Sight Reading by the Blind

Abstract

RECALL distinctly how, 'way back when I was a pupil in the Illinois School for the Blind, I envied the advantage possessed by a certain musical chap who played a valve trombone in our band. At rehearsals he occupied a chair just behind me and my squalling clarinet. When the rest of us forgot or fell down on our parts, with a dismal frazzling out of the would-be ensemble, he would continue to toot his notes precisely until stopped by the blind director. The latter wellmeaning gentleman would then chide us for not knowing our music so well as Fred, the trombonist. The assignment to be memorized from our Braille score was usually not overly taxing. At first we didn't understand the chuckle which came from the trombone so close behind One day, however, we discovered that Fred, with his instrument perched on his knee, fingered the valves with one hand and read his notes with the other. By being able to read, this rascal, without sight, literally stole marches on his blind companions. It happens that I am now in charge of the Braille library of music in the same school. Now and then a pupil comes to me for, say, a nocturne whose key or composer he has for the moment forgotten. I draw several nocturnes from the shelves and occasionally the pupil, glancing over them with his fingers will say, This is the one my teacher played over for me. Not long ago I sat as a visitor in the chapel of L'Institution des Jeunes Aveugles, Paris, and observed the training of a choir by the distinguished blind musician, M. Marty. Each of the singers read from a Braille score, and I shall never forget with what precision the class responded to the master's direction. I remember my beginning to doubt that they were actually reading-they sang so beautifully-when suddenly I was convinced by the quick turning of all the Braille pages. The miraculous thing was happening; the blind were sight singing. In the same school, as in several others, the organist candidates for church positions are trained to read the chant melodies with one hand, and play the simple accompaniments with the other hand and the pedals. The world over, teachers of music who art without sight are able, through the use of embossed music, to follow their pupils as they play their assignments.