t sensuous
love for the beautiful made her numerous tours through all of the
music-loving countries remarkably successful.

[Illustration: TERESA CARRENO]

VIII

DISTINCTIVE PIANO PLAYING

TERESA CARRENO

EARLY EVIDENCES OF INDIVIDUALITY

It is difficult for me to discuss the subject of individuality without
recollecting one of the most impressive and significant events of my
entire career. When I was taken to Europe as a child, for further study,
it was my good fortune to meet and play for the immortal Franz Liszt. He
seemed deeply interested in my playing, and with the kindliness for
which he was always noted he gave me his blessing, a kind of artistic
sacrament that has had a tremendous influence upon all my work as an
artist. He laid his hand upon my head and among other things said:
"Little girl, with time you will be one of us. Don't imitate anyone.
Keep yourself true to yourself. Cultivate your individuality and do not
follow blindly in the paths of others."

In this one thought Liszt embodied a kind of a pedagogical sermon which
should be preached every day in all the schools, conservatories and
music studios of the world. Nothing is so pitiful as the evidences of a
strong individuality crushed out by an artificial educational system
which makes the system itself of paramount importance and the individual
of microbic significance.

The signs of individuality may be observed in little folks at a very
early age. With some children they are not very pronounced, and the
child seems like hundreds of others without any particular inclination,
artistic or otherwise. It is then that the teacher's powers of
divination should be brought into play. Before any real progress can be
made the nature of the child must be studied carefully. In the case of
other children, the individuality is very marked at an early age. As a
rule, the child with the marked individuality is the one from whom the
most may be expected later in life. Sometimes this very individuality is
mistaken for precocity. This is particularly the case with musicians. In
a few instances the individuality of the master has been developed late
in life, as was the case of Richard Wagner, whose early individual
tendencies were toward the drama rather than music.

NEW PROBLEMS AT EVERY STEP

The teacher in accepting a new pupil should realize that there at once
arises new problems at every step. The pupil's hand, mind, body and soul
may be in