The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1952-01-10

Born in Cardiff, Wales. Alec
Templeton (Aiec is his fun name
began studying the piano al the
very tender age of four with Mars.
aret Humphrey. whose Golden
Jubilee as teacher Alec recently
celebrated with a benefit concert
there in her honor. Under her tute,
age, at sixteen he successfully
passed entrance examinations to
London's Royal College of Music
not only winning scholarship, but
recording the highest grades in the
annals of the college. A little later
he furthered his studies al the
London Academy of Music. A fami.
liar figure on the American scene
Today, MIR. Templeton came TO the
United States in 1885 with Jack
Hylton, British band leader and
impresario, for a series of broad.
casts for the Standard Oil Com
pany. His real concert debut in
this country occurred in 1886 in
Chicago's Orchestra Hall.
The phenomenal success of Alec
Templeton as performer, composer
and musical wit, may be ascribed
In part to his approach to all things
musical, and to the man himself
From a very early age, all sound
which could be controlled fascinat.
ed Alec Templeton, be it COW bells,
chimes, horns. For to him. all
these gadgets had rudiments OF
music. In this respect, his first
teacher, Miss Humphrey, was wont
to encourage the young Templeton.
In her words: ''All sound is an ex.
preston of life, and not TO be
deSpiSed." This statement still re,
mains Alec Templeton'S musical
yardstick. II was also at this very
early age that Mr.. Templeton first
came in contact with Jazz through
the medium of the gramophone
To this day, he still feels that real
jazz the New Orleans Dixielano
Band type has place in the
musical scene the world over. To
day, Alec Templeton's recital pro
grams, which combine the noblest
music with the lighter fun, illustrate
his complete sincerity in touchins
both the classic and popular ele
ments. There is never a suspicion
of playing up or down; he believe!
both elements are part of music
This sincerity in both the classic
and popular forms has had inter
eSting results. II has put Mr.. TEN
pleton into the UNIQUE position
OF gratifying every listening taste
PuristS who resent the mutilatior
of good music accept Templeton's
impressions with enthusiasm, open
ing their hearts to the fact that
music need not be ponderous to be
good And swing-fans who nor
mally flee Mozart find themselves
absorbing authentic Mozart style as
painless fun, and discovering that
music need not be ''croony" to be
enjoyable.
An American citizen since 1910
Alec Templeton lives very simply
and happily with Mrs. Templetor
in Connecticut. There in the quiet
of the surroundings, Mr.. and Mrs
Templeton enjoy the same hobbies.
His record collection contains hun.
dreds of works; music boxes are
everywhere, as are chimes, clocks
and radios the latter more out 0i
necessity than hobby. Fer il is
through the medium Of the airwav.
es that Alec Templeton is able To
keep in touch with the latest things
| musical, popular and classic.
Versatility best describes Alec
Fempleton versatility tempered
with O thorough musical knowledge
and training in all the varied as
poets of the field, coupled with a
singularly astute ear. has produc'
cd an incompatible and sincere
artist. As the former editor of
ETUDE Magazine, and one OF
Americas foremost musicologistS
DR.. James Francis Cooke, once
stated: IF ever an artist treated
musis as a human thing. il is
Templeton. His humor is never of
the wisecracking sort; entirely
dignified, even scholarly, he simply
realizes that music is one of the
ingredients of living that make
men rejoice. In demonstrating this
belief. Mr.. Templeton has done
a great work in America"
Alec Templeton's concert tours
have taken him into practically
every state Of the Union, province
of Canada and out to the Hawaiian
Islands. He has performed with
nearly all the major symphony
orchestras in the United States.
and appeared at numerous summer
music festivals in this country. He
has starred on his own radio shows,
and appears repeatedly as guest
artist on all the major network
radio programs. Indeed. Alec Tenn
pleton is unique figure among
artists today. He is incompatible