To his Mother.
Grace Wallace translation
Leipzig, August 10th, 1840.
On Thursday I gave an organ concert here in the Thomas Church, from the proceeds of which old Sebastian Bach is to have a monument erected to his memory in front of the Thomas School. I gave it solissimo, and played nine pieces, winding up with an extempore fantasia. This was the whole programme. Although my expenses were considerable, I had a clear gain of three hundred dollars. I mean to try this again in the autumn or spring, and then a very handsome memorial may be put up.[40] I practised hard for eight days previously, till I could really scarcely stand upright, and nothing was heard all day long in my street but organ passages!