Great Violinists And Pianists | Page 2

Birth of the Greatest of Violinists.--His Mother's
Dream.--Extraordinary Character and Genius.--Heine's Description of
his Playing.--Leigh Hunt on Paganini.--Superstitious Rumors current
during his Life.--He is believed to be a Demoniac.--His Strange
Appearance.--Early Training and Surroundings.--Anecdotes of his
Youth.--Paga-nini's Youthful Dissipations.--His Passion for
Gambling.--He acquires his Wonderful Guarnerius Violin.--His Reform
from the Gaming-table.--Indefatigable Practice and Work as a Young
Artist.--Paganini as a Preux Chevalier.--His Powerful Attraction for
Women.--Episode with a Lady of Rank.--Anecdotes of his Early Italian
Concertizing.--The Imbroglio at Ferrara.--The Frail Health of
Paganini.--Wonderful Success at Milan where he first plays One of the
Greatest of his Compositions, "Le Streghe."--Duel with
Lafont.--Incidents and Anecdotes.--His First Visit to Germany.--Great
Enthusiasm of his Audiences.--Experiences at Vienna, Berlin, and other
German Cities.--Description of Paganini, in Paris, by Castil-Blaze and
Fetis.--His English Reception and the Impression made.--Opinions of
the Critics.--Paganini not pleased with England.--Settles in Paris for
Two Years, and becomes the Great Musical Lion.--Simplicity and
Amiability of Nature.--Magnificent Generosity to Hector Berlioz.--The

Great Fortune made by Paganini.--His Beautiful Country Seat near
Parma.--An Unfortunate Speculation in Paris.--The Utter Failure of his
Health.--His Death at Nice.--Characteristics and
Anecdotes.--Interesting Circumstances of his Last Moments.--The
Peculiar Genius of Paganini, and his Influence on Art.
DE BÉRIOT.
De Bériot's High Place in the Art of the Violin and Violin Music.--The
Scion of an Impoverished Noble Family.--Early Education and Musical
Training.--He seeks the Advice of Viotti in Paris.--Becomes a Pupil of
Robrechts and Baillot successively.--De Bériot finishes and perfects his
Style on his Own Model.--Great Success in England.--Artistic Travels
in Europe.--Becomes Soloist to the King of the Netherlands.--He meets
Malibran, the Great Cantatrice, in Paris.--Peculiar Circumstances which
drew the Couple toward Each Other.--They form a Connection which
only ends with Malibran's Life.--Sketch of Malibran and her
Family.--The Various Artistic Journeys of Malibran and De
Bériot.--Their Marriage and Mme. de Bériot's Death.--De Bériot
becomes Professor in the Brussels Conservatoire.--His Later Life in
Brussels.--His Son Charles Malibran de Bériot.--The Character of De
Bériot as Composer and Player.
OLE BULL.
The Birth and Early Life of Ole Bull at Bergen, Norway.--His Family
and Connections.--Surroundings of his Boyhood.--Early Display of his
Musical Passion.--Learns the Violin without Aid.--Takes Lessons from
an Old Musical Professor, and soon surpasses his Master.--Anecdotes
of his Boyhood.--His Father's Opposition to Music as a
Profession.--Competes for Admittance to the University at
Christiania.--Is consoled for Failure by a Learned Professor.--"Better be
a Fiddler than a Preacher."--Becomes Conductor of the Philharmonic
Society at Bergen.--His first Musical Journey.--Sees Spohr.--Fights a
Duel.--Visit to Paris.--He is reduced to Great Pecuniary
Straits.--Strange Adventure with Vidocq, the Great Detective.--First
Appearance in Concert in Paris.--Romantic Adventure leading to
Acquaintance.--First Appearance in Italy.--Takes the Place of De

Bériot by Great Good Luck.--Ole Bull is most enthusiastically
received.--Extended Concert Tour in Italy and France.--His _Début_
and Success in England.--One Hundred and Eighty Concerts in Six
Months.--Ole Bull's Gaspar di Salo Violin, and the Circumstances
under which he acquired it.--His Answer to the King of Sweden.--First
Visit and Great Success in America in 1848.--Attempt to establish a
National Theatre.--The Norwegian Colony in Pennsylvania.--Latter
Years of Ole Bull.--His Personal Appearance.--Art Characteristics.
MUZIO CLEMENTI.
The Genealogy of the Piano-forte.--The Harpsichord its Immediate
Predecessor.--Supposed Invention of the Piano-forte.--Silbermann the
First Maker.--Anecdote of Frederick the Great.--The Piano-forte only
slowly makes its Way as against the Clavichord and
Harpsichord.--Emanuel Bach, the First Composer of Sonatas for the
Piano-forte.--His Views of playing on the New Instrument.--Haydn and
Mozart as Players.--Muzio Clementi, the Earliest Virtuoso, strictly
speaking, as a Pianist.--Born in Rome in 1752.--Scion of an Artistic
Family.--First Musical Training.--Rapid Development of his
Talents.--Composes Contrapuntal Works at the Age of Fourteen.--Early
Studies of the Organ and Harpsichord.--Goes to England to complete
his Studies.--Creates an Unequaled Furore in London.--John Christian
Bach's Opinion of Clementi.--Clementi's Musical Tour.--His Duel with
Mozart before the Emperor.--Tenor of Clementi's Life in
England.--Clementi's Pupils.--Trip to St. Petersburg.--Sphor's Anecdote
of Him.--Mercantile and Manufacturing Interest in the Piano as Partner
of Collard.--The Players and Composers trained under Clementi.--His
Composition.--Status as a Player.--Character and Influence as an
Artist.--Development of the Technique of the Piano, culminating in
Clementi.
MOSCHELES.
Clementi and Mozart as Points of Departure in Piano-forte
Playing.--Moscheles the most Brilliant Climax reached by the Viennese
School.--His Child-Life at Prague.--Extraordinary Precocity.--Goes to
Vienna as the Pupil of Salieri and Albrechtsburger.--Acquaintance with

Beethoven.--Moscheles is honored with a Commission to make a Piano
Transcription of Beethoven's "Fidelio."--His Intercourse with the Great
Man.--Concert Tour.--Arrival in Paris.--The Artistic Circle into which
he is received.--Pictures of Art-Life in Paris.--London and its Musical
Celebrities.--Career as a Wandering Virtuoso.--Felix Mendelssohn
becomes his Pupil.--The Mendelssohn Family.--Moseheles's Marriage
to a Hamburg Lady.--Settles in London.--His Life as Teacher, Player,
and Composer.--Eminent Place taken by Moscheles among the
Musicians of his Age.--His Efforts soothe the Sufferings of Beethoven's
Death-bed.--Friendship for Mendelssohn.--Moscheles becomes
connected with the Leipzig Conservatorium.--Death in
1870.--Moscheles as Pianist and Composer.--Sympathy with the Old as
against the New School of the