ng deficient in physical strength, Chopin put his all in the
cantabile style, in the connections and combinations, in the detail. But
two things are evident, and they ought to be noted: (1) The volume of
tone, of pure tone, which Chopin was capable of producing was by no
means inconsiderable; (2) he had learnt the art of economising his means
so as to cover his shortcomings. This last statement is confirmed by
some remarks of Moscheles which have already been quoted--namely, that
Chopin's piano was breathed forth so softly that he required no vigorous
forte to produce the desired contrasts; and that one did not miss the
orchestral effects which the German school demanded from a pianist, but
allowed one's self to be carried away as by a singer who takes little
heed of the accompaniment and follows his own feelings.

In listening to accounts of Chopin's style of playing, we must not leave
out of consideration the time to which they refer. What is true of the
Chopin of 1848 is not true of the Chopin of 1831 nor of 1841. In the
last years of his life he became so weak that sometimes, as Stephen
Heller told me, his playing was hardly audible. He then made use of
all sorts of devices to hide the want of vigour, often modifying the
original conception of his compositions, but always producing beautiful
effects. Thus, to give only one example (for which and much other
interesting information I am indebted to Mr. Charles Halle), Chopin
played at his last concert in Paris (February, 1848) the two forte
passages towards the end of the Barcarole, not as they are printed,
but pianissimo and with all sorts of dynamic finesses. Having possessed
himself of the most recondite mysteries of touch, and mastered as no
other pianist had done the subtlest gradations of tone, he even then,
reduced by disease as he was, did not give the hearer the impression
of weakness. At least this is what Mr. Otto Goldschmidt relates, who
likewise was present at this concert. There can be no doubt that what
Chopin aimed at chiefly, or rather, let us say, what his physical
constitution permitted him to aim at, was quality not quantity of tone.
A writer in the "Menestrel" (October 21, 1849) remarks that for Chopin,
who in this was unlike all other pianists, the piano had always too much
tone; and that his constant endeavour was to SENTIMENTALISE the timbre,
his greatest care to avoid everything which approached the fracas
pianistique of the time.

Of course,