Another gift my father possessed, and which never failed to fill me with astonishment, was his marvellous memory. A piece of music once read or heard seemed to be indelibly imprinted on some portion of his brain, and was there at his command whenever he wanted it. A remarkable instance of this occurred some years ago when Stephen Heller was here on a visit to us... Presently Heller said to my father : 'Do you remember, Halle, that I had composed a little sonata on that day, and when you came to me in the evening I asked you to play it to me ? I wonder if you could play it to me now.' 'Good gracious!' said my father, 'I have never given it a thought from that day to this, but I'll try,' and he sat down at the piano and played it through without the mistake of a single note! << less