302

'HERE IS A GENTLEMAN WHO KNOWS ALL ABOUT THE NEW OPERA' 325

THE TUTOR'S CARRIAGE MET THEM 330

'THE SUCCESS WAS BEYOND WHAT I COULD HAVE DREAMED' 348

'WOULD NOT THAT BE SPLENDID FOR AN ORATORIO!' 362

PORTRAITS

BEETHOVEN _Frontispiece_

BACH 5

HANDEL 39

HAYDN 91

MOZART 153

SCHUBERT 271

MENDELSSOHN 317

BACH

STORY-LIVES OF GREAT MUSICIANS

BACH

'Christoph, I wish you would let me have that book of manuscript music
which you have in your cupboard--the one which contains pieces by
Pachelbel, and Frohberger, and Buxtehude, and ever so many others--you
know which I mean. I will take such care of it if you will only lend
it to me for a little while.'

Christoph was about to leave the room, but he turned sharply to his
little brother as the latter put his request.

'No, Sebastian, I will certainly not lend you the book, and I wonder
that you have the impertinence to ask me such a thing! The idea of
your thinking that you could study such masters as Buxtehude and
Frohberger--a child like you! Get on with what I have set you to
learn, and do not let me hear any more of such fancies!'

With that Christoph shut the door behind him, and Sebastian was left
to ponder sadly upon his elder brother's harshness in refusing to
accede to his simple request. The disappointment was very keen, for
little Sebastian had been longing to get possession of that precious
volume. For several days past he had spent hours in his brother's
absence gazing at its covers through the lattice doors of the
cupboard, and feasting his eyes upon the names of the musicians which
were written on the back in bold letters in Christoph's hand.

[Illustration: '_Gazing at its covers through the lattice doors
of the cupboard._']

What harm could there be in his _trying_ to play the works of those
masters? It seemed so unreasonable to the ten-year-old child, for he
was passionately fond of music, and exceedingly quick at le