The Washington times., 1917-02-25

NNl- l-l
a, and that 1t is not done by a mechani-
cal instrument either? Well. that
somebody is Archie" Gibson. the pic
turesque and altogether charming
organist of New York. whose sole
mission in life at the present moment
seems to be to play in the seats of the
mighty. That is the reputation any
way. that we. as Americans. have ac'
quired: for il is money that is sup
posed to rule US.
Archer Gibson, to be less familiar
and more appreciative. is organist in
New York for, four millionaires, the
Vanderbilts, the Schwabs, the Fricks,
and the Sloans. He played here in
Washington last Monday evening In
the beautiful music room of Mr.. and
Mrs. w. S. Corby, at Chevy Chase
circle, when they had about a hundred
| guests. and I heard him.
II wasn't just ordinary organ music,
either. You know they have one of
those Aeolian pipe organs in their
large two-story music room, and when
Mr.. Gibson explained it to me after.
ward 1 found that it has the hutes,
the woodwinds. the vIolins. the 'cellos
all the possibilities Of the modern
Observation-Disclosures to it's hundreds
of electric wires, and even to the
Steinway grand piano right out there
in the room. 1t is spooky.
Left Organ MusIe Program
For Secular Selections.
Well. Archie" Gibson. the name will
persist, left the realm OF organ music
and played in a way that captured us
all. long program of secular music /;
! of alluring waltzes, OF operas in which
his Imagination and temperamental
warmth evoked Scene and chorus,
soloists and full orchestra, from the
ever tunefui Poet and Peasant" to
"Parsifai." But it was when he
seemed to have summoned Fritz Kreis-
Ter and his violin TO us. that his witch
cry vas most enhancing. The "Ca-
price Fiennois," one of the folksonE
settings that RTsisler has maze so
rich and ssllfu', or bIithely and in as.
tonishing imitation of every shade of
tone came the Beethoven "Rondino''
that Kreisler had just played here,
and also the Beethoven "Minuet."
It makes 1t more interesting, too, to
know that Mr.. Gibson is a great friend
OF Kreisler's, and has played these
things for the viOlinist himself. And
IL really is kreisleri Mr.. Gibson says
that Fritz kreisler is as skilled an or
ganisc almost, as he is both violinist
and pianist. That he is a great musi-
clan, through and through. and that
dunn in which he can best express
himself. though the others would
serve as well. Ereisler took up the
violin rather latS in life. too, IT seems.
l didn't know that before. But over
and above his music. Mr.. Gibson fairly
glows when he tells how great the
violinist is as a nah
Might Have Been Church
Shrine In '.TOsca.-
. And the room, i don't know
whether it was the music. the room
itself, the most welcome subdued
; lighting, or just my fertile imagina-
tion, but over at one end where the
pipes of the organ are set in the
carved wood like the choir loft of an
/ old church, and where the sword OF
Parsifal. or was it Siegfried. was sus-
pended h midair. ] fancied ] was my
self living through the joys and inten-
stiles OF these operas. II might have
been the church scene in "Tosca," :"
WIN the slnuous Puccini music, or
over at the other end. past the beau
tiful tapestries and some lovely pic
lures with the beamed ceiling archinE
over them, was high niche in which
burned the lamp of the Holy Grail.
Seated at the organ in all this twi-
light of fancy, Archer Gibson looked
like the Able Liszt in his youth. He
Is 1.-THE and dark. so very tall, with
long black locks that curl bit at the
ends. GOu should sec his hands. No
wonder those long fingers can SO
master all the four keyboards Of the
organ. But he Is a real person, too.
albeit he had a~touch of the old worl6-
gsllantry i'm his makeup, for he kiss
ed my hand at parting
Mr.. and Mrs. Corby were delightful
hosts, who surely know how to create,
an atmosphere, a thing that is claim
ed to be rare in American homes.
They have made one very humble
debtor, who was given much joy by
hearini' in sr"E ; inr, ~
Droop declared to be the greatest or
gan playing we ever had or ever
would hear.
Washington Has Many