ion principles and work up. Opinions may differ as to the
eminence of Leschetizky as a teacher, but the fact remains that many of
the pianists now before the public have been with him at one time or
another. They all testify that the Viennese master will have nothing to
do with a player until he has gone through a course of rigorous
preparation spent solely in finger training, and can play a pair of
Czerny etudes with perfect control and effect.

ARTISTIC TOUCH

One of the greatest American teachers of touch was Dr. William Mason,
who made an exhaustive study of this subject. His own touch was noted
for its clear, bell-like, elastic quality. He remarked on one occasion,
in regard to playing in public: "It is possible I may be so nervous that
I can hardly walk to the piano; but once I have begun to play I shall
hold the audience still enough to hear a pin drop, simply by the beauty
of my touch and tone." Dr. Mason's touch specialties were "pressure" and
"elastic" or "drawing-off" touches. He found these gave both weight and
crisp lightness to the tones.

Mr. Tobias Matthay, of London, has given much time and thought to the
study of touch and key mechanism. He says: "The two chief rules of
technic, as regards the key are: Always feel how much the key resists
you, feel how much the key _wants_ for every note. Second, always listen
for the moment each sound begins, so that you may learn to direct your
effort to the sound only and not to the key bed. It is only by making
the hammer end of the key move that you can make a sound. The swifter
the movement, the louder the sound. The more gradual the movement the
more beautiful the quality of sound. For brilliant tone, you may hit the
string by means of the key, but do not, by mistake, hit the key
instead."

Thuel Burnham, a pupil of Mason and Leschetizky, has welded the ideas of
these two masters into his own experience, and simplifies the matter of
piano touch as follows:

MELODY AND COLORATURA HANDS

"The position and condition of the hand varies according to the
character of the music and the quality of tone you wish to produce. If
you give out a melody, you want a full, luscious tone, the weight of
arm on the key, everything relaxed and a clinging, caressing pressure of
finger. Here you have the 'Melody Hand,' with outstretched, flat
fingers. On the contrary, if you wish rapid passage work, with clear,
bright, articulate touch, the hand must stand up in well-arche