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