Piano and Song

Piano and Song

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Title: Piano and Song How to Teach, How to Learn, and How to Form
a Judgment of Musical Performances
Author: Friedrich Wieck
Translator: Mary P. Nichols
Release Date: September 5, 2005 [EBook #16658]
Language: English
Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1
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AND SONG ***

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PIANO AND SONG

_HOW TO TEACH, HOW TO LEARN,_
AND
HOW TO FORM A JUDGMENT OF MUSICAL PERFORMANCES.
Translated from the German
OF
FRIEDRICH WIECK.
BOSTON: LOCKWOOD, BROOKS, & COMPANY. 1875.

Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1875, by NOYES,
HOLMES, AND COMPANY, In the Office of the Librarian of
Congress, at Washington.
_Cambridge:_ _Press of John Wilson and Son._

TRANSLATOR'S PREFACE.
FRIEDRICH WIECK, the author of the work a translation of which is
here offered to the public, was during his long life a distinguished
teacher of music. He died in the autumn of 1873. He was the father and
teacher of the celebrated pianist, Clara Wieck, now Fr. Dr. Clara
Schumann, widow of the renowned composer Robert Schumann, who
was also a pupil of Wieck. His second daughter, Fräulein Marie Wieck,
is well known in Germany as an artistic performer on the piano-forte.
I have translated this little book, with the belief that a knowledge of the
author's views will be no less valuable in America than in his own
country; and with the hope that it may find readers who will be glad to
receive the suggestions of so experienced a teacher.
In illustration of his method, in addition to the two Etudes, already

published by F. Whistling, Leipzig, a number of piano exercises, &c.,
selected from the literary remains of Wieck, by his daughter Marie
Wieck and his pupil Louis Grosse, are, it is said, about to be published.
I have omitted in the translation a few portions on the composition and
management of the opera, on the giving of concerts, and on the
construction of the piano, thinking that they would be of little interest
or practical value to the general public.
MARY P. NICHOLS.

PREFACE TO THE FIRST EDITION.
I here present to the musical public a book written in a style of my own,
not a scientific and systematically well-arranged treatise. This no
reasonable man would expect of an old music-master, who, in his long
practice in the realm of tones, could not arrive at learned and too often
fruitless deductions. Nature made me susceptible to that which is good
and beautiful; a correct instinct and a tolerable understanding have
taught me to avoid the false and the vicious; a desire for increased
knowledge has led me to observe carefully whatever I met with in my
path in life; and I may say, without hesitation, that I have endeavored,
according to my ability, to fill the position to which I have been called.
This is no vain boast, but only the justifiable assertion of a good
conscience; and this no man needs to withhold. For these reasons, I
have been unwilling to refrain from giving to the world a true
expression of my opinions and feelings. I trust they will meet with a
few sympathizing spirits who are willing to understand my aims; but I
shall be still more happy if, here and there, a music-teacher will adopt
the views here set forth, at the same time carefully and thoughtfully
supplying many things which it did not enter into my plan to explain
more in detail. Abundant material lay spread out before me, and even
increased upon my hands while I was writing. Art is indeed so
comprehensive, and every thing in life is so closely connected with it,
that whoever loves and fosters it will daily find in it new sources of
enjoyment and new incitements to study. The most experienced teacher

of art must be a constant learner.
I have always held and still hold the opinions advanced in this work,
and I have neglected no opportunity to impress them upon my pupils.
I may be allowed to mention here, with some satisfaction, my
daughters Clara and Marie; and, among numerous other pupils, I speak
with equal pleasure of the estimable Herr Waldemar Heller, of Dresden,
and Prof. E.F. Wenzel, of Leipzig. I have always enjoyed their
affection and gratitude, and I feel a pride that they continue to defend
and to teach