The San Francisco call., 1904-11-06

The following letter from Wallace A.
Sabin will give a much more pictur-
esque account than possibly could OF
an event Of exceptional interest TO us
. that took place at the Worlds Fair last
week Mr.. Sabin. as every one knows.
is organist of ST. Luke's Church, and
as some do not know. was the Califor-
MIA representative Of organ-playing at
the Worlds Fair. Mr.. Sabin writes me;
I thought you might like to know
something of my doings at the fair so
here are a few details. My recitals took
place last Monday and Tuesday, Octo-
Der "A and %, the management eour-
teously giving me the hour Of honor
for them, 1880 a. m.-that is at which
time the Guilmant concerts have been
given. II was most gratifying TO me
that. though the hall was colder than
charity and so very many other attrac-
tions were going on outside, the large
audience remained almost in toto to the
bitter END. It was actually so. bitter
that my fingers almost froze to the
keys Another thing that pleased me
much was the. fact that not only the
lighter things gave pleasure, but at the
end OF the prelude and fugue in ID
minor (Bach). when one naturally ex-
pected Just polite acknowledgment, they
recalled me so often I thought 1 should
have to repeat IL.
The organ was completed only a few
days before 1 arrived at the fair. You
know it is CaIifornia-made. of course,
which reminds me of my amazement
that so little comment has been made
ke he sy,- &c q
ly immense in all senses Of the word
beautiful in tone, balance and action;
in fact, in all its features, and is in
spite Of its inevitable complexity (there
are I4O stops) not difficult TO manage.
I had much less time than 1 could
have wished TO get familiar with it. We
poor victims who had to play were
obliged 10 get in our practice when we
could. One man would have it from 9
p. m. TO y p. m; the next from II
2. N. on; in fact. the organ is going
twenty-four hours in the day. Then
when one did get ones turn there were
all sorts Of annoyances, amusing
enough in the recounting. People would
form a ring around you. with requests
for favorite hymns and for anything
with a tune. Then they would ask hosts
Of questions and swamp you in ejacu
lations, until finally driven off by the
ever watchful Scott Brook.
ON Sunday when really thought I
should have peace. To- they put up
eighteen stoves in the hall, silently, of
course However, in the evening 1 got
another go" at the organ, and in the
morning felt reasonably sure of my
work. This destroyed any fear Of nerv-
BUSINESS. and I am glad TO feel that I
really did myself full justice-in fact.
] never remember playing so well. And
the next day was better. if anything
The programme was more popular and
took better. 1 was especially pleased
as being the only California organist to
be heard at the exposition 1 naturally
wanted to be a credit both to my State
and myself
am sure Mr.. Sabin will pardon this
printing Of his St Louis adventures. I
found it so interesting that 1 wished to
share il. have since seen the organist.
who is full Of the splendors of the
California organ. Recitals have been
given twice a day at Festival Hall.
where the organ stands, and by many
Of the most famous organists of the
time. Alexander Guilmant, the we'll
known French organist, contributed no
fewer than forty recitals. Middelschulte,
one Of the biggest figures among Amer
lean organists, and Edwin Lemare per-
haps the most eminent of English
speaking organists, were also among
the players. The programmes have
been remarkably good. In only few
instances-and these Mr.. Sabin says
bear alarmingly celebrated names-has
there been any playing to the gallery.
The audiences, again, have been graft