The Newtown bee., 1880-03-10
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A New York paper has the following sketch of the fife of this well-known violinist: When many persons read that the seventieth birthday of Ole Bull had been commemorated at Cambridge, Mass. by surprise party, they proba- ply thought he must be older because they had known him so long by reputa- ton. He began his career very early; gained an eminent name in youth, and made his first visit to this country not far from forty years ago. He has had a very eventful life from boyhood to old age. He belongs to the romantic school actually not less than musically. Born at the Norwegian seaport of Ber- gen, his father designed him for a Lu- theran clergyman; but, though a chemist of considerable skill, he could not put his boy into any retort from which ecclesiasticism in any form nigh be distilled. Ole's soul was set on music, and placing him at the Univer. sity of Christiania did not wean him a whit from his passion. He neglected his recitations to play on the violin, and to go wherever he could hear an or chestra. He was z regular attendant at concerts and theaters, and one evening, when the leader of an orchestra was suddenly taken i'll, he occupied his place, and acquitted himself most creditably. This circumstance-he was but eighteen then-ended his connection with the college, and the year following he went to Cassel to study under the renowned Spohr, then chapel master of the Duke of Hesse-Cassel. The composer failed to be as enthusiastic as the young fel- low thought he ought to be, and so the latter dashed off in a huff to Gottingen to undertake course of law. This he a aS SnnnnEp6
 and his ardent impulses hurried him to Minden. There he gave a concert, and his performance on the violin was warmly applauded. His quick temper involved him in a quarrel with an- other young musician, leading to a duel, in which he mortally wounded his ad- versary. He fled from Hanover to es- cape the law, and, after some months wandering, arrived in Paris, poor, friendless, unknown. There he was so forlorn that, when his misery was az gravated by the theft of the little he had left to keep body and soul together, and by the loss of his beloved violin, he leaped into the Seine, with the intent to end his sorrows. He was rescued, how ever, and his story getting into print, a rich woman became interested in him, through what she conceived to be q strong personal resem blance to her lately lost son. She provided him with means, and enabled him to givea concert, which was very successful. He made a musi- cal tour of Europe, and at the end of seven years had acquired a fortune. His style of playing was like that of Paganini, whom he resolved to ex- eel, but whom he could never really ap- proach. At twenty ght, he returned to Norway with a Parisian wife, and ,o+4 1a1 c{of fa ha aI Bergen. Five years later he came over here; was enthusiastically welcomed. and went back to Europe with untold dollars. For a good while he roamed over the old world, gave concerts, made a campaign in Algeria against the Kabyles, built theater in his native town, and tried to establish there na
 tional schools of literature and art. But his ideas were too liberal for Scandi- navia; his sentiments offended the government; resulted in many troubles, including lawsuits and the dissipation of most of his wealth. His wife died, and be again visited America, founding in Pennsylvania a colony called Oleana, which was soon disbanded. He once more resumed his concerts, and at the opening of the Academy of Music here (l854) tried to establish Italian opera, and failed, losing heavily. Then he re-
 rossed the ocean, made more money with his violin, and, after varied travels and experiences, has settled down in a New England town with Minnesota wife, young enough to be his grand daughter. No composition of his is more romantic than his career. He is not a great musician, perhaps, but he IS a very interesting character, and more than half his success is owing to his personal magnetism.