Music and Some Highly Musical PeopleTrotter, James M.
History
Music and Some Highly Musical People
Trotter, James M.
African American musicians -- Biography; African Americans -- Music
A visit to these rooms is always highly pleasing and instructive, not
only to the practical musician, but to all lovers of good music. With
the former Mr. Lewis is ready to join in a duet; allowing his visitor
to choose from among his many instruments the one with which he is
familiar, while he himself is prepared to take any other one necessary
in forming the duet. To those who cannot play, or who, perhaps, choose
to listen rather than to play, he is ever obliging, and acts as though
he considers it a very pleasant duty to entertain his friends. At
such times he will commence with his favorite, the piano, and go
through successively a performance upon each one of his many
instruments, giving his delighted listener a taste, so to speak, of
the melodious sweets of each. He delights not only to play, but is
also quite fond of conversing on general music; with which subject he
is very familiar, and is ever interesting and instructive in
discoursing upon the advantages and pleasures to be enjoyed by its
study. Indeed, at such times one is in doubt whether to admire him
most as a performer or as a theorist; for as the latter he is
remarkably proficient, and in treatment delightfully eloquent. As may
be inferred from the foregoing, Mr. Lewis is in his manners extremely
affable and easy. He charms his visitor by his simplicity, modesty,
and freedom from that conceit which might be perhaps expected from one
so wonderfully skilled in his profession. Pope's expressive lines
apply to but few persons so closely as they do to Mr. Lewis; for he is
truly
"Of manners gentle, of affections mild;
In wit a man, simplicity a child."
In these times of charlatanry, when titles are so often assumed with a
reckless disregard of truthfulness, I hesitate to apply even to one so
fully qualified, so extra skilled in music, as Lewis, the prefix
_professor_; for I wish, as I ought, to entirely disassociate him from
the mere pretenders to whom, in general, I have just referred. But to
him the title surely belongs; and there is no competent judge, who,
when made aware of the great talents and acquisitions, theoretical and
practical, of Mr. Lewis in the science of music, will not cheerfully
accord it to him. Mr. Lewis does not encourage a use of this title as
applied to himself: it is, however, habitually given to him by those
who enjoy his acquaintance, and who believe that it belongs of right
to him.
Although depending for his support upon the profession of music, his
intense love for the noble art is so pure, is so conscientious, as to
lift him far above the exhibition at any time of a spirit of cupidity,
and to cause him frequently to discourse the most exquisite music,
when he can expect no other reward than the pleasure he feels in thus
gratifying his auditors.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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