Page:Anecdotes of Great Musicians.djvu/82

70 accompanied by threatening gestures, a knowledge that his audience would not hesitate to put their threats into execution led the great tenor to accede to their wishes. The brigands gave him an elevated position and gathered around ready to pass judgment on his performance. It is well known to musicians that a free audience always considers itself most free to criticize a performance. So it was in this case; each auditor had, as it were, a complimentary ticket.

Garcia, on first trial, was perhaps justified in feeling somewhat of stage fright, so much, in fact, that his song was an abject failure. Even these rough Mexicans hissed him. This was unusual treatment for the tenor. He was used to rapturous applause, not hisses. Spurred by the insult he burst forth in such a vocal effort as might have graced the best concert hall. Derision had conquered where threats had failed. Charmed by his voice and his use of it, the robbers not only returned money and clothing, but escorted him far on his journey that he might be saved a repetition of this experience.  

The modern flute as perfected by Böhm is a very different instrument from that used prior to 1835. The flute of former days, like the harp of olden time, was effective only in certain keys; but, while the harp could be tuned so as to reach other keys, the flute was more limited in this respect. In fact, there were some scales that were so difficult to play on the flute that they were practicably impossible to conquer. In certain other keys there were trills and other ornaments that no sane composer would have thought of writing, as they certainly would not have been played.

Böhm invented a system of keys and an arrangement of fingering which made all scales, trills, runs, and arpeggios possible, and not only possible, but brought them all to a practically equal degree of difficulty. Böhm