throwing some
light on the enjoyment derivable from listening to a Quartette,
without reference to its critical bearings.

Resuming our subject again: Haydn wrote eight easy Sonatas for Violin
and Pianoforte, but they are not of sufficient importance to cause
them to be much played. Haydn used frequently to take the Tenor parts
in his Quartettes.

Leopold Mozart, born in 1719, the father of the illustrious musician,
was a Violinist, and wrote a "Method" for his instrument. He died in
1787.

To the great Mozart Violinists owe much; his compositions for the
instrument raised its standing considerably. It is unnecessary to give
here a detailed list of those of his writings in which the Violin
takes part--they are happily known to most players. Mozart played the
Violin from boyhood, and was taught by his father. It is gratifying to
know that nearly all the great composers played upon stringed
instruments, if not with proficiency, yet enough to enable them to
make pleasurable use of their acquirements. Sebastian Bach, Handel,
and Schubert were Violin-players; Haydn and Mendelssohn could take
their Tenor part in a Quartette; and lastly, Beethoven used to amuse
himself with the Double-Bass. Their compositions evidence a practical
knowledge of stringed instruments, as distinct from theory. The
glorious compositions of Beethoven for the Violin need no comment
here; their beauties have formed the theme of the ablest critics; and
I have no desire to contribute my humble mite to their exhaustive
remarks.

With Fesca we again come amongst the Violinists. He was born at
Magdeburg, in 1789. His Quartettes are very pleasing compositions;
they are chiefly "Solo Quartettes."

The next Violinist claiming attention is the highly gifted Louis
Spohr, the greatest composer for the Violin that ever lived, who
combined in his own person high executive powers with a rare fecundity
of classical composition. The Concertos of Spohr belong to an entirely
different class from those of Viotti, Kreutzer, and others, inasmuch
as Spohr's music is written so as not only to display the beauties of
the instrument, but also to give the noblest specimens of its
orchestration. His Duets for two Violins, his Tenor and Violin Duets
and Quartettes, are all too well known to need more than passing
mention.

From Spohr has grown up a school of Violin-playing of a very
distinctive character. Bernard Molique was endowed with great powers,
both as a performe