HIS LAST SONG.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 280, 26 November 1938, Page 11

HIS LAST SONG.

PLAYED AT FUNERAL. | COMPOSER'S DYING WISH. ; ORGANIST PRACTISES IN SECRET. i (Special.—By Air Mail.) LONDON, November 2. Twenty-six people in mourning sat in the pews of Holders Green Crematorium. N.W., and heard the last great | love son? that Archie Emmett Adams ,'liad composed. ! Emmett AdiiniF. who wrote "The Bells of St. .Mary's'' and the war song. "Ood Send ou Back to Me," composed the son? when he was dying. His sister arranged it because he was too weak and his hand wavered. ! Then he sealed the score and said it | \v«s not to be played in public until 'his funeral. Life's Inspiration. J It was Mr. liell ('hainber. the chapel | organist, who the >on? its first eNjire—'ion. write-; Jiilde Marehant in .the "Daily l'.\pre~». He had locked ithe doors when he practised the day ■ before. He said he felt proud. He knew that jthote utis the inspiration of a man's jiife in the music. | Emmett Adams, whose melodies sold !a million copies, said the song was the LTOateit of his life. He warned to be | remembered by it. and he put all his talent into the tune. The orpini-t had played "Abide With Mc."' Below him/was the coffin ; laden with red roses and purple anemones. There was a minute's pause ,—then the rich, romantic tune floated idown. 'lhe choir were silent. ! The song was typical of all Emmett j Adams' love songs. He called it "Life's [Great Sunset."

Adams, who wrote so sensitively of love, was a bachelor. He left careful instructions with hie sister, Mrs. Edward Mahon, about his funeral. After the song there was to be the blessing, then his burial, and red roses on the coffin. He did not want j too much weeping. He knew he was dying. He staged I his funeral deliberately. Worked Months on Song. I Ihe song was his requiem, and he |spcnt months working on it. It was arranged for the piano, and Emmett i Adams was the only person who had i played it through until the performjance at the funeral. ■ He hated jazz. He called it the | "dregs and off-scourings" of music, and Ihe hoped his last song would bring a ! revival of the old romantic love Ivric. Everyone went away from the "service saying it was one of the most ;beautiful pieces of music they had ever htatd. Stage star 6 said it was jto be a real Adams success. Within three hours the score was being played in the trial room of a music publisher in Mortimer Street, W. Swell," said the pianist. | The song will be published in a week iMa ho'' 0 a " d the 6Core ke P t l 'y Mrs.