ting production. When William Mason was in
Leipsic in 1850 he sent home a score and parts to the orchestra in
Boston. They held two rehearsals of this symphony and then laid it
upon the shelf in the belief that the composer must have been crazy,
and it was only five or six years later that they mustered up nerve to
produce the work and were astonished to find that it pleased the
hearers.

The universal currency of Schumann's piano music can not be said to
have made much progress until the appearance of Rubinstein. In the
early days of Schumann's productivity he composed his enormously
difficult and beautiful "Fantasie," opus 17, and dedicated it to Liszt.
Accordingly, not to be outdone in politeness, Liszt introduced some of
Schumann's pieces in his programs once or twice, but the effect of them
upon the audience was so much less than that of his own music or of the
Chopin pieces which at that time he was very fond of playing, that he
discontinued further efforts to aid Schumann's cause, although he wrote
him very polite and encouraging letters. The first real Schumann
player was Rubinstein, who had the qualities of tone and of
emotionality which Schumann's music imperatively required; and since
Rubinstein, Schumann's music has entered more and more into the
world-current of piano music, until at the present time it occupies a
position inferior to none other.

Of a composer so varied in his capacities, so original, so influential
upon the later course of development in his art, and so interesting in
every way, it is not possible from a single program--no matter how
carefully selected the works may be--to gain a complete idea. The most
that can be done is to give a glimpse of the man, to bring out a few of
his moods, and to observe the more salient features of his style. The
following list of selections has been influenced by the same idea as
that underlying all the previous programs of this series--namely: A
preference for selections of moderate difficulty, both for performer
and hearer; and a representation of what might be called the more
elementary characteristics of his art.

PROGRAM.

Kinderscenen. Opus 15.
"From Strange Lands and People."
"A Curious Story."
"Playing Tag."
"Happy Enough."
"Traumerei."
Album for the Young. Opus 68.
"The Jolly Farmer."
"A Little Romance."
Papillons. Opus 2.
Polonaise in D major.
Songs.
"The Hat of Green."
"The