Page 124 - Weiss, Jernej, ur./ed. 2025. Glasbena interpretacija: med umetniškim in znanstvenim┊Music Interpretation: Between the Artistic and the Scientific. Koper/Ljubljana: Založba Univerze na Primorskem in Festival Ljubljana. Studia musicologica Labacensia, 8

glasbena interpretacija ... | music interpretation ...
(textbooks), exercises, and instructional compositions that follow individ-
ual levels of difficulty (Progressive Series of Lessons, Exercises, Studies and
Pieces). The editors of the series were Leopold Godowsky, Emil Sauer and
Frederic Lillebridge (then dean of the music department of the National
46
University of St Louis). Education within the Progressive Series program
lasted for four years, half as long as usual music lessons at the time, and for
which the role of an expert and educated piano teacher was especially em-
47
phasized. The availability of music education to wider social strata and its
importance for people’s general culture was promoted (“Music Education
is no longer a luxury. It has become a part of our everyday life, and is of vi-
tal importance to every cultured person.”), whereby the student’s talent was
48
not of crucial importance. In order to develop students’ musical thinking
and understanding, and not just the mechanical ability to move their fin-
gers, the importance of understanding the basics of (piano) music in gen-
eral was emphasized: “A mind trained to understand the fundamentals and
construction of music, and the principles which underlie piano playing.” 49
For this reason, the Art Publication Society sheet music editions were
equipped with fingering, phrase, pedal marks made by the composers
themselves or by editors as contemporary music pedagogic authorities. The
editions also included (even explicitly required in the case of a competition)
the composer’s poetic idea as an inspiration when writing the piece, which
46 An article in Musical America listed Leopold Godowsky as editor-in-chief, Emil
Sau er as co-editor, and Frederic Lillebridge and William Smithe Babcock Mathews
as members of the editorial board. The latter died in April 1912, therefore, before
the Art Publication Society was started, but the society took over his method of pre-
paring sheet music editions within the Columbian Conservatory music publishing
house. Cf. Anon., “New Piano Study Guide. A Work of Unique Value,” Musical Ame-
rica 19, no. 23 (11 April 1914): 13. On this, as well as on the beginnings of the socie-
ty, see: Leonard S. Saxe, “The Published Music of Leopold Godowsky,” Notes 14, no.
2 (1957): 177–8 (footnote), https://www.jstor.org/stable/891677.
47 Teacher training took place in the premises of the Art Publication Society, where the
printing office was also located. Cf. W. S., “The Unique Headquarters of a Great Pu-
blishing House,” Musical Courier 49, no. 15 (12 October 1929): 26–7. Cf. also adverti-
sements in journals and editions, for example: Art Publication Society, Supervisors'
Service Department, “A Standard that Insures Protection,” Music Supervisors’ Jour-
nal 7, no. 1 (1920): 33. https://www.jstor.org/stable/3382688; Art Publication Society,
Educational Department, “The World Wears a Path,” Music Supervisors’ Journal 6,
no. 5 (1920): 29, https://www.jstor.org/stable/3382494.
48 Teachers Department, Art Publication Society, Saint Louis: Music Education vs.
Imitation of the Teacher, the back cover of the Victor Radeglia, Serenade aux etoiles
(St Louis: Art Publication Society, 1913).
49 Ibid.

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