h, makes the sound spring into life. It is through the medium of
the bow that the player embodies his ideas and feelings. It is therefore
evident that herein rests one of the most important and difficult
elements of the art of violin-playing, and that the excellence of a
player, or even of a whole school of playing, depends to a great extent
on its method of bowing. It would have been even better for the art
of violin-playing as practiced to-day that the perfect instruments of
Stradiuarius and Guarnerius should not have been, than that the Tourte
bow should have been uninvented.

The long, effective sweep of the bow was one of the characteristics
of Viotti's playing, and was alike the admiration and despair of his
rivals. His compositions for the violin are classics, and Spohr was
wont to say that there could be no better test of a fine player than
his execution of one of the Viotti sonatas or concertos. Spohr regretted
deeply that he could not finish his violin training under this
great master, and was wont to speak of him in terms of the greatest
admiration. Viotti had but few pupils, but among them were a number of
highly gifted artists. Rode, Robrechts, Cartier, Mdlle. Gerbini, Alday,
La-barre, Pixis, Mari, Mme. Paravicini, and Vacher are well-known names
to all those interested in the literature of the violin. The influence
of Viotti on violin music was a very deep one, not only in virtue of his
compositions, but in the fact that he molded the style not only of many
of the best violinists of his own day, but of those that came after him.

LUDWIG SPOHR.

Birth and Early Life of the Violinist Spohr.--He is presented with his
First Violin at six.--The French _Emigre_ Dufour uses his Influence with
Dr. Spohr, Sr., to have the Boy devoted to a Musical Career.--Goes
to Brunswick for fuller Musical Instruction.--Spohr is appointed
_Kammer-musicus_ at the Ducal Court.--He enters under the Tuition of
and makes a Tour with the Violin Virtuoso Eck.--Incidents of the Russian
Journey and his Return.--Concert Tour in Germany.--Loses his Fine
Guarnerius Violin.--Is appointed Director of the Orchestra at Gotha.--He
marries Dorette Schiedler, the Brilliant Harpist.--Spohr's Stratagem to
be present at the Erfurt Musical Celebration given by Napoleon in
Honor of the Allied Sovereigns.--Becomes Director of Opera in
Vienna.--Incidents of his Life and Production of Various Works.--First
Visit to England.--He is made Director of