. When I first started on
my career I endeavored in every way to get a proper hearing in America.
But not until I had made a name for myself in Europe was I recognized
here, in my own land. All honor to those who are now fighting for the
musical independence of America!"

A GROUP OF QUESTIONS

Not long after the above conversation with Mme. Zeisler, I jotted down
some questions, leading to further elucidation of her manner of teaching
and playing, and sent them to her. The artist was then fully occupied
with her long and arduous tours and later went to Europe. My questions
remained unanswered for nearly a year. When she next played in New York,
she sent for me to come to her hotel. As she entered the room to greet
me, she held in her hand the paper containing the questions. I expressed
surprise that she had preserved the bit of paper so long.

"I am very conscientious," she answered; "I have kept this ever since
you sent it, and now we will talk over the topics you suggest."

(1) What means do you favor for gaining power?

"I can say--none. There is no necessity for using special means to
acquire power; when everything is right you will have sufficient power;
you cannot help having it. If you know the piece thoroughly, your
fingers have acquired the necessary strength through efficient practise,
so that when the time comes to make the desired effects, you have the
strength to make them, provided everything is as it should be with your
technic. Power is a comparative term at best; one pianist may play on a
larger scale than another. I am reminded of an amusing incident in this
connection. My son Paul, when a little fellow, was fond of boasting
about his mother; I could not seem to break him of it. One day he got
into an argument with another boy, who asserted that his father, an
amateur pianist, could play better than Paul's mother, because he 'could
play louder, anyway.' I don't know whether they fought it out or not;
but my boy told me about the dispute afterward.

"'What do you think makes a great player?' I asked him.

"'If you play soft enough and loud enough, slow enough and fast enough,
and it sounds nice,' was his answer. It is the whole thing in a
nutshell: and he was such a little fellow at the time!

"As I said, you must have everything right with your technic, then both
power and velocity will come almost unconsciously."

(2) What do you do for weak finger joints?

"They must be made strong at on