d one of these performers were to be my friend, Harold Bauer, I could
at once identify his playing by his peculiarly individual touch. In
fact, the trained ear can identify different individual characteristics
with almost the same accuracy that we identify different voices. One
could never forget Leschetizky's touch, or that of many another
contemporary pianist.

"No matter how wonderful the pianist's technic--that is, how rapidly and
accurately he can play passages of extraordinary difficulty, it is quite
worthless unless he possesses that control over his touch which enables
him to interpret the composer's work with the right artistic shading. A
fine technic without the requisite touch to liberate the performer's
artistic intelligence and 'soul' is like a gorgeous chandelier without
the lights. Until the lights are ignited all its beauty is obscured in
darkness. With an excellent technic and a fine touch, together with a
broad musical and general education and artistic temperament, the young
player may be said to be equipped to enter the virtuoso field.

COMBINING DIFFERENT TOUCHES

"As I have intimated, if the fingers are used exclusively a terribly dry
tone must result. The full-arm touch, in which I experience a complete
relaxation of the arm from the shoulder to the finger tips, is the
condition I employ at most times. But the touches I use are combinations
of the different finger, hand and arm touches. These lead to myriads of
results, and only the experienced performer can judge where they should
be applied to produce desired effects.

"You will observe by placing your hand upon my shoulder that even with
the movement of the single finger a muscular activity may be detected at
the shoulder. This shows how completely relaxed I keep my entire arm
during performance. It is only in this way that I can produce the right
kind of singing tone in cantabile passages. Sometimes I use one touch in
one voice and an entirely different touch in another voice. The
combinations are kaleidoscopic in their multiplicity.

MECHANICAL METHODS DANGEROUS

"I have never been in favor of the many automatic and mechanical methods
of producing touch. They are all dangerous to my mind. There is only one
real way of teaching, and that is through the sense of hearing of the
pupil. The teacher should go to the piano and produce the desired tonal
effect, and the pupil should listen and watch the teacher. Then the
pupil should be inst