Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-05-05
FIDDLE IN FETTEps
Ole Bulls Famous Violin. Ma.
by Cellini, Carefully pys
served in Norway.

In Norway a violin is locked in MI.
UP for life, like many other nrsas,oa
| specimens OF art, separated fro,,. 'Oeesa
moner treasures, and wrapped 4. 0Vh-
| majesty Of its history. II is waitins w
| haps, to be played again. hut isi ger
! probably walt in vain Though ,,s Val
| guardians have been appointed ~ s.v nv
| Its interests, it still remains sIte,,, a'A
rests, bolted securely In a steel css. sna
hind the doors of Bergen's yestjiss,'s.e se
! Kunstlndustri Museum. It's tones n.,s
| once thrilled the attentive audience "nea
delighted connoisseurs for centuries ~
! died away, probably forever. for' ns{s .
| the death of Ole Bull no other v,o,ts.1a
however great his reputation. has aslt
n bow across Its strings. and ian, ~
| decreed that such shall be the case ,usl ~.
| the end of time. Seals, parchmenfs aa .ss
| signatures have tied 1t down ~ NJ
| leaving IL a speeches. prisoner in 49,
| proof Vatican. There It lies. its va,.il.
| blackened by centuries, a grim. naiss.,l
relic of the italian Renaissance ny.
scroll, with its intricate carving ana ~
| cate coloring, fashioned by none AN.
than the great Celllni, and the NJ.
| made by Gaspar de Salo, are hidden 49,
| the light, and protected from the rIs,,,
of heat and cold, to be shown to M,
NJ.
| violin, which many an expert has caIsi
| the finest Of all such instruments b,..
| found its resting place far from its rist
ian home where 1t was made 300 yss,
| ago, secured, moreover by red tar
| which is calculated to prevent its avs
travelling again.
| Yet time has been when 1t was loct.a
away before, but escaped despite the =
| monstrances of its Eaolers, Long befor.
ole Bulls technique raised him to M,
heights of the mighty the dingy mastt,,
piece of Gaspar dc Salo had become !,
treasure beyond price, with past reach.
ing back into the days of the old italia,
masters. For decades 1t was a modal
| venerable piece of woodwork, beloneir,
to the aristocracy of fiddles, which mai.
ers of the violin were proud to follow
1t was made by the order of Cardinal N.I
dobrandinl, one of noble Roman famly
noted for its patronage of the fine ar,s
1t cost the Cardinal 5000 Neapolits,
ducats. no small sum even today. Lat.,
he presented his violin to the Innsbrutt
treasury, where 1t gradually gained 4
| reputation, and was heralded with th,
title of the Treasury Chamber Violin
There 1t stayed until the star of Napoeo
appeared. When the French took Inns
bruck in 1909 they took the violin also, ani
it was carried TO Vienna, where a wealthy
Bohemian, named Rhaczek, purchased Il
He owned a splendid collection Of raj,
violins, and the Gaspar de Salo- Benys
nuto Celini became his most preciou,
specimen. English, Russian and PoIA
! nohlemen offered him enormous prices to
| 1t, but Rhaczek always replied, Not 10,
| the price of half Vienna"
! In 1889 Rhaczek attended some conceri
| that Ole Bull gave in Vienna. met the y!o
| linist and became an enthusiastic ad.
mirer not only of his marvellous skill Al,
a player. but also of his wide and VARIED
knowledge of the violin as a piece o.
handlwork. Like the rich Bohemian, Oh
Bull had secured Europe for vions, ant
could recognize the Amati and Stradlva.
ius as well as the best collector He had
many talks with Rhaczelt, and their sym.
pathy in tastes and pursuits resulted in i
warm friendship. Though Rhaczek could
never bring himself to part with his "a.
| nous violin, he often promised Ole Bul
| preference over any man in the word,
should 1t ever leave his hands. Two years
| later RhaCzek died, and a letter from bIs
son told the Norwegian artist that Ria.
GEEK on his death bed had rememberei
| his promise. For a high price Ole Bull
purchased the Gaspar de Salo.
He seldom played it at concerts, for Id
| 'Os' 'i''"bh hiSlloW ana sweet, lackee
great power but he kept it with him al.
ways, knowing well its merits. Soma
time after Ole Bulls death the violin wsi
| given to the museum at Bergen according
| to the masters wish. There II is pre.
served as model, as the best means Of
perpetuatins its value. The deed of giit
Is what holds it prisoner with no loop.
hole for escape, for in the condition d
advice for every possible contngency.
Sara Bull, the wife of the violinst pre-.
sented the violin, and her instruction.
nave been followed with religious care
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