kas, Op. 63 (dedicated to the Comtesse L.
Czosnowska), and the Trois Valses, Op. 64 (dedicated respectively to
Madame la Comtesse Potocka, Madame la Baronne de Rothschild, and Madame
la Baronne Bronicka), appeared in September, and the Sonata for piano
and violoncello, Op. 65 (dedicated to Franchomme), in October. Now I
will say of these compositions only that the mazurkas and waltzes are
not inferior to his previous works of this kind, and that the sonata is
one of his most strenuous efforts in the larger forms. Mr. Charles Halle
remembers going one evening in 1847 with Stephen Heller to Chopin,
who had invited some friends to let them hear this sonata which he had
lately finished. On arriving at his house they found him rather unwell;
he went about the room bent like a half-opened penknife. The visitors
proposed to leave him and to postpone the performance, but Chopin would
not hear of it. He said he would try. Having once begun, he soon became
straight again, warming as he proceeded. As will be seen from some
remarks of Madame Dubois's, which I shall quote farther on, the sonata
did not make an altogether favourable impression on the auditors.

The name of Madame Dubois reminds me of the soiree immortalised by a
letter of Madame Girardin (see the one of March 7, 1847, in Vol. IV.
of Le Vicomte de Launay), and already several times alluded to by me in
preceding chapters. At this soiree Chopin not only performed several of
his pieces, but also accompanied on a second piano his E minor Concerto
which was played by his pupil, the youthful and beautiful Mdlle. Camille
O'Meara. But the musical event par excellence of the period of Chopin's
life with which we are concerned in this chapter is his concert, the
last he gave in Paris, on February 16, 1848. Before I proceed with my
account of it, I must quote a note, enclosing tickets for this concert,
which Chopin wrote at this time to Franchomme. It runs thus: "The best
places en evidence for Madame D., but not for her cook." Madame D. was
Madame Paul Delaroche, the wife of the great painter, and a friend of
Franchomme's.

But here is a copy of the original programme:--

FIRST PART.

Trio by Mozart, for piano, violin, and violoncello,
performed by MM. Chopin, Alard, and Franchomme.

Aria, sung by Mdlle. Antonia Molina di Mondi.

Nocturne, |
|--composed and performed by M. Chopin.
Barcarole, |

Air, sung by Mdlle. Anto