At the close of the season, January 28, Sig. Stigelli was prevailed
upon to give a farewell concert in Boston Music Hall, assisted by the
Oratorio Society and Orpheus Musical Society. Soloists for the
occasion were Mlle. Carlotta Patti, who sang the aria from the Magic
Flute, Carl Formes, basso profundi, Signor Stigelli, tenor. It was a
gala night and every seat was filled at the exact hour to hear for the
last time the famous tenor who had sung himself into the hearts of the
people by his beautiful voice and exquisite singing of the different
arias of the opera in which he excelled. The hall was crowded to
overflowing. Never had I beheld such beautifully gowned women and
brilliant lights; the tremendous chorus and the full orchestra left a
lasting impression upon me which cannot be erased by time. It is over
fifty years since I saw such gorgeous splendor and heard the marvelous
singing of these birds of song. The singing of Mlle. Carlotta Patti
was a revelation almost beyond my conception. I heard her in 1861 and
heard Adelina in 1886, twenty-five years afterwards, and of the two
sisters I'd give Carlotta the preference. Her trills were like
warblings of the birds and filled the auditorium and floated to the
high arched ceiling of the cupola in the center of the hall and
sounded like a chorus of birds rejoicing over the advent of their
nestlings. Words are not adequate to explain the beautiful work of
this petite singer and the reception she received on this occasion.
This concert was my first opportunity to hear such artists. They were
singers and players of the highest art.
It was to me not real. The music that I had heard and sung before was
sacred, on the Sabbath, and in songs familiar at that time, Home,
Sweet Home, Swanee River, Mary of Argyle, etc., and songs moderately
difficult, anthems and Te Deums and German leider were all we aspired
to. Others than these were not to be thought of. Nothing worldly was
tolerated. The minister's daughters must always be proper in all walks
of life. In 1846 when Jenny Lind made her tour of the world my sister
Mary was the fortunate one to be able to hear her. All of her
beautiful songs were in vogue and I was familiar with them, as my
sister was a fine singer. She obtained these songs and although it is
over sixty-six years ago I still have a great number of them, yellow
with age, published by Pond and Company, and Oliver Ditson Company.
These publishing houses were founded during my early life, Ditson and
Company began in 1834 and I was born in 1836. When I was ten years old
I was sent to these places to purchase the music sister required in
her teaching, church and home songs. For sixty-seven years I have
patronized the house of Ditson and Company. The original men have
passed out and the sons are now the members of the firm. Only this
year I received a cheery holiday greeting from the firm. I have
digressed somewhat and gone back to my girlhood days in Cincinnati.
Let us return again to Boston fifty years ago and listen to this fine
concert given in Boston Music Hall. It is almost impossible for me to
describe the grandeur of this magnificent chorus and the orchestra and
grand organ with Carl Zerrahn directing this multitude of singers and
players and Howard Dow at the organ, playing with such a masterful
touch. The brilliant audience listened with marked attention to this
beautiful music and the stillness was only broken by the mighty
applause of approval at the close of the grand performance and the
repeated recall of the artists who deserved all of this great
demonstration. The first great concert was but the beginning of my
career. In the four years I had opportunities that were of a lasting
profit to me. It was the cradle of my musical life and I often go back
in my mind and see those beautiful singers I learned to love as
friends and companions in song. Friends made then have lasted as long
as life. All have passed beyond and only five or six of the galaxy of
male and female singers of that time are left to remember with
pleasure the days of Auld Lang Syne.
During this period of 1861 the Civil War broke out and every patriotic
man and woman was called into action. The union of the states must be
preserved. The excitement was intense. Volunteers were called for and
business men, clerks and rich men enrolled at once and soon our boys
and men were drilling for the march to the south. It was not many
weeks before the order was given to march. The first fire had been
heard at Fort Sumter and the American citizen soon became a soldier
and as the call was given he marched away. Shall I ever forget the
sight of those splendid young men as they marched away, company after
company. As I saw them in the strength of their manhood going to their
destruction, my heart wept inwardly knowing many of them would never
return. But those at home had no time for repining, and we were called
upon also to supply the needs of the soldier who was fighting for us
with willing hands and stout heart. Each one kept busy. Our choir was
enlisted when the call came for funds, and faithfully we all
responded. Many choirs were united by Edwin Bruce, and we were at once
formed into a chorus of willing singers, great and small, in the
realms of music, and in several months were well equipped for the work
of raising funds for the war needs. The chorus was formed from Dr.
Burgess' choir of Dedham, Newton Musical Association, Boudoin Street
choir, Church of the Unity choir, the Bullfinch choir, number 200
voices in all. We were known as the Operatic Bouquet of artists. Our
repertoire consisted of national and martial songs, our choruses
selected from the following great compositions:
Il Trovatore, Verdi; Lucrezia Borgia, Donizetti; Martha,
Flotow; Semiramide, Rossini; War Songs (male voices), Adams;
Bohemian Girl, Balfe; I Puritani, Bellini; Maritana,
Wallace; Masaniello, Auber; Enchantress, Balfe; Hark,
Apollo, H.R. Bishop; Enchantress (male voices) Balfe; solo
and choruses from Lucrezia Borgia, Donizetti; Hail to the
Chief, Il Templario, Nicolai; quintette and chorus from
Martha, Flotow; Miserere, from Il Trovatore, Verdi; Chorus
of Martyrs, Donizetti; La Fille Du Regiment, Donizetti;
chorus from Maritana, Wallace; chorus from Il Lombardi,
Verdi; trio and chorus, Attila, Verdi; solo and chorus,
Martha, Flotow; trio, Charity, Rossini; trio and chorus,
Ernani, Verdi; chorus, full, Gibby La Cornemuse, Clapisson.
In the spirit of the times these two hundred voices trained especially
for the occasion, it was not to be wondered at that success followed
our efforts. Whenever we were called old Tremont Temple was filled to
the doors. Our treasury was never depleted during all the months we
were doing service in the cause of the soldier and his needs. Boston
Music Hall, churches in the smaller cities were always filled to
overflowing whenever we appeared in Dedham, Medford, Roxbury and Old
South Church. For nearly two years this work went on. In 1862 my
husband decided to come home once more, as there was less need for our
services. We were in Santa Cruz when the war ended, still helping the
cause through the Christian Sanitary Commission, founded at the
beginning of the rebellion. Money was supplied through this medium,
and through free contributions from the different states of the Union
and churches and societies, etc. Having had much experience in the
East we were enabled to be of great assistance to the musical people
of Santa Cruz and made successful entertainments for the cause for the
following year which aroused the patriotic fire in the hearts of the
California defenders of the Union and crowned our efforts with success
until the end of this dreadful war.
In 1869, Mr. Blake having failed in his business, we left Santa Cruz
and returned once more to San Francisco to retrieve our lost fortune.
Youth, hope and energy were my strong salient points and I began in
earnest to gain a substantial footing in music. My opportunity came
with the Lyster Opera troupe and through efforts of a friend, Mrs.
Cameron, who was employed there as soprano, I secured a position at
$20 per week during their season in San Francisco.
I regret that I cannot remember the name of the Baptist pastor during
my stay in Santa Cruz. He is the only minister whose name I have
failed to recall, yet I can see his kindly face, and I gladly helped
his congregation many times when extra help was needed. It has been so
many years ago there is no one to help me in my research. This is the
first link in my chain of evidence that has to be left unfinished, to
my sorrow.
Returning once more to San Francisco I gave my services in the choir
of Calvary Church, then on the north side of Bush street, between
Montgomery and Sansome streets, Rev. W.A. Scott, pastor; Prof. G.A.
Scott, organist, and Washington Elliott, choir master of the large
chorus choir. I became the alto of the quartette, Mrs. Van Brunt
soprano, W. Elliott tenor, Charles Parent bass. Dr. W.A. Scott was
pastor for a short time and Rev. W. Wadsworth succeeded him. I
remained in this choir until 1863, when I was offered the place in the
choir of the First Presbyterian Church with a salary attached for the
first time during my services in these many churches. Rev. Mr.
Anderson was the pastor and George Pettinos organist. Sarah Watkins
soprano, M.R. Blake contralto, Matthew Anderson tenor, Cornelius Makin
bass--one of the best choirs in the city, splendid voices and good
singers. I continued here nearly two years, when there was an offer
for the place in St. John's choir for me at an advanced salary. I
regretted to leave where I had enjoyed the music and the singers, but
in the meantime my husband failed in business and I had two children
to support. I accepted the St. John's choir offer for financial
reasons. The pastor was Rev. W.A. Scott, Frederick Katzenbach
organist, Mrs. Robert Moore soprano, Mrs. M.R. Blake contralto, Joseph
Maguire tenor, and later, Vernon Lincoln and C. Makin, bass. I
resigned this choir after almost three years' service, to take the
alto position in Dr. Lacy's choir, Congregational church, corner of
California and Dupont streets. Later Dr. Stone arrived and on the
Sabbath of his first sermon the organist was Mr. Douglas; Georgiana
Leach, Mrs. Northrup, Mrs. Oliphant, sopranos; Mrs. Margaret Blake,
Miss Abbie Oliphant, altos; Signor Gregg, basso; Joe Maguire, tenor,
with a small chorus choir added. The musical service was of a high
order. The sopranos were the foremost singers of their time. Mrs.
Leach left later and became the soprano of Starr King Unitarian Church
in Stockton street. Mrs. Northrup went to the new First Congregational
Church in Post and Mason streets. She was there for years. Samuel D.
Mayer was organist at that time, Dr. Stone pastor and later Dr. Adams.
At the time of writing Dr. Charles F. Aked from New York is pastor.
[Illustration:
Richard T. Yarndley
Chas. H. Schultz
Gustav A. Scott
Frederick Katzenbach