Page:Anecdotes of Great Musicians.djvu/202

190 the teacher, could only be brought to a fair standing as a vocalist and a third or fourth-rate position as a composer. Now, as a general thing a man most admires in himself those abilities which he is least successful in handling. And so it was that Michael Kelly thought more of his abilities as a composer than as a singer.

But after some years of professional life, Kelly found that his income was not satisfactory, and went into the wine business. As a wine importer he prospered. His friends joked him about the change of occupation, and Sheridan, the wit, declared his sign should read: "Michael Kelly, Composer of Wine and Importer of Music."  

The favorite compositions of the public are frequently not the favorite ones of their composers. And very frequent is it that works to which the composer has given the most time, labor and thought find less favor in the eyes of the public than others which are not so satisfactory to the writers.

An example of this is seen in Beethoven's well-known song, "Adelaide." Just as he finished writing this song a friend of his, a Herr Barth, called on him and found him with the manuscript, still wet from the pen, in his hands.

"Here," said Beethoven, holding out the score to his visitor, "look at that; I have just written it and don't like it. There is hardly enough fire in the stove to burn it, but I will try," and he was about to commit it to the flames, when Barth got his permission to try the song. Barth sang it, and liking it very much, persuaded Beethoven not to destroy it. "Adelaide" is now perhaps the most well-known of all Beethoven's songs.