to learn the Concerto.' Pugno took the advice,
practised up the work, played it in the concert given by Grieg, and
scored a success. He was then thirty-nine years of age. This appearance
was the beginning; other engagements and successes followed, and thus he
developed into one of the great pianists of France.

"Pugno was a born pianist; he had a natural gift for technic, and
therefore never troubled himself much about teaching technical exercises
nor practising them. If the work of a pupil contained technical faults,
he made no remarks nor explanations, but simply closed the music book
and refused to listen any further. The pupil, of course, retired in
discomfiture. He was fond of playing along with the pupil (generally
with the left hand), or singing the melodies and themes, in order to
give him ideas of the meaning and interpretation of the music. This gave
independence to the pupils, though it often afforded them much
amusement.

"With advanced students Pugno spoke much about music and what it could
express; he translated themes and passages back into the feelings and
emotions which had originated them; he showed how all emotions find
their counterpart in tones. 'Above all let kindness and goodness control
you,' he once wrote; 'if you are filled with kindness, your tone will be
beautiful!'

"Pugno's instruction took the form of talks on the inner meaning of the
composition, and the art of interpreting it, rather than any training on
the technical side; about the latter he concerned himself very little.
It goes without saying that only talented pupils made progress under
such a master; indeed those without talent interested him not at all. He
was a wonderful teacher for those who had the insight to read between
the lines, and were able to follow and absorb his artistic enthusiasms.

"I have said that Pugno did not concern himself about teaching the
technical side of piano playing. Even with me, his best pupil, he rarely
touched upon technical points. I must mention a notable exception. He
gave me one technical principle, expressed in a few simple exercises,
which I have never heard of from any one else. The use of this
principle has helped me amazingly to conquer many knotty passages. I
have never given these exercises to any one; I am willing however, to
jot them down for you."

(The following is a brief plan of the exercises, as sketched by Mme.
Schnitzer)

[Illustration: EXERCISES]

"Pugno wished the thir