California has produced her share of composers. They have been prominent as pianists, violinists, leaders of musical bodies and teachers of harmony. They are writers of the highest merit and some can be classed with the song writers of Europe. The state is too young for many native composers. Our musicians all came to us in the days of gold, and others who came later educated their sons and daughters in the East and in Europe in the highest art of music and, returning to the state, made a place for themselves as writers of music.
John W. Metcalf for the last twenty-one years has been among us as teacher of piano, harmony and a song writer of the highest order, and we are glad to claim him, even if he is not a native son. We love his music and appreciate the writer who is able to give to the singing world soulful compositions that compare with those of Schubert and Mendelssohn. They are superlatively correct and scholarly. I am not a song writer but a song singer, and when I find such compositions I am proud to interpret them to the best of my ability.
John W. Metcalf is a product of my state, Illinois, and, like the writer, he inherited his musical talent from the maternal side. His first teacher was his mother's sister, who was a pupil of Bozzini and prominent as a pianist and vocalist. In 1877 he went to Leipsic to complete his schooling in music. He was accepted as a pupil at the Royal Conservatory and was one of thirty who passed. He studied faithfully three or four years, piano with Carle Reinecke and Louis Maas; theory with Ernest and Alfred Richter; composition with Reinecke, Rust and Jasassohn. The director of the conservatory, Conrad Schleints, a warm personal friend of Mendelssohn, gave solicitous attention to the promising young American and bestowed upon him at graduation the coveted Hilbig prize, which had been won but twelve times in the history of the conservatory. After returning to America, he taught four years near Chicago, one year at the Dana Institute in Ohio, and one year as head of the piano department of the Boston Conservatory. He left Boston on account of ill health. After directing for three years the Garfield University at Wichita, Kas., he came to Oakland, Cal., where he still resides, and we are proud to claim him as one of California's composers and renowned teachers of the pianoforte. I feel honored to sing his songs and teach them to my pupils. I append what I consider one of his best:
ABSENCE
|
Sometimes between long shadows on the grass The little truant waves of sunlight pass, My eyes grow dim with tenderness the while, Thinking I see thee, thinking I see thee smile. And sometimes in the twilight gloom, apart, The tall trees whisper, whisper heart to heart, From my fond lips the eager answers fall, Thinking I hear thee, thinking I hear thee call. |
GEORGE LINCOLN BLAKE
Mr. Blake, eldest son of George H. Blake and Margaret R. Blake, was born in Stockton, California, July 8, 1858. When he was twelve years old he began his musical education under Prof. Henry Von der Mehden. He was a conscientious and faithful student. Four years later his progress was so marked that his instructor gave him first cornet place in the Silver Cornet Band, which was composed of his advanced pupils. The excellent work of the band was soon recognized and the first great public performance was at the old Woodwards Garden, before ten thousand people. Their performance was received with tremendous acknowledgment from the public. The band continued in its good work for a number of years. In 1875 he made an educational visit around the world and visited all places of interest and heard the music of the Old World and when occasion presented also assisted in various theaters in the cities where he sojourned. He returned once more to California in the fall of 1876, resuming his musical and professional engagements until September 30, 1879. He then made a second trip to the Old World, visiting Queenstown, Antwerp, Cork and other cities. He returned to California once more by way of the Indias and Japan, November 1, 1881.
When he was twenty-four years old he began playing in the California theater orchestra and remained there during the leadership of Charles Schultz, and at the same time was a member of the Second Regiment band at the Park. In 1887 he moved to San Bernardino and during his residence there formed and was leader of the Seventh Regiment band, was also the local leader of the orchestra at the Grand Opera house when his services were needed for the passing shows without orchestra. He remained in this capacity until 1879 when he moved to Santa Cruz and remained until 1894 returning to Oakland and finally settling in San Francisco where he continued in his professional line in the various theaters and musical demonstrations which presented themselves until the earthquake, when the theater where he was employed was destroyed and music, like other business was at a standstill. For over thirty years he has played with the best musical talent on the coast and has been an acceptable and reliable musician in any capacity in which he has been called. After the disaster he came to Oakland and was at once engaged to play at the Ye Liberty theater under the able management of Director August Hinrichs. At this theater he is at present actively employed.
