To prevent any further imprudent outbreaks on the part of the audacious little fellow, he was induced to return to the piano, where he delighted the company anew with his charming and graceful playing. He also repeated the feat of playing upon the covered keyboard, which he had performed for the Emperor of Austria. It was greeted with even more applause and made a greater impression than his legitimate playing, and this still further vexed and angered him. “They do not understand music here at all,” he said to the Princess Victoire, to whom he had freely opened his heart. “You are the only exception, and I will play for you as a token of affection. Give me some task to perform.”
“What kind of one?” replied the princess. “Can you play a minuet and write in the bass part beforehand?”
“Why not? I can if you will give me the melody.”
The princess requested her music teacher, Mons. Le Grand, to arrange a minuet theme for Wolfgang. Le Grand obeyed, but with a doubtful shake of the head. When it was ready Wolfgang took the composition, went to a desk, and without stopping or hesitating an instant, wrote in the correct bass. Mons. Le Grand was surprised, for, though he was an excellent musician, he could not do anything like that. It was an easy task, however, for Wolfgang.
“Now then, child, since you have successfully performed my sister’s task,” said the Princess Adelaide to him, “will you try another?”
“With pleasure,” replied Wolfgang. “What shall it be?”
“Something very difficult,” said Princess Adelaide. “I will sing an Italian cavatina which I know by heart. Do you think you can accompany me on the piano without knowing the melody, entirely by ear?”
“That is impossible, absolutely impossible!” exclaimed Mons. Le Grand.
“It is not very easy,” said Wolfgang, “but I will try.”
He sat down to the piano, and Princess Adelaide, who was really a fine singer, began the cavatina. Wolfgang accompanied her, imperfectly of course, and sometimes incorrectly, for, as every musician knows, it is almost impossible to divine every modulation and digression in an unknown melody. The princess had hardly ended before Wolfgang requested her to repeat the cavatina, and this time accomplished what human ears had seldom, if ever, heard before. He not only played the melody with his right hand, but the bass accompaniment with his left, apparently with the greatest facility. Ten times over he requested the princess to begin again, and each time he played an absolutely correct accompaniment, each time varying it.