The Man Who Makes the Fiddle Spe.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 1, 5 January 1907, Page 27

The Man Who Makes the Fiddle Spe.

Sarasate. or His Exe?llency Publo Martin Meliton Sarasate. of Navascues, to give him his full name, was born atPainpelitna. in the north of Spain, on March 10th. 1844. Thiity-fivc years ago he went to England with a letter of introduction to Augu*t Manns from the great composer Rossini which procured him a trial engagement at the Crystal Palace Saturday concerts. His success was instantaneous, and. as far as England is concerned, he has never looked Itack. In other countries he has not been so fortunate. (hue. in a South American city, he was stranded after an unsuccessful turn. “What shall I do?” he asked of an admirer. “Teadt.” replied this friend, “and you will soon earn enough to pa\ vour debts and your passage home.’’ But nobody wanted to learn the violin. “Never mind.” said his accommodating adviser.

“teach singing.” Of the technique of vocal music Xifrasate knew nothing, nor did he rejoice in the slightest shred of a voice. But needs must when a certain persdhality. who T shall be nameless, holds the reins. The v'.<«iini< advertised and waited. At last a lady pupil appeared. Sarasate ingeniously produced his violin, and. with all the assurance in the world, played several vocal exercises. "There’’’ he said confidentially, “sing like that.” The strange part of it is that the pupil progressed wonderfully and brought such a sufficiency of friends to study “the new method of voice production” that Sarasate was not long before he returned to Europe.

Sarasate hates talking audiences. Once while playing at a private concert he observed a lady talking animatedly and abstractedly fanning herself to the same tempo as her utterances. He suddenly stopped playing, ami exclaimed loud enough for th? entire room to hear: "Ah. madanie. how can I play in two-four time when you are beating six-eight?” This gentle admonition had the desired effect—there was quietness after. Hi.* fiddling ha* brought him in an income of £lO,OOO a year and an enviable reputation. Once when asked the secret of his success. Sarasate said: “Six hours a day since I was twelve.” If that is true he must have been fiddling for nearly 120.000 hours. Sarasate is superstitious, and <-arri?< a mascot. without which, he says, he cannot play. It is a miniature violin case, about an inch in length, and made of silver. Inside is a tiny violin, beautifully made in »‘v?ry detail, and a correct mod? 4 of Paganini’s favourite instrument. the Guarnerius. This was a gift from a friend, and the violinist maintains that it has always brought him hick.