ABSTRACT
Staying alongside Paganini and Ernst that winter in Marseilles, was a French violinist called Alexander Boucher, with whom Ernst had played in Paris the year before. He soon saw an opportunity to exploit the tension and wrong-foot Paganini, whose refusal to play at a charity concert in Paris had caused a scandal in the press. Paganini, who disliked the implied element of competition, especially in his weakened state, declined the offer, whereupon Boucher let it be known that the scheme had collapsed because of Paganini's refusal. Several members of the Thubaneau orchestra then wrote open letters to the press, endorsing Boucher's account of the matter and deploring Paganini's behaviour. On hearing the news, Boucher invited Paganini, along with Ernst and himself, to take part in a benefit concert for the fire victims in which 'Italy, France and Germany would be worthily represented.'.
