No one may be able to explain why and how, but certainly it is true that as we play our music all that goes on in the heart finds its way into the head, and the arms, and the hands, into the music, off through the air, and into the hearts of every one who is listening.  So it is a valuable truth for us to remember, that whatever we put into our music will come out and we cannot stop it; and other people will get it, and know what we are by it.

Once we fully understand how music will show forth our inmost feelings we shall begin to understand its truthfulness and its power, as well as its beauty.  We shall see from our first days that music will tell the truth.  That will help us to understand a little the true mission of art, “either to state a true thing, or adorn a serviceable one."[7] The moment we understand this a very little we shall begin to love art.  We shall be glad and willing for music to reveal us, to show the spirit within us, because little by little with the understanding will come love and reverence for the beautiful thoughts that are locked up in tones.

Men who want to tell something to very many people, many of whom they do not know and to whom they cannot go, write down all they have to say and make a book of it.  There are some men, however, who have many beautiful thoughts which they wish to tell to those who can understand; these may dwell in their own land or in other lands; in their own time or in future time.  But the message of these men is so beautiful and so delicate that it cannot be told in words, so they tell it in music.  Then, in their own land and in other lands, in their own day and forever after, people can find out the delicate thoughts by studying the pages of the music, seeking with their hearts the thought that came out of the master’s heart.

Do you wonder that composers revere their art?  We are told of Chopin that art was for him a high and holy vocation.[8] Do you wonder?  Let me read you a few words about his devotion:  “In order to become a skilful and able master he studied, without dreaming of the ... fame he would obtain.”  “Nothing could be purer, more exalted, than his thoughts,"[9] because he knew that if his thoughts were not pure the impurity would come out in his music.

The music that has first been felt in the heart and then written down finds its way and tells all about the heart, where it was born.  When you play and feel that you are playing from the heart, you may be sure you are on the right path.  The beautiful thing is, that this is true no matter how simple music is.  The very simplest will tell all about us.  Remember, in playing music, that great and good men have put into tones thoughts which will be a joy and comfort to the world forever.  Some one of these Talks will be about classic and common music.  But even now I am sure we understand that good music comes from pure thought, and pure thought comes from a good heart.  That, surely, is clear and simple.