253737 RELAXATION STUDIES MUSCULAR DISCRIMINATIONS TOUCH, AGILITY AND EXPRESSION PIANOFORTE PLAYING TOBIAS MATTHAY Q BOSWORTH & CO. ueirziG LONDON VIENNA amis 20RICHL 1908PREFACE. [AT Ist 1 am able to oer my sender the execbemateril for the sud stenon and diet teaching of the couselar expertnenes reqated in Plano Technique, a8 promised in ty “Aet of Touch” and “Fine Peincples of Panoliying.” ere T must ace again insist that mv special execs are required in making use of those teachings My "Method!" —of teaching docs mt const in the wwe of any special exercises, nor even of mere cexjlnston of and ateation to “ules” Tt consis in gving propery elected piece of actual muse, to the sadent, and while making clear to im the interpretative requirements of such actual music, i cons in sowing him at the same tine how to conguer the iiculies of it performance —the techaical and inter pretatne difieslioe there met with. Studies and Exercises ate then given to tere ar concentated imate for the study of the éifcukies found to be bawing the way, the nature of which difcalties hnving been previously fully explained to the student. 1 do nee approve of any “method” which separates the study of Execation from the study of Musi. ‘The two things, although quite distinct, should nevertheless be always studled conjcntly as far as posse Since we must acquire such abies that our musical sense wil in the end seve to prompt the requisite tecbniue, it i necessary that we should all slong endeavour to weld these two—our muicl faculty and four technical fcalty—inta 2 most intate relationship; and we must never therefore, even during the eaty seages of letning lse sight ofthat which should always form our ultimate aim—the achievement of the Beautiful in Music. ‘The only rational and dtest method of teaching comits in constantly explaining ro the pupil the savere of the right actions which alone will lead to success interpretation, and also pointing out the facta which are the cause of fallure, and doing tis contandy during the study of actual Muie—for the sake of bettering it interpretation 1 i herein mainly that my method of teaching ders fom previous methods, and to which it owes such measure of success ait hs attsned CCercsniy ic is imperative cha the facts and principles which T have demonstrated in my earlier books sould, as « preliminary, be cursory explained to evey pupl—chid or adule—belore anything che ie aempted; but these 4st and principles mutt subsequently be weatily exemplifed and practically demon- seated at every step during the study of pieces, studies and techies. Every shortcoming of the pupils technical equipment (as to Tone, Duration and Agliey, &e.) must be diagnosed according to those teach- ings, and being thus eaced 20 the vsltion of some one of other of the Laws of Touch, the pupil can then directly proceed to core his foultr—Lnowing the nature of them” ‘The particular exercies here in question do not in the las therefore interfere with the retention of any paricalar “method” of Technics and Seudier adopted by the teacher. For they are designed to laste the aredent—and Artit—to acquice the cotect execution of any and every technic, study or piece the may be engnged upon at any time, Obviously therefore, they aze ako useful in the eave steps of erery Beviner. 0