Piano Mastery | Page 9

to me, what had I done with that
doubtful passage? What had really happened I could not remember; and
the effort to recall whether I had played Mendelssohn or Stojowski
nearly brought disaster to that last page.
"As soon as my season closes here I shall go to London and bring out
my second piano concerto with the London Symphony Orchestra,
under Nikisch. I shall also play various recitals."
It was my good fortune to be present at the orchestral concert at
Queen's Hall, when Mr. Stojowski was the soloist. It was pleasant to
see the enthusiasm aroused by the concerto itself, and the performance
of it by the artist.

V
RUDOLPH GANZ
CONSERVING ENERGY IN PIANO PRACTISE
[Illustration: Rudolph Ganz]
"One of the most necessary things is the conserving of vital energy in
piano practise," said the pianist Rudolph Ganz to me one day. "The
wrong way is to continually practise the piece as though you were
playing it in public--that is to say, with all possible energy and emotion.
Some of the pianists now before the public do this, and it always makes
me sorry for them, for I know what a needless waste of energy and vital

force it is. An actor, studying his lines, does not need to continually
shout them in order to learn how they should be interpreted. Neither
does the lyric actress practise her roles with full tones, for she is well
used to saving her voice. Why then should the pianist exhaust himself
and give out his whole strength merely in the daily routine of practise?
I grant this principle of saving one's self may not be easy to learn, but it
should be acquired by all players, great and small. I think a pianist
should be able to practise five or six hours daily without fatigue. If the
player is accustomed to husband his vital force during the daily routine
of practise, he can play a long, exacting program in public without
weariness. In every day practise one often does not need to play forte
nor use the pedals; a tone of medium power is sufficient. Suppose, for
instance, you are studying the Chopin Étude Op. 10, No. 12, with the
left hand arpeggio work. Every note and finger must be in place, every
mark of phrasing obeyed; but during practise hours you need not give
the piece all its dashing vigor and bravura at every repetition. Such a
course would soon exhaust the player. Yet every effect you wish to
make must be thoroughly studied, must be in mind, and used at
intervals whenever a complete performance of the piece is desired.
"As I said before, it is often difficult to control the impulse to 'let loose,'
if the work is an exciting one. At a recent rehearsal with the Symphony
Orchestra, I told the men I would quietly run through the concerto I
was to play, merely indicating the effects I wanted. We began, but in
five minutes I found myself playing with full force and vigor.
"In regard to methods in piano study there seems to be a diversity of
opinion, resulting, I think, from the various ways of touching the
keys--some players using the tip and others the ball of the finger.
Busoni may be cited as one who employs the end of the finger--Pauer
also; while the Frenchman, Cortôt, who has an exquisite tone, plays
with the hand almost flat on the keys, a method which certainly insures
weight of hand and arm. Of course players generally, and teachers also,
agree on the employment of arm weight in playing. The principles of
piano technic are surely but few. Was it not Liszt who said: 'Play the
right key with the right finger, the right tone and the right
intention--that is all!' It seems to me piano technic has been pushed to
its limit, and there must be a reversal; we may return to some of the
older methods of touch and technic.

"The vital thing in piano playing is to bring out the composer's meaning,
plus your own inspiration and feeling. You must study deeply into the
composer's idea, but you must also put your own feeling, intensity and
emotion into the piece. And not only must you feel the meaning
yourself, but you must play it in a way to touch others. There are many
pianists who are not cultured musicians; who think they know their
Beethoven because they can play a few sonatas. In music 'knowledge is
power.' We need all possible knowledge, but we also need to feel the
inspiration. One of the greatest teachers of our time holds that personal
inspiration is not necessary; for the feeling is all in the music itself. All
we have to do is to play with such