The Sunday herald and weekly national intelligencer., 1891-07-19


Glen Echo, where his violin playing has been
one of the most delightful features of the en-
tertainments In appearance vitale is of the
pure Italian type His hair is coal black, his
eyes large and full. His skin is fair and as he
plays with dropping lids the pink color comes
and goes in his cheeks. His genius for ex-
preston on the violin is wonderfully delicate.
His playing is the very essence of refined
musical effects. He makes his instrument
utter every emotion. A more modest and
unassuming musician never appeared before
the public. He was pupil of Ole Bull and a
true son of genius who is worthy Of compari-
son with his distinguished master When
Ole Bull first heard him in concert at Hart
ford, Conn.,, he invited the confidence of the
then boy OF fifteen, and offered to be his
teacher, seeing what possibilities there were
in Vitale's style, so like his own, gift for in
depreciation. 1t was early in the morning, be-
fore the dew was of the grass, that HERALD
listening to the concert of Rogers band.
"Signor, will you tell me what made
you the kind Of musical interpreter that
you are?" was the first question of
the searcher after the central fires of this
musicians genius. You have hit upon the very
word, said he, ''that fits me. I am just and
above all things an interpreter. There are
many vfolfnists Of greater scope so far as
mechanical effects are concerned, than L am.
l feel everything / do, and | lose sight of
poser's mind as play. Take the 'Mocking-
bird, for instance feel that am in forest
and reproduce the effects l have heard there
which the author of the piece wishes to pro-
duce upon others. Hence, / interpret his
mood. L take his written motive and ! i'm
provise thousand wildwood notes, whistles,
calls or sounds that have heard all attuned
to his keynote. L once not only greatly af-
fected an audience by my Interpretation of
"Rock OF Ages" but it converted me from
mental state OF unrest and doubt as to religion,
to one OF assured belief and repose of mind.
1t was in Brooklyn in DR.. Goodenough's
church, and it was crowded On striking the
chords seemed to go out Of myself and as in
vision saw heavenly host OF sweet singers,
and heard great organs, horns and harps all
attuned in perfect harmony, each one dis
tinctly articulate to my wondering sense; and
in the midst of the radiant presence of the
Divine Master The tears flowed down my
cheeks as | played, and on conclusion
saw that the vast audience were
also swayed by wave of emotion had
responded, and on going behind the sreensI
found DR.. Talmage, Dr. Abbott and DR..
Goodenough all shedding tears. DR.. Tai
mage said to me: what power have you got
over that violin to make it say what no other
thing ever did for us''
"Tell me something of your relations with
Ole BullP,
~ frat met him in Hartford, Conn, where
went with my father, who was musician,
to play in concert. Ole Bull heard me with
kind of rapturous appreciation I had never
seen in any one before. He at once adopted
me as his pupil. l was an interpreter like
himself, he said, and while l at DO period
spent much time with him, he was always my
teacher when we met. Hook upon him as my
great master In art. We both were touched
In our Imagination by the music we played.
l like to take some simple air that everybody
knows, and then to make it say all song can
OF life-loye, longing, disappointment, sorrow,
and then back to hope, Joy, or exultation; or,
1T may be, ending in the softest and sweetest
of far away strains. But that all sounds SO
different from the way feel it. / never can
turn myself inside out for Inspection, for
improyise so spontaneously that it is difficult
to tell how produce some of my best effects
But when ! do not feel them neither does my
audience. The appreciation of an audience
touches my heart. musician that is not
sensitively responsive is an utter impossible
ity. | practice best alone, away from all dis
tracing sound or care-even out in the woods
is better than in a crowd" E. l.. s.