FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   121   122   123   124   125   126   127   128   129   130   131   132   133   134   135   136   137   138   139   140   141   142   143   144   145  
146   147   148   149   150   151   152   153   154   155   156   157   158   159   160   161   162   163   164   165   166   167   168   169   170   >>   >|  
This was a new departure for me, but, nothing daunted, I began the study of the Welsh music, and when the night came for the yearly banquet and evening of song I was well prepared to give them their desire. I had as other artists, on this evening programme, Mrs. Howels, a Welsh soprano who sang like a bird, so beautifully; Mrs. Von der Mehden, soprano; Mrs. M.R. Blake, contralto; C. Makin, bass; John Hughes, bass; Joseph Maguire, tenor; Vernon Lincoln, tenor, and the Mt. Diablo singers, about fifty fine voices. The initial concert was a pronounced success, about 600 being present. In 1878, at the annual concert, I met for the first time Mr. D.P. Hughes, tenor, who sang a Welsh song, Cwymp Lewelyn, also in a male quartette, (oh, what full delight), Hughes, Roberts, Jones and Hannis. This was Mr. Hughes' first bow to the society of singers in San Francisco. I was the first American singer he had met in San Francisco thirty-four years ago. Later he became director of the Orpheus Society, leader of church choirs, teacher of voice, and still teaches and directs a women's singing club in Oakland, Cal. In September, 1877, the town of San Rafael was in need of a fire engine, and to begin the collection for the fund a series of concerts was inaugurated. The first was held in the district courtroom, September 8th. The following well-known artists took part: Theodore Herzog, violinist; J. Lewis, bass; Mrs. H.M. Bosworth, soprano; Ben Clark, tenor; Walter C. Campbell, bass, and Mrs. M.R. Blake, contralto. The room was full to overflowing and the singers were given a splendid welcome. The women of the city decorated the hall most lavishly and our reception was notable. The treasury received a splendid amount of funds to carry on the good work so auspiciously begun. This was the second city wherein I assisted in the beginning of a fund for a fire engine. The other was Santa Cruz. In 1877, old folks' concerts were often given with great success. The quaint hymns of Father Kemp's collection seemed to be an attraction to the people, and seldom a month passed without concerts of this kind. The societies and churches reaped a goodly sum from them. The different singing clubs concluded to give two concerts for the old folks. They were to be on a grand scale, and the Grand Opera House was secured. My programme does not give the promoters' names or the object of this great gathering of singers. I remember only that I was engaged for the
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   121   122   123   124   125   126   127   128   129   130   131   132   133   134   135   136   137   138   139   140   141   142   143   144   145  
146   147   148   149   150   151   152   153   154   155   156   157   158   159   160   161   162   163   164   165   166   167   168   169   170   >>   >|  



Top keywords:
Hughes
 

concerts

 

singers

 
soprano
 

contralto

 

success

 

Francisco

 

concert

 

splendid

 

September


evening

 
collection
 

engine

 
programme
 
artists
 

singing

 

Herzog

 

Theodore

 

violinist

 

Campbell


Walter

 

auspiciously

 

amount

 

treasury

 

decorated

 
overflowing
 

Bosworth

 

lavishly

 

notable

 

reception


received

 

concluded

 
secured
 

remember

 

gathering

 

engaged

 

object

 

promoters

 

goodly

 

quaint


Father
 
assisted
 

beginning

 

societies

 

churches

 
reaped
 

passed

 
attraction
 
people
 

seldom