Organ Blowing (Told by EHL)
“A few organs of the older and smaller churches were still blown or pumped by hand. I remember when organ blowing was quite a trade. Some of the big organs required several men at the pump handles or wheels. And in the old days it was impossible even to practice without a blower. The first man who ever “raised the wind” for me was Plumney. He spoke the broad Isle of Wight dialect, which few understood. Precisely at the end of one hour, Plumney would appear from the side of the organ waiting for his sixpence. It did not matter to him whether or not there was another chord in the piece—the hour’s work was done and that was the end of the matter. Sometimes wind would go out suddenly on an unresolved discord, and I would have to hurry home to the piano to “resolve” it.”
Lemare, Edwin H. Organs I Have Met. Schoolcraft, 1956, p. 18.
The Movable Console (Told by EHL)
“I shall never forget the first movable console I “met”. It was in a concert hall which had a slightly sloping stage, and the organ builders seemed very proud of it. They explained that it was so light it could be pushed from one end of the stage to the other. It was a harmless looking arrangement, but it simply couldn’t stand The Ride of the Valkyries. As long as you stroked and caressed it with outstretched fingers, it behaved itself admirably, but when I opened the program with Bach’s Prelude and Fugue in D Major, it resented my enthusiastic pounding and began to slip away from the bench; so I had to wriggle forward constantly while playing to keep pace with the console. I remember at the end of the performance that both the bench and I were dangerously near the footlights.”
Lemare, Edwin H. Organs I Have Met. Schoolcraft, 1956, p. 17.
A Story EHL Found Humorous (Written In Own Hand)
Meeting the Great Best (Told by EHL)
“While giving recitals at the Fisheries Exhibition in Liverpool, I strolled over one afternoon to hear the great organ and the great Best. After his recital I ventured to call on him in his room and introduce myself. I also presumed to ask if he would permit me to try the organ for a few minutes; but he said in his drawling manner that the engineer had left and the steam was turned off. He then looked at me with a strange twinkle in his eye and asked to be excused for a moment. He soon returned and said, “I have found the engineer and you may try the organ for ten minutes”. I remember improvising on this wonderful old organ for what I thought was ten minutes. When I woke up from my reverie and looked at at my watch, it was close to an hour. I hurriedly got off the bench, when, to my surprise, who should be sitting in one of the front seats of that great empty hall but W. T. Best himself! When we met downstairs in the lobby, he shook hands and said, “Well, I hope you’ve enjoyed the recital. Goodbye, we shall meet again.” And we often did.”
Lemare, Edwin H. Organs I Have Met. Schoolcraft, 1956, pp. 15-16.
Alfred Hollins (Told by EHL)
“It was at the Invention Exhibition that I had the pleasure of meeting Alfred Hollins, the blind organist and composer. Our introduction was unique. I had written a march, afterwards published under the name of Marche Moderne—and played it from manuscript for the first time at one of these recitals. The audience seemed to like it so much that I was requested to repeat it the following day. The next day, to my surprise, I saw it announced on one of Hollins’ recital programs—he having heard me play it only twice. Out of curiosity I went to hear him, and it was played from beginning to end with marvelous accuracy—an extraordinary feat of memory.”
Lemare, Edwin H. Organs I Have Met. Schoolcraft, 1956, p. 14.
Lemare’s Rules
One of Lemare’s hard and fast rules was that the tuner be always present during a recital in case anything went wrong. Many times the tuner was inside the organ taking care of perhaps a cipher while Mr. Lemare improvised around it.
Lemare believed in short programs. He never played for more than an hour and a quarter.
Lemare, Edwin H. Organs I Have Met. Schoolcraft, 1956, pp. 93, 106.
Improvising (Told by EHL)
“The gift of improvising has often proved of value in awkward situations. On one occasion, while playing a Bach fugue, the copy was devoid of the last three pages. My memory failing me for the moment, I had to resort to improvising “a la Bach.” Often I have used it to cover up a cipher and have broken off from the piece I was playing and improvised around this one note until the organ tuner had time to discover the defect in the mechanism. The builders have often called me “the organ builder’s friend” as I never permitted the audience to know that there was anything wrong. On one occasion, I “played around” a cipher for five minutes before the frantic organ builder finally located the trouble.”
Lemare, Edwin H. Organs I Have Met. Schoolcraft, 1956, p. 68.
The Bay of Biscay (Told by EHL)
“Many years ago I was improvising on “The Bay of Biscay” which was given as a theme from the audience. Thinking it appropriate to such a theme, I introduced a storm in the middle section. Under the impression that I was producing the storm effect in a legitimate and artistic manner, I was somewhat perturbed to hear peals of laughter from the audience, and on peeping over the top of the console to ascertain the cause of this unseemly disturbance, I saw an old Yorkshire farmer who afterwards declared he was so carried away that he felt obliged to put up his umbrella!”
“In Sydney, Australia, where I was persuaded to do a similar “stunt” on the huge organ in the Town Hall, I received an official letter from the Town Hall authorities suggesting that I refrain from further efforts in this direction, as the vibration of the immense pedal organ (with its 64 ft reed) was loosening the plaster on the roof!”
Lemare, Edwin H. Organs I Have Met. Schoolcraft, 1956, pp. 70-71.
“Has Anybody Here Seen Kelly” (Told by EHL)
“I recall that the janitor of Festival Hall was of the name of Kelly. One evening, just before the improvisation, something went wrong with the electric lights, and as minute after minute passed without “light on the subject” (amid vain endeavors on the part of the ushers to locate the janitor), I selected as my own theme, greatly to the amusement of the audience, the then well known popular song, “Has Anybody Here Seen Kelly?” According to a newspaper account, “the theme was first vaguely whispered on the softer stops. Then a disturbing and restless counter theme followed as if to illustrate the vain search for Kelly. The theme was then resumed in fugal form increasing in tone as it appeared from time to time, and finally--as if to compel Kelly’s appearance.” Suddenly, just at the close of the quest, the lights appeared, as did Kelly, who seemed to appreciate the compliment I paid him.”
Lemare, Edwin H. Organs I Have Met, Schoolcraft, 1956, p. 67.
The Theoretical (Told by EHL)
“I have often been urged to write a theoretical book on organs and organ playing; but strange as it may seem, I was never particularly interested in anything theoretical. During my school days I was bored with this part of my education. I could therefore never be induced to explain in a book to the student how and why one should do certain things. The present book was to be devoted solely to organs and some of their eccentricities, also to interesting people in connection thereof; but it was prevailed upon me to give a little of my life’s history. I am told that love, especially a great love, is of far more interest even to those who read books about eccentric organs. So, may I say that my married life of twenty-four years to Charlotte, has been one long period of bliss and happiness.”
Lemare, Edwin H. Organs I Have Met. Schoolcraft, 1956, p. 46.
Charlotte’s Comments
“My husband never sacrificed his art or his ideals. On several occasions he was harassed by members of committees who were not only ignorant musically but had no conception of the soul of an artist. Once it was suggested that he play a few numbers during the intermission of a weekly basketball game. But this was not quite as bad as introducing the organ during a prize fight. The very thought of a fight was so abhorrent to his artistic nature that to associate it with that of a beautiful organ was past his understanding.”
Lemare, Edwin H. Organs I Have Met. Schoolcraft, 1956, p. 92.
Committees and Politics (Told by EHL)
“Why should a music committee dictate to an organist as to his programs and judge them according to their own tastes, rather than from musical knowledge? It was once suggested to me by a member of a committee that, as the audience did not understand a transcription the way I rendered it, I omit all transcriptions and play the numbers from the original score. Another insisted that my programs should be drawn up by the committee. Another insisted that old melodies should be played on the organ in the same manner they are played on a piano—that is, on one keyboard with both hands. Another suggested that the full organ be used in all numbers. Such is the intelligence of some committees who rule the destiny of a city’s musical public.”
“On a more humorous note, once when I read the program, the Improvisation was written as “Impulverization”. On another occasion the “printer’s devil” announced it as “Impoverisation.”
Lemare, Edwin H. Organs I Have Met. Schoolcraft, 1956, pp. 68, 74 & 83.
Charlotte’s Comments
“My husband liked to be comfortable and at ease in his recital work. If it meant being uncomfortable to be in style, then he was not in style. Nothing could induce him to wear a “boiled” shirt, the bosom of which might bulge during the rendition of a number; nor could he be induced to wear starched cuffs. His dress shirts were specially made of white silk, finely tucked with soft, turned back cuffs. His cuff links were plain solid gold on which his crest was engraved. Before starting his program, he discarded his evening coat for a black alpaca, which at a distance resembled his dinner jacket. This was worn at thousands of recitals and is still a keepsake for the family today. He was never fussy about shoes. He always wore ground grippers made to order and never kept any special pair for his recital work. A very ardent admirer, who was treasurer for a big shoe firm and was also an organist, borrowed one of Lemare’s shoes and later presented him with two pairs—a black and a tan—bench made and with his name in guilt letters inside the shoes. For many years this was an annual present.”
Lemare, Edwin H. Organs I Have Met. Schoolcraft, 1956, p. 99.
A Councilman’s Story
“Lemare had the highest conception of his art, which he would not sacrifice for dollars or prestige. He was modest and unassuming and very approachable. A story was told of a certain councilman in one of Mr. Lemare’s municipal posts. There was a feeling in the council that a great musician must necessarily be high brow and stand-offish. But one member had a different opinion and decided to prove his point. He called at Lemare’s home one evening about five o’clock and he was generously received. He had intended talking shop and prepared himself regarding certain musical events and phases of music conversation. At six o’clock the cook announced dinner was served and Mr. Lemare insisted that the councilman remain. Up to this moment, the councilman had not an opportunity to exploit his musical knowledge, but felt sure that the conversation would soon turn to shop during the course of the dinner. To his amazement he found himself listening to jokes and humorous incidents and after a two hour visit, shook hands with the great musician and said, “My God, you’re human. Come down and see the boys some day!” To which Mr. Lemare replied, it would give him great pleasure.”
Lemare, Edwin H. Organs I Have Met. Schoolcraft, 1956, p. 90.
Hobbies
Lemare’s hobby was photography. He always used a stereo camera making glass transparencies. He did his own developing and printing. At his home in Ventnor, he had a dark room built on the top lawn with all the necessary equipment where he spent many hours during his brief visits home.
He was a reader of mystery stories and possessed a fine edition of Sherlock Holmes. Other favorite authors were Fletcher Wallace and Oppenheimer.
He loved a game of billiards and was an expert shot.
In the early days, he was a keen motorist and was one of the first in Pittsburgh to possess a car. In later years, he was terribly nervous of traffic, and was never happy with another at the wheel.
He also enjoyed a conjuror’s show and had known Houdini and Blackstone personally. When Blackstone was booked at a Chattanooga theatre, Lemare reciprocated by playing to him on the organ in the Memorial Auditorium.
Lemare, Edwin H. Organs I Have Met. Schoolcraft, 1956, p. 100.
Story Told by Daughter, Betty Lemare
“My father tried to integrate Chattanooga. He was shocked that Black individuals were only allowed in the “peanut gallery.” He could do nothing about this, so one Sunday he decided to give a concert especially for them. The house was packed—and this was never forgotten.”
Personal communication, 1978
Charlotte’s Reflections
“Sometimes my husband wondered whether he did the wise thing in giving up touring the world to accept municipal posts. On one hand, it meant so much to him to have a fine organ on which he could do justice to his talent as against the many organs of various designs he met in his travels, some extremely small and inadequate for his repertoire of big works. Even the touch of solid, ivory keys meant so much to him. He was very fastidious. Before he gave a recital, the keyboards were always washed. It was found that the tuner—who was supposed to look after this detail was not always proficient, so I never failed to make a final inspection of the keyboard before a recital.”
Lemare, Edwin H. Organs I Have Met, Schoolcraft, 1956, p. 92.
San Francisco Examiner, Redfern Mason, Music Critic
“Did you ever hear Lemare improvise? Of all the musical boons which the Exposition has given us, this is one of the best . . . Music which exercised such a spell on its hearers is something more than the weaving of pattern in tone. Surely, into all creative art there enters the spirit of him who made it. As Milton said of great literature, it is the fifth sense of a master spirit created unto a life beyond life.”
Lemare, Edwin H. Organs I Have Met. Schoolcraft, 1956, p. 72.
A Tribute from Chattanooga
“This was Lemare the artist; but along with its manifestations, went Lemare the man. It was given to a few of us to know how companiable he was; how responsive to good fellowship; how generous in his contribution to conviviality; how sympathetically he fell into everyday relationship of friend to friend. Few people have had such a neighbor, seeking companionship, offering so much in return for it. He was an expansive and a contributing nature, gravitating toward association and bestowing much upon those who offered it. His instincts were gregarious; and he was ever ready to contribute more to his contact with others than he could hope to receive from it.”
Lemare, Edwin H. Organs I Have Met. Schoolcraft, 1956, p.111.
