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Page 11
"A youthful wonder in the field of composition is Eric Korngold, whose
piano sonata I played in my New York recital. I have played this work
eight times in all, during my present tour, often by request. To me it
is most interesting. I cannot say it is logical in the development of
its ideas; it often seems as though the boy threw in chords here and
there with no particular reason. Thus the effort of memorizing is
considerable, for I must always bear in mind that this C major chord has
a C sharp in it, or that such and such a chord is changed into a most
unusual one. One cannot predict whether the boy will develop further. As
you say, Mozart was an infant prodigy, but if we judge from the first
little compositions that have been preserved, he began very simply and
worked up, whereas Korngold begins at Richard Strauss. His compositions
are full of the influence of Strauss. The critics have much to say for
and against these early works. I do not know the young composer
personally, though he has written me. In a recent letter which I have
here, he expresses the thought that, though the critics have found many
things to disapprove of in the sonata, the fact that I have found it
worth studying and bringing out more than compensates him for all
adverse criticism. To make the work known in the great musical centers
of America is surely giving it wide publicity."
On a later occasion, Mr. Ganz said:
"I thoroughly believe in preserving one's enthusiasm for modern music,
even though, at first glance, it does not attract one, or indeed seems
almost impossible. I enjoy studying new works, and learning what is the
modern trend of thought in piano work; it keeps me young and buoyant.
"One of the novelties lately added to my repertoire is the Haydn sonata
in D. On the same program I place the Korngold sonata. A hundred years
and more divide the two works. While I revere the old, it interests me
to keep abreast of the new thought in musical art and life."
VI
TINA LERNER
AN AUDIENCE IS THE BEST TEACHER
Between the many engagements that crowded upon the close of her long
American tour, Miss Tina Lerner found time to talk over certain topics
of significance which bear upon pianistic problems.
We began by referring to the different methods of holding the hands,
moving the fingers and touching the keys, as exemplified by the various
pianists now before the public.
"It is true that I play with the ball of the finger on the key, which
necessitates a flat position of hand, with low wrist." Here the pianist
illustrated the point by playing several pearly scales with straight,
outstretched fingers. "I never realized, however, that I played in this
way, until Mr. Ernest Hutcheson, the pianist, of Baltimore, recently
called my attention to it. The fact is, I have always taken positions of
body, arms, hands and fingers, which seemed to me the most natural and
easy. This I did when I began, at the age of five, and I have always
kept to them, in spite of what various teachers have endeavored to do
for me. Fortunately my early teachers were sensible and careful; they
kept me at the classics, and did not give too difficult pieces. The
principles followed by most great pianists I believe are correct; but I
have always kept to my own natural way. In hand position, therefore, I
am individual; perhaps no one else plays with such a finger position, so
in this I am unique.
"For some reason unknown to me, it has come to be imagined that I have
studied with Leschetizky; this is entirely refuted when I say I have
never been in Vienna. It seems we are getting away from the idea of
helping ourselves out with the name of some great teacher. The question
should be: What has the player in himself, what can he accomplish? not,
Whose pupil is he? We know of some of Leschetizky's famous pupils, but
we never hear of the thousands he must have had, who have come to
nothing. A teacher can only do a certain amount for you; he can give you
new ideas, which each pupil works out for himself in his own way. The
piano student learns from so many different sources. He attends a piano
recital and acquires many ideas of touch, tone, phrasing and
interpretation; he hears a great singer or violinist and absorbs a
wholly new set of thoughts, or he listens to a grand orchestra, and
gains more than from all the others. Then there is life to study from:
experience--living--loving: all go into the work of the musician. A
musical career is indeed the most exacting one that can be chosen.
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