Being now solicited to play something myself, I thought that to such Artistes and Connoisseurs I could offer nothing more than my favourite Quartetts of Beethoven. But again I soon remarked that, as at Leipsic, I had committed an error; for the musicians of Berlin knew as little of those Quartetts as the Leipsickers, and therefore could neither play nor appreciate them. When I had finished, they praised my play, it is true, but spoke very disparagingly of that I had performed. Romberg even, said very bluntly: “But dear Spohr, how can you play such stuff as that?” I was now quite doubtful of my own taste, when I heard one of the most famous artistes of the day express such an opinion of my favourites. Later in the evening when again asked to play, I selected as I had done in Leipsic, Rode’s Es-Major-Quartett, and was gratified by a similar favourable result in this instance. The second Music-party, to which also my fellow-travellers were invited, was at Prince Louis Ferdinand’s of Prussia. […] I met there, also, a former acquaintance of Hamburgh, the celebrated Pianist-Virtuoso and Composer Dussek, who was now Instructor to the Prince, and resided in his house. The music commenced with a Piano-Quartett, which was executed by him with real artistic brilliancy. It was now my turn. Made wise by my recent experience, I only selected such compositions, as I could shine in as Violinist, namely: a Quartett, and the G-Major-Variations of Rode. My play met with the most enthusiastic applause, and Dussek in particular, seemed delighted with it. My loved Rosa, also won general admiration by her execution of an aria, in which she was accompanied by Dussek on the piano. << less