Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1881-02-11
Ole Bulls First Performances.

would render 1t the most impressive,
for am his guest; and though the
storm beats without, he side his
hearthstone, which is all in glow, I
bask; and as the evening brings dark
ness to the room hear the violin in an
absorbed way, for nothing can divert
my thoughts. The lady pianist who
accompanies him, follows sympathetic
cally each shading of the music. Then
around the fireplace, with many q
cigar, my host tells me the history OF
his early life.
"My uncle was publisher, and had
quantity of sheet music--quartetts
and so on. He played the violoncello,
and he bought me my first violin. It
was lemon. colored violin, and 80 sour
so sour! I played for the cats, and
absolutely drove them away from their
food. am sure that the cats got ill
over Fiorillos studies. They kept clear
OF little summer-house where used
to play When was eight years old
1 played the first violin in q quartette
of Pleyel's. When was nine years
used to play with some very good anna
tours, and when my Epiece with them
did not come early in the evening they
used TO put me asleep in vionloncello
case. and wake me up with a red apple.
In Bergen there was garrison, and
there was band of wind instruments;
and do you know that clarionette
quacks to-day--at least to me--just as
it did then! used to slumber away in
the cello case because the amateurs
would play two quartetts before supper.
1t happened occasionally that, from eat
ing too much supper, the players were
troubled--yes troubled. One evening
my uncle said, Come. let us play
quartette OF Beethoven's.' Some one
remarked, Beethoven is SO difficult
But We must said my uncle. The
auartetts were bound together in one
book. They used to let me play the
Cramer and Haydn; they were easy:
but Beethoven--ah! in those days he
was thought hard. That night the first
violin was in trouble after supper. We
call it tipsy, just as you do. What a
shame! said my uncle. 'Ole, do you
take the part and play it,.
81 had heard it, but had never tried
it. did not think much about it, but
l remember that I was right then and
there proposed and elected as mem
Der Of that musical club. At very long
intervals after that good instrumental
lists would come to Bergen, and I
would listen to them. I heard the com.
positions of Rhode and Spohr, and
played them as we'll as l. could.
Father was an apothecary, and his as
sistant played the flute. The assistant
used to receive musical catalogues from
Copenhagen. devoured the names.
and for the first time saw that OF Pa
ganini on his famous twenty -four Ca
prices. One evening father camc home,
bringing with him two Italians. was
fourteen then, and their talk fred me. I
wanted to hear about their great violin
ist, Psganini, and they told me all they
knew. Even the mention of his narae
excited my imagination. and made me
wild. went to my grandmother.
Dear grandmother I said. can't !
get some of Paganini's music p Don't
tell any one' said the dear old woman.
bat will try and kuy q piece OF his
for you If you are good child And
she did try, and I was wild when she
got the Paganini music. How difficult
it was, but oh, how beautiful That
gardenhouse was my refuge. Maybe
i am not SO sure of 1.-THE cats did
not 60 quite 60 wild as some four years
before. One day--a memorable one
went to quartette party. The new
leader of our Philharmonic was there
a very fine violinist-and he played for
us q concerto of Spohr's. knew 1t.
and was delighted with his reading Of
it. We had porter to drink in another
room, and we all drank it; but before
they had finished I went back to the
music. room, and commenced trying the
Spohr. was, I suppose, carried away
with the music, forgot myself, and they
heard me.
"'This is impudence,' said the
leader. And do you think, boy, that
you can play it?' Yes I said, quite
honestly. don't to this day see why I
should have told story about lido
you? Now you shall play it, said
somebody. Hear him! hear himr
cried my uncle and the rest of them. l
did try it, and played the allegro. All
of them applauded save the lea Ter. who
looked mad.
So You think you can play anytnlnS,
then 2 asked the leader. He took Ca
price of Paganini's from music-stand.
Now you try this he said in rage.
Il will try it, said. All right; go
ahead
"Now it just happened that this ca.
price was my favorite. as the cats we'll
knew. I could play it by memory, and
polished it off. When did that they
all shouted. The leader before had
been 80 cross and savage, l thought he
would Just rave now. But he did not
say a word. He looked very quiet and
composed like. He took the other
musicians aside, and I saw that he was
talking to them. Not long afterward
this violinist left Bergen. never
thought I would see him again. It was
in 1910, when I was travelling through
Sweden on q concert tour, OF snowy
day, that met man in sleigh. 1t
was quite picture; just near sunset,
and the northern lights we're shooting
in the sky; man wrapped up in Q
bear skin attacking along the snow.
As he drew up abreast Of me and I'M
muffied himself. he called out to my
1r;ro. En- okop IT, waq tha leader and