Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1892-01-30
IDEAS OF A GENIUS
Edouard Remenyi, Renowned
violinist, Chats Socially.
HIS WONDERFUL OLD vIOLlNS
He Sees Mighty Strides Forward N
American Civilization Since His Last
Visit--News of the Hotels


table were scattered copies OF the
morning papers, Puck aud = railroad
edition of IngersolPs speeches.
"Ah, you are looking ~ that abom-
Unable copy of lngerroiip' exclaimed
the great musician. "fhe printing and
binding are dreadful. but. then, IFS In
gersoll. The worst printing IN the
world couldn't destroy the matches
beauty OF his sentences. III | could
play ON = violin the way that man
plays on the English language, Ishould
be the happlest OF men, and Remenyi
looked tendefly at the book and :hen
at MS TWO Stradeyariuses which rested
IN case in the corner.
"Can you see any improvement since
your last trip IN the musical taste OF
Americana" asked the reporter.
"Improyement7 That doesn't begin
to express 1t at all. 1t has made glgan-
tic jumps, and the improvement isn't
confined to music. Art, literature,
architecture, science, everything has
made wonderful progress. So far as
music is concerned, l would not have
dared to play some OF the numbers on
my other trip, that | now play. Why
one selection consists Of two numbers
by Chopin and one by Schubert. IL |
had played those three consecutive
numbers before an American audience
ten years ago, ] would have been put
IN the penitentary; or confined In
lunatc asylum q, the very least.
Buildings Improved.
The improvement in buIldlngsis what
strikes me as the most wonderful.
When was first IN Chicago, l played
in Mccormick S hall, and 1t was regu-
lar "murderer's den." The next time
was there played in Central Music
hall-a beautiful building. Now | am
to 60 to the Auditorium. have neve:
seen that, but am told that It is furn-
ished off in imitation ivory and gold.
The next time | come here l shall ex-
pect to find q building in Chicago fitted
up in real ivory and gold. When was
here before, they used TO SHOW me such
buildings as those"--pointlng to the
old block opposite the Morton-"and
say, Il tell you, We have some mighty
fine business blocks Just think. Why
they are marvelously ugly-miracul-
ously damnable | might say-sonie-
thing to scare delicate women and in
nocent children. But many of the
blocks going up now III these western
cities would be an ornament to any
city in the world"
Shows His Features.
In speaking Of the newspaper rumor
that he carried ailhis collection of vio-
Inns with him, Remenyi said:
ut Is grossly absurd. i carry two.
Just let me show them to you. They
are grand-magnificent. See that one
now. That IS Stradivarius without a
spot or blemish. 1t Is absolutely per-
feet. l found 1t in South Africa. A
Huguenot family earned it there when
they emigrated at the time of the Edict
of Nantes. The succeeding generations
did not play, and so the violin was
stored away. found it and brought II
hack. See that wood. 1t Is curly MA
pie, and where do you suppose it came
from? Nobody could ever guess. But
Stradiyarius made tho body OF his vio-
Inns from the oars OF Venetian galleys.
The wood had seasoned for years, per-
haps centuries, before Stradivarius used
1t. See that sounding board. 1t Is of
spruce. Stradiyarius was accustomed
to wander along the banks of the Po.
When he saw log that suited him he
would ask for it and take it home.
HIS judgment III selecting woods that
would harmonic i'll tune was wonder
ful, and produced the greatest violins
the world has ever see n, or may see."
Cannot BE Explained
"Can you offer aay explanation why
the vlolIns of Stradivarius surpass all
others IN toner inquired the reporter.
''No; | have heard men try to ex.
plain 1t, but no explanation can be
gwen. IL would be like trying to ex.
plain how Praxiteles could execute Ia:
magnificent Aphrodite Cnidus, or that
wonderful statne of Dionysus. II
would I've like showing how the delicate
touch of Phei6ias' chlsel formed the
Olymplan Zeus, wrought that greatest
of all works of ancient art, his Pallas
Athenc or carved the beautiful orna-
ments of the Parthenon. IL cannot be
explained. 1t wasn't art; 1t WAS God
given genius, and genius can never be
successfully inflated.
"That violin there is said to have al
intrinsic value of $1,000. That Is,
could sell 1t for that amount at any
time. But in reality. no estimate Car
DE placed upon lts Fatue. Like PIC
turc by Raphael OF Titan. IL destroyed
ii would be an irreparable loss, and
could never be replaced. II injured It
could not be repaired. To attempt iC
restore Il TO lis former condition would
he like attempting To restore 10 ths
Venus de Milo her last arms. Dviu,
MASTER
Chat With Col. Bliss OF Saginaw.
Col. A. T. Bliss, the we'll known 70
publicsn leader of the Saginaw Valley
was among the Knights 1emplar wh'
visited the city yesterday.
II had to run away from home Il
come" he tad. "rhls morning.
dldn't expect 10 come. but had som'
private business here, too, and so | de
clded ! ought 20 be here don't sec
any sena on duil tgnes here. Evcn