sness such as
few of the virtuosi have possessed. He is free from all traits of
charlatanism and trickery. Once, when in California, he was asked for an
autograph copy of a few measures of his original cadenza to the
Beethoven concerto (an embellishment which all violinists seem obliged
to compose), but he declared that he did not like the idea of an
original cadenza to Beethoven's work, that it was much better to omit
it, as it formed no part of the concerto. "In original cadenzas by
virtuosi," he said, "we find too much violin and too little music," for
which confession from such an artist the world may be truly grateful.

When Ysaye came to America in 1894 he was prepared with a repertoire
consisting of ninety-one pieces. Of these, fourteen were concertos,
seventeen sonatas, and eleven were compositions of his own.

He made a second tour in America in 1898, when he confirmed the
opinions already formed as to his wonderful qualities.

In March, 1899, he went to Berlin, which city he had not visited for
several years, and appeared as soloist of the tenth Nikisch Philharmonic
concert, when he played the E major concerto by Bach, and scored an
overwhelming success. At the end of the concert he was recalled some
fifteen times, and had completely exploded the idea so firmly held in
Berlin, that the Belgians cannot play the classics.

Of late years M. Ysaye has made his mark as a conductor, and has given a
series of orchestral concerts in Brussels. He organised and managed this
enterprise entirely by himself, without any guarantee fund, and the
concerts were so successful, financially as well as artistically, that
at the end of the season it was found that they had paid all expenses,
and this, as all who know anything about the financial side of
orchestral concerts, is a most remarkable showing.

Few, if any, artists have been made the recipients of more ridiculous
adulation from women Paderewski perhaps being the only exception, and at
the conclusion of his concerts scenes have been witnessed which are
simply nauseating. This fashion is not confined, by any means, to the
United States, for there are anecdotes from all countries illustrative
of the manner in which members of the fair sex vie with each other in
the effort to do the silliest things.

Ysaye has a home near the Palais de Justice in Brussels. He is married
to the daughter of a Belgian army officer, and has several children. He
is a man of much modesty, and