I am confident I could produce this floating,
undulating effect. I heard Liszt play nearly all these etudes at one
time; I stood by and turned the pages. In this etude he doubled the
number of sixths in each measure; the effect was wonderful and
beautiful.

"The Chopin Octave study, number 22, needs firm, quiet touch, elevating
the wrist for black keys (as Kullak explains) and depressing it for
white keys. The hand must be well arched, the end fingers firm and
strong, and the touch very pressing, clinging, and grasping. You always
want to cling whenever there is any chance for clinging in piano
playing. The second part of this etude should have a soft, flowing,
poetic touch in the right hand, while the left hand part is well brought
out. The thumb needs a special training to enable it to creep and slide
from one key to another with snake-like movements.

"Rubinstein's Barcarolle in G major. The thirds on the first page are
very soft and gentle. I make a good deal of extra motion with these
thirds, raising the fingers quite high and letting them fall gently on
the keys. The idea of the first page of this barcarolle is one of utter
quietness, colorlessness; one is alone on the water; the evening is
quiet and still; not a sound breaks the hushed silence. The delicate
tracery of thirds should be very soft, thin--like an airy cloud. The
left hand is soft too, but the first beat should be slightly accented,
the second not; the first is positive, the second negative. Herein lies
the idea of the barcarolle, the ebb and flow, the undulation of each
measure.

"Begin the first measure very softly, the second measure a trifle
louder, the third louder still, the fourth falling off again. As you
stand on the shore and watch the great waves coming in, you see some
that are higher and larger than others; so it is here. The concluding
passage in sixths should diminish--like a little puff of vapor that ends
in--nothing. On the second page we come upon something more positive;
here is a tangible voice speaking to us. The melody should stand out
clear, broad, beautiful; the accompanying chords should preserve the
same ebb and flow, the advancing and receding wave-like movement. The
exaggerated movement I spoke of a moment ago, I use in many ways. Any
one can hit the piano, with a sharp, incisive touch; but what I refer to
is the reaching out of the fingers for the notes, the passing of the
hand in the air and the final gentle fall on t