e, were developed
the modern French and Belgian schools. While Paganini was a genius, a
great musician, and a wonderful violinist, he combined with these
qualities that of a trickster, and the exponents of the modern French
school adopted some of the less commendable features of Paganini's
playing, while the Belgian school followed the more serious lines, and
became a much sounder school.

Alard, Dancla, and Maurin were exponents of the French school, while in
that of Belgium we have De Beriot, Massart, Vieuxtemps, Leonard,
Wieniawski.

Lambert Joseph Massart was born at Liege in 1811, and was first taught
by an amateur named Delavau, who, delighted with the remarkable talent
displayed by his young pupil, succeeded in securing for him, from the
municipal authorities of Liege, a scholarship which enabled him to go to
Paris.

On his arrival at the Conservatoire, Cherubini, who was splenetive and
rash, refused him admission without assigning any reason for his
decision, but Rudolph Kreutzer took upon his shoulders the task of
forming the future artist.

Notwithstanding Massart's great talent and excellent capabilities as an
artist, he never became a success as a concert player, because of his
inordinate shyness, but as a teacher few have equalled him.

Sir Charles Halle, in his autobiography, tells a good anecdote
concerning Massart's shyness and modesty. Massart was to play, with
Franz Liszt, a program which included the Kreutzer sonata. Just as the
sonata was begun a voice from the audience called out "Robert le
Diable," referring to Liszt's brilliant fantasia on themes from that
opera, which he had recently composed, and had played several times with
immense success. The call was taken up by other voices, and the sonata
was drowned. Liszt rose and bowed, and presently, in response to the
continued applause, he said: "I am always the humble servant of the
public. But do you wish to hear the fantasia before or after the
sonata?"

Renewed cries of "Robert" were the only reply, upon which Liszt turned
half around to Massart and dismissed him with a wave of the hand, but
without a word of excuse or apology. Liszt's performance roused the
audience to a perfect frenzy, but Massart nevertheless most dutifully
returned and played the Kreutzer sonata, which fell entirely flat after
the dazzling display of the great pianist.

Few teachers have formed as many distinguished pupils as Massart, for in
1843 he was appointed p