"[35] That means whatever we strive to learn should
be learned from works of the best kind. In the beginning, we cannot
choose wisely the best examples to set before ourselves; therefore it
is for us to heed what another wise man said: "As to choice in the
study of pieces, ask the advice of more experienced persons than
yourself; by so doing you will save much time." [36] You thereby save
time doubly. Later on in your life you will have no bad taste to
overcome--that is one saving; and already you know from childhood many
classics, and that is another saving. What we learn in childhood is a
power all our lives.
You can see plainly, now, that both in the choice of pieces and in the
manner of playing them, a person's character will come out. We saw in
the last Talk how character has to come out in writing. Only a very
common character would select pieces written entirely for a vain
show--of rapid runs, glittering arpeggios, and loud, unmeaning chords.
Worse than that, such a choice of pieces displays two common
people,--three, in fact: A composer who did not write pure thought
from the heart; a teacher who did not instil good thoughts into the
pupil's heart; and yourself (if really you care for such things) who
play from a vain desire to be considered brilliant.
A player who devotes the mind and the hands only to what a meaningless
composer writes for them is not worthy of any power.
Pages:
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55