control position and condition of hands and arms according to the law of
balance; secondly, to direct each motion with the utmost accuracy and
speed. To accomplish this I began with the most elementary exercises in
five-finger position, using one finger at a time. Then came the
principles of the scale, arpeggios, chords and octaves. All these things
were continued until every principle was mastered. I practised at first
an hour a day, then increased the amount as my hands grew stronger and
the number of exercises increased.

"Next came the study of tone production in various forms, a good quality
invariably being the result of a free condition of the arm combined with
strength of fingers and hands.

"The Leschetizky principles seem to me the most perfect and correct in
every particular. Yes, there are several books of the method, by
different authors, but I teach the principles without a book. The
principles themselves are the essential things. I aim to build up the
hand, to make it strong and dependable in every part, to fill out the
weak places and equalize it. That this may be thoroughly and
successfully accomplished, I require that nothing but technical
exercises be used for the first nine, ten, or twelve weeks. We begin
with the simplest exercises, one finger at a time, then two, three and
so on through the hand. I believe in thus devoting all the practise time
to technic, for a certain period, so that the mind is free to master the
principles, undisturbed by piece playing. When the principles have been
assimilated, the attention can then be directed to the study of music
itself. If any weak places appear in the hand from time to time, they
can be easily corrected.

"If a pupil comes to me who has played a great deal but with no idea of