The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1936-04-24
Our
Town
By
ANTON sCHERRER

= schmidt was the only cellist in
Indiana. Today he is one of a mil
lion and the only reason he hasn't
taught everybody to play is because
he didn't start early enough.
He wasted the first nine years of
his life learning to read and write.
After that, his father took a hand.
His father. a music master by trade,
came to town in 1854 and did more
to spoil the leisure of indianapolis
boys than any two pioneers put to-
gether. With some boys he had
luck. In the case of his own he
wrought miracle.
Before anybody was on to it, he
had young Schellschmidt playing
the violin, cello and clarinet, q
combination that brought all known
muscles Of the time into play.
Mr.. Schellschmidt chucked the
fiddle almost Immediately because
the fiddle didn's appear to have any
more future then than it has now.
WTHICH left the cello and clari-
" net, with the clarinet out in
front, because with funerals, dances
and torchlight professions turning
up as regularly as they did then, the
Clarinet was the better money!
maker Of the two.
No funeral in the eighties was
complete without q clarinet and
timers recall that it was Moth
ing for Mr.. Schellschmi6t to foot
his way from Garfield Park to
Crown Hill without even once COM
planning about his feet. Fact is.
he made money with every step he
took.
He couldn't have done it with a
cello.
just about the time the funerals
we're at the noisiest. j. M. Courier
secured the country to find must
clans for his 52-piece New Orleans
Exposition Band. Sure. He found
his clarinetist right here. Mr..
Schellschmidt went South and
started his first adventure away
from home. He was the baby of the.
band.
While down there where nobody
could watch him, he picked UP the
piccolo.
A FER that he went abroad to
- enter the Cologne Conserva-
cory OF Music. This time he took
his cello along. Also two union
cards--one for the cello and one
for the clarinet. Nobody ever asked
to see them.
In Cologne he drew Louis Hey
gesi for a teacher. Before anybody
was aware of it, Heygesi had Mr..
Schellschmidt playing in the first
production of Tinei's st. Francis. :"
And it wasn't long before he
played the cello right under the
eyes of Richard Strauss in the
premiere of Tod und Verklaerung.
Musicians played as we'll so
years ago as they do now--maybe
better, says Mr.. Schellschmidt
Which is why he doesn't go nuts
over the Sunday radio performances
the way the rest of us do.
Mr.. Schellschmidt harbors no
grudge against the radio. however
He keeps one FOR Amos n Andy.
MIR. SCHELLSCHMIDT returned
AVA to Indianapolis with Con-
tinental reputation and the same
flowing tie he now wears. He looked
so picturesque at the time that his
mother paid to have his photograph
taken.
Back in his old haunts he started
teaching everybody to play the
cello. On the side he found
music school. organized the De
Paw glee club, joined the Schlie-
wen quartet and conducted the Col
lege Avenue M. E. Church choir.
In his spare time he composed
pieces which are still heard.
Generally speaking, he has been
interested in everything musical
connected with the town. He still is,
for that matter, but he's taking it
easier now.
At one time he had % cellos scat
tered around the house. He's down
to eight now, because he always
loses couple around house clean
ing time.