Advice that Robert Schumann wrote for music students, later translated into Spanish and published by Ricordi.
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Preface
Robert Schumann, the greatest German composer of the Romantic period, was also a valuable music critic.
In 1842, along with Knorr, Schunke, and Wieck (his teacher), he founded the “New Music Journal” in Leipzig, for which he was the sole editor from 1835 to 1844.
In this journal, Schumann tirelessly fought for musical progress, sometimes criticizing (e.g., Meyerbeer) and sometimes praising (e.g., Cherubini and Mendelssohn); but Schumann’s glory as a music critic lies in having revealed to the public the genius of Chopin (1810-1849), Berlioz (1803-1869), and Brahms (1833-1897).
Advice
1. Ear training is of utmost importance; therefore, you should immediately focus on it, striving to recognize any sound you hear and the key of each piece of music. Also, try to know what sounds bells, cuckoos, etc., produce. (Note: With the latter, Schumann was referring to untuned percussion instruments.)
2. Playing scales and mechanical exercises attentively is a very good thing; but do not imitate those pianists who, believing this achieves the best results, dedicate several hours daily, even in old age, to mechanical finger exercises. That is like repeating the alphabet letters daily with increasing speed. It is necessary to use the time better. (Note: This advice applies to all instruments, not just the piano.)
3. The so-called silent keyboards have been constructed; but after brief use, you will be convinced of their uselessness: How can the mute teach one to speak?
4. Keep good time! The playing of some performers resembles the walk of a drunkard; avoid taking them as a model.
5. Delve early into the fundamental laws of harmony.
6. Do not be frightened by the names: Theory, Harmony, Counterpoint, etc.; with a little goodwill, they will soon become familiar.
7. Do not play carelessly! Always perform each piece with great attention, omitting nothing.
8. Playing too quickly is as great a fault as playing too slowly.
9. Strive to play simple works well; you will gain more benefit than from mediocre performances of difficult compositions.
10. Always keep your instrument perfectly tuned.
11. It is not enough to play the music with your fingers; you must also be able to sing it, softly, without resorting to the instrument.
12. Exercise your memory to retain not only the melody of a composition but also its harmony.
13. Even if you have a small voice, get used to singing extemporaneously, without the aid of any instrument; this will always perfect your ear. But if you are fortunate to possess a beautiful voice, do not hesitate to train it: consider it one of the most precious gifts that God has granted you!
14. Strive to understand written music without playing it: by just reading it.
15. When you play, do not worry about who is listening; but always perform as if a master were listening.
16. The first quality of performance is precision, that is, the exact observance of the text, which brings out the most hidden intention of the author.
17. If you are given a piece to play that you do not know, read it before playing it.
18. If after daily practice you are tired, do not continue playing: it is better to rest than to work without pleasure and without energy.
19. Do not play compositions that are in vogue. Time is precious, and it would be necessary to live a hundred times longer than we do to get to know only the good existing music.
20. Feeding children with sweets does not make them healthy adults. The nutrition of the spirit, like that of the body, should be simple and substantial. The great masters have provided abundantly: nourish yourself with their works.
21. The music whose purpose is to showcase technical difficulties in performance quickly goes out of fashion: technical difficulties only have value when they pursue higher goals, that is, when they achieve a perfect performance of music of true merit.
22. Do not spread bad compositions, but rather, with all your might, strive to prevent their dissemination.
23. Do not play bad music and, unless circumstances force you to, do not listen to it either.
24. Do not think that true mastery consists only in agility. In performing a good piece, rather aim to produce the impression that the composer had in mind and nothing more. Anything else would be a caricature.
25. Do not forget that it is a detestable and monstrous thing to make changes and mutilations to the music of great composers, as well as to add ornaments of exclusively modern use. It is the greatest insult that can be made to art.
Translator’s Note: Here I recall what Berlioz says on the matter: “No, no, no, ten million times no; musicians, poets, actors, pianists, conductors of third, second, and even first order, you do not have the right to retouch Beethoven and Shakespeare, to give them the alms of your science and your taste. No, no, no, a billion times no: no man, whoever he may be, has the right to compel another man, whoever he may be, to leave his own features to take on another, to express himself in a manner that is not his, to assume a form that he has not chosen.”
26. When selecting the music you should study, always consult people more experienced than you; it saves time.
27. Gradually strive to know the masterpieces of the great composers.
28. Do not be deceived by the applause that the so-called virtuosos often receive. The approval of the competent should be of greater value to you than that of the public.
29. The music that is in vogue has a short life; if you persist in cultivating it, you will be considered a fool.
30. Playing a lot at social gatherings is more harmful than useful. Adapt to the taste and intelligence of the audience; but without performing any music that you may feel ashamed of internally.
31. Take advantage of the opportunity to play ensemble music, such as duets, trios, quartets, etc.; you will always gain ease and boldness in performance. It is also beneficial to accompany singers.
32. If everyone wanted to be the first violin, how would it be possible to form an orchestra? Therefore, value each performer in the part they play.
33. Love the instrument you play; but do not be so vain as to believe that it is the best of all, for others are not inferior. Also, reflect that the human voice exists, and that the sublime in music is reached by uniting the choir with the orchestra.
34. As you progress in art, try to familiarize yourself more with scores than with virtuosos.
35. Very often play the fugues of the great masters, especially those of Johann Sebastian Bach. The Well-Tempered Clavier should be your daily bread: you will undoubtedly become a pianist of prestige.
36. Among your companions, always prefer those who know more than you.
37. Mitigate the severity of your musical studies with the reading of good poets, and also often walk through the fields and woods.
38. A lot can be learned from singers; but it is not wise to believe everything they say.
39. Reflect that you are not unique in the world; therefore, be modest. You have not conceived or discovered things that others have not conceived or discovered before you; and if this should happen, consider it as a gift that you should share with others.
40. The study of music history and listening to the works of great masters from different eras are the true remedies against all vanity and presumption.
41. A beautiful book is Thibaut’s *Purity of Musical Art*. Read it very often when you reach mature age.
Translator’s Note: Antonio Federico Juste Thibaut was born in Hameln on January 4, 1774, and died on March 28, 1840, in Heidelberg, where he was a professor of law. In 1825, he published *Purity of Musical Art* (which does not have a Spanish version), which had significant influence in Germany on the revival of ancient music, especially church music.
Thibaut managed to compile over 600 important compositions from various authors across all countries (15th, 16th, 17th, and 18th centuries).
42. If you pass by a church and hear the organ playing, stop and listen. If you ever have the opportunity to play this instrument, you will be amazed at the great power of music produced by your small fingers.
43. Take advantage of any opportunity to practice on the organ; no other instrument reveals the deficiencies of performance and the poor style of composition as clearly.
44. Sing very often in choirs, especially in the middle parts: this will help develop your musical sensitivity.
45. What does it mean to possess musical sensitivity? You do not have it if you play a piece with fatigue, anxiously looking at the written notes, or if, while playing, you suddenly stop and are unable to continue because you have turned two pages at the same time. Conversely, you possess it if, while playing a new piece, you can somewhat anticipate what follows; or if the piece is familiar, you remember it. In conclusion, you possess musical sensitivity if you have the music not only in your fingers but also in your head and heart.
46. How can musical sensitivity be acquired? My dear friends, musical sensitivity is a gift and consists primarily in having a delicate ear and a quick perception. These fortunate dispositions can be cultivated and perfected, but not by isolating yourself in a room and only playing mechanical exercises, but by being in contact with other musicians and especially familiarizing yourself with the choir and orchestra.
47. Strive to understand well and in a timely manner the range of the human voice in its four modifications. Study it particularly in choirs, investigating which sounds the voice shows greater power and which express tender passions and delicate feelings.
48. Listen attentively to folk songs: they constitute a rich source of beautiful melodies that will facilitate your study of the character of music from different nations.
49. Practice reading ancient clefs very often, otherwise, you will miss many treasures of the past.
50. Pay attention to the different timbres and the unique character of various instruments, trying to retain in your ear the particular qualities of their sounds.
51. Respect ancient music; but also take an interest in modern music.
52. Do not be adverse to music by unknown authors.
53. Do not judge a composition after the first hearing, as what pleases immediately is not always the best. The works of great masters must be studied, and many things will become clear to you as you get older.
54. When issuing a judgment on compositions, you should distinguish between those that belong to true art and those that serve to delight amateurs. Appreciate the former; but do not despise the latter.
55. Melody! – this is the battle cry of amateurs. And indeed, there would be no music without melody. But it is necessary to understand what they mean by melody: a catchy refrain with an easy-to-understand and pleasant rhythm. But there are different kinds of melodies: a glance at the works of Bach, Mozart, Beethoven shows how they are presented in a thousand forms. It is to be expected that you will soon be bored by uniform melodies.
56. It is good to compose small melodies on the piano; but if musical ideas come to you without searching for them on the piano, you should be much happier, because your musical sensitivity is awakening. The fingers should execute what the brain wants, not the other way around.
57. When you start composing, first imagine with your mind, and only when your work is completely conceived in your brain, perform it on the piano.
58. If your music comes from the soul and heart, and you yourself are moved, then it will also be able to move others.
59. If God has given you the gift of a vivid imagination, when you are alone, sitting at the piano, you will often try to express with harmonies the inner feeling of your mood; and the more obscure harmonic science is to you, the more mysteriously you will feel drawn to enchanted regions. These are the most beautiful hours of youth. But do not let yourself be frequently carried away by fantasy that could make you waste time and energy, chasing after illusions. One never masters the forms of composition and expresses ideas clearly if they are not written down. Therefore, write more than you improvise.
60. Strive to acquire the art of conducting an orchestra in due time. Observe good conductors and make an effort to conduct mentally yourself: this will give you clarity of perception.
61. Study life attentively and acquire knowledge also in other arts and sciences.
62. The laws of morality are also the laws of art.
63. Diligence and perseverance are the most important factors in progress.
Translator’s Note: Regarding diligence, it is appropriate to recall what Leonardo da Vinci said: “Do not forget that you will learn more with diligence than with haste,” and regarding perseverance, remember the famous proverb: “The dripping water wears away the stone,” meaning that constancy overcomes all difficulties.
64. From a pound of iron, which costs only a few cents, one can obtain a thousand watch hands, whose value compared to the initial material is astounding. Therefore, use conscientiously the “Pound” that you have received from God.
65. In art, without enthusiasm, nothing great is produced.
66. The aim of art should not be material gain. Strive to become as expert as possible: the rest will come by itself. The spirit of a composition will only be clear to you once you have well understood its form.
67. The spirit of a composition will only be clear to you once you have well understood its form.
68. Perhaps only a genius can come to understand another genius.
69. It is said that a perfect musician, upon hearing an orchestral piece for the first time, no matter how complex, should see it in their mind as if they had the written score in front of them. This would truly be the pinnacle of musical intellect.
70. Study has no end.
