Scan 20
The violin : solo playing, soloists and solos, 1905
6 lines. Read by computer on 3 September 2026. Printed page 4. See the scan on archive.org.
1naturally incapable of succeeding in violin-playing, are an insult to common-sense, originating in conceit, malice, or a confirmed stupidity. Such puerilities deserve no answer. The causes that first obstructed, and perhaps still, in some degree continue to retard, the progress of violin-playing in this island, is clearly proved to be the invasion of foreigners and their settling down in large provincial centres, having unpronounceable names, and charging low terms. In allowing so many incapable players to settle down, with their impositions, the nation unfortunately makes a mistake. Such people ought to be held up as objects of peculiar aversion and abhorrence to all true Englishmen. Hence violin-playing, by English players, was denied public support, every source of encouragement to its higher branches effectually dammed up, sunk into oblivion, and was condemned for years.
3"Happily this intolerable bigotry is now nearly extinct, and an English soloist is not in much danger of being pushed aside for one of foreign extraction; but though it revives, and the abilities of the English begin to be received on a more respectable footing, it must still be confessed that little or no attempt has yet been made to rectify past errors and to do away with this national opprobrium.
5"That this has been the case, though it must be lamented, it cannot, perhaps, be wondered at: but that this should still be the case—(notwithstanding the growth of taste and more liberal opinions, notwithstanding the foundations of different schools and academies, and the spirited example of one of the finest violinists in this country—the late Mr. J. T. Carrodus—notwithstanding the number of fine young English players, who have proved the practicability of raising the British character of playing)—this is to be wondered at. And, taking also the opulence of the nation into the consideration, in addition to all other circumstances, I cannot but think the apathy of the public in regard to violin playing is a something not easy to be accounted for.
The computer misreads some letters and numbers. Where a name matters to you, read the scan.