Even with me, his best pupil, he rarely
touched upon technical points. I must mention a notable exception. He
gave me one technical principle, expressed in a few simple exercises,
which I have never heard of from any one else. The use of this
principle has helped me amazingly to conquer many knotty passages. I
have never given these exercises to any one; I am willing however, to
jot them down for you."
(The following is a brief plan of the exercises, as sketched by Mme.
Schnitzer)
[Illustration: EXERCISES]
"Pugno wished the thirty-seconds and sixty-fourths to be played with the
utmost quickness. This idea is not alone applicable to all scales, but
can be used with any difficult passage found in a composition.
"Pugno took a keen interest in my work, my progress and career. A few
sentences culled here and there from the many letters of his which I
have preserved, may serve to throw more light on the inner nature of the
man:
"'I have endeavored to make clear to your young mind the thoughts
expressed in music, so that your understanding and your emotions also
might grow; all this has created a link of gratitude in you and an
affection within me. I have opened the windows for you and have given
you light, and I have reaped the satisfaction of my sowing.
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