rganic life in all its infinite
variety, and which are inherent in every medium for artistic expression.

PHRASING AND BREATHING

"It would take a book, and by no means a small one, to go into this
matter of phrasing which I am now discussing. Even in such a book there
would doubtless be many points which would be open to assaults for
sticklers in psychological technology. I am not issuing a propaganda or
writing a thesis for the purpose of having something to defend, but
merely giving a few offhand facts that have benefited me in my work.
However, it is my conviction that it is the duty of the pianist to try
to understand the analogy to the physical limitations which surround the
more natural mediums of musical expression--the voice and the
violin--and to apply the result of his observations to his piano
playing.

THE NATURAL EFFECT OF EMOTIONS

"There is another relation between phrasing and breathing which the
student may investigate to advantage. The emotions have a direct and
immediate effect upon the breath, and as the brain informs the nervous
system of new emotional impressions the visible evidences may be first
observed in the breathing. It is quite unnecessary to go into the
physiology or psychology of this, but a little reflection will
immediately indicate what I mean.

"It is impossible to witness a disastrous accident without showing
mental agitation and excitement in hurried breathing. Joy, anger, fear,
love, tranquillity and grief--all are characterized by different modes
of breathing, and a trained actor must study this with great closeness.

"The artist at the piano may be said to breathe his phrases. A phrase
that is purely contemplative in character is breathed in a tranquil
fashion without any suggestion of nervous agitation. If we go through
the scale of expression, starting with contemplative tranquillity, to
the climax of dramatic intensity, the breath will be emitted
progressively quicker and quicker. Every musical phrase has some kind of
expressive message to deliver. If a perfectly tranquil phrase is given
out in a succession of short breaths, indicating, as they would,
agitation, it would be a contradiction, just as it would be perfectly
inhuman to suppose that in expressing dramatic intensity it would be
possible to breathe slowly.

"In conclusion, I would urge students to cultivate a very definite
mental attitude as to what they really desire to accomplish. Do you wish
to make m