mastered, he troubles himself but little. It is the conception of the
work as a whole which concerns him, how to project it, so to say, most
effectively to an audience. He brings into prominence now this part, now
that, accenting here, slightly exaggerating there, in order to make the
picture more vivid to the listener. Harold Bauer is another illuminating
master for those who have a technical equipment adequate to the
performance of great works of piano literature. Some go to him who are
not ready for what he has to give, but to those who can direct attention
to the meaning of the music, he is a wonderful inspirational force.
First he will point out a phrase here, another there, and so on through
the piece, showing how the same idea takes on various aspects in the
composer's thought. Then he shows how to gather up these different
threads to form the perfect pattern which the author of the work had in
mind; and finally the master teacher reaches down below the surface of
form and design to the vital significance of the composition, and the
disciple feels the glow and power of the revelation.

"There is no gainsaying the fact that this age is superficial, and the
great office of art is to cultivate that idealism which will uplift and
inspire. In an important sense the teacher must be a preacher of
righteousness. He knows that 'beautiful things are fashioned from clay,
but it has first to pass through the fire,' and only those who can
endure that scorching can hope to achieve success.


QUESTION OF PERSONALITY

"If asked to what extent a player's personality enters into the
performance, my answer would be: Only in so far as the performance
remains true to the composer's intention. So long as personality