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Page 69
ARTISTIC TOUCH
One of the greatest American teachers of touch was Dr. William Mason,
who made an exhaustive study of this subject. His own touch was noted
for its clear, bell-like, elastic quality. He remarked on one occasion,
in regard to playing in public: "It is possible I may be so nervous that
I can hardly walk to the piano; but once I have begun to play I shall
hold the audience still enough to hear a pin drop, simply by the beauty
of my touch and tone." Dr. Mason's touch specialties were "pressure" and
"elastic" or "drawing-off" touches. He found these gave both weight and
crisp lightness to the tones.
Mr. Tobias Matthay, of London, has given much time and thought to the
study of touch and key mechanism. He says: "The two chief rules of
technic, as regards the key are: Always feel how much the key resists
you, feel how much the key _wants_ for every note. Second, always listen
for the moment each sound begins, so that you may learn to direct your
effort to the sound only and not to the key bed. It is only by making
the hammer end of the key move that you can make a sound. The swifter
the movement, the louder the sound. The more gradual the movement the
more beautiful the quality of sound. For brilliant tone, you may hit the
string by means of the key, but do not, by mistake, hit the key
instead."
Thuel Burnham, a pupil of Mason and Leschetizky, has welded the ideas of
these two masters into his own experience, and simplifies the matter of
piano touch as follows:
MELODY AND COLORATURA HANDS
"The position and condition of the hand varies according to the
character of the music and the quality of tone you wish to produce. If
you give out a melody, you want a full, luscious tone, the weight of
arm on the key, everything relaxed and a clinging, caressing pressure of
finger. Here you have the 'Melody Hand,' with outstretched, flat
fingers. On the contrary, if you wish rapid passage work, with clear,
bright, articulate touch, the hand must stand up in well-arched, normal
playing position, with fingers well rounded and good finger action. Here
you have the 'Technical' or 'Coloratura Hand.'"
The distinction made by Mr. Burnham clears up the uncertainty about
arched hand and articulate touch, or low hand and flat fingers. Both are
used in their proper place, according to the demands of the music. The
player, however, who desires a clean, reliable technic, should first
acquire a coloratura hand before attempting a melody hand.
SECTION III
_The Art of Practise_
We have seen that if the pianist hopes to perfect himself in his art he
must lay the foundation deep down in the fundamentals of hand position,
body condition, correct finger movements and in careful attention to
the minutest details of touch and tone production.
The remark is often heard, from persons who have just listened to a
piano recital: "I would give anything in the world to play like that!"
But would they even give the necessary time, to say nothing of the
endless patience, tireless energy and indomitable perseverance which go
to the making of a virtuoso.
How much time does the artist really require for study? Paderewski owns
to devoting _all_ his time to it during the periods of preparation for
his recital tours. At certain seasons of the year most of the artists
give a large portion of each day to the work. Godowsky is an incessant
worker; Burnham devotes his entire mornings to piano study; Germaine
Schnitzer gives six hours daily to her work, and if interrupted one day
the lost time is soon made up. Eleanor Spencer "practises all her spare
time," as she quaintly puts it. A professional pianist must give a
number of hours each day to actual practise at the keyboard, besides
what is done away from it. The work is mentally going on continually,
whether one really sits at the instrument or not.
The point which most concerns us is: How shall one practise so as to
make the most of the time and accomplish the best results? What �tudes,
if any, shall we use, and what technical material is the most useful and
effectual?
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