"Cheer up! I know a man who can play a scherzo on the violin - and does it all with his TOES!"
-- Charles Chaplin, from his 1952 film, Limelight.
Speaking of thinking outside the peg-box, here's an antique daguerreotype of a man who taught himself to play the violin beautifully and very successfully with his feet. His career predated audio recordings, so I combined the image with my own improvisation of a famous melody by the superb composer, Larry Kusik. Isn't it about time you learned about the godfather of toe-violin? Yes, thank goodness! Just for some added perspective, meet Carl Unthan. For purposes of encouraging objectivity, this uplifting soul sometimes performed from behind a blind. The image is of twenty-year-old Unthan at his first concert engagement in Vienna in 1868, conducted by none other than the "Waltz King" himself, Johann Strauss. Learn more about this multifaceted toe-violinist on his informative Wikipedia page. Or read the book entitled: The Armless Fiddler, a pediscript. And coincidentally here is a thoughtful review of Unthan's enjoyably otherworldly yet down-to-earth autobiography (by Vivian from Goodreads):
On April 5th, 1848, Carl Herman Unthan was born, without arms, into the household of the school teacher in the East Prussian village of Sommerfeld. Villagers speculated as to what his parents' sin might have been, to have brought this curse upon the household. The midwife offered to suffocate the baby. His father said that "wilful murder does not form part of a schoolmaster's duties" and dismissed her offer with disgust and contempt. When his mother took him into her arms she said, "It is our child; God has sent it and will not forsake it."
During the boy's earliest years the father declared three rules: "The boy is never to be pitied by anyone! Leave the boy without shoes and socks. Let the boy have his way - whoever helps him will have trouble with me!" These three foundations shaped the boy's life. He had an innately cheerful nature. He was "all boy" and got himself into many scrapes through which he found he could swim, undress and dress himself, feed himself, and even play a violin which was attached to a chair.
This autobiography is an engaging narrative of his life, during which he travels the world, rides horses, becomes a sharp shooter, and marries happily. He lives to the ripe old age of eighty, living through the tumultuous years of revolutions and world war. There are photographs of him shaving, typing, applying collar studs, etc.
His greatest desire was to be instrumental in opening a school for the armless. He declared that he never once felt that he would have been happier with arms. Furthermore, he never met anyone whom he had reason to envy. He was grateful to parents who taught him faith, hope, and love - the greatest being love.
It is an amazing account. To read this one, you may have to submit an inter-library loan request. The copy I read came from the University of Oregon.
- Vivian
Great work, Vivian. Also the point about inter-library lending is super-helpful. That's how I managed to find a copy. The Armless Fiddler: Certainly a "must read" from the perspective of anyone who enjoys books about intrepid toe-violinists.
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