"There are two qualities," says M. d'Indy, on the last
page of _Cours de Composition_, "which a master should try to encourage
and develop in the spirit of the pupil, for without them science is
useless; these qualities are an unselfish love of art and enthusiasm for
good work." And these two virtues radiate from M. d'Indy's personality
as they do from his writings; that is his power.
But the best of his teaching lies in his life. One can never speak too
highly of his disinterested devotion for the good of art. As if it were
not enough to put all his might into his own creations, M. d'Indy gives
his time and the results of his study unsparingly to others. Franck gave
lessons in order to be able to live; M. d'Indy gives them for the
pleasure of instructing, and to serve his art and aid artists. He
directs schools, and accepts and almost seeks out the most thankless,
though the most necessary, kinds of teaching. Or he will apply himself
devoutly to the study of the past and the resuscitation of some old
master. And he seems to take so much pleasure in training young minds to
appreciate music, or in repairing the injustices of history to some fine
but forgotten musician, that he almost forgets about himself.
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