Music: Felon

In March 1929 tall, jolly Pianist-Conductor Ernest Schelling was rehearsing his "Impressions From An Artist's Life" with the New York-Philharmonic-Symphony Orchestra under Arturo Toscanini. He banged his thumb on the keys, had to stop playing. On his thumb appeared a felon which turned into a prolonged infection. An ordinary felon (whitlow) is a skin or bone inflammation which usually lasts about three weeks. So long as the felon was "engaged in his employment, or maturing his felonious little plans," Pianist Schelling could play no solos. He could, however, and did, conduct...

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