y a Mendelssohn _Song With Words_, are buried
in the avalanche of technical impossibilities that the alluring concerto
provides.

FOREIGN DEBUTS

"Unfortunately, a foreign _debut_ seems to be necessary for the artist
who would court the favor of the American public. Foreign pianists get
engagements long before their managers in America ever hear them. In the
present state of affairs, if an American pianist were to have the
ability of three Liszts and three Rubinsteins in one person, he could
only hope for meager reward if he did not have a great European
reputation behind him.

"The condition is absurd and regrettable, but nevertheless true. We have
many splendid teachers in America--as fine as there are in the world.

"We have in our larger cities musical audiences whose judgment is as
discriminating as that of the best European audiences. Many an artist
with a great European reputation has come to this country, and, failing
'to make good' in the judgment of our critics and audiences, went back
with his reputation seriously impaired. Nevertheless, as I have stated,
the American artist without a European reputation, has no drawing power
and therefore does not interest the managers and the piano
manufacturers, who nowadays have largely supplanted the managers. This
being so, I can only advise the American artist to do as others had to
do. Go to Europe; give a few concerts in Berlin, London, Vienna or
Paris. Let the concert director who arranges your concerts paper the
house, but be sure you get a few critics in the audience. Have your
criticisms translated, and get them republished in American papers.
Then, if you have real merit, you may get a chance.

"The interest in music in the United States at the present time is
phenomenal. European peoples have no conception of it. Nowhere in the
world can such interest be found. Audiences in different parts of the
country do not differ very greatly from the standpoint of intelligent
appreciation. When we consider the great uncultured masses of peasants
in Europe and the conditions of our own farmers, especially in the West,
there is no basis of comparison. America is already a musical country, a
very musical country. It is only in its failure to properly support
native musicians that we are subject to criticism.

PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS

"To the young man or woman who would learn 'The Secret of Public
Appearance' I would say:

"1. Look deeply into your natural qualif