can
follow him there.

Among the things we heard at that time and which we never hear now I
must note especially Berlioz's _Corsaire_ and _King Lear_. His name is
so much beloved by the present day public that this neglect is both
unjust and unjustifiable. The great man himself came to the Societe St.
Cecile one day to conduct his _L'Enfance du Christ_ which he had just
written--or rather _La Fuite en Egypt_ which was the only part of the
work that was in existence then. He composed the rest of it afterwards.
I remember perfectly the performances which the great man directed. They
were lively and spirited rather than careful, but somewhat slower than
what Edouard Colonne has accustomed us to. The time was faster and the
nuances sharper.

In spite of the enthusiasm of the conductor and the skill and talent of
the orchestra, the society led a hand-to-mouth existence. The sinews of
war were lacking. Weckerlin directed the choruses and I acted as the
accompanist at the rehearsals. Love of art sufficed us, but the singers
and instrumentalists were not satisfied with that in the absence of all
emoluments. If Seghers had been adaptable, he might have secured
resources, but that was not his forte. Meyerbeer wanted him to give his
_Struensee_ and Halevy wanted a performance of his _Promethee_. But this
was contrary to Seghers's convictions, and when he had once made up his
mind nothing could change him. Nevertheless he did give the overture to
_Struensee_ and it would have been no great effort to give the rest. As
to _Promethee_, even if the last part is not in harmony with the rest
of it, the work was well worthy the honor of a performance, which the
proud society in the Rue Bergere had accorded it. By these refusals
Seghers was deprived of the support of two powerful protectors.

Pasdeloup craftily took advantage of the situation. He had plenty of
money and, as he knew what the financial situation was, he went to the
rehearsals and corrupted the artists. For the most part they were young
people in needy circumstances and could not refuse his attractive
propositions. He killed Seghers's society and built on its ruins the
Societe des Jeunes Artistes, which later became the Concerts Populaires.

Pasdeloup was sincerely fond of music but he was a very ordinary
musician. He had little of Seghers's feeling and profound comprehension
of the art. In Seghers's hands the popular concerts would have become an
admirable undertaking, b