The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1880-12-29

lrood instrumentailsts would come to Bers
gen, and would listen 10 them. heard
the compositions OF Rhode and SpoOr, ana
played them ~ well a. could. Father was
an spothecary, and bis assistant played the
llute. The assistsEt used to receive musical
catalogues from Copenhagen. ! devoured
the Names and for the dist time saw
that OF paxsninl on his famous twenty.
tour capriccs. One evening father came
home, bridging with him two Italians.
was fourteen then. and their talk hrcd me.
wanted 10 hear about their great violinist,
pagauini, and they told me ell they knew.
Even the mention Of hts name excited my
Imagination and made me Wild. went to
nv grandmother. Dear graDdmother,' l
said, scsn't | get some OF Paganini's m,i-
sicr, Don't tell any one said that dear
old womap, but Twill try and buy piece
of his for you II you are a good child And
she did try, and was Wild when got the
Psgapipi music. How difficult II was, but
oh. how beautiful That garden-bouse
was my refuge. Maybe--l am not so
sure OF 1.-THE cats did not 60 quite so Wild
AZ some four years before. One day--a
memorable ouc--I went 10 a quartette par
". The new leader OF our Philharmonic
was tberc-a very fine violini.t-and be
MAYED for us q concerto Of Spohr's. |
knew u, aud was delighted with his read
ing OF 1t. We bad porter to drink in another
room and we all drank Il; but before they
had finished went back to the mushroom
and commenced trying the Spobr. was, |
suppose, carried away with the music, for.
got myself, and they beard me.
"This Is impudence,' said the leader.
sAnd do you think, boy, that you can play
it?' Yes said, quite honestly. don't
to this day see why j should have told
story about lido you? Now you shall
play IT, said somebody. Hear him hear
him = cried my uncle and the rest oil them.
| did Try ii, and played the allegro. All OF
them appiauded save the leader. who looked
mad.
"'You think you can play anything,
tben?' asked the leader. He took ca
price OF Pagapinps from music-stand.
Now you try tljis,' he said, In rage. II
will try IT, ] said. 'All right; 60 ahead
"Now, it just happened that this caprice
was my fsvorite, as the cats well knew.
could play il by memory, aud polished 1t
OFF. When l did that, they all shouted. The
leader before had been so cross and savage,
I thought he would Just rave now. But he
did not say word. He looked very quiet
and mposed.llke. He took the other inu-
sicians aside, and saw that he was talking
to them. Not long aiterward this vioinist
left Bergen. never thought | would see
him again. II was in 1910, when i
was travelling through Sweden on a
concert tour, Of a snowy day, that / met
man in a sleigh. II was quite picture:
lust near sunset, and the northern lights
were shooting in the sky; man wrapped
up 10 q bear-skin attacking along the snow.
AS he drew up abreast OF me and unmuf-
fed himself. he called out to my driver TO
stop. 1t was the leader, and he said to me,
well, now that you are celebrated yio-
linist. remember that when heard you
play Paganini | predicted that your career
would be remarkable one.' you were
Mistaken cried, jumping up; Il did not
read that Paganini at sight; had played 1t
before 1t makes no dflerence-good-
by,' and be urged on bis horse, and in
minute the leader was gone"