Sketches and Anecdotes of Celebrated Violinists, By Dr. T. L.
?Lipson. (Bentley and Sons.)—When we noticed Dr. Phipson's last production, we had no idea of the versatility of his genius, From the "Mysteries of Science" to an account of violinists is a literary gradus we could not have predicted, although perhaps there is some hidden connec- tion we have failed to discover. It appears Dr. Phipson is not only a man of science, but has relieved his hours of labour by the lighter study of the violin, upon which he is no mean proficient. The boundleas resources of bia instrument caused him to turn with admiration to those distinguished men who have done so much to devolope those resources, and ho has collected, as far as possible, all that is known about them, and many anecdotes that appear hero for the first time in print. The result is a most readable book, with plenty to instruct and amuse, for the history of one violinist such as Do Boriot naturally groups around itself that of other oontemporary musicians and cantatriees, notably 14Ialibran, his first
'wife, and Lablache. The history of Paganini is pretty well known, and the author has added little to our knowledge, with the exception perhaps of the amusing anecdote of his lesson on the triangle ; but many readers will possibly here for the first time make acquaintance with Lull,
Corea!, Tartini, and Viotti. The account of Fraulein Schraohling is particularly interesting, and shows what a woman of genius and courage can accomplish under the most discouraging circumstances, with the world apparently arrayed against her, which at one time was at her feet. We quite agree with Dr. Phipson's philippic against the present inadequate remuneration of our great orchestral performers, when compared with the honorarium given to the prima donna or prime tenors. The training is more severe in the case of the violinist than that of the cantatrice, and frequently the former is a highly educated musician, where the latter has only acquired the trick of voice, yet the nightly earnings of the one are only one-fiftieth of those of the other. This is unfair to the musical art.
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