"It was while sitting among the first violins in the New York Symphony
Orchestra that I first heard Ysaye. And for the first time in my life I
heard a man with whom I fervently _wanted_ to study; an artist whose
whole attitude with regard to tone and sound reproduction embodied my
ideals.
"I worked with Ysaye in Brussels and in his cottage at Godinne. Here he
taught much as Liszt did at Weimar, a group of from ten to twenty
disciples. Early in the morning he went fishing in the Meuse, then back
to breakfast and then came the lessons: not more than three or four a
day. Those who studied drew inspiration from him as the pianists of the
Weimar circle did from their Master. In fact, Ysaye's standpoint toward
music had a good deal in common with Rubinstein's and he often said he
wished he could play the violin as Rubinstein did the piano. Ysaye is an
artist who has transcended his own medium--he has become a poet of
sound. And unless the one studying with him could understand and
appreciate this fact he made a poor teacher. But to me, in all humility,
he was and will always remain a wonderful inspiration. As an influence
in my career his marvelous genius is unique. In my own teaching I have
only to recall his tone, his playing in his little cottage on the banks
of the Meuse which the tide of war has swept away, to realize in a
cumulative sense the things he tried to make plain to me then. Ysaye
taught the technic of expression as against the expression of technic.
He gave the lessons of a thousand teachers in place of the lessons of
one. The greatest technical development was required by Ysaye of a
pupil; and given this pre-requisite, he could open up to him ever
enlarging horizons of musical beauty.
"Nor did he think that the true beauty of violin playing must depend
upon six to eight hours of daily practice work. I absolutely believe
with Ysaye that unless a student can make satisfactory progress with
three hours of practice a day, he should not attempt to play the violin.
Inability to do so is in itself a confession of failure at the outset.
Nor do I think it possible to practice the violin intensively more than
three-quarters of an hour at a time. In order to utilize his three hours
of practice to the best advantage the student should divide them into
four periods, with intervals of rest between each, and these rest
periods might simply represent a transfer of energy--which is a rest in
itself--to reading or some other occupation not necessarily germane to
music, yet likely to stimulate interest in some other art.