"The bass doesn't sing," I said, in disgust.
Then they searched the old masters, in Haydn and Mozart, for things sufficiently easy for me to handle.

At five I was playing small sonatas correctly, with good interpretation and excellent precision.

But I consented to play them only before listeners capable of appreciating them.

I have read in a biographical sketch that I was threatened with whippings to make me play.

That is absolutely false; but it was necessary to tell me that there was a lady in the audience who was an excellent musician and had fastidious tastes.