A player who devotes the mind and the hands only to what a meaningless
composer writes for them is not worthy of any power. With our hands in
music, as with the tongue in speech, let us strive from the beginning
to be truthful. Let us try in both ways to express the highest truth
we are able to conceive. Then in art we shall, at least, approach near
unto the true artist; and in life we shall approach near unto the true
life. Every mere empty display-piece we study takes up the time and
the opportunity wherein we could learn a good composition, by a master
of the heart. And it is only with such music that you will, during
your life, get into the hearts of those who are most worthy for you to
know. Out of just this thought Schumann has two rules now very easy
for us to understand:

"Never help to circulate bad compositions; on the contrary, help to
suppress them with earnestness."

"You should neither play bad compositions, nor, unless compelled,
listen to them."

We now come to a really definite conclusion about the compositions we
should play and to an extent as to how we should play them.

The heart, the mind, and the hands, or the voice, if you sing, should
unite in our music; and be consecrated to the beautiful. Consecrate is
just exactly the word. Look for it in your dictionary.[37] It comes
from two other words, does it not? _Con_ meaning _with_ and _sacer_
meaning _holiness._ Thus devote heart and head and hands _with
holiness_ to the beautiful. This is very clear, I am sure.

It is also worth doing. "With holiness" describes _how_ to play and