There is no greater discrepancy than the edition of the Bach sonatas published (since his death) by Moser, and which is supposed to embody Joachim’s interpretation.  Sweeping chords, which Joachim always played with the utmost breadth, are ‘arpeggiated’ in Moser’s edition!  Why, if any of his pupils had ever attempted to play, for instance, the end of the Bouree in the B minor Partita of Bach a la Moser, Joachim would have broken his bow over their heads!

STUDYING WITH LEONARD

“After three years’ study I left Joachim and went to Paris.  Liszt had given me letters of introduction to various French artists, among them Saint-Saens.  One evening I happened to hear Leonard play Corelli’s La Folia in the Salle Pleyel, and the liquid clarity and beauty of his tone so impressed me that I decided I must study with him.  I played for him and he accepted me as a pupil.  I am free to admit that my tone, which people seem to be pleased to praise especially, I owe entirely to Leonard, for when I came to him I had the so-called ‘German tone’ (son allemand), of a harsh, rasping quality, which I tried to abandon absolutely.  Leonard often would point to his ears while teaching and say:  ‘Ouvrez vos oreilles:  ecoutez la beaute du son!’ (’Open your ears, listen for beauty of sound!’).  Most Joachim pupils you hear (unless they have reformed) attack a chord with the nut of the bow, the German method, which unduly stresses the attack.  Leonard, on the contrary, insisted with his pupils on the attack being made with such smoothness as to be absolutely unobtrusive.  Being a nephew of Mme. Malibran, he attached special importance to the ‘singing’ tone, and advised his pupils to hear great singers, to listen to them, and to try and reproduce their bel canto on the violin.

“He was most particular in his observance of every nuance of shading and expression.  He told me that when he played Mendelssohn’s concerto (for the first time) at the Leipsic Gewandhaus, at a rehearsal, Mendelssohn himself conducting, he began the first phrase with a full mezzo-forte tone.  Mendelssohn laid his hand on his arm and said:  ’But it begins piano!’ In reply Leonard merely pointed with his bow to the score—­the p which is now indicated in all editions had been omitted by some printer’s error, and he had been quite within his rights in playing mezzo-forte.

“Leonard paid a great deal of attention to scales and the right way to practice them.  He would say, ’Il faut filer les sons:  c’est l’art des maitres. (’One must spin out the tone:  that is the art of the masters.’) He taught his pupils to play the scales with long, steady bowings, counting sixty to each bow.  Himself a great classical violinist, he nevertheless paid a good deal of attention to virtuoso pieces; and always tried to prepare his pupils for public life.  He had all sorts of wise hints for the budding concert artist, and was in the habit of saying:  ’You must plan a program as you would the menu of a dinner:  there should be something for every one’s taste.  And, especially, if you are playing on a long program, together with other artists, offer nothing indigestible—­let your number be a relief!’