The Washington herald., 1909-08-22


every household in Washington, in name.
il not personally. But in the death fast
week Of the venerable singer and musi-
clan. Mrs. Cecilia Young Kretscbmar-
Smith It was only the musicians Of the
past generation who we're really affected,
and. indeed. 1t is but a few OF them. for
she was almost the last OF her circle.
being well into the nineties. There are
still many much younger musicians in
Washington who were associated with
her whom she knew in their musical
.swaddllng clothes in fact she sang
through several generations.
Mrs. Smith came 10 washington from
Baltimore in 1858 and became the so
prano soloist at old St. Matthew's
Church. which was then new. Her voice,
which was OF splendid range and under
the highest cultivation, at once attracted
attention After one year there she was
engaged at ST. Aloysiu5 to assume charge
Of the music. as wen as 10 be soprano
soloist. in that new church. and for the
dedication OF the edifice she produced
the oratorio. Haydn's Creation with
the Marine Band, augmented with other
players making fifty in all. IN lieu OF an
organ, and a chorus Of 80 voices.
The performance created sensation.
The Marine Band played thereafter at the
services in the church until the organ
was installed. Mrs. smith, who was al
that time Mrs. Young. was almost alone
in her class as a church. concert, and
oratorio soloist in this part Of the coun-
try. and her fame extended to Baltimore.
Richmond. Philadelphia. and all the
smaller surrounding cities. She had
wonderful knowledge OF Catholic church
and opera music. which were particularly
suited TO her voice and style.
Her admirers have never acknowledged
that any subsequent local soloist has ever
sung so beautifully or attained such pop
iularity as Mrs. Cecilia YOUng. She re-
NAMED in charge of St Aloysius choir
fourteen years and under her regime the
church was famous Ger It's music, the
people accking there from the most re-
mole portions o. the city. many 81 them.
unfortunately. Just 10 hear the music.
/ I'm order 70 get inside the church at the
Iaftern00u services on Sundays or the
! festival services. strangers had 10 go
/ quite early. for IL was a case OF stand
ling room only" at an Of these. AssOci-
ated with Mrs Young in the choir, as
locca sional sol0isfs or as regular mem
/ bers. were many of her pupils. including
I Mrs Cox. wife Of sunset" COX, Mrs
/ Ignatius Donnelly. wife OF the famous
/ repudiator Of Shakespeare as the author
I Of the plays commonly accredited 90 him;
I Mrs. Dclano. wife Of Representative De
Hanar
| ris. wife Of the Minister 70 CONSTANT
lnople; Mrs James X. Reddington. one
lof the old residents Of Washington. and
Inany others whose names were familiar
/ I'm society and stood for the best in mU-
! sic in those DAYS Of the Capital Mrs
Young was the teacher Of scores Of good
musicians who have had their career and
passed out OF the public eve since the
! days OF her prime She held her voice
longer than Il Is given 20 nost singers,
and her trim. said by many 10 be most
perfect. remained beautiful even long
( after the voice Itself showed traces Of
decline
After her long and brilliant regime al
| St Aloysius' Church which established
/ Il as the mecca for the fashionable world
az vespers, Mrs Young. who had be-
come Mrs Kretschmar. returned 10 s..
Matthews Church. corner OF II and FIJI
/ teenth streets. There she brought its
/ choir up 10 a standard which began 10
rival St Aloysius when she retired
\ from the ranks of the singers and con-
tinued her musical work as teacher
/ and conductor she was then Mrs. Smith.
I Miss Eva Mills. now Mrs. Clark Mills.
/ who succeeded Mrs. Young in St Alloy
I sius' choir. as a young girl OF about SIX
/ teen was probably her most famous and
! successful pupil. for she had a long career
| as "a church soloist with most beautiful
voice well cultivated She sang for many
I years az ST. Aloysius'. and after a short
! experience on the operate stage, which
she abhorred. sang FOR many years more
! in All Souls Church. where she did much
/ 10 make the music in that church famous
/ Mrs. Young also discovered for Wash
] ington fits most famous and beautiful
1 tenor singer up 10 that time in AR.
| William H Burnett HON she taught as
a very young man and put into the
I choir Of St Aloysius' Church He went
10 ST Matthews with her in 1875 rs
Z tenor soloist. and although he remained
there but comparatively few years, he
stayed until after the church moved into
its new building. I'm Rhode Island avenue
and he retired permanently from choir
work
For a great many years the erect figure
! OF an aged woman was familiar
| at al the important concerts, and only a
very few recognized her as the bright
and handsome woman who had for many
seasons been the idol of a tickle public
and whose beautiful voice has swayec
thousands. and whose name would NIL
house not only in Washington but In The
neichboring cities For thirty years she
lived I'm the memories Of the glorics Of
the past.
Mrs -Kretschmar-S Smith. known
by each OF these names In different epochs
| OF her life, was greatly disappointed thai
her daughter did not inherit her voice
and talent for music. and then again that
none OF her granddaughter pursued heI
art One granddaughter did inherit the
| voice. but not the love OF Il. and tht
artist woman buried her past and hel
hopes IN her back yard when she packed
her hundreds OF dollars worth of music
! in a box and buried II far underground
She had kept it and preserved IT carefully
for many years. believing and hoping
that some of her offspring would some
time appreciate and need II. and wher
disbursement overlook her she pre-
ferred to see the beloved pages buried
from sight than fall into the hands OF
strangers or unappreciatlve persons.
Mr.. John r. Nolan. the well-knowr
basso, win leave tomorrow morning FOL
a vacation trip in his touring car. H'
will be accompanied by Mrs. Nolan and
his brother-in-law, Mr.. Edward A. Mar
tin, and Nj. Z A. Taft They viii
make a trip OF not less than LIZ mile,
within two weeks. starting AT 3 O'CLOCK
tomorrow morning for Philadelphia, by
way Of Lancaster and Coatesville. From
there they will go on 20 New York
through Trenton and New Brunswick. n
H.. thence TO Albany, n. Y. through