We were at the local music club where the conductor Schnabel had invited me to the rehearsal for the concert to be given that evening. They have such concerts here three times a week. At rehearsal the orchestra turned out to be, as usual, quite small, with a piano and a local civil servant, an amateur called Hellwig, who was getting ready to play Moscheles's first E flat Concerto. Before he took his seat Schnabel, who had not heard me for four years, asked me to try the piano. I could hardly refuse, so I sat down and played a couple of Variations...At the rehearsal the Germans were surprised by my playing. "Was fur ein leichtes Spiel hat er !" ["How light his touch is !"] they declared but about the composition itself, not a word. Titus actually heard somebody say that I could play but not compose. << less