Ole Bull

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Ole Bull:

Born February 5, 1810, at Bergen, Norway and without formal instruction played first chair in the public orchestra.

After many struggles and a suicide attempt, in 1831, after hearing Paganini play in Paris, he declared it to be, “the turning-point to my life” and shortly after married the daughter of the woman who nursed him back to health.

Shortly after his recovery, he made his own first appearance in Paris (April 18, 1832), assisted by Chopin and Ernst, and then started for Italy, where he created a perfect furore.

From this time to the end of his life he continued traveling all over Europe and North America. His success and popularity in the States has been unbounded, allowing him to amasses a fortune of considerable size.

He is tall, with large blue eyes, rich flaxen hair, and is the very type of the Norseman; allowing him to hold his audiences “under a spell” with his “personal magnetism.” Also his ability to play an entire string quartet by drawing his bow over three strings at once while the fourth part is plucked with his left hand.

He, like Paganini, has been accused of charlatanism, (reference his performance on top of the great Pyramid of Giza), yet who can deny him the right.

Admirers:

Joachim; “His tone is pleasantly soft and full of feeling,” and “no artist in our time has possessed his poetic power.”

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Compositions:

Variazioni di bravura

La Preghiera d'una madre

Notturno

Polacca guerriera

The Niagara

Solitude of the Prairies

To the memory of Washington

Violins:

Gaspar Da Salo, 1570

Paolo Maggini

Nicolas Amati

Antonio Stradivarius, 1687 (one of the maker's finest inlaid instruments) Photo of back, Photo or Corner + more to come.

Antonio Stradivarius 1690

Antonio Stradivarius 1708

Joseph Guarnerius 1714

Joseph Guarnerius 1744

and many, many others.