The Topeka state journal., 1905-02-25
YSAYE AT HOME.
Frederick Demands Graphic
Story of Visit to GOdinne.
The Noted YiOlinist Leads a
Happy Existence.
HIS ECCENTRICITIES.
Indifferent to Money andCharges
Almost PrOhibitive Prices.
The Belgian YirtuOsO Resem bles
the Composer Beethoven.
ECCENTRICITIES.
[By Frederick Miles Bernardo

ny EIGderlck Miles Bernardo
Ysaye, the great violinist, is an ad-
vocate of the simple life" The
musical temperament is not usually
domestic, but Ysaye is a decided ex-
ception to the rule.
In the little Belgian village of
Godinne, just south of Brussels, a few
hours ride from the scene of the
famous battle of Waterloo, Ysaye lives
an almost secluded life, surrounding
by his beautiful and accomplished
family.
It is really a remarkable thing that
the most distinguished violinist of this
day. who has had showered upon him
honors and awards from kings and
princes-who could command a pal
ace in any of the European capitals
is content to dwell in a little country
village.
When you first meet Ysaye you are
impressed with his childlike sim
pliclty.
The musical genius" is not as a
rule backward in coming forward with
regard to his own accomplishments.
he surrounds himself with a halo of
personal self sufhciency which 1t is i'm
possible to penetrate. But Ysaye is
too great a musician-music is too
large a part of his compassionate
descend TO petty conceit.
Most musicians and writer's hasten
to inform you at the first meeting Of
their professional Zine" They talk
shop at every turn, and If in conver-
sation you suggest general topic they
steer the talk around until it fits into
their special lives.
OF course Ysaye's remarkable per-
SOna1ty at once suggests that he is an
artist First, however, before being a
violintst, he is a simple, kindly man,
ready and willing to take an interest
in your affairs rather than his own
He Resembles Beethoven.
The appearance of YSaye is truly
remarkab bic. Looking at him full in
The face with his massive head. some
what womanly forehead and clear-cut
features, you at once recall Beethoven.
He is a man of enormous stature and
yet there is nothing disproportionate
about it.
It is as impossible to describe the
playing of any one on the violin as it
to convey to anOther's mind an ac-
To describe in detail Rubens' Descent !
From the Cross is as futile as it would
be to reproduce the painting itself. |
You can only say it is great It is i'm
pressive. You have to see it, to feel I
#. in order to understand it.
1t is the same with Ysaye's playing |
There is something in IL that is satisfy I
Ing beyond words. It is trite to say
that the instrument in his hands is a |
thing alive This means nothing. Few |
things of life can talk soul to soul as /
intellect.
The serene life led by Ysaye in the
little Belgian village, tucked away
amid the mountains, enables him to |
convey to his hearers heart to heart |
talks with nature Before the first
rays of the sun have shown them |
selves above the mountains that sur !
round his home the great musician
WenGs his way every morning to the
little stream that runs through the
village Of GOdinne-
One of his delights is angling, and,
long before any one is stirring in his
household, often as early as o'clock
a m, he may be seen sitting in his
boat initiating Isaak Walton.
Il love to be up at that wonderful
early hour" he said to the writer on
the occasion of a recent visit to him
in his mountain retreat. ''I love to
see the mists rising from the river
They dance and move and CULVER in
symphony I compose melodies for
their motions. Many and many an in
spirat1on comes to me at this early,
cool morning hour before the stars
have paled in the sky
Not even a bird has awakened then
and absolute silence. save for the rip
pie of the water under the prov of
my little boat, brings to me thoughts
that never come at any other time;
thoughts that I can only express again.
not through the medium of words, but
through that of my VIOLIN
Ysaye is not a man who cares much
TO talk about himself The story of
his life is more or less hidden-per-
haps mysterious. There are some
phases of it which he has not told to
any man. There was a period when
Ysaye almost starved He threw
little light on this early period of his
career in the course of our interview
MY father was a musician-a good
musician said Ysaye, but somehow
or other he never seemed to receive
the reward might say. the great re-
ward-that his merit deserved. For
many years he dwelled in a little Ger
man village. where he made a pre-
cariOus livelihood playing in the or
chestra and occasionally conducting
concerts in surrounding towns
1.-The name Ysaye, while not a Pc
culiar one. is a very old one. Its
origin is more or less dubious, but I