per appreciation in applause when we sang this grand mass which
was rendered by this splendid choir and directed by our beloved
organist, the dean of that magnificent instrument (of which we were so
proud) for we were the principal workers in the cause for obtaining
the money for it. We then had the happiness to sing each week and
listen to its beautiful notes. Our happiness was complete.

In 1874, July 5th, we sang for the first time Roeder's heavy mass. We
often sang Concone's three-voice mass, Verdi's mass and Dominus,
Palestrina's Libera, Paolo Giorza, and Regina Coeli. The choir library
was complete with all kinds of masses, small and large. Many of them
we sang. Some of them were very old and written in manuscript. I
remember the professor gave me at rehearsal a celebrated old heavy
German mass (No. H Messe von Rader) in manuscript and my part was the
counter-tenor. Imagine my consternation when he placed it in my hand.
I could always make an alto to any tune, so I just looked at it
blindly and made my harmony as it fitted and did not disturb the
harmony of the music. After rehearsal he came to me and said, "You did
very well at faking, but if you will go up two notes and fall an
octave you will get your part." That was enough for me. On my way home
I bought some music paper and immediately set to work to get the mass
ready for Sunday. This was Tuesday. By Friday the task was complete
and I gave my work to my son George and asked him to look it over and
see if I was all right. There was not a correction to be made, and I
went to mass as proud as could be and sang the service through. After
the service the professor came to my music stand and quietly took my
fine copy and put in into the bookcase and that was the last I ever
saw of my week's work. He said it was very nice of me to make such a
good copy; it would be ready for the next singer who could not sing
the manuscript. While I was disappointed, he was pleased that I had
been clever enough to get out of the trap he had set for me, for he
well knew I had never seen that music before.

Besides a splendid supply of masses, there were vesper services,
Gregorian chants, Ave Marias, Veni Creator, solos, Mozart's Ave
Vernum, requiems from various writers, Stabat Mater by Rossini; Franz
Liszt's O Salutaris; Bach's Tantum Ergo; Salutaris, Carlo Bassini;
contralto solos from Rossini's Solenelle; O Salutaris, Agnus Dei, Quae
Te Christi by Millett; duet soprano and mezzo