where he heard a quartet by Maurer, of which Spohr
played the first violin part. He was so overwhelmed with disappointment
at the manner in which the quartet was played by the four masters that
he came to the conclusion that he was deceived in his aspirations, and
had no true calling for music.

Spohr was a most methodical man, and had no appreciation for wild
genius. He saw only the many faults of the self-taught youth, and coldly
advised him to give up his idea of a musical career, declining to accept
him as a pupil. Some five years later, Bull having in the meantime
refused to accept this advice, which did not coincide with his own
inclinations, Spohr heard him play, and wrote thus of him: "His
wonderful playing and sureness of his left hand are worthy of the
highest admiration, but, unfortunately, like Paganini, he sacrifices
what is artistic to something that is not quite suitable to the noble
instrument. His tone, too, is bad, and since he prefers a bridge that is
quite plain, he can use A and D strings only in the lower positions, and
even then pianissimo. This renders his playing (when he does not let
himself loose with some of his own pieces) monotonous in the extreme. We
noticed this particularly in two Mozart quartets he played at my house.
Otherwise he plays with a good deal of feeling, but without refined
taste."

After his discouraging interview with Spohr, Ole Bull returned to
Norway, making, on the way, a short visit to Goettingen, where he became
involved in a duel.

Feeling that his own capabilities were worth nothing, after what he had
seen and heard in Germany, Ole Bull returned home in a despondent state
of mind, but, on passing through a town where he had once led the
theatre orchestra, he was recognised, welcomed, and compelled to direct
a performance, and thus he once more fell under the influence of music,
and began to apply himself vigorously to improvement.

In 1831 he went to Paris in order to hear Paganini, and if possible to
find some opportunity to improve himself. He failed to enter the
Conservatoire, but he succeeded in hearing Paganini, and this, according
to his own account, was the turning-point of his life. Paganini's
playing made an immense impression on him, and he threw himself with the
greatest ardour into his technical studies, in order that he might
emulate the feats performed by the great Italian.

His stay in Paris was full of adventure. He was hampered by poverty, and