Evening Republican, Volume 14, Number 29, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 3 February 1910 — STRAD FOR A PRESENT. [ARTICLE]

STRAD FOR A PRESENT.

Worn hii Give* Coatlr lailraHeai to Ynas Violinist. Few violinists, even after they become great, own a Stradlvarius> but thjs good fortune has fallen to Domenico Bove, the young Italian of this city, whose career, which many believe will rival Kubelik’s, lhas scarcely gun, the Philadelphia Bulletin-says. Most interesting of all is the fact that this musical treasure was the property of the late Antonin Dvorak, the composer, from whose widow the .violin was recently purchased by Mrs. Joseph Drexel, and by her presented to the youthful Bove. Mrs. Drexel la widely known as a—patrpn of muaic, and. Interested as she has been In, the young violinist’s career, it lff-hut natural that she should choose him for the honor of owning the Stradlvarlus. Surely nothing could be a greater Inspiration to a violinist than the. possession of such a priceless thing. 7 ' / ~ Such things have prices, and high ones, too, for it is whispered that Mrs. Drexel paid (15,000 for the instrument, which gives the layman an idea of what such a gift means in prosaic dollars and cents. Mrs. Drexel mad* light of the matter when asked recently about the gift to her protege. 'Although naturally averse to parting with this souvenir of her husband, I learned recently that Mme. Dvorak was willing to sell the instrument,” said Mrs. Drexel, “and when it same into my possession I naturally looked about for some one who could use it properly, since I could not play it myself.” BoVe is now in Prague, Bohemia, where it is understood the violin was transmitted to him. Mme. Dvorak retides in Prague. The young violinist is making rapid progress, according to reports received by his friends in this city, A son of poor Italians in the southern section of tills city, Domenico early manifested an Inherited ability to play the fiddle, both his parents gaining a livelihood thereby. Then Frederick E. Harn, the widely known violinist of "this city, became interested in the lad and gave him lessons.. His undoubted ability and his proficiency in mastering the most difficult technique of the art aroused the interest of several wealthy patrons, who, it is understood, made it possible for him to go aoroad to finish bis mußlcal education; Several of the foremost musicians in this city declare that Bove will become a second Kubelik.