Piano Mastery | Page 7

I believe in physical exercises to a certain extent.
Light-weight dumb-bells can be used; it is surprising how light a
weight is sufficient to accomplish the result. But it must be one
movement at a time, exercising one muscle at a time, and not various
muscles at once.
"For memorizing piano music I can say I have no method whatever.
When I know the piece technically or mechanically, I know it by heart.
I really do not know when the memorizing takes place. The music is
before me on the piano; I forget to turn the pages, and thus find I know
the piece. In playing with orchestra I know the parts of all instruments,
unless it be just a simple chord accompaniment; it would not interest
me to play with orchestra and not know the music in this way. On one
occasion I was engaged to play the Sgambatti concerto, which I had not

played for some time. I tried it over on the piano and found I could not
remember it. My first idea was to get out the score and go over it; the
second was to try and recall the piece from memory. I tried the latter
method, with the result that in about three hours and a half I had the
whole concerto back in mind. I played the work ten days later without
having once consulted the score. This goes to prove that memory must
be absolute and not merely mechanical.
"Students think they cannot memorize, when it would be quite easy if
they would apply themselves in the right way. I ask them to look
intently at a small portion, two measures, or even one, and afterward to
play it without looking at the notes. Of course, as you say, this can be
done away from the piano; the notes can even be recited; but there are
other signs and marks to be considered and remembered, so when one
can be at the piano I consider it better.
"Piano playing is such an individual and complex thing. I do not
require nor expect my pupils to play as I do, nor interpret as I interpret,
for then I would only see just so many replicas of myself, and their
individuality would be lost. I often hear them play a composition in a
different way and with a different spirit from the one I find in it. But I
don't say to them, 'That is wrong; you must play it as I do,' No, I let
them play it as they see and feel it, so long as there is no sin against
artistic taste.
"I trust these few points will be helpful to both player and teacher. The
latter needs all the encouragement we artists can give, for in most cases
he is doing a good work.
"Volumes might be added to these hurried remarks, but for that my
time is too limited."

IV
SIGISMOND STOJOWSKI
MIND IN PIANO STUDY
Mr. Sigismond Stojowski, the eminent Polish pianist and composer,
was found one morning in his New York studio, at work with a gifted
pupil. He was willing to relax a little, however, and have a chat on such
themes as might prove helpful to both teacher and student.
"You ask me to say something on the most salient points in piano
technic; perhaps we should say, the points that are most important to

each individual; for no two students are exactly alike, nor do any two
see things in precisely the same light. This is really a psychological
matter. I believe the subject of psychology is a very necessary study for
both teacher and student. We all need to know more about mental
processes than we do. I am often asked how to memorize, for
instance--or the best means for doing this; another psychological
process. I recommend students to read William James' _Talks on
Psychology_; a very helpful book.
"The most vital thing in piano playing is to learn to think. Has it ever
occurred to you what infinite pains people will take to avoid thinking?
They will repeat a technical illustration hundreds of times it may be,
but with little or no thought directed to the performance. Such work is
absolutely useless. Perhaps that is a little too strong. With countless
repetitions there may at last come to be a little improvement, but it will
be very small.
"There is quite a variety of views as to what the essentials of piano
technic are; this is a subject on which teachers, unluckily, do not agree.
For instance, on the point of finger lifting there is great diversity of
opinion. Some believe in raising the fingers very high, others do not.
Lifting the fingers high is not good for the tone, though it may