In Berlin, where I had settled for the time being, many musical homes were opened to me, like Madame Clara Schumann's, the Simrocks', the Joachims'. In the latter house as well as in that of the Simrocks I was soon a frequent guest, participating in the many musical gatherings happening there, and if, needless to say, I grew more and more gratefully conscious of the privilege of a closer acquaintance with so great a musician as Joachim, I confess I hardly to any lesser degree appreciated the wonderful art of his wife.