The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-11-06
PROF. JOHN wIEGAND's WORK.
sketch of the Well Known Composer
and Musician.

and Musician.
Prof. John Wiegand, who has recently
come to Savannah to make his home, is
a musician and composer of wide repu-
tation. He was born about the year 1872
In Homberg, Germany. He received his
first musical training from his father who
was violin player; later he enjoyed the
instruction of DR.. w. volckmar, the fam
Gus organ virtuoso, who was at that time
teaching at the seminary in Homberg. I'm
der him he studied the piano-forte, organ
and composition. He was hardly fifteen
years old when he moved to Cassel taking
with him letter of Introduction from
Volckmar to Louis Spohr. Under MIN he
continued his studies on the violin and
in composition. During the three years
Of his stay at Cassel he enjoyed among
other educational advantages, the .rivil-
ege of lessons from Ferdinand David, the
great violin virtuoso, and one of the great
est violin teachers of all time.
When about IS years of age young
Wiegand resolved to escape the conscrip-
ton, as a soldiers life in the Prussian
army had no charms for him. With this
object in view he followed in the wake of
~ many OtHCA VI his COuHlIyIlSu ana
took ship for New York. Here his abili-
ties as a musician soon procured him profit
able employment. At one time we find
nm playing, shortly after his arrival on
our shores, in the orchestra of a theater
at Charleston, at another travelling al a
leader for theatrical company, and again
after the close of the civil war; in New
York, engaged by the German Opera.
In 1866 he came South once more, and set
tlng in Augusta, he was appointed organ
lst of st. Patrick's Catholic Church. Here
ne began to unfold that musical life, which
was to become in the future so fruitful
IN composition. This was interrupted only
IN 1870 for the purpose of a short visit
TO the fatherland. A few months season
Oh travel as viola player in Theodore
Ihomas' company gave just little spice
OF variety to his life, whereupon he re-
sumed his residence in Augusta not to
leave 1t again.
He was a member of Philharmonic Or
chestra in New York, and was organist
and choir master of ST. Pritchard's Catho-
lie Church.
Mr.. Wiegand's activlty-and he is one
oil the busiest men alve-during these
thirty odd years, has been about equally
divided between his professional duties,
as teacher of piano and violin and as
organist, and the practice of composition.
Mr.. Wiegand's muse is well-nigh uni
Versal in its variety, both secular and
sacred music being about equally repre-
sented. Among his earlier compositions
appeared the songs: do 1 Love Thee?'
annie, O the Moy," Love Me-" for S.
or T., and Fare Thee Well My Father
iand,' 'Leb, wohl mein Vaterland" mez-
TO- soprano or baritone song, which soon
gained great. favor, and which We're pro-
nounced by Dwights Journal of Music the
foremost music paper then existing and
one OF the most reliable ever published, TO
De gems of the hrst water"
Among other successes are Paul Haynes
autumn Sea-" Byrons Il Saw Thee
Weep" Tennysof's 'MiIlers Daughter,
Ilmrod's "Serenade," all of which were
set TO beautiful music. The instrumental
compositions from his pen comprise, on
one hand, organ pieces such as the 'Wed-
uihg March," a number of beautiful vol
uhtaries, including Elevation, Com
munlon," etc; on the other, an extensive
list for piano or violin.