The Violin: Some Account of That Leading Instrument and Its Most Eminent Professors, from Its Earliest Date to the Present Time; with Hints to Amateurs, Anecdotes, etc.Dubourg, George
History
The Violin: Some Account of That Leading Instrument and Its Most Eminent Professors, from Its Earliest Date to the Present Time; with Hints to Amateurs, Anecdotes, etc.
Dubourg, George
Violin; Violinists -- Biography
Amid the glare of the enchanter’s triumphs, it is pleasing to discover,
in a record of a concert given for the benefit of the poor, that the
cause of benevolence was not forgotten;—nor will it be uninteresting to
bestow a moment’s attention on the following little anecdote, which
certainly reveals something not unlike a heart:—
One day, while walking in the streets of Vienna, Paganini saw a poor
boy playing upon his violin, and, on entering into conversation with
him, found that he maintained his mother, and an accompaniment of little
brothers and sisters, by what he picked up as an itinerant musician.
Paganini immediately gave him all the money he had about him; and then,
taking the boy’s violin, commenced playing, and, when he had got
together a crowd, pulled off his hat, and made a collection, which he
gave to the poor boy, amid the acclamations of the multitude.
The following fact will give some idea of the hearty love of music, the
real _dilettantism_, prevailing among the peasants of Germany. In the
autumn of 1829, Paganini was summoned to perform before the Queen
Dowager of Bavaria, at the Castle of Tegernsee, a magnificent residence
of the Kings of Bavaria, situated on the banks of a lake. At the moment
when the concert was about to begin, a great bustle was heard outside.
The Queen, having enquired the cause, was told that about sixty of the
neighbouring peasants, informed of the arrival of the famous Italian
violinist, were come, in the hope of hearing some of his notes, and
requested that the windows should be opened, in order that _they_ also
might enjoy his talent. The Queen went beyond their wishes, and, with
truly royal good nature, gave orders that they should all be admitted
into the saloon, where she had the pleasure of marking their
discernment, evidenced by the judicious manner in which they applauded
the most striking parts of the performance.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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