Liszt
never stooped to cajole. He came, he played, he overwhelmed.
Chopin knew all this, knew his weaknesses, and fought to overcome
them but failed. Another crumpled roseleaf for this man of
excessive sensibility.
Since told of Liszt and first related by him, is the anecdote of
Chopin refusing to play, on being incautiously pressed, after
dinner, giving as a reason "Ah, sir, I have eaten so little!"
Even though his host was gauche it cannot be denied that the
retort was rude.
Chopin met Osborne, Mendelssohn--who rather patronized him with
his "Chopinetto,"--Baillot the violinist and Franchomme the
'cellist. With the latter he contracted a lasting friendship,
often playing duos with him and dedicating to him his G minor
'cello Sonata. He called on Kalkbrenner, then the first pianist
of his day, who was puzzled by the prodigious novelty of the
young Pole's playing. Having heard Herz and Hiller, Chopin did
not fear to perform his E minor concerto for him. He tells all
about the interview in a letter to Titus: "Are you a pupil of
Field's?" was asked by Kalkbrenner, who remarked that Chopin had
the style of Cramer and the touch of Field.
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