A painter hangs his or her finished pictures on a wall， and everyone can see it. A composer writes a work， but no one can hear it until it is performed. Professional singers and players have great responsibilities， for the composer is utterly¹ dependent on them.

画家将其已完成的作品挂在墙上，每个人都可以观赏到。作曲家写完了一部作品，但是要由演奏者将其演奏出来，其他人才能欣赏到。因为作曲家是如此完全地依赖于职业演唱者和职业演奏者，所以职业演唱者和职业演奏者肩上的担子可不轻。

A student of music needs as long and as arduous² a training to become a performer as a medical student needs to become a doctor. Most training is concerned with technique， for musicians have to have the muscular proficiencyof an athlete or a ballet dancer.

一名学音乐的学生要想成为一名演奏者，需要经受长期的、艰巨的训练，就象一名医科的学生要成为一名医生经受的一样。绝大多数的训练是有关技巧性的，因为音乐家们必须使肌肉的熟练程度达到与运动员或芭蕾舞演员相当的水平。

Singers practice breathing every day， as their vocal³ chords would be inadequate⁴ without controlled muscular support. String players practice moving the fingers of the left hand up and down， while drawing the bow to and fro with the right arm—two entirely⁵ different movements.

歌手们每天都练习吊嗓子，因为如果不能有效地控制肌肉的话，他们的发声将不能满足演唱的要求。弦乐器的演奏者则要练习在左手的手指上下滑动的同时，用右手前后拉动琴弓——两个截然不同的动作。

Singers and instruments have to be able to get every note perfectly⁶ in tune. Pianists are spared this particular anxiety， for the notes are already there， waiting for them， and it is the piano tuner‘s responsibility to tune the instrument for them. But they have their own difficulties； the hammers that hit the string have to be coaxed⁷ not to sound like percussion⁸ ， and each overlapping⁹ tone has to sound clear.

歌手和乐器演奏者必须使所有的音符完美协调。钢琴家们则不用操这份心，因为每个音符都已在那里等待着他们了。而为钢琴调音正是调音师的职责。 但调音师们也有他们的难处：他们必须耐心地调理敲击琴弦的音锤，不能让音锤发出的声音象是打击乐器，而且每个交叠的音听起来都必须要清晰。

This problem of getting clear texture¹⁰ is one that confronts student conductors： they have to learn to know every note of the music and how it should sound， and they have to aim at controlling these sound with fanatical but selfless authority .

如何得到乐章清晰的纹理是学生指挥们所面临的难题：他们必须学会了解音乐中的每一个音及其发音之道。 他们还必须致力于以热忱而又客观的权威去控制这些音符。

Technique is of no use unless it is combined with musical knowledge and understanding. Great artists are those who are so thoroughly¹¹ at home in the language of music that they can enjoy performing works written in any century.

除非是和音乐方面的知识和悟性结合起来，单纯的技巧没有任何用处。伟大的艺术家就是那些对音乐语言驾轻就熟的人，他们可以满怀喜悦地演奏出写于任何时代的作品。