The amount of time
I consider necessary for practise depends, of course, on quickness of
comprehension. In general, I may say four, or at most five hours are
quite sufficient, If used with absolute concentration. The quality of
practise is the great essential. If the passage under consideration is
not understood, a thousand times going over it will be only vain
repetitions; therefore, understand the construction and meaning of the
passage in the beginning, and then a thousand repetitions ought to make
it perfect.
"There is so much practise which can be done away from the instrument,
by reading the notes from the printed page and thinking about them. Is
this understood in America? Always _listen_ to your playing, to every
note you make on the piano; I consider this point of the very first
importance. My pupils are generally well advanced or are those who
intend making music a profession. I have, however, occasionally taken a
beginner. This point of listening to every note, of training the ear,
should stand at the very foundation.
LETTING THE HAND FIND ITSELF
"In regard to hand position, I endeavor not to be narrow and pedantic.
If pupils play with good tone and can make reasonably good effects, I
take them, at the point where they are and try to bring them forward,
even if the hand position is not just what I would like.
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