Page:The story of the flute (IA storyofflute1914fitz).djvu/214

 his finger brilliant, and his taste pure and simple. I was much pleased and surprised with the neatness of his execution in the allegros, as well as by his expression and feeling in the adagios; in short, his performance surpassed in many particulars anything I had ever heard among dilletanti or even professors. His cadenzas were good, but long and studied. Quantz beat time with his hand at the beginning of each movement, and cried out 'Bravo!' to his royal pupil now and then at the end of solo passages, a privilege permitted to no other member of the band." On one occasion Karl Fasch, the pianist, dared to add a "Bravissimo!" The King stopped playing, and withering poor Fasch with a look, ordered him to depart, and it was only after an explanation to the King that Fasch was a new hand and did not understand etiquette that the sovereign permitted him to return. Sometimes during these concerts the King would sit behind the conductor and follow the score; woe betide any performer who made any mistake. In the morning, on rising from bed, the King often used to walk about his writing-room playing scales and improvising on his flute. He said that while thus employed he was considering all manner of things, and that sometimes the luckiest ideas about business matters occurred to him. He also often played for about half an hour after his early dinner. He allotted four hours daily to music.

Quantz never flattered the King; if he played well, Quantz told him so; if not, Quantz held his tongue,