Piano and Song | Page 4

puzzle her and to excite close attention, I strike the lower one gently
and the higher one stronger, and keep on sounding them, lower and
lower towards the bass, according to the capacity of the pupil.) I
suppose you find it a little tiresome to listen so closely; but a delicate,
quick ear is necessary for piano-playing, and by and by it will become
easier to you. But I won't tire you with it any more now, we will go on
to something else. Can you count 3,--1, 2, 3?
BESSIE. Yes, indeed, and more too.
DOMINIE. We'll see; now keep counting 1, 2, 3, 1, 2, 3, as evenly and
regularly as you can. (I lead her to count steadily, and strike at the same
time a chord in three even quarter-notes.) Now we'll see if you can
count evenly by yourself. (I count 1 of the chord with her, and leave her
to count 2 and 3 by herself; or else I count with her at 2, and let her
count 1 and 3 alone; but I am careful to strike the chord promptly and
with precision. Afterwards I strike the chord in eighth-notes, and let her
count 1, 2, 3; in short, I give the chord in various ways, in order to
teach her steadiness in counting, and to confine her attention. In the
same way I teach her to count 1, 2, 1, 2; or 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6; at the same
time telling her that music is sometimes counted in triple time, and

sometimes in 2/4 or 4/4 time.) Now, Bessie, you have learned to count
very well, and to know the difference in the tones. It is not every child
that learns this in the first lesson. If you don't get tired of it, you will
some time learn to be a good player. As soon as you are rested, I will
tell you about something else, that you will have to listen to very
carefully.
BESSIE. But I like it, and will take pains to listen just as closely as I
can.
DOMINIE. When several tones are struck at the same time, if they
sound well together, they make what we call a chord. But there are both
major and minor chords: the major chord sounds joyous, gay; the minor,
sad, dull, as you would say; the former laugh, the latter weep. Now take
notice whether I am right. (I strike the chord of C major; then, after a
short pause, that of C minor; and try, by a stronger or lighter touch, to
make her listen first to the major and then to the minor chords. She
usually distinguishes correctly; but it will not do to dwell too long upon
these at first, or to try to enforce any thing by too much talk and
explanation.) Now I will tell you that the difference in the sounds of
these chords is in the third, counted upwards from the lower note c, and
depends upon whether you take it half a tone higher or lower, e or e flat.
I shall explain this better to you by and by, when you come to learn
about the tonic, the third, the fifth or dominant, the octave, and so on.
(It is advantageous and psychologically correct to touch occasionally,
in passing, upon points which will be more thoroughly taught later. It
excites the interest of the pupil. Thus the customary technical terms are
sometimes made use of beforehand, and a needful, cursory explanation
given of them.) That is right; you can tell them pretty well already; now
we will repeat once more the names of the keys, and then we will stop
for to-day. Just see how many things you have learned in this lesson.
BESSIE. It was beautiful!
DOMINIE. I hope you will always find it so.
BESSIE. When may I have another lesson?

DOMINIE. Day after to-morrow; at first, you must have at least three
lessons a week.
BESSIE. What shall I do in the next lesson?
DOMINIE. I shall repeat all that I have taught you to-day; but I shall
teach you a great deal of it in a different way, and every time I shall
teach it to you differently, so that it shall always be interesting to you.
In the next lesson we will begin to play, first on the table, and at last on
the piano. You will learn to move your fingers lightly and loosely, and
quite independently of the arm, though at first they will be weak; and
you will learn to raise them and let them fall properly. Besides that, we
will contrive a few exercises to teach you to make the wrist loose, for
that must be learned in the beginning in order to acquire