is the most difficult of all; this is where the teacher has such
great responsibility and where so many teachers are so incompetent.
Perhaps there are more poor teachers for the piano than for the voice.
The organs of voice production cannot be seen, they can only be guessed
at; so there may be a little more excuse for the vocal teacher; but for
the piano we have the keys and the fingers. It should not therefore be
such a very difficult thing to learn to play intelligently and
correctly! Yet few seem to have got hold of the right principles or know
how to impart them."

"I have heard a number of the young pianists here," I remarked, "and
they all play with very little finger action--with fingers close to the
keys. Do you advocate this?"

LOW HAND POSITION

"Do not forget that for centuries England has been a country of
organists; without doubt organ playing has had some effect on the piano
touch. Some schools of piano playing advise lifting the fingers high
above the keys, with a view to producing greater power; but I think the
tone thus produced is often of a somewhat harsh and disagreeable
quality. Then, too, high lifting interferes with smoothness and
velocity. For myself I advocate keeping the fingers close to the
keyboard, and pressing the keys, which gives the tone a warmer and more
elastic quality."

"A point in hand position I should like to ask you about. Some teachers
advise placing the finger-tips close to the edge of the keys, forming a
straight line with them; it seems to me such a position is forced and
unnatural."

Mr. Hambourg smiled assent.

"I do not advocate anything forced and unnatural," he answered. "So many
people think that a beautiful touch is 'born, not made,' but I do not
agree with them. One can acquire, I am sure, a fine piano touch with the
proper study. The principal requirement is, first of all, a loose wrist.
This point seems simple enough, but it is a point not sufficiently
considered nor understood. No matter how much the player may _feel_ the
meaning of the music, he cannot express this meaning with stiff wrists
and arms. Some people have a natural flexibility, and to such the
securing of a musical tone presents far less difficulty; but with time,
patience, and thought, I fully believe all can arrive at this goal.

AMOUNT OF PRACTISE

"In regard to practise I do not think it wise for the aspiring pianist
to spend such a great amount of time at the piano. Four hours of
c