Organists of Old First | 5: Charles Leech Gulick (1912-1913)

Charles Leech Gulick was at Old First for such a short period with few mentions in the Brooklyn papers, I thought that I would need to include his story together with another organist, for lack of information. I was wrong – his life after Old First was a rich one.

Gulick lived entirely for music – studying, composing and performing – and was well-known nationally for his recitals. In spite of his celebrity, the only portrait I could find of Gulick is the one shown at the right; a dark, ghostly image of Charles seated at an organ found in  the Journal and Courier of Lafayette, Indiana, 1928.

Charles Leech Gulick was born the 17th of April 1884 in Clinton, New Jersey, to Philip Sutton Gulick, farmer and landlord, and Mary Yerkes Leech, a school teacher. He had one sister, Annie Keith Gulick, who died in 1893 and two unmarried cousins who were school teachers in New York City.

Charles was a musical prodigy. He began playing the church organ in Clinton at a very young age and studied under eight organ masters. He finished high school but did not attend college, having already begun his eminent career.

Gulick’s most prominent instructor was Edwin Henry Lemare, an English organist and composer. Lemare emigrated to the United States around 1900. He was the most highly regarded and highly paid organist of his generation.

On one notable occasion, Lemare performed at the opening of the 1915 Panama-Pacific International Exposition in San Francisco, on a 4-manual, 114-rank Austin organ. Gulick named him as his teacher early in 1915. Evidence of Lemare’s playing survives; he made 24 player rolls for the Aeolian Company and 96 for Welte in Freiburg, some of which have been recorded.

In 1910 Charles Gulick first came to Park Slope. He would have been just shy of 22. We read that Gulick also considered J. Warren Andrews of importance in his training, naming him as his teacher:

Charles L. Gulick, formerly organist and choirmaster of the First Presbyterian Church, Clinton, N.J., has been appointed to a similar position at Grace M. E. Church, Brooklyn, N.Y. [7th Ave @ St. John’s Place]  Mr. Gulick was a pupil of J. Warren Andrews. — The New Music Review, April 1910

Concerts: Charles L. Gulick, First Presbyterian Church, Lambertville, N.J., April 27. “Fugue in D,” Bach; “Sonata in B Minor,” Guilmant [and part 2 Meditation]; “Toccata,” Capocci; “Nocturne” and “Wedding March,” Mendelssohn; “Marche Funebre and Chant Seraphique,” Guilmant; “Gothic Suite,” Boellmann, and “Schiller March,” Meyerbeer. — The New Music Review, June 1910

Easter Music: Brooklyn. Grace M. E. Church, Charles L. Gulick, O. & C. M. “Christ our Passover,” Tours; “They have taken away my Lord,” Stainer” E., “The Dawn of Easter” and “Victory Divine,” Marks. — The New Music Review, April 1910

Gulick offered another full and ambitious concert at The Church of the Divine Paternity on Central Park West on March 25 – its fourth Lenten organ recital. In concert he performed:

Bach’s Fugue in D Minor; Benediction Nuptiale (new) by Frysinger, [sheet music] Aria for Contralto (Miss Marguerite Ayers), Ich Wob Dies Gewand (Odysseus), Fifth Symphony by Widor, Aria for contralto, God Shall Wipe Away All Tears (Light of the World) by Sullivan (Miss Ayers), Edward F. Johnston’s Evensong (new) [sheet music], and Faulkes’ Concert Overture in E Flat [sheet music]. — The Brooklyn Daily Eagle, 25 Mar 1911

Grace M.E. Church, Park Slope, in 1907. The steeple has since toppled.

Gulick directed the 1911 Easter service on April 16 at Grace M.E. Church. Shortly after the service, Gulick resigned his position to take up the same at Crescent Avenue Presbyterian Church in Plainfield, New Jersey. Gulick directed a choir concert on March 25, 1912, at Crescent Avenue, and undoubtedly lead their Easter service on April 7:

“Beautiful Oratorio Rendered by the Choir of Crescent Avenue Presbyterian Church.

“The choir of the Crescent Avenue Presbyterian Church rendered Stainer’s “Crucifixion” at the music service held last evening. The oratorio was preceded by a fifteen-minute organ recital by the organist and choirmaster, Charles L. Gulick….” — The Courier-News, Bridgewater, New Jersey, Monday, 25 Mar 1912
— Entry for Sir John Stainer in Encyclopædia Britannica

Returning to Park Slope, Gulick took over the position of organist and choirmaster at Old First on May 1, 1912. William G. Hammond had played and directed the April 7th Easter service; on the 27th The Brooklyn Daily Eagle noted that Hammond was soon leaving for Europe after nine years at Old First. On May 5, 1912, The Eagle again reported: “The new organist at the First Reformed Church is Charles L. Gulick, who comes from the Crescent Avenue Presbyterian Church in Plainfield, N.J.” Searching the Brooklyn newspapers after May 5, I could find nothing written about Gulick at Old First but there were articles about Hammond’s farewell concerts at Old First over the summer and into September. What to make of that? neither Christmas (“…with special music”)  nor Easter (“There will be special music for all the Easter services all day tomorrow…”). Even the writeup about Old First’s anniversary service in September that included a large photo of Rev. Dr. Farrar, has only this to say about the music, “At both services the music was particularly appropriate.” So Gulick’s star did not rest long at Old First, and by May of 1913 he was replaced by Warren R. Hedden, Warden of the American Guild of Organists. All the choral soloists at Old First were replaced as well, save one. These changes were great news in The Eagle.

Interior of Crescent Avenue Presbyterian Church – image from Crescent Avenue’s website.

Gulick returned to the Crescent Avenue Presbyterian Church in 1913. He later gave his reason for leaving Old First as a consequence of the weight of his concert schedule, which was indeed heavy through the 1920s. However, in researching his family history, one also learns that his aging mother, a widow, was living in Plainfield during this time. Having no brothers or sisters, he likely felt a call to return and care for her.

Gulick does not seem to have stayed long at the Crescent Avenue church; by 1914 we read of him in concerts in Clinton and Westfield, with mentions in 1915 of his playing the organ at the First M. E. Church in Westfield, noted as “one-time organist of Crescent Avenue Presbyterian Church.” We also see that he had been teaching and was using the title of Professor Charles L. Gulick.

A recital of organ music will be given by Charles Leech Gulick in the First M. E. church of Westfield on Saturday evening of this week at 8:15 o’clock. Mr. Gulick, who was at one time organist of the Crescent Avenue church of this city, is a Lemare pupil and will present a program consisting of original compositions and arrangements by the great English organist who has been secured for three months of recitals for the Pan-American Exposition.” — The Courier-News, Bridgewater, New Jersey, 21 Jan 1915

In 1916 the city directory shows him living in Plainfield at 168 Carlton Road where his mother lived with him. He was an organist and a teacher of music. On April 17, 1917, Gulick gave his seventh Easter week recital at the First Methodist Church in Westfield. Gulick’s mother died at 168 Carlton in 1918. Afterwards Charles moved to a new home in Westfield, 4 Elm Street, in a more commercial district, and was living there when he registered for the draft. Unmarried, he listed his maternal aunt, Anna M. Brown, as nearest relation on his registration card.

In January of 1919 he held a concert in nearby Rahway, New Jersey. In 1920 he was teaching. In 1922 he opened the organ at Grace Church in Nyack, New York.

From here on Gulick traveled extensively on recital tours, well beyond his nearby circle in New York and New Jersey. In the 1920s we find him frequently in Bar Harbor, Maine, where he had a home, and visiting cities in the states of Maine, Vermont, Massachusetts, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin and Iowa. He visited Chicago regularly, playing recitals and appearing on Radio WGN (Chicago Tribune Station).

On these post World War I tours, Gulick researched and performed American composers:

Charles Leech Gulick, known from coast to coast as a concert organist, has been secured through rare good fortune for this occasion and the public is invited to hear him play a program of music by American composers…

Mr. Gulick is an eastern artist, having been born in New Jersey and for a time he was an Organist of the “Old First” Reformed church of Brooklyn, N.Y.  For several years past he has devoted himself to concert work, playing in most of the larger cities of the United States.

An original composition by Mr. Gulick will also be played and the program will embrace works by several other well-known American composers of organ music.… The program was played for the first time by Mr. Gulick on a large new pipe organ in Augusta, Maine, in October, shortly after he finished its arrangement. Since then it has been accorded high praise by musical critics of the press in many other cities. — Sterling Daily Gazette, Sterling IL, 27 Nov 1925

1926: “Charles L. Gulick, Farrar’s Organist, at 1st M.E. Sunday”

Charles Leech Gulick, noted organist, will give a concert in First Methodist Episcopal church Sunday evening…

Mr. Gulick has achieved remarkable distinction. He was born in Clinton, N. J. and at an early age became organist of the village church. He then passed in rapid succession to posts of increasing importance eventually filling a number of engagements in Greater New York. Among these were positions as organist of Grace Methodist Episcopal and the noted “Old First” Reformed church under the well-known pastors, Dr. Frederick F. Shannon, now of Chicago, and Dr. James Farrar respectively. During this time he studied with eight different teachers of this country and England. He gave up church work owing to increasing demand of concert activities.

He spent last summer in Iowa collecting manuscripts from composers in all parts of this country and arranging them in the American program being played this season. — The Courier, Waterloo, Iowa, 28 Dec 1926

1927: In January 1927, Gulick gave an on-air performance on the Lyon & Healy afternoon artist recital in Chicago, including several pieces from his American composer concerts. Later in Ohio:

… The organist displayed remarkable technical skill in the number, “On the Coast.” His own composition, “March Nuptial,” was again heard with much pleasure [this was a repeat visit]. For extreme display of shill on the foot pedals, “The Concert Study for Pedals*,” by Petro Yon, was a remarkable attainment. — The Tribune, Coshocton, Ohio, 31 Jan 1927

*Note: in the notice for the same concert, which was performed in Waterloo, Iowa, the Yon piece was named, “Second Concert Study”.

Listen to the deep notes of the Yon piece, and how quickly they are played. Indeed Gulick must have given an “extreme display of shill on the foot pedals.”

1928 and 1929 were also filled with tours, and he added in his own compositions at several venues.

In 1929 he settled in Northwestern Pennsylvania where he held recitals in several towns. The local paper again mentions Old First:

Charles Leech Gulick, noted American concert organist, will give a recital at the vesper service at the First Presbyterian church Sunday afternoon… At one time Mr. Gulick was organist and musical director of the “Old First” Reformed church of Brooklyn, N.Y., one of the largest churches in the city. Compelled by increasing concert activities to relinquish active church duties, he has toured the country many times and has appeared in all the leading cities to large audiences. He has also been heard frequently over the air and his services are in great demand for the opening recitals of new organs, He is said to be particularly successful in displaying all the fine features of a modern instrument. — Bradford Evening Star and The Bradford Daily Record, 11 Jan 1929

His church employment in 1929 was at the First Presbyterian Church in Warren, a town at the edge of the Allegheny National Forest. He directed a production of Handel’s Messiah with orchestra, piano, and organ accompaniment, and a chorus of over sixty singers. He played at the high school baccalaureate in the spring of 1931.

Pennsylvania did not suit and he returned to Bar Harbor by 1932, giving concerts and teaching organ. In ’33 he began touring again, visiting some familiar cities, traveling from Ohio into Missouri and Mississippi.

In 1935 the now familiar biography was repeated, including mention of Old First, but with additional information about how he gave that concert. His music was in a more popular vein:

…Mr. Gulick has won wide recognition on his own musical compositions, two of which he rendered at this concert. The first one, “Nuptial March”, was written for a New York wedding, and another, “Grand Chorus”, is a very brilliant number, their rendition showing that his work ranks well with the various classics in the field of music…

Before being seated at the organ Mr. Gulick explained the various movements of the composition, which interpreted in music the story of a day in a military camp. Interwoven in its theme were several well-known “pre-war” airs, with the Star Spangled Banner as a finale… Mr. Gulick was very gracious of manner and the various comments he made gave a personal touch to his program, which made his listeners feel at home with him. — The Democrat–Argus, Caruthersville, Missouri, 22 Nov 1935

But in Mississippi, we find this unfortunate mention:

On account of the football game on Friday night the Organ Recital that was to be given by Mr. Charles L. Gulick of Kansas City, Mo., … has been indefinitely postponed. — The Greenwood Commonwealth, Greenwood, Mississippi, 21 Nov 1935

* oh well * Gulick did perform in Greenwood the following year.

Gulick settled in Kansas City, Missouri, around 1934 and Kansas City became his home from this time forward. Many newspapers throughout the country remembered past concerts in their “10 Years Ago Today” and “20 Years Ago Today” columns during the late ’30s and ’40s; I saw no mention of any touring after 1936.

Per the 1940 census, Gulick was living in Kansas City, 3310 Harrison Street, with John Herrick Waite, a gardener. John was a graduate of the University of New Hampshire, having been a resident of that state. At various times, John’s other occupations were stenographer and actor. They were both living in Kansas City in 1935 and the city directory listings placed them at 4112 Penn Ave, Apt 4, as early as 1934. Gulick was listed as a church organist on the census, and at St. John’s Episcopal Church on his 1942 draft card, where he named Mary G. Brown, music teacher in New York City (cousin on his mother’s side) as a person who would always know where he was living. In 1942 Charles lived in a small house at 4340 Locust while John was off serving in the war. On John’s army enlistment card, he listed Chas L Gulick as his “Next of Kin” and friend. All in all, John and Charles were together for about 22 years in Kansas City, from 1934 until Charles’ death in 1956. John H. Waite was informant on Charles’ death certificate in 1956, which record confirmed that Charles had been in Kansas City for 22 years at the time of his passing. John and Charles had been living at 3718 Washington Street, a large stone house in a quiet neighborhood.

Charles Leech Gulick died on 12 April 1956 at the age of 71. I found no obituary. John Herrick Waite passed in Flushing, Queens, New York in 1984.

. . .

Our church historian, Jane Barber, has compiled a comprehensive history of our amazing organ, and the people who have played it.

(read Part 1 here)  Organists of Old First | Intro: A History
(read Part 2 here)  Organists of Old First | 1: Harris Cornell Meserole
(read Part 3 here)  Organists of Old First | 2: Rafael Navarro
(read Part 4 here)  Organists of Old First | 3: Henry E.H. Benedict
(read Part 5 here)  Organists of Old First | 4: William G. Hammond

The story of organist Warren R. Hedden will follow soon.