by Harold Craxton
No. 5 in E Flat; No. 3 in E

There were at least five-generations of English musicians in the family of Eccles, players and teachers of the Virginal, Viols, and later, the Violin. Solomon, the eldest of the name of whom we know anything, after some years successful practice as a musician, became a Quaker and not only abandoned music, but smashed all his instruments and made a bonfire of them along with his books on music. Then he adopted the calling of shoemaker. Some years later, in 1667, he published a tract, setting forth a dispute between three people. One was 'a musician, zealous for the Church of England, who called Musick the gift of God.' Another was 'a Baptist who did affirm it to be a decent and harmless practice,' and the third was 'a Quaker (so-called) who, being formerly of that art, did give his judgment and sentence against it. but yet approved of the musick that pleased God.'
Two of his sons, John and Henry, left a considerable volume of music, John's mainly music for plays, and Henry's sonatas and solos for violin or viol. Henry was at one time a member of the English King's Band, but left this country for Paris, and became a member of the King's Band there. His violin music is rather after the manner of Corelli.

The best known pianoforte music made of Paganini's violin studies is, of course, the series of transcriptions by Liszt He and Paganini, it will be remembered, had aroused the world of music to such astonishment by their amazing feats of technique, that it was usual to bracket their names as twin magicians. Paganini, indeed, was thought by some to be in league with the devil, so wholly astonishing were the things he did with his violin. Liszt's interest in the violinist's work induced him to transcribe a number of his most difficult studies; these, when published in their final form, he dedicated to Schumann's wife, herself one of the great pianists of history. Schumann's versions, as is only to be expected, are less brilliant and showy than Liszt's, but invested with more of poetry and romance. They are really more Schumann than Paganini.