In addressing Matthay and his methods one thing that stuck out to me was the fact that Matthay arrived upon his teaching methods from making a study of Anton Rubinstein’s playing. Matthay says, “I found he [Rubinstein] played a great deal getter than I did. So I discovered many things in listening to him, which he perhaps could not have explained to me” (370). I think this goes to show just how much we can learn and take away from just observing and listening to pianist better then ourselves.

Is it always necessary to follow an exact method school? This is one thought I had while reading the summary’s of The Act of Touch and also how Matthay put great emphasis on both weight and relaxation because he was still haunted by the old German school of finger technique. All methods seem to have both good and bad side to them. This is seen just in the German school and the repercussions it had on those like Matthay and Breithaupt and there over emphasis on relaxation sometimes. On the other hand Gerig points out that Matthay was constantly stressing the importance of listening, “sensitive listening throughout is coupled with sensitivity in the touch” (393). I would say that I agree with this. The ear holds a lot of power. But not all methods work for the same people. As a teacher do you encourage your students to use their ears more and to practice slowly and critically? Or is there technical form more important and understanding how it is that they are making those sounds?

I liked what Matthay's student had to say about his teaching, "Technique takes on another meaning in that it reveals to us the impossibility of separating technique from Music...which union forms a perfect marriage never to be dissoved" (394).