Los Angeles herald., 1908-10-11

had preceded the concert. You can
imagine, then, that I did not feel nat
tered at the thought of what might be
in store for me and my violin when we
appeared before the crowned and un-
musical head of Turkey.
when the audience actually took
place and the formalities OF presenta-
tion were over I made bold to ask the
sultan whether he had any favorite
selection he wished me to play. Any
thing you like, except Bach said his
majesty. l was astounded. That was
the very composer with whose music
had intended to begin my recital. one
OF your greatest European violinists
played Bach for me and my court when
he was here and we almost fell asleep.
1t is awful stuff. No Bach. please
I smiled and said: 1T all depends on
how Bach is played, your majesty.
The sultan frowned and his grand
viZier jumped up and came toward me.
Don't dare to contradict his majesty
he whispered fiercely in my ear. "A
court musician once disobeyed the I'M
perial wish for a certain selection and
as a punishment both his hands were
cut off at the wrist
"Strange as it may sound, at this
| implied threat and the insult to Bach
my artistic spirit revolted, and L came
to a stubborn and hazardous resolve.
| Clutching my fiddle tight l dashed into
the lively and audacious e major pre-
| lude by Bach, and with hardly any
pause thereafter 1 played the same
COMPOSERS celestial Air on the 6
string, his rousing 'Bouree, from one
of the suites, a fugue, a plaintive. slow
movement, a rollicking gavotte, and
the mighty masters 'Chaconne.' What
with nervous tension and my desperate
! determination l played as / have sell
| dom played before or since, and L put
| every fiber of my soul and heart into
my responsive and well beloved
'Strad' During the recital J. had the
satisfaction of seeing the sultan's In
difference give way to attention, then
to interest, emotion AMI finally enthu-
siasm. He clapped his hands repeat
| edly and spoke his delight. From be-
| hind a huge curtain of rare oriental
richness before which 1 stood / had
heard soft sighs whispered 'bravos'
and even the sound of gentle weeping.
The rustling of silk and an alluring
sensuous perfume which reached me
where l stood told me plainly the ma
ture of my unseen audience. 1t was the
sultan's harem.
"When I had ended my last encore
even that was a guigue by Bach-the
sultan and his suite quite overwhelmed
me with applause. And now, Herr
Hartmann said the mighty one, tell
us the names of the works you played.
They were beautiful, and I shall have
them added to our royal music library
1 bowed low and said: Your majesty,
they were one and all by Bach There
followed a moment of strained sus-
pense. The grad vizier tnvoluntarily
sprang to his feet. Tho courtiers held
their breaths. 1 confess that 1 felt a
sudden sinking sensation in the neigh
borhood of my knees. Then the sultan
spoke, and turning to his vizier said:
we bestow the order of the Golden
Sun on Herr Hermann. He has taught
us a valuable lesson. And 1t pleases
us to command him to stay and dine
at our table and to give US concert
tonight before the ladies of our ha-
| rem"
The Berlin interviewer then said to
Hartmann: "And you came back with
both your hands?" The violinist held
them out as proof. "And how about the
concert in the harem?" pressed the in
terviewer. "Ah, that is another inter-
esting story" Hartmann made answer,
"and it will keep for the next time"