The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1882-02-23
A Strange Story About Remenyi's vio-
Inns.

The following is the story that is going
the rounds concerning Remenyi's mar
vellous power in the handling of his
favorite violin:
There lives in Columbus, Ohio, q
jeweler named 81. II. Heskett. For
twenty-five years he repaired watches,
but all the time he was possessed with
the desire to make violin equal to those
which made Antonius Stradivarius the
wonder of the world. When Stradivarius
died in 1744 the secret Of violin-making
died with him. All the mechanical
world since has been quar-
it was the wood, the form, or
the varnish that made the fddles of
Stradivarius so great. Whether it was
one or all has never been settled, and
ever since 1744 the violinists have all
been paying enormous sums for these
old fddles. One evening, in 1878,
Remenyi was in Columbus, and Heskett
called on him with violin he had made.
1t was one Of many, and was very bad.
Remenyl told him 80, and gave him some
advice and one of his fine violins for o
model. Heskett worked sixteen months,
and then took two violins to Remenyi.
They we're fine instruments, and the
great artist was pleased with them. Still
other persons had made fine lnstru-
ments, but none equal to Stradivarius.
On the 28th of last February, Re-
menyi was playing at Des Moines, Iowa,
when he received q violin by express.
Upon opening it his eyes fell upon the
magnificent golden and transparent var
nish of Stradivarius. He took it up and
examined it. It was a Stradivarius, new
and just from the workshop. There was
all the classical modelling. the iuimitable
curve and contour of the old master.
Selling his bow, Remenyi tried its tone.
1t was as round and mellow and full as
the old Stradivarius. The great violinist
went off silently to his room and locking
himself up, tested the instrument for
hours. He came out to play at the con-
cert on Heskett's violin. Now any violinist
will tell you that no artist can play on
new violin, that it requires age to make
the violin airy, as it requires age to
make wine mellow. Ever since then
Remenyi has used the new violin for his
concerts. Its tone is as clear as the
nightingale. But why does Remenyi
use u new violin? It is said when he
was locked up in his room at Des
Moines he discovered marvellous Sc
cret. It is nothing less than that the
violin maker of Columbus, after working
and failing for twenty-five years, finally
in despair, sold himself to the devil for
the skill to make the great violin. He
bought the secret of Stradivarious with
his soul. In other words, the devil is in
Remenyis new violin, and the artist
discovered the fact while he was locked
up with the instrument at Des Moines.
That accounts for the manner in which
Remenyi treats his violin; some
times. when the devil is in good humor
and sings divinely, Remenyi smiles right
out on the stage; again, he shakes his
head knowingly or caiolingly, of course,
to the devil in the box. Sometimes,
when the evil one becomes uncontrolla-
BILE, you can see great frown on the art
lists face; his eyes flash, he congresses
his lips and lashes the devil with horse
hair until he fairly roars and screams.
The devil is such an intractable one that
Remenyi wears out bow on him every
two days. Remenyi, however, declares
the story to be "all bosh." Says he eff
Stradivarius knew how to make violins,
why could not others? Stradivarius had
genius; so has Heskett. Where did he
get his training? Where did Burns get
his training? Where did Shakespeare?
One man works his lifetime and does
nothing; another works with genius q
day and does all.