Let us suppose you play the piano. There will be two kinds of
lessons--one will be for the fingers, one for the mind. But really the
mind also guides the finger-work; and the heart must be in all. Your
exercises will give you greater power to speak with the fingers. Every
new finger-exercise in piano-playing is like a new word in language.
Provided with it, you can say more than you could before. The work for
the mind is the classics. These are compositions by the greater and
lesser masters with which you form the taste, while the technical
exercises are provided to give you the power, the ability, to play
them. Thus you see how well these two things go together.
Year after year, if you go on patiently, you will add to each of these
tasks; more power will come to the fingers and to the mind. All this
time you will be coming nearer and nearer to the true music. More and
more will be coming out of your heart. The spring will not only
continue to bubble clearly but it will become more powerful. Nothing
is so wonderful as that.
Do you know what a sad thing it was for the man not to increase that
one talent which had been given to him? [39] Perchance you have also
one. Then find it, love it, increase it. Know that every step of the
way, every bit of task, every moment of faith is paid for in later
years ten thousandfold.
If now we remember our Talk on Listening it will serve us.
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