The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1892-10-29
AMERICAN COMPOSING.
The Success Achieved by Edgar 8. KelIey.
De Kovon's Profitable Opera.

De hovon'S Profitable Opera.
Especial Correspondence
NEW YORK, Oct. "A few years ago
there came to New York city man of
such singular personal appearance that he
caused the glance Of the stranger to be
liked upon him second time, and the re-
mark made about him was that he was
either n genius or crank. He was u slender
individual, with large, dark. wild looking
eyes, the expression of which was intensi-
lied by spectacles of peculiar lens. When
his hut was removed it was seen TINT his
hair was of such strange disposition as de-
fed the comb and brush. He wore a
Prince Albert coat somewhat shiny by long
use, and his trousers were Of such cut as
revealed the slenderness of his physique.
His appearance was that of man who
struggled hard to live. Poverty, however,
had not entailed neglect, for his clothing,
although well worn, was neat, and his
manner was modest even to the point of
timidity. His name was Edgar S. Kelley,
and he had come to New Y ork to make n
living by venture even more prccarious
than literature-and that is musical COM
position.
Kelley brought with him something of a
musical reputc. He had written some
melody of harmony the story of "Macbeth,n
and this had been produced in San Fran.
cisco with favorable comment Musicians
in New York regarded it rs little strange
that composer of such merit should have
been developed upon the Pacific coast, for
when they came to examine the score they
found that its workmanship was, SO fur rs
the grammar OF music and style were con-
cerned, as perfect as that of tho most
famous composers. Yet the young man
bad had no other musical education thnn
that which he was able to receive in the
remote west.
Kelley had n hard time of it for awhile
If his bent had been to literature rather
than to music he would earlier have ut
tracted attention. Seidl, the great con-
ductor, the friend of Wagner, first extended
the hand to Kelley by playing one of his
compositions in the Seidl orchestra, and
that is an honor reserved only for the
ablest. Then very quaint, strange and
yet pleasing composition suggestive Of
Chinese music and entitled THE Lady
Picking Mulberries" was published, and
this added to I[elley's rcpute, but did not
bring him mach money. He wanted fame,
but he also needed cash, and he was
obliged to do what Wagner was once COM
PEELED to turn to for support-copy musical
scores and do other musical drudgery.
In something of despair Kelley consented
some months ago TO undertake to write
thcscore for II new light opera, the libretto
of which was to be upon an American sub
]cct of colonial times. The young composer
insisted only Oh one condition, and that
was that he should be allowed to write
dignfied music, although he would try to
make it, he said, appropriate to the librct-
to. lie would not write ditties or doggerel
music for any one.
He went to work with enthusiasm, and
last summer tho opera was produced i'm
Boston and is now being sung in New
York city. 1t has given Kelley not only
fame, but something he never had before,
and that is good deal more money than
he needs to pay his weekly expenses with
He has discovered that there are rich re-
wards i'll musical composition, as there are
In literature, provided the popular ear be
caught, and if Kelley goes on rs he has
begun he is quite likely to become II rich
man.
Another composer to whom fortune has
been kinder in his early years than it has
to Kelley has also made this discovery
Reginald De koven wrote the music for
the opera of robin Hood" which was
first produced little over year ago. 1t
has almost duplicated some of the sue
cesses Of Gilbert & Sullivan De Koven's
royalties have reached over $50, OOO it is
reported, and flushed with this success he
has written another opera called 1.-THE
Fencing Master" which bids fair to be
quite rs successful rs robin Hood"
DE Koven is handsome man Of fashion
able WELCOMED in high social
circles, frequenter OF the greater clubs
who predicts great future for musical
composition in America. Kelley is O
timid man who probably never was in a
fashionable club i'll his life, but if he has
lacked some of De Koven's advantages he
is regarded rs possessing something nenr-
er to genius than De Koven has Each of
them will make money; each of them be-
licves that new field is opening for
Americans in the way of musical develop
mcnts. Heretofore those of musical ca
pacity have had little temptation to make
music profession, since it has not prom
ised large pecuniary results.
Paderewski made over 100000 by his
American tour. Patti has carried away as
much as s200, 0O0 in IL single year. Nilsson
made great deal of money here, but with
the exception of Dudley Buck and one or
two others American composers have hard
ly earned their salt Damrosch is making
money, but it is as IL conductor of great
orchestra. Gilmore made great deal, but
he dld 1t giving concerts with his band
But now the time seems to have come when
fortune awaits the American composer
who has the gift of Sullivan or of Aiillocker
or Won Suppe to compose the score for
light American opera. The success of De
koven and Kelley shows how rich these
rewards may he.
At the Conservatives in New York it is
said that greater proportion of young
men arc applying for instruction in musical
composition than was ever the case, and
some 0f these friya of