Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1876-11-24
PAGANINI.


lHdI IL w CUCI hdS a. HiSISOI, "S Sah
ini was a comet. And comet he
was, and comet-iike in his career
The son of a Genoese imbaUatore,
or embaler, at five years of age he is
thrown into an ecstacy on hearing
the guitar-like notes of his fathers
mandolin. AT eight he composed
his first aria, and at nine gave his
first concert, where, executing the
Carmognolo with variations of his
own composition, he achieved a
great success. Henceforth his Ca
reer was one continuous triumph
Visiting the various European capi-
tails, wherever he appeared he was
greeted with an enthusiasm that
often became delirium. The phleg-
matte Germans outdid the volatile
Italians or mercurial French. If in
Paris he was the "king of viollnists,"
in Vienna he was the "god of the
violin" Orpheus and Apollo were
not to be compared to Paganini. If
we are to believe the musical critics
of the times, he achieved not only
the incredible, but the impossible
He commenced where others left off,
and vanquishcd even art itself.
Paganini was something more than
grand musician. He was a whole
orchestra. He represented hund-
red performers. Playing at sightthe
most difficult compositions, to say
nothing of his wonderful improvisa-
tions, and not less wonderful execu-
ton upon single string, he seemed
to have at his command the whole
range of natural sounds-thc diapa-
son of human passion. Love, rage,
jealousy, tenderness, devotion, sue
cessively animated the strings of his
inspired instrument, so responsive to
his mastery touch. Now it was the
strain of an Eolian harp, or the
pastoral song of the shepherd,or the
lament of love-lorn maiden; and
then, with a flourish of his magical
wand, you heard the braying of a
donkey. or the roar of the tcmpests,
or the clash of arms, with the shout
of the victors, and the cry of the
vanquished; when, suddenly trans
ported to the nethermost circles OF
Dante's Inferno, you listen with hor-
ror to the derisive laughter Of de-
mons amidst the groans and laments
of the damned.
1t is related of the great violipist
that, arriving at Frankfort one night
at an unreasonable hour, he stopped
at an inn outside the city gate. Find
ing himself unable to sleep, he took
his violin, went to the open window,
and commenced playing one of his
wonderful medleys. Feminine sighs
and groans, then the crying of an
infant, and then joyous outbursts of
laughter issued in rapid succession
from the strings of his magical in
strument. The whole neighborhood
was aroused. Night-caps peepcd out
timidly from upper windows, worthy
burghers in scant undress reconnoi-
tired stealthily behind halfopen
doors. At length the more adventu-
rous guests of the inn, rushing up
stairs and knocking violently atPag-
anini's door, with a view of ascer-
tanning the cause of all this hubbub,
were quietly informed by the artist
that, being unable to sleep, he was
simply amusing himself by reproduc
ing upon his violin the varying
humors of an accouchement.
Still more remarkable, perhaps,
was the strange and mysterious infu-
ence which Paganini exerted over
the most distinguished of his fellow
artists. Rossini conceived for him
ga species of fanaticism not unmixed
with ave." while Meyerbeer, fascina-
ted by his wonderful genius, sought
in vain to detect the mystery Of his
phenomenal power. "Imagine," says
the latter, "the most surprising effects
it is possible to produce upon the
violin, and Paganini will even then
surpass your highest expectations. I"
But the mystery that Meyerbeer fail
ed to penetrate was solved by SIM
pie Viennese burgher, who affirmed
that, during one of Paganini's con-
ccrts in Vienna, he distinctly saw
the devil, with his traditional horns
and tail, standing behind the great
violinlst and directing his bow, while
his pedigree was sufficiently appar-
ent from his striking resemblance to
his Satanic master.
"Behold Paganini!' exclaims Ro-
mani. "He appears as if inspired,
and from his ample brow, his spark
ling eyes, from his thin and pallid
countenance, radiates the god that
flames within. With one hand he
grasps his violin, with the other he
shakes the bow which is to dominate
it, as the lion-tamer shakes the rod
that intimidates the lion. At the