Famous Violinists of To-day and Yesterday

schools. While Paganini was a genius, a great musician, and a wonderful violinist, he combined with these qualities that of a trickster, and the exponents of the modern Fr

rench school, while in that of Belgium we have De

u, who, delighted with the remarkable talent displayed by his young pupil, succeeded in securing

refused him admission without assigning any reason for his decision, but Ru

s an artist, he never became a success as a concert player, because

m the audience called out "Robert le Diable," referring to Liszt's brilliant fantasia on themes from that opera, which he had recently composed, and had played several times with immense success. The call was taken up by other voi

hand, but without a word of excuse or apology. Liszt's performance roused the audience to a perfect frenzy, but Massart nevertheles

rvatoire, where his energy, care, exactness, and thoroughness brought him an immense reputation. Lotto, Wieniawski, Teresina Tua, and

e many delightful chamber concerts, with his wife, w

f noble extraction, but at their death he was left entirely without fortune, and was taken in charge by M. Tiby, a professor of music, who had noticed the little boy's love of the musical art, and had already taught him to such

e acquaintance of the scholar and philosopher Jacotot, who imbued him with principles

d that "perseverance triumphs over all obstacles," and t

ion to Viotti, who was then the director of music at the Opéra, and he succeeded in g

. Give yourself up to the business of perfecting it. Hear al

, he withdrew from the Conservatoire and relied upon his own resources. He soon began to appear in concerts, generally playing compositions of

, before the Philharmonic Society. Wherever he appeared, either in London or the p

n less if he had appeared after instead of before the great Italian. It seems, however that De Bériot continued to meet with success even after the adve

ted solo violin to the King of the Netherlands. He had held the position bu

pera, and De Bériot became acquainted with her. The acquaintance ripened into the most intimate friendship, and in 1832 a concert company was formed, consi

her husband, an American merchant, who, with the view of supporting himself by her talents, had married her when on t

e and sustained internal injuries of such severity that she died aft

and his first appearance in concert, after this tragic event, was when Pauline Garcia, the sister

came director of the violin classes at the Conservatoire, after which he ceased giving concerts. He remain

and of Mlle. Sontag, and her rejection of him threw him into a state of despon

ic effects of the instrument in the most brilliant manner. There are seven concertos, eleven "airs variées," several books of studies, four

as professor of violin at the Conservatoire in Paris. He was first soloist in the royal band, to

ten, and at twelve entered the Paris Conservatoire, where he became a pupil of Habeneck, while Fétis taught him composition.

rs of France, and through him became the owner of one of the most be

chant in Brussels took interest in him and provided the means necessary for him to go to Paris. In 1844 he appeared at Leipzig, and created a deep impression by the beauty of his tone and his elegant performance. He travelled through Europe and p

azardous nature. His tone had a peculiar charm, and at the same time his fiery, impetuous nature and uneven disposition led to certain occasional errors in technique and faulty intonation. Nevertheless, he was one of the most welcome performers in the concert halls of Eu

ime travelling in Europe, and Ernst, in the desire to learn something from this great artist, followed him from town to town, and endeavoured to model his own playing upo

ly in England, where he was highly ap preciated, until the approach of his fatal disease made it necessary for him to give up, f

with greater depth of feeling. Less audaciously inventive and extravagant than Paganini, he was sounder in taste, and, in his music, with no lack of fantasy, more scientific in construction.... The secret, however, of Ernst's success, whether as a composer or a virtuoso, lay in h

who were chiefly the French residents of the city, endeavoured to belittle the capabilities of Ole Bull, who nevertheless appears to have been very successful, and if anything, to have benefited by the competition. Musical culture was, at that time, in a very low state in America, and one may judge somewhat of its progress by the press criticisms

s frequently misapplied in the most ludicrous m

n. At one time he introduces a dialogue, in which a sweet voice complains so sadly that it makes the heart ache with pity, which is answered from another string with imprecations so violent and threatening that one almost trembles with fear. We fancied that a young girl was pleading for the life of her lover, and receiving only curses in reply. At the close of the first piece, the 'Adagio Maestoso,' there was one universal shout of applause, which afforded an infinite relief to a most enthusiastic house that had held its breath for fifteen minutes. O

, when he played a duet on two strings, as related in an earlier chapter. Ole Bull was a child of nature, he gave his audience a des

held by the violinist, and almost leads one to imagine that the critic was fortu

UARY,

orus, and anon relating a stirring joke which he gleaned on the Boulevard. Such a man would create an impression on any small tea-party, but that violin did more--the comparison fails. There might be to him who chose to give rein to his fancy a vision at one moment of the old ivy-covered churc

oddly but easily enough into the ballroom, where mirth and laughter, bright eyes, fairy feet, and all that was good and pleasant to behold flitted by. It was not all music that Ole Bull's violin gave out. There were old memories and pleasant ones, ideas which shaped themselves into all manners of queer visions; and the main d

said with truth that the country was hardly ready for musicianship of the highest quality, and even in 1872, when Wieniawski came with the great pianist and compos

g and seeing him play, there was only one, excepting Catarina Calcagno, who received direct instruction from him, and

llo

s stories are told of Sivori's infancy. At the age of eighteen months, before he had ever seen or heard a violin player, he continually amused himself by using two pieces of stick after the manner of the violin and bow, and singing to himself. It is fair to say that

t any aid he was able in a short time to play many airs he had heard his sisters play or sing. His renown spread through Genoa, and he was invited everywhere. At concerts and parties he was placed upon a table to play, and he was frequently called upon to perform before the king an

public. In six months Paganini left Genoa and desired to take his young pupil with him, but this was not allowed by the parents, and Sivori was placed under the tuition of Costa. Three years later Paganini returned to Genoa, and by his advice his protégé was placed under M. Dellepaine, who taught him taste and expression, his lessons with Costa in technique continu

rmany, Russia, Belgium, and Paris, where he played at th

and amassing a considerable fortune. During this great tour he met with many adventures, frequently travelling on horseback, and at one time being at death's door with yellow fever. On his return to Europe he shared the fate of ma

hesis of Spohr in stature. Spohr has the severe phlegmatic Teutonic aspect; Sivori has the flashing Italian eye and variability of feature. Spohr stands firm and still; Sivori's body is all on the swing, he tears the notes, as it were, from his instrument. Spohr's refinement and polish ha

s post of first violin at the theatre, and of director of the conservatoire at Genoa, Sivori replaced him in both and gave him the entire benefit of his ser vices. After two years the t

ompliment to your high talents." Sivori travelled to Nice to receive the instrument from his master's own hands. Paganini was then-it was in 1840-in a deplorable condition, and could hardly speak. He signified a desire

é wrote of h

such rubbish as the man plays now I had never hea

in 1862 must not be forgotten. On that occasion he executed Paganini's B minor concerto, and aroused immense enthusiasm, although he played im

to the city of Genoa. He was also the first to play, with orchestra, Mendelssohn's Violin C

of Rode in public at the age of six, and the following year made a tour with his father and his teacher, Lecloux, during which he had the good fortune to meet De Bériot, before whom he played. During four years h

arts of Europe and met most of the celebrated musicians of the day. Spohr, Molique, Schumann, Paganini, Henselt, and Richard Wagn

for conquest, he visited America in

d shortly after was appointed solo violinist to the Emperor of Russia, relinquishing that post six years later in order to travel again. He was professor at the Brus

ch lasted three years. During 1873 his active career was cut short by a stroke of paralysis which disabled his left side. He now travelled for health's sake, and went to Algiers, where h

of strong dramatic accents and contrasts. As a composer for the violin he had wider success than any one since Spohr, but whi

sed by trifles, and he enjoyed the freedom of a life of constant change and trav

yed. Frequent outbursts of rage ensued, of which his pupils were obliged to bear the brunt, even to being prodded with his iron-shod stick. Sometimes scenes more amusing would occur, as when some grandees would v

ny towns and cities. Amongst the gems of American newspaper criticism they no doubt took with them several copies o

y true; while Vieuxtemps is represented as a fiddler of considerable skill, considering his opportunities, which he no doubt is. We haven't heard either of them since they were quite small, and unless they come out here and reduce the price of their tickets to their value,--say about sixty-two and a half cents a dozen,--it is possible that

they intend to. We wouldn't much mind hearing their music, for no doubt it is nearly, if not quite, as goo

s said to be in its infanc

d the master of his instrument. Tone so rich, so pure, so admirably prolonged and nourished, so literally drawn from the instrument, we have scarcely heard before; no

ers, both, and masters of their instrument, they each employ a different manner. M. Vieuxtemps never lets you forget that he plays the violin, that the wonders of mechanism which he accomplishes under your eye are of the greatest difficulty and have

good sample of New York music

ergoing the nocturnal penance of walking the room with 'the child'--and performing it, too, with unaffected pity. He plays with the purest and coldest perfection of art, and is doubtless more learned on the violin than either of the rival performers [Ole Bull and Artot

ica in 1870, with the celebr

he never carried his public with him. "Ernst," he continues, "was all passion and fire, regulated by reverence for and clear understanding of the masterpieces he had to interpret. Sainton was extremely elegant

was a pupil of Kreutzer and of Spohr, and held the position of director and first violinist of the royal band at Stut

m in 1811, and at six years of age played at Drury Lane. He studied abroad with Spohr, and appeared in Vienna in 1836, but the greater part of his life was spen

a French violinist, both belong to this