secrets of the tone-art, but teach us much +about the kinds of things and of thoughts which lived in the minds of +the composers. We learn definitely not only the music-interests of the +composers, but the life-interest as well. It really seems as if we +were looking into their houses, seeing the way they lived and worked, +and listening to their words. Never afterward do we regard the great +names in music as uninteresting. The most charming and attractive +pictures cluster about them and it all gives us a new inspiration to +be true to music, loyal to the truth of music, and willing to do as we +see others have done, and to learn by doing. The lesson we get from +the life of every man is, that he must _do_ if he would learn. + +I am sure you will spend many delightful minutes with the Letters of a +great composer. Every one is like a talk with the writer. They are so +friendly, and so full of the heart, and yet so filled with the man +himself. Especially the Letters of Mendelssohn and Schumann will +please you. In truth the Letters of all the composers are among the +most valuable music writings we have. In some way they seem to explain +the music itself: and the composer at once becomes a close friend. But +besides these read the biographies. Then it is as if we were +personally invited home to the composer and shown all his ways and his +life. And besides these, there are some friendly books full of the +very best advice as to making us thoughtful musicians; many and many +again are the writers who have so loved art--not the art of tone +alone, but all other arts as well--that they have told us of it in +good and earnest books which are friendly, because they are written +from the right place; and that you must know by this time is the +heart. + +You will soon see when you have read about the composers that true +music comes out of true life. Then you will begin to love true life, +to be useful, and to help others. But all these things do not come at +once. Yet, as we go along step by step, we learn that art is +unselfish, and we must be so to enjoy it; art is truthful--we must be +so to express it; art is full of life--we must know and live truth in +order to appreciate it. And the study of pure thoughts in music, in +books, and in our own life will help to all this. + + + + +CHAPTER XVI. + +THE HANDS. + + + "The skill of their hands still lingers."--_John Ruskin._[52] + +In one of our Talks, speaking about the thoughts in our hearts, we +said that they crept from the heart into our arms and hands, into the +music we play, and off to those who hear us, causing in them the +thoughts by which they judge us. Thus we see, that as Janus stands +sentinel at the doorway of the year, so the hands stand between the +secret world of thought within and the questioning world of curiosity +without. + +If we were not in such a hurry usually, we might stop to think that +every one, all over the world, is training the hands for some purpose. +And such a variety of purposes! One strives to get skill with tools, +another is a conjurer, another spends his life among beautiful and +delicate plants, another reads with his fingers.[53] In any one of +these or of the countless other ways that the hands may be used, no +one may truly be said to have skill until delicacy has been gained. +Even in a forcible use of the hands there must be the greatest +delicacy in the guidance. You can readily see that when the hands are +working at the command of the heart they must be ever ready to make +evident the meaning of the heart, and that is expressed in truthful +delicacy. Not only are all the people in the world training their +hands, but they are, as we have already said, training them in +countless different ways. + +Have you ever stopped to think of another matter: that all things +about us, except the things that live, have been made by hands? And of +the things that live very many are cared for by the hands. These +thoughts will suggest something to us. Those things which are good and +beautiful suggest noble use of the hands; while those which are of no +service, harmful and destructive, show an ignoble use. But noble and +ignoble use of the hands is only another evidence of thought. Thought +that is pure in the heart guides the hands to beautiful ends. And if +the heart is impure in its thoughts, of course you know what follows. + +I have always been impressed in reading the books of John Ruskin to +note how many times he speaks about the hands. Very truly, indeed, +does he recognize that back of all hand work there is heart-thought, +commanding, directing, actually building. It shows everywhere. The +building of a wall with the stones rightly placed demands _honor_. The +builder may be rude, but if his hands place the stones faithfully one +upon another, there is surely honor in his heart. If it were not so +his hands could not work faithfully. + +If the work is finer, like that work in gold which many have learned +eagerly in former times, in Rome and Florence, still the spirit must +be the same. So we see, that be the work coarse or fine, it is in +either case prompted by the same kind of heart-thought. + +Many times in these Talks I have spoken of Ruskin's words to you; for +two reasons: first, his words are always full of meaning, because he +was so full of thought when he wrote them; and second, I would have +you, from the first days, know something of him and elect him to your +friendship. Many times he will speak to you in short, rude words, +impatiently too, but never mind that, his heart is warm and full of +good. + +Now from what was said a moment ago about the stone work and the gold +work we can understand these words: + +"No distinction exists between artist and artisan, except that of +higher genius or better conduct." + +Learn from this then, be the work of our hands what it may, its first +quality and the first things for which it shall be judged are its +honor, its faithfulness, and its sincerity. + +Of themselves the hands are absolutely without power. They cannot +move, they cannot do good things nor bad things, they can do nothing +until we command them. And how shall this be done? Surely I can +understand it if you have wearied of this Talk a little. But I have +said all the things just for the sake of answering this question, so +that you should understand it. How do we command? not the hands alone +but all we do and say? + +By our THOUGHTS. + +Without them there is no power whatever. Until they have commanded, +the hands cannot make a motion; the feet must have direction ordered +to them, the tongue must be bidden to speak, and without the command +there is nothing. + +Of course, all these Talks are about thoughts. But we shall need a +little time to speak of them particularly. And little by little it +will be clear to us all why the hands need to act thoughtfully. Now +the harm of the world is done by two forces,--by evil thought and by +thoughtlessness. Then it is no wonder that Ruskin speaks much about +the hands, for it is thought that gives them guidance. Can you wonder, +that when he says, "the idle and loud of tongue" he associates the +"_useless hand_."[54] These things go together, and together they come +either from evil thought or from lack of thought. The moment Ruskin +speaks of one who uses his hands with honor, his words glow. So he +speaks of the laborer, describing him as "silent, serviceable, +honorable, keeping faith, untouched by change, to his country and to +Heaven." + +Thus, when we are earnestly asked to do something worthy with the +hands every day, we can understand why. I do not mean one worthy +thing, but some one particular worthy act, especially thought out by +us. To do that daily with forethought will purify the heart. It will +teach us to devote the hands to that which is worthy. Then another old +truth that every one knows will be clear to us: "As a man--or a child, +for that matter--thinketh in his heart, _so he is_." + +Bit by bit the thoughts of this Talk will become clear to you. You +will feel more friendly toward them. Then you will really begin to +think about hands; your own hands and everybody's hands. You will +become truthful of hand, guiding your own thoughtfully; watching those +of others carefully. And you will find that in the smallest tasks of +your hands you can put forethought, while every use to which people +put their hands will teach you something if you observe carefully. It +may be folding a paper or picking up a pin, or anything else quite +common; that matters not, common things, like any others, can be done +rightly. + +By this observation we shall see hands performing all sorts of odd +tricks. The fingers are drumming, twitching, twirling, closing, +opening, doing a multitude of motions which mean what? Nothing, do you +say? Oh! no, indeed; not _nothing_ but _something_. Fingers and hands +which perform all these unnecessary motions are not being commanded by +the thoughts, and are acting as a result of _no_ thought; that is, of +thoughtlessness. Every one does it do you say? No, that is not true. +Many do these things, but those who command their thoughts never allow +it. If we never moved the hands except in a task when we commanded +them, we should soon become hand-skilled. The useless movements I have +spoken of _un_skill the hand. They are undoing motions, and teach us +that we must govern ourselves if we would become anything. Do you know +how it is that people do great things? They command themselves. Having +determined to do something, they work and work and work to finish it +at any cost. That gives strength and character. + +Having observed the hands and their duties, we can readily see the +kind of task they must do in music. It is just the same kind of task +as laying a wall of stone. Every motion must be done honorably. +Everything must be thought out in the mind and heart before the hands +are called upon to act. Wise people always go about their tasks this +way. Unwise people try the other way, of acting first and thinking it +out afterward, and, of course, they always fail. You can now +understand that a great pianist is one who has great thought with +which to command the hands. And to be sure they will obey his commands +at once, he has made them obey him continuously for years. This +teaching the hands to obey is called Practice. + +The Italian artist, Giotto, once said: + +"You may judge my masterhood of craft by seeing that I can draw a +circle unerringly." + + + + +CHAPTER XVII. + +WHAT THE ROMAN LADY SAID. + + + "You may always be successful if you do but set out well, and let + good thoughts and practice proceed upon right method."--_Marcus + Aurelius._[55] + +The same wise Roman emperor who said this tells us a very pretty thing +about his mother, which shows us what a wise lady she must have been, +and how in the days of his manhood, with the cares of a great nation +upon him, he yet pondered upon the childhood teaching of home. First, +he speaks of his grandfather Verus, who, by his example, taught him +not to be prone to anger; then of his father, the Emperor Antoninus +Pius, from whom he learned to be modest and manly; then of his mother, +whose name was Domitia Calvilla. Let us read some of his own words +about her, dwelling particularly upon a few of them. He writes: "As +for my mother, she taught me to have regard for religion, to be +generous and open-handed, and not only to forbear from doing anybody +an ill turn, _but not so much as to endure the thought of it_." + +Now these words are the more wonderful when we remember that they were +not taken down by a scribe in the pleasant apartments of the royal +palace in Rome, but were written by the Emperor himself on the +battlefield; for this part of his famous book is signed: "Written in +the country of the Quadi." + +In our last Talk on the Hands we came to the conclusion, that unless +the hands were commanded they could not act. And on inquiring as to +what gave these commands we found it was the thoughts. Many people +believe it is perfectly safe to think anything, to have even evil +thoughts in their hearts, for thoughts being hidden, they say, cannot +be seen by others. But a strange thing about thought is this: The +moment we have a thought, good or bad, it strives to get out of us and +become an action. And it most always succeeds. Not at once, perhaps, +for thoughts like seeds will often slumber a long time before they +spring into life. So it becomes very clear to us that if we wish to be +on the alert we must not watch our actions, but look within and guard +the thoughts; for they are the springs of action. + +You now see, I am sure, how wise the Emperor's mother was in teaching +her boy not even to _endure_ a thought to do evil unto others. For the +thought would get stronger and stronger, and suddenly become an +action. Certainly; and hence the first thing to learn in this Talk is +just these words: + +Thoughts become actions. + +That is an important thing. In a short time you will see, that if you +do not learn it you can never enjoy music, nor beautiful things, nor +the days themselves. Let us see how this will come about. + +I have told your teacher[56] the name of the book which was written by +the Roman lady's boy. Well, in that book, running through it like a +golden thread, is this bit of teaching from his mother. + +Not only did he think of it and write it on the battlefield, but at +all times there seemed to come to him more and more wisdom from it. +And he tells us this same thought over and over again in different +words. Sometimes it leads him to say very droll things; for instance: + +"Have you any sense in your head? Yes. Why do you not make use of it +then? For if this does its part, for what more can you wish?"[57] +Then, a very good thought which we frequently hear: + +"Your manners will very much depend upon what you frequently +think."[58] There are many others, but these show us that the meaning +of his mother's words went deep, teaching that not action must be +guarded but the thought which gives rise to action. Now, what can be +the value of speaking about the Roman lady? Let us see. + +In music, the tones are made either by the hands or by the voice. And +to make a tone is to _do_ something. This doing something is an +action, and action comes from thought. No music, then, can be made +unless it be made by thinking. And the right playing of good music +must come from the right thinking of good thoughts. It may be that you +will hear some one say that to think good thoughts is not needed in +making good music. Never believe it! Bad thought never made anything +good, and _never_ will because it never can. In the very first days +you must learn, that good things of all kinds come from good thoughts, +because they can come from nothing else. + +Here, then, is the second truth of this Talk: + +Good music being the fruit of good thought can be played rightly only +by one who thinks good thoughts. + +This leads us to another matter. First, let us see if everything is +clear. True music is written out of good thought; hence, when we begin +to study music we are really becoming pupils of good thought. We are +learning the thoughts good men have had, trying to feel their truth +and meaning, and from them learning to have our own thoughts not only +good but constantly better and better. This now seems simple and +necessary. We see that if we would faithfully study a composer's work +it must be our principal aim to get into his heart. Then everything +will be clear to us. + +But we can never find our way to the heart of another until we have +first found our way somewhere else. Where, do you think? To our own +hearts, being willing to be severe with ourselves; not to be deceitful +in our own eyes; not to guard the outer act, but the inner thought; +not to study nor to be what _seems_, but what _is_.[59] This may seem +a long and roundabout way of learning to play music, but it is the +honest, straightforward way of going to the great masters whom we wish +to know. + +In one of the books of the Greek general, Xenophon,[60] Socrates is +made to say that men do nothing without fire; and quite in the same +way we may learn nothing of each other, especially of those greater +than ourselves, without thought; which should be pure, strong, +inquiring, and kind. With this we may do all. + +Thus far we have two principles. Let us review them: + + I. Thoughts become actions. + + II. Good music being the fruit of good thought can be played rightly + only by one who thinks good thoughts. + +Now, is it not clear that this can come about only when we watch over +our own thoughts and govern them as if they were the thoughts of +others? And when we do not so much as _endure_ the thought of harm or +evil or wrong we shall be living in the spirit of the Roman lady whose +son's life was lived as his mother taught. + + + + +CHAPTER XVIII. + +THE GLORY OF THE DAY. + + + "Be not anxious about to-morrow. Do to-day's duty, fight today's + temptation; and do not weaken and disturb yourself by looking + forward to things which you cannot see, and could not understand if + you saw them."--_Charles Kingsley._ + +Nearly all of us have heard about the little child who one day planted +seeds and kept constantly digging them up afterward to see if they +were growing. No doubt the child learned that a seed needs not only +ground and care, but time. When it is put in the earth it begins to +feel its place and to get at home; then, if all is quite right,--but +not otherwise--it sends out a tiny rootlet as if it would say that it +trusts and believes the earth will feed that rootlet. And if the earth +is kind the root grows and finds a solid foothold. At the same time +there is another thing happening. When the seed finds it can trust +itself to root it feels no longer afraid to show itself. It goes down, +down quietly for a _firmer hold_, and upward feeling the desire for +light. + +_A firm hold and more light_, we cannot think too much of what they +mean. + +Every day that the seed pushes its tender leaves and stem upward it +has more and more to encounter. The rains beat it down; the winds bend +it to the very earth from which it came; leaves and weeds bury it +beneath their strength and abundance, but despite all these things, in +the face of death itself, the brave little plant strongly keeps its +place. It grows in the face of danger. But how? Day after day, as it +fights its way in the air and sunshine, blest or bruised as it may be, +the little plant never fails to keep at one thing. That is, to get a +firmer and firmer hold. From that it never lets go. Break its leaves +and its stem, crush it as you will, stop its upward growth even, but +as long as there is a spark of life in it there will be more roots +made. It aims from the first moment of its life to get hold strongly. + +And it seems as if the plant has always a great motive. The moment it +feels it has grasped the mother-earth securely with its roots it turns +its strength to making something beautiful. In the air and light, in +the dark earth even, every part of the plant is seeking for the means +to do a wonderful thing. It drinks in the sunshine, and with the +warmth of it, _and to the glory of its own life_, it blossoms. It has +come from a tiny helpless seed to a living plantlet with the smallest +stem and root, and while the stem fights for a place in the air the +root never ceases to get a strong hold of the dear earth in which the +plant finds its home. Then when the home is firmly secured and the +days have made the plant stronger and more shapely, it forgets all the +rude winds and rain and the drifting leaves, and shows how joyful it +is to live _by giving something_. + +Then it is clear that every hardship had its purpose. The rains beat +it down, but at the same time they were feeding it; the leaves dropped +about and covered it, but that protected its tenderness: and thus in +all the trials it finds a blessing. Its growth is stronger, and +thankful for all its life it seeks to express this thankfulness. In +its heart there is something it is sure. And true enough, out it comes +some day in a flower with its color and tenderness and perfume; all +from the earth, but taken from it by love which the plant feels for +the ground as its home. + +We can see from this, that the beauty of a plant or of a tree is a +sign of its relation to the earth in which it lives. If its hold is +weak--if it loosely finds a place for a weak root--it lies on the +ground, helpless, strengthless, joyless. But firmly placed and feeling +safe in its security, it gives freely of its blossoms; or, year after +year, like a tree, shows us its wonderous mass of leaf, all of it a +sign that earth and tree are truely united. + +It has been said, and no doubt it is true, that one who cares for +plants and loves them becomes patient. The plant does not hurry; its +growth is slow and often does not show itself; and one who cares for +them learns their way of being and of doing. The whole lesson is that +of allowing time, and by using it wisely to save it. The true glory of +a day for a plant is the air and sunlight and earth-food which it has +taken, from which it has become stronger. And every day, one by one, +as it proves, contributes something to its strength. + +All men who have been patient students of the earth's ways have +learned to be careful, to love nature, and to take time. And we all +must learn to take time. It is not by careless use that we gain +anything, but by putting heart and mind into what must be done. When +heart and mind enter our work they affect time curiously; because of +the great interest we take in what we do time is not thought of; and +what is not thought of, is not noticed. + +Hence, the value of time comes to this: to use any time we may have, +much or little, with the heart in the task. When that is done there is +not only better work accomplished but there are no regrets lingering +about to make us feel uncomfortable. + +A practice hour can only be an hour of unwelcome labor when one thinks +so of it. If we go to the piano with interest in the playing we shall +be unconscious of time. Many men who love their labor tell of sitting +for hours at their work not knowing that hours have gone by. + +If there is a love for music in any of us it will grow as a seed. And +as the seed needs the dear mother-earth, so the music needs the heart. +When it has taken root there and becomes firmer and firmer it will +begin to show itself outwardly as the light of the face. After it is +strong and can bear up against what assails it--not the wind and the +rain and the dry leaves, but discouragement and hard correction and +painful hot tears--then with that strength it will flourish. + +Now, sometimes, in the days of its strength the music will seek far +more in its life, just as the plant seeks for more and blossoms. The +flower in the music is as great for all as for one. It is joy and +helpfulness. When for the love of music one seeks to do good then +music has borne its blossom. + +Thus, by learning the life of a simple plant we learn the true mission +of the beautiful art of tone. It must put forth deeply its roots into +the heart that it may be fed. It must strive for strength as it grows +against whatever may befall it. It must use its food of the heart and +its strength for a pure purpose, and there is but one--to give joy. + +This turns our thoughts to two things: First, to the men and women who +by their usefulness and labor increased the meaning of music. This is +the glory of their days. Second, we look to ourselves with feeble +hands and perhaps little talent, and the thought comes to us, that +with all we have we are to seek not our own glorification but the joy +of others. + + + + +CHAPTER XIX. + +THE IDEAL. + + + "Le beau est aussi utile que l'utile, plus peutetre."--_Victor + Hugo._ + +Mozart once had a friend named Gottfried von Jacquin, who was a man of +careful thought, and evidently a good musician,--for we are told that +a melody composed by him is frequently said, even to this day, to be +by Mozart. This Gottfried lived in Vienna with his father, and to +their house Mozart often went. At this time Mozart had an album in +which his friends were invited to write. Among the verses is a +sentiment written by Gottfried von Jacquin, saying: + +"True genius is impossible without heart; no amount of intellect alone +or of imagination, no, nor of both together, can make genius. Love is +the soul of genius." + +Here we have the same truth told us which we have already found for +ourselves, namely, that all good music comes from the heart. We have +found it by studying music and striving faithfully to get deep into +its real meaning. But to-day we have the words of one who was enabled +to watch closely as a friend one of the greatest composers that ever +lived. And being much with him, hearing the music of the master played +by the master himself, put the thought into his head, that it is +impossible to be a true genius without heart and love. + +From this we shall have courage to know that what we pursue in music +is real; that the beauties of great music, though they may just now be +beyond us, are true, and exist to those who are prepared for them. +When in our struggle to be more capable in art than we are to-day we +think of the beauty around us, and desire to be worthy of it, we are +then forming an ideal, and ideals are only of value when we strive to +live up to them. + +Once in Rome there lived a Greek slave--some day you may read his +name. He has told us, that "if thou wouldst have aught of good, have +it from thyself."[61] Of course we see in this, immediately, the truth +that has been spoken of in nearly every one of these Talks. It is +this: We must, day by day, become better acquainted with ourselves, +study our thoughts, have purity of heart, and work for something. + +Now, working for something may be accomplished in a simple manner +without thinking of it. If every task is done in our best way it adds +something to us. It is true and beautiful, too, that the reward for +patient, faithful work comes silently to us, and often we do not know +of its presence. But some day, finding ourselves stronger, we look to +know the cause of it, and we see that the faithfulness of past days +has aided us. + +So art teaches us a very practical lesson in the beginning. If we +would have her favors we must do her labors. If we say to music: "I +should love to know you;" music says to us, "Very well, work and your +wish shall be gratified." But without that labor we cannot have that +wish. The Greek slave knew that and said: + +"Thou art unjust, if thou desire to gain those things for nothing." + +Now we begin to see that art has no gifts to bestow upon us for +nothing. Many think it has, and pursue it until the truth dawns upon +them; then, because of their error, they dislike it. To recognize the +truth about art and to pursue that truth, despite the hard road, is to +have courage. And the Ideal is nothing else than the constant presence +of this truth. + +And what do we gain by pursuing it? Not common pleasure, but true +happiness; not uncertainty, but true understanding; not selfish life, +but true and full life. And we can see the beauty of art in nothing +more plainly than in the fact that all these things may come to a +child, and a new and brighter life is made possible by them. + +The very first day we came together, the little child said to the +master: + +"Master, I do not understand what thou hast said, yet I believe thee." + +It is hard, sometimes, to feel the truth and to keep it with us; hard, +not only for a child, but for any one; and yet, if with faith we will +labor with it _until the light comes_, then we are truly rewarded and +made richer according to our faith. + +We must not forget in the first days, as we leave our music, that the +path we have taken since we came together is the hardest; not for +always, but for now. The right path is hard at first--the wrong one is +hard always. + +We will understand it all better in other days if we remain faithful +now. If, however, we should forget for a moment that art demands our +loyalty, there will be no joy or peace in it for us. Worse, perhaps, +than starting out upon the wrong path, is the deserting of the right +one. Sometimes out of impatience we do this; out of impatience and +self-love, which is the worst of all. "Truth is the beginning of all +good, and the greatest of all evils is self-love."[62] + +With the trials that music costs us, with its pains and +discouragements, we might easily doubt all these promises which are +contained in our ideals, but we shall be forever saved from deserting +them if we remember that these ideals have been persistently held by +great men. They have never given them up. One of the strongest +characteristics of Bach and of Beethoven was their determination to +honor their thoughts. Sometimes we find the same persistence and +faithfulness in lesser men. + +I am sure you will see this faith beautifully lived in the few facts +we have about the life of Johann Christian Kittel, a pupil of Bach, +and it is strongly brought out by the pretty story told of him, that +when pleased with a pupil's work he would draw aside a curtain which +covered a portrait of Bach and let the faithful one gaze upon it for a +moment. That was to him the greatest reward he could give for +faithfulness in the music task. + +And this reminds us of how the teacher, Pistocchi, who, in teaching +the voice, kept in mind a pure tone, a quiet manner of singing, and +the true artistic way of doing. Among his pupils was a certain Antonio +Bernacchi, who, after leaving his master, began to display his voice +by runs and trills and meaningless tones. And this he did, not because +of true art, for that was not it, but because it brought him the +applause of unthinking people. + +Once, when the master, Pistocchi, heard him do this he is said to have +exclaimed: "Ah, I taught thee how to _sing_, and now thou wilt +_play_;" meaning that the true song was gone and the pupil no longer +sang out of the heart, but merely out of the throat. Pistocchi kept +his ideal pure. + +We have then among our ideals two of first importance. The ideal +perception of music, as being the true heart-expression of great men; +and the ideal of our doings, which is the true heart-expression of +ourselves. And to keep these ideals is difficult in two ways: The +difficulty of keeping the pure intention of great men ever before us, +and the difficulty of keeping close and faithful to the tasks assigned +us. Then we can say with the little child: + +"Master, I do not understand what thou hast said, yet I believe thee." + + + + +CHAPTER XX. + +THE ONE TALENT. + + + "Then he which had received the one talent came."--_Matthew, XXV: + 24._ + +Some day, when you read about the great composers, you will be +delighted with the pictures of their home-life. You will see how they +employed music every day. In all cases, as we study them, we learn how +very much they have sacrificed for the music they love, studying it +daily because of the joy which it yields them. We see them as little +children, eager to be taught, wanting to listen to music, and to hear +about it. Many of the composers whose child-life is thus interesting +were children in very poor families, where things were neither fine +nor beautiful, where the necessary things of life were not plentiful, +and where all had to be careful and saving so that every bit should be +made to go as far as possible. The eagerness and determination of some +children in music-history is really wonderful. It is the true +determination. And you are not surprised, in following it, to note +that it leads the children who have it into lives of great usefulness. + +All through the life of Handel we find determination running like a +golden thread. He was just as determined to be a musician as Lincoln +was to get an education when he read books by the firelight. Handel's +father was a surgeon, and knew so little about music that he failed +entirely to understand the child. He not only forbade the boy to study +music, but even kept him away from school that he might not by any +chance learn to read the notes. But one who was in future years to +befriend homeless children and to write wondrous music for all the +world could not be held back by such devices. By some means, and with +friendly assistance (perhaps his mother's), he succeeded in smuggling +into the garret a spinet, which is a kind of piano. By placing cloth +upon the strings he so deadened the wires that no one downstairs could +hear the tones when the spinet was played. And day after day this +little lad would sit alone in his garret, learning more and more about +the wonders which his heart and his head told him were in the tiny +half-dumb spinet before him. Not the more cheerful rooms down-stairs +nor the games of his playmates drew him away from the music he loved, +the music which he felt in his heart, remember. + +One would expect such determination to show itself in many ways. It +did. Handel does not disappoint us in this. All through his life he +had strong purposes and a strong will--concentration--which led him +forward. You know how he followed his father's coach once. Perhaps it +was disobedience,--but what a fine thing happened when he reached the +duke's palace and played the organ. From that day every one knew that +his life would be devoted to music. Sometimes at home, sometimes in +foreign lands, he was always working, thinking, learning. He is said, +in his boyhood, to have copied large quantities of music, and to have +composed something every week. This copying made him better acquainted +with other music, and the early habit of composition made it easy for +him to write his thoughts in after years. Indeed, so skilled did he +become, that he wrote one opera--"Rinaldo"--in fourteen days, and the +"Messiah" was written in twenty-four days.[63] + +Yet parts of his great works he wrote and rewrote until they were +exactly as they should be. _It will do_ is a thought that never comes +into the head of a great artist. How do you imagine such a man was to +his friends? We are told that, "he was in character at once great and +simple." And again it has been said that, "his smile was like heaven." + +We have seen Handel as the great composer, but he was not so busy in +this that his thoughts were not also dwelling upon other things. If +ever you go to London, you should of a Sunday morning hear the service +at the Foundling Hospital. You will see there many hundreds of boys +and girls grouped about the organ. Their singing will seem beautiful +to you, from its sweetness and from the simple faith in which it is +done. After the service you may go to the many rooms of this home for +so many otherwise homeless ones. + +There are for you to visit: the playroom, the schoolroom, the long +halls with the pretty white cots, and the pleasant dining-room. Here +it will please you to see the little ones march into dinner, with +their similar dresses, and all looking as happy as possible. But the +picture you will, no doubt, longest keep, is that of the children +about the organ. + +They will tell you there that it was Handel who gave this organ to the +chapel, and who, for the benefit of the children who might come here, +gave concerts, playing and conducting, which were so successful that +they had to be repeated. A "fair copy" of the "Messiah" will be shown +you as one of the precious possessions. + +It will very plainly be present in your mind how the little boy sat +alone playing day after day in the garret, wishing no better pastime +than to express the feelings of his heart in tones. Perhaps you will +think of his words: "Learn (of) all there is to learn, then choose +your own path." He will appeal to you as having possessed an "early +completeness of character," which abided always with him. It is +evident in following the life of Handel, and it would be equally plain +with any other composer, that great talent is developed out of a small +beginning, and if small, is yet earnest and determined. From the first +days of a great man's life to the last we find constant effort. "I +consider those live best who study best to become as good as +possible."[64] Music helps us to keep the upper windows open; that is +why it does so much for us even if we have but one talent. + +To develop our one talent is a duty, just as it is a duty to develop +two or five talents. It is given to us to increase. And no one knows +how much joy may come to us and to others from the growing of that +talent. We gain much in power to give pleasure to others, if the +talent we have be made stronger by faithful effort. As we have seen +good come forth from the story of the man with many talents, we can +see how, similarly, he with one talent has also great power with which +he may add unto himself and others. + +In all of our Talks it has been evident from what we have said, that +music is a beautiful art to us, even though we may have but little of +it. But equally we have learned, that for ever so little we must prove +ourselves worthy. We must honestly give something for all we get. This +is the law, and the purpose of all our Talks is to learn it. + +We have, likewise, learned that true music, _out of the heart_, may +not at the first please us, but within it there is a great deal and we +must seek it. The history of all who have faithfully studied the works +of the great masters is, that for all the thought and time one spends +in studying master works a great gain comes. On the other hand, +everybody's experience with common music is, that while it may please +much at first and even captivate us, yet it soon tires us so that we +can scarcely listen patiently to it. + +Still a further lesson is, that working with many talents or with one +is the same. Talents, one or many, are for increase and faithful +development. Handel's life was a determined struggle to make the most +of his power. It should be ours. + + + + +CHAPTER XXI. + +LOVE FOR THE BEAUTIFUL. + + + "Every color, every variety of form, has some purpose and + explanation."--_Sir John Lubbock_.[65] + +Now, when we are almost at the end of the way we have traveled +together, it will be natural to look back upon the road over which we +have come. Not all of it will be visible, to be sure. We have +forgotten this pleasant scene and that; others, however, remain fresh +in our minds. And as the days pass and we think over our way there +will now and again come to us a scene, a remembrance, so full of +beauty and of pleasure that we shall feel rich in the possession of +it. + +To me there is nothing we have learned together greater in value, +richer in truth and comfort than the thought that the beautiful in +music and in art is at the same time the good. Even if a person is not +at all times good, there is raised in him the feeling of it whenever +he consciously looks upon a beautiful object. We see in this how wise +it is for one to choose to have beautiful things, to surround others +with them, to love them, and to place reverent hands upon them. + +We can never make a mistake about gentle hands. Once a lady said to a +boy: + +"You should touch all things with the same delicacy that one should +bestow upon a tender flower. It shows that deep within yourself you +are at rest, that you make your hands go forward to a task carefully +and with much thought. In the roughest games you play do not forget +this; then your hands shall be filled with all the thought you have +within yourself." + +Sometimes, when I am in a great gallery, the thought is very strong in +me, that many (ever, and ever so many) people, in all countries and in +all times, have so loved the beautiful as to devote their lives to it. +Painters, who have made pictures to delight men for generations, +looked and looked and _prayed_ to find the beautiful. And we must +believe that one looks out of the heart to find the beautiful or he +finds only the common. And the sculptors who have loved marble for the +delight they have in beautiful forms, they, too, with eyes seeking +beauty, and hands so gentle upon the marble that it almost breathes +for them, they, too, have loved the beautiful. + +But commoner ones have the tenderest love for what is sweet and fair +in life,--people who are neither painters nor sculptors. In their +little way--but it is a _true_ way--they have sunlight in their +hearts, and with it love for something. + +Perhaps it is a flower. I have been told of a man--in fact I have seen +him--who could do the cruelest things; who was so bad that he could +not be permitted to go free among others, and yet he loved plants so +much that if they were put near him he would move quietly among them, +touching this one and that; gazing at them, and acting as if he were +in another world. As we said once before about the spring, so we may +say here about love for the beautiful: it may be covered up with every +thing that is able to keep it down, but _it is always there_. + +It is always pleasanter to hear about people and their ways than to +heed advice. But people and their ways often set us good examples; and +we were curious, indeed, if we did not look sharply at ourselves to +see just what we are. From all we have been told about the beautiful +we can at least learn this: that it sweetens life; that it makes even +a common life bright; that if we have it in us it may be as golden +sunlight to some poor one who is in the darkness of ignorance, that is +the advantage and the beauty of all good things in our lives, namely, +the good it may be unto others. And the beautiful music we may sing or +play is not to show what we are or what we can do--it will, of course +do these things--but it is to be a blessing to those who listen. And +how are blessings bestowed? _Out of the heart._ + +Once there was a nobleman[66] with power and riches. He loved +everything. Learning and art and all had he partaken of. But the times +were troubled in his country, and for some reason he lost all he had +and was imprisoned. Then there was scarcely anything in his life. All +he had was the cell, the prison-yard, and, now and again, a word or +two with his keeper. The cell was small and gloomy, the keeper silent, +the yard confined and so closely paved with cobblestones that one +could scarcely see the earth between them. + +Yes, indeed, it was a small world and a barren one into which they had +forced him. But he had his thoughts, and daily as he walked in his +confined yard, they were busy with the past, weaving, weaving. What +patterns they made, and he, poor one, was sometimes afraid of them! +But still they kept on weaving, weaving. + +One day, as he walked in his yard, he noticed that between two of the +stones there seemed to be something and he looked at it. With the +greatest attention he studied it, then he knelt on the rude stones and +looked and looked again. His heart beat and his hands trembled, but +yet with a touch as gentle as any one could give, he moved a grain or +two of soil and there, beneath, was something which the poor captive +cried out for joy to see--a tiny plant. As if in a new world, and +certainly as if another man, he cared daily for the tender little +companion that had come to share his loneliness; he thought of it +first in the morning and last at night. He gave it of his supply of +water and, as a father, he watched over it. + +And it grew so that one day he saw that his plant must either die or +have more room. And it could not have more room unless a cobblestone +were removed. Now this could only be done with the consent of the +Emperor. Well, let us not stop to hear about the way he found, but he +did get his request to the Emperor and, after a while, what happened +do you think? That the plant was given more room? Yes, that is partly +it, and the rest is this: the prisoner himself was given more room--he +was liberated. + +Just because the seed of a beautiful thing came to life in his tiny +world he found love for it and a new life, a care, _something outside +of himself_. And it brought him all. + +That love which is not given to self reveals the beauty of the world. + + + + +CHAPTER XXII. + +IN SCHOOL. + + + "Every successive generation becomes a living memorial of our public + schools, and a living example of their excellence."--_Joseph Story._ + +In these days we learn many things in our schools--even music. They +surely must have a purpose, all the studies and the music as well. Let +us in this Talk see if we can find what the purpose is. + +It costs our Government a great deal to educate the children of the +land. There are now nearly twenty million children in our country. +That is a number you cannot conceive. But every morning of the year, +when it is not a vacation day, you may think of this vast number +leaving home and going to school to be taught. I am sure the picture +will make us all think how wise a Government is that devotes so much +to making us know more, because by learning more we are able to enjoy +more, to do more, to be more. And this makes us better citizens. + +Year after year, as men study and learn about what is best to have +children taught in school, the clearer it becomes that what is given +is dictated because of its usefulness. Arithmetic teaches us to +calculate our daily affairs. Grammar teaches us to listen and to speak +understandingly. Penmanship and Spelling teach us properly to make the +signs which represent speech. Geography teaches us of the earth on +which we live, and how we may travel about it. History teaches us how +to understand the doings of our own day and makes us acquainted with +great men of former times, who by striving have earned a place in our +remembrance. + +As we go on in our school education, taking up new studies, we find to +a still greater degree that what we learn is for usefulness. +Arithmetic becomes mathematics in general. Grammar is brought before +us in other languages, and branches out into the study of Rhetoric and +Literature. History is taught us of many lands, particularly of +Greece, Rome, and England. And, bit by bit, these various histories +merge into one, until, perhaps not until college years or later, the +doings of the countries in all the centuries of which we have +knowledge is one unbroken story to us. We know the names of lands and +of people. Why Greece could love art, why Rome could have conquest; +why these countries and all their glories passed away to give place to +others; all these things become clear to us. We learn of generals, +statesmen, poets, musicians, rulers. Their characters are made clear; +their lives are given to us in biography, and year after year the +story of the earth and man is more complete, more fascinating, more +helpful to us in learning our own day. + +Then, besides all these studies, we are taught to do things with the +hands. After the Talks we have already had about doing, we know what +it means to have training of the hands. It really means the training +of the thoughts. We are training the mind to make the hands perform +their tasks rightly. It is the same in the science lesson which +teaches us to see; actually to use our eyes until we see things. That +may not seem to be a difficult task, but there are really very few +people who can accurately and properly use their eyes. If there were +more, fewer mistakes would be made. + +Thus we can see that school work divides its tasks into two general +classes: + +First, the learning of facts. + +Second, the actual doing of things. + +You will readily see that to do things properly is possible only when +we know facts which tell us how to do them. That shows you at once the +wisdom of the education you receive. + +Now, let us imagine that school life is over. For many years you have +gone faithfully every day to your place, you have done your tasks as +honestly as you could, and said your lessons, being wounded no doubt +by failures, but gladdened again by successes. Now, when it is all +over, what is there of it? + +Well, above all things, there is one truth of it which it is wonderful +people do not think of more frequently. And that truth is this: The +only education we may use in our own life is that which we have +ourselves. No longer have we help of companions or teachers. We depend +entirely upon our own personal knowledge. If we speak it is our own +knowledge of Grammar that is used. We cannot have a book at hand in +order to know from it the words we should use. If we make a +calculation about money, or do anything with numbers, it must be done +from our knowledge of Arithmetic, and it must be right or people will +very soon cease to deal with us. Then, if we have a letter from a +friend, we must of ourselves know how to read it, and if we have aught +to say to another at a distance, we must be able clearly to express +ourselves in writing, so that we may make no mistake in our meaning. + +And this, likewise, is to be said of all the rest. Our knowledge of +History, of Geography, of men of past times, of the boundaries of +countries, of cities, of people, of everything, must come from +ourselves. And, further yet, according as we have been careful to see +in the right way and to do in the right way while we were under +instruction in school, so we shall be likely to see and to do when we +are not in school, and no longer have some one over us who will kindly +and patiently correct our errors, teach us new ways, and give us +greater powers. We may, of course, go on learning after our school +days are ended; and really much of the best education comes then, if +we will immediately set about correcting the faults which we find in +ourselves. + +Indeed, many men have gained the best part of their education after +leaving school, where, perhaps, it was their fortune to stay but a +short time.[67] But we must remember that the habits of learning, +doing, seeking, are gained in early years, and if they are not gained +then they rarely come. + +Now, what have we learned about schools and school-tasks? We have +learned a little of the purpose which lies in the education we +receive; that out of it must come the power to do and to know; that is +our own power; not that of any one else. We have seen the usefulness +of school-studies, and how practical they are in our daily life. + +In all this Talk we have said nothing about Music. If, however, we +understand what the other studies mean, what their purpose is, we +shall learn something which shall be valuable when we come to study +the meaning and purpose of music in schools. That shall be our next +Talk. + + + + + +CHAPTER XXIII. + +MUSIC IN SCHOOL. + + + "Become in early years well-informed concerning the extent of the + four voices. + +"Try, even with a poor voice, to sing at sight without the aid of an +instrument; from that your ear will constantly improve. In case, +however, that you have a good voice, do not hesitate a moment to +cultivate it; and believe, at the same time, that heaven has granted +you a valuable gift."--_Robert Schumann._[68] + +In the previous Talk we learned two very important facts about school +studies. They were these: + + I. They are useful. + + II. They are useful in proportion to our own (not to anybody else's) + real knowledge of them. + +We do not study useless subjects, and it is not from our books, nor +from our teacher that we go through life, making our way. In other +words, the harder we work, the more independent we become; and the +more independent we become, the more power we have to help others. + +Now, whatever is true about other school studies is likewise true +about music. It is given to children in school because it is useful, +and because a child can gain power by learning it. Let us see about +this. + +To one who does not think deeply, it might seem that if any study in +school is merely ornamental, that study is music. He might say that +all the other studies tend to some practical end in life and business: +that one could not add, nor read, nor transact business, nor write a +letter any more correctly by knowing music. It is only an unthinking +person--_none other_--who would say that. + +Of the usefulness of all the school studies we have spoken. We need +only to take a few steps along the pleasant road, about which we have +had so many Talks, and we shall see how much music means in life. To +us it is already plain. Music is a new world, to enter which +cultivates new senses, teaches us to love the beautiful, and makes us +watchful of two of the most important things in life: the thoughts and +the heart. We must have exact thoughts or the music is not made +aright, and the heart may be what it will, music tells all about it. +Therefore, let it be good. + +But music in school brings us to daily tasks in tone. What do we +learn? After the difficulties of reading the notes and making the +voice responsive are somewhat overcome, we study for greater power in +both, the one-, two-, or three-part exercises and songs; the exercises +for skill and the songs to apply the skill, and make us acquainted +with the music of great masters. + +In one Talk, one of the first, we spoke of the major scale. It has +eight tones only, and though it has existed for many hundreds of +years, no one has yet dreamed of all the wonderful tone-pictures which +are contained in it. It is out of it that all the great composers have +written their works, and for centuries to come men will find in it +beauties great, and pure, and lasting. + +As we sing in school, we are learning to put the major scale to some +use. It calls upon us in the melodies which it expresses, to be +careful that each tone shall be right in length, in pitch, in +loudness, in place. We must sing exactly with the others, not +offensively loud, nor so softly as to be of no service. And this +demands precision of us; and precision demands thought. And if we are +singing to gain a better use of voice we must, in every sound we make, +have our thoughts exactly upon what we are doing. This is +Concentration. If, on the other hand, we are trying our skill on a +song, we shall have, in addition, to be careful to give the right +expression, to sing not only the tones clearly, but the words, to feel +the true sentiment both of the poem and of the music, and to express +from our hearts as much of the meaning of poet and composer as we +understand. All these things are more particularly required of us if +we are singing in parts. The melody must be properly sustained and +must not cover the under parts; while the under parts themselves +should never intrude upon the melody, nor fail to be a good background +for it. The singing of part music is one of the best ways to train the +attention--that is, to get Concentration. As we sing our part we must +have in mind these things: + + + I. To keep to it and not be drawn away by another part. + + II. To give the part we sing its due prominence. + + III. Never to destroy the perfect equality of the parts by unduly + hastening or holding back. + + IV. To remember that each part is important. The other singers have + as much to think of and to do as we have, and they are entitled + to just as much praise. + + V. To be alert to take up our part at exactly the right place. + + VI. To put the full meaning of the poet and of the composer into + every word and tone. + +These, after all, are only a few of the things; but from them we may +learn this, that to sing (and to play is quite the same) is one of the +most delicate tasks we can learn to perform, requiring attention from +us in many ways at the same time. Even now the usefulness of music is +clear, for the faculties we learn to employ in music form a power that +can be applied in anything. + +But music has even a greater reward for us than this. It presents to +us many kinds of thoughts and pictures,--of bravery, of +thoughtfulness, of gaiety, and others without number--and then it +demands that we shall study so as to sing them truthfully from our +hearts. And when we can do this music is then a joy to us and to +others. + +Now we see that music, just like the other studies, is useful and +gives us the power to do something. And besides its use and power it +is, perhaps more than any other study, the greatest means of giving +happiness to others. But of that there is yet a word to be said. That +shall be our next Talk. + + + + +CHAPTER XXIV. + +HOW ONE THING HELPS ANOTHER. + + + "Music washes away from the soul the dust of everyday + life."--_Berthold Auerbach._ + +Just at the end of our Talk about Music in School, I said that music +was the most powerful of all the studies for giving joy to others. In +this Talk we shall try to learn what the studies do for each other. + +Once more--and we must never get tired if the same thought comes again +and again--let us remember that music is thought expressed in tone. +Classic music is great and strong thought; poor, unworthy music is +weak, perhaps wrong or mean thought. + +Further, we have learned that thought may be good and pure, and yet +that of itself is not sufficient. It must be well expressed. In short, +to thought of the right sort we must add knowledge, so that it may be +set before others in the right way. + +Now, it is true that the more knowledge we have, the more we can do +with music. We can put more meaning into it; we can better perform all +the exacting duties it demands; we can draw more meaning from its art, +and we can see more clearly how great a genius the composer is. +Besides these things, a well-trained mind gets more thoughts from a +subject than an untrained mind. Some day you will see this more +clearly by observing how much better you will be able to understand +your own language by possessing a knowledge of Greek and Latin. + +All the school studies have a use, to be sure--a direct use--in giving +us something to help us in life in one way and another. But besides +this, we get another help from study; namely, the employment of the +mind in the right way. For the right way of doing things which are +worthy of the heart, gives power and good. It is the wrong way of +doing things that causes us trouble. Some studies demand exactness +above all this,--like the study of Arithmetic--others a good +memory,--like History--others tax many faculties, as we have seen in +our Talk about School Music. + +Some of the studies are particularly valuable to us at once because +they make us _do_. They may be called _doing_ studies. In Arithmetic +there is a result, and only one result, to be sought. In Grammar every +rule we learn is to be applied in our speech. Manual training demands +judgment and the careful use of the hands. Penmanship is a test for +the hand, but History is a study touching the memory more than the +doing faculty. + +School music, you see at once, is a doing study. Not only that, it is +full of life, attractive, appealing to the thoughts in many ways, and +yet it is a hearty study--by that I mean a study for the heart. + +If you have noticed in your piano music the Italian words which are +given at the beginning of compositions, you may have thought how +expressive most of them are of the heart and of action. They are +_doing_ words particularly. _Allegro_ is cheerful; that is its true +meaning. It directs us to make the music sound cheerful as we sing it +or play it. What for? So that the cheerfulness of the composer shall +be for us and for other people. And _Vivace_ is not merely quickly, +but vivaciously. Now what does vivacious mean? It means what its +root-word _vivere_ means, to live. It is a direction that the music +must be full of life; and the true life of happiness and freedom from +care is meant. So with _Modcrato_, a doing word which tells us very +particularly how to do; namely, not too fast, spoiling it by haste, +nor too slowly, so that it seems to drag, but in a particular way, +that is, with moderation. + +Music takes its place as a _doing_ study; and as we have already +discovered, its doing is of many kinds, all requiring care. Singing or +playing is doing; reading the notes is doing; studying out the +composer's meaning is doing; making others feel it is doing; +everything is doing; and _doing_ is true living, _provided it is +unselfish_. + +Let us see if there is not a simple lesson in all this. To seek it we +shall have to say old thoughts over again. Music itself uses the same +tones over and over again; it is by doing so that we begin to +understand tone a little. + +The school studies try the mind; with the tasks increased bit by bit, +the mind is made stronger. Thus is Strength gained. By the tasks +demanding exactness, the thoughts must not be scattered everywhere, +but centered upon the thing to be done. Thus is Concentration gained. +By making the hand work with care and a definite purpose, Skill is +gained. By demanding of the thoughts that they must seek out all the +qualities of an object, Attention is gained. By placing things and +signs for things before us, we are taught to See. By educating us in +sounds, we are taught to Listen. When we have a task that admits of a +single correct result, we are taught Exactness. + +Now, from all we have learned in these Talks about music it must be +clear that all these qualities are just what are needed in music: + + I. Strength of thought for Real doing. + + II. Concentration for Right doing. + + III. Skill for Well doing. + + IV. Seeing and listening for the cultivation of Attention. + + V. Correctness for the Manner of doing. + +We sought for a simple lesson. It is this: + +Let us learn all we can that is right and worthy for the strengthening +of the mind, for the cultivation of the heart, for the good and joy of +others; for these things are the spirit of music. + + + + +CHAPTER XXV. + +THE CHILD AT PLAY. + + + "When the long day is past, the steps turn homeward." + +Once a child played on the sea-shore. The waves sang and the sand +shone and the pebbles glistened. There was light everywhere; light +from the blue sky, and from the moving water, and from the gleaming +pebbles. + +The little one, in its happiness, sang with the murmuring sea and +played with the stones and the shells that lay about. Joy was +everywhere and the child was filled with it. + +But the day passed. And the little one grieved in its heart to leave +the beautiful place. Delight was there and many rare things that one +could play with and enjoy. + +The child could not leave them all. Its heart ached to think of them +lying there alone by the sea. And it thought: + +"I will take the pebbles and the shells with me and I will try to +remember the sunlight and the song of the sea." + +So it began to fill its little hands. But it saw that after as many as +possible were gathered together there were yet myriads left. And it +had to leave them. + +Tired and with a sore heart it trudged homeward, its hands filled to +overflowing with the pebbles that shone in the sun on the sea-shore. +Now, however, they seemed dull. And because of this, the child did not +seem to regret it so much if now and then one fell. "There are still +some left in my hands," it thought. + +At length it came near to its home; so very tired, the little limbs +could scarcely move. And one who loved the child came out smiling to +welcome it. The little one went up close and rested its tired head; +and opening its little hand, soiled with the sea and the sand, said: + +"Look, mother, I still have one. May I go for the others some day?" + +And the mother said: + +"Yes, thou shalt go again." + +And the child fell asleep to dream of the singing sea and of the +sunlight, for these were in its heart. + + + + +APPENDIX + + +The following works are referred to in these Talks: + + Addison, Joseph, "Spectator." + + Alexander, Francesca, "Christfolk in the Apennine." + + Antoninus, M. Aurelius, "Meditations." + + Aristotle, "Ethics." + + Bach, J.S., "The Well-tempered Clavicord." + + Bach, J.S., "Kleine Praeludien." + + Baldwin, James, "Old Greek Stories." + + Bacon, Francis, "Essays." + + Bridge, J.F., "Simple Counterpoint." + + Carlyle, Thomas, "Heroes and Hero-worship." + + Cellini, Benvenuto, "Autobiography." + + Epictetus, "Memoirs." + + Grove, Sir George, "Dictionary of Music and Musicians." + + Halleck, R.P., "Psychology and Psychic Culture." + + Handel, G.F., "The Messiah." + + Haupt, August, "Choralbuch." + + Liszt, Franz, "Life of Chopin." + + Lubbock, Sir John, "Pleasures of Life." + + Luther, Martin, "Table Talk." + + Mendelssohn, Felix, "Letters from Italy and Switzerland." + + Parker, J.H., "ABC of Gothic Architecture." + + Ruskin, John, "Queen of the Air." + + Ruskin, John, "Sesame and Lilies." + + Ruskin, John, "Val d'Arno." + + Saintine, X.B., "Picciola." + + Schubert, Franz, "Songs." + + Schumann, Robert, "Album for the Voung." + + Schumann, Robert, "Letters." + + Schumann, Robert, "Rules for Young Musicians." + + Tapper, Thomas, "Chats with Music Students." + + Tyndall, John, "Glaciers of the Alps." + + Tyndall, John, "On Sound." + + Various Authors, "Les Maitres du Clavicin." + + Xenophon, "Memorabilia." + + * * * * * + + + + +Chats with Music Students + +OR + +TALKS ABOUT MUSIC AND MUSIC LIFE. + +BY + +THOMAS TAPPER. + +Price, Bound in Cloth, $1.50. + +This volume appeals to every student of music, however elementary or +advanced. It is designed to bring to the attention of those who make +music a life-work, the very many contingent topics that should be +considered in connection with music. To this end the subjects selected +for the chats have a practical value, cover considerable ground, and +are treated from the point of view that best aids the student. The +reader is taken into confidence, and finds in the chapters of this +work many hints and benefits that pertain to his own daily life as a +musician. + + * * * * * + +21 SELECTED + +CRAMER STUDIES. + +From the Von Buelow Edition. + +PRICE $1.50, FIRMLY BOUND. + +The present complete edition sells for $2.50 and $3.00, retail. Much +of the material in the complete edition can be eliminated without +injury to its technical value. We have, therefore, made a selection of +the choicest of Von Buelow's edition, which we have bound, in one +volume, in very neat style. Only the most difficult and unimportant +ones have been eliminated. + + * * * * * + +The Normal Course of Piano Technic. + +DESIGNED FOR + +SCHOOLS, TEACHERS, AND STUDENTS. + +By WM. B. WAIT. + +Price $1.50, Bound. + +The NORMAL COURSE is based upon the fundamental idea that, for the +purpose of the development, discipline, and formation of the mind, and +for teaching the learner how to think and to do, Technical Studies in +Music are as useful as any other branch. + +FEATURES OF THE BOOK: + + Clear, concise statements of facts and principles. + + It deals only with essentials. + + It arranges the materials in grades, by Divisions, Courses, and + Steps. + + It exhibits a distinct mode and order of development. + + The course is as clearly laid out as in any other branch of study. + + Practice based upon understanding of means as applied to ends. + + It permits the attention to be given to the hands in practice, and + not to the pages. + + In schools it will secure uniformity in the instruction given. + + It furnishes the bases for oral recitations and examinations as in + other subjects. + + It is logical, systematic, thorough. + + It is a book for use by schools, teachers, and students. + + + + +NOTES: + + 1: From the "Table Talk." + + 2: Play to the children Schubert's song entitled "The Organ-man." + + 3: Phillips Brooks says in one of his sermons ("Identity and + Variety"): "Every act has its perfect and entire way of being + done." + + 4: Bohn edition, p. 35. + + 5: Read to the children such parts of Francesca Alexander's "Christ's + folk in the Apennine" as seem to you pertinent. + + 6: John Ruskin, from the ninth lecture of "Val d'Arno." + + 7: John Ruskin. Third lecture of "Val d'Arno." + + 8: Franz Liszt's "Life of Chopin," Chapter V. + + 9: _Ibid_, Chapter VI. + + +10: "On Sound." + +11: "On Sound" is referred to. The last paragraph of Section 10, + Chapter II, may interest the children. The last two paragraphs of + Section 13 are not only interesting, but they show how simply a + scientist can write. + +12: If the original is desired, see Tyndall's "Glaciers of the Alps." + +13: Schumann wrote in a letter to Ferdinand Hiller, "We should learn + to refine the inner ear." + +14: From the sermon entitled "The Seriousness of Life." + +15: Notice sometime how many of our English words have the Latin + _con_. + +16: See the fourth chapter of Reuben Post Halleck's "Psychology and + Psychic Culture." + +17: For instance, the subject of the C minor Fugue in the first book + of "The Well-tempered Clavicord." + +18: The subject of the C sharp minor Fugue. + +19: The prelude in E flat minor and the subject of the G sharp minor + Fugue. + +20: Robert Schumann. + +21: Quoted by Xenophon in the "Memorabilia," Book II, Chapter I, Bohn + edition. + +22: "Heroes and Hero Worship," Lecture I. + +23: From the sermon entitled "Backgrounds and Foregrounds." + +24: I should again suggest the value of letting the children become + familiar with such books as J.H. Parker's "A B C of Gothic + Architecture;" and of having always about plenty of photographs of + great buildings, great men, great works of art and of famous + places for them to see and to know ("_letting_ them _become_ + familiar," remember). + +25: See R.P. Halleck's "Psychology and Psychic Culture." + +26: Read paragraphs 41 and 42 of John Ruskin's "Athena Chalinitis," + the first lecture of "Queen of the Air." + +27: John Ruskin, from the lecture entitled "Franchise," in "Val + d'Arno," par. 206. + +28: "Letters of Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy from Italy and + Switzerland." Letter of July 15, 1831. + +29: "Letter of December 19, 1831." + +30: Read also what is said of Chopin on p. 28. + +31: Read to the children "The Wonderful Weaver" in "Old Greek + Stories," by James Baldwin. It is only a few pages in length, and + is well told. + +32: Robert Schumann. + +33: John Ruskin's "Queen of the Air," par. 102. ("Athena Ergane.") + Read all of it to the children. + +34: _Idem_. + +35: Lord Bacon, from the essay "Of Great Places." + +36: Robert Schumann. + +37: Read John Ruskin's "Sesame and the Lilies," par. 19, and as much + of what follows as you deem wise. + +38: "The Ethics," Book IX, Chapter VII. + +39: Always I have it in mind that the teacher will read or make + reference to the original when the source is so obvious as in this + case. The teacher's, or mother's, discretion should, however, + decide what and how much of such original should be read, and what + it is best to say of it. + +40: I have not attempted to quote the exact words usually given. + +41: Socrates. This quotation is from the "Memorabilia of Xenophon," + Book I, Chapter VI. + +42: Mary Russell Mitford. + +43: "Autobiography of Benvenuto Cellini," Bohn edition, p. 23. + +44: "The Miserere" of "Gregorio Allegri." It was written for nine + voices in two choirs. "There was a time when it was so much + treasured that to copy it was a crime visited with + excommunication. Mozart took down the notes while the choir was + singing it." (See Grove's "Dictionary of Music and Musicians." + Vol. I, page 54.) + +45: Dr. Bridge "On Simple Counterpoint." Preface. + +46: Take, in August Haupt's "_Choralbuch zum haeuslichen Gebrauch_," + any simple choral. The one entitled "_Zion klagt mit Angst und + Schmerzen_" is of singular beauty and simplicity. + +47: Peters Edition, No. 200, page 11. + +48: I should advise the teacher to have the two volumes entitled "_Les + Maitres du Clavicin_." (They can be had in the Litolff + collection.) + +49: Op. 106. + +50: "_Der Erster Verlust_" in Schumann's Op. 68 is well conceived in + the sense that it is freely harmonic in some places, imitative in + others, while in the opening the melody is very simply + accompanied. Show the children how interesting the left-hand part + is in this little composition. + +51: From a Letter of the Spectator. + +52: From the eighth paragraph of the Lecture entitled "Nicholas, the + Pisan," in "Val D'Arno." + +53: A blind beggar sitting on a bridge in an English town (it was + Chester) many times astonished me with the rapidity of his + hand-reading, and by the wonderful light of his face. It was + wholly free from the perplexity which most of us show. It must + arise in us from being attracted by so many things. + +54: Eighty-first paragraph of "Val d'Arno." + +55: Marcus Aurelius Antoninus, "The Meditations," Book V, Par. 34. + +56: See footnote, p. 119. + +57: From the thirteenth paragraph of the fourth book. I have changed + the wording a very little to make it simple. + +58: Sixteenth paragraph of the fifth book. + +59: _Essi quam videri._ + +60: "The Memorabilia." + +61: "Epictetus," H.W. Rollison's Translation. + +62: Plato. + +63: Mozart wrote three symphonies between June 26th and August 10th, + in the year 1778; and an Italian, Giovanni Animuccia, is said to + have written three masses, four motettes, and fourteen hymns + within five months. As an instance of early composition, Johann + Friedrich Bernold had written a symphony before he was ten years + of age, and was famous all over Europe. + +64: Xenophon, "The Memorabilia," Book IV, Chapter VIII. + +65: From the "Pleasures of Life." Eighth Chapter of the Second Series. + +66: The little romance of N.B. Saintine is referred to. + +67: Read to the children Chapter XIV in my "Chats with Music + Students." + +68: "Rules for Young Musicians." + + + +***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK MUSIC TALKS WITH CHILDREN*** + + +******* This file should be named 14339.txt or 14339.zip ******* + + +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: +https://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/1/4/3/3/14339 + + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, +set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to +copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to +protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark. Project +Gutenberg is a registered trademark, and may not be used if you +charge for the eBooks, unless you receive specific permission. If you +do not charge anything for copies of this eBook, complying with the +rules is very easy. You may use this eBook for nearly any purpose +such as creation of derivative works, reports, performances and +research. They may be modified and printed and given away--you may do +practically ANYTHING with public domain eBooks. Redistribution is +subject to the trademark license, especially commercial +redistribution. + + + +*** START: FULL LICENSE *** + +THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE +PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK + +To protect the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting the free +distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work +(or any other work associated in any way with the phrase "Project +Gutenberg"), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full Project +Gutenberg-tm License (available with this file or online at +https://gutenberg.org/license). + + +Section 1. General Terms of Use and Redistributing Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic works + +1.A. By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to +and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property +(trademark/copyright) agreement. If you do not agree to abide by all +the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or destroy +all copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in your possession. +If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work and you do not agree to be bound by the +terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the person or +entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in paragraph 1.E.8. + +1.B. "Project Gutenberg" is a registered trademark. It may only be +used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who +agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement. There are a few +things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works +even without complying with the full terms of this agreement. See +paragraph 1.C below. There are a lot of things you can do with Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works if you follow the terms of this agreement +and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. See paragraph 1.E below. + +1.C. The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation ("the Foundation" +or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection of Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works. Nearly all the individual works in the +collection are in the public domain in the United States. If an +individual work is in the public domain in the United States and you are +located in the United States, we do not claim a right to prevent you from +copying, distributing, performing, displaying or creating derivative +works based on the work as long as all references to Project Gutenberg +are removed. Of course, we hope that you will support the Project +Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting free access to electronic works by +freely sharing Project Gutenberg-tm works in compliance with the terms of +this agreement for keeping the Project Gutenberg-tm name associated with +the work. You can easily comply with the terms of this agreement by +keeping this work in the same format with its attached full Project +Gutenberg-tm License when you share it without charge with others. + +1.D. The copyright laws of the place where you are located also govern +what you can do with this work. Copyright laws in most countries are in +a constant state of change. If you are outside the United States, check +the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this agreement +before downloading, copying, displaying, performing, distributing or +creating derivative works based on this work or any other Project +Gutenberg-tm work. The Foundation makes no representations concerning +the copyright status of any work in any country outside the United +States. + +1.E. Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg: + +1.E.1. The following sentence, with active links to, or other immediate +access to, the full Project Gutenberg-tm License must appear prominently +whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg-tm work (any work on which the +phrase "Project Gutenberg" appears, or with which the phrase "Project +Gutenberg" is associated) is accessed, displayed, performed, viewed, +copied or distributed: + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + +1.E.2. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is derived +from the public domain (does not contain a notice indicating that it is +posted with permission of the copyright holder), the work can be copied +and distributed to anyone in the United States without paying any fees +or charges. If you are redistributing or providing access to a work +with the phrase "Project Gutenberg" associated with or appearing on the +work, you must comply either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1 +through 1.E.7 or obtain permission for the use of the work and the +Project Gutenberg-tm trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1.E.8 or +1.E.9. + +1.E.3. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is posted +with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution +must comply with both paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 and any additional +terms imposed by the copyright holder. Additional terms will be linked +to the Project Gutenberg-tm License for all works posted with the +permission of the copyright holder found at the beginning of this work. + +1.E.4. Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License terms from this work, or any files containing a part of this +work or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg-tm. + +1.E.5. Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this +electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without +prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with +active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project +Gutenberg-tm License. + +1.E.6. You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary, +compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including any +word processing or hypertext form. However, if you provide access to or +distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg-tm work in a format other than +"Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other format used in the official version +posted on the official Project Gutenberg-tm web site (www.gutenberg.org), +you must, at no additional cost, fee or expense to the user, provide a +copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a means of obtaining a copy upon +request, of the work in its original "Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other +form. Any alternate format must include the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License as specified in paragraph 1.E.1. + +1.E.7. Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying, +performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg-tm works +unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9. + +1.E.8. You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing +access to or distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works provided +that + +- You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive from + the use of Project Gutenberg-tm works calculated using the method + you already use to calculate your applicable taxes. The fee is + owed to the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark, but he + has agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the + Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation. Royalty payments + must be paid within 60 days following each date on which you + prepare (or are legally required to prepare) your periodic tax + returns. Royalty payments should be clearly marked as such and + sent to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation at the + address specified in Section 4, "Information about donations to + the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation." + +- You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies + you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he + does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg-tm + License. You must require such a user to return or + destroy all copies of the works possessed in a physical medium + and discontinue all use of and all access to other copies of + Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +- You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1.F.3, a full refund of any + money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in the + electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90 days + of receipt of the work. + +- You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free + distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +1.E.9. If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work or group of works on different terms than are set +forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing from +both the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation and Michael +Hart, the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark. Contact the +Foundation as set forth in Section 3 below. + +1.F. + +1.F.1. Project Gutenberg volunteers and employees expend considerable +effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe and proofread +public domain works in creating the Project Gutenberg-tm +collection. Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works, and the medium on which they may be stored, may contain +"Defects," such as, but not limited to, incomplete, inaccurate or +corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other intellectual +property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or other medium, a +computer virus, or computer codes that damage or cannot be read by +your equipment. + +1.F.2. LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except for the "Right +of Replacement or Refund" described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner of the Project +Gutenberg-tm trademark, and any other party distributing a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all +liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal +fees. YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE, STRICT +LIABILITY, BREACH OF WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE +PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH F3. YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION, THE +TRADEMARK OWNER, AND ANY DISTRIBUTOR UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE +LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR +INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH +DAMAGE. + +1.F.3. LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you discover a +defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving it, you can +receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by sending a +written explanation to the person you received the work from. If you +received the work on a physical medium, you must return the medium with +your written explanation. The person or entity that provided you with +the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in lieu of a +refund. If you received the work electronically, the person or entity +providing it to you may choose to give you a second opportunity to +receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund. If the second copy +is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing without further +opportunities to fix the problem. + +1.F.4. Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth +in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you 'AS-IS', WITH NO OTHER +WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO +WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTIBILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE. + +1.F.5. Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied +warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of damages. +If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement violates the +law of the state applicable to this agreement, the agreement shall be +interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or limitation permitted by +the applicable state law. The invalidity or unenforceability of any +provision of this agreement shall not void the remaining provisions. + +1.F.6. INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation, the +trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation, anyone +providing copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in accordance +with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with the production, +promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works, +harmless from all liability, costs and expenses, including legal fees, +that arise directly or indirectly from any of the following which you do +or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this or any Project Gutenberg-tm +work, (b) alteration, modification, or additions or deletions to any +Project Gutenberg-tm work, and (c) any Defect you cause. + + +Section 2. Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg-tm + +Project Gutenberg-tm is synonymous with the free distribution of +electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of computers +including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers. It exists +because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations from +people in all walks of life. + +Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the +assistance they need, is critical to reaching Project Gutenberg-tm's +goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg-tm collection will +remain freely available for generations to come. In 2001, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation was created to provide a secure +and permanent future for Project Gutenberg-tm and future generations. +To learn more about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation +and how your efforts and donations can help, see Sections 3 and 4 +and the Foundation web page at https://www.gutenberg.org/fundraising/pglaf. + + +Section 3. Information about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive +Foundation + +The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non profit +501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the +state of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal +Revenue Service. The Foundation's EIN or federal tax identification +number is 64-6221541. Contributions to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent +permitted by U.S. federal laws and your state's laws. + +The Foundation's principal office is located at 4557 Melan Dr. S. +Fairbanks, AK, 99712., but its volunteers and employees are scattered +throughout numerous locations. Its business office is located at +809 North 1500 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84116, (801) 596-1887, email +business@pglaf.org. Email contact links and up to date contact +information can be found at the Foundation's web site and official +page at https://www.gutenberg.org/about/contact + +For additional contact information: + Dr. Gregory B. Newby + Chief Executive and Director + gbnewby@pglaf.org + +Section 4. Information about Donations to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation + +Project Gutenberg-tm depends upon and cannot survive without wide +spread public support and donations to carry out its mission of +increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can be +freely distributed in machine readable form accessible by the widest +array of equipment including outdated equipment. Many small donations +($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt +status with the IRS. + +The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating +charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United +States. Compliance requirements are not uniform and it takes a +considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and keep up +with these requirements. We do not solicit donations in locations +where we have not received written confirmation of compliance. To +SEND DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any +particular state visit https://www.gutenberg.org/fundraising/donate + +While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we +have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no prohibition +against accepting unsolicited donations from donors in such states who +approach us with offers to donate. + +International donations are gratefully accepted, but we cannot make +any statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from +outside the United States. U.S. laws alone swamp our small staff. + +Please check the Project Gutenberg Web pages for current donation +methods and addresses. Donations are accepted in a number of other +ways including including checks, online payments and credit card +donations. To donate, please visit: +https://www.gutenberg.org/fundraising/donate + + +Section 5. General Information About Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. + +Professor Michael S. Hart was the originator of the Project Gutenberg-tm +concept of a library of electronic works that could be freely shared +with anyone. For thirty years, he produced and distributed Project +Gutenberg-tm eBooks with only a loose network of volunteer support. + +Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks are often created from several printed +editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the U.S. +unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we do not necessarily +keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition. + +Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search facility: + + https://www.gutenberg.org + +This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm, +including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary +Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to +subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks. + diff --git a/old/14339.zip b/old/14339.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..a7391bd --- /dev/null +++ b/old/14339.zip |