Passage 4
Some years ago the Director of the Leipsic Conservatorium gave the writer a
complete record of the number of graduates of the conservatory from the founding
to the late nineties. Of the thousands of students who had passed through the
institution only a few had gained wide prominence. Hardly one student in one
hundred had won his way into the most voluminous of the musical biographical
dictionaries. The proportion of distinguished graduates to those who fail to gain
renown is very high at Leipsic compared with many other institutions. What
becomes of the thousands of students all working frantically with the hope of
becoming famous pianists? Surely, so much earnest effort can not be wasted
even though all can not win the race? Those who often convince themselves that
they have failed go on to perform a more useful service to society than the laurelcrowned virtuoso. Unheralded and unapplauded, they become the teachers, the
true missionaries of Frau Musik to the people.
What is it then, which promotes a few “fortunate” ones from the armies of students
all over America and Europe and makes of them great virtuosos? What must one
do to become a virtuoso? How long must one study before one may make a début?
What does a great virtuoso receive for his performances? How long does the virtuoso
practice each day? What exercises does he use? All these and many more similar
questions crop up regularly in the offices of music critics and in the studios of
teachers. Unfortunately, a definite answer can be given to none, although a great deal
may be learned by reviewing some of the experiences of one who became great.
Some virtuosos actually seem to be born with the heavenly gift. Many indeed are
sons and daughters of parents who see their own demolished dreams realized in
the triumphs of their children. When little Nathan creeps to the piano and quite
without the help of his elders picks out the song he has heard his mother sing,—
all the neighbors in Odessa know it the next day. “A wonder child perhaps!” Oh
happy augury of fame and fortune! Little Nathan shall have the best of instruction.
His mother will teach him at first, of course. She will shape his little fingers to the
keyboard. She will sing sweet folk melodies in his ear,—songs of labor, struggle, exile.
She will count laboriously day after day until he “plays in time.” All the while the little
mother sees far beyond the Ghetto,—out into the great world,—grand auditoriums,
breathless crowds, countless lights, nobles granting trinkets, bravos from a
thousand throats, Nathan surrounded by endless wreaths of laurel,—Oh, it is all too
much,—”Nathan! Nathan! you are playing far too fast. One, two, three, four,—one, two,
three, four,—there, that is the tempo Clementi would have had it. Fine! Some day,
Nathan, you will be a great pianist and—” etc., etc.
Nathan next goes to the great teacher. He is already eight years old and fairly
leaping out of his mother’s arms. Two years with the teacher and Nathan is probably
ready for a début as a wonder child. The critics are kind. If his parents are very
poor Nathan may go from town to town for awhile being exhibited like a trained
poodle or a tiny acrobat. The further he gets from home the more severe his critics
become, and Nathan and his mother hurry back to the old teachers, who tell them
that Nathan must still practice long and hard as well as do something to build up
his general education. The world in these days looks askance at the musician who
aside from his keyboard accomplishments is a numskull. More sacrifice for Nathan’s
mother and father,—but what are poverty and deprivation with such a goal in sight?
Nathan studies for some years in the schools and in the high schools as well as at
the conservatory. In the music school he will doubtless spend six years in all,—two
years in the post-graduate or master classes, following the regular four-year course.
When sufficiently capable he will take a few pupils at a kopeck or so per lesson to
help out with the family expenses…
Unfortunately, the number of virtuosos who have been taught exclusively in America
is really very small. It is not a question of ability upon the part of the teacher or
talent upon the part of the pupil. It is entirely a matter of the attitudes of the
teacher, the pupil and the pupil’s home advisers. Success demands strong-willed
discipline and the most lofty standards imaginable. Teachers who have taught for
years in America have returned to Europe, doubled and quadrupled their fees, and,
under old-world surroundings and with more rigid standards of artistic work, have
produced results they declare would have been impossible in America. The author
contends that these results would have been readily forthcoming if we in America
assumed the same earnest, persistent attitude toward the work itself. If these
words do no more than reach the eyes of some of those who are advising students
wrongly in this matter they will not have been written in vain. The European concert
triumphs of Mrs. H. H. A. Beach, whose training was received wholly in the United
States, is an indication of what may be achieved in America if the right course
is pursued. Conditions are changing rapidly in our country, particularly in the
wonderful West and Middle-West. It seems likely that many pianists without foreign
instruction of any kind will have as great success in our concert field as have many
of our best opera singers who have never had a lesson ‘on the other side.’
Cooke, J. F. (2009). Great pianists on piano playing: Study talks with foremost
virtuosos. Project Gutenberg. (Original work published 1913)
Which of the following details, if true, would most undermine the author’s
overall argument?
A) The report provided by the Conservatorium Director was incorrect, and
many more graduates achieved fame than the author initially reported
B) Data suggesting that the greatest factor predicting success is one’s country
of origin or training
C) Knowledge that no successful, world-renowned virtuoso has ever had a son
or daughter achieve equivalent fame
D) Personal testimony from successful virtuosos about the incredible
pressures they faced during childhood
Correct answer is B
The structure of this MCAT passage is somewhat unique, as it may be difficult
to discern exactly what the author is attempting to argue throughout the text.
Nevertheless, a helpful strategy is to break down the author’s main arguments
paragraph-by-paragraph, so as to understand the general flow of the passage as a
means of elucidating the key theme(s) and claim(s) that are being presented here.
The author starts by setting the stage of the passage: he speaks of the report
from the Conservatorium indicating that only a few graduates achieve renown,
and then suggests that the efforts of non-famous graduates has not been wasted,
however, because they are “missionaries…to the people” of music. The author then
asks several questions regarding how one becomes a virtuoso, and notes that
the answers to these questions shed important light on the process. The third
paragraph begins with the example of Nathan, whose mother has great dreams for
him, and this continues into the fourth paragraph where Nathan is beginning his
public debut, but his family is also experiencing poverty and hardship because of
their goals. Then, the author turns to a different topic altogether: that Americans’
overall success has been less than those of Europeans’, but that success primarily
depends on one’s inner determination, attitude, and motivation rather than country
of origin.
According to the passage, “the author contends that these results [seen in Europe]
would have been readily forthcoming if we in America assumed the same earnest,
persistent attitude toward the work itself,” which suggests that the author does
not believe that one’s birthplace (or place of training) is ultimately determinative
of success. From the options presented, Answer B is correct because if data
suggested that the greatest factor predicting success were one’s country of origin
or training, rather than one’s attitude, one’s motivation, or one’s resources (e.g.
motivated parents and skilled teachers), the author’s argument about would fall
apart.
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