Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1907-03-29
Skovgaard's TloHn.

son, Wisconsin, paper concerning
Skovgaard's famous instruments:
"In the circulars announcing the
Skovgaard concert to be given at lib
rary hall next Thursday evening,
there is a statement to the effect that
Mr.. Skovgaard possesses a stradivar-
iuS violin for which he paid $4,000.
AS this seemed a fabulous price, Pro-
fessor Julius Olson, who is assisting
the Nora Samlag in arranging the
concert, wrote Mr.. Skovgaard for in
formation concerning his violin, and
ter under date of February l3, from
Chicago"
"In reply to your inquiry concern
ing my violin. l may say that it has a
really interesting history. 1T was kept
a long time in museum in London,
but belonged TO a Spanish family in
Madrid. | saw it in London, and
wrote Immediately to the owner, who
replied that he was willing to sell it
for 81, 900 marks (about $4,000 Before
buying the instrument | went to see
the most famous violin makers in
Europe to hear their opinion of it.
The unanimous verdict was that 1t
was one Of the best instruments in
existence, and was worth more than
the price asked for it. Hammig in
Berlin was willing to give.60, 900 marks
(abOut 10000, Gand g. Bernadel in
Paris offered $4,000 francs about
S14, ,OOO). With this sort of assurance
/ was not indisposed to pay the Span
iard's price, and wrote him to that
effect, but was Immediately informed
that he had reconSidered and did not
care to sell. | put the matter into
the hands of an attorney, and as our
nature of a contract. | secured legal
possession of the violin.
1.-The violin is marked 'AntOniuS
StradivariaS, CremOna, Faciebat An
no l712. In book on the history OF
the violin | find the following story:
In I'LL StradivariuS lost his son ONO
bono and was so overcome with sorrow
that for year he had no ambition to
work. Then it tchanced that he found
an unusually fine piece Of violin tim
ber. This gave him the necessary in
spiration totake up his tools again.
From this piece of timber he made
between thirty and forty of his best
violins. Upon the completion of the
first violin made from tile choicest
bit Of wood in this timber, he was Sc
pleased with his work that he refused
TO sell it in spite of magnificent offers
from royal perSOnageS, having decided
to keep it in memory Of his son ONO
bono.
''Stradivarius had a pupil, still fam
Gus, BergOnzi by name, whose viOllnS
today bring from $1,000 to 81, 600. Ber
gonzi was engaged to marry a young
| woman by the name of Clema Pun
gieri at that time well known as q
viOliniSt. She saw the memorial VIC
| lin and was anxious to get possession
of it. AS Bergonzi could not persuade
Stradivarius to part with it she broke
her engagement. But one day it was
discovered that the violin had disap
peared. StradivariuS never suspected
Clema Pungieri; but Bergonzi wa:
certain that it was she who had taker
it from Stradivarius' sleeping cham
ber. StradivariuS mourned the los
of his violin for several years. Ther
one day boy entered the workshop
and asked BergOnZi to accompany hin
which he did. The boy led the wa.
to miserable attic chamber, wher
Bergonzi found his former betrothet
in great poverty. She had sent TO
him to give up the violin. She, tolc
him that some months previously Sh
the wrist of her right hand in an at
tempt to take the violin from higl
drawer where she had kept it conceal
ed. The violin was unharmed, bu
she had been punished for her theft
as she could no more play the viOli
and thus earn her living. She nov
asked BergOnZi to return it to Strad
iivariuS.
''When Clema Pungieri stole th'
violin it was not quite finished. l
lacked sounding post an indication
that it had never been strung. No
did it have sounding-post when
got possession of it. Tastieri, VIII
about 135 years ago travelled through
all Europe and bought up or stole oil
violins sold it to the Spanish famil
to which l have referred, in who's
home it remained until the hous,
was destroyed by fire, when the violiI
was transferred to the British Mus
cum, where | found it. So far as
have been able to ascertain it hat
until / got it. No one had ever hear
it. Like Briar Rose in the fair.
story, it had been asleep and dream
ing for nearly 200 years,-dreamins
of the golden Italian sun which ha
dried its lacquered coat. 1t seemed
as new and fresh as if it had just lef
the masters hand. | was the first t.
awake it's divine voice. / am tn
only one that has played upon il
Since / became the posseSsor of it i
has been only in my hands, as | pei
nit no one to touch it-a promise
made to my father. Cordially your:
"Axel Skovgaard. y
At Augustana College Chapel, Tue!
day evening, April 2nd.