Genuinely musical, effective and largely successful as they have been, however, as any one who has played them can testify, the composer of the “Gypsy Dances” regards them with mixed feelings.  “I have done other work that seems to me, relatively, much more important,” said Mr. Nachez, “but when my name happens to be mentioned, echo always answers ‘Gypsy Dances,’ my little rubbishy ‘Gypsy Dances!’ It is not quite fair.  I have published thirty-five works, among them a ‘Requiem Mass,’ an orchestral overture, two violin concertos, three rhapsodies for violin and orchestra, variations on a Swiss theme, Romances, a Polonaise (dedicated to Ysaye), and Evening Song, three Poemes hongrois, twelve classical masterworks of the 17th century—­to say nothing of songs, etc.—­and the two concertos of Vivaldi and Nardini which I have edited, practically new creations, owing to the addition of the piano accompaniments and orchestral score.  I wrote the ‘Gypsy Dances’ as a mere boy when I was studying with H. Leonard in Paris, and really at his suggestion.  In one of my lessons I played Sarasate’s ‘Spanish Dances,’ which chanced to be published at the time, and at once made a great hit.  So Leonard said to me:  ’Why not write some Hungarian Gypsy dances—­there must be wonderful material at hand in the music of the Tziganes of Hungary.  You should do something with it!’ I took him at his word, and he liked my ‘Dances’ so well that he made me play them at his musical evenings, which he gave often during the winter, and which were always attended by the musical Tout Paris! I may say that during these last thirty years there has been scarcely a violinist before the public who at one time or the other has not played these ’Gypsy Dances.’  Besides the original edition, there are two (pirated!) editions in America and six in Europe.

        [Illustration:  TIVADAR NACHEZ, with hand-written note]

       THE BEGINNING OF A VIOLINISTIC CAREER:  PLAYING WITH LISZT

“No, Leonard was not my first teacher.  I took up violin work when a boy of five years of age, and for seven years practiced from eight to ten hours a day, studying with Sabathiel, the leader of the Royal Orchestra in Budapest, where I was born, though England, the land of my adoption, in which I have lived these last twenty-six years, is the land where I have found all my happiness, and much gratifying honor, and of which I have been a devoted, ardent and loyal naturalized citizen for more than a quarter of a century.  Sabathiel was an excellent routine teacher, and grounded me well in the fundamentals—­good tone production and technical control.  Later I had far greater teachers, and they taught me much, but—­in the last analysis, most of the little I have achieved I owe to myself, to hard, untiring work:  I had determined to be a violinist and I trust I became one.  No serious student of the instrument should ever forget that, no matter who his teacher may be, he himself must supply the determination, the continued energy and devotion which will lead him to success.