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This original view of his regarding form, which he has advocated for the last twenty years, is now being accepted generally by the more up-to-date of the English theorists and teachers. In regard to key mechanism and what must be done to produce all varieties of touch and tone, Matthay has made exhaustive studies.
This action against the key must be for the sole purpose of making it move in one of the many ways which each give us quite a different kind of sound. And you must always direct such action to the point in key descent where the sound begins." Never, therefore, really hit the keys." Mr. Matthay as minutely gives directions as to the muscular problems of touch and technique.
Matthay has done much to make the principles of piano technic so clear and simple that even a child can understand them. If he has stated facts in a way which seems to some revolutionary it is because these facts are seldom understood by the rank and file of piano teachers.
I was fortunate enough, however, to obtain an hour's audience, and also permission to attend various private classes at the Royal Academy, and hear a number of pupils in recital. In appearance Matthay is a striking personality. His head and features recall pictures of Robert Louis Stevenson.
Hambourg took us to another room, where he showed us with much satisfaction, a very valuable painting of the old Italian school, by Ghirlandajo, of which he is very fond. One of the first things accomplished after my arrival in London was to seek out Tobias Matthay, the composer and teacher, for an echo of his fame had reached me across the water.
Matthay believes, and rightly, that the beginning pupil should learn essentials of note values, rhythm, time, ear-training and so on, before attempting to play anything at the piano. When first taken to the instrument, its mechanism is carefully explained to the learner, and what he must do to make a really musical tone. It is only too easy to sound notes without making music at all.
Matthay shows clearly how all musical Form and Shape imply Movement and Progression: the movement of a phrase toward its cadence; the movement of a group of notes toward a beat or pulse ahead, or the movement of a whole piece toward its climax, etc.
The work he has done has compelled attention and admiration; his ideas are now accepted as undeniable truths by those who at first repudiated them. The writings of Mr. Matthay will doubtless be better known in America a little later on than they are at present.
Several young men were to try for one of the medals, and were playing the same piece, one of the Strauss-Tausig Valse Caprices. Matthay listens to a complete performance of the work in hand, then turns back to the beginning and goes over it again for corrections and suggestions.
In speaking of methods in piano teaching, Mr. Matthay said to me: "I can say I have no method of playing, and moreover I have not much faith in people who have. My teachings merely show how all playing, good or bad, is accomplished. There are certain principles, however, which every player should know, but which, I am sorry to say, are as yet scarcely apprehended even by the best teachers.
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