provision made for the overseeing of work as it is going on;

The candidate merely There is here, as usually two-fold character. The

only the finished result is judged. comes forward for examination. is the case, an examination of specialty, be it Piano, Voice, Composition or whatever else—is considered an independent element of test which of itself shall rate as high as a specialty, seventy-five per cent. Every special examination is accompanied by a Theoretic examination which, as a whole, also assumes the value of a specialty. The Theoretic examination being made of several items, and these items being of various values, it has been deemed best, the reasons are easily inferred,-to place the highest test on the subjects of foremost importance-in this case in Harmony, Counterpoint and Terminology; because on these three rest the real musical education; the real strength and fibre of a musical thinker and earnest teacher grows out of them. The others, History, Acoustics, Form, help to build up these, but are of less value in the practical, every day life of an advanced teacher. Yet let me say here that I shall show later how much such subjects as the last three mentioned and others allied to them which I have not mentioned at all, go to make up the broad thinker, the definite instructor, the musician thoroughly competent to think independently. The difference between the intellectual man who knows his strength and how to use it, and the loosely learned man who has no knowlege of himself as a brain worker, is represented when I say that the one has judgment and moves slowly, the other has no judgment and attempts to move like a locomotive. Now good judgment coolly exercised is a possession and a habit. To acquire it one must work in a slow way and with judgment; then it becomes a habit to think logically. Hence the first thing to say to an intending candidate for degree is to be positive of what there is to do, and to do it slowly. Next, can it be done alone by the candidate or not? If he needs help let him get the best he can. The best instruction saves time, there is more progress and less friction. If he takes up his specialty with a teacher he will feel his strength before he tries it, and should know the measure of

it. The Theoretical work will require considerable knowledge of the subjects, and demands an application of it that is designed to show with how much judgment the candidate regards each subject as a whole. The catch question is more and more disappearing from examination papers of all kinds and an appeal to the candidate as a person of mature thought rather than as a bundle of facts, is taking its place. The mere gathering of knowledge should never win one a degree; only judgment ripened by contact with knowledge and its conversion into true education is worthy of any collegiate distinction.

Regarding the subject of the examination papers it may be helpful if I speak of them, giving as I can salient points on each. First, it may be not amiss to say that the practical application of knowledge is everywhere looked for and appreciated in the examinations of the A. C. M. Good judgment is valued far more highly than good memory per se. The candidate being ever regarded as a teacher, it is easily understood that this practicability is of worth.

In the papers of Harmony and Counterpoint the candidate is most rigorously judged. Here, if anywhere, a practical working knowledge of the subject is of value. Well chosen tests which require to be worked out give ample evidence of how well grounded the candidate may be on the matter of the text. Textual questions are everywhere of value chiefly in so far as they exhibit one's ability to be clear and logical in explanation. It is especially for this particular that the Terminology paper is formulated. Clearness in expression and evidence of ability to think in a straight line in simple words are expected. It is to be said, however, that there is no text book in English on the subject of musical terms, which is really representative as an excellent work for instruction. The standard English Dictionaries are very misleading in regard to musical terms in our own language.

The subject next important is that of Form; that part of the examination requiring an analysis is the test which shows most conclusively one's comprehension of the subject. It is sincerely to be regretted that more is not made of the

study of Form. Even to the most elementary teacher so much depends for an understanding of simple musical works, on the knowledge of the form or shape in which they are constructed, that without it one must miss the spirit of a work. Many are guided a little way by intuition. But intuition, inexplicable as it is, is not knowledge, and knowledge itself, to be of greatest value, must be organized.

The Acoustic paper is simple in its demands. A careful reading of a standard text book in those chapters which treat of the subject as distinctly connected with practical music, would amply prepare a student. But it must be remembered that a proper understanding of the subject even to the slight extent indicated, requires much careful reading of not very much text, and much more careful thinking upon its meaning. A few Acoustic experiments scientifically performed are valuable experience. It is everywhere the broad comprehension and ripened judgment that tell, more especially in the Fellow and Master examinations. No paper indicates so much the requirement for just those qualities in the candidate as the paper on History. Its few questions indicate the necessity for a fairly wide knowledge of the best known works in Musical Literature; more especially as applying to the advanced degrees. To the candidate for the associateship degree it may be said that the outlines of a good general handbook are first necesary; then the reading of a larger work, supplemented by some reading of the best biographies, a few critical works and the like.

In conclusion I am going to say that an intending can didate taking a practical view of the matter would prepare for examination with these thoughts in mind:—

To take sufficient time in preparation as to feel fully at ease on all his subjects.

To be thoroughly practical in all he does.

To rely on the judgment before the memory.

To prepare for an examination so that the week or two previous to the time may be spent in rest rather than in forcing for the coming situation.

To remember that forcing matters so as barely to pass is a credit to no one. THOMAS TAPPER.

CERTAIN COMPOSITIONS OF TSCHAIKOWSKY.

A

MONG the compositions of the period which have recently attracted the attention of our best musicians and teachers, are foremost those of the late great Russian composer. Pierre Iltitsch (Peter) Tschaikowsky, who was born in the year 1840, in the provinces of Perm, adjoining Siberia, and whose sudden death of cholera, November 6, 1893, is a matter of deep regret in the musical world. This great writer of modern music, was, like the late Hans von Bulow, educated for jurisprudence and only began the study of the theory of music at the age of 22, when he entered the Conservatory established by Anton Rubinstein at St. Petersburg, where three year later, in 1865, he completed the course, and was immediately appointed Professor of of Composition at the Moscow Conservatory, then founded by Nicholas Rubinstein. This position he held for twelve years, till 1877, since which time he devoted himself exclu. sively to composition, as teaching was not to his taste. Among his latest works are a number of pianoforte pieces of marked peculiarity. His op. 72 is a collection of eighteen pieces, a number of which have delighted me to such an extent that I concluded to assist in making my musical sisters throughout the country acquainted with their rare and striking beauties. Most of these compositions, if properly interpreted will arouse the imagination and convey a story to the intent listener. There is, for instance, No. 3, called Tendre Reproches, where one can easily imagine two sisters, the one a quiet, thoughtful girl of 25 years, who has gone through many adverse circumstonces with her parents, while the younger one, not yet out of her teens, has been away to school where she acquired a silly, saucy way of behavior, which the older of the two at first vainly tries to subdue, but after an excited effort conquers.

By listening carefully to No. 8, the "Dialogue," we can weave a romance for ourselves without much effort.

Let

us imagine a Dialogue between a violoncello and a violin, the 'cello representing the lover, and the violin his beloved, while out for a stroll through the woodland on a moonlit eve. In playing the melody imitate the deep sonorous sounds of a violoncello on the one hand and the sweet strains of a violin on the other, by using a sustained or melodic quality of tone; see that a true, pure legato is produced in the melody. Make the piano sing by playing with a broad though delicate and gentle touch-subdue the accompani ment. Measures thirty-nine to forty-eight inclusive need careful analysing and much practice to be rendered intelligently, and with full appreciation of their many hidden. beauties. The tempo M. M.-120 is what makes the piece difficult and places it in grade VI, where ten grades are used. When mastered and played with fine expression it more than repays the labor expended in the unraveling of its treasures. Be careful about the syncopated tones, measures thirty-nine to forty-eight and fifty-nine to sixtyseven inclusive.

At

The piece consists of three distinct ideas which should be brought out according to their relative importance to each other. The first subject soft and sweet, but with varying expression; the second increases in strength and passion and gradually leads up to the grand climax at measure forty-nine, where the third subject presents itself, the young couple being detected by a disapproving father. measure fifty-nine the excitement still exists but gradually diminishes, till with the ritenuto molto, measure sixty-eight it entirely dies away. Beginning with measure fifty-nine, we can imagine the young lady's kind-hearted mother pleading for the young people and finally winning the stern father's consent. Notice the beautiful effect at measures sixty-one and sixty-five. The whole piece is a short but exquisite tone poem.

Space does not permit more than superficial mention of the remaining numbers of the op. 72, the names of which are as follows:

1. Impromptu.

2. Berceuse.