I first met [Leonhard Emil] Bach at the Abddeen Palace in Cairo, where he and his fellow-traveller — for the nonce, Ole Bull — were the instrumental stars of a state concert given by Ismail Khedive, then in the zenith of his viceregal splendour. At that time (February, 1876) Bach was a mere stripling, and had but recently terminated his studies. His playing, however, struck me as uncommonly vigorous and intelligent; and he scored heavily in the diplomatic salons of the Egyptian capital, in which music held its own manfully and womanfully ten years ago.