In 1836 and 1837 Ole Bull gave one hundred and eighty concerts in
England during the space of sixteen months. By this time he had become
famous, and a mere announcement sufficed to attract large audiences.
Subsequently he visited successively every town of importance in Europe,
earning large amounts of money and golden opinions everywhere. For
a long time our artist used a fine Guarnerius violin and afterward a
Nicholas Amati, which was said to be the finest instrument of this make
in the world. But the violin which Ole Bull prized in latter years
above all others was the famous Gaspar di Salo with the scroll carved
by Benvenuto Cellini. Mr. Barnett Phillips, an American _littérateur_,
tells the story of this noble old instrument, as related in Ole Bull's
words:
"Well, in 1839 I gave sixteen concerts at Vienna, and then Rhehazek was
the great violin collector. I saw at his house this violin for the first
time. I just went wild over it. 'Will you sell it?' I asked. 'Yes,' was
the reply--'for one quarter of all Vienna.' Now Ehehazek was really as
poor as a church mouse. Though he had no end of money put out in the
most valuable instruments, he never sold any of them unless when forced
by hunger. I invited Rhehazek to my concerts. I wanted to buy the violin
so much that I made him some tempting offers. One day he said to
me, 'See here, Ole Bull, if I do sell the violin, you shall have the
preference at four thousand ducats.' 'Agreed,' I cried, though I knew it
was a big sum.
"That violin came strolling, or playing rather, through my brain for
some years. It was in 1841. I was in Leipsic giving concerts. Liszt was
there, and so also was Mendelssohn. One day we were all dining together.
We were having a splendid time. During the dinner came an immense letter
with a seal--an official document. Said Mendelssohn, 'Use no ceremony;
open your letter.' 'What an awful seal!' cried Liszt. 'With your
permission,' said I, and I opened the letter. It was from Bhehazek's
son, for the collector was dead. His father had said that the violin
should be offered to me at the price he had mentioned. I told Liszt and
Mendelssohn about the price. 'You man from Norway, you are crazy,' said
Liszt. 'Unheard of extravagance, which only a fiddler is capable of,'
exclaimed Mendelssohn. 'Have you ever played on it? Have you ever tried
it?' they both inquired. 'Never,' I answered, 'for it can not be played
on at all just now.'
"I never was happier than when I felt sure that the prize was mine.
Originally the bridge was of boxwood, with two fishes carved on it--that
was the zodiacal sign of my birthday, February--which was a good sign.
Oh, the good times that violin and I have had! As to its history,
Ehehazek told me that in 1809, when Innspruck was taken by the French,
the soldiers sacked the town. This violin had been placed in the
Innspruck Museum by Cardinal Aldobrandi at the close of the sixteenth
century. A French soldier looted it, and sold it to Ehehazek for a
trifle. This is the same violin that I played on, when I first came
to the United States, in the Park Theatre. That was on Evacuation day,
1843. I went to the Astor House, and made a joke--I am quite capable of
doing such things. It was the day when John Bull went out and Ole Bull
came in. I remember that at the very first concert one of my strings
broke, and I had to work out my piece on the three strings, and it was
supposed I did it on purpose." Ole Bull valued this instrument as beyond
all price, and justly, for there have been few more famous violins than
the Treasury violin of Innspruck, under which name it was known to all
the amateurs and collectors of the world.
During his various art wanderings through Europe, Ole Bull made many
friends among the distinguished men of the world. A dominant pride
of person and race, however, always preserved him from the slightest
approach to servility. In 1838 he was presented to Carl Johann, king
of Sweden, at Stockholm. The king had at that time a great feeling of
bitterness against Norway, on account of the obstinate refusal of the
people of that country to be united with Sweden under his rule. At the
interview with Ole Bull the irate king let fall some sharp expressions
relative to his chagrin in the matter.
"Sire," said the artist, drawing himself up to the fullness of his
magnificent height, and looking sternly at the monarch, "you forget that
I have the honor to be a Norwegian."
The king was startled by this curt rebuke, and was about to make an
angry reply, but smoothed his face and answered, with a laugh:
"Well! well! I know you d--d sturdy fellows." Carl Johann afterward
bestowed on Ole Bull the order of Gustavus Vasa.