Chapter XIII: Frederick Elliot Lewis,

PIANIST, ORGANIST, VIOLINIST, ETC.

Like the honey-making bee,
Passing from flower to flower,
Tasting and gathering the sweets of each.

In musical versatility, in capability for playing upon a great variety of musical instruments, there may be possibly, among the large number of talented artists of this country, a few who equal the subject of the following sketch: the writer, however, confesses, that, if there be such, he does not know of them. But, be this as it may, such an instance as I am about to present is one, which, in its showing of great musical talents and diversity of acquirements in instrumental performance, will be readily admitted as, to say the least, most extraordinary.

For Frederick E. Lewis performs with ease and with pleasing finish on the piano-forte and the organ, on the violin, viola, violoncello, double-bass, and the guitar, on the clarinet and flute, on the cornet, and on nearly every one of the wind-instruments. Indeed, you can scarcely bring to this remarkable musician an instrument upon which in tasteful and artistic manner he cannot perform.

It is not my purpose, however, to present him here as a musical "prodigy," nor as one of those rather abnormal, supernatural beings who astound their hearers by playing upon an instrument almost at sight, without previous study, or without observable method; playing, as it would seem, from a kind of instinct. I present him rather as he is,--an intelligent, a cultured gentleman; an artist so great in natural gifts as to often excite astonishment certainly; but yet one with intelligent method, and fully able to understand and explain all he so skilfully performs.

His extraordinary success in acquiring a good degree of proficiency in playing upon at least fifteen instruments--on two or three of which he excels as a performer, and most of which, too, he teaches--is due not alone to his great natural endowments, but is largely the result of an assiduous cultivation of the same, and of a severe, steady, and long-continued study and practice of each one of these instruments, in which occupation he has ever aimed at the classical, and avoided all that was coarse or commonplace, either in the compositions used, or in his execution of the same.

On choosing an instrument for study, Mr. Lewis's plan has been to first learn all about its structure, the theory concerning its qualities, its tone-producing capabilities; and then, choosing the best practical text-books procurable, to commence, without other teachers than the latter, its practice. He is acquainted, therefore, not only with the musical capacity of all the instruments he plays, but also knows so much in regard to their mechanism, that, when out of order, he can generally repair them; thus possessing in this latter respect an ability far from common among musicians. He has at his rooms quite a large family of stringed instruments, consisting of two or three violins, a viola, two 'cellos, a double-bass, and a guitar. These have all been carefully chosen for their beauty of form, and nicety and sweetness of tone, their owner being a decidedly good judge, a real connoisseur; and none of them are for sale.

His rooms are neatly but not expensively furnished. A few choice pictures hang on the walls: but here, there, and everywhere are to be found the emblems and accessories of the musical art,--a piano-forte, on the back part of which are great piles of music, and in which are the latest and choicest publications; a number of music-stands; several of the viol family hanging on the walls, or placed in their boxes on the floor; two or three varieties of the clarinet; a cornet, a guitar, a flute, &c. In fact, there is music, music everywhere, and enough instruments to form at any time an orchestra of at least a dozen performers; with a skilful instructor or conductor near at hand in the person of Professor Lewis, ready to wield an efficient _bâton_, to play the leading part, or with pleasing compliance to play in a subordinate capacity.

A visit to these rooms is always highly pleasing and instructive, not only to the practical musician, but to all lovers of good music. With the former Mr. Lewis is ready to join in a duet; allowing his visitor to choose from among his many instruments the one with which he is familiar, while he himself is prepared to take any other one necessary in forming the duet. To those who cannot play, or who, perhaps, choose to listen rather than to play, he is ever obliging, and acts as though he considers it a very pleasant duty to entertain his friends. At such times he will commence with his favorite, the piano, and go through successively a performance upon each one of his many instruments, giving his delighted listener a taste, so to speak, of the melodious sweets of each. He delights not only to play, but is also quite fond of conversing on general music; with which subject he is very familiar, and is ever interesting and instructive in discoursing upon the advantages and pleasures to be enjoyed by its study. Indeed, at such times one is in doubt whether to admire him most as a performer or as a theorist; for as the latter he is remarkably proficient, and in treatment delightfully eloquent. As may be inferred from the foregoing, Mr. Lewis is in his manners extremely affable and easy. He charms his visitor by his simplicity, modesty, and freedom from that conceit which might be perhaps expected from one so wonderfully skilled in his profession. Pope's expressive lines apply to but few persons so closely as they do to Mr. Lewis; for he is truly

"Of manners gentle, of affections mild;
In wit a man, simplicity a child."

In these times of charlatanry, when titles are so often assumed with a reckless disregard of truthfulness, I hesitate to apply even to one so fully qualified, so extra skilled in music, as Lewis, the prefix _professor_; for I wish, as I ought, to entirely disassociate him from the mere pretenders to whom, in general, I have just referred. But to him the title surely belongs; and there is no competent judge, who, when made aware of the great talents and acquisitions, theoretical and practical, of Mr. Lewis in the science of music, will not cheerfully accord it to him. Mr. Lewis does not encourage a use of this title as applied to himself: it is, however, habitually given to him by those who enjoy his acquaintance, and who believe that it belongs of right to him.

Although depending for his support upon the profession of music, his intense love for the noble art is so pure, is so conscientious, as to lift him far above the exhibition at any time of a spirit of cupidity, and to cause him frequently to discourse the most exquisite music, when he can expect no other reward than the pleasure he feels in thus gratifying his auditors.

I have thus given a somewhat general outline of the characteristics and accomplishments of our subject. But what is his history in particular? What have been the beginnings, the circumstances, that have united to produce a character so pleasingly and so harmoniously formed? These questions I shall now endeavor to briefly answer.

Frederick Elliot Lewis was born in Boston in the year 1846. His parents, both natives of New England, were people of musical and general culture; his father being a performer on the flute, violin, violoncello, and piano, as well as a chorister; while his mother was a pianist, a leading soprano-singer in choirs, a lady of fine musical taste, appearing often in public, and taking always a leading part.

At the early age of six years, Frederick evinced a surprising fondness for music; but it was not until he was eleven years old that he began its real study. This he did under his mother's direction, taking lessons on the piano-forte. At this time he found the study of music difficult, and the acquirement of its scientific rudiments was to him dry work. In one year, however, its charming beauties began to open before his young mind; and after this he rapidly developed a talent for music, felt the inspiration of the beautiful art, and became ambitious to excel.

After studying for some time the piano, and becoming, for one of his years, quite proficient as a performer, he began to take lessons on the organ under the direction of Miss R.M. Washington, an accomplished teacher of that instrument, of the piano-forte, and of harmony. The organ for some time quite absorbed his attention. This grand and most comprehensive of instruments, with its great scope and capacity for the production of harmonic beauties, so delighted, indeed so charmed, our young enthusiast,--for such he had now become,--as to leave him with scarcely any inclination or time for other studies. He resolved then to learn all that it was possible to know about the organ, not only in awaking to life its tones of grandest harmony, but also, and in order to better accomplish the same, to study its wonderful mechanism.

With this latter purpose in view, he visited the extensive and celebrated organ manufactory of the Messrs. E. and G.G. Hook & Hastings, located at what was then called Roxbury, Mass., now a part of the city of Boston. These gentlemen were so pleased with his ambitious spirit, that they kindly gave him permission to visit at will their factory, and to examine into every thing connected with organ-making. After a while, this firm, discovering the ability of young Lewis as a performer, invited him, in the presence of, and at times in conjunction with, some of the most skilful organists of Boston, to test their organs before the same were offered for sale. Besides, he sometimes offered suggestions in regard to their construction before the organs were completed, some of which suggestions were adopted by the firm. It will thus be seen that our student was quite fortunate in having, in the first place, an excellent teacher, and afterwards such beneficial opportunities as those allowed him by the Messrs. Hook. No wonder, then, that with his natural abilities, his ambitious, art-loving spirit, industrious habits, and such facilities, he quite early became a proficient organist.

With his acquisition of skill as a performer on the piano-forte and organ already attained, as well as with his prospects for attaining to great distinction as a player of either of them, our artist might well have been content. But with these he was not satisfied: he longed to roam over the whole field of instrumental music, to evoke and to enjoy the harmonic beauties of the many other instruments. He had, in fine, become an enthusiast in music; and yearned to become a real connoisseur, theoretically and practically.

Mr. Lewis, therefore, next took up for study the violin, without other teachers than the best instruction-books treating on that instrument. Becoming enamoured of the tones of that sweet and soul-expressing instrument, using in his work only music of the highest kind (he never, indeed, had a taste for any other), choosing for his models--when not guided alone by his own ideas of fine expression--the most classical performers, he rapidly advanced as a pleasing and scholarly violinist, and made his first public appearance as a soloist at New Bedford, Mass., in 1861. About this time, having attained to a fine degree of general proficiency in music, and having overcome to some extent a certain shyness and timidity which had hitherto characterized him, he accepted invitations to appear in the best musical circles in Boston, and to take part occasionally in public performances there. This served to increase his desire to learn even other instruments, and caused him to study successively many of the pieces that are comprised in the formation of a large orchestra or a military band. He made, however, the cornet his principal study. Having at this time become quite partial to stringed instruments, he soon gave most of his time to the study and practice alternately of the viola, violoncello, double-bass, and the guitar. As a performer on all of these instruments, except perhaps the guitar (an instrument which he never much liked), he has on important public occasions appeared, eliciting at such times the favorable comments of the press.

Leaving for a while the instruments just mentioned, he turned his attention to the clarinet and flute. To the former he is at present much devoted, playing upon it with much taste and skill.

Being asked why he so much enlarged his field of instrumental performance, and why he did not confine his studies to not more than one or two instruments, he said that it was in order that he might be the better able to arrange and write music for an orchestra or military band; and in this ambitious endeavor he has attained to a fine degree of success.

I should have mentioned before this, that, at the age of fifteen, our subject was considered quite a competent performer on the piano-forte, the organ, and the violin; and that at that early age he began to teach the playing of these instruments.

Although his talent and acquirements are displayed more particularly as an instrumentalist, Mr. Lewis is also a fair vocalist, understands thoroughly its theory, and teaches singing. He is a valued member of several musical clubs of Boston and vicinity composed of artists of the highest culture, such as the Haydn and Mozart Clubs of Chelsea, Mass. He, besides, meets with a select few in Boston, in a circle of studious amateurs where none but the finest and most classical music is performed. He is a member of the "Boston Musicians' Union," which comprises in its membership most of the best musicians of the city; such as, for instance, Julius Eichberg, P.S. Gilmore, C.N. Allen, Messrs. Listemann, Lothian, &c.

In the Haydn and Mozart Clubs Mr. Lewis has played the part for first violin; and on several occasions, in the absence of the directors of those bodies, he has assumed acceptably the conductorship. His general musical accomplishments, and his acquaintance with each instrument used in these clubs, make him really the most useful and valued member; for, if a member fails to appear at a performance, he need not be much missed, since Mr. Lewis, if present, can take his instrument, whatever it may be, while his own regular place may be taken by the next first violinist in rank.

He has performed on several great occasions, notably at the World's Peace Jubilee, held in Boston in 1872, in an orchestra of nearly two thousand instrumentalists, all selected, and of fine skill. Before being accepted there, he was subjected to a most rigid examination by the superintendent of the orchestra, being required to play on the violin some of the most complicated and difficult compositions for that instrument. This test he stood so well, indeed, as to elicit from the superintendent, in the warmest manner, the comprehensive exclamation, "Lewis, you are a musician!" At the grand testimonial concert tendered P.S. Gilmore (the projector of the two great "Jubilees") at the Boston Theatre, prior to his going to New York to reside, Mr. Lewis appeared in a selected orchestra, and contributed not a little to the success of that interesting occasion.

He is constantly arranging and composing music for his classes, for orchestras and bands. At present he is engaged in composing for the piano what he will call "A Meditation," and in which he will include some of the finest ideas that constantly fill his musical mind. Some of these thoughts I have heard him play; and I have been so pleased by them, as to beg him not to relinquish his purpose to give them to the public, being convinced that in so doing he would afford delight to all lovers of good music, and add much to his already fine reputation.

Many complimentary notices touching the musical abilities of Mr. Lewis have from time to time appeared in the public journals. A few of the briefest are given below.

One of these journals, a good while ago, said,--

"Mr. Lewis is an amateur performer of marked ability."

"The Boston Journal," June 11, 1874, said,--

"Mr. Lewis gained much applause for his violin solos; and a
duet and also a sonata by Mozart, for violin and piano, were
well received."

"The Boston Globe," April 16, 1874, said,--

"Mr. F.E. Lewis, violin soloist, appeared once on the list,
and was so demonstratively applauded, that he was a second
time forced to come upon the platform. His first solo and
the response were very artistically given."

In these driving days, when competition is so rife in all the trades and professions, and when, even among our best musicians, what begins as a spirit of honest rivalry often degenerates into that of detraction, it is pleasant to record instances in which it is shown that there are those who in their culture so strikingly unite the qualities of the skilful artist and the true gentleman, that their warmest admirers and friends are found among those of the same calling. Of Mr. Lewis, Mr. Alonzo Bond, director of Bond's Military Band, and a veteran musician of note, once said, "He is the finest accompanist (piano) in the United States." The writer has also in possession letters, highly commendatory of Mr. Lewis as a musician, from Mr. L.R. Goering, a skilful orchestra leader, member of that fine body of musicians, the Germania Band, and a teacher of great merit; from T.M. Carter, director of Carter's Band; from J.O. Freeman, and J.H. Richardson,--all musicians of high rank, and gentlemen of excellent general culture. From the letter of one of these (Mr. J.O. Freeman) I quote the following reference to the subject of this sketch:--

"I look upon him as a person of remarkable musical ability.
His performance on the violin, viola, violoncello,
double-bass, clarinet, and also brass instruments, is really
surprising. But where we see his real talent is in his
conception and rendering of classical music on the
piano-forte. Even in his own compositions he has shown much
real talent. I regret that he could not have had the chances
abroad that so many of our less-talented Americans have had.
Besides the numerous instruments I have mentioned, there is
still another (which, perhaps, in character ranks higher
than any of the others): I mean the church-organ, upon which
he also plays."

This writer, like all the others mentioned, could not refrain from closing his letter by a very handsome reference to Mr. Lewis's gentlemanly traits of character.

Slightly below the medium size, of graceful form, with regular, expressive features, and thoughtful cast of countenance; always neat in appearance; of gentlemanly, Christian deportment; genial in manners,--so amiable, as to be almost without an enemy; of very industrious habits; fully impressed with the beauty, the grandeur, and the great usefulness, of the divine art, as a potent means, when properly employed, for elevating the mind, adding to innocent enjoyment, and as an aid to polite culture; and with a soul absorbed in music,--all this can be truly said of Frederick E. Lewis. Not much more can or need be said to mark him, as he is, the Christian gentleman and the wonderfully talented musician,--one whose charming qualities fill the measure of our highest conception of the true, the ideal artist.