It became clear to him that he could not make his point of view operative in what he conceived as the need for a reformation of conditions affecting his work; and on January 18, 1904, after long and anxious deliberation and discussion with his wife, he tendered his resignation as head of the department.

His attitude in the matter was grievously misunderstood and misrepresented at the time, to his poignant distress and harassment.

The iron entered deeply into his soul: it was the forerunner of tragedy.
When he took up his work at Columbia his activity as a concert pianist had, of course, to be virtually suspended.

With the exception of two short tours of a few weeks' each, he gave up his public appearances altogether until the year of his sabbatical vacation (1902-03).

In December, 1902, he went on an extensive concert tour, which took him as far west as San Francisco and occupied all of that winter.