people think that a beautiful touch is 'born, not made,' but I do not
agree with them. One can acquire, I am sure, a fine piano touch with the
proper study. The principal requirement is, first of all, a loose wrist.
This point seems simple enough, but it is a point not sufficiently
considered nor understood. No matter how much the player may _feel_ the
meaning of the music, he cannot express this meaning with stiff wrists
and arms. Some people have a natural flexibility, and to such the
securing of a musical tone presents far less difficulty; but with time,
patience, and thought, I fully believe all can arrive at this goal.


AMOUNT OF PRACTISE

"In regard to practise I do not think it wise for the aspiring pianist
to spend such a great amount of time at the piano. Four hours of
concentrated work daily seems to me sufficient. Of course it is the
quality of practise that counts. The old saying, 'Practise makes
perfect,' does not mean constant repetition merely, but constant
thinking and listening. I advise students to stop after playing a
passage several times, and think over what the notes mean. This pause
will rest ears and hands; in a few moments work can be resumed with
fresh vigor.

"I have been so frequently asked to write on the subject of technic that
I have done so in a few articles which have been printed in a small
booklet. From these you may see what my ideas are on these points. I do
very little teaching myself--just a few talented pupils; they must be
something out of the ordinary. You see, I do not live in London
continuously; I am here only about four months of the year; the rest of
the time is spent traveling all over the world. Only that small part of