equally astonished and surprised his audience, as much by the novelty of the melodic ideas as by the figures, modulations, and general disposition of the movements.  There is soul in these melodies, fancy in these figures, and originality in everything.  Too much luxuriance in the modulations, disorder in the linking of the phrases, so that one seems sometimes to hear an improvisation rather than written music, these are the defects which are mixed with the qualities I have just now pointed out.  But these defects belong to the age of the artist; they will disappear when experience comes.  If the subsequent works of M. Chopin correspond to his debut, there can be no doubt but that he will acquire a brilliant and merited reputation.

As an executant also the young artist deserves praise.  His playing is elegant, easy, graceful, and possesses brilliance and neatness.  He brings little tone out of the instrument, and resembles in this respect the majority of German pianists.  But the study which he is making of this part of his art, under the direction of M. Kalkbrenner, cannot fail to give him an important quality on which the nerf of execution depends, and without which the accents of the instrument cannot be modified.

Of course dissentient voices made themselves heard who objected to this and that; but an overwhelming majority, to which belonged the young artists, pronounced in favour of Chopin.  Liszt says that he remembers his friend’s debut:—­

The most vigorous applause seemed not to suffice to our enthusiasm in the presence of this talented musician, who revealed a new phase of poetic sentiment combined with such happy innovations in the form of his art.

The concluding remark of the above-quoted criticism furnishes an additional proof that Chopin went for some time to Kalkbrenner’s class.  As Fetis and Chopin were acquainted with each other, we may suppose that the former was well informed on this point.  In passing, we may take note of Chopin’s account of the famous historian and theorist’s early struggles:—­

Fetis [Chopin writes on December 14, 1831], whom I know, and from whom one can learn much, lives outside the town, and comes to Paris only to give his lessons.  They say he is obliged to do this because his debts are greater than the profits from his “Revue musicale.”  He is sometimes in danger of making intimate acquaintance with the debtors’ prison.  You must know that according to the law of the country a debtor can only be arrested in his dwelling.  Fetis has, therefore, left the town and lives in the neighbourhood of Paris, nobody knows where.

On May 20, 1832, less than three months after his first concert, Chopin made his second public appearance in Paris, at a concert given by the Prince de la Moskowa for the benefit of the poor.  Among the works performed was a mass composed by the Prince.  Chopin played the first movement of:—­