Famous Violinists of To-day and Yesterday

ains. He was a man to evoke respect and love under all conditions, and, when he stepped before an audience, roused an instantaneous throb of sympathy, of interest, before the sweep of his magical

with so little influence from outside, none with a technique so essentially self-discovered. As a son of his country, none has retained so sturdy a sense of patriotism; none has, amid

s a physician and apothecary. He was musical, as were several other members of his family, and little Ole's love for m

al ideas were promptly suppressed by "the rod," until by sheer strength they proved to be unsuppressible. Then they became great virtues. It was thus with Ole Bull. His first desire to hear the quartet music, which he gratified by hidin

ut him up in the 'cello case, promising him some candy if he would stay there while he (Uncle Jens) p

arned to play it well without any instructor. He was not allowed to practise music unti

and play "as long as there was a drop in the decanter," with a view to educating the young artist, as he said. But Ole's parents were thinking of proh

e dilemma Uncle Jens called upon Ole, saying, "Come, my boy, do your best, and you shall have a stick of candy." Ole quickly accepted the chal

h in his life, for he was elected an active member of the Tuesday

e, and touched the strings. This furtive touch merely served to whet his appetite, and he tried the bow. Then he began to play very softly; then, carried away with enthus

had left Bergen without explanation, though it has been hinted that Ole

ed to make the boy hold his instrument according to the accepted method, but his custom of making his pupil stand upright, with his head and back against the wall while playing, no doubt gave to him that repose and grace

atic manner in which he rendered the passionate phrases. When the company went to supper Ole found on the leader's music-rack a concerto of Spohr's, a

gro, and all applauded except Lundholm, who looked angry. "You think you can play anything," he said, and, taking a caprice of Paganini's from the stand, he added, "Try this." It happened that this caprice was a favourite of the young violinist, who had learned it by he

her sleigh coming from the opposite direction, of which the occupant recognised him, and made signs to him to stop. It was Lundholm. "Well," shout

id not read that piece, I knew it before." "It makes

t in an inclination which, under restraint, became a passion. Ole and his brothers had long and patiently borne both with cross words and blows from this worthy pedagogue, and at length decided to rebel. Accordingly when one morning at half-past four the tutor appeared and dragged out the youngest from his warm bed, Ole sprang upon him and a vio

armonic and Dramatic Societies, a position which gave him independence, and somewhat consoled him for his failure to pass his entrance examin

d to secure. He accordingly left Christiania on May 18, 1829. His departure was so hurried that he left his violin behind, and it had to be forwarded to him by his friends. This

can now go to Nordhausen; I am to attend a musical festival there," Bull therefore went to Nordhausen, where he heard a quartet by Maurer, of which Spohr played the first violin part. He was so over

inations, Spohr heard him play, and wrote thus of him: "His wonderful playing and sureness of his left hand are worthy of the highest admiration, but, unfortunately, like Paganini, he sacrifices what is artistic to something that is not quite suitable to the noble instrument. His tone, too, is bad, and since he prefers a bridge that is quite plain,

l returned to Norway, making, on the way, a short vi

nt state of mind, but, on passing through a town where he had once led the theatre orchestra, he was recognised, welcomed, and compelle

he succeeded in hearing Paganini, and this, according to his own account, was the turning-point of his life. Paganini's playing made an immense impression

, who lived in the same house with him, and knew something of his circumstances, prevailed upon him to risk five francs in a gambling saloon. Vidocq stood by and watched the game, and Ole Bull came away the winner of eight hundred francs, presumably because the

Martyrs in which there were rooms to let. He was received and treated kindly,

e position, for when he was requested to play a piece at sight, it seemed to him so simple that

of Riario, Italian chargé d'affaires in Paris. He was almost overcome by the smell of assafoetida which emanated from the varnish, and which was caused by the heat. Nevertheless, he played finely, and as a result was invited to breakfast the nex

at La Scala, where he made an immense popular success, but drew from one of the journals

g something of his own. It is quite obvious that what he adds comes from genuine and original talent, from his own musical individuality; but

or six months he devoted himself to ardent study under the guidance of able masters.

pear at one of the Philharmonic concerts. By chance Malibran heard that De Bériot was to receive a smaller sum than that which had been agreed upon for her services, a

he concerts, to hunt up the young violinist. Accordingly, Ole Bull, who had gone to bed very early, was roused by a tap on the door, and invited to improvise on the spot for Zampieri. Bull was then hurried off,

e on which to improvise. He was given three, and, instead of making a selection, he took all three and interwove them in so brilliant a manner that he carried the audience by storm.

ng until she stopped talking. At Naples he experienced the misfortune of having his violin stolen, and he was obliged to buy a Nicholas Amati, for which he paid a very high p

ughter of the lady in whose house he had met with

ain musicians, who endeavoured to discredit him. Such was his popularity in England that he received for one concert, at L

ed Cassel, where he was now received by Spohr with every mark of distinction. He played in Berlin, where his success was great, notwithstanding some adverse criticism. He also played in Vienna and Bu

laying for the first time on Evacuation Day. "John Bull went out on this day," he said, "and Ole Bull comes in." He remained two years in the United States, during which time he played in two hundred concerts and met with many rem

ce. He is estimated to have netted by his trip over $80,000, besides which he contributed more than $20,000, b

Potter County, Pennsylvania, on the inauguration of which he stated his purpose: "We are to found a New Norway, consecrated to liberty, baptised with independence, and protected by the Union's mighty flag." Some thr

r sister Amalia Patti Strakosch, and Mr. Maurice Strakosch. Patti was then on

aken down with yellow fever, and owing to a riot in the town he was entirely neglected, and was obliged to creep off his bed on to the floor in order to escape the bullets which were flying about.

title to the land in Pennsylvania, and, hastening to Phi

s rights, became interested in the scheme, and was willing to sell the land at a low price, but Ole now had no money. He instituted legal proceedings against the swindler, who, in return, harassed the violinist as much as possible, trying to prevent his conc

ouse on a prairie in Illinois, where he endured a long illness. For five years he continued his struggle against misfortune, and during that period he made hosts of friends who

is arrival, however, he found that the report had been circulated that he had been speculatin

before long he was again on the road, giving concerts in variou

he met at Madison, Wis., Miss Sara C. Thorpe, the lady who was to become

ented him with a beautiful silken flag. This flag-the Norwegian colours with the star-spangled banner inserted in the u

many concert tours. His sixty-sixth birthday was spent in Egypt, and he solemnised the occasion by ascending the Pyramid of Cheops and playing, on its pinnacl

discovery of America, and took steps to bring the subject before the people of Boston. The result of his eff

contrary to all hopes, the sea voyage did not improve his condition, and much anxiety was felt until his home was reached. A few weeks later he died, and, at the funeral, honours more th

ic build, with large blue eyes and rich flaxen hair, he was the very type of the Norseman, and there was something in his personal appearance and conversation which acted with almost magnetic

," and his style was to a great extent influenced by Paganini, but only so far as technicalities are concerned. In every other respect there was a wide difference, for while Paganini's manner was such as to induce his hearers to believe that they were under the spell of a demon, Ole Bull took his hearers to the dreamy moonlit regions of the North. It is this power of conveying a highly poetic charm which enabled him

ress us by its unity as a whole, by its development from first to last of one or more pregnant themes. As compositions, therefore, we do not feel reconciled to what Ole Bull seems fond of playing.... He cannot be judged by the usual standards, his genius is exceptional, intensely individual in all its forms and methods, belongs to the very extreme of the romantic as distinguished from the classical in art. He makes u

he sole occupant of the field, he became famous and popular. He prided himself on the fact that his playing was addressed rather to the hearts than to the sensitive ears of his audiences, and during his later years he adopted certain mannerisms by way of distracting attention from his somewhat imperfect performances. He never made any pretension to being a musician of the modern sc