Books › The violin : some account of that leading instrument and its most eminent professors, from its earliest date to the present time : with hints to amateurs, anecdotes, etc., 1852 › scan 423
Scan 423
The violin : some account of that leading instrument and its most eminent professors, from its earliest date to the present time : with hints to amateurs, anecdotes, etc., 1852
8 lines. Read by computer on 3 September 2026. Printed page 407. See the scan on archive.org.
1his box, and said to him, in a half-whisper, "So, Mozart, you have once again trusted to chance!"—"Yes, your Majesty," replied the composer, with a smile that was half triumph and half confusion. Had Mozart—not studied—but merely played over, this music once with the lady, it would not have been so wonderful: but he had never even heard the Sonata with the violin*.
3Louise Gautherot, a Frenchwoman, was also distinguished on this instrument. In 1789 and 1790, she performed concertos at the London Oratorios, making great impression by the fine ability she manifested. In referring to this lady's professional achievements, one of those who refuse to consider violin-playing as "an excellent thing in woman," has indulged in the following remarks: "It is said, by fabulous writers, that Minerva, happening to look into a stream whilst playing her favorite instrument, the flute, and perceiving the distortion of countenance it occasioned, was so much disgusted, that she cast it away, and dashed it to pieces! Although I would not recommend, to any lady playing on a valuable Cremona fiddle, to follow the example of the goddess, yet it strikes me that, if she is desirous of enrapturing her audience, she should display her talent in a situation where there is only just light enough to make darkness visible."—Shall we reply, ladies, to a detractor who is forced to seek support for his opinions in "fabulous writers," and, even then, drags forward that which is no parallel case? Nay, nay, let him pass! Let him retire into the darkness which he so unwarrantably recommends to others!
5Luigia Gerbini, who ranks among the pupils of
7* Anecdotes of Mozart, by Frederic Rochlitz.
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