Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1873-04-12

From this time Paganini, incredible al
it may appear, seldom, if ever played
except at concerts and rehearsals, anC
not always even at rehearsals. Mr.
Harris, who for u months acted as his
secretary, and seldom left him, never
saw him take his violin from its case.
At the hotels where he stopped the
sound of his instrument was never
heard. He used to say that he had
worked enough, and had earned his
right to repose yet, without an effort,
he continued to overcome the superhu,
man difficulties which he himself had
created with the same unerring facility,
and ever watched by the eager and en-
vious eyes of critics and rivals. In
vainl No false intonation, no note ont
of tune, no failure was ever percepti-
BILE. The Times critic, reviewing him
in London, some years before his death,
says his octaves were so true that they
sounded like one note, and the most
enormous intervals with triple notes,
harmonics and guitar effects seem to
have been invariably taken with the
same precision. In the words of crit
ical Judge, NJ. Ferris, "his hand was a
geometrical compass, which divided the
finger-board with mathematical precis-
ion." There is an amusing story told
of an Englishman, who followed him
from place to place, to hear him play
in private, in the hope of discovering
his "secret. At last, after many vain
attempts he managed to get lodged in
the next room to the great artist. Look
ing through the key-hole, he beheld
him seated on sofa, about to take his
violin from its case-at last He raises
it to his chin-but the bowls left in
the case. The left hand merely meas
ures, with its enormous wiry fingers, a
few mechanical intervals, and the in
strument is replaced in silence-not
even then was a note to be heardl
Yet every detail of rehearsal was an
anxiety to him. Although he gave a
prodigious number of concerts, he was
always unusually restless and abstracted
on the morning of the day on which he
had to perform. He would be idle for
hours on his sofa-or, at least, he seem
ed to be idle-perhaps the works were
then being wound up before going to
rehearsal-he would then, before start
ing, take up his violin, examine it care
fully, especially the screws, and, having
satisfied himself, replace it in its shah
by-worn case without striking a note.
Then he would sort and arrange the
orchestral parts of his solos, and go off
to rehearsal. He was very unpunctual,
and on one occasion kept the whole
band waiting for an hour, and was at
last found sheltering from the rain I'M
der colonade, rather than take a cab.
This was in London. At the rehearsal
there was always the most intense eager
ness on the part of the band to see him
play, and when he came to one of his
prodigious cadeuzas, the musicians
would rise in their seats, and lean for
ward to watch every movement, and fol-
low every sound. Paganini would then
just play few commonplace notes,
stop suddenly, and, turning round to
the band, wave his bow, with a mali
cious smile, and say, Get catera, mes
sieurs,' If anything went wrong he
got into paroxysm of fury; but when
things went well he freely showed his
and often exclaimed, BRA
vissimo sieti tutti virtuosi!" He could
be very courteous in his manner, and
was not personally unpopular with his
fellow-musicians, who stood greatly in
awe of him. No one ever saw the prin-
cipal parts of shis solos, as he played dby
heart, for fear of the music being cop
led. The rehearsal over, he carried
even the orchestral parts away with
him. He would then go straight home,
take light meal, throw himself on his
bed, and sleep profoundly until his car
riage arrived to take him to the concert.
His toilet was very simple, 'and took
hardly any time his coat was buttoned
tightly over his chest, and marked the
more conspicuously the impossible an
giles of his figure; his trousers hung
loose for trousers of the period; his
cravat was tight about his neck. He
sweated so profusely over his solos,
that he always carried clean shirt in
his violin trunk, and changed his linen
once, at least, during the concert, At
concert time he usually seemed in ex-
cellent spirits. His first question on
arriving was always, "Is there a large
audience9" If the room was full he
would say, Excellent people! good,
good!" If by any chance the boxes
we're empty he would say, "Some of
the effect will be lost" He kept his
audience waiting a long time, and he
would sometimes say, "I have played
better, or "I have played WORSE" and
occasionally his first solo would be more
effective than his last After onOe or
twice trying the music of Kreutzer and
Rode in public, he decided never to
play any but his own, and said to his
secretary, Mr.. Harris, "I haye my own
peculiar style; in accordance with this
1 regulate my compositions. I had
much rather write piece in which |
can trust myself entirely to my own
musical Impressions. "His art" OBJ
serves M. Fetis, "was an art born with
him, the secret of which he has carried
to the grave. II r. Hds0eis.