The Monitor. [volume] (Woodstown, N.J.) 1884-1892, 1892-01-01
AFAMOUs MUSICIAN.

Ihe ioiloWlng interesting interview with
Adam Geibel, who is well known to many
in this vicinity:
1t would almost SEEM that when the
blessed light of day was forever blotted
from the eyes of Adam Henry Geibel, the
genius of music entered his soul. Over 600
musical compositions bearing his name or |
monde. plume have been published in this
country and in Europe.
The criminal negligence of a physician
in the little village of Neienheim, Ger
many, in September, 1855, when the little
victim was but a few weeks old. was re-
sponsible for Adam Geibel's loss of sight.
In spite If this. direst of misfortunes, be
has gone on as boy and man writing and
singing Of flowers and fields and sunshine
and harvests that he has never seen.
Mr. Geibel's full name, Adam Henry,
has never appeared in connection with any
of his many compositions. That it has not
was owing to a typographical error in the
publication Of his first composition at the
o~utstart OF his career. at that time his
middle name of Henry was Internationally
omitted and it has never since been in
serted.
His talent for music is / aturai. At the
age of 6 years be played for schools and at
g. years in Weisbaden, where he was to
have been admitted to the Blind ~Institu-
ton, he played the Hymn Hershey to
the delight of pupils and teachers. Ia 1862
when he was 7 years of age, young Geibel
came to the United States aud with his
parents located in PHILADELPHIA, where he
has since resided. At present Mr.. Geibel
is teacher of elementary piano and vocal
at the Pennsylvania Institution for the
Blind, of which he is a graduate. He is
also assistant organist at the Temple, Rev.
Russell Conweli's church. and organist at
the North Fourth Street Mission.
The words of at least forty songs, b,ar-
ing the name of Mr.. Geibel as composer of
the music, lave een written by Mr..
George NJ. Yiekers, a very talented and
prolific writer of song poems.
1T is difficult for me to say just which
one OF my productions has been the most
successful = said Mr.. Geibel. Music pub
fishers are very ~reticent about such mat
tiers. the reason being. I presume, that they
think il a composer becomes popular and
is aware of the fact, that he will demand
higher prices for his productions. Joys
of Spring, / suppose, has met with as
" ide an appreciation and as large a sale as
any. Memory a song without words,
and the gavotte .Alamande, are also very
popular. Papa can't catch me, and The
Old Organ Blower are two of my favor
ites."
How do you manage to write your
scores, Mr.. Geibel9"
Il have a copyist to whom | dictate,
Miss Florence w. Williams. She has been
a member of my family for three years
past and is very expert. read every note,
dictate it, its value, position on the staff
and how / want the stems arranged. /
have trained Miss Williams to the work
and sle is now able to take any dictation
accurately"
What field of work in musical compo-
sition do you prefer"
ITO write fo- the people. The great
public is appreciative. Many composers
have written pleasing melodies which have
been wonderfully successful, but the hor-
monte construction has been simply bar
barous. | don't hesitate to write what |
think is pleasing and popular. but | aim to
make my productions conform to the laws
of composition as nearly as it is possible
for me to do
Have you any time or place set for do
ing four work."
None whatever. OF course | wait for
what you may be pleased to term an in
SEPARATION. Days will frequently pass and /
have no disposition whatever to WORK. At
other times suggestions fairly pour upon
me. Down in the Ocean Deeps' was COM
posed in about two hours. words and music,
one Sunday afternoon. | have frequently
got up out OF bed in the middle of the
night to work out an inspiration that has
come to me like a flash, for fear | might
lose it.
Several yeas ago was attending a So
cial gathering down the P. w. and B. r. r.,
" hen right in the midst of the festivities
the music of a gavotte came galloping, |
may say, through my brain. went to the
piano, played it over lightly to fix it in my
mind and when | returned home wrote it
out in full. 1t has become quite a favorite
l am glad to say"
Mr.. Geibel is the author of an American
opera, which has never been presented on
any stage. Sacred music has received con-
siderable attention at his hands. One oi
the favorite chorus'sung by the Augmented
Choir of the Temple was written for a
special occasion by Mr.. Geibel after several
other composers had given over the task oil
adapting the words to music. He compos-
ed the words and music of the hymn that
was SING in this city some years ago by a
chorus of $500 school children. Among his
productions which have found hearty well
come in England are Jesus Thou Art
Standing and an arrangement of Tenny-
..f~ spraak Rreak Break sset to music.