The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-11-17
DE CZEKE AND HIS VIOLIN; . sTT
 ROMANCE IN REAL LIFE
Complete Story of the Aged Musician, His Travels, His Loves, His Wonderful Talent and
 His Beautiful Death.

capital Fs intertwined Francois de France). The second is of the year 1511 and is owned in Aix la Chapelle. It has on its back the picture of beautiful Ma donna and infant Jesus, in oil, belived to be by Leonardo da Vinci. The third of 1514 is owned by Professor Francalucei' of Bologna. The fourth, dated 1515. belongs to the violin maker Charot of London. The fifth also of l515, was formerly owned In AiX la Chapelle by an old artist who only played on it at the musical masses of the cathed dral. The sixth is now in the possession of Duke Nicholas Jussupow, of St. Petersburg. It is called treasury violin" The sides are ornamented with inscriptions in gilt and the back with a beautiful painting
 The seventh of these violins belonged to a French nobleman, officer of the army or navy. who was In Sieur de Bienville's expedition to search for the mouth of the Mississippi and settlement of Lower Lou isiana during the reign of Louis XIV. This violin came to this country in that manner and has been here ever since. It has been in the South since 1734, and Mir. Sternfeld is now assured that the violin owned by Professor de Czeke at the time of his death is this seventh violin. It has the likeness head of the maker as a scroll, the picture of an old town inlaid in rich wood on the back and on the sides the Latin inscription "Viva fui in sylvus. dunn vixi tacui mortua duca cano." (Once I lived in the forests alive; then I was silent now that I am dead sing sweetly). This violin bears the inim- ltable characteristics of age and genuine ness and the quality and volume of its | tone is marvellous.
 This quaint old violin was purchased by Professor Czeke years ago from J. W. Ferre, who al one time resided in Forrest | Miss. The great musician was attracted ] to its superiority If he knew of its pre- viou5 history, he did not tell 1t. He knew that on one occa sion it needed re- pair and Ferre wrote to Joseph Bohman, | the velebrated violin-maker of Chicago, describing the ins trument- Bohman wrote to Ferre:
 Your violin is a Defenbronir He was one of the first known makers-before Gaspard de Salo and others. It ia quite valuable but could not put a price on it."
 Experts who have since seen the re- markable instrument declare that it is even more precious than if 1t had been made by Defenbronir.
 The antiquated violin is not alone in the esteem of expert violinists There are four other old violins of superior manu-
 facture along with it In the vaults of
 the Montgomery bank. One of these in- tstruments is built upon the lines of the
 
 one of the celebrated makers of the | world. Another violin of rare tone and l manufacture is "Gemunda," made in
 Wien by Carl Zach.
 | The Defenbronir. or Duiffopruggar vio- lin is the instrument which has already
 attracted the attention of the world, and
 it is the violin that Professor Czeke loved. It is the violin that he tenderly took from
 its beautiful case when he was called | upon to play in public. It was the instru-
 ment that he hae in his hands when
 death called for him and his soul went
 away.
 Death of de Czeke.
 The hand of great artist could not | have wrought a picture so beautiful as 1 was the death of Professor CZeke. It was | the night of December 8, 1900 A score l or more of Montgomery musicians had
 assembled in the studio of Professor Rob | ert Eilenberg, himself a musician of 1 note, to listen to a recital. Professor Czeke was to play The musicians who were his warm friends had assembled to listen rapturously to the soft, lute-like | strains that they had been taught the venerable master alone of all Alabamians could wiring from the instrument. | There was stand filled with big
 punches of red carnations. near by | grand piano and out in front an audience | or sympathetic souls The great artist,
 who had played while Ernest and Ole Buil had applauded in the years that had
 
 1usted his bow. Softly, sweetly he played | a sonata, one of the compositions of his
 friend Professor Eilenberg. The music was transcendently beautiful and the cul- \ tured audience repeatedly applauded, Then Professor Czeke resumed his seat. | A piano solo by one of his friends fol-
 lowed and then there were calls for Pro- | lessor Czeke again.
 l Slowly, perhaps feebly his great years weighing upon him. the grand old vir tuoso made his way again to the plat form. An Inspiration seemed to seize him. He selected one of the most difficult num- l bers. He drew his bow across the instru- ment There was hesitation. The steady | hand trembled: there was a second of dlscord. a gasp from the throat of the whlte-halred master and then his stall wart figure fell into the arms of one of | his friends. The string of life had snap ped The companion of the marvellous old violin had gone to another world | He died in the atmosphere of his art. among the flowers with his sweetheart his violin-in his hands. just as he would have died. He had often described to his | friends the death of his friend the great Remenyi, a noted violinst who was sud l denly taken away while playing before great audience. To those who in the sweet communion of confding friendship he had talked of the end which he knew was soon to come to one of his years, he had said that he bowed his head in pray CT each evening and besought his Great God to send His angel while he was rest ing among the music and the flowers. His tragic but beautiful death reminded these friends that his prayer had been answered and that the call had come from the gates of Heaven.
 His Life While Here.
 Owing to his extreme modesty which almost approaching tacturnity little was known of the career of Professor Czeke until many months after his death Then Mir. Sternfeld, who had been appointed special administrator of his estate, found a sketch of his life written by his own hand Evidently this sketch was not com pIeted as it did not trace his career in the United States.
 The aged musician came to Montgomery from Georgia about eight years ago upon the earnest solicitation of many Mont gomery musicians. He was of the true Hungarian disposition and had lived the life of a nomad. He was gifted beyond the gifts of few men. Music was his pro fession and to his profession he gave his and could speak and write his own Hun garian, German, French, Spanish and English. His native talent was early rec ognized after he came to Montgomery and he had pupils from every musical house. hold in Montgomery. He not only taught music and languages but he taught his pupils that 1t was a still higher and grander thing to live an upright, honest and honorable life
 Professor Czeke drew about him strong friends who were loyal and loving. He counted among these friends those per sons who are recognized as the cultured musicians of Montgomery. He was re- ceiyed in their homes with the hospital itv that has made Montgomery famous And the homeless, tender hearted con queror of nearly eighty years of hard