I had only one student, and she spent all the time staring at her feet and speaking in a deep bass voice. Mme Levenstern introduced us and then left the room. I made her play whatever she could. She drummed her way quite efficiently through 'Gradus ad Parnassum', sumbling occasionally from fright, and then played some scales and arpeggios. I strolled about the room, revelling in my professorial status. I asked her what Beethoven she had learned, and finding out that she was learning his Second Sonata, asked her to bring it to the next lesson. With that I released her and sent her on her …   more >>