At the same time he made sarabandes, gavottes, minuets, chaconnes, passepieds, gigues, polonaises and rondos dance across the piano in quick succession; and his comments were as spirited as his playing.
"Professor MacDowell's criticisms were clear and forceful, and filled with many surprising and humorous touches.

Of Bach he said, 'Bach spoke in close, scientific, contrapuntal language.

He was as emotional and romantic as Chopin, Wagner or Tchaikovsky; his emotion was expressed in the language of his time.

Young women who say they adore Bach play him like a sum in mathematics.

They find a grim pleasure in it, like biting on a sore tooth.' "He never approached the piano like a conqueror.