Scan 61
Musical Courier 1893-09-27: Vol 27 Iss 707, 1893
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11690, and was lost sight of until fifty years ago, when it was brought to light from the lumber room of a gentleman's residence. The instrument owes its remarkable state of preservation to its obscurity. All the great violinists of the last half century have tested its wondrous powers.
3An offer of $12,000 for the fiddle used by Paganini was refused a short time ago by the city of Genoa. W. E. Colton made the proposition.
5J. B. Triplett, of this city, ranks with the highest of the land as a collector of violins. For 25 years Mr. Triplett has devoted a large portion of his time to a scientific study of the instrument from specimens of the old makers. His knowledge of the intricacies relating to the subject is remarkable. The writer never met any person who could talk violin equal to Mr. Triplett. Judging by the tests laid down by acknowledged European authorities the Triplett collection embraces a companion violin to the Guarnerius of Paganini.
7This is a startling announcement, coming from a region which was a few years ago upon the frontier of the great West.
9How such a treasure—bearing date 1700 and every mark of genuineness—could have escaped the experts is a question for the fraternity at some future day to decide. If the fiddle is what it appears to be it is worth in the open market $5,000 to $10,000.
11Mr. Meyer, the well-known 'cellist of the Hungarian orchestra, has a lovely old German 'cello, with which he delights the audience when upon the program for a solo. The instrument is recognized as one of the finest of its kind in the country.
13Another lover of fine violins is Fritz Thies. In earlier years Mr. Thies was quite an executant on the violin, and as an amateur has few equals in Denver to-day. He has three or four violins of rare tone and worth.
15Mr. Stark, leader of the Hungarian orchestra, has an imitation Maggini 50 years old. Every music lover of Denver can attest to the delightful quality of tone and great carrying power of this instrument in the hands of such a master.
17Professor Lehmann takes great pride in a noble specimen of the violin maker's art which he introduces at his performances. The instrument is pronounced by the professor and the experts as a genuine Guarnerius. It is valued at $8,000, but $5,000 would not tempt its owner to give up his pet fiddle.
19Another genuine product of the masters is the property of Professor Paul Stoeving. The instrument—an Amati—is a perpetual source of inspiration and joy to its talented owner, who is one of the most graceful and finished violinists in the United States. There is no more pleasing treat than a solo from Professor Stoeving.
21Professor Horst, first violinist of the Broadway Theatre Orchestra, plays upon an Amati or a Guarnerius as fancy happens to strike him, and Mike Harris, a leading amateur player, shows to his friends with pride an instrument with an old Amati belly and a back of modern manufacture. The two parts were wedded together by Gemünder, of New York.
23Dr. Brinkhaus has several rare old fiddles for which he entertains the greatest respect.
25Col. H. B. Gillespie, of Aspen, is the owner of an instrument which is an heirloom of the family. "My father played on the violin for 45 years," said the colonel, "and his five sons and two daughters all took their first violin lessons on the old fiddle. There is no money that could buy it."
27Colorado possesses an ideal climate for the manufacture of musical instruments. Violinists of the East taking up their residence in this State find their instruments coming apart or cracking after a few months in the dry atmosphere of the Rocky Mountain region. As a result it is found necessary to send the violins to the repairer. It is claimed that if the wood were seasoned by the natural process in the warm, dry Colorado atmosphere, instead of being baked in ovens of the factories in the moist climates near the sea level, the ideal conditions of Northern Italy would be regained. G. W. Fisk, a citizen of Greeley and a member of the original Greeley colony, arrived at this conclusion years ago, and has turned out a number of violins which are greatly appreciated by their owners. Being manufactured under the most favorable circumstances, the instruments are said to stand the changes of any climate of the world. Remenyi has one of Fisk's instruments in his collection, as has Mr. Joslin of this city.
29Is it not possible that the future violin factories of the globe will be located on the eastern slope of the great Rocky Mountain divide?
31The forests of Italy, which furnished the timber for the Cremonese workshops, have long since disappeared, and with them went the secrets of the Cremona varnish and the art of the seventeenth century violin makers.
33In all other instruments America leads the world, and it is a question in many minds whether the high-class violins of leading American manufacturers are not equal to the renowned Italian models. In the opinion of Denver musicians who have given the subject consideration the next important step in the modern development of the violin will be the establishment of a manufactory upon a permanent basis in Colorado.—Denver "News."
35The Popularity of the Banjo.
36(Second paper.)
37By S. S. Stewart.
39As I stated in a previous article, my correspondence with banjo students and those interested in the banjo, in various parts of the United States and other countries, is large and varied. Most of the letters received are intelligently written, and to conduct such correspondence is quite a pleasure; but, as in every other business and profession, there are "cranks," "know-it-alls" and "would-be inventors" to be met with at times, and the letters received from such sources are sometimes rarely original and amusing.
41There is doubtless a vast number of patents issued by the department at Washington on so-called improvements in musical instruments of one kind or another that never reach the public, but die a natural death shortly after the patents are granted. Some of these "improvements" are practically worthless; others perhaps possessing more or less merit.
43There are constantly "cranks" turning up with inventions that are to startle the world, and each aspiring inventor has the idea that it is only necessary to secure a patent and his fortune is made. Those who have never been brought into direct contact with this sort of thing would scarcely credit many letters which I could produce as being genuine, but would be inclined to class them as "Bill Nye" funnyisms, or amusing stories concocted for the comic columns of some musical publication for the amusement of its readers. The letter from which I make the following extract, however, I can assure the readers of THE MUSICAL COURIER is entirely genuine. Withholding the name and address of the writer, I give it as nearly verbatim as possible. It was received but a short time since, and the writer was quite indignant that the great merits of his invention were not at once acknowledged and praised by your humble correspondent. Here it is:
45I have been playing on the old banjo for the last seventeen years, here in this place, until six weeks ago, when part of my house caught fire and I lost my banjo with it. It was an old Clarke, made with a 12 1/2 inch head.
47I have been trying to see ever since how I could get another instrument. I drove into town last week and stopped at a music store, and they had your make there, but I could not pay $30 for one. The store man gave me your address.
49I light up all the lamps around here, and my salary won't allow of my buying a fancy banjo, although my old banjo was a much louder tone than the one I saw in the store for $30.
51I started to work when I got back home, and I will try and explain to you what I did, so you will clearly know what I would like your
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