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Ramsay - Ramsay as a Teacher of the Art of Music

the musical artist when once it has been put before the musical world. Mr. Ramsay was excellent also in the art of making violins, and a fine workman. He was a man of most simple and guileless spirit, of refined poetic taste, and studiously well read in mechanics and astronomy, and everything that was cognate to his wedded science of music.
     Mr. Ramsay, however, has not only laboured in the interests of musical Science; he has also shown that the inspiration of the Art was upon him. As a teacher he arranged a beautiful system of 480 exercises for the pianoforte, testifying to his thorough knowledge of the initiatory steps necessary for proficiency on the instrument; and he accustomed his pupils to perform their exercises with the wrist resting on a rest-bar which he fitted to the instruments used in his studio. For his violin pupils he constructed a bowing-guide, to secure the proper action of the wrist and elbow in bowing, and the play of the bow right across the violin. His compositions and arrangements have invariably called forth the praiseful comments of the critics, and it is to be hoped that new additions of such as have been out of print may again be given to the lovers of music. The beautiful air which he composed for Byron's poem "Loch-na-Garr," and which he so chastely arranged, was very graciously received by Her Majesty and gratefully acknowledged.

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Created by Dale Pond. Last Modification: Sunday September 20, 2020 04:40:28 MDT by Dale Pond.