For your amusement and to illustrate how teacher-pupil relationships may have changed over the years I copy below some old advice to pupils, taken from a violin method published in the early twentieth century. Unfortunately I have since misplaced the original (found in a dusty schoolroom cupboard) so I cannot cite the author.
Some of it is quaint, most of it is still relevant.
ADVICE TO PUPILS.
1. Do not be lazy and neglectful of home practice, and then blame your Teacher for your poor progress.
2. Be patient when your Teacher corrects you. Remember that he is at the drudgery of teaching all day and all week, while you have only an hour of it at a time.
3. Make a determined effort never to need to be told of the same fault twice. The nervous strain on the Teacher would be very much lightened if Pupils would engrave this simple rule on their memories.
4. Never pass a note which is not perfectly in tune, or bring out a tone which is unpleasant to hear. Every note from the Violin should be musical. If it be scratchy, or false, or harsh the fault is in the player.
5. Be regular in your attendance at your lessons, and punctual to a minute.
6. Never hesitate to ask your Teacher the reason of any thing. Violin-playing is a science and can bear the closest scrutiny and the strictest investigation.
7. Do not bore your Teacher by playing anything that he does not ask for. Remember that he is wearied and you are fresh.
8. Do not dictate to your Teacher what course of study he is to give you. If he need direction in that, he is not fit to be your master.
9. Keep your music tidy and clean, never double it, and always roll it up with the title outwards, so that it may lie flat when laid on the music stand instead of curling outwards towards the player.
10. Keep your Violin in order. In putting the strings on, always turn the ends inwards, so that the coil of string round the peg, inside the scroll box, shall always lock the peg and prevent slipping. Never leave a coil of loose strings round the scroll, but buy a tin box and keep them in that. They will last longer.
11. Keep your nails short and your hands scrupulously clean. Long nails cut the strings, and dirt is always nasty.
12. Get the dearest Teacher you can afford; you will find him the cheapest in the end.
13. Never deduct payment for lessons which you missed through your own neglect or forgetfulness; and do not be too exacting if your Teacher should wish you occasionally to change the hour, to allow him to take a good engagement. Remember that a Music Teacher never makes a fortune.
14. Never be conceited over your own attainments or jealous of those of other pupils. Remember that pride goes before a fall, and that the greatest players the world has seen have all been conspicuous for their modesty.
15. Take the Violin and bow into your hands at every possible moment, even if it be for only ten minutes at a time.
16. Practice scales every day, giving each note a bow and making every note sing.
17. Never study music for mere display. Remember that there is a soul or spirit in music which is found only by those who forget them selves and seek it devoutly and eagerly. The player who "shows off" is unmoved himself and never moves another.
18. Never attempt to play in public what is difficult to you at home; the simplest solos often produce the greatest impression. Madame Patti sings "Home, sweet Home" better than anything else. Think more of expression than of execution.
19. Make it a fixed rule never to play a piece without introducing the four different degrees of power of tone represented by the words forte, mezzo forte, piano, and pianissimo.
20. Never be beaten by a passage however difficult it may at first appear, but practice those few bars alone for an hour on end, if necessary. Resolve that it shall not master you, but you master it.
21. When your Violin seems "out of sorts," and scratchy and irritating, look to your own temper.
22. Do not use much resin, and should the strings get furred or caked with resin under the bow, clean them carefully with a little spirits of wine on a piece of flannel or wash leather.
23. Remove every particle of resin dust from the breast of the Violin with a soft cloth when done playing. Keep your Violin as clean as you keep your own body and soul.
24. Keep constantly in your violin case (1) a complete set of spare strings, (2) an A tuning-fork stamped "Philharmonic Pitch", (3) a spare bridge, fitted to the Violin you use, (4) a mute, (5) a cake of resin, (6) a pair of A string catchers, and (7) a spare bow.
25. Keep the bridge of your Violin perpendicular, or even, if anything, leaning backwards towards the tail piece. Do not pull the bridge back from the top, but pinch the string in front with the thumb and forefinger of your right hand pressed hard against the bridge, which will ease it back gently and safely.
26. Do not judge of your progress by that of others. As in the case of the hare and the tortoise, it is generally " slow and sure " that wins the race.
27. Be grateful to your Teacher, and get rid of the idea that you are buying all that he gives you.
28. Try to study Harmony and Musical History, so that you may know something of the men who hare done so much for you before you had a being.
29. Read all the Musical Journals and books you can lay hands on, besides all that has been written about the Violin. It will help to keep you modest.
30. Practice at times before a mirror, with your bow hand next to the glass. That also will help to take the conceit out of you, as well as lead you to acquire a graceful style of bowing. Learn to know exactly how your bow is crossing the string by the tone you are producing. If that be rough or scratchy, be sure your bow is not describing a straight line or lying properly on the string.
31. Finger the notes firmly; and in making an Open Shake hit the string as with a hammer at every beat.
32. Learn to make your Violin sing, and never play without putting some of your own soul into the music.
33. Do not expect success without hard work and regular hours of practice, and never attempt to play without strictly counting the time.
Some of it is quaint, most of it is still relevant.
ADVICE TO PUPILS.
1. Do not be lazy and neglectful of home practice, and then blame your Teacher for your poor progress.
2. Be patient when your Teacher corrects you. Remember that he is at the drudgery of teaching all day and all week, while you have only an hour of it at a time.
3. Make a determined effort never to need to be told of the same fault twice. The nervous strain on the Teacher would be very much lightened if Pupils would engrave this simple rule on their memories.
4. Never pass a note which is not perfectly in tune, or bring out a tone which is unpleasant to hear. Every note from the Violin should be musical. If it be scratchy, or false, or harsh the fault is in the player.
5. Be regular in your attendance at your lessons, and punctual to a minute.
6. Never hesitate to ask your Teacher the reason of any thing. Violin-playing is a science and can bear the closest scrutiny and the strictest investigation.
7. Do not bore your Teacher by playing anything that he does not ask for. Remember that he is wearied and you are fresh.
8. Do not dictate to your Teacher what course of study he is to give you. If he need direction in that, he is not fit to be your master.
9. Keep your music tidy and clean, never double it, and always roll it up with the title outwards, so that it may lie flat when laid on the music stand instead of curling outwards towards the player.
10. Keep your Violin in order. In putting the strings on, always turn the ends inwards, so that the coil of string round the peg, inside the scroll box, shall always lock the peg and prevent slipping. Never leave a coil of loose strings round the scroll, but buy a tin box and keep them in that. They will last longer.
11. Keep your nails short and your hands scrupulously clean. Long nails cut the strings, and dirt is always nasty.
12. Get the dearest Teacher you can afford; you will find him the cheapest in the end.
13. Never deduct payment for lessons which you missed through your own neglect or forgetfulness; and do not be too exacting if your Teacher should wish you occasionally to change the hour, to allow him to take a good engagement. Remember that a Music Teacher never makes a fortune.
14. Never be conceited over your own attainments or jealous of those of other pupils. Remember that pride goes before a fall, and that the greatest players the world has seen have all been conspicuous for their modesty.
15. Take the Violin and bow into your hands at every possible moment, even if it be for only ten minutes at a time.
16. Practice scales every day, giving each note a bow and making every note sing.
17. Never study music for mere display. Remember that there is a soul or spirit in music which is found only by those who forget them selves and seek it devoutly and eagerly. The player who "shows off" is unmoved himself and never moves another.
18. Never attempt to play in public what is difficult to you at home; the simplest solos often produce the greatest impression. Madame Patti sings "Home, sweet Home" better than anything else. Think more of expression than of execution.
19. Make it a fixed rule never to play a piece without introducing the four different degrees of power of tone represented by the words forte, mezzo forte, piano, and pianissimo.
20. Never be beaten by a passage however difficult it may at first appear, but practice those few bars alone for an hour on end, if necessary. Resolve that it shall not master you, but you master it.
21. When your Violin seems "out of sorts," and scratchy and irritating, look to your own temper.
22. Do not use much resin, and should the strings get furred or caked with resin under the bow, clean them carefully with a little spirits of wine on a piece of flannel or wash leather.
23. Remove every particle of resin dust from the breast of the Violin with a soft cloth when done playing. Keep your Violin as clean as you keep your own body and soul.
24. Keep constantly in your violin case (1) a complete set of spare strings, (2) an A tuning-fork stamped "Philharmonic Pitch", (3) a spare bridge, fitted to the Violin you use, (4) a mute, (5) a cake of resin, (6) a pair of A string catchers, and (7) a spare bow.
25. Keep the bridge of your Violin perpendicular, or even, if anything, leaning backwards towards the tail piece. Do not pull the bridge back from the top, but pinch the string in front with the thumb and forefinger of your right hand pressed hard against the bridge, which will ease it back gently and safely.
26. Do not judge of your progress by that of others. As in the case of the hare and the tortoise, it is generally " slow and sure " that wins the race.
27. Be grateful to your Teacher, and get rid of the idea that you are buying all that he gives you.
28. Try to study Harmony and Musical History, so that you may know something of the men who hare done so much for you before you had a being.
29. Read all the Musical Journals and books you can lay hands on, besides all that has been written about the Violin. It will help to keep you modest.
30. Practice at times before a mirror, with your bow hand next to the glass. That also will help to take the conceit out of you, as well as lead you to acquire a graceful style of bowing. Learn to know exactly how your bow is crossing the string by the tone you are producing. If that be rough or scratchy, be sure your bow is not describing a straight line or lying properly on the string.
31. Finger the notes firmly; and in making an Open Shake hit the string as with a hammer at every beat.
32. Learn to make your Violin sing, and never play without putting some of your own soul into the music.
33. Do not expect success without hard work and regular hours of practice, and never attempt to play without strictly counting the time.
