ructed to secure a similar result, and the teacher
should persevere until the audible effect is nearly the same. If the
pupil, working empirically, does not discover the means leading to this
effect, the teacher should call the pupil's attention to some of the
physical conditions leading to the result. If the teacher is unable to
play well enough to illustrate this, and to secure the right kind of
touch from his pupils, he has no business to be a teacher of advanced
students. All the theory in the world will never lead to the proper
results.

"Rubinstein paid little or no attention to the theory of touch, and, in
fact, he frequently stated that he cared little about such things, but
who could hear Rubinstein's touch without being benefited? I believe
that in teaching touch the teacher should first give his model of the
touch required and then proceed from this positive ideal, by means of
the so-called Socratic method of inducing the pupil to produce a similar
result through repeated questions. In this way the pupil will not be
obliged to resign his individuality, as would be the case if he followed
strict technical injunctions and rules.

STUDENTS SHOULD HEAR VIRTUOSOS

"For the same reason it is advisable for the pupil to hear many fine
pianists. He should never miss an opportunity to attend the concerts of
great virtuosos. I can frankly say that I have learned as much from
hearing the concerts of great performers as I have from any other source
of educational inspiration. The pupil should listen intelligently and
earnestly. When he hears what appeals to him as a particularly fine
tonal effect, he should endeavor to note the means the pianist employs
to produce this effect.

"He must, however, learn to discriminate between affection or needless
movement and the legitimate means to an end. Consequent upon a relaxed
full arm is the occasional dropping of the wrist below the level of the
keyboard. A few great players practice this at a public recital, and lo!
and behold! a veritable cult of 'wrist-droppers' arises and we see
students raising and lowering the wrist with exaggerated mechanical
stiffness and entirely ignoring the important end in which this wrist
dropping was only an incident.

METHODS, AND STILL MORE METHODS

"I am continually amused at the thousand and one different ways of
striking the keys that teachers devise and then attach with the label
'method.' These varied contortions are, after all, la