Prof. Weihe to Be Buried Tuesday
Symphony Orchestra Tabernacle Choir Will Honor Musician
Program arrangements for the funeral services of Willard E. Weihe, 70, distinguished violinist, musical director and instructor, who died Saturday, were completed Monday.
The services will be held Tuesday, June 8, at 12 m., at the Assembly Hall, tabernacle grounds.
Former Bishop David R. Lyon of Ensign ward, where Mr. Weihe lived, will be in charge of the services and one of the speakers. Other eulogies will be delivered by Bishop Heber C. Iverson and Prest. Nephi L. Morris, of Salt Lake stake.
The detailed program follows: Selection “Asa’s Death,” by Greig, members of the Symphony orchestra, Charles Shepherd, director; invocation; “Lead Kindly Light,” selected chorus from the tabernacle choir, under direction of Prof. A.C. Lund; address, Bishop Iverson; selected solo, Emma Lucy Gates Bowen; address, Prest. Morris; stringed instrument selection, Mr. Shepherd, director; remarks, Bishop Lyon; “They That Sow In Tears Shall reap in Joy,” selected chorus.
Pall bearers will be Dr. C.F. Wilcox, Judge G.A. Iverson, D.A. Palm, William A. Lund, J.Y. Smith and Hugh W. Dougall.
The body may be viewed at the Assembly Hall from 11:30 to the time of the services.
Professor Weihe died suddenly Saturday afternoon in the office of his physician, Dr. H.Z. Lund. He had not been well since an attack of influenza during the Christmas holidays, but at not time was his condition considered serious so that his death came as a shock to his friends and associates at the McCune School of Music and Art, where he was serving as head of the string instrument department.
Practically all his life since coming to Utah at the age of 10, Professor Weihe has won the admiration and plaudits of concert audiences throughout the west.
He was a native of Christiania, now Osio, Norway, being born there Oct. 17, 1856, son of Andreas and Boletta Weihe, and from childhood showed unusual musical talent.
This he developed to a high degree in his studies of the violin, and he gained recognition among critics for his technique in and execution of classic renditions.
At the age of eight years, Professor Weihe played for the celebrated Ole Bull, who offered to give him a thorough conservatory education in Paris, but the offer was rejected because of his youth. Later at Brussels he was admitted to the highest class in violin playing as pupil of the great Vieuxtemps. Later he studied with de Anna of the Joachim quartet.
Professor Weihe appeared in concert as a soloist at the Portland, Jamestown and Chicago World’s fairs, and was given recognition by Madame Melba at one of her concerts in the Salt Lake tabernacle when she changed her program in order to have him accompany her with violin obligate in one of her numbers. He numbered among his dearest friends such artists as Ysaye, Max Bendix and other celebrities.
He was at different times director of orchestras in the Salt Lake, Orpheum, Utah (Wilkes) and Paramount-Empress theatres. The glorious notes of the violin under his master touch were heard on many public and semipublic occasions, and he was ever ready to give of his time and talents to a worthy cause, whether for charity, or at funerals where his sympathetic playing assuaged the grief of hundreds called upon the mourn the passing of loved ones.
[Deseret News, June 7, 1926]
[transcribed and proofread by David Grow, Jan. 2006]
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Willard E. Weihe
Music lovers of this city and state were profoundly shocked when they heard Saturday of the sudden death of Prof Willard E. Weihe, for many years one of the foremost violin virtuosos of the West. Professor Weihe had not been in the best of health for months but when on Friday he directed a group of his pupils at the graduation exercises of the L.D.S. School of Music & Art, it was little thought that this would be his last public appearance in such a role.
Professor Weihe was more than a violinist, he was a musical genius. At an early age he gave evidence of an intense love for the divine art as expressed through the violin and this was encouraged until he became nationally known as a great artist. For half a century he had been a conspicuous figure in music circles, giving generously of his talents of the benefit and blessing of his fellow men. Had he so willed he might have amassed a fortune exploiting his art for commercial gain, but he was not such a man. Rather did he prefer to remain in his mountain home and administer comfort, solace and blessing to those he loved, which he never failed to do when occasion presented. He was a man of culture and refinement, with ideals well befitting the high place he held in the community. Thousands of young people came under his instruction and these as well as thousands more who knew and loved him for his many virtues and splendid qualities will regret his passing and give sympathetic consideration to his widow and other loved ones.
[Deseret News, Editorial, June 7, 1926]
[transcribed and proofread by David Grow, Jan. 2006]
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