Martha
Lucia Di Lammermoor
Un Ballo in Maschera
La Juive
Il Giuramento
The Messiah
Moses in Egitto
David
I have placed these programmes here so as to show what singers were
considered the first and best fifty years ago. My impressions received
at that time left their imprint for excellence and a pattern for those
who aspire to real worth to follow.
The unfortunate training of the voices in our time has given us many
inferior singers who come and go and are forgotten. The great singers
of before are engraved forever in the hearts of those who were
fortunate enough to enjoy the exquisite rendering of their work. We
call this an age of progress. We may be wiser in some directions, but
as for the best music the past will have to chronicle the superior
singer. Carlotta Patti was a more beautiful singer than her sister
Adelina. On account of her lameness she could not travel as an opera
singer. I have heard both singers and Carlotta was my choice. Adelina
was the most advertised, for she was a money-maker and demanded just
so much notoriety when she engaged and signed her contracts. Her power
was supreme and no one dared to say her nay. Woe be to the poor prima
donna who sang better or had more applause or favors than she did. She
was the only queen of song as long as her reign lasted. Emma Nevada
and Madam Etelka Gersta were her especial victims when they sang the
same season with her. I am stating facts which will stand. To be a
good singer and up to the standard one must be a good woman with a
refined and educated mind, a sympathetic temperament, charitable
nature towards others who are doing what they can to bring up a
standard for generations to follow.
The war was still in progress when my husband decided in November,
1861, to return to California. I had been away from home four years
and had enjoyed all these advantages and had done what I could for
the volunteers who had fought for the preservation of the Union.
There were great surprise and murmurs of regret on all sides when Mr.
Blake made known our intention to go to California. He was one of the
tenors and very musical, and I as his wife shared with him the honors
in this choir of thirty-five voices. We had become such friends it was
like parting from a family. Our successful concerts in aid of the
soldiers, the many Sabbaths we worshiped and sang together, made us an
harmonious band of singers. We had one more meeting for the clubs and
choir before we made our departure. It took place on November 31,
1861. The ground was covered with snow and we were obliged to wear
rubber boots to be able to get on at all, but we were used to it and
it mattered not to us. The meeting was held in the parlors of the
church instead of the schoolrooms as was our wont. For a change our
leader said we would have an impromptu concert in the church choir so
as to use the organ. Edwin Bruce, our leader and instructor, came from
Boston and brought several fine singers with him. Mr. Blake and I were
asked to come somewhat earlier. On arriving at the church we found
quite an illumination in the parlors. Choirmaster Daniel and his wife
were the host and hostess and welcomed us. When we had taken our
places beside them the church doors slowly opened and the guests
arrived two by two, in full evening costume, and we received them
until all had welcomed us. The choir formed in a procession and wended
its way into the gallery which was darkened save for one or two lights
so we could see to reach our accustomed places in the gallery. When
all were in their places and our organist, Charles Capin, began
playing America, Mr. Bruce taking his baton and position, raised it
and the lights were turned on and before us sat the congregation,
every pew being filled. It was quite a moment before I could realize
this change and did not open my mouth to sing a note, for I was so
bewildered. At last, when I heard all were singing, I sang and cried
at the same time, for I realized this great kindness had been prepared
for us. Great was the applause when we had finished this song. We sang
until ten o'clock some of our best choruses, solos, duets, trios, etc.
We concluded with "Viva l'America," Miss Louisa Adams taking the solo
and the choir the chorus. Dr. Burgess spoke tenderly of us, strangers
from far-off California who had been so generous with our voices and
help these four years and wished us all good things and a safe return
to our home by the Golden Gate. We were then dismissed with the
benediction. Mr. Daniel had requested us to take our places in the
parlors and an impromptu reception was held until all the congregation
had bid us good-bye. About eleven o'clock only the choir remained and
the pastor and family. The Sabbath schoolroom had been decorated and
tables were spread for the banquet which had been prepared by loving
hands and through the kindness of the generous congregation that
appreciated our services. Three surprises in one evening was almost
more than I could bear. I was like one in a dream. After refreshments
had been enjoyed, Mr. Edwin Bruce came forward and with a very
appropriate speech placed in my hand an album filled with the pictures
of the choir, leaders, past and present, director and organist. I was
so astonished I had not the power to speak, so my husband, who stood
beside me, replied to the giver of such a beautiful and thoughtful
gift to us who were to sever the bonds of friendship and song after
these four happy years together. I do not suppose one of these
beautiful singers, either man or woman, is alive today, but I shall
present their pictures in this volume as a memorial to one of the most
distinguished choirs that ever sang together, some of the singers for
sixteen years, and that gladly gave its best for the Union and its
preservation in 1861.
[Illustration: A sample programme of the early Sixties.]
After we had severed our connection with the choir in Dedham, Mr.
Blake wound up relations with his firm, Parker, Barnes & Merriam, on
Milk street, Boston; we reluctantly gave up the dear old-fashioned
Taft home, with its shade trees and orchards and fine kitchen garden,
where we had passed so many happy years; we said good-bye to our
lovely neighbors the Adams, and Follensbee and Bullard families, and
moved to Hersey place, Boston, to remain until we left for California,
February, 1862. We took the same route I had taken in 1851 and were on
the way for two months. But things had changed and the scene was
altogether different. Over the Chagres river route we traveled upon
the rails we saw being laid when we came over in 1851. The trip was
uneventful, only that I was ill all the way, but being young and
hopeful and with the best of care, I once more came safely into San
Francisco bay. We surprised our sister, Mrs. W.H. Knight, and family,
who lived on Fifth and Market streets. Great was our rejoicing to see
our friends again. After a week's stay we left them for our old home
in Stockton. The rain had been severe, the creeks and rivers were
swollen, and we had a wet home coming, but we found the family in
waiting to greet us. It was soon noised about that the Blakes had come
home from Boston and we had no end of greetings and rejoicings. The
rain still came down and by May we were in dread of a flood, which
later came to pass. Water was everywhere. We were on the highest point
in the city, and before we were aware of it we had sixteen inches of
water in our house. On May 24th Dr. Grattin was called to our home and
he came in a skiff and rowed to the door, pointing the bow into the
parlor door and then stepping out into sixteen inches of water.
Provided with rubber leggings, he waded to the stairs where mother
awaited him with dry slippers and assisted him to my room. On May 25th
my second son, William Ellery Blake, was born. Both boys are native
sons of California and born in the home that was built in 1852. The
first family dwelling, built fifty-nine years ago, is still standing
as the homestead on San Joaquin street, Stockton, and apparently will
be a suitable dwelling for many more years to come.
After my son was three months old Mr. Blake obtained a position in
J.C. Johnson's saddle and harness business as expert bookkeeper and
first salesman. We then left the old home and moved to San Francisco
in the latter part of August and moved into the house owned by Dr.
Calif. He had recently died and his widow did not wish to occupy this
large house alone or desire the care of it. She arranged with us to
take two large rooms and the remainder of the house was at our
disposal. We were glad to have such a home. The rent was cheap and
everything was furnished just as it had been when Dr. Calif was alive.
We occupied this home until 1864, when Mr. Ben Smith made a
proposition to have Mr. Blake take the superintendent's place at the
San Lorenzo Paper Mill, about three or four miles from Santa Cruz. The
company had built a six-room cottage and furnished it completely for
us, should we decide to go. The large house was built for Mr. Sime and
his family as a summer home for them. It was an ideal spot to live.
The long flume ran along for miles. The river was dammed and the
overflow made a beautiful waterfall. The hills were covered with
chaparral and pine trees and wild flowers galore. The powder works
were situated about a mile above us. The road ran about fifty feet
from the cottage and, although we were among the hills, it was a busy
place. Ox teams were constantly passing. The large cook house was
below and the paper mill buildings were near at hand. About 150 men,
constantly going from one place to another in their departments, made
us feel we were not alone. There was fine fishing in the pool below
the falls. The salmon would come up the creek from the ocean and the
finest ones found their way into the pool, and on Friday the cook and
his men supplied the tables with fresh fish. How many times have I
seen those fine fish, caught on the prongs of a spear, writhe and
wriggle to get off. At first I could not taste them, I felt so sorry
to see them killed in that way. I would not go out on Friday until
after the fishing was done. The lamper eels crawled up the stream and
the men gathered them by the barrels full and made oil from them.
I had a Jersey cow and a fine milk house with a stream of cold water
running through. I made my own butter and had enough to supply the
Sime family when they spent their summer there. The lovely moonlight
nights on this fine sheet of water above the dam are with me now, and
how the hills resounded with our songs as we rowed along. I had a fine
horse and carriage, and it was great sport to go to town with our
splendid Jim, as we called him. Those were happy times. The children
had the best of air and full play among the hills. We remained two
years when Mr. Blake's eyes became inflamed from the fumes of the lime
used to rot the straw, and we were obliged to give up the place and
change once more.