devoted to the finger-board, or the "carriage of the left hand," and the
last part to the "shake."

Maddalena Sirmen received her instruction first at the conservatory of
Mendicanti at Venice, after which she took lessons from Tartini. She
also composed a considerable quantity of violin music, much of which was
published at Amsterdam. About 1782 she, emulating the example of Madame
Mara, appeared as a singer at Dresden, but with comparatively small
success.

Regina Sacchi, who married a noted German violoncellist named Schlick,
was celebrated for her performances on the violin. She was born at
Mantua in 1764, and educated at the Conservatorio della Pieta at Venice.
This lady was highly esteemed by Mozart, who said of her, "No human
being can play with more feeling."

When Mozart was in Vienna, about 1786, Madame Schlick was also there,
and solicited him to write something for the piano and violin, which
they should play together at a concert. Mozart willingly promised to do
so, and accordingly composed and arranged, _in his mind_, his beautiful
sonata in B-flat minor, for piano and violin. The time for the concert
drew near, but not a note was put upon paper, and Madame Schlick's
anxiety became painful. Eventually, after much entreaty, she received
the manuscript of the violin part the evening before the concert, and
set herself to work to study it, taking scarcely any rest that night.

The sonata was played before an audience consisting of the rank and
fashion of Vienna. The execution of the two artists was perfect and the
applause was enthusiastic. It happened, however, that the Emperor Joseph
II., who was seated in a box just above the performers, in using his
opera-glass to look at Mozart, noticed that there was nothing on his
desk but a sheet of blank paper, and, afterward calling the composer to
him, said: "So, Mozart, you have once again trusted to chance," to which
Mozart, of course, graciously acquiesced, though the emperor did not
state whether he considered Mozart's knowledge of his new composition,
or Madame Schlick's ability to play with him unrehearsed, constituted
the "chance."

The next virtuosa was a Frenchwoman, Louise Gautherot, who was born
about 1760, and who played in London and made a great impression about
1780 to 1790, and about the same time Signora Vittoria dall' Occa played
at the theatre in Milan. Signora Paravicini, born about 1769, and Luigia
Gerbini, about 1770, were pupils of Viott