Tobias Matthay (1858-1945), born in London of German parents, taught piano at the Royal Academy of Music in London, England for over fifty years. Matthay's revolutionary concepts about the displacement of tension and his attention to natural musical laws attracted considerable attention. In 1905 he opened the Tobias Matthay Piano School while continuing at the Royal Academy. The playing of Myra Hess, Irene Scharrer, Clifford Curzon, Moura Lympany and others trained by him soon established his position as one of the greatest pedagogues of all time. Students from throughout the world sought his advice on artistic as well as technical matters. In the twenties and thirties, Matthay ran an American summer school, leading to the establishment of the American Matthay Association in 1925. It was founded to promote Matthay's principles in the United States. During his lifetime, the members of the Association were chosen by Matthay himself. Since his death, members have included not only those who studied piano with him but also outstanding pianists and teachers who have worked in the Matthay tradition. The efforts of these musicians, their students and the memory of Mr. Matthay are celebrated in the annual piano festivals.
The Matthay
Festival is designed to offer participants direct and concentrated access
to the teaching principles of Tobias Matthay. Sessions are devoted to the
principles as they apply to teaching at all levels, including that of the
performing artist. Daytime sessions include lectures, demonstrations, performances
and master classes. Recitals are held in the evening. The year 2006 marks
the forty-eighth annual gathering. Previous Matthay Festivals have
taken place at the
University of Maryland, the University of Central Florida,
Orlando, the Royal Conservatory of Music, Toronto; Chatham College,
San Jose State University, Williams College, Wheaton
College, Norton, MA; the Hageman Piano Studio and Dayton Art Museum; Kennesaw
State University, Pennsylvania State University, the
University of South Carolina, Wittenberg University,
the University of Kansas, and Columbus State University.
Matthay News is the title of the Journal of the American Matthay Association. There follows a brief excerpt from the Fall 1996 journal article entitled: Synopses of Lectures and Lecture Recitals from the 1996 Matthay Festival
DR. GARY WOLF - "On Memorization"
According to one author, "All learning is memory in one form or another." The pianist depends on a combination of visual, tactile and aural senses. There are some who have a mental picture of the score as they perform. Gary uses two techniques to help the pianist's memory. First, he gives his students a one page piece (not too hard), has them look at it for fifteen minutes, then he has the student play it from memory. Gary learned the second technique from Cecil Genhart. Using a two-part invention by J.S. Bach, Gary played the music until a student said "Stop". During the stop time Gary continued to think the composition and when the student said "Start" he re-entered the music. This pattern of stop-think-start continued to the end of the invention. As you can see the focus must always be on the music and the student must know what comes next.
Gary suggested to all who play from memory to build on the progression of music by making chains of sound which then progress to new chains of sound. Keep your mind on the thing you are doing at the time - don't anticipate too far in advance - expect to use your automatic response - and work from the sound first then to the key and then the finger.
From Mr. Matthay's work entitled "On Memorizing and Playing from Memory" comes the following quote, "The new must be connected-up with something already present in the mind. Isolated facts mean nothing - they must be connected-up. To use the memory-way successfully, allow each item of the text to suggest the next. Do not disturb the memory-progressions in performance."
in Chronological Order prepared by Jessie Henderson Matthay
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THE ACT OF TOUCH IN ALL ITS DIVERSITY | |
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THE
FIRST PRINCIPLES OF PIANOFORTE PLAYING
Being an abstract from the author's "The Act of Touch". Designed for school use and with two additional chapters - "Directions for Learners" and "Advise to Teachers". |
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COMMENTARIES
ON THE TEACHING OF PIANOFORTE TECHNIQUE
A supplement to "The Act of Touch" and "First Principles". |
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RELAXATION STUDIES - in the muscular discriminations required for touch, agility and expression in pianoforte playing. | |
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THE
PRINCIPLES OF FINGERING AND THE LAWS OF PEDALLING
An abstract from above. |
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THE FOREARM ROTATION PRINCIPLE: IT APPLICATION AND MASTERY | |
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THE
CHILD'S FIRST STEPS IN PIANO PLAYING
Written for children, but also for adults as an introduction to their teaching |
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THE
PIANIST'S FIRST MUSIC MAKING
The music material to accompany above, by Felix Swinstead and Tobias Matthay |
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THE
NINE STEPS TOWARDS FINGER INDIVIDUALIZATION
A supplement to "The Pianist's first Music Making" and "The Child's First Steps" and summary of technique. These three together are in place of the now out-of-date "Tutor". |
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DOUBLE-THIRD
SCALES: THEIR FINGERING AND PRACTICE
Practice Card No 1. |
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THE
T.M.P.S. PRACTICE TRIANGLE AND CARD
Exercises for Rotational Freedom, Finger Extension and Freeing. |
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MUSICAL
INTERPRETATION
Its laws and principles, and their application to teaching and performing |
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ON
MEMORIZING
and playing from memory, and on practice generally. A Psychology Lecture. |
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ON METHOD IN TEACHING: A LECTURE | |
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THREE PSYCHOLOGICAL LECTURE | |
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THE
ACT OF MUSICAL CONCENTRATION
A lecture on the function of analysis in playing. |
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THE
VISIBLE AND INVISIBLE
in pianoforte technique: A summary of the laws of technique. |
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AN
EPITOME
from same (for School use). |
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SOME PIANO FALLACIES OF TODAY | |
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THE
SLUR OR COUPLET
of notes in all its variety. Its interpretation and execution. A lecture: A continuation of "Musical "Interpretation" |
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ON
COLORING AS DISTINCT FROM TONE-INFLECTION
A lecture. |
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FOUR
DAILY EXERCISES
for advanced players |
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THE
APPROACH TO MUSIC
by Tobias Matthay, Harold Craxton and Felix Swinstead. Book I. "How Do You Do Mr. Piano?" Book II. First Solos Book III. First Duets Book IV. Second Solos Book V. Second Duets Book VI. Third Solos Book VII. Third Duets |
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FIRST LIGHTS ON PIANO PLAYING | |
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THE GENTLE ART OF CHORD SPREADING: A lecture ready for press. |
