played as I had played it!  In presenting to me her companion, the Marquise de Gallifet (wife of the General de Gallifet who led the brigade of the Chasseurs d’Afrique in the heroic charge of General Margueritte’s cavalry division at Sedan, which excited the admiration of the old king of Prussia), I had the honor of meeting the once world famous violinist Mlle. Millanollo, as she was before her marriage.  Mme. Ernst often came to hear me play her late husband’s music, and as a parting gift presented me with his beautiful ‘Tourte’ bow, and an autographed copy of the first edition of Ernst’s transcription for solo violin of Schubert’s ‘Erlking.’  It is so incredibly difficult to play with proper balance of melody and accompaniment—­I never heard any one but Kubelik play it—­that it is almost impossible.  It is so difficult, in fact, that it should not be played!

VIOLINS AND STRINGS:  SARASATE

“My violin?  I am a Stradivarius player, and possess two fine Strads, though I also have a beautiful Joseph Guarnerius.  Ysaye, Thibaud and Caressa, when they lunched with me not long ago, were enthusiastic about them.  My favorite Strad is a 1716 instrument—­I have used it for twenty-five years.  But I cannot use the wire strings that are now in such vogue here.  I have to have Italian gut strings.  The wire E cuts my fingers, and besides I notice a perceptible difference in sound quality.  Of course, wire strings are practical; they do not ‘snap’ on the concert stage.  Speaking of strings that ‘snap,’ reminds me that the first time I heard Sarasate play the Saint-Saens concerto, at Frankfort, he twice forgot his place and stopped.  They brought him the music, he began for the third time and then—­the E string snapped!  I do not think any other than Sarasate could have carried off these successive mishaps and brought his concert to a triumphant conclusion.  He was a great friend of mine and one of the most perfect players I have ever known, as well as one of the greatest grand seigneurs among violinists.  His rendering of romantic works, Saint-Saens, Lalo, Bruch, was exquisite—­I have never, never heard them played as beautifully.  On the other hand, his Bach playing was excruciating—­he played Bach sonatas as though they were virtuoso pieces.  It made one think of Hans von Buelow’s mot when, in speaking of a certain famous pianist, he said:  ’He plays Beethoven with velocity and Czerny with expression.’  But to hear Sarasate play romantic music, his own ‘Spanish Dances’ for instance, was all like glorious birdsong and golden sunshine, a lark soaring heavenwards!

THE NARDINI CONCERTO IN A