The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-06-13
.AntonIus stradIvarIus FecIt

stradIvarIus FecIt CremonaeI
This inscription upon the inside Of a |
violin may mean nothing at all or 1t may
mean that the instrument Is worth |
$4,000. There are "strads" and "Strads'
"a few genuine products Of the great
Italian maker and many thousand imita-
lions wholly worthless. So, too, there are
myriad Of violins inscribed with the names |
of other celebrated makers, instruments |
purporttng to be the work Of Brescian
Amati, Of Guarnerius, the elder; Of his
nephew, Antonio Giuseppe, of Stainer,
the Tyrolean, and Of all those thaumatur-
gists that have imprisoned souls in
wood
But Minneapolitans frequently enjoy,
without knowing it, the time blest voices
Of the old Italian instruments. One violin
cello and at least three violins Of au-
thenticated nobility are played by resi-
dents of this city.
Mr.. FIscher's Guarnerlus.
The cello has the most alluring history.
The instrument is owned by Carlo Fis-
cher, the cellist, whose artistic reputation
and achievements have recently enriched
the musical northwest. He tells the story
thus:
II never take my cello out into the
street, on my way to concert, without
feeling more nervous than a bachelor with
an armful of baby. I never cross street
until every bicycle, automobile and trot
ting horse has passed J never take my
cello into a crowded street car. I'd wait
for more room If I had to wait all night.
shouldn't mind a broken bone myself;
but If something were to break my 'cello,
where could I find an instrument that
understands my very soul? Why. this
cello responds to all my emotions. If I'm
cheerful, it is gay; if I'm sad, can hear
1t moan in sympathy as soon as touch
it with the bow. People may talk Of an
ideal marriage, but to musician"
Mr. Fischer had his arm about his cello.
He gazed down upon his broad, brown
face, and a musician, no doubt, would
have heard the plump strings signing.
| Its Old-Tlme Franks.
But our 'cellist was not always happily
mated. Seven years ago, at Frankfort
| on-the- Man, he continued, went into
| the store of an instrument maker. Old
| man Keller was shaking his fist at a
| cello. :Ach, du!' he cried, thou donkey!
Go! go! I tell you! you are no longer one
| of us! You have brought shame into the
family!' AS soon as the old gentleman
quieted down he told me that the cello
| might prove its rank, might be a king,
a kaiser if it cared to be, but every time
a purchaser came In with 10000 marks
and an offer to buy 1t, the old donkey
| would loosen a peg, or crack it's bridge,
or drop off some varnish. An English
man who wanted to pay the 10000 marks
had just brought the cello back for the
| sixth time on account of a defective
bridge. Keller was disguised. He said
I could have the thing" for 5000 marks
about s2,oo0-if cared to take 1t just as
it was and put up with it's tricks I
/ had heard Of the old cello 1t had been
/ played by a pupil Of my teachers at
Observation-Disclosures Cossman and Pro-
fessor Hugo Becker. And so I bought It,
/ TITS a wonderfully sensitive cello. II
:, it's played exactly in tune, you can fee
It's whole body vibrate with the spirit Of
the music. But if my finger touches the
string one-eighth of an inch from the
right spot, the cello loses its power. 1t is
} no longer sympathetic. You couldn't
notice 1t, but T feel it every time. It ha.
been trained to sing correctly and it hates
} a false note.
tits a Guarnerius. You can see the in
scription thru this F-hole-'Josephu.
Guarnerius, Fecit Cremonae, IT, TIL,
end Of the date is blotted but it was prob
ably some time in the first half Of thu
eighteenth century. Joseph, I believe
was a brother Of Antonio Giuseppe Guar;
: nerius. They were nephews Of Andrs
Guarnerius. All Of them lived at Gre
mona.
interesting History Learned.
tits an old instrument; the cracks shov
. that, and the peculiar varnish The,
don't make varn1sh like that now Thi
little hole thru the back is another proof
There was another hole, a foot highe
up, at the top Of the back, just below tn
neck; only the second hole is now file
with sealing wax. These holes were mad
for cord, SO that the cello could be hum
. from the neck Of a priest or monk in tn
. lYoli lott fny,o hot 11l T&o1i
used to have on all holy days. The
would put string band at the head of tn
: procession, and the man with the cell
couldn't march, Of course, and hold hi
instrument.
: But that wax has its own secret
0 never discovered it until last fall. wa
: praoticing over on Sixth street one after
y noon when Boston musician came In,
man that is one Of the American expert
on valuable stringed Instruments H
recognized my cello at once; said he
r been looking for it for several years; want
o ed to buy it, but wouldn't sell, Of course
a He knew all the marks on the cello. Els
:, pecially he pointed out the sealing wa,
: and made me see, for the first time, tn
d outline Of a crown in the wax and son,
of the letters Of the words, Ludovicu
1t Rex. He explained that my cello wa
n one Of quartet made by Joseph Guar
nerius-two violins, viola and the 'cell
It This quartet was perfectly matched In de
n sign and color and tone. All the instrl
: ments were really wonderful. They cam
) at last, somehow or other, into the HAND
J. of the late king of Bavaria, the mad Luc
y wig. He loved art and bought anythin
y artistic regardless Of cost. 1t Is his Sc
ID that's still on my cello. After his deaf
: some years ago, the instruments WEI
IS scattered, tho can't understand how tt
sr royal family permitted such thing. tt
z, cello, my Boston friend believes, w,
) given away by an officer Of the Bavaria
= court to poor student. I know this mue
q that the instrument was owned by III