JOHN JASPER McCLELLAN

 

 JOHN JASPER Mc CLELLAN JR.

 
    John Jasper McClellan, Sr. came to Utah on foot in 1848, arriving with the main body of the pioneers.  After staying in Salt Lake a few months, he moved  to Utah County, where he became an influential citizen.  He married Eliza Barbara Walser.  She immigrated  to Utah early in life with her mother and stepfather, John Deim (Dean), who became a prominent merchant in Payson.  His wife was a native of Switzerland and sang in a choir there. It is said that McClellan the organist got his talent from his mother,  who played  the reed organ, and her father, who likely taught her.
    John Jasper McClellan, Jr. was born in Payson, Utah Territory on April 20, 1874.   By the age of eleven, McClellan was serving as a church organist in Payson.   His father  served as mayor of Payson from 1887 to 1890.
    As a young boy, he was fascinated by the little organ that had been brought by team from the railroad in Lehi to the original Payson Tabernacle.  The tabernacle  was originally built in 1870.  It was built near the center of the old fort where an original temporary meeting place of the old fort had been located.  It was dedicated by Apostle Wilford Woodruff on July 20, 1872. It was designed with a hip-angle roof and tall slim windows on each side. A balcony was built into the west end of the building. A slender shoe-box pulpit stood in front of the speaker's stand in the east end of the building. The building was destroyed by fire in 1904.
    John J. Jr. was often present when John Done Sr. played the organ and William Clayson Sr. led the singing either for the congregation or the choir.  Sometimes, he was allowed to work the lever that helped expand the sound into the gallery.  After meetings, John J. Jr. or Johnnie as he was called would often run his fingers over the keys of the small organ.  One day he was allowed to place his feet on the pedals and push air into the reeds while his fingers sought a melody.    
    Johnnie was never known to make a mistake according to Mr. Done who was also one of his first teachers.  Sometimes he was allowed to substitute for Mr. Done at the organ in some church meetings.
    He  was the oldest child in the family.  Like other children of his time, he spent most of his youth in going  to school; he wore homemade clothes and he seldom traveled far from his home.  It was therefore a wonderful occasion when his Grandfather Deim took him to Salt Lake City to Conference when he was but eight years of age;  but the greatest thrill came when he heard  the organ.  He  became so excited he "fell back and hit his head."  He said, "If only I could touch that  organ."
    Two years later, he began participating in musical activities of Payson.  William Clayson, Jr., son of the  well-known "Mormon" hymnist, was personally acquainted with "Johnnie."   When he was about ten years of age, he sang alto in the Payson Ward choir under William Clayson, Sr.,  with John Done, Sr. as ward organist.  This lad often told Mr. Clayson, Jr. that he got his inspiration  to play while watching Mr. Done.
    When  he was about ten in about 1885, Mattie Ramsey, a young woman from Illinois, came to Payson.  (She was the older sister of Emma Ramsey Morris who became a well-known singer.)  She had attended a Catholic school in Vincennes, Indiana, and was a fine musician.  For over a year she taught McClellan, taking produce as part payment for his lessons.  It was not until he started lessons from Miss Ramsey that McClellan began “playing out,” and Mr. Clayson felt  that her influence on this boy was very great.
    When once he began the study of music,  he figured in most of the musical activities of Payson.  He played marches on a small cabinet organ in the Central School, and played piccolo in Payson's Brass Band in 1887 and in Payson's Silver Band in 1889.  In March of 1888 his father bought him a new Conn Cornet, which he played in the Payson Band.  Later, he learned  the clarinet, but soon quit playing it so that he could  spend more time practicing  the organ and piano.
    For financial reasons, he left school before graduating, and his father financed him in business.  He and Frank Pickering published Payson's first regular newspaper;  he wrote for it,
set the type and printed it.  This he did for two years, at the same time continuing his music  study.
    In  the winter of 1886-87, Abram Done had a small dance orchestra, consisting of James W. Huish, piccolo; Ralph Archibald, piano; William Clayson, Jr., cornet.  McClellan earned his first money as a pianist substituting for Mr. Archibald  that winter.
    In the following  spring he became organist for the ward choir.  William Clayson, Sr. was still the director and once said of the accompanist, "Johnnie never hit a wrong note."  He was also the first person to play the new organ in the Payson Tabernacle.  This organ had been  replaced in the previous year by a Hammond Organ..
    Mr. Clayson died in the summer of 1887 and one of McClellan’s  uncles, Jacob Walser, led the choir until he moved  to Mexico; then Hyrum Brimhall took his place.  This led  to a very close friendship between McClellan and Brimhall.  The boy accompanied  Brimhall when the latter played violin solos, and also became the pianist for the Brimhall orchestra.  It was while a member of this orchestra that Payson musicians began to notice his exceptional talent and thought he should have a chance to study music elsewhere.
    Another encouragement, for further study away from home came,  the following year.  During the last week in January 1891,  a dramatic company from Michigan, directed by Mr. and Mrs. Felix Vincent, performed in Payson.  They engaged  the Brimhall orchestra to play for them every night, and then Mr. Vincent hired McClellan and Brimhall  to tour Southern Utah with them for a few weeks.  They performed  "Cricket on the Hearth."  While on the trip, Mrs. Vincent often talked  to McClellan about Michigan, and she later told his father that "Johnnie" had extraordinary ability and should study in the  east.
    As a result of this sentiment and the encouragement of  the Payson friends, McClellan went to Michigan in the summer of 1891, McClellan went to Saginaw, Michigan, where he studied under Albert W. Platte.  He then went to the Ann Arbor Conservatory, where he studied under Johann Erich Schmaal. He also studied with Alberto Jonas while there. He served as organist of St. Thomas Catholic Church while in Ann Arbor. He also served as pianist of the Ann Arbor Choral Union.  
    While in Michigan,  he thrilled  the audiences which filled University  Hall.  He also did some composing while there.  Professor  Lamson, head of the vocal department at Ann Arbor, sang some of McClellan's songs at the latter's graduation piano recital.    He set to music  "Sweet Is the Work" for his mother while he was at Ann Arbor.  Among  the Latter-Day-Saints, this song is probably his best-known composition.
    He was choirmaster and organist of the St. Thomas Catholic Church during  the time he was at Ann Arbor.  He wrote a Mass for orchestra and choir which was performed for Easter in 1896 and repeated  two weeks later to a crowded  hall.  Many  of the musicians were brought from Detroit, and one of the finest sopranos in the state was soloist.  The Tabernacle Choir of Salt Lake City still sings  "Gloria" from this Mass.
    In June 1896, he graduated from the university.  He  was the first pupil in his field to be graduated by the institution, and  the first Utah boy  to graduate from such a school. He was offered a position at the school, but chose to return to Utah.
    He  returned to Utah, where he taught music at L. D. S. College and at Brigham Young Academy (the forerunner of Brigham Young University). It was during this time that he married Mary Douglass who was the daughter of Samuel Douglass, a local merchant. They eventually became the parents of five children.  He also served as the pianist for the Salt Lake Opera Company.
    In 1899, McClellan went to Berlin, Germany, where he studied with Xavier Scharwenka and Ernest Jedliczka. While in Berlin, McClellan edited and published a new edition of the L. D. S.  hymnal in German.
 

   One of the main events in the life of John J. McClellan Jr. occurred soon after his return from Europe.  On August 29, 1900, he was appointed organist of the Salt Lake Tabernacle, replacing Joseph J. Daynes, who had occupied  the position for more than thirty-three years.  On his return he was also given the chair of music at the University of Utah.  He kept  this position for several years and then resigned, as he preferred  to spend his time teaching privately.

    In  September 1900, the Salt Lake Opera Company chose him for its new director.  On December 31, 1900, he persuaded  the authorities of  the Church to spend $12,000 to have  the organ remodeled by the Kimball Company.  This remodeling caused the fame of the organ to spread.  
    Often when important persons or groups were passing  through Salt Lake they desired  to hear  the organ, and it was only natural that the church authorities should be pleased  to have them do so.  As a result, McClellan was called on at any time of the day or night, at home or at his studio, to play special recitals for the visitors.  This caused difficulties as well as inconvenience, and  the organist felt that something had  to be done.  In 1901, he had the idea of giving regular free recitals, at least in the summer, for the population at home as well as for the tourists.  At first these were given bi-weekly.  The recitals brought increased  recognition to the organist and the Mormon Tabernacle organ.
    Among those who studied under McClellan were Alexander Schreiner, later the Tabernacle organist; Sidney B. Sperry and J. Spencer Cornwall.
    John Jasper McClellan, Jr. served as the chief organist of the organ in the Salt Lake Tabernacle of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1900 to 1925.
    The following year,  McClellan continued his many musical activities in spite of the great strain of overwork. The effect of  this,  however, caught up with him in the autumn of 1923 while on a concert  tour of the coast. In San Francisco,  he was  to play on the world's fair organ, but  the evening of the concert ,  he suffered what  some called a stroke.  
    This partially paralyzed his left hand and arm, and it was several months before he recovered from it so as to be able  to play again.  After this collapse, some Salt Lake people decided to have a statewide  testimonial in honor of McClellan  to raise money for him.  Mrs. McClellan objected strenuously but they told her that he was a public servant and she had nothing to do with it.  Plans for the testimonial progressed rapidly and by January 19, they were complete.  At least sixteen Utah cities planned  to honor him on January 24.     
    McClellan and his wife spent the ten months of his recovery at the Mission Inn in Riverside, California.  In  September 1924, he resumed some of his former duties.  The strain had been too great, however.  On July 28, 1925  (his mother's birthday),  he was again stricken while in his studio at the McCune School of Music and Art.  He died the second of August and was buried  the sixth of August  (his father's  birthday).
    John Jasper McClellan Jr.  made the oldest organ recording that we know about today on the organ at the Mormon Tabernacle in Salt Lake City. It was recorded on or about 1 September 1910. The Columbia Graphophone Company had transported equipment to record the famous choir. Two enormous acoustic recording horns, five feet long and two feet wide, were suspended on a rope strung across the Tabernacle. Although the engineer deemed the recordings successful, apparently they were never approved for release.  This is considered the first recordings of organ music ever made.
    John J. McClellan was an accomplished musician and composer.  Some of his pieces have appeared in many publications of the L. D. S. Church.  This list shows songs by John J. McClellan  Jr. that have appeared in songbooks or other collections published by the L. D. S.  Church, as well as songs from unofficial collections of interest to church members (note that this is not necessarily a comprehensive list of all songs by John J. McClellan Jr.).
    As a result of this sentiment and the encouragement of  the Payson friends, McClellan went to Michigan in the summer of 1891, McClellan went to Saginaw, Michigan, where he studied under Albert W. Platte.  He then went to the Ann Arbor Conservatory, where he studied under Johann Erich Schmaal. He also studied with Alberto Jonas while there. He served as organist of St. Thomas Catholic Church while in Ann Arbor. He also served as pianist of the Ann Arbor Choral Union.  
    While in Michigan,  he thrilled  the audiences which filled University  Hall.  He also did some composing while there.  Professor  Lamson, head of the vocal department at Ann Arbor, sang some of McClellan's songs at the latter's a graduation piano recital.    He set to music  "Sweet Is the Work for his mother while he was at Ann Arbor.  Among  the Latter-Day-Saints, this song is probably his best-known composition.
    He was choirmaster and organist of the St. Thomas Catholic Church during  the time he was at Ann Arbor.  He wrote a Mass for orchestra and choir which was performed for Easter in 1896 and repeated  two weeks later to a crowded  hall.  Many  of the musicians were brought from Detroit, and one of the finest sopranos in the state was soloist.  The Tabernacle Choir of Salt Lake City still sings  "Gloria" from this Mass.
    In June 1896, he graduated from the university.  He  was the first pupil in his field to be graduated by the institution, and  the first Utah boy  to graduate from such a school. He was offered a position at the school, but chose to return to Utah.
    He  returned to Utah, where he taught music at L. D. S. College and at Brigham Young Academy (the forerunner of Brigham Young University). It was during this time that he married Mary Douglass who was the daughter of Samuel Douglass, a local merchant. They eventually became the parents of five children.  He also served as the pianist for the Salt Lake Opera Company.
    In 1899, McClellan went to Berlin, Germany, where he studied with Xavier Scharwenka and Ernest Jedliczka. While in Berlin, McClellan edited and published a new edition of the L. D. S.  hymnal in German.
    One of the main events in the life of John J. McClellan Jr. occurred soon after his return from Europe.  On August 29, 1900, he was appointed organist of the Salt Lake Tabernacle, replacing Joseph J. Daynes, who had occupied  the position for more than thirty-three years.  On his return he was also given the chair of music at the University of Utah.  He kept  this position for several years and then resigned, as he preferred  to spend his time teaching privately.
    In  September 1900, the Salt Lake Opera Company chose him for its new director.  On December 31, 1900, he persuaded  the authorities of  the Church to spend $12,000 to have  the organ remodeled by the Kimball Company.  This remodeling caused the fame of the organ to spread.  
    Often when important persons or groups were passing  through Salt Lake they desired  to hear  the organ, and it was only natural that the church authorities should be pleased  to have them do so.  As a result, McClellan was called on at any time of the day or night, at home or at his studio, to play special recitals for the visitors.  This caused difficulties as well as inconvenience, and  the organist felt that something had  to be done.  In 1901, he had the idea of giving regular free recitals, at least in the summer, for the population at home as well as for the tourists.  At first these were given bi-weekly.  The recitals brought increased  recognition to the organist and the Mormon Tabernacle organ.
    Among those who studied under McClellan were Alexander Schreiner, later the Tabernacle organist; Sidney B. Sperry and J. Spencer Cornwall.
 

   John Jasper McClellan, Jr. served as the chief organist of the organ in the Salt Lake Tabernacle of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1900 to 1925.
    The following year,  McClellan continued his many musical activities in spite of the great strain of overwork. The effect of  this,  however, caught up with him in the autumn of 1923 while on a concert  tour of the coast. In San Francisco,  he was  to play on the world's fair organ, but  the evening of the concert ,  he suffered what  some called a stroke.  
    This partially paralyzed his left hand and arm, and it was several months before he recovered from it so as to be able  to play again.  After this collapse, some Salt Lake people decided to have a statewide  testimonial in honor of McClellan  to raise money for him.  Mrs. McClellan objected strenuously but they told her that he was a public servant and she had nothing to do with it.  Plans for the testimonial progressed rapidly and by January 19, they were complete.  At least sixteen Utah cities planned  to honor him on January 24.     
    McClellan and his wife spent the ten months of his recovery at the Mission Inn in Riverside, California.  In  September 1924, he resumed some of his former duties.  The strain had been too great, however.  On July 28, 1925  (his mother's birthday),  he was again stricken while in his studio at the McCune School of Music and Art.  He died the second of August and was buried  the sixth of August  (his father's  birthday).
    John Jasper McClellan Jr.  made the oldest organ recording that we know about today on the organ at the Mormon Tabernacle in Salt Lake City. It was recorded on or about 1 September 1910. The Columbia Graphophone Company had transported equipment to record the famous choir. Two enormous acoustic recording horns, five feet long and two feet wide, were suspended on a rope strung across the Tabernacle. Although the engineer deemed the recordings successful, apparently they were never approved for release.  This is considered the first recordings of organ music ever made.
    John J. McClellan was an accomplished musician and composer.  Some of his pieces have appeared in many publications of the L. D. S. Church.  This list shows songs by John J. McClellan Jr. that have appeared in songbooks or other collections published by the L. D. S.  Church, as well as songs from unofficial collections of interest to church members (note that this is not necessarily a comprehensive list of all songs by John J. McClellan Jr.).
     As a result of this sentiment and the encouragement of  the Payson friends, McClellan went to Michigan in the summer of 1891, McClellan went to Saginaw, Michigan, where he studied under Albert W. Platte.  He then went to the Ann Arbor Conservatory, where he studied under Johann Erich Schmaal. He also studied with Alberto Jonas while there. He served as organist of St. Thomas Catholic Church while in Ann Arbor. He also served as pianist of the Ann Arbor Choral Union.  
    While in Michigan,  he thrilled  the audiences which filled University  Hall.  He also did some composing while there.  Professor  Lamson, head of the vocal department at Ann Arbor, sang some of McClellan's songs at the latter's graduation piano recital.    He set to music  "Sweet Is the Work" for his mother while he was at Ann Arbor.  Among  the Latter-Day-Saints, this song is probably his best-known composition.
    He was choirmaster and organist of the St. Thomas Catholic Church during  the time he was at Ann Arbor.  He wrote a Mass for orchestra and choir which was performed for Easter in 1896 and repeated  two weeks later to a crowded  hall.  Many  of the musicians were brought from Detroit, and one of the finest sopranos in the state was soloist.  The Tabernacle Choir of Salt Lake City still sings  "Gloria" from this Mass.
    In June 1896, he graduated from the university.  He  was the first pupil in his field to be graduated by the institution, and  the first Utah boy  to graduate from such a school. He was offered a position at the school, but chose to return to Utah.
    He  returned to Utah, where he taught music at L. D. S. College and at Brigham Young Academy (the forerunner of Brigham Young University). It was during this time that he married Mary Douglass who was the daughter of Samuel Douglass, a local merchant. They eventually became the parents of five children.  He also served as the pianist for the Salt Lake Opera Company.
    In 1899, McClellan went to Berlin, Germany, where he studied with Xavier Scharwenka and Ernest Jedliczka. While in Berlin, McClellan edited and published a new edition of the L. D. S.  hymnal in German.
    One of the main events in the life of John J. McClellan Jr. occurred soon after his return from Europe.  On August 29, 1900, he was appointed organist of the Salt Lake Tabernacle, replacing Joseph J. Daynes, who had occupied  the position for more than thirty-three years.  On his return he was also given the chair of music at the University of Utah.  He kept  this position for several years and then resigned, as he preferred  to spend his time teaching privately.
    In  September 1900, the Salt Lake Opera Company chose him for its new director.  On December 31, 1900, he persuaded  the authorities of  the Church to spend $12,000 to have  the organ remodeled by the Kimball Company.  This remodeling caused the fame of the organ to spread.  
    Often when important persons or groups were passing  through Salt Lake they desired  to hear  the organ, and it was only natural that the church authorities should be pleased  to have them do so.  As a result, McClellan was called on at any time of the day or night, at home or at his studio, to play special recitals for the visitors.  This caused difficulties as well as inconvenience, and  the organist felt that something had  to be done.  In 1901, he had the idea of giving regular free recitals, at least in the summer, for the population at home as well as for the tourists.  At first these were given bi-weekly.  The recitals brought increased  recognition to the organist and the Mormon Tabernacle organ.
    Among those who studied under McClellan were Alexander Schreiner, later the Tabernacle organist; Sidney B. Sperry and J. Spencer Cornwall.
    John Jasper McClellan, Jr. served as the chief organist of the organ in the Salt Lake Tabernacle of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1900 to 1925.
    The following year,  McClellan continued his many musical activities in spite of the great strain of overwork. The effect of  this,  however, caught up with him in the autumn of 1923 while on a concert  tour of the coast. In San Francisco,  he was  to play on the world's fair organ, but  the evening of the concert ,  he suffered what  some called a stroke.  
    This partially paralyzed his left hand and arm, and it was several months before he recovered from it so as to be able  to play again.  After this collapse, some Salt Lake people decided to have a statewide  testimonial in honor of McClellan  to raise money for him.  Mrs. McClellan objected strenuously but they told her that he was a public servant and she had nothing to do with it.  Plans for the testimonial progressed rapidly and by January 19, they were complete.  At least sixteen Utah cities planned  to honor him on January 24.     
    McClellan and his wife spent the ten months of his recovery at the Mission Inn in Riverside, California.  In  September 1924, he resumed some of his former duties.  The strain had been too great, however.  On July 28, 1925  (his mother's birthday),  he was again stricken while in his studio at the McCune School of Music and Art.  He died the second of August and was buried  the sixth of August  (his father's  birthday).
    John Jasper McClellan Jr.  made the oldest organ recording that we know about today on the organ at the Mormon Tabernacle in Salt Lake City. It was recorded on or about 1 September 1910. The Columbia Graphophone Company had transported equipment to record the famous choir. Two enormous acoustic recording horns, five feet long and two feet wide, were suspended on a rope strung across the Tabernacle. Although the engineer deemed the recordings successful, apparently they were never approved for release.  This is considered the first recordings of organ music ever made.
    John J. McClellan was an accomplished musician and composer.  Some of his pieces have appeared in many publications of the L. D. S. Church.