the musical laws
underlying the structure and composition of a work of its kind as well
as the necessary keyboard technic to give expression to the work,--but
the veil is torn from the composer's hidden meaning, only becoming
intimate with his creative personality as a master, by studying his life
environments, by investigating the historical background of the period
in which he worked, by learning of his joys and his sufferings, by
cultivating a deep and heartfelt sympathy for his ideals and by the
scrupulous and constant revision of one's own ideals and conceptions of
the standards by which his masterpieces should be judged.

STUDYING THE HISTORICAL BACKGROUND

To exemplify what I mean, I could, for instance, refer to Paderewski's
interpretations of Liszt and Chopin. During the time I was associated
with the master pianist as a pupil I had abundant opportunities to make
notes upon the very individual, as well as the highly artistically
differentiated expressions of his musical judgment. It was interesting
to observe that he played the Rhapsodies with various extensions and
modifications, the result of which is the glorification of Liszt's own
spirit. On the contrary, in order to preserve Chopin's spirit, the
master would always repudiate any changes, like those of Tausig, for
instance, by which some virtuosos pretend to "emphasize" or "modernize"
Chopin's personal and perfect pianism. Differences in treatment are the
outcome of deep insight as well as the study of the time and conditions
under which the work was produced.

The study of musical history reveals many very significant things which
have a direct bearing not only upon the interpretation of the performer,
but upon the degree of appreciation with which the listener is able to
enjoy a musical work. It was for this reason that I prefaced the first
two recitals of my course of historical recitals given at Mendelssohn
Hall, New York, during the past season, with a lecture upon the
historical conditions which surrounded the masters at the time the
compositions were composed.

THE INADEQUACY OF MUSICAL SIGNS

I have already referred to the inadequacy of musical signs. Even the
mechanical guide, the metronome, is not always to be depended upon to
give the exact tempo the composer had in mind. Let me cite a little
instance from the biography of Ries, the friend of Beethoven. Ries was
preparing to conduct a performance of the Beethoven Ninth Symphony. He
re