New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-09-02

LONDON sept. l-Sdtlucl Noieiioee-
Taylor. the music composer, died to-day.
| lie was the only composer Of distinction
| to have negro blood In his veins
The following is an appreciation of Mr..
Coleridge-Taylors career by Booker T.
Washington:
IT is given to but few men in so short
| a time to create for themselves a posi-
| ton of such prominence on two conti-
nents as fell to the lot of Samuel Cole
ridge-Taylor. Born in London on Au-
gust Is, 1875. Coleridge-Taylor was JUST
| past thirty-seven years old. His rather
an African and native of Sierra Leone
was educated at Kings College. London,
his medical practice being DIVIDED ne
tween London and Sierra Leone. HIS
mother was an English woman.
AS child OF four or five Coieriuse,
Taylor could read music before he could
! read a book. His first musical instruc-
/ ton was on the violin. The plano ne
would not touch, and did not for some
years AS one Of the singing boys In
st. Georges Church, Croydon. he re-
At fifteen he entered the Royal College
Of Music as student Of the violin. AZ
ter winning scholarship in compost
ton he entered I'm 1898 the classes OF
Sir Charles Nilliers-Stanford with whom
| he studied for more than four years
! Mr.. Coleridge- Taylor early gave evi-
| dence of creative powers of a high or
der, and at the time of his death ranked
as one Of the most interesting and re-
markable of British composers and con
| ductors. Aside from his creative work.
| he was actively engaged as teacher
! i'm Trinity College, London, and as con
ductor OF the Handel Society London,
and the Rochester Choral Society Al
| the Gloucester festival OF 1895 he at
tracted general notice by the perform
ance Of his ballade In minor for orches-
nt.t,. ,fatxt h.. A.1 la.V fYsTt Tod
| conduct.
His remarkably sympathetic setting
in cantata form portions of Longfel-
lows "Hiawatha did much to make
him known in England and America.
The triple choral work, with its haunt
! ing melodic phrases. bold harmonic
scheme and vivid orchestration, was
produced one part or scene at time.
for the composers original intention was
TO set 'IIiawatha's Wedding Feast
| only.
| This section was first performed in a
| concert Of the Royal College OF Music.
under the conductorship of Nillers-Stan-
ford. on November H. 1895. In response
TO an invitation from the committee OF
the North Staffordshire Musical Festival
The Death Of Mlnnehaha" was written
and given under the composers direction
at Harley on October %. 1899. The over.
iure 10 tho song of "Hiawaths," for fun
| orchestra, distinct work, was composed
FOR and performed at the Norwich Music
Festival Of 1899. The entire work. with
the added third part, "Hiawatha' De;
psrture." was first given by the Royal
Choral Society In Royal Albert iall.
London. on March q. 1890, the composer
| conducting.
The first performance Of the entire worl;
/ I'm America was given under tho direction
! 81 Charles Il. Knauss by the orpheus
Oratorio in Easton. Penn; on May ..
, 1903 The Cecilia Society, OF Boston IN
]
ance OF "Hiawatha's Wedding Feast on
/ March a. 1870: Of 'Hiawaths's Depart
ure," on December ., 1900 and OF ne
Death Of Minnehaha." on December =
100. together with "Hlawaths's Depart
In 1902 Mr.. Coleridge- Taylor was invited
10 conduct at the Sheffield Musical res
tival Ills orchestral and choral rhapsodr
| Meg Blanc" The fact that this work
was given on the same programme WIZ
Bach cantata Dvoraks "Staoat MateI
and Tschaikowsky's symphony Patnet,
!e" indicates the Il. h h.d esteem /" "'
sacred cantata OF the dimensions ano
STYLE OF a modern oratorio, me Atohe
ment." was first given at the heIeio ~, y =
Festival on September 3 l"3 unaer vls :
even greater at the first London per-
Torrance, in the Royal Albert Han, o.,
Ash Wednesday In 1894. the coinposess
conducting. The first performance h Ur
Tho Church Choral Society under Richard
Henry Warren at 81. Thomasss , Snurch'
this city. on February a ana 20. 1873.
Among the composers more re ~,
works We're his music to stephen Phil
ups's Nero" the rhapsody "Endymion :
Dream" and volume or t"ehty-iou'
negro melodies. ,.,
Mr.. Coieridge- Taylor has written mucn'
has achieved much. His work. moreover.
possesses not only charm and power but
distinction. the individual note. The gen
ulneness. depth and intensity OF his reel
ing. coupled with his mastery OF zen
nigue. spontanelty and ability to thinK
I'm his own way, explain the force or the
appeal his compositions make Another
element I'm the persuaslveness OF ms
music lies In its naturalness. the direct,
ness OF It's appeal. the use OF simple and
expressive melod'c themes and happy
freedom from the artificial. These traits
employed I'm the freedom Of modern musl,,
cal speech. coupled with the emotional
aud supported by ample technical re-
source beget an uttcrance quick TO evoke