Walker-My_Musical_Ex.. - Walter Cosand

7.2,
MY MUSICAL EXPERIENCES
speak of my studies with Sgambati, which I pursued
with great ardour, not as yet perceiving that the
school did not suit me, however much I might admire
it. The time for taking out the diploma drew near,
and I had prepared as my solo piece Chopin's
beautiful Fantasia in F Minor. Sgambati's kindness
before the examination I shall never forget. He
made me rehearse to him in the examination-room
just before the examiners entered ; he had advised me
to play but little that day. All went well, as it ever
has done with me when I have had to screw myself up
for a great effort. I record it in grateful memory of
' the Italians,' and their warm and kindly feelings,
that, as I came down the stairs of the academy after
the examination was over, I found several of the
students waiting to offer their congratulations on my
success, and on reaching home there were three or
four more of them in our drawing-room. I was very
happy, but very tired, and instead of resting after all
this fatigue and excitement, I set to work at Liszt's
composition, and the result was that the following
year, after suffering much from fever, I had to leave
Italy, and return to my native country.
I think it but fair to state that it was not merely
my studies for the diploma, nor, indeed, the Liszt
pieces, which made me so dissatisfied and filled me
with such a sense of failure. My sister and her little
girl had been suffering from repeated attacks of very
bad malarial fever, and I was a considerable sharer of