Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1883-06-13
Some Things ia tie life Of Pogenini.

| Aodfu III Obnef UdyS, SdIu OtSdnIuS III
duced by few we'll struck chords on an
old violin in the next room. Suddenly
there was sharp twang and cry.
| 'I'll take it to Uncle Paul, these strings
are all of them quite worn out"
The sight of the battered instrument did
not dissipate the musical rehearsal going
on in Uncle Paurs brain.
| 81 wish you would tell US about it, said
Arthur. fixing his blue eyes on the white
| bearded face.
| "Of course he WILL" exclaimed Jess, she
promised, throwing his cap across the hall
of the arm chair"
| promised! What did I promise? asked
| Uncle Paul rousing up and running his
fingers through the tangle of white hair.
| promised to tell US where you got it,
and who played on 1t. 1 mean Paganini,
and how he drew music out of one string,
as four, l say, I'd like to know how it was
DONE" rung out in bright, boyish fashion.
| "Paganini lived a good while ago." said
Arthur, 'it amt likely Uncle Paul knows
much about him.
|
u.s." rejoined Jess turning his soft brown
| eyes to the bearded face.
| IF, [ tell you of Paganini it will only be
what 1 have gathered from Others" was
said gently.
But you have seen his violin real
| Stradinarius, or was it Guarnerius, the
| one you told US about when you came back
from Genoa?"
Jess was not to be put aside and Uncle
Paul said,
I'm Genoa everyone is proud to relate
some incident of the Maestro. In his
ninth year he appeared at a
| concert and astonished everyone
with variations on well known
French air. Up to this time his father
had used unusual severity; nor was he Gag
er to employ tutors in order that the ge-
MUS of his boy might be developed into
so many golden ducats, At Parma lived
the musician Rolla. To Rolla was the lad
taken, but the Maestro was ILL., Picking
up violin that was leaning against the
wal in the anteroom the little Nicolo
played at sight some difficult music which
he found on the table. The composer
raised up in bed to listen, and eagerly in
quired who the great violinist could be?
X
was the answer; but on the fathers ex-
planning that the lad was there to take les
sons, Rolla at once informed HIM that he
could teach him nothing. Afterward we
do not find that Nicolo owed anything to
teachers, his indomitable perseverance and
his incessant study united to his wonder
fnl genius led him to the very acme of
musical composition and execution.
For ten or twelve hours he would try
passages over and over, ard in different
ways with such intensity, that at nightfall
he would sink into utter prostration through
exhaustion and fatigue. When ten he
wrote twenty four pages, and composed
some violin music of such difficulty, that
he was unable to play it, until practice
gave him the mastery.
At fourteen the youthful prodigy pro-
ceeded to Lucca, where a musical festival
in honor of st. Martin was going on. He
there gave concerts, and was everywhere
received with applause. With plenty of
money the dark side of his character began
to show itself; with nothing but ambition
and his supreme musical genius, he broke
wildly away from all wise restraints. He
gambled-and lost, gave concerts and held
a plethoric purse. It is pleasant to think
that he gave largely to his parents, and
just as unpleasant to remember, that his
father claimed all and got it, by reason of
his minority"
Jess made a move that was decisive.
HE wouldn't if ne had me to deal WITH
flashing look over to Arthur.
''He seems to have run through the
whole gamut of wretchedness,'' continued
Uncle Paul. For we find him at one time
with nothing left but his Stradinarius, and
this he was on the point of selling"
For how much I WONDER exclaimed
Jess whose Indignation could not be kept
down.
Eighty pounds returned Uncle Paul.
''Whew! three hundred and twenty dol
lars for a violinr' exclaimed Jess.
Yes. but Stradinarius," Arthur breaks
in. three hundred and twenty where's
Your arithmetic"
''Nicolo loved his violin resumed IN
Gle Paul, to use his own words, Il had
disposed of all, my thirty francs were re-
duced to three. With this small remain S
of my capital played, and won one hun
dred and sixty francs. This amount saved
my violin, and restored my affairs, From
that time abjured gaming to which had
| sacrificed part of my youth, convin
ced that a gamester is an object
of contempt to all we'll regulated
minds" The violin he came so nearly los
ing was given him by Paslni the painter,
who on one occasion brought him a con-
certo of extraordinary difficulty and plac-
ing a fine Stradinarius in his hands said;
This instrument shall be yours if you
can play that concerto at first sight in a
mastery manner"
"If that is the case" replied Nicolo, you
may bid adieu to it, and playing it off at
once, he retained the violin.
Some years later, at Leghorn, being
again in great straits, he was obliged to
part with this same Stradinarius; but this
was the means of procuring him the favor
tie Guanerius, upon which he ever after
ward played. In his need, Monsieur Liv-
ron, distinguished amateur, lent him this
splendid instrument, and was SO enrap-
tured by his playing, that he exclaimed,
"Never will profane the strings that
your fingers have touched. It is to you
that my violin belongs"
The violin is still shown at Genoa
under glass case"
A pause ensued in which Jess fastened
to ask, if this was all Uncle Paul knew of
the man who could play upon one string,
4 g.,