As I listened to their performances it was brought to me
more clearly than ever that each master played the piano in the manner
which best suited himself; at the same time each and every player made
the instrument utter tones and effects little dreamed of by the ordinary
learner. What was the secret? Was it the manner of moving the keys, the
size of hand, the length of finger, or the great strength possessed by
the player? I had always been taught to play slowly and carefully, so
that I should make no mistakes; these great pianists had wonderful
fearlessness; Rubinstein at least did not seem to care whether or not he
hit a few wrong notes here and there, if he could only secure the speed
and effect desired. Whence came his fearless velocity, his tremendous
power?
ESSENTIALS OF PIANISM
Little by little I began to realize the essentials of effective piano
playing were these: clear touch, intelligent phrasing, all varieties of
tone, all the force the piano would stand, together with the greatest
delicacy and the utmost speed. These things the artists possessed as a
matter of course, but the ordinary student or teacher failed utterly to
make like effects, or to play with sufficient clearness and force. What
was the reason?
In due course I came under the supervision of various piano pedagogues.
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