The San Francisco call., 1897-07-18

Less than II years of age and composer
of music and songs. Not laborlous
worker who manages to pick out mel
ody on the piano and then with difficulty
transcribes it, but one who writes with
ease and rapidity and really seems to feel
inspiration.
The accompanying piece of music will |
give an idea of what this youthful musi-
clan can do. To be sure, the work has
few crude spots and one or two errors, but |
on the whole it is fully equal to the
greater portion of work of this kind done
by professionals. Certainly. as song 1t
is superior TO most OF those sung in our
theaters.
One of the most unusual features OF
Miss Bakers music. for young PERSONS
composition, is its simplicity. There is no |
attempt at elaboration to the detrlment OF
the feeling. She sim ply writes what she
feels, and, perhaps. The greater elegance
will come later with greater skill that only |
comes from long practice.
There are other interesting features OF
this young per sons composition, the |
origin of which can easily be traced TO the
influences of her life Carefully consid- |
cred it will be noticed that there is an
ecclesiastical strain to all OF her music, !,
even though the words are of a nature not |
at all so. There is not much to write OF |
persons life when that person is only |
little over IA years old, but after all those |
are the years that make the rest OF the |
life.
Estelle Baker was born in Vallejo, but |
came to San Francisco when an infant,
and has lived here ever since. She at
tended the public schools, going through |
the grammar grade. OF musical educa-
ton she has had none, more than the
teaching of the notes, which was done by
her mother. She has always attended
Sunday-school and church, at which
places she heard the best music it has
been her fortune to listen to.
ooh, yes,'' she said to CALL writer
who visited her few days ago; II find it |
lust fun to write music. AT school the |
teacher used 10 be always scoiding me for
writing songs instead of attending TO my
| lessons.
ut doesn't take me long to write song
and put the music to 1t. Here's enc. i
am mad at you,' that I wrote last night |
1 made up the words and wrote the music |
in about four hours. l didn't play it until
this morning. and found it all right.
"How many songs have 1 written?
We'll, l don't know exactly. See that pile
there. That's about sixty, and guess
have few more somewhere. l am WORK
ing on couple now that are going to be
sung at one of the theaters. No, haven
published any before. l published a
march few months ago that sold pretty
t. In hi tlot
francesca although l don't know Just
why.
Here's a song I have just finished that
is going to be published soon. I have
named it yellow Kid Nine 1t is a
coon song and every body who has heard
it seems to like it.
''Instrumental music is lots easier to
write than songs, because sometimes you
Can't think of Just the word you went
But I would rather write songs when l
feel like writing at all. II don't feel like
writing / can't write. Sometimes try to |
make myself feel like writing, but it won't
work.
"Its funny how these things come to |
you. Sometimes I will be looking out of |
the window and an idea will come into my |
don't stop if it takes me all night to finish |
it. That part of the work is what call |
fun.
II don't know whether 1 like to write
the words or the m usic best. 1t just hap
pens which happen to be doing. When
l am writing the words always write the
words first, and have the music a sort of |
running through my head. l feel then as
If the notes were of no Importance, and 1
would like some one else to compose
them. Then when the verses are done
and l start in on the notes l feel as if |
never want to do anything else and can
hardly tear myself away from them"
What do l expect to do with all nv
music2 Oh, am going lowell, l don't
know. | won't do anything else but
write music and if l can't do that, why. I
guess l will do it anyhow. Mamma en-
courages me to write and I think /
am improving. OF course, maybe think
my songs are better than they are,
but / know they are better than other
girls know can do. Why I know lots OF
girls who have taken music lessons for
years, and | guess they know more about
technique than l do, but they couldn't
write a song if they we're paid for it. I
write songs just as l feel and always try
to make them as good as l can. II other
people like them it gives me pleasure, and
it may be that after awhile l can make
profession of music"