Books › the history of the violin, 1864 › scan 353
Scan 353
the history of the violin, 1864
2 lines. Read by computer on 28 September 2026. Printed page 331. See the scan on archive.org.
1shown, and the room resounded with plaudits. Fortunately for Mr. Robert Lindley the person sent, by command of George IV., to buy this and two other violoncellos, was absent in the ante-room, talking with some acquaintance, when Lot 2 was put up; therefore the opportunity of buying was lost. He (Mr. Kramer, Master of the King's Private Wind Instrument Band), learning that his chance was gone, offered Mr. Lindley 100l. for his bargain, but it was not accepted. After delighting the musical public with his performances and extraordinary quality of tone on this instrument for nine or ten years, with the fine and glorious sweeping chords when accompanying the Recitatives, of which style he claims to be the original, and with the leading notes for the singer, which notes sung with the vocalist, always merited a portion of the applause. No doubt many persons remember, with feelings of exquisite pleasure, his accompaniments to Handel's air, "O Liberty!" also Haydn's "In native worth;" and Mozart's "Batti, Batti;" but above all that unrivalled performance of the violoncello obligato to Dr. Pepush's cantata "Alexis," which, in the original composition, is only a simple semi-quaver movement; but, with his new reading, it became a performance of wonder and excellence. Many other parts, in orchestral pieces in which the violoncello was made prominent could also be enumerated, which caused Bernard Romberg, a contemporary and rival, to acknowledge "he was great in the orchestra, great as an accompanyist, and great as a soloist." About 1835-6, Mr. Lindley sold this violoncello to Captain West, of the 1st Regiment of Royal Life Guards, for 200l. in money, a violoncello valued at 30l., and a picture considered worth 100l. During this ownership, Monsieur Servais played on the violoncello at Paris, and delighted
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