utmost
equality and suppleness of the fingers, a much wider extension of the
hand than any previous composer demanded (save possibly Schumann in the
"Kreisleriana" and the "Phantasie"), and a melodic quality in all the
voices. When to these are added the necessary discrimination of touch
and the clear definition of the contrasting voices, together with a
sensitive and changeful use of the pedal, the new worlds open.

Beginning with the most advanced of these technical unfoldings, let us
take the variations upon a theme from Paganini, of which there are two
books. At first view the variations in the first book seem to address
themselves exclusively to technical objects, the first variation
containing a succession of sixths in the right hand which is extremely
trying, the second variation having the same succession for the left
hand. In the third variation a very capricious figure is taken as
pattern, and the piano is covered in a new way. In the fourth
variation there is a long capricious figure and trills high up in the
treble with the weak fingers of the right hand. These trills are
afterward transferred to the bass, where the thumb and second finger
have them, the design being apparently technical. In the fifth
variation a very characteristic trick of Brahms' music is brought out
in strong light. It is his way of carrying on together a cantus firmus
in two's and a counterpoint in three's. All his writing is full of
this expedient, one design of which is to mystify the rhythm and to
impart to the music a more flowing and ideal character, and at the same
time to concentrate the attention of the player upon the large meter,
with which these conflicting two's and three's never interfere. In the
sixth variation a syncopated effect. In the seventh, very brilliant
octave effects. In the eighth a sort of caprice. In the ninth, an
extremely brilliant octave effect. In the tenth, the excitement quiets
a little, and the variation begins _sotto voce_. In the eleventh, we
enter the major key, and a very delightful and beautiful effect is here
produced. The twelfth, again, begins to contain greater difficulties,
and our old friend of the two's and three's greets us. The thirteenth,
a very brilliant octave variation, which in the fourteenth is carried
to a still higher point, and leads immediately to a finale, which
concludes the first book.

In the second book technical discussion of this theme is resumed with
so