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     1     it is performed. Professional singers and players have great responsibilities, for the composer is absolutely dependent on them. A student of music needs as long and as tough a training to become a performer as a medical student needs     2    (become) a doctor. Most training is concerned    3     technique, for musicians have to be as muscularly skillful as an athlete or a ballet dancer. Singers practice breathing every day, as their vocal chords (声带) would be inadequate without    4    (control) muscular support. String players practice moving the fingers of the left hand up and down, while drawing the bow back and forth with the right arm,    5     are two entirely different movements.

Singers and instruments have to be able to get every note perfectly in tune. Pianists     6    (spare) this particular anxiety, for the notes are already there, and it is the piano tuner’s responsibility to tune the instrument for    7     . But they have their own difficulties; the hammers that hit the string must be dealt with carefully not to sound like drum or bass, and each tone, even if played very fast, has to sound clear.

The problem    8    (face) student conductors is that they have to learn to know every note of the music and    9     it should sound, and they need to aim at controlling these sound with enthusiastic but selfless authority.

Technique is of no use unless it is combined with musical knowledge and understanding. Great artists are those who are so thoroughly at home in the language of music    10       they can enjoy performing works written in any century.