Walker-My_Musical_Ex.. - Walter Cosand

MY MUSICAL EXPERIENCES
In going to her I had not the slightest doubt of
my abiUty to accomphsh all I wanted, at least so
far as comprehension went, in a few lessons. But
how soon did I learn my mistake ! For genuine
technique is full of subtle problems, and all virtuosi
will bear me out when I say that no one, however
intelligent, can pretend to give an authoritative dictum
as to the merits or demerits of any school or system,
unless he has himself put his neck into the yoke, and
submitted himself with a child's docility to the regular
drill of that system.
After I had shown Henselt's drill-mistress how I
was accustomed to work, she placed Henselt's Etudes
preparatoires on the music - desk, and said, ' Now
we are going to tire, and perhaps to hurt, your
iingers.'
I laughed at the notion, and said, ' I don't see how
you will manage that, for my fingers never tire, not
even if I. play for hours; and my hand, as you see,
is just like a piece of indiarubber.'
Her reply was to place my hand and my fingers in
a given position on the keyboard ; and telling me to
keep them so, she pointed to certain studies, and made
me play them many times in succession. I began
doing so, and being conscious of no fatigue and no
strain of any kind for the first few times, I met her
inquiring glance with a smUe. After a few more
repetitions, however, I began to feel it; it became
more and more of an effort to keep on. After a