Walker-My_Musical_Ex.. - Walter Cosand

248
MY MUSICAL EXPERIENCES
SO fingered and grouped as to give advanced students
a very fair idea of how to conquer them. These
studies, being, as Henselt himself said, drawn from
hie own personal experience, would be of immense
value and interest to all those who aim at playing
with perfect finish ; but, sad to relate, this storehouse
of the wisdom of a life is locked up for many a year to
come. Many of the examples are taken from the
vyorks of composers whose copyrights would be infringed
by their publication.
• It was my privilege this winter to be the companion
of Henselt's daily morning walks, and at the hour he
left his own door never did he fail to find me waiting
to join him. Perhaps at some time or other I may
relate a little of what he, as man and musician, talked
to me about as we—two fur-clad figures—walked in
the snowy streets, at a temperature often twenty de-
grees below zero.
This time I had resolved to have the best piano that
money could procure, in order not to lose the chance
of the rare moments when the master might be
pleased to play; and the Beckers, at his request,
sent me a new boudoir grand—for my rooms were
rather small. But this was not until after Henselt's
return from Moscow.
When I heard the hour he was likely to be at the.
station, I went to meet him there, just had a word of
affectionate greeting, and left him to enjoy the quiet
which he so much needed after his night's journey.