LOCAL MUSICAL EXAMINATIONS
THEIR INFLUENCE ON MUSICAL ART.
ii.
IN dealing with the subject of Local Musical Examinations, in our last article, we endeavoured somewhat briefly to show that, so far as pianoforte playing was concerned, any attempt on the part of an examiner coming from a distance to gauge the attainment reached by a candidate must of necessity be almost valueless. Largely owing to the reasons adduced, and possibly also to other minor causes, such as nervousness, and in the case of singing, indisposition, the results of all musical examinations are in the nature of things more or less unsatisfac- tory, both to those who have worked for them, and to the public generally. It is an acknowledged fact that the most musically gifted, and in every sense the best candidates, come off second best, while the careless, showy, and altogether inferioi-, manage to obtain a first-class certificate ; yet in no way would it be just to blame the examiner. In all cases we are bound to believe — for we have no reason to do otherwise — that the many excellent musicians who have been sent from London to per- form an irksome and thankless task, have fulfilled their difficult duty to the utmost of their ability, but we must at the same time remember tiiat they were employed by certain institutions, and in this capacity were in duty bound to do their work in such a manner as would carry out the system iden- tified with the body by whicji they were appointed. Be the causes, however, what they may, all persons interested will admit that the allotment of certifi- cates has not been perfectly fair, and the public has been imposed upon to tliis extent that it has taken for granted that, as a ride, the best has been awarded the best, and incomj)etency received its due. Some express even stronger opinions, and say flatly that nmsical examinations are a popular fad — a fashion of the day — and that until the public begins to tire of its own accord of the money-making schemes and hopelessly unsatisfac- tory results achieved generally, nothing can be done, and it is therefore wisest to adapt one's-self to circumstances, and submit with a good grace to a necessary evil. Tiiis way of speaking, whicii, we are sorry to say, is widely prevalent in the musical pro- fession, should, it seems to us, be commented on, both on behalf of parents, and of those who are anxious to urge the necessity for a centre of musical activity in Scotland. The outside public is hardly aware to what an extent tiiis questionable attitude on the part of instructors of music exists among us. By ques- tionable we mean solely as regards their own interest from a professional point of view. To see tills, let us take a supposititious case. A parent, anxious to do the best his means will admit of for a daughter more or less musically gifted, and unable to afford the expense connected with musical educa- tion in London or on the Continent, naturally has recourse to the only alternative on this side of the border, and sends his child to a local teacher with the express purpose that she be ' prepared ' for an examination. The teacher, on his part, although ready to admit that this is not quite satisfactory from an educative point of view, instead of dis- couraging a system which is avowedly only promoted «.? a substitute Jbr something hcttci invariably accepts the situation, and thereby does everything in his power — unwittingly, it may be — to make the present condition of affairs permanent ! The responsibility lies especially with the profession to do the best possible for musical art ; and as every one admits that the best possible in the meantime would be the establishment of a scliool of music in Scotland, the profession, by doing simply nothing in the matter, is ignoring this responsibility. This seems to us short-sighted, because only a very small proportion of the candidates who succeed in obtaining certificates make any effort to pursue their musical studies further ; whereas if there existed in Glasgow or Edinburgh a thoroughly- equipped school of music, the hundreds of young ladies who go up for examinations would take advantage of the means of education thus provided, and continue their studies possibly for some years. There is at present little or no inducement for lovers of music, old or young, to study for the sake of the art, — more especially does this apply to young men. There are evening classes, and means of education in all departments largely sought after by the youth of the present generation, but in the way of music there is almost nothing. The very fact that the classes for harmony and counterpoint, ably conducted by members of the profession in Glasgow, are so well attended shows clearly that, were there further advantages offered, male students would turn up in large numbers, to study music in
