Music and Some Highly Musical People Part 12

[Ill.u.s.tration: JUSTIN HOLLAND.]

But such renown comes oftenest to those who seek it not,--to those who perform the right for the sake of right. These are they who

"Do good by stealth, and blush to find it fame."

Thoughts very similar to those just expressed are such as will naturally enter the minds of all who contemplate the history of Justin Holland, the distinguished musician. A mere outline of that interesting history is all that can here be given.

But first let me say, that if a little while ago, when arranging the t.i.tle for this sketch, the writer had been quite sure that in placing after the name of the person to be treated a certain single word,--which really is one of very extensive meaning, although not always so used or understood,--had he been sure that from that word the general reader would have formed a complete idea of this artist's very varied accomplishments, then the heading would have been simply, "Justin Holland, musician." But judging that such brevity, however desirable in some respects, might yet fail in doing justice to one whose great native talents, joined to remarkable attainments made during a life of most industrious endeavor, ent.i.tle him to very particular mention from first to last, I have thought it best to state in detail the several departments of the musical art in which he has won the rarest of laurels.

I am not quite certain, though, that such minute mention will be pleasant to Mr. Holland; for I learn that he is as modest as he is learned, and that he has always had a sort of aversion to having his name appear in print at all, albeit during his long career in music it has thus appeared many times, in spite of said aversion, and always most honorably. But when he shall read these pages, on which nought shall be set down save with a regard for truth, and shall perceive by them, that while he steadily, quietly, and effectively worked for many years, with no attempts at ostentatious display, scarcely looking up the while to observe the outer results of his work, and to catch for inspiration the praises of men; when he shall see in his now mature years that all he so noiselessly invented, and fashioned into practical, useful form, is regarded by a well-meaning chronicler as of vast importance in serving as a n.o.ble example for the study and imitation of the youth of the land, and therefore to be faithfully recorded,--then it is hoped he will pardon the somewhat free but well-intentioned use that is here made of his name and deeds.

Mr. Holland was born in 1819 amidst the then "solitudes" of Norfolk County, Va. His father, Exum Holland, was a farmer. When quite a young child, Justin evinced a very decided fondness for music. But, nearly sixty years ago, a farm-life in Virginia, ten miles from any town, as may be imagined, afforded but poor opportunities for either hearing or learning music. Such opportunities, however, as were within reach, our subject very eagerly embraced. It is related of him, that, when less than fourteen years of age, he was in the habit of walking on Sundays to a log meeting-house five miles away, and there listening to and joining in such music (?) as was at that time discoursed in such places. But previously to this, when only a boy of eight years, he accidentally came into possession of an old song-book with words only.

Being much delighted with this, he often perched himself upon a rail-fence, quite removed from the farm-house and all chance of interruption, where he sang and heartily enjoyed the songs, the music for which this would-be musician extemporized. Years afterward it was found that some of the tunes he thus early invented, and which he retained in his memory, were equal if not superior in merit to those that really belonged to the songs in the book mentioned. Thus was Holland almost born with the composer's art.

When about fourteen years old, Justin left Virginia, and went to Boston; from whence he shortly afterwards removed, going to Chelsea, Ma.s.s. Here he spent his youth and several years of his manhood. A short while after becoming a resident of Chelsea, he determined to study in earnest the science of music. At this time he happened to become acquainted with Senor Mariano Perez, a Spanish musician, and one of a troupe that was performing at the old Lion Theatre on Washington Street in Boston. He had many opportunities for hearing Perez play upon the guitar. The richness and beauty of melody and harmony, and the unsurpa.s.sed variety and fineness of expression, that were evolved from this beautiful instrument by this master-performer, so charmed Holland, that he decided to give his chief attention to the study of the guitar. Not that he then dreamed of ever becoming a teacher or professor of the instrument: he wished to learn music simply for his own amus.e.m.e.nt. His first music-teacher was Mr. Simon Knaebel, who was a member of "Ned" Kendall's famous bra.s.s band, and who enjoyed a high reputation as an arranger of music. After a while he began lessons with Mr. William Schubert, also a member of Kendall's band, and a correct and brilliant performer on the guitar. Under this teacher our subject soon made rapid progress, becoming a favorite pupil from his ability to play duets with his instructor; the latter being very fond of that kind of music. He afterwards made fine progress with the eight-keyed flute, taking lessons on this instrument from a Scotch gentleman by the name of Pollock. During all this time, it must be borne in mind that our zealous young student was unaided by any one in defraying the great expense incurred in pursuing his studies. He had to depend upon his own hard earnings. Besides, he had no time for practice save that taken from the hours usually devoted to sleep.

In 1841 (his age was then twenty-two years), desiring more education than his. .h.i.therto limited opportunities had allowed him to obtain, he went to that n.o.ble inst.i.tution, Oberlin College, where, feeling anxious to make up for all time lost, he diligently pursued his studies, and made rapid advancement. In 1844 his progress had been so good, that we find him one of the authors of a book of three hundred and twenty-four pages on certain subjects of moral reform. In 1845 Mr.

Holland went to Cleveland, O., then only a small city of less than nine thousand inhabitants. While prospecting in Cleveland for something to do, it was found that he was an amateur performer on the guitar, playing the best music with a fine degree of proficiency. This brought him applications to give lessons to members of some of the first families in the city, and caused him to make Cleveland his permanent home. His character had now become finely formed, he being quite noticeable for his gentlemanly, scholarly qualities, and for the close attention he gave to the subject of music and to all that concerned true advancement in the profession in which he had now resolved to remain for life. As ill.u.s.trating the principles by which he was guided, I give the following extract from a letter of his to a friend, describing his life at the time just mentioned. He says,--

"I adopted as a rule of guidance for myself, that I would do full justice to the learner in my efforts to impart to him a good knowledge of the elementary principles of music, and a correct system of fingering [on the guitar], as practised by, and taught in the works of, the best masters in Europe.

I also decided that in my intercourse as teacher I would preserve the most cautious and circ.u.mspect demeanor, considering the relation a mere business one that gave me no claims upon my pupils' attention or hospitality beyond what any ordinary business matter would give. I am not aware, therefore, that any one has ever had cause to complain of my demeanor, or that I have been in any case presumptive."

He had now become firmly established as a teacher, and was soon at the head of the profession in Cleveland as a guitar-instructor. This, however, did not satisfy him; and he determined to attain to still greater proficiency. Finding that the best systems for guitar-playing were such as were taught in the works (foreign) of Sor, Carulli, D'Aguado, Giuliani, Ferranti, and Mertz, Mr. Holland entered upon a course of study of the French, Italian, and Spanish languages, in order that he might read in the original the systems of those great masters, and thus be the better able to understand and apply the same.

He soon by diligent study acquired a knowledge of the languages mentioned; and, as will hereafter appear, this knowledge became of great use to him.

The secret of our subject's great success as a guitar-virtuoso may be readily gathered from the statement I have just made about the foreign languages. _He was always thorough, enterprising, singularly industrious._ Loving deeply his chosen profession and instrument, he could never be satisfied with a position of mere mediocrity, either as a performer or teacher; but with most studious care he sought both near and far all sources of theoretical information, in order that he might thus secure skill in elucidation; while as a performer he reached to the innermost depths, so to say, of all forms of great musical expression, that he might bring from thence such sweets of melody and harmony as would charm his pupils, and rivet their attention on that beautiful instrument, the guitar. He ever aimed, in fine, to carry guitar-playing in this country to a state that comported with the highest laws of science,--to elevate it to the high level whence it had been taken by the great masters of Europe. His success in these aims will be more fully seen as this account progresses.

Mr. Holland, it seems, has not aspired to distinction as an original composer of music, although he has done something in that line. Of modest pretensions, and rather practical character, he has considered that he could do more for music and the guitar in seeking to make the meritorious compositions of others for other instruments available for guitar practice by skilful arrangements; and in this, his special field of musical labor,--speaking with respect either to the quant.i.ty or quality of his works,--he is without an equal in this country: indeed, in certain particulars which will be mentioned hereafter, it will be seen that he has surpa.s.sed even the guitar-virtuosos of Europe. His published arrangements for the guitar of the best music composed number more than three hundred pieces, all of them ranking as standard; while with guitar-students, and the princ.i.p.al music-publishers of the day, the name of Holland has been since 1848 as familiar as a household word. It is remarkable, too, that nearly all of this large number of arrangements were made from music sent to Mr. Holland by publishers, with a request that he adapt the same to the guitar. He did not need to sound his own praises. While he quietly worked with his pupils in Cleveland, his fame as a skilful musician was spreading over the country. Soon publishers began to send him orders for arrangements. Such pieces as he had written merely for diversion, or for use with his cla.s.ses, when it became known that he had them, were eagerly solicited for publication. If the reader will examine the catalogues of the larger music-publishing houses of the country, he will find, that, under the head of Guitar-Music, the name of Holland appears far oftener than that of any other writer. A partial list of his works I have thought of transferring from the publishers' catalogues to the pages of this book; but this, perhaps, is not necessary, nor will s.p.a.ce allow it. I will state that his arrangements, with variations, three in number, of "Home, Sweet Home,"

are considered by competent judges the best adaptations of this immortal air ever made for the guitar. The same opinion is also expressed of his arrangement, with variations, of "The Carnival of Venice." It is a five-page concert-piece, equal to ten or twelve pages of piano-music. Those who love the guitar, or who are desirous of testing the abilities of the author and the correctness of the judgment just given, would do well to procure these two selections: this they can do from any of the music-publishers. Nor is a guitar library complete unless it contains many more of this writer's works; such, for instance, as the following: "Winter Evenings," a collection of fifteen pieces, eight of them with variations; "Flowers of Melody,"

twenty-three pieces, among which is to be found the charming "Flower-Song" from the opera of "Faust," arranged as a solo; "Gems for the Guitar," twenty pieces; "Summer Evenings," containing an extensive list of songs; and "Bouquet of Melodies," a series of twenty-four arrangements from the most popular operas, all instrumental.

Most of Mr. Holland's writing has been for the eminent firm of S.

Brainard's Sons of Cleveland, O., the most extensive music-publishing house in the country, with one exception; next to them, for J.L.

Peters & Co. of New York; G.W. Brainard and D.P. Fauld, Louisville, Ky.; John Church of Cincinnati; and for a house in Michigan.

But our talented author has not confined himself to that department of guitar-writing just under consideration. Equal to his fame as an arranger is his fame as a writer of instruction-books for the guitar.

These works are distinguished for comprehensiveness of study, general simplicity of arrangement, and for boldness of attack, and clearness of elucidation, of _all_ guitar difficulties. His chief work is "Holland's Comprehensive Method for the Guitar," written for and published by J.L. Peters & Co., New York, in 1874. This book, while in ma.n.u.script, was by Messrs. Peters & Co. submitted to the judgment of some of the finest critics in New York, by whom it was p.r.o.nounced the best ever prepared either in this country or Europe.

On this point I append the following from the Cleveland "Plain-Dealer"

of Dec. 24, 1868:--

"AN IMPORTANT MUSICAL WORK IN PREPARATION.

"For several months, Mr. Justin Holland, who has long enjoyed an honorable fame as a teacher of the guitar, a performer upon that instrument, and a successful musical author, has been engaged upon a book of instruction for the guitar. The work was undertaken at the suggestion of Mr.

J.L. Peters, the widely-known music-publisher of New-York City, who has purchased the book, and will publish it at once; Mr. Holland having so nearly finished it, that the first portion can be put to press immediately. The work was sent on to New York some time since for Mr. Peters's inspection; and he submitted it to several other prominent musical critics and guitarists, all of whom expressed themselves highly pleased with it. Mr. Dressler, of 'The United-States Musical Review,' published at New York, says, 'I have carefully and thoroughly examined this new method for the guitar, and must confess that it is already, in its present state, the best in this country,--the most thorough, explicit, progressive, agreeable, and satisfactory work ever written in this country or in Europe.' Higher praise than this a book could not receive. The method is very elaborate, and contains many points not heretofore touched on in works of the kind. Mr. Holland's abilities as a composer of music, and his skill as a performer upon the guitar, render him pre-eminently qualified to write such a work; and supplying, as it will, a want long felt, it will achieve popularity at once, we firmly believe."

Some time after the publication of the method just mentioned, the Messrs. Brainard engaged Mr. Holland to write a somewhat similar one, but smaller in size, for them. This they issued in 1876, it being styled "Holland's Modern Method for the Guitar." Although smaller in size than the first one, it is regarded as the best method for beginners that has as yet been produced.

It may perhaps be interesting to those possessing a scientific acquaintance with the guitar, as well, indeed, as to the general student of music, to learn how this accomplished author acquired the power to so clearly--more clearly than it was ever before done in guitar books--explain the method of producing on the guitar the _harmonic tones_. Writing a friend, Mr. Holland thus speaks of this:--

"When, in writing my first book, I came to the subject 'Harmonics,' I found myself at a loss as to how to explain these tones; not as to how to produce them myself, but to give a correct _theory_ of their production. I searched in vain through a mult.i.tude of musical works, not knowing or thinking of anywhere else to look. I stopped for several weeks, and began a series of observations on the vibrations on the strings of my guitar; having nothing to aid me but my eyes, fingers, and ears, and a knowledge of the fact that the vibrations of a string were doubled in number for every octave of ascent in pitch of tone. I thus discovered the true theory of the harmonic tones to be the vibrations of a single string in a number of equal sections, more or less, and all at the same time; and that their production was at the pleasure of the operator as he desired higher or lower tones. Having fully verified my discoveries, I then corrected the erroneous theory on this subject of the great guitarist, F. Sor. I learned afterwards that the subject was discussed and explained in some scientific works that treated on acoustics."

I have before referred to the pecuniary disadvantages under which Mr.

Holland had to labor in the beginning of his career. These followed him for a long period. It seems that much time must nearly always elapse ere even genius becomes acknowledged, and its possessor receives that pecuniary reward so necessary to his support. This acknowledgment, and, to an encouraging extent, this substantial reward, came to Mr. Holland after a while, but not until after he had pa.s.sed through many very trying scenes. One of the latter has been thus described:--

"He always had a horror of asking any one for credit or a loan. At a certain time he found himself out of ready money.

It was Sunday, and he had not the 'wherewith' to get his breakfast on Monday morning. He had always lived retired, forcing intimacy with none, and generally mingling only where business called him. He therefore did not feel intimate enough with any one to offer to borrow, nor did he feel like asking anywhere for credit. He had, however, a small job of writing that had been sent in, for which, when done, he was to receive about twenty-five dollars. Here was Mr. Holland's resource. He began his work about seven o'clock on Sunday evening. He wrote till late. Becoming weary, and his eyelids being heavy, he lighted a spirit-lamp; and with a very diminutive French coffee-pot he prepared, and soon was sipping, a cup of coffee that no doubt would have pleased the Arabian prophet, had he been present to partake. Refreshed by this, he continued his labors until the darkness grew to gray dawn, and the dawn to full light of day. At seven in the morning the last note was written. At eight o'clock he took the work to his patron, and before nine returned with a light heart and good material for breakfast."

A touching incident this, surely, but one that has had either a near or perfect counterpart in the lives of many music writers and teachers, who have often been obliged to labor in season and out of season for the bare necessaries of life. And yet how seldom it is that we are aware of the painful vigils that are kept by these gifted but toiling ones when creating the works that so much contribute to the pleasure of our leisure moments!

Of all the music-publishing firms for whom Mr. Holland has written, I believe the only ones that know him personally, and know that he is a colored man, are the Messrs. Brainard and Mr. John Church. On this point of color, a little incident in his life is well worth recording.

One day, in 1864, Mr. Holland went into a large music-store (not in Cleveland) to purchase an instrument. The salesmen present seeming disposed--no doubt on account of his color--to give him no attention whatever, he quietly left, and made his purchase elsewhere. He has since been employed by, and has received large sums of money from, that very firm, as a writer of music for them. He does not even now personally know any one of the firm; nor is it supposed that the latter know him otherwise than by his reputation, and through correspondence with him. It is almost certain, that had it been generally known, as it was not outside of Cleveland, that this gifted and accomplished musician was a member of the colored race, his success would have been much curtailed, so greatly has the senseless, the ign.o.ble feeling of color-phobia prevailed in this country. To the Messrs. Brainard and Mr. Church, who proved themselves superior to the low prejudices of the times, all honor be given! To them the brightness of the artist's genius was not obscured by the color of his face.

As another evidence of the esteem in which Mr. Holland is held by one of the firms just mentioned, I append the following extract from a letter which I received a few months ago:--

S. BRAINARD'S SONS' MUSIC-PUBLISHING HOUSE,

CLEVELAND, O., April 2, 1877.

_Dear Sir_,--... Mr. Justin Holland is one of our finest practical and theoretical musicians. He has written two large methods for the guitar, besides being the composer and arranger of a large amount of guitar-music, both vocal and instrumental. He is a refined and educated gentleman of very modest and unpretending character, but is a thorough musician and student.

Yours,

S. BRAINARD'S SONS.

A few years ago, on his return from a visit to New Orleans, he stopped at Leavenworth, Kan. The editor of the leading paper in Leavenworth, supposing that Mr. Holland intended to remain there, thus spoke of him editorially:--

"PROFESSOR HOLLAND.

"We had the pleasure of a visit yesterday from Professor J.

Holland of Louisiana, who is an eminent music teacher and writer of thirty years' practical experience. He purposes locating in Leavenworth, and giving instructions on the guitar, flute, and piano. He has made an especial study of the guitar, and has written a work on it which is p.r.o.nounced the best in print by competent critics. We need just such a man as the professor in this city, and are glad he has come among us, and hope he may receive a liberal patronage."

And the editor of "The Musical World," Professor Carl Merz, thus mentioned Mr. Holland in the number of that journal for October, 1877:--

... "Again we would mention Mr. Justin Holland, teacher of the guitar, and composer of music for this instrument. Mr.

Holland is a great lover of art, a gentleman of culture, who reads fluently several languages, and whose labors are highly esteemed by publishers as well as by lovers of the guitar. From 'Der Freimaurer,' a monthly published in Vienna, Austria, we learn that Mr. Holland is now in his fifty-seventh year. He lives in Cleveland, where he enjoys the patronage of the lovers of music, irrespective of color."

As before intimated, Mr. Holland's pupils have been in many cases members of the richest and most highly cultivated families of Cleveland; and such have been his skill as an instructor, and his n.o.ble qualities of heart and mind in general, as evinced in his deportment towards them, that the persons just mentioned, and others of his scholars, have ever entertained for him not only feelings of deep respect, but those also of affection. Among other very pleasing instances of this is one found in the case of Mr. and Mrs. Briggs of Ma.s.sachusetts, the former a son of Ex-Gov. Briggs of that State, and the latter a native of Cleveland, a lady of great refinement and general culture, who, up to the time of her marriage, was a pupil of Mr. Holland. This estimable couple, who formerly and semi-annually visited Cleveland, never failed at such times to pay their respects to Mrs. Briggs's former tutor, showing by this course that neither time nor s.p.a.ce could obliterate the warm regard which had been created by previous pleasant a.s.sociations.

The writer has thus far said but very little of Mr. Holland's abilities as a performer on, and teacher of, the flute and piano-forte. Let it suffice to say, briefly, that these abilities are such as to show, that, had he chosen to devote himself to either of these two instruments as much as he has devoted himself to the guitar, he might have attained to great distinction in the same. But, even as it is, he is regarded as a fine flutist and pianist. For the piano he has composed and arranged a number of pieces. He has played in public occasionally, of course always with the greatest acceptance. He has, however, never sought for nor made occasions to play in public; being always noticeable for a love of the quieter, and to him pleasanter, walks of musical life.

And now, if this were not intended as a book on musical history alone, the writer might occupy many more pages in narrating the many important events connected with the life of Mr. Holland as a distinguished member for years of the order of Free Masons. We may be allowed to mention incidentally, that his reputation as one of the "n.o.ble craft" is even greater than his reputation as a musician. It is more nearly world-wide; for we find that as a Mason he is well known in the South and West of this country, and in South America, Italy, Germany, and France. A sketch of his life, together with his portrait, was published at Vienna, Austria, in the ill.u.s.trated monthly "Der Freimaurer" ("The Freemason"), in the number for February, 1877.

From this journal I learn that Mr. Holland has been a most active and indispensable member of Excelsior Lodge No. 11 of Cleveland (which he a.s.sisted in forming in 1865), and of the Grand Lodge of Ohio. In the former he has held the offices of Secretary and Junior Warden; and in the latter he first served two terms (declining a third) as Worshipful Master, and afterwards was elected Senior Grand Deacon, Deputy Grand Master, Deputy Grand High Priest, of the Grand Chapter of Royal Arch Masons for Ohio,--serving three terms,--and Most Excellent Grand High Priest. In conducting the foreign correspondence of the Grand Lodge, Mr. Holland has for a number of years performed a most invaluable service. In this work, his familiar acquaintance with the French, Spanish, German, Italian, and Portuguese languages was put to uses the most important, as through the same, and his very intelligent and painstaking management, the colored Masons of Ohio have been fully recognized by, and brought into communication with, the Grand Lodges of France, Peru, Germany, Portugal, and Spain. Mr. Holland has also been appointed the representative in this country of the Grand Lodges of France and Peru, each appointment a very rare distinction. He has several times received complimentary mention in the addresses of the Grand Masters of the Ohio Lodge; and in 1866 he was the recipient from the members of the latter of a set of highly eulogistic resolutions, and of a valuable gold watch appropriately inscribed. All these honors were tendered as earnest tokens of the high estimation in which he was held by the brotherhood for the skill and zeal he had so often displayed in serving a cause founded on the n.o.ble principles of faith, hope, and charity.

What a busy, what a useful, honorable life, have we been following! It is hoped that the reader has been entertained and instructed by even this far from perfect unfolding of the same. As for the writer, he leaves its present consideration with feelings of affectionate regret; while he would fain remain to study again and again the valuable lessons that it teaches, and to watch with unabated interest the fortunes of its future. May the latter bring to our n.o.ble friend and artist as little of disappointment as may be! and when the end shall finally come, as come it must some day to all, may he have, as a crowning and sweet reward for the manly, the heroic past, a sleep like that of him who "lies down to pleasant dreams"!