RATHER A HARD OPPONENT TO CONQUER

A young Berlin violinist learned the hard way that it’s not always safe to mock someone who looks less skilled than you. At a party he played a few pieces and got only modest applause. Then another young man was invited to play—and his first attempt was genuinely rough.

Our violinist smirked, stepped up again, and played in a super showy way to “crush” the stranger. But when it was the stranger’s turn once more, he suddenly played with dazzling expression and technique, completely vanquishing the critic. The room went quiet. The Berlin hotshot disappeared. Surprise: the “bad” player was Paganini. The safest time to underestimate someone is never.