Incidentally, my ambition was to hear Maestro [Toscanini] play the cello. On one of our crossings from Europe I finally succeeded in luring him to my cabin. My cello, with the pin out, waited for him. He sat on a chair but when I handed him the cello he said, “No – no pin – it’s a modern invention.” He pushed the pin back inside. I gave him the bow and he began tuning. “The A is too high; the G is too low”, he grumbled. Fifteen minutes passed and he was still tuning. I hoped he would start playing. “O bestia, stupido, now the D is too high!” He continued tuning until it was time to go to lunch. I never heard him play the cello. I wonder who has. << less