The Etude magazine, February 1937, p. 139
An Interesting Musical Experience
(Prize Winner)Oh how I hated to practice Bach! It all seemed so tuneless and the time so difficult.
My teacher could not understand why I was unable to play Bach well. With an average amount of practice I could play other things well. One day, however, she asked me to show her the melody. This I was not able to do because I had never found any melody. Then she began to show how one hand would begin the story and the other take it up, passing the melody from one hand to the other. And then they would start and echo each other and play hide and seek.
I was delighted. It simply could not have been the same Bach I had labored over. It was a new Bach, the creation of a master, as tuneful and delightful as I could desire it.
From that lesson on I have never ceased to love Bach. I know it was a great milestone I passed that day and it will always hold first place in my musical experiences.
CHARLOTTE REED (Age 15), Class A, Georgia.
