The Morristown gazette. [volume] (Morristown, Tenn.) 1867-1920, 1880-09-08
OLE BORNEMANN BULL.

The celebrated Norwegian violin
ist, Ole Boil, whose death at Bergen,
Norway, was recently announced by
cable dispatch, was, during his
lifetime, as we'll known to the peo-
pie of the United States as if be had
been reared in their midst. There
was scarcely town or city in the
country which be did not visit dur
ing a long musical career, and he
rarely failed to leave behind him the
pleasantest of social and profession.
al memories.
Ole Bull was native Of Bergen,
Norway, aud born on the 5th of Feb.
ruary, 1910. His father was a chem
ist. and his ancestors on both sides
being great lovers OF music, many
of his family line distinguished them
selves in that capacity. He was
wont 10 say that his earliest recol-
lections were OF the legends of the
Norsemen, related to him by his
grandmother, in which were mingled
the stories connected with the wild
songs of the Norman peasants.
That these inspired the mind Of the
lad and gave character to a love Of
art that was then in the germ can
not be doubted, for the influence
clung to him through life and was alt
ways exhibited in the passionate po-
etic fervor that in subsequent years
marked his performances on the vio-
lin. His earlier attempts to master
this instrument date back to his
sixth year, when his uncle. a good
violoncello performer, presented him
with little pine violin, "as yellow
as lemon" He Was so small that
sometimes he would fall asleep in
the violoucello case and have to be
awakened to play his part in the
family concert. When about eight
years of age passing musician in
search Of pupils was called in to see
the boy, and satisfactory arrange
ments were made to continue the
musical education which he had
commenced by himself. A few les
sons, however, ended the tela ions
of teacher and pupil, for tie latter
turned critic and the forr. er was dis
missed. A few months !aler he was
sufficiently advanced to be able to
play in the Philharmonic concert at
Bergen, and at nine be played the
first violin in Beethoven's symphony
in D. From that time his progress
was rapid. 1t is said of him that he
was so keen in perceiving the mac
curacies of his masters that he was
anything but a comfortable scholar.
It is also related that when little
more than ten years OF age be met
with a sailor who had heard Paga-
mini in his travels. and received
many impressions of the great vio-
linist, who in some respects after
ward became his model. The sailor
used to "spin yarns" to The boy TN
Til he became infatuated TO learn
more Of the music that was made
with a bow formed from the hair of
the murdered wife OF Paganini upon
a violin into which Paganini's moth.
er had breathed her last dying
groan."
Soon after this incident Ole Bull
happened TO secure the catalogue Of
a music publisher which embraced a
notice of the twenty -four caprices of
Paganini, and by the kindness of his
mother the lad was enabled to pur
chase them. 1t was treasure, and
he retired to remote corner of the
household garden. where no one
could hear him. to study these great
compositions. He mastered them,
but kept the secret 10 himself, al
though the difficulties were enough
to put to,test the abilities of veteran
musicians. At the age of thirteen
he was invited to occupy the chair
held by bis teacher as the leader of
the philharmonic Club Of the town.
while the teacher played the solos.
The incident is narrated that one