Baker Street Elementary – Prodigious Playing

by I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere May 17, 2026

“I shall try over the Hoffman ‘Barcarole’ upon my violin” [MAZA]

Sherlock Holmes's ability with the violin was introduced in the very first story Dr. Watson brought before the public. In A Study in Scarlet, as each man is listing his peculiarities to the other, Holmes offers this question to his would-be roommate:

“Do you include violin-playing in your category of rows?”

Watson tells us Holmes asked “anxiously”. But why anxiously?

It could be that Holmes was a mere amateur and was self-conscious about his playing. Or that he practiced frequently, in order to improve his skill, and in doing so, he might not sound the best. To a perfectionist like Holmes, that may have been a vulnerability. His response indicates some sensitivity there:

“It depends on the player,” I answered. “A well played violin is a treat for the gods—a badly-played one—”
“Oh, that’s all right,” he cried, with a merry laugh. “I think we may consider the thing as settled—that is, if the rooms are agreeable to you.”

When Watson wrote up his famous list, he gave Holmes positive marks for his musical talents:

10. Plays the violin well.

It is our supposition that Holmes as a virtuoso and not at all an unskilled, practicing amateur. Later in the story, Watson observes Holmes leaning back in his chair, where

“he would close his eyes and scrape carelessly at the fiddle which was thrown across his knee.”

That, ladies and gentlemen, is not the behavior of a new violin student or someone who is anxiously attempting to master a craft. No, that is the action of someone extremely familiar with the instrument and quite confident in his own level of performance.

Could it be because Holmes got his start at music lessons at Baker Street Elementary?

Listen to Trifles Episode 40, where we discussed a true virtuoso whom Holmes admired: Sarasate.

Baker Street Elementary follows the original adventures of Sherlock Holmes and , as they and their friends work through the issues of elementary school in . An archive of all previous episodes can be viewed at the Baker Street Elementary website.