An author who was still alive was looked upon as an intruder.

However, the conductor was permitted to introduce a solo of his own selection.

Thus my friend Auguste Tolbecque, who was over eighty, was permitted to give--he still played beautifully--my first _concerto_ for the violoncello which I had written for him.

Deldevez, the conductor of the famous orchestra at the time, did not overlook the chance to tell me that he had put my _concerto_ on the programme only through consideration for Tolbecque.
Otherwise, he added, he would have preferred Messieurs So-and-so's.
Not only did the Conservatoire audiences know little music, but the larger public knew none at all.

The symphonies of the three great classic masters were known to amateurs for the most part only through Czerny's arrangement for two pianos.
This was the situation when Seghers left the Societe des Concerts and founded the Societe St.Cecile.He led the orchestra himself.