Musical interpretation, its laws and principles, and their application in teaching and performing

Front matter

cobInell

university

LIBRARY

Preface

For many years past I have been urged to put into a permanent and available form my enunciation of those Principles and Laws of Interpretation, knowledge of which has proved to be one of the main causes of the success of the army of teachers who have arisen from my school.

The first step towards this end was the preparation, in the year 1909, of a set of Lectures covering this groimd. These I condensed later into a single lecture, and this was first delivered publicly in Manchester to Dr. Carroll's Association of Teachers diuring the season of 1909-10. Subsequently, it was repeated to the Edinbxu-gh Musical Education Society, to the London Music Teachers' Association (in 1910) and its Branches; it was also given at the Royal Academy of Music in the same year, and at my own School, and elsewhere.

A full synopsis also appeared in the "Music Student" of April, 1911, and elsewhere. I, nevertheless, still delayed issuing the material in book form, as I felt, in view of the extreme importance of the matters dealt with, that I would like to expand it, but lack of time has prevented my doing so.

As, however, some of our more up-to-date theorists are now doing me the honor to apply, in their recent works, some of the ideas first enunciated in these lectures of mine (and in my "First Principles," 1905, and "Act of Touch," 1903) such, for instance, as the vital one of recognizing in Progression or Movement the actual basis of all Rhythm and Shape in Music, I feel compelled to issue these lectiu-es now as originally delivered. Additional matter is given in the form of Notes; and I leave for later on, perhaps, the issue

VI PKEFACE

of a Supplement giving further details and illustrative Examples.

It will be found, that while this work deals with the subject mainly from the pianist's point of view, nevertheless most of the principles here formulated apply with equal force to all other forms of musical performance. Many of the same laws of Interpretation which apply to Pianoforte playing also hold good whether we are players of stringed instruments or wind instruments, or are vocalists, organ-players or conductors. We cannot play even on a penny whistle without coming under the sway of such laws! Hence I hope that this Uttle volume may prove helpful to all music-teachers and would-be performers, artists as well as students, whatever their specialty.^

Some of the main points here dealt with are: \a) the difference between letting a pupil shift for himself and helping him to learn; (6) the difference between mere cranaming and real teaching; (c) the difference between merely making a pupil "do things" and teaching him to think — to the end that he may know what to do, why to do it, and how to do it ; (d) the exposition of the true nature of Rhythm and Shape in Music — as Progression or Movement towards definite landmarks; (e) the true nature of Rubato in all its forms, small and large, simple and compound, and the laws of its apphcation; (/) consideration of the element of Duration, and, allied to this, rules as to the application of the damper-pedal; also, rules as to the application of Tone-variety, Fingering, Memorizing, etc., and some speculations as to the ultimate reason of the power that Music has over us.

To prevent misunderstanding, I must at once state that I do not claim that artists are "made" by the mere enun- ' Helpful even to the operators of mechanical pianos.

PREFACE Vll

ciation and teaching of such laws and principles as here given, or by those of instrumental technique — although no success can be attained without obedience to these same laws and principles. No, the really great artist always has been, is now, and ever will be, a most rare phenomenon. His advent depends on so many things uniting in one single individual — the highest gifts of imagination and invention, therefore high mental powers (yes, the really great artist must also have high reasoning power), physical and mental endm-ance, extreme enthusiasm for his chosen art, good health, and the opportunities to acquire the requisite skill to work in strict obedience to the laws of his art.

Hence, it is not claimed that the truthful Analysis and Synthesis of art or its technique can transform dullards into poets and seers, but what has been amply proven is, that such teachings do inevitably help the ordinary student to succeed in attaining to far higher ideals than he could have reached without such help, and that the "heavenborn" Genius (when he does appear) has many years of useful life added to his career, years otherwise wasted in futile experiments, while his path towards still higher perfections is thus rendered possible and easy — and his appreciation of truth in art made more sound. Such teaching therefore makes for Progress, not only in Music but in Life itself.

In thanking the many who have encouraged me to undertake the pubUcation of this httle work, I must also again thank Mrs. Kennedy-Fraser, of Edinburgh, for her invaluable help with my proofs.

Tobias Matthay

HasI/EMEre, September, 1912

SECTION I Some Genbbal Principles of Teaching and Learning ^^^^

Preface v

Points selected for elucidation 1

General attitude of the teacher 2

The learner can only be helped to learn 2

The first law of teaching 2

The most usual fault of the teacher 3

Both teacher and pupil must learn to think 3

How to practice 4

The danger of Automaticity 4

The danger of not really listening 5

"Listening'' defined 5

Automatic practice useless, even for techniques 5

We do not reaUy see or hear unless we analyse 6

As to ear-training, good and bad 7

Definition of real practice 8

Constant process of analysis proved necessary 9

"Genius" impUes natural concentration on one's work 9

Practice implies study 9

By learning concentration we can all approximate to the Genius level 10

Not only concentration but imagination necessary 10

The imaginative power must be trained 10

The forms of analysis necessary in teaching 11

The use of Example 12

The artist as teacher 13

The informative and the non-informative types of mind 13

The teacher must be artistic 14

Why unaided example will not suffice 14

Example v. Explanation 15

The necessity of Enthusiasm 17

ix

X CONTENTS

PAOH

Bad and good teaching ^^

Cramming v. real teaching 1"

To render a pupil "musical" 20

Bad and good conducting 20

Teaching v. cramming again 21

Make sure of your diagnosis before correcting a fault 21

Concrete cases as examples 22

Correction of inaccuracy as to Time-details 24

Playing out of time impUes lack of attention 24

Uselessness of the Metronome as a Time-teacher 24

Faults arising from bad touch habits 25

How to correct a wrong tempo 26

The causes of faults must always be made clear 26

True education 27

SECTION II The Nature of Musical Attention and of Musical Shape

Attention through key-resistance and time 28

Meaning of "Time-spot " 29

The Act of Thought, or Attention, itself implies a rhythmical act 30

Also see pp. 41, 59, and section VI.

Similarity between playing out of time and playing out of tune 30

"Grip" in performance 31

As to Time-training 31

As to the interpretation of the term "Rhythm" 31

Correct ideas of Time and Shape in Music 32

Progression and movement analogous in Music and Painting 32

The origin of our sense of Pulse 32

The progressional view of music v. the old segmental view 34

The difference between the old segmental view of structure, and the progressional view of musical structure 35

Some examples of the Progressional view of structure 36

The incorrect notation of bar-lines 3S

As to Nomenclature of structural details 39

Harmonic movement necessary 40

The process of Memorizing also depends upon Progression 41

Deliberate indefiniteness in composition 42

How to apply one's memory 42

Memory-failure 42

The various kinds of musical memory 43

The necessity of muscular memory and its dangers 43

CONTENTS XI

PAGE!

Silent practice 43

To prevent slithering 44

Inaccuracy in the sub-divisions of the pulses owing to non-perception of

the Element of Progression 46

Progression always towards climax of phrase in spite of decrescendo 47

Passages broken between hands; correct thinking of them 49

Broken passages, technical errors 51

Wrong Bass notes — and other notes 53

Progression in its larger swings 54

Warning against purely mechanical "scanning" 54

To keep the whole in view is a question of memory 56

"Thinking the Whole" expounded 56

Perception of a new composition 57

The cause of stammering unmusically 59

SECTION III The Element of RtJBATO

Tempo-continuity, why necessary 6.0

Continuity also depends upon tonal and emotional planning-out 60

True nature of Rubato usually quite misunderstood 61

Rubato is no mystery, it is not "silent-sound" not "telepathy" 61

Ritardandos and Acellerandos are not Rubato 62

The true rationale of Rubato 63

Time-curves constantly required 63

Rubato in modem music 64

Rubato in older music 65

Fallacy re the old masters being unemotional 65

In giving emotional life, Shape must not be lost sight of 66

When to teach and learn Rubato 67

The problem of music for Children 67

The two distinct fundamental forms of Rubato:

(I) The "leaning" Rubato 70

Rubato supplies the strongest forms of emphasis 70

(II) The "push-on" Rubato 71

The two forms may be combined 71

Ritardandos and Accellerandos marked in text, often found to be incorrectly noted Rubatos 71

The exact position of the return to the pulse must be noted 72

The cause of the Rubato also to be noted 72

Rubato allows a phrase-climax to be shown in decrescendo 72

XU CONTENTS

PAOB

Fallacy regarding position of phrase-climax 73

Attack of phrase 73

Various forms of Rubato illustrated:

(I) The more usual form, or "leaning" Rubato 74

All Means of Expression must always be applied solely to express Music 74, and pp. 79, 120, 121, and Section VI.

Tone-amount varies with note-lengths in uneven passages 75

In a slow movement, tone for the quicker notes is reduced from a high

background ^ 76

In a quick movement the reverse process applies 76

Further examples of "leaning" Rubato 78

Eubato-inflections must always be carried out subtly 79

Example of Rubato-analysis — the first two bars of Chopin's ballade in

A flat 80

Example of Rubato showing trend of phrase in spite of diminuendo .... 82

Example of Rubato showing cross-accent 83

Again, the importance of "scanning" 84

Rubato required to depict agitation 86

Always shapeful, however veiled the shapes 86

Definiteness, Decision, best expressed without Rubato inflections 87

Illustrations of these Distinctions emotionally 87-89

Mis-scanning of Chopin's Scherzos again 87, 89

Illustrations of Rubato continued :

(11) The pitsh-on or inverted Rubaio 92

Examples of the combination of the two forms of Rubato 97

Modern Rubato examples from Beethoven 102

Rubato can show accent on a rest or tied note 104

Rubato always in the nature of a curve, never a time-spike 104

Always keep in view Musical Purpose, during Rubato-inflections 105

Also see pp. 99, 79

SECTION IV Concerning Certain Details in the Application of Tone-inflection

AND THE Bearing of Touch-teaching and Fingering, etc., on

Interpretation

The importance of Rubato does not detract from the importance of Tone

and Duration Contrasts 107

Lack of tone-variety often not reahsed by the teacher 107

Need of accurate Ustening and analysing again demonstrated iQg

Want of true pp is mostly the cause of deficiency in coloring 109

CONTENTS XllI

PAOB

After a long note, the continuation of the same phrase is often played too

loudly 110

Cut away the tone to render certain notes prominent 110

The individuaUsation and balance of the constituent notes of chords,

octaves, etc 112

An exercise for tonal individuaUsation 112

Less force required to produce the higher notes than the lower notes of

the Piano 115

The tonal emphasising of melody notes should not lead to tasteless

agoggic accents 115

The bearing of the teaching of Touch, etc., upon the teaching of Interpretation 117

Command over Interpretation implies command over technical resources 117 Obedience to the laws of Touch and Technique must constantly be insisted upon 117

Knowledge of the laws of Touch and Technique necessary even for the

beginner 118

Points as to Touch requiring constant reminder 119

Musical and Technical Attention must never be allowed to flag whUe giving attention to the details of Muscular Education 120

The bearing of Fingering on Interpretation, and the learning of its laws . . 121

Fingering, also, must not be "crammed" 122

Its proper teaching 122

The Memorising of Fingering 122

Scale fingerings, single and double notes 123

SECTION V As TO Pedalling and the Element of Duration

Just as close attention required for the foot as for the finger 125

Most pedalling a mass of blemishes 125

Examples of bad pedalling 126

Not enough to feel the breaks between the phrasings clearly, one must

play them clearly 126

Inadequacy of Pedal-discontinuity 127

Accuracy in Duration-effects depends immediately upon accuracy in

listening 128-129

Value of Duration-contrasts insuflSciently reaUsed 129

Gradations of Tone and Duration contrasted 130

Pedal-durations more important than Finger-durations 130

Pedal enhances actual prolongation of sounds 131

"Syncopated" pedalling 131

XIV CONTENTS

PAGE

Why syncopated pedalling is required 132

Legatifisimo pedalling 133

Echo-resonance of a Hall diEferent from pedal continuity 133

Examples of Legatissimo Pedalling 133

Pedal must rise fuUy 134

Pedal must remain up long enough 134

Half-damping effects 135

The "Sostenente" Pedal 135

Half-pedalling applied to whole chords 136

Cessation of sound as a form of emphasis 136

Examples of this - 137-140

Imperative to listen accurately and constantly to Duration 141

Various additional Pedalling examples 141-146

Chopin's Pedalling 143, 144 and 89

Listen both to finger and to foot-doings 146

Attention during Performance 147

SECTION VI The Pttrpose of Abt-exprbssion and Its Relation to the Infinite

The ever-present danger of forgetting the End over the Means 148

The Purpose of Art is the expression of Feeling 148

Art-moods which make for Good and which make for Evil 149

Health and Mood 150

The nature of Music, its relation to all-pervading Rh\-thm, and its relation to the ultimately Unknowable 151

Summary: Report of Lecture on "The Principles of Teaching Interpretation" 154-163

MUSICAL

INTERPRETATION

Section I Introductory Some General Principles Of Teaching And Learning

The teaching of Interpretation is so complex a problem that at a first glance it seems hopeless to try to cover the ground in one or two short lectures. All one can do is to select some few of the more salient points, points in regard to which the young teacher or performer (and often the older one) is most apt to fail. This, then, is what I

propose doing, it being understood that no attempt is here made to treat the subject exhaustively.

The main points I have selected are:

(1) The difference between Practice and mere Strum-

ming.

(2) The difference between Teaching and Cramming.

(3) How one's mind can be brought to bear upon one's

work.

(4) Correct ideas of Time and Shape.

(5) The element of Rubato and its appUcation.

(6) The elements of Duration and PedalUng and their

application.

(7) Incidentally, some details as to the application of

the element of Tone-variety. 1

General attitude of teacher.

The learner can only be helped to learn.

The first law of teaching.

It is impossible, however, to make clear even these particular essentials of teaching, without first taking a cursory glance at the whole problem — the general attitude of the teacher towards those he wishes to help. To begin with, let us recognise the fact, that, accurately speaking, we cannot "teach" anyone anything — in the sense of our being able directly to lodge any knowledge of ours in another mind.

All we can really do is to stimulate another mind to vxish to learn, and suggestively to place before that other mind the things which it is desirable should be apprehended. It is always the other mind which has to make the effort to apprehend, and unless that effort is made nothing can be learnt.

We cannot teach others, but we can help them to leam. In fact, I will go so far as to say that unless we teachers do recognise this fundamental truth, we cannot hope to begin to succeed in our vocation. We shall also see that one of the very points I wish to insist upon is closely allied to this truth. Let me at once state it here:

Good teaching consists not in trying to make the pupil do things so that the result of his efforts shall seem like playing, but consists in trying to make him think, so that it shall really be playing.

The good teacher does not try to turn his pupil into an automaton, but tries to prompt him to grow into a living, inteUigent being. But more of this anon.^

1 As I shall explain later, the fallacious attitude is, to endeavor to use our will and intelligence so that the doings of our pupil's fingers may sound plausible, whereas the correct attitude is to use our inteUigenee so that the pupil will all the time use his own intelligence and his own will, and may thus learn to guide his fingers correctly, alike musically, and technically.

INTRODUCTOEY 3

Undoubtedly, one of the first things we have to combat The most in a pupil is the wish to be saved all trouble and effort, usual fault oi and to have the "learning" done by the teacher. Indeed, **ie student the ordinary pupil invariably starts with the notion, that all he has to do is to be passive and "receptive" — like a laboratory funnel with mouth widely gaping, ready to receive any chemicals (pleasant or otherwise) which the operating chemist may see fit to pour in. This attitude must be at once kindly but firmly combated, and the pupil must be made to see, that it is for Mm to try to learn, for him to try to apprehend and to assimilate those things to which the teacher is anxious to call his attention.

Certainly, there are direct and there are indirect (or empirical) methods of teaching in all branches of education; and, as you know, I claim that my teaching-methods are direct — but we now see that this "directness" can refer solely to the method of placing things before a pupil.

The first general conclusion we are thus driven to accept Both teacher is the need for purposeful brain-use, on the part of both ^^ p^p^^ teacher and pupil. With regard to the pupil, not ^^ **™ '°

only is brain-use (i.e. reasoning) imperative during lessontime, it is even more imperative during the practice-hour when there is no help available from outside. How often indeed do we find the pupil's work brought back worse than at a preceding lesson, in spite of what would seem to have been most judiciously thought-out and carefully worded advice ! And why is this so? Simply, because the pupil in the interval, instead of really practising, has tried with might and main to make himself (or herself) into an automatic strumming-machine. Yes, often it is the

pupil's fault, he either will not, or cannot use his brains. But believe me, far more often still, it is the teacher's fault, owing to his not having correctly shown the student how to use his brains during practice, or not having diplomatically enough insisted on real practice, in place of such mere gymnastic strumming.

How to prac- The first thing to do then, is to give the pupil a clear idea

tice. of what does constitute real practice.^

The danger Remember that the mistaken desideratum with which the

of automa- student starts work is just this, it seems to him that the ideal state would be to be able to do without thinking. Often enough he does try his utmost to exercise his muscles in his pieces, his studies and techniques — and he does so, beheving piano-playing to be a purely gymnastic pursuit hke walking and running, etc. Even admitting the necessity for muscular automaticity, he does not reaUse that a certain amount of reflection is imperative in acquiring it; that walking, running, and breathing, purely automatic as they must be in the end, are all the better for a Uttle reflection on the right ways of doing them.^

The average student then, if left to himself, will assuredly try to make himself into a mere automaton in his practice-hour, from sheer horror of the discomfort and irksomeness of mental effort.

Therefore, this is the first and ever-present obstacle with which we teachers have to contend. We must be prepared to drive home to the pupil that the thing most to he avoided is this very automaticity which seems so attractive to him,

1 Realise, that the average student has a fixed idea that Piano-practice is a purely gymnastic exercise — he lives in the hope that by going over "the ground often enough, the piece may at last "do itself" wiihout his ihinking about it at all — a mere exercising therefore of the muscles concerned.

^ Even the athlete must use his judgement, and those who are too lazy or decadent to do their athletics personally must still give their minds to the exhibited exercise, if they mean to derive any interest from it.

and into which his natural bent will only too assuredly lead him. We may use persuasion or threats, coaxing or snarling, sledge hammer or velvet paw upon him, but if any good work is to be done, we must in some way or other bring him to avoid automatic practice.

Really, there is nothing more fatal for our musical sense, The danger than to allow ourselves — by the hour — to hear musical **/ ''°* ^^^^ sounds without really listening to them; and this holds true whether the sounds are made by ourselves or by others; for unless we do Usten attentively, we are at that moment inevitably forming habits of lax attention.^

Here I must digress for a moment, to make plainer what Listening deis meant by "really listening," for we cannot get any fi^^ed. further unless we are quite clear on this point. Let us, for instance, take a page of print or music. If we turn our eyes upon it, the Ught from the page pours in upon us, whether we attend to its meaning or not. We may reaUze that it is

' To sound the notes of a piece through as a mere physical exercise, Automatic is not only useless but positively harmful musically; and this apphes practice, useas much to the practice of Studies and Techniques as to that of pieces, ^^^' ^'^° for in all repetitions we are always forming or fixing habits — musical ^ ^"^ ' ones and technical ones — and it behooves us, therefore, to see to it that good habits and not bad ones are being insisted upon — habits of keen attention, for instance, and not habits of laxity of attention. It must be constantly insisted upon, that if we try to make the piece, or study, or technical exercise "go by itseU, " this, so far from being "practice" is indeed the opposite — it is un-practice. For in trying to turn ourselves into human automata we are doing all we can to render it impossible for us to acquire those habits of mind — of attention — which enable us to play with success; and we shall, in the end, find oiu- head listening merely to the doings of our spinel And this is no mere figure of speech, for it describes quite accurately what does occur in such cases; that is, we here have the conscious, could-be intelligent brain engaged in merely noticing (instead of directing) the clockwork doings of our spinal or ganglionic centres!

a page of print, we may even read it out aloud, but it conveys no definite meaning until we do bring om- minds upon it. We derive no information from the constant stream of varied light-impressions pouring in through the iris unless we analyse the impressions made on our nerve-ends; unless we (consciously or unconsciously) investigate the impressions there received, we notice nothing, learn nothing, and do not really see anything A

Precisely so is it with our ears, I might say it is even more so, for we cannot shut our physical ears as we can our eyes. All sounds that occur within earshot will certainly reach our ear-drums and the nerve-ends of the inner ear, whether we "Usten" or not. But we may derive from this stream of sounds either a mere vague impression that some sort of sound is occurring, or we may, if we turn our minds upon the soimd, discover definitely what it consists of and means.

We do not We may, even without attention, realize the fact that really see or gome music is being made, but' we shall certainly not unwe analyse, derstand a note of it, unless we do purposely, all the time, notice and in fact analyse the stream of aural-impressions pouring in upon us.

' An excellent experiment is, to turn our eyes upon a window covered by a light, diaphanous, gauzy curtain. We shall find, while keeping our eyes quite stationary, that we can allow ourselves to become conscious either of the pattern of the curtain, or of the trees or other objects outside the window. True, a slight focussing adjustment of the iris-muscles occurs in this case, but the main, important fact taught us is, that we may either notice the curtain itself or the things beyond it at will. Wliich of the two we do thus observe depends upon the direction we give to our powers of mental-analysis. Moreover, the things we do not thus analyse we also do not observe — and this, although the light rays do pour in upon us all the time, both from the curtain and from the objects beyond it I .!

No one is quite so foolish as to try to write or draw without at least taking the trouble to look at the paper he is engaged upon. Nevertheless, most music-students fail to realise that it is just as idiotic to try to play any musical instrument without at least taking the trouble accurately to listen to it — all the time.^

Yes, that is where "Ear-training" comes in. But how As to earmuch rubbish is written and talked in this cause — a most training, righteous cause, when really understood and not perverted |^ *" into faddism. It would seem that many people imagine "Ear-training" to be a process of actually training a portion of one's brain (previously otherwise employed) to be impressed by sounds, or a training of the nerve-ends of the ear-organ itself! Or, perhaps even, a training of the skin and flesh itself — the lobes of the outer ear!

' This is one of the greatest difficulties the teacher has to contend with. The average pupU does not in the least realise that he must bring his aural consciousness on the work in hand; neither wUI he take the trouble to judge what he should do, nor how he should do it, nor wiU he deign to Usten to the actual sounds he is making. Yet when he writes his own name he takes care to "listen with his eyes" on the paper! And even with the best intention to listen and attend properly, the student is apt to fail. You must explain to him therefore, that listening does not mean merely hearing what the automatic centres may manage to do, but that effective listening implies pre-Ustening aU the time as to what should be. Explain to him that he must certainly listen to aU he is doing — every note, but in the first place he must want every note aright. Say to him ' ' do want all the time — every note. " Be not taken up with the doing, but on the contrary "let Music tell you what to do" — let the piece, as it goes along, suggest to you what to do; then you may be sure that you are using your Imagination as well as your Reason. When the music seems to tell you what to do, then are you using your sub-conscioxis faculties as you should do eventually.

In short: during Practice do not try to "do," but try to learn to see; during Performance you may then be able to see Music — its Shape, Feeling and Time-spot, while you compel your fingers to give all this.

Granted, that training may possibly help to sensitise the actual ear-machine or apparatus — granted, also, that there may be a portion of our brain-matter more particularly engaged in aural work — the main point remains, and that is, that all ear-training in the first place signifies Mind-training: training ourselves to observe and notice aural impressions, training our mind to make use of the impressions received through our ear-apparatus. In short. Ear-training to be practical, must mean Mind-training, musically. Certainly, we should teach children Ear-attention from the very beginning, and from the simplest steps upwards. But what is generally overlooked is, that every one professing to teach any form of musical performance must insist on such real Ear-training all day and every minute of every day when engaged in teaching — if it is to be real teaching at all.^ Definition of A passage must therefore never be played through, no, real practice. ^^^ gygj^ ^j^pg through, except for the express purpose of really knowing that passage better; for the purpose of knowing it better not only physically, but also mentally — knowing each bar better, and the piece as a Wliole better. First, that we may know it better as to its musical content — both as to Shape and as to FeeUng; and secondly, that

' Under the new faddism, I have heard of good teachers being turned out of schools on the ground that they, personally, have not acquired some particular stage of ear-discrimination, while no enquiry was made whether they were successful or not in making their pupils use their minds aurally. That the teacher possesses "absolute pitch" (relative pitch is another matter!) is no guarantee whatever that the possessor ia in the least musical or observant aurally, or knows how to make others observant.