Book: Music Talks with Children

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MUSIC TALKS WITH CHILDREN

by

THOMAS TAPPER

Philadelphia
Theodore Presser

1898







"Dear child! dear girl! that walkest with me here,
If thou appear untouched by solemn thought,
Thy nature is not therefore less divine:
* * * * *
"God being with thee when we know it not."

--WILLIAM WORDSWORTH.





TO THE CHILDREN AT HOME


"Teach me to live! No idler let me be,
But in Thy service _hand and heart_ employ."

--BAYARD TAYLOR.




PREFACE


A book of this kind, though addressed to children, must necessarily
reach them through an older person. The purpose is to suggest a few of
the many aspects which music may have even to the mind of a child. If
these chapters, or whatever may be logically suggested by them, be
actually used as the basis of simple Talks with children, music may
become to them more than drill and study. They should know it as an
art, full of beauty and of dignity; full of pure thought and abounding
in joy. Music with these characteristics is the true music of the
heart. Unless music gives true pleasure to the young it may be doubted
if it is wisely studied.

Our failure to present music to the young in a manner that interests
and holds them is due not so much to the fact that music is too
difficult for children, but because the children themselves are too
difficult for us. In our ignorance we often withhold the rightful
inheritance. We must not forget that the slower adult mind often meets
a class of difficulties which are not recognized by the unprejudiced
child. It is not infrequent that with the old fears in us we persist
in recreating difficulties.

There should be ever present with the teacher the thought that music
must be led out of the individuality, not driven into it.

The teacher's knowledge is not a hammer, it is a light.

While it is suggested that these chapters be used as the
subject-matter for talks with the children, they may read verbatim if
desired. All foot-note references and suggestions are addressed to the
older person--the mother or the teacher. There is much in the
literature of art that would interest children if given to them
discriminatingly.

THOMAS TAPPER.

BOSTON, October 30, 1896




CONTENTS


CHAPTER

PREFACE

I. WHAT THE FACE TELLS

II. WHY WE SHOULD STUDY MUSIC

III. MUSIC IN THE HEART

IV. THE TONES ABOUT US

V. LISTENING

VI. THINKING IN TONE

VII. WHAT WE SEE AND HEAR

VIII. THE CLASSICS

IX. WHAT WE SHOULD PLAY

X. THE LESSON

XI. THE LIGHT ON THE PATH

XII. THE GREATER MASTERS

XIII. THE LESSER MASTERS

XIV. HARMONY AND COUNTERPOINT

XV. MUSIC AND READING

XVI. THE HANDS

XVII. WHAT THE ROMAN LADY SAID

XVIII. THE GLORY OF THE DAY

XIX. THE IDEAL

XX. THE ONE TALENT

XXI. LOVE FOR THE BEAUTIFUL

XXII. IN SCHOOL

XXIII. MUSIC IN SCHOOL

XXIV. HOW ONE THING HELPS ANOTHER

XXV. THE CHILD AT PLAY

APPENDIX




BY THE SAME AUTHOR.


Chats with Music Students; or Talks about Music and Music Life.

"A remarkably valuable work. It is made up of talks to students,
calculated to make them think; of hints and suggestions which will be
of immense assistance to those who are earnestly trying to become
proficient in music."--_Boston Transcript._

"No other book covers the same broad field which this covers in such a
pleasant and inspiring manner."--_The Writer (Boston)._


The Music Life and How to Succeed in it.

"These ideas are worthy of attention from students and workers in all
branches of art, science, and literature, who mean to be serious and
earnest."--_Boston Transcript._

"Exceedingly valuable because of its broad impartiality in its
exposition of truth, its depth of understanding, and, above all, for
its earnest desire, manifest in every word, to lead music students to
a love for music itself.... It abounds in high artistic thought and
insight."--_The Boston Times._




CHAPTER I.

WHAT THE FACE TELLS.


"And the light _dwelleth_ with him."--_Daniel II: 22._


Once a master said to a child:

"If thou wilt study diligently, learn, and do good unto others, thy
face shall be filled with light."

So the child studied busily, learned, and sought how she could do good
unto others. And every little while she ran to the glass to see if the
light was coming. But at each time she was disappointed. No light was
there. Try as faithfully as she would, and look as often as she would,
it was always the same.

I do not know if she doubted the master or not; but it is certain she
did not know what to make of it. She grieved, and day after day her
disappointment grew. At length she could bear it no longer, so she
went to the master and said:

"Dear master, I have been so diligent! I have tried to learn and to do
good unto others. Yet every time I have sought in my face the light
_which you promised_, it has not been there. No, not a single time."

Now the master listened intently, and watching her face as she spoke,
he said:

"Thou poor little one, in this moment, as thou hast spoken to me, thy
face has been so filled with light that thou wouldst not believe. And
dost thou know why? It is because every word thou hast spoken in this
moment has come from thy heart.

"Thou must learn _in the first days_ this lesson: When the thought and
the deed are in the heart, then the light is in the face, always, and
it is there at no other time. It could not be. And what is in thy
heart when thou art before the glass? In that moment hast thou turned
away from diligence, and from learning, and from the love of doing
good unto others and in thy heart there is left only the poor
curiosity to see the light which can never shine when it is sought.
Thou canst never see the light of thy own face. For thee that light is
forever within, and it will not prosper thy way to want to look upon
it. It is only as thou art faithful that this is added unto thee."

Sorrowing yet more than before the little child said:

"Master, I do not understand what thou hast said, yet I believe thee;
but the wish is yet within me to see the light of my face, if only for
once. Thou who art wise, tell me why it is denied me."

And the master made answer:

"It is denied to us all. No one may see the light of his own face.
Therefore thou shalt labor daily with diligence that thy light shall
shine before others. And if thou wouldst see the light thou shalt
cause it to shine _in another_. That is the greatest of all--to bring
forth the light. And to do this, thou shalt of thyself be faithful in
all things. By what thou art thou must show diligence, the love for
learning, and the desire to do good unto others, even as these things
have been taught thee."




CHAPTER II.

WHY WE SHOULD STUDY MUSIC.


"Music makes people more gentle and meek, more modest and
understanding."--_Martin Luther._[1]

It was this same music lover who said once, "Music is the fairest gift
of God." Just these words should be a sufficient answer to the
question which we have asked in this Talk, but a little more may make
it clearer. Here we are, gathered together to talk about music. We
know music is pleasing; to many of us it is even more than a pleasure;
of course, it is difficult to get the lessons properly and we must
struggle and strive. Often the way seems so rude and stony that we
cannot advance. We are hurt, and hot tears of discouragement come, and
we sit down dejected feeling it were best never to try again. But even
when the tears flow the fastest we feel something within us which
makes us listen. We can really hear our thoughts battling to tell us
something,--prompted by the heart, we may be sure.

And what is music making our thoughts say?

"Have I not been a pleasure and a comfort to you? Have I not set you
to singing and to dancing many and many times? Have I not let you sing
your greatest happiness? And am I not ever about you, at home, in
school, in church? even in the streets I have never deserted you.
Always, _always_ I have made you merry. But this was music you
_heard_. Now you have said you wished to know me yourself; to have me
come to dwell in your heart that you might have me understandingly,
and because I ask labor of you for this, you sit here with your hot
tears in your eyes and not a bit of me present in your heart. Listen!
Am I not there? Yes, just a bit. Now more and more, and now will you
give me up because I make you work a little?"

Well, we all have just this experience and we always feel ashamed of
our discouragements; but even this does not tell us why we should
study music. Some people study it because they have to do so; others
because they love it. Surely it must be best with those who out of
their hearts choose to learn about tones and the messages they tell.

Did you ever notice how people seem willing to stop any employment if
music comes near? Even in the busiest streets of a city the organ-man
will make us listen to his tunes. In spite of the hurry and the crowd
and the jumble of noises, still the organ-tones go everywhere clear,
full, melodious, bidding us heed them. Perhaps we mark the music with
the hand, or walk differently, or begin to sing with it. In one way or
another the music will make us do something--that shows its power. I
have seen in many European towns a group of children about the
organ-man,[2] dancing or singing as he played and enjoying every tune
to the utmost. This taught me that music of every kind has its lover,
and that with a little pains and a little patience the love for music
belongs to all alike, and may be increased if other things do not push
it aside.

Now, one of the first things to be said of music is that it makes
happiness, and what makes happiness is good for us, because happiness
not only lightens the heart, but it is one of the best ways to make
the light come to the face. The moment we study music we learn a
severe lesson, and that is this: There can be no use in our trying to
be musicians unless we are willing to learn perfect order in all the
music-tasks we do.

In this, music is a particularly severe mistress. Nothing slovenly,
untidy, or out of order will do. The count must be absolutely right,
not fast nor slow as our fancy dictates, but even and regular. The
hands must do their task together in a friendly manner; the one never
crowding nor hurrying the other, each willing to yield to the other
when the right moment comes.[3] The feet must never use the pedals so
as to make the harmonies mingle wrongly, but at just the right moment
must make the strings sing together as the composer desires. The
thoughts can never for a single moment wander from the playing; they
must remain faithful, preparing what is to come and commanding the
hands to do exactly the right task in the right way. That shows us,
you see, the second quality and a strict one of music. It will not
allow us to be disorderly, and more than this, it teaches us a habit
for order that will be a gain to us in every other task. Now let us
see:

First, we should study music for the happiness it will give us.

Second, we should study music for the order it teaches us.

There is a third reason. If music gives us happiness, do we not in
learning it gain a power to contribute happiness to others? That is
one of the greatest pleasures in learning. Not only does the knowledge
prove of use and joy to us, but we can constantly make it useful and
joy-giving to others. Does this not teach us how thankful we should be
to all those who live usefully? And think of all the men who have
passed their lives writing beautiful thoughts, singing out of their
very hearts, day after day, all their life long, for the joy of others
forever after.

In our next Talk we shall learn that pure thought, written out of the
heart, is forever a good in the world. From this we shall learn that
to study music rightly is to cultivate in our own hearts the same good
thought which the composer had. Hence the third reason we can find for
studying music is that it makes us able to help and to cheer others,
to help them by willingly imparting the little knowledge we have, and
to cheer them by playing the beautiful thoughts in tone which we have
learned.

These are three great reasons, truly, but there are many others. Let
us speak about one of them. In some of the Talks we are to have we
shall learn that true music comes from a true heart; and that great
music--that is the classics--is the thought of men who are pure and
noble, learned in the way to write, and anxious never to write
anything but the best. There is plainly a great deal of good to us if
we study daily the music of men such as these. In this way we are
brought in touch with the greatest thought. This constant presence and
influence will mold our thoughts to greater strength and greater
beauty. When we read the history of music, we shall see that the
greatest composers have always been willing to study in their first
days the master works of their time. They have strengthened their
thoughts by contact with thoughts stronger than their own, and we may
gain in just the same way if we will. We know now that there are many
reasons why it is good for us to study music. We have spoken
particularly of four of these. They are:

First, for the happiness it will give us.

Second, for the order it demands of us.

Third, for the power it gives us to help and cheer others.

Fourth, for the great and pure thought it brings before us and raises
in us.

All these things, are they true, you ask? If the little child had
asked that of the master he would have said:

"These things shalt thou find real because they make thee brave. And
the pain and the drudgery and the hot tears shall be the easier to
bear for this knowledge, which should be strong within thee as a pure
faith."




CHAPTER III.

MUSIC IN THE HEART.


"Raffaello's genius goes directly to the heart."--_Autobiography of
Benvenuto Cellini._[4]

The only true way to learn is by doing. The skill of the hand and the
skill of the thought can be brought out only by use. We shall not
become very skilful, nor very learned, nor very good unless we daily
devote ourselves to tasks--often difficult and unpleasant--which shall
bring to us wisdom, or success, or goodness. None of these things, nor
any other like them, come merely by talking about them. That is the
worst way of all--merely to talk and not to act. But if we talk
truthfully and act with care, we shall gain a great deal. Pleasant
companionship often brings forth thoughts which if we follow them
industriously, lead a long way in a good direction.

I do not know that any one has likened music to a country. But we can
make the comparison, and then it becomes plain that we may either
wander through it, seeing the beautiful things, wondering about them,
and talking over our admiration and our wonder; or we may join to this
a true and an earnest inquiry, which shall give us, as a reward, the
clear understanding of some things which we see. Let us travel in this
way; first, because we shall gain true knowledge by it, but better
still, because we shall thereby learn _in the first days_ that the
truest pleasures and the dearest happinesses are those for which we
have done something; those for which we have given both of labor and
of pains.

One of the wisest little philosophers in the world was Polissena,[5]
and I think she became wise just because she labored. As we become
more and more acquainted with true music we shall learn this: True
music is that which is born in some one's heart. "All immortal writers
speak out of the heart."[6] Nothing could be truer; and as they speak
_out_ of their hearts you may be sure they intend to speak _into_
ours. Nowhere else. As true music is made in some one's heart, we must
feel it in our own hearts as we play it or it will mean nothing. The
heart must make it warm, then the beauties of the music will come out.
It is strange how our moods tell themselves. All we do with our eyes
and with our ears, with the tongue and with the hands, what we do with
our thoughts even, is sure to say of itself whether we are doing with
a willing heart or not. It is curious that the truth will come out of
whatever seems to be a secret, but curious as it may be, it does come
out. We must think of that.

Every one of us knows the difference between doing willingly and
unwillingly. We know that things done with joy and with eagerness are
well done and seem to spring directly from the heart. Not only that,
but they really inspire joy and eagerness in those who are about us.
_Inspire_ is just the word. Look it up in your dictionary and see that
it means exactly what happens--_to breathe into_--they breathe joy and
happiness _into_ all things else, and it comes out of our hearts.

Now happiness can be told in many ways: in laughter, in the eyes, in a
game, in a life like that of Polissena's, in anything, but in nothing
that does not win the heart. As happiness can be shown in anything, it
can be shown in music. We can put happiness into play, likewise we can
put happiness into music. And as much of it as we put into anything
will come out. Besides, we might just as well learn now as at another
time, this: Whatever we put into what we do will come out. It may be
happiness or idleness or hatred or courage; whatever goes into what we
do comes out very plainly. Everything, remember. That means much. If
you should practise for an hour, wishing all the time to be doing
something else, you may be sure that your wish is coming out of your
playing so plainly that every one knows it. Do you think that is
strange? Well, it may be, but it is strictly true.

No one may be able to explain why and how, but certainly it is true
that as we play our music all that goes on in the heart finds its way
into the head, and the arms, and the hands, into the music, off
through the air, and into the hearts of every one who is listening. So
it is a valuable truth for us to remember, that whatever we put into
our music will come out and we cannot stop it; and other people will
get it, and know what we are by it.

Once we fully understand how music will show forth our inmost feelings
we shall begin to understand its truthfulness and its power, as well
as its beauty. We shall see from our first days that music will tell
the truth. That will help us to understand a little the true mission
of art, "either to state a true thing, or adorn a serviceable one."[7]
The moment we understand this _a very little_ we shall begin to love
art. We shall be glad and willing for music to reveal us, to show the
spirit within us, because little by little with the understanding will
come love and reverence for the beautiful thoughts that are locked up
in tones.

Men who want to tell something to very many people, many of whom they
do not know and to whom they cannot go, write down all they have to
say and make a book of it. There are some men, however, who have many
beautiful thoughts which they wish to tell to those who can
understand; these may dwell in their own land or in other lands; in
their own time or in future time. But the message of these men is so
beautiful and so delicate that it cannot be told in words, so they
tell it in music. Then, in their own land and in other lands, in their
own day and forever after, people can find out the delicate thoughts
by studying the pages of the music, seeking _with their hearts_ the
thought that came out of the master's heart.

Do you wonder that composers revere their art? We are told of Chopin
that art was for him a high and holy vocation.[8] Do you wonder? Let
me read you a few words about his devotion: "In order to become a
skilful and able master he studied, without dreaming of the ... fame
he would obtain." "Nothing could be purer, more exalted, than his
thoughts,"[9] because he knew that if his thoughts were not pure the
impurity would come out in his music.

The music that has first been felt in the heart and then written down
finds its way and tells all about the heart, where it was born. When
you play and feel that you are playing from the heart, you may be sure
you are on the right path. The beautiful thing is, that this is true
no matter how simple music is. The very simplest will tell all about
us. Remember, in playing music, that great and good men have put into
tones thoughts which will be a joy and comfort to the world forever.
Some one of these Talks will be about classic and common music. But
even now I am sure we understand that good music comes from pure
thought, and pure thought comes from a good heart. That, surely, is
clear and simple.

Pure music is earnest and songful. It has meaning in every part. No
tone is without a lofty purpose. That is true music. It is classic
from the heart that is put into it.

By being faithful to our music it will do for us more than we can
dream. Do you know the inscription that used to be over the north gate
of the city of Siena, in Italy?

"Siena opens not only her gates, but her heart to you."




CHAPTER IV.

THE TONES ABOUT US.


"Scientific education ought to teach us to see the invisible as well
as the visible in nature."--_John Tyndall_.[10]

There used to live in England a famous scientist named Tyndall, who
was interested, among other things, in the study of sound. He studied
sounds of all kinds, made experiments with them, wrote down what he
observed, and out of it all he wrote a book,[11] useful to all who
desire to learn about sound and its nature.

One day, Tyndall and a friend were walking up one of the mountains of
the Alps.[12] As they ascended the path, Tyndall's attention was
attracted by a shrill sound, which seemed to come from the ground at
his feet. Being a trained thinker he was at once curious to know what
was the cause of this. By looking carefully he found that it came from
a myriad of small insects which swarmed by the side of the path.
Having satisfied himself as to what it was he spoke to his companion
about the shrill tone and was surprised to learn that he could not
hear it. Tyndall's friend could hear all ordinary sound perfectly
well. This, however, seemed to be sound of such a character as did not
reach his sense of hearing. One who like Tyndall listened carefully to
sounds of all kinds would quickly detect anything uncommon. This
little incident teaches us that sounds may go on about us and yet we
know nothing of them. Also it teaches us to think about tones, seek
them, and in the first days increase our acquaintance and familiarity
with them.

Men of science, who study the different ways in which the mind works,
tell us that habit and also a busy mind frequently make us unconscious
of many things about us. Sometimes we have not noticed the clock
strike, although we have been in the room on the hour; or some one
speaks to us, and because we are thinking of something else we fail to
hear what is said to us. It certainly is true that very many people do
not hear half of the sounds that go on about them, sounds which, if
but heeded, would teach people a great deal. And of all people, those
who study music should be particularly attentive to sounds of all
kinds. Indeed, the only way to begin a music education is to begin by
learning to listen. Robert Schumann, a German composer, once wrote a
set of rules for young musicians. As it was Schumann's habit to write
only what was absolutely needed we may be sure he regarded his rules
as very important. There are sixty-eight of them, and the very first
has reference to taking particular notice of the tones about us. If we
learn it from memory we shall understand it better and think of it
oftener. Besides that, we shall have memorized the serious thought of
a truly good and great man. This is what he says:

"The cultivation of the ear is of the greatest importance. Endeavor
early to distinguish each tone and key. Find out the exact tone
sounded by the bell, the glass, and the cuckoo."

There is certainly a good hint in this. Let us follow it day by day,
and we shall see how many are the tones about us which we scarcely
ever notice. We should frequently listen and find who of us can
distinguish the greatest number of different sounds. Then we shall
learn to listen attentively to sounds and noises. Bit by bit all
sounds, especially beautiful ones, will take on a new and deeper
meaning to us; they will be full of a previously unrecognized beauty
which will teach us to love music more and more sincerely.

In order that we may better understand how sounds are related to each
other we should learn early to sing the major scale so that it will go
readily up and down as a melody. As we become more and more familiar
with it we must think frequently of its separate tones so as to feel
just how each one sounds in the scale, how it fits in the scale, and
just what it says, in fact; we shall then notice after a while that we
can hear the scale with the inner ear, which is finer and more
delicate.[13]

We should have names for the scale-tones like the pretty Italian
syllables, or, if not these, whatever our teacher suggests. Then we
should have a conception of the tones as they are related. We should
learn that every tone of the scale is colored by the tonic. Every one
gets a character from the tonic which tells us all about it, because
we learn to hear its relation to its principal tone. In a little
while, with patience, we shall be able to hear the scale-tones in any
order we may choose to think them. That power will be a fine help
forever after--we must be sure to get it in the first days.

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