 
|
| Sir Walter | Mr Charles Kean. |
| Jabez | Mr Webster. |
| Neville | Miss Reynolds. |
| Lady Eveline | Mrs Charles Kean. |
| Maude | Mrs Keeley. |
ROYAL LYCEUM THEATRE.
Under the Management of Mme. VESTRIS.
"The Captain of the Watch," after which "The Beggar's Opera," to conclude with "Anything for a Change."
THEATRE ROYAL, SADLER'S WELLS.
Under the Direction of Miss Rainforth.
Rossini's opera of "Cinderella," after which "No Song, no Supper."
THEATRE ROYAL, ADELPHI.
Under the Management of Mme. Celeste.
"The Harvest Home," after which "Going to the Derby," to conclude with "The Married Bachelor."
THEATRE ROYAL, MARYLEBONE.
Under the Management of Mrs Warner.
| Macbeth | Mr Macready. |
| Lady Macbeth | Mrs Warner. |
After which "The Spoiled Child."
ROYAL SURREY THEATRE.
Shakspere's original version of "The Life and Death of King Richard Third," after which "A Grand Ballet," to conclude with Boz's "Oliver Twist."
ROYAL OLYMPIC THEATRE.
Mr H. Spicer's new play, "The Lords of Ellingham," to conclude with the Drama, "The Miller and His Men."
ST JAMES'S THEATRE.
(French Plays.)
"L'Almanach des 25,000 Addresses," concluding with "L'Enfant de Quelqu'un," with M. Grassot, M. Sainville, and M. Ravel.
To commence at 7.30.
PRINCESS'S THEATRE.
"La VivandiÈre," to conclude with the "Spirit of Gold," a Ballet, and other entertainments.
ROYAL GRECIAN SALOON.
An entirely new opera in three acts by Auber, "Le Chevalier d'Essone," with a Farce and a Divertissement.
Commencing at 6.30.
ASTLEY'S ROYAL AMPHITHEATRE.
An entirely new grand spectacle, entitled "Marmion; or the Battle of Flodden," with other entertainments in the Ring.
THE DIORAMA, REGENT'S PARK.
(New Exhibition.)
"Eruption of Mount Ætna."
COAL-HOLE TAVERN, STRAND.
(Opposite Exeter Hall.)
Chair taken by John Rhodes every Evening.
Glees, Duets, Solos, Catches, Comic Songs, &c., executed by the most numerous company of vocalists in the Metropolis, under the direction of Mr Warren, R.A.
MADAME WARTON'S WALHALLA.
(Leicester Square.)
"Tableaux Vivants."
CREMORNE GARDENS.
Grand Aquatic Tournament.
Magnificent Water Pageant.
The following paragraph appeared on July 29, and from it we get an insight into the aftermath which the months of revolutionary disturbance had bequeathed to the city Garcia had left only four weeks before.
"From a Paris Correspondent.
"The theatres here seem struggling to get on their legs again. The only speech that was listened to attentively during my visits to the Assembly was that by Victor Hugo, advocating an annual grant of 680,000 francs to the Paris theatres."
Let us now look at the musical events which were taking place during the first weeks after Manuel Garcia's arrival in London.
We find many interesting announcements in the concert world; and it is strange to note that practically none of the halls in which they were given survive at the present day. On June 23 M. Chopin gives his matinÉe; while the Philharmonic Society informs the "subscribers and the public" that their eighth concert will take place at the Hanover Square Rooms, on June 26, with the following programme:—
Sinfonia in A, No. 2, Mendelssohn; overture, "Leonora," Beethoven; sinfonia in C minor, Beethoven; overture, "The Ruler of the Spirits," Weber.
Vocal performers.—Mme. Castellani and Signor Mario.
Conductor.—Mr Costa.
Tickets, £1, 1s. each.
On the same day there takes place in the Great Concert Room of Her Majesty's Theatre, Mr Benedict's Grand Annual Morning Concert, with the following artists:—
"Tadolini, Cruvelli, Vera, de Mendi, Schwartz, Sabatier, Mme. Lablache, Miss Dolby, the Misses Williams, Mme. Doras-Gras, Gordoni, Marras, Brizzi, Lablache, Caletti, Belletti, Ciabatta, Pischek, and John Parry."
Three days later Monsieur Berlioz gives a recital at the Hanover Square Rooms.
During the same week we find the Musical Union giving a Grand MatinÉe at Willis's Rooms,
Soon after this Thalberg gives a recital; while "John Parry, the laughter-provoking and ingenious," holds his concert in the Hanover Square Rooms. "His new 'whimsy' (for he is the Hood of musicians in his amount of whim, and whim cannot exist without genius) is 'The Rehearsal of an Operetta.'"
There is also a notice of Exeter Hall: "Mr Hullah's choralists celebrated the anniversary of laying the first stone of their new music hall with the best miscellaneous English concert that one recollects.... Mr Sims Reeves, who seems wisely taking the tide at the flood, and by increased care justifying his increasing success, was an attraction, singing among other music Purcell's 'Come if you dare,' with spirit enough to 'rouse a shire.'"
Then there is a season of Promenade Concerts at the Royal Adelaide Gallery, Strand, not to mention "M. Jullien and his unrivalled band" at the Royal Surrey Gardens.
'Musical Gossip' of July 1848 contains some items, the first of which cannot fail to bring an ironical smile to the face of modern composers.
"We have year after year adverted to the unsatisfactory state of the law of musical copyright in this country."
"It is now stated that Mdlle. Lind has at last
"A correspondent at Florence writes: 'Old Rossini is here enjoying his well-earned otium cum dignitate.'"
Now let us turn to operatic matters in that far-off season of 1848.
Mr Delafield had undertaken to finance the Covent Garden venture, for which a bevy of great names had been secured. As in the preceding season Garcia's pupil, Jenny Lind, had been the principal star at Her Majesty's, so in this year another pupil, his sister, Pauline Viardot, was the star at the rival establishment. In addition to her there were Alboni, Persiani, Grisi, Mario, Ronconi, Marini, and Castellani. Unhappily, things did not run as smoothly as might have been wished: Michael Costa and Delafield were at loggerheads, and in July, soon after Garcia arrived from Paris, a financial crisis occurred which was only averted by the assistance of Gye.
On the 20th of the month the first important operatic event took place of the many which the maestro was to witness here during the last fifty-eight years of his life. As the "Huguenots" had been produced twelve years before in the original French version during his stay in Paris, so now, with his advent to London, Meyerbeer's masterpiece was given for the first time at Covent Garden in its Italian version, under the title "Gli Ugonotti," with the part of Urbain transposed for Alboni, and an additional cavatina written specially
| Valentine | Mme. Viardot-Garcia. |
| Marguerite | Mme. Castellani. |
| Urbain | Mdlle. Alboni. |
| Raoul | Signor Mario. |
| Marcel | Signor Marini. |
| Nevers | Signor Tagliafico. |
| Saint Bris | Signor Tamburini. |
As to the rival operatic season at Her Majesty's Theatre, it will be sufficient if we quote a rather typical critique of one of the representations:—
"'Poor Don Pasquale,' Donizetti's prettiest musical comedy (!), 'produced to fill an off-night,' was an exclamation there was no escaping from on Tuesday evening. Why was it produced at all? To us the performance was an execution in the Tyburn acceptation of the word.
"But a murder far more heinous has been committed at Her Majesty's this week. Poor M. Meyerbeer, how must his ears have tingled when his 'Roberto' was given with one principal character—involving two entire acts, the two principal soprano songs of the opera, and its only grand finale—coolly swept away! By past musical performances we were apprised that neither Mr Lumley nor Mr Balfe recognises the difference between one of the flimsy Italian operas and those thoughtful works in which sequence, contrast, and stage effect have all been regarded by the composer.... If no prima donna equal to 'En vain j'espÈre' and 'Robert' be in the theatre, wherefore give the work at all, unless 'the Swedish lady' is in extremis for a new
We find the first mention of SeÑor Garcia's arrival made in the 'Musical World' of July 1, in these words:—
"Manuel Garcia, the celebrated professor of singing in the Conservatoire of Paris, has arrived in London. He is brother to Malibran and Pauline Garcia, and was teacher of Jenny Lind."
On July 15 the 'AthenÆum' gives further details: "We are informed that Monsieur Garcia meditates settling here as professor of singing."
With the publication of this news the maestro was besieged with applications from those who were desirous of becoming pupils. He was at once regarded as the foremost professor in the capital, and his house in George Street, Hanover Square, not only saw numbers of students anxious to enter the profession, but was equally sought out by the aristocracy and wealthy classes of society, as had been the case in Paris.
On November 10, 1848, he was appointed a member of the professional staff at the Royal Academy of Music.
The institution had only been founded twenty-five years previously, when Garcia was eighteen, receiving its charter of incorporation seven years later.
It was very different from the Academy as we
The principal of the Academy at that time was Cipriani Potter, and we find some strangely bygone names upon the staff of professors. Sir Henry Bishop, Mons. Sainton, Moscheles, Goss, George Macfarren, Signor Crivelli, Sir George Smart, Mme. Dulcken, J. B. Cramer, Julius Benedict, Lindley, Chatterton, J. Thomas (the harpist), Signor Puzzi, and as an assistant professor of the pianoforte, Walter Macfarren. These were some of the colleagues with whom Garcia found himself associated when he commenced his work at the Academy.
At the beginning of 1849 there came a reminder of the scenes of revolution through which the maestro had passed a few months before, for Julius Stockhausen followed him to England, to pursue in the quieter atmosphere of London those studies which were so rudely broken up by the alarums and excursions of his duties with the French National Guard. Stockhausen continued to have
The close of 1852 saw his first appearance on the operatic stage at Mannheim; while between the years 1857 and 1859 he was engaged at the OpÉra Comique in Paris, making especial success as the Seneschal in "Jean de Paris." In 1862 he settled in Hamburg as director of the Philharmonic Concerts there and of the "Sing-akademie," a position which he held till the end of the 'Sixties. During this period he took many concert tours with Mme. Schumann, Brahms, and Joseph. In 1870 he was back in England, and stayed till the close of 1871, singing once more at the Philharmonic, Crystal Palace, and other leading concerts. Three years after this he went to live in Berlin, to take direction of the vocal society founded by Stern. Thence he migrated to Frankfort as professor of the Conservatorium, presided over at the time by Raff; and it was in Frankfort that he spent the rest of his days.
His principal pupils were van Rooy, Scheidemantel, and George Henschel; and as a teacher he was generally acknowledged to be the foremost of his time in Germany, as Mathilde Marchesi was in France. It is therefore a matter of some note that during the years in which Manuel Garcia was himself the finest teacher in England, he should, through these two pupils, have had his banner thus upheld upon the Continent.
Among the most promising of Garcia's earliest pupils at the Royal Academy was Kate Crichton, who came to study under him at the commencement of 1849—the year in which Sims Reeves made his operatic dÉbut and music-lovers mourned the death of Chopin.
Miss Crichton soon showed that the maestro had not left behind him in Paris his cunning in the training of voices. As the time approached at which the idea of her dÉbut was taking shape, the advice of Garcia upon the point was sought by her father. The letter in which was embodied his reply may be quoted as showing the deep interest and sound advice which was ever displayed in his relations with his pupils:—
Monsieur,—Veuillez avoir la bontÉ d'excuser le retard de ma rÉponse; une indisposition en a ÉtÉ la cause.
Je regrette que le manque de courage tienne en Échec les moyens de Mademoiselle Browne et comme Mr Hogarth je juge que l'exercice frÉquent devant le public est le meilleur moyen de vaincre sa peur.
Mais aussi je pense que les premiers essays (sic) de Mademoiselle Browne vont Être fort incomplets et par une sorte dans l'usage de procÉdÉs qu'elle ne domine pas encore complÉtement et par la terreur que bien a tort lui inspire le public.
Or pensez vous qu'il faille donner À ses premiers essays (sic) tout le rÉtentissement possible, ou ne trouvez vous pas qu'il serait plus prudent de les faire À petit bruit laissant À la dÉbutante le temps d'acquerir l'applomb (sic) qui lui manque avant de lancer son nom À la grand publicitÉ.
Je vous soumets ces rÉflexions en vous laissant d'ailleurs la facultÉ de faire usage de mon nom si vous le croyez utile aux interests de votre enfant.
J'ai l'honneur d'Être, Monsieur, Votre trÉs humble Serviteur,
M. GARCIA.
At last her teacher thought her ready to make the trial. An engagement was secured under the management of Alfred Bunn, and on January 23, 1852, Kate Crichton made her dÉbut on the opening night of the Drury Lane season in "Robert le Diable." As to her success we may quote 'The Times':—
"As Princess Isabelle, Miss Crichton (in whose person we recognised Miss Browne, the most promising pupil of the vocal art in the Royal Academy of Music) made her first appearance on any stage. She was successful to a degree which, since the dÉbut of Mr Sims Reeves in 1849, has had no parallel on the English stage."
Unhappily Miss Crichton's career, so brightly begun, was brought to a sudden close by her catching a malignant fever at Milan, resulting in the loss of her vocal powers. Had it not been for this, there is no doubt that she, too, would have been among that wonderful band of pupils who won fame in the operatic world for their maestro and themselves.
Miss Crichton, however, during her years of study seems to have caught the bacillus of old age from her master, for, upon ultimately regaining the beauty of her voice after many years of retirement, she continued to sing to her friends until within a few months of her death in her eightieth year. Among other eminent pupils who acquired from Garcia the bad habit of longevity, one may recall Stockhausen, who lived to pass his eightieth birthday; Charles Santley and Bessie Palmer, who are well on in the seventies; and Pauline Viardot, who
1850 was a year interesting to musicians from the fact that Frederick Gye, the new manager of Covent Garden, produced HalÉvy's opera, "La Juive," while the great German basso, Herr Formes, made his English dÉbut; but the year was memorable for England at large, from the fact that it saw the death of two of her best-known men—Robert Peel and Wordsworth.
With the following year—in which Turner passed away—the subject of this memoir was included for the first time in the census of the United Kingdom. It affords a curious comparison with the numbers of the present day, when we note that the Return, taken a month before the opening of the Great Exhibition, gave the population as 27,637,761, the last figure of which shows the advent of the maestro with unmistakable clearness.
1852 again brought Garcia's name before the English public as it had in 1848. Just as in that year three rival opera companies in London had fought for the possession of his pupil Jenny Lind, so now the two managers—Gye and Lumley—strove for the possession of another of his pupils, Johanna Wagner, whose name was the only one rivalling that of the Swedish Nightingale in its magnetic hold upon the musical world.
The January of the following year, 1853, brought another pupil, Bessie Palmer, the contralto. She tells the story of her difficulties in becoming his pupil in her book of 'Musical Recollections':—
"By the advice of C. L. Gruneisen, the critic of
"After some months I found my voice becoming thin and scratchy and my throat in a constant state of irritation. At last, in January of 1853, I wrote to M. Cazalet, the superintendent, requesting that I should be placed in Signor Garcia's class, as Signor Crivelli had quite altered the tone and quality of my voice, and had made a mistake. M. Cazalet answered that the committee refused to permit me to go into Signor Garcia's class, and unless Signor Crivelli would kindly take me back as his pupil I could not return to the Academy. Of course I wrote at once and said I would not rejoin Crivelli's class, and certainly would not return at all.
"On leaving the Academy I went to Garcia's house and explained to him how my voice had been changed. He made me sing a few bars, and then told me I must rest entirely for some considerable time, not singing at all, and not talking too much, so as to give the throat, which was out of order, complete rest. After six months of quiet I went again to him, when he tried my voice and said I could now begin to practise. I therefore commenced
With this episode we are brought to the year which medical men will consider the most important one in Manuel Garcia's life, as it was in 1854 that he perfected his great discovery.
MANUEL GARCIA. (Reproduced From an Original Sketch by Pauline Viardot Soon After the Invention of the Laryngoscope.)
MANUEL GARCIA.
(Reproduced From an Original Sketch by Pauline Viardot Soon After the Invention of the Laryngoscope.)
THE LARYNGOSCOPE.
(1854-1857.)
IT was in 1854 (the year which saw the ultimatum of England and France presented to St Petersburg, the prelude to the Crimean War) that the important invention was made—or, as the maestro with characteristic modesty described it, "the idea dawned on him"—of the laryngoscope.
As to its lasting value to the world at large, it will be sufficient to point out that since that year, according to reliable estimates, 3 per cent of the entire human race have been benefited by the invention.
With regard to the history of the discovery, an account of the earlier attempts which had been made has been set down in the number of the 'British Medical Journal' published at the time of the Garcia Centenary.
Before proceeding further, it may be well to warn the reader that the next few pages are bound to deal with a certain amount of technical detail which it is impossible to avoid in relating this portion of the maestro's career.
Although the dentist's mirror was in use among
In 1734 Levret, whose name is still held in honour among obstetricians, described a speculum, consisting of a plate of polished metal, which "reflected the luminous rays in the direction of the tumour," and received the image of the tumour on its reflecting surface. Levret seems to have used the mirror, not as a means of diagnosis, but as a guide in the application of ligatures to tumours in the throat. At any rate, his invention bore no fruit.
Half a century later Bozzini, of Frankfort-on-the-Main, devoted much attention to devising means of illuminating the main canals of the human body. In 1807 he published a description of an apparatus by which the throat and the posterior nares could be examined by reflected light. The official heads of the profession laughed away his invention, which, though cumbrous, deserved a better fate.
In 1825 Cagniard de Latour introduced a little mirror into the back of the throat, hoping with the aid of the sun's rays and a second mirror to be able to see the epiglottis, and even the glottis, but failed. In 1827 another unsuccessful attempt was made by Senn of Geneva; and two years later Benjamin Guy Babington exhibited at the Hunterian Society of London an instrument very like the laryngoscope now in use: he employed it in many cases, but for some reason seems to have left no record of them.
In 1832 Bennati of Paris stated that he could see the vocal cords by means of a double-tubed speculum,
In 1838 BaumÈs of Lyons showed a mirror with which he said the larynx could be examined.
In 1844 Warden of Edinburgh reported two cases in which he said he had been able to make "satisfactory ocular inspection of diseases affecting the glottis," by using two prisms of flint glass. In the same year Avery of London devised a laryngoscope in which a laryngeal mirror was combined with a lamp and reflector: the apparatus embodied the essential features of the modern laryngoscope, but its clumsiness made its practical application difficult, and in many cases impossible.
Up to 1850, then, the different attempts had met with failure in varying degrees. When Garcia attacked the problem he was quite ignorant of the fact that others had been at work, and his reason for wishing to overcome the difficulty and catch a glimpse of the glottis was perfectly different from theirs. His was one connected entirely with his work as a teacher of singing. Ever since he had given attention to the scientific aspects of voice-emission, he had longed to see a healthy glottis in the very act of singing. The idea of employing mirrors for the purpose of studying the interior of the larynx came to him in 1854. The following is the story of the discovery as he related it one day:—
"During all the years of study and investigation of the problems of the voice-emission," he said,
One day in the September of 1854, when on a visit to Paris, he was standing in the Palais Royal. Suddenly there came to him an idea. "Why should I not try to see it?" How must this be done? Why, obviously by some means of reflection. Then, like a flash, he seemed to see the two mirrors of the laryngoscope in their respective positions as though actually before his eyes. He went straight to CharriÈre, the surgical instrument maker, asked whether they happened to possess a small mirror with a long handle, and was at once supplied with a dentist's mirror, which had been one of the failures of the London Exhibition of 1851. He bought it for six francs.
Returning home, he placed against the uvula this little piece of glass, which he had heated with warm water and carefully dried. Then with a hand-mirror he flashed on to its surface a ray of sunlight. By good fortune he hit upon the proper angle at the very first attempt. There before his eyes appeared the glottis, wide open and so fully exposed that he could see a portion of the trachea. So dumfounded was he that he sat down aghast for several minutes. On recovering from his amazement he gazed intently for some time at the changes which were presented to his vision while the various tones were being emitted. From what he witnessed it was easy to conclude that his theory, attributing to the glottis alone the power of engendering sound, was confirmed, and thence it followed that the different positions taken by the larynx in the front of the
Six months later, on March 22, 1855, his paper, "Physiological Observations on the Human Voice," was submitted to the Royal Society of London. In it was set down the scientific thesis of his discovery in language which would have done credit to expert anatomists and physiologists.
On May 24 this was read before the Society by Professor Sharpey at a meeting held under the presidency of Lord Wrottesley, and was duly published in the 'Proceedings of the Royal Society,' vol. vii.
Investigation shows that primarily it is an account of the oral cavity and of the physiology of the voice, exemplified by the mechanical contrivance of the author's own thoughtful invention, actually used in an autoscopic manner with the idea of elucidating the action of the larynx during vocal effort.
As far as Garcia was concerned, the laryngoscope ceased to be of any special use as soon as his first investigations were concluded. By his examination of the glottis he had had the satisfaction of proving that all his theories with regard to the emission of the voice were absolutely correct. Beyond that, he did not see that anything further was to be gained beyond satisfying the curiosity of those who might be interested to see for themselves the forms and changes which the inside of the larynx assumed during singing and speaking. The method of making scientific use of the voice is due to his
As to the subsequent use of the laryngoscope in another sphere of investigation, and the far-reaching results which are due to it, it was nearly two years before the possibility of making practical use was seen. The medical profession was slow to realise what an invaluable instrument of observation the musician had provided, and at first it was treated by superior persons as nothing more than a physiological toy; in fact, as so often happens when a discovery is made by some one not belonging to the craft, Garcia's communication was originally received by the doctors with indifference, if not with incredulity.
It might have been expected that the uses to which the instrument could be put for diseases of the throat would forthwith have been perceived, and its value as a means of diagnosis appreciated. Yet, but for an accident, the paper might have lain buried in the dusty tomb of the 'Proceedings' of the Royal Society.
It is generally said that TÜrck of Vienna, coming by chance across it two years after the date of its presentation, was inspired to apply the invention to the examination of the upper air-passages. "This," says the 'British Medical Journal,' "is not accurate. TÜrck had been working independently on much the same lines as Garcia, and had even devised a laryngoscope. He showed the instrument to a friend, who at once informed him that the invention
TÜrck continued his experiments for a time; and it was in this year, 1857, that the instrument was actually used for the first time for diagnostic purposes. He seems, however, to have given up his experiments later, owing to the want of sunlight in the winter.
Soon after this, Professor J. N. Czermak of Buda-Pesth, another great physiologist, visited Vienna, and was shown the instrument, in which he was keenly interested. With it he made the observations which he published. This fact gave rise to one of those bitter controversies as to priority, of which the history of science offers so many examples.
The famous dispute had the immediate effect of directing the attention of the whole world to the laryngoscope. As to the rights of the matter, it would appear that while there is no doubt that Czermak owed his knowledge of the method to TÜrck and indirectly to Garcia, he made the important modification of substituting artificial illumination for the uncertain light of the sun.
One thing is certain, and that is that to Czermak belongs the credit of making known to the world the laryngoscope, and to some extent the possibilities lying hidden in the little mirror. He visited the principal medical centres of Europe, and, luckily being gifted with a capacious and exceptionally tolerant throat, he was able to give convincing demonstrations of the value of the discovery, and
As to the demonstrations with the instrument, many amusing incidents have taken place. Two in particular I remember hearing Garcia relate.
His pupil Charles Battaille, to whom reference has been already made in an earlier chapter, was most enthusiastic over it, and, having been a medical student at one time, considered himself well qualified to demonstrate its virtues. Hearing that the Turkish Ambassador in Paris was going to give a dinner to the most prominent French inventors of that time, he obtained permission to show off the uses of the new exhibit during the evening. After pointing out that it would revolutionise the scientific study of the throat, he proceeded to force the instrument down the gullet of an unfortunate Court official who had barely finished dinner. The result was disastrous.
The other story was a comical experience of a well-known specialist.
Like all very sensitive areas of the human body, the organ of the voice is sometimes invaded by special symptoms, notably in hysterical patients.
When the laryngoscope became a speciality, a young lady who for two whole years had lost all power of articulation was brought up to London by her mother for advice and treatment. The experienced laryngologist to whom she was introduced placed her in proper position before his lamp, while the parent poured out the prolonged tale of affliction. Without taking any apparent notice of the latter,
In the present state of our knowledge of such matters, it is rather startling to remember that two and a half centuries ago the famous physician of Norwich, Sir Thomas Brown, thought it a part of his duty, as an advanced teacher of his contemporaries, to devote a chapter of one of his books to stating and proving that food and drink did not descend into the body by two separate tubes. It appears that at that date the majority of the British public actually believed that, as Nature had placed two pipes in the neck, solids were transmitted by one and fluids by the other during the ordinary act of swallowing.
Most people nowadays are aware that the vibrations of the elastic bands, of which there is one on each side beneath the membrane of the upper part of the larynx, produce the sounds of the voice by their effect on the air issuing from the lungs. Certain qualities of tone, and of course the pitch of a note, are determined by their length and tension, while the special characteristics which make the voice of each individual definitely recognisable are due to the varied forms of the several parts of the throat, nose, mouth, &c., above that level. Again, the "breaking" of the voice of a boy on reaching
Though Czermak took up the laryngoscope and added to its general feasibility by the introduction of artificial light, it still had many obstacles to overcome, but in this it only shared the common fate of all innovations. A number of the men who bore the heat of the day in the early time of storm and stress are still alive, and must rejoice in the fulness of recognition which their speciality has gained.
Intralaryngeal medication and surgery soon followed the discovery of the diagnostic properties, and its principles were extended to the elucidation and treatment of diseases of the parts situated between the nose and throat.
Professor Osler has told us that if we take the sum of human achievement in science and the arts, and subtract the work of those above forty, "while we should miss great treasures, even priceless treasures, we should practically be where we are to-day." The achievement of Garcia supplies a striking comment on these hasty words. He was ten years over the limit fixed by the professor when by his invention he opened up a new world to scientific exploration. Subtract the laryngoscope from medicine, and what a gap is left in modern methods of diagnosis and treatment! Before its
"Had Garcia's work ended when he was forty, we should still not improbably be powerless to deal with functional aphonia, with laryngeal growths, with tuberculosis of the larynx, and with many conditions in the upper air-passages which can now be treated satisfactorily, because they can be seen. What is more important, we should be without a means of diagnosis which has proved invaluable in the detection of unsuspected disease of the brain and in the elucidation of obscure mediastinal affections. Abductor paralysis of a vocal cord is often the only appreciable symptom in the early stage of tabes, and it may give the key to the situation of a growth in the fourth ventricle, the medulla, or the cerebellum. Faint appearances, discoverable only by laryngosocopy, may furnish the first indication of pulmonary tuberculosis before any physical signs are present. The state of the larynx, in fact, is often a danger-signal to those who can read its meaning. The laryngoscope may also reveal the presence of an aortic aneurism or a mediastinal tumour. Its value in medicine is greater than that of the ophthalmoscope, because its application is wider, and the indications which it supplies are often more definite."
While touching general medicine at many points, laryngology is also to a large extent an autonomous territory in the great federation of the human organism. The extensions of Garcia's discovery
As to the development of the instrument, Manuel Garcia, the discoverer of the hidden land, attained his results by the most simple means. He merely placed the little dentist's mirror (previously heated) with a long handle against the uvula, holding it at an angle of 135 degrees, and then, by means of an ordinary hand-mirror, flashed a ray of sunlight upon its surface. Next Czermak and TÜrck took the matter up, and made certain improvements in the instrument, substituting artificial light so as to render it useful independently of the sun. The laryngoscope was illumined by a concave mirror fastened to the forehead of the observer. This mirror received the rays of a lamp situated close to the head of the subject, and focussed their concentrated light on to the laryngoscope. The position to be given to the patient was definitely fixed by these workers.
With the advent of electric light fresh perfections were introduced; while in 1896 Kirstein, of Berlin, discovered a novel method of laryngeal investigation which led to the establishment by Killian, in 1902, of a new method of "bronchoscopy," which permits of the direct exploration of the "bronchiÆ."
But all these discoveries are only a continuation of that invention which assures to Garcia a glorious name in the history of medicine.
With the advent of March 17, 1905, which saw
CHARLES SANTLEY AND ANTOINETTE STERLING.
(1857-1873.)
1841 became a memorable date in the earlier period of Manuel Garcia's career as a teacher, as bringing Jenny Lind to his studio in Paris. In the same way, 1857 stood out in the later portion, as bringing to him the first pupil in London who was to achieve a world-wide reputation, Sir Charles Santley. In making this statement I leave out of account Julius Stockhausen, since his lessons had been commenced in Paris.
The circumstances which brought about the advent of Santley are related in his 'Reminiscences':—
"One morning in the autumn of 1857 I received a message to go round to Chorley's house immediately, as he had something of importance to communicate. It was to the effect that Hullah was going to perform the 'Creation': he could not offer me any terms, but if I was satisfied with this opportunity of making an appearance in public, he would be pleased to accept my services to sing the part of Adam."
Santley accepted at once, having only a few
"I went to try over the duet with the lady who was to represent my malheureuse cotelette, and found someone seated in the drawing-room, who made me a distant bow on my entrance. After a few moments' hesitation I ventured to remark, 'Miss——, I presume.' 'No,' she replied, 'I am Miss Messent, and I understand I am to have the pleasure of singing the duets in the last part of the "Creation" with you. Miss—— was to have sung them, but for some unexplained reason has given up the engagement.'"
The reason the baritone only learned some years after. Miss—— had made a small reputation already, which she declined jeopardising by singing duets with a young man fresh from Italy.
"I dined with Chorley on the evening of the concert, and met Manuel Garcia, who accompanied us to St Martin's Hall.
"I succeeded better than I had dared to hope. When I walked home with Chorley and Garcia after the performance, the latter expressed himself as pleased, but pointed out certain defects to be overcome, at the same time offering to render me any assistance in his power."
It was an offer of which Santley promptly availed himself, and he commenced lessons forthwith, the maestro being at the time in his fifty-third year, his pupil a lad of twenty-three. The profit which was received during those lessons the baritone has never forgotten. As to his personal memories of the maestro,—"It would require a
The feelings with which the world-renowned baritone regards his old master may best be summed up in the words inscribed on the photograph which used to stand on the grand piano in SeÑor Garcia's home: "To the King of Masters." Moreover, I remember his remarking one day, while I was studying under the maestro, "You are learning from the greatest teacher the world has ever known." Nor is he less ardent in his admiration for Mme. Viardot-Garcia. "No woman in my day has ever approached her as a dramatic singer," he once said; "she was perfect, as far as it is possible to attain perfection, both as vocalist and actress."
Santley is himself remarkable as a man no less than as an artist. After having made a name which will ever be honoured and reverenced throughout the musical world for high ideals nobly sustained, he is, though over seventy, still able to make before the public occasional appearances, in which he shows how the old Italian method, coupled with a fine intellect and dramatic instinct, can triumph over mere weight of years. As one listens it seems impossible to believe that a man who sings to-day with all the fire, vigour, and passion of youth, can have been before the public for anything like so long a period as half a century. Up to the present time Sir Charles Santley remains unquestionably the greatest baritone this country has produced.
Photo by Chancellor, Dublin.
Photo by Chancellor, Dublin.
Shortly after Santley had commenced lessons under the renowned teacher, he received an invitation to a party at Chorley's to meet a pupil of Garcia, Gertrude Kemble, who was about to make her dÉbut at St Martin's Hall in the Christmas performance of the "Messiah."
"I would have much preferred staying at home with a book," he writes. "I had made my first appearance at the Crystal Palace in the afternoon, and felt depressed with the poor impression I had made. The party, which had been arranged to give Miss Kemble an opportunity of singing before a small assembly previously to confronting the larger audience at St Martin's Hall, included the famous Adelaide Kemble, Virginia Gabriel, John Hullah, Mr and Mrs Henry Leslie, and others.
"I felt great sympathy for the poor trembling girl who was about to undergo an ordeal for which she was not physically prepared. I learned afterwards her voice had been much strained by an incompetent professor during her long residence in Hanover. Manuel Garcia had done wonders with it since her return to England, but she still had great difficulty in controlling the upper register, which naturally added considerably to her nervousness. Nevertheless she sang exceedingly well and with great intelligence.
"This party," he concludes, "which I would willingly have shirked, proved a very important event for me,—in less than eighteen months Miss Kemble became my wife."
The year 1859 was memorable for the fine work of Garcia's two pupils—Pauline Viardot and Battaille.
The next year, which saw the capture of Pekin in far-off China, brought with it a strange coincidence. As we have seen, some improvements in the laryngoscope had followed its invention, due to the labours of TÜrck and the experimental skill and acumen of Czermak, and in due course questions of priority became a bone of contention, as they had done nearly two decades previously in connection with SeÑor Garcia's 'MÉmoire sur la Voix humaine.'
For the annual prize awarded in 1860 by the Paris Academy of Sciences, under the Montyon foundation, TÜrck and Czermak submitted contributions on the art of laryngoscopy. But nice points of priority were brushed aside by the Academy, and to each there was awarded a "mention honorable," accompanied by a gift of money.
This action seems to have prompted Garcia to put forward a claim for the prize in Experimental Physiology to be awarded for the year 1861. Accordingly he presented a memoir, in which he recapitulated his pioneer work, and expressed the hope that the favours meted out to the before-mentioned authors might be extended to himself. The matter does not, however, appear to have gone any further.
In this year another of his famous pupils, Mathilde
With 1862 there came the first tardy recognition which Manuel Garcia received from the medical world for the inestimable boon which he had conferred on them by his invention: the diploma of Doctor of Medicine, honoris causa, was bestowed on him by the University of KÖnigsberg. But as the year brought in its train this pleasure, so, too, it had its compensating sorrow, for on the 10th of May, at Saint-Josse-ten-Noode in Belgium, his mother passed away at the ripe old age of eighty-four.
1868, in which Disraeli assumed the helm of State as Prime Minister, saw the advent of Antoinette Sterling, who came on to Garcia from Cologne, where she had been studying under Mathilde Marchesi.
The letter which the maestro sent to Signor Marchesi, after hearing the contralto, I am able to quote:—
Translation.
LONDON, July 17, 1864.
To Signor S. de C. Marchesi, Professor at the Conservatoire of Music, Cologne.
MOST ESTEEMED SIGNOR MARCHESI,—Miss Sterling, whom I have already heard several times, possesses a beautiful voice, but she is still a beginner. In every way I will do what little I can to continue the very excellent direction given to the studies of the young lady by your wife, to whom I beg you to present my most distinguished salutations. Pray accept the same yourself from your sincere friend,
MANUEL GARCIA.
I am very grateful for the recommendation. Farewell.
Antoinette Sterling ever regarded SeÑor Garcia with the greatest affection and esteem, and used to delight in recalling the following memories of the days when she had studied with him. I have set them down before in the little memoir of her career already published.
When Miss Sterling, as she then was, went to the maestro for lessons, he was so carried away with the voice of his new pupil that he could not bring himself to keep her to exercises, as was his custom in the case of others. Almost at once he began taking her through all the Italian operatic rÔles. One day she was struggling to execute a particularly difficult phrase, and at last burst out crying, "You ought not to give me these songs until I have mastered the exercises properly." "You're quite right," he answered, and took her back to the exercises once more.
Until Antoinette Sterling commenced her training under him she used the full extent of her voice, singing from the D below middle C to the top soprano C sharp—a range of three octaves. She sang all the contralto arias from opera and oratorio, and at the same time felt equally at home with the soprano rÔles.
Photo by Elliott & Fry, Baker Street, London, W. Handwritten: Antoniette Sterling MacKinlay
signature: Handwritten, Antoniette Sterling MacKinlay
The first thing her new master did on hearing her was to make the remark, "If you continue as you have been doing, do you know what will happen? Look at this piece of elastic. I take it firmly at the two ends and stretch it. What is the result? It becomes thin in the middle. If I were to continue to do this constantly, it would get weaker and weaker, until finally it would break.
After a return to America, during which she was engaged to sing at Dr Ward Beecher's church, she came over to England again to make her dÉbut. SeÑor Garcia heard of the forthcoming appearance of his old pupil, and tried to find out her address. She in her turn had lost that of the maestro. In consequence of this they did not have an opportunity of meeting again till the eventful evening had passed, and all London was ringing with the new contralto's praises. He had, of course, been present at Covent Garden, and at the end of her first song went round to the door of the artist's room to congratulate her. The attendant met him with the stereotyped reply, "We cannot let any one in." "But I insist—I must see her. She is my pupil." The request, however, was met with stolid indifference, and he was obliged to return to his seat.
When, finally, they did meet again, she at once recommenced her lessons, and these were continued, as regularly as engagements would permit, until seven years after her dÉbut.
On July 5, 1869, Manuel Garcia was elected a member of the Committee of Management at the Royal Academy of Music, with which he had now been connected for twenty years.
Twelve months later he was brought to a sudden realisation of the catastrophe that shook Europe, for July saw the commencement of the Franco-Prussian War, all the French being ordered to leave German territory. In consequence of this edict Mme. Viardot was obliged to move from Baden-Baden, where she had been teaching; and, like many others, she made her way to England. On her arrival there with her husband she settled down in London near her brother, till the march of events rendered it possible for her to return to the Continent.
Of this period Mme. Noufflard, daughter of Lady HallÉ, has given some recollections.
"While Mme. Viardot was taking refuge in London, her house was the rendezvous of every talent; and I well remember one evening, when serious music had given way to fun, Saint-SaËns sitting at the pianoforte to improvise the 'rising of the sun in a mountainous country.' In the twinkling of an eye Manuel Garcia cut out a large halo from a newspaper, and was seen slowly emerging from behind a high-backed chair, his full face, with its paper decoration, disclosing itself at the top, as the last triumphant chord was struck.
CHARLES HALLÉ AND MANUEL GARCIA PLAYING CHESS. (Reproduced from an Original Sketch by Richard Doyle.)
CHARLES HALLÉ AND MANUEL GARCIA PLAYING CHESS.
(Reproduced from an Original Sketch by Richard Doyle.)
"I recollect him also as the talented and patient teacher, always full of interest even in those whose efforts were feeble. To his musical talents was added the charm of courtly manner, never-failing wit, and love of fun. The last he gave a fresh proof of but two or three years ago, when in answer to the pleasure shown by some friend, who had not seen him for some little time, in meeting him again at a soirÉe, he replied with the characteristic foreign shrug of the shoulders, 'Que voulez-vous? Je suis trop occupÉ pour avoir le temps de mourir.'"
Mme. Noufflard also tells how the maestro used to visit her parents at Greenhays in Manchester:—
"I was too young at the time to remember any details of those very interesting days; but my earliest recollections of Signor Garcia are those of the delight with which we children always greeted him, as he was ever ready to enter into our pursuits and to enjoy a romp. I remember, as quite a child, having undertaken to teach him German, and the solemnity with which he took his so-called lesson each day, although the teacher knew far less of the language than did the pupil. As we grew older he would often take us to his rooms near Manchester Square, and explain the invention and uses of his laryngoscope with as much care and precision as if we were the whole College of Surgeons listening to him."
What need to recapitulate the events which followed on the outbreak of the Franco-Prussian War? In less than three months Paris was besieged, a calamity followed in October by the pitiful surrender of Metz.
With the January of 1871 came the capitulation of Paris, followed by the conclusion of peace in February, the revolt of the Commune, and the second siege of the capital in March.
SeÑor Garcia must have been glad indeed that he had come to England nearly a quarter of a century before, and was thus able quietly to pursue his work as a teacher, instead of remaining in Paris to be upset once more, as he had been with the Revolution of '48.
TWENTY YEARS OF MUSIC.
(1853-1873.)
AT this point it may be of interest to recall the principal musical events which took place during the earlier years of Manuel Garcia's residence in London.
The year of the invention of the laryngoscope is principally of interest to musicians from the fact that Gye was able to secure for his opera company a valuable aid in that greatest basso of any time, Luigi Lablache, then sixty years of age.
The following year brought the London premiÈre of "L'Etoile du Nord," and of Verdi's new opera, "Il Trovatore"; it is additionally memorable for the advent of Cerito, on whom the mantle of Taglioni and Vestris had fallen as a premiÈre danseuse.
1856 brought in its train a series of catastrophes to music-lovers. During the twelve months there died not only the veteran tenor, Henry Braham, in his eightieth year, but, what was a far greater loss, the immortal Robert Schumann, after two years spent in a private asylum near Bonn; moreover, a further blow was dealt by the burning down of Covent Garden for the second time, the
The Opera House was rebuilt and opened once more in 1858, the year in which Lablache died. The Covent Garden season commenced on May 15 with a notable body of artists, which included Grisi, DidiÉe, Parepa, Victoire, Mario, Formes, Rossi, Tamberlik, and Costa; while in the early autumn the Birmingham Festival was held, with Pauline Viardot and Sims Reeves as the stars.
In the last month of '58 we find the Pyne-Harrison Company giving a season of English opera, with W. Harrison, George Honey, Weiss, and Louisa Pyne as the leading attractions, and Alfred Mellon in the conductor's seat.
The next year (1859) brings the production in Italian of Meyerbeer's new opera, "Dinorah," at Covent Garden; while in the autumn the Pyne-Harrison Company give it in an English version provided by Chorley, with Charles Santley making his operatic dÉbut as HaËl. This is followed at Christmas by HallÉ's production at Manchester of an English version of Gluck's "IphigÉnie en Tauride," in which two of Garcia's pupils take part—Catherine Hayes and Charles Santley.
In the following February Wallace's "Lurline" was produced, and later in the year Flotow's "Stradella." March 29 is an interesting date, for it gives us a sight of the theatrical names which were prominently before the public at this time. On that day a monster benefit was organised, at which the following stars took part: Webster, Phelps, T. P. Cooke, Toole, Mrs Mellon, Miss Glyn,
A few weeks later, during the Italian opera season, came the first appearance in England of Faure, as HaËl, a part which Meyerbeer had specially written for him in "Dinorah."
One may perhaps be allowed to note in passing that 1859 brought with it the first appearance of Henry Irving on the London stage. In the winter season of 1860 Her Majesty's was running English opera with a fine cast, which included Lemmens-Sherrington, Mdlle. Parepa, Reeves, Santley, George Honey, J. G. Patey, and Chas. HallÉ as conductor.
With 1861 we come to the English dÉbut of the greatest star of the last half of the nineteenth century, for on May 14 Adelina Patti made her first appearance at Covent Garden, as Amina in "La Somnambula," amid such enthusiasm as to ensure her the premier place among the operatic artists of her day. And indeed after this memorable date the diva continued to appear for no less than twenty-five consecutive seasons at Covent Garden, her name proving an infallible draw, no matter in what opera she chose to appear.
During the same season Grisi gave a series of eight farewell performances, creating an enormous furore; moreover, Delle Sedie came over for Mapleson's season at the Lyceum, being afterwards engaged for Covent Garden. At the latter house the autumn season opened with "Ruy Blas," followed later by "Robin Hood," with a cast including Mme. Guerrabella (GeneviÈve Ward), Haigh,
The following February, 1862, saw the production of another of Balfe's operas, the "Lily of Killarney," the plot being that of the "Colleen Bawn," which had just had a huge success at the Adelphi Theatre.
The artists engaged for the Covent Garden season of Italian opera included such names as Patti, Tamberlik, Mario, Faure, Formes, and Gordoni; while in the autumn of the year Mapleson gave a season of opera with Tietjens, Alboni, Giuglini, and Santley.
For 1863 may be writ large the five letters FAUST. Mapleson tells the story of its production in his memoirs. Thomas Chappell had bought the English rights for £40, after seeing it at the ThÉÂtre Lyrique. The music of an opera is worth nothing until the opera itself has become known, and Messrs Chappell opened negotiations with Mr Frederick Gye for its production during the Royal Italian Opera season.
The work had not, however, made much impression at the Lyrique, and Gye, on his return from Paris, assured his stage-manager, Augustus Harris, that there was nothing in it but the "Soldier's Chorus," and refused to have anything to do with it. Mapleson on hearing it felt convinced it would be an immense success; and Chappells were ready to pay £200 towards the cost of its production,
A few days before the date fixed for the production, he found that only £30 worth of seats had been taken. Then came a Napoleonic scheme. He announced at once four successive performances, and gave the astounding instructions at the office that for the first three out of these four not one place was to be sold beyond those already taken. The rest of the tickets he took home in a carpet-bag and distributed far and wide over a gigantic free list. At the same time he advertised in 'The Times' that, in consequence of a death in the family, two stalls for the first representation of "Faust"—the opera which was exciting so much interest that all places for the first three representations had been bought up—could be had at 25s. each.
Meanwhile demands had been made at the box-office for places, and the would-be purchasers were told that everything had gone up to the fourth night: this they repeated to their friends, and the opera began to be seriously talked of. The first performance was received with applause, the second still more warmly, and the third gained additional favour. No further device was necessary for stimulating curiosity: the paying public flocked, and it was given for ten nights in succession, after which it was constantly repeated until the termination of the season.
The following was the cast of the premiÈre at Her Majesty's:—
| Marguerite | Tietjens. |
| Siebel | Trebelli. |
| Faust | Giuglini. |
| Mephistopheles | Gassier. |
| Valentine | Santley. |
Not to be outdone, Gye at once produced his own version at Covent Garden, with Carvallo as Marguerite, her old part in the original Paris production, Didier as Siebel, Faure as Mephistopheles, Graziani as Valentine, and Tamberlik as Faust.
The year is also noteworthy for the fact that Pauline Lucca made her dÉbut as Valentine in the "Huguenots," while Mdlle. Artot, the pupil of Mme. Viardot, also made her first appearance here.
With 1864 (in which Meyerbeer passes away) we find the Italian Opera Company including Patti, Lucca, Tamberlik, Faure, Graziani, Mario, and, of course, Costa, with an interesting addition at the organ in Arthur Sullivan; while to the younger generation, at any rate, a strange realisation of those bygone days is given by the announcement of a gala performance to Garibaldi.
At Her Majesty's there is an interesting premiÈre, the first performance of "Faust" in English, with the following cast:—
| Marguerite | Mme. Lemmens-Sherrington. |
| Siebel | Mme. Lucia. |
| Mephistopheles | M. Marchesi. |
| Valentine | Mr Santley. |
| Faust | Mr Sims Reeves. |
The next year brings the production of Meyerbeer's "L'Africaine" at Covent Garden, and of Gounod's
1866 sees the dÉbut at Covent Garden of Carlotta Patti, coming with a considerable reputation as a concert singer; while among the artists of the season are Naudin, and Nicolini, who afterwards married Adelina Patti. At Her Majesty's, the company includes Gordoni, Santley, Gassier, Tietjens, and Grisi, who is announced for a limited number of performances; while the Irish basso, Foley, makes a hit in "Il Seraglio" under the Italianised nomenclature, "Signor Foli."
Next year, in which the death of Sir George Smart is chronicled, Covent Garden announces—on July 11—the first production of Gounod's "Romeo et Juliette" in an Italian version, with Mario and Patti in the title-rÔles. At the rival house Mapleson has collected a fine company in Tietjens, Sinico, Gassier, Santley, Gordoni, Mongini, and two dÉbutantes, Clara Kellogg, fresh from her American triumphs, and Christine Nillson, who makes her first appearance in "Traviata."
On December 6 a terrible calamity occurred in the London musical world, with the burning down of Her Majesty's Theatre. At the beginning of the month, during a rehearsal of "Fidelio," Mapleson's insurance-agent called to complete the insurance of the house. Colonel Mapleson agreed to insure for £30,000; but as the costumier's list was not at
At half-past eleven the same evening Mapleson, who was dining in St John's Wood, was called by an excited servant to look out of the window, and saw the sky red in the distance. Her Majesty's Theatre was on fire! The manager hurried to the scene of the conflagration, and found the house in full blaze. Without a moment's delay he despatched Mr Jarrett, his acting-manager, to Mr F. B. Chatterton, then the lessee of Drury Lane, to endeavour to secure that theatre from March till the end of July. It was of great importance that the emissary should reach Chatterton, who lived at Clapham, before that astute manager could learn of the fire; for had he been aware of Mapleson's extremity, he would, of course, have raised his terms accordingly.
On arriving at Chatterton's house early in the morning, the first thing Jarrett saw, lying on a table in the hall, was a copy of that day's 'Times.' On this he threw his overcoat, in order to hide the paper from view, and waited for the manager of Drury Lane to descend and receive him. Without appearing at all anxious, Mr Jarrett quietly concluded an agreement by which Mapleson secured the use of Drury Lane Theatre for the following spring and summer seasons, with a right to renew
The Monday after, the insurance-agent called on Mapleson and offered him his sympathy, since, if the manager had paid down the £10 on account of the proposed insurance, he would have received a cheque for £30,000! Mapleson replied that he was exceedingly glad that he had not paid the deposit, as he certainly would have been suspected of setting the theatre on fire, and would never again have been able to set himself right with the public.
In 1868 (the year of Rossini's death), the date is rendered memorable by the dÉbut of Minnie Hauk and the discovery of Mme. Scalchi, who was singing at the time in a building that was little more than a circus; while Costa resigned his position as conductor, owing to a quarrel. His place was taken by Arditi and Vianesi, who shared the duties of conductor.
In 1869 Mapleson and Gye resolved to join forces, the result being a probably unexampled collection of stars. Ambroise Thomas's "Hamlet" was given for the first time in England with Christine Nillson as Ophelia, and "Don Giovanni" was performed with the following extraordinary cast, which has never been equalled in brilliancy:—
| Donna Anna | Tietjens. |
| Donna Elvina | Nillson. |
| Zerlina | Patti. |
| Don Ottavio | Mario. |
| Don Giovanni | Faure. |
But these do not by any means exhaust the list of stars who took part in the season under the joint management. To the above quintette we must add Lucca, Scalchi, Ilma di Murska, Sinico, Tamberlik, Foli, Santley, and Mongini, while Costa and Arditi alternated the conducting. The season is probably unexampled in the whole annals of opera.
The next year, 1870 (in which Balfe died), saw the production of Verdi's "Macbeth" and of Ambroise Thomas's "Mignon," with Christine Nillson and Faure in the leading rÔles, under the Gye-Mapleson management. During this year, moreover, a brilliant benefit was given to Charles Mathews, and from the list of star performers we can obtain some further idea as to the rise and fall of the theatrical artists which Garcia witnessed as he passed through life.
Charles Mathews, of course, took part himself, and was assisted by Barry Sullivan, Lionel Brough, Mrs Mathews, Mrs Chippendale, Ben Webster, Mrs Mellon, Mme. Celeste, together with the Bancrofts.
With 1871 (the year in which Auber died) Mario bade farewell to Covent Garden audiences, before whom he had appeared for no less than twenty-three out of the twenty-four seasons the Royal Italian Opera had been in existence.
The Italian tenor was a great friend of Garcia, and the latter used to tell many anecdotes of him. One of these I will quote. When in London once, Mario and his wife, Grisi, decided upon giving a wonderful luncheon to a large party of their friends, among the number being SeÑor Garcia. The total cost may be imagined from the fact that they paid £80 for some dessert and other light delicacies for
It was in this year that the terrors of the Franco-Prussian War, to which we have already alluded, drove to London large numbers of refugees, many of them celebrities connected with the leading musical and dramatic institutions of Paris. It was a golden opportunity for music-lovers. At Covent Garden there were Adelina Patti, Lucca, Scalchi, Tamberlik, Mario, Bettini, Faure, Cotogni, Tagliafico; at Her Majesty's, Christine Nillson, Tietjens, Trebelli, Marimon, Ilma di Murska, Mongini, Gardoni, Capoul, Wachtel, Agnesi, Rota, Santley, Foli, and Carl Formes. In the concert-room there were to be heard the still marvellous voices of Alboni, Carlotta Patti, and Sims Reeves; or the glorious playing of Sivori, Vieuxtemps, Wieniawski, Neruda, Joachim, Clara Schumann, and Alfredo Piatti.
Then among the French refugees were the members of the ComÉdie FranÇaise, and these gave a memorable series of representations at one of the London theatres, selecting for it most of the gems
The following year, 1872, saw the dÉbut at Covent Garden of Albani. Later in the year, after the close of the opera season, a "fantastical spectacle" by Dion Boucicault and PlanchÉ was produced at the Opera House, under the title of "Babil and Bijou," in which took part Mrs Howard Paul, Lionel Brough, and Joseph Maas.
Finally, in 1873, Gye gathered round him a bevy of stars which included Patti, Lucca, and Albani; Scalchi, Sinico, and Monbelli; Nicolini, Bettini, Graziani, Cotogni, Maurel, and Faure.
THREE-SCORE YEARS AND TEN.
(1874-1890.)
"EVERY year a man lives, he is worth less." This is what Manuel Garcia used to assert when he was drawing near to the completion of those three-score years and ten which have been set down as the natural span of human life. As far as his own career was concerned, however, the statement was singularly lacking in truth. His mode of living at the age of seventy has been well described by Hermann Klein, his pupil, friend, and collaborator in the final text-book, 'Hints on Singing,' published some twenty years later, when the veteran musician was over ninety years of age.
Mr Klein has been kind enough to send over from New York some interesting reminiscences for insertion in this chapter.
In the year 1874 Mr Klein's parents occupied a large house at the corner of Bentinck Street and Welbeck Street, Cavendish Square, and I will leave the sometime musical critic of 'The Sunday Times' to tell the story of the next few months.
"I find by a letter of my mother's," he writes, "that SeÑor Garcia first called to see her at 1
"His lunch invariably consisted of the same simple fare—some sponge-cakes and a pint of milk, which would be fetched from a baker close by by my younger brother Charles. I asked SeÑor Garcia once if he did not feel hungry long before dinner, teaching as he did all day on such slender diet. 'No,' he answered, 'I don't feel half the discomfort from waiting that I should if I took a hearty meal in the middle of the day and then tried to teach immediately afterwards. Besides, I don't really need it. Most singers and teachers of singing eat more than they should. A man with moderate teeth, such as I have, can grow old on sponge-cake and milk!' And he lived for more than thirty years after that to prove the truth of his remark.
Photo by Davis & Eickenmeyer. Handwritten signature: to M Sterling MacKinlay, esq. with Kindest regards of Hermann Klein New York, '06
Photo by Davis & Eickenmeyer.
Handwritten signature: to M Sterling MacKinlay
"At this time he had entered on his seventieth year, but in appearance was not past fifty. He had a light buoyant step, always walked quickly, and had a keen observant eye, which, when he spoke, would light up with all the fire and animation of youth. His dark complexion and habit of rapid gesticulation bespoke his southern origin. He was at home in Spanish, Italian, English, and French, but preferred the last. His modesty was remarkable. He could rarely be induced to talk of himself, but was firm in his opinions. In argument he was a close reasoner, and would be either a doughty opponent or a warm advocate; the middle line never attracted.
"His activity during the Bentinck Street period was amazing. Except on his Academy days he taught at the house from morning till night, and never seemed to know the meaning of the word fatigue. As to relaxation or recreation, I never knew him to indulge in any, save on the extremely rare occasions when I could persuade him to attend an operatic performance or some special concert, such as one at the Crystal Palace, when Anton Rubinstein conducted his own endless 'Ocean' symphony. His criticisms on these events were a delight to listen to. He was, I remember, immensely enthusiastic over Rubinstein's performance of his concerto in D minor; but the symphony bored him terribly, and he would gladly have left before the end came. The only concerts that he attended regularly were the Philharmonic (to which he was for many years a subscriber) and those of the Royal Academy students, at which some pupil of his own almost invariably appeared. At the
"Manuel Garcia was one of the most inspiring teachers that ever lived. All of his distinguished pupils, from Jenny Lind downwards, have dwelt upon his extraordinary faculty for diving deep into the nature of those who worked with him, and arousing their temperamental qualities to the highest degree of activity. His profound knowledge of his art, his familiarity with all the great traditions, and the absolute authority with which he spoke, combined to awaken a measure of confidence and admiration such as no other maestro di canto could possibly command.
"Even when annoyed he was seldom abrupt or impatient. His voice had gone, but he would employ its beaux restes to impart an idea for the proper emission of a note or phrasing of a passage. His sounds never failed to convey the desired suggestion. Though his own voice trembled with the weight of years, he never brought out a pupil with the slightest tremolo: moreover, he was never guilty of forcing a voice. His first rule was ever to repress the breathing power, and to bring it into proper proportion with the resisting force of the throat and larynx.
"Among the aspirants who came to study at Bentinck Street were several whose names yet enjoy universal reputation.
"He always played his own accompaniments for teaching, and in the 'Seventies' was a very fair pianist. He had at that time a Russian pupil, an excellent baritone, with whom he was fond of taking part in duets for four hands. They used to play Schubert's marches, &c., whenever the master could find time (which was not very often); and at the end of a delightful half-hour of this recreation he would exclaim, 'What fine practice for my stiff old fingers! How I wish I could get more of it!'
"One of his most intimate friends at that period was Joseph Joachim, for whom, alike as a man and a musician, he cherished the warmest admiration and regard. When the great violinist received the honorary degree of Mus. Doc. in 1877, SeÑor Garcia paid him the highest compliment in his power, by making the journey to Cambridge especially, in order to be present at the ceremony and to attend the concert given by the University Musical Society. I had the privilege of accompanying him on that occasion, and sat beside him both at the rehearsal and the concert, Mr (now Sir) Villiers Stanford being the conductor. How he revelled in Joachim's performance of the Beethoven concerto! Every note of that masterpiece, as it issued from the fingers of its noblest interpreter, seemed to afford him most exquisite delight. He was also impressed by the first symphony of Brahms (given as the 'exercise' for his doctor's degree, conferred in absentiÂ), and considered it not only a fine work, but a remarkable example of reticence in a composer whose powers had attained maturity
"At Bentinck Street SeÑor Garcia taught several budding Jewish vocalists, entrusted to his care by members of the Rothschild family, who showed their love of music by defraying the cost of teaching (and sometimes of maintaining) the youthful singers. One of these pupils, who subsequently became a prominent member of an English Opera Company, was an especial protÉgÉe of Baroness Lionel de Rothschild; and one day the kind lady, accompanied by her daughter (afterwards the Countess of Rosebery), called to inquire how the girl was progressing. The maestro's reply was characteristic. 'Madame la Baronne, she has all the musical talent of her race, but little of its industriousness or perseverance. Still, as in spite of that she accomplishes in a week what takes most other girls a month, I hope sometime to make a singer of her.'"
Here I will abandon Mr Klein's narrative, to resume it later in describing the preparation of Garcia's last text-book, 'Hints on Singing.'
During the next few years a number of pupils passed through his hands at the Royal Academy of Music, who were afterwards to take an important place in their profession.
In 1875 Miss Orridge came to place herself under the maestro. The years which she spent at the Academy brought victory after victory. She
At the commencement of 1876 Garcia received the letter from Wagner to which attention has been already called, embodying the offer for him to train the singers for the first Bayreuth Festival. This, however, he was obliged to refuse, owing to his large clientÈle in London.
On July 14, 1877, the inventor of the Laryngoscope received his second recognition for the services which he had rendered to the medical profession, fifteen years having elapsed since the degree of Mus. Doc. had been conferred on him, honoris causa, by the University of KÖnigsberg.
An influential meeting assembled to give their support at the ceremony of presenting him with a service of plate.
Professor Huxley presided, and in his speech bore strong testimony to the great services that Manuel Garcia had rendered alike to science and humanity by his important discovery. It was unnecessary, Huxley said, to do more than remind
The following year brought fresh honours at the Royal Academy of Music. As previously the maestro had been elected a member of the Committee of Management after twenty years' connection with the institution, so now, after thirty years, he received a further mark of distinction by being made one of the Directors of the Academy.
With 1879 Charlotte Thudicum entered the Royal Academy of Music as his pupil. Success soon came to her, for after a year's tuition she won the Parepa-Rosa scholarship, and two years later the Westmoreland. On leaving his hands the young soprano went over to Paris to study opera with his sister, Mme. Viardot, and upon her return in 1883 was at once secured for the "Pops," Crystal Palace Saturday Concerts, and other important engagements, while in the following season she sang with the Birmingham Festival Choral Society.
In due course she secured fresh laurels by taking part in "Ivanhoe" at the Royal English Opera House, in which opera she played Rebecca on alternative nights with another of Garcia's pupils, Margaret Macintyre.
1881 brought Garcia's third recognition for his invention.
The International Medical Congress was to hold its seventh session in London from the 2nd to the 9th of August, Dr de Havilland Hall, Dr (now Sir) Felix Semon, and Dr Thomas J. Walker being appointed honorary secretaries of the section devoted to "Diseases of the Throat," which was to meet with Dr George Johnson, F.R.S., in the chair.
At the suggestion of the late Sir James Paget, SeÑor Garcia received an invitation to read a paper before the Congress, describing his work in connection with his invention. The invitation was gladly accepted. He attended, and was introduced to the assembled doctors in the most flattering terms during the inaugural address by the chairman, who was one of the vice-presidents of the medical section.
In connection with the friendship which existed between Manuel Garcia and Sir Felix Semon, one may recall an amusing anecdote recounted in the latter's short memoir, published for Garcia's 100th birthday.
"On a certain occasion," the doctor writes, "I delivered a lecture at the Royal Institution of Great Britain on the culture of the singing voice. In the course of my remarks I attacked the dogmatic way in which the question of the registers was treated by different authorities, and showed there and then, by the aid of some excellent photographs of the larynx during the emission of tone, that the
"The lecture had a humorous sequel, for among my audience were a number of the best known singing teachers in London. When I had finished, one of these, well known for his obstinate dogmas, came up to me in a state of visible annoyance and said, 'You should not speak on things that you know nothing about.' A second expressed his recognition of the fact that I had taken up arms against the theorists, and then proceeded to describe an entirely new theory on the register formation discovered by himself.
"But, last of all, Garcia came up to me with a smile, and remarked, 'Good heavens, how much I must have taught during my life that is wrong!'"
In 1882 Margaret Macintyre and Marie Tempest commenced studying under the maestro.
The former, a daughter of General Macintyre, was to be the best known of Garcia's pupils at Dr Wyld's London Academy of Music, where he taught for some twenty years. The prima donna during her training there carried off in turn the Bronze, Silver, and Gold Medals of the Academy. During the last year she had the honour of singing the soprano rÔle in the performance of Liszt's oratorio "St Elizabeth," given at the London Academy Concert in the St James's Hall in honour of the composer's presence in London. Two years later she appeared as Michaela in "Carmen," winning instant success. Moreover, as we have already seen, she shared with Miss Thudicum the rÔle of
Marie Tempest arrived at the Royal Academy of Music in the Easter term of 1882, and remained there three years under Garcia, carrying off the Bronze, Silver, and Gold Medals of the Institution. The Academy was specially prolific of talent at this time, for among the students during these years were Eleanor Rees, Miss Thudicum, Edward German, Courtice Pounds, and several others who were to attain wide fame in the musical world.
Of her studies under Garcia Miss Tempest told me a couple of very characteristic anecdotes.
When Miss Etherington, as she was in those days, came for her first interview with the maestro (having arrived from a convent in France only a few days before), she was wearing a very tight-fitting dress of Stuart tartan, cut in the Princess style, which showed off her figure to advantage and drew attention to the nineteen-inch waist of which she was the proud possessor.
Garcia raised his eyebrows when he saw his prospective pupil step forward from the group of girls who were waiting their turn to be heard. However, nothing was said until her song, an Italian "aria," had been brought to a close. Then came a pause, while Marie Tempest tremblingly awaited the verdict on her voice. At last the oracle spoke. "Thank you, Miss Etherington; will you please go home at once, take off that dress, rip
The assembled girls tittered audibly, and the unfortunate victim slunk out of the room with flaming cheeks.
"He was quite right, though," Miss Tempest concluded; "no one can sing when laced in as tightly as that. I went home, and—well, I've never had a nineteen-inch waist since."
The other episode concerned the Academy weekly concerts. Garcia generally had a pupil singing at these, and would sit in front, nodding, waving his hand, and generally doing his best to establish telepathic communication with the vocalists, that he might inspire them with his spirit. At one of these Marie Tempest was due to sing with orchestra an air from "Ernani," which had been carefully studied under her master.
The conductor waved his hand and the aria was commenced. After a few bars Manuel Garcia began to fidget in his seat, then to frown, and to beat time with his feet. At last the veteran could stand it no longer. He rose from his seat, leapt on to the platform—approaching his eightieth year as he was,—and seized the baton from the conductor's hand, exclaiming, "Mon Dieu! you are ruining my pupil's song. I will conduct it myself."
Shortly after this episode Miss Tempest, as a member of the operatic class, took part in a mixed performance which included an act from "Carmen" and another from the "Mock Doctor."
Alberto Randegger was present at this, and came up to her afterwards, saying, "Miss Etherington, you must undoubtedly go on the stage."
"After that," said Miss Tempest, "I seemed to be on the boards before I knew where I was."
"The first piece in which I appeared was 'Boccacio,' at the Comedy Theatre; from that I went to the OpÉra Comique for 'Fay o' Fire,' and then came 'Dorothy,' and—the rest." What a record it has been, that series of triumphs in light opera, concert, and comedy, thus dismissed with a smile and a characteristic shrug of the shoulders as—"the rest"!
Another pupil of Garcia at the Academy about this time was Madame Agnes Larkcom.
Arthur Oswald, now a professor at the Royal Academy of Music, tells me that at one of his lessons he was stopped by SeÑor Garcia with the word "wrong!" He was surprised, because he felt sure that he had sung the right notes in time and tune, and with careful attention to the words and vocal phrasing. "I will give you five minutes to find out," said Garcia to the puzzled pupil when he asked to be told the fault. At the end of that time the master said, "Voix blanche, voix ouverte, voix horrible."
Mr Oswald recounted another episode which was very typical. His friend William Nicholl, after studying under various Continental and English masters, was anxious to have an interview with Garcia to make sure that he had assimilated correct ideas. A meeting was accordingly arranged, and he went up to "Mon Abri," expecting to be put through some sort of catechism as to the human voice and
Nicholl commenced to carry out this very practical test of his powers to the best of his ability. All went well till in an unlucky moment he mentioned the phrase "voice-production," which was the maestro's pet aversion. In an instant Garcia leapt to his feet and banged his fist on the piano. "Mon Dieu! How can you produce a voice? Can you show it to me and say, 'See, here it is. Examine it?' Non! Can you pour it out like molten lead into the sand? Non! There is no such thing as voice-production. Perhaps you mean voice-emission. You do? Eh, bien! Then say so, please."
"Through the good offices of a friend," says another pupil, "I found myself one day in Garcia's room at the London Academy of Music. He was just finishing a lesson, and I was struck at once by the extreme courtesy and patience with which he taught, the charm of his manner, the directness, the common-sense, and uncommon penetration of his remarks.
"He welcomed me with a few graceful words, scrutinising me with a keen but friendly glance. Thus I sang to him with much confidence, losing all the nervousness with which I had looked forward to the examination by so famous a judge. He accompanied me gently, yet with firmness and rhythmical decision. When I had finished he looked
"'Oh, I have studied philosophy to some extent,' I replied.
"'What do you think of your performance?'
"'But I should like to know your opinion,' I blurted out.
"'No, no,' he answered. 'Tell me what you think of it?'
"So I told him that I thought I had a voice and an ear, but I was afraid I did not succeed in making a strong appeal, and I was sure I did not know how to sing. He laughed. 'Quite right, quite right; you do not sing,' he said."
"Manuel Garcia's science and cleverness," writes another, "enabled him to know at once whether he had to deal with a pupil of promise or not, and unlikely aspirants were not allowed to waste his time and theirs.
"I remember a notable case in point. A very rich lady offered the master any price if he would only teach her daughter. He refused, knowing well he could never obtain serious work from her; but as the mother persisted he hit upon a compromise. He asked the ladies to be present during a lesson, and he undertook to teach her, if the girl still wished to learn singing after hearing it taught. The lesson began. The pupil—who seemed to the listeners an already finished singer—had to repeat passage after passage of the most difficult exercises before the master was satisfied; he insisted upon the minutest attention to every detail of execution. Mother and daughter exchanged
"He was always careful to avoid making his pupils self-conscious by too many explanations. In one case he found a simple way of teaching chest-voice to a girl. 'Do you know how a duck speaks?' SeÑor Garcia asked her. 'Imitate it, please.'
"With much giggling, to which he listened patiently, she tried to obey, 'Quack, quack.'
"'Good! Now turn this into a singing note; sing one tone lower in the same manner, and one more.'"
A simple enough device, which spared him and his pupil much vexation.
His knowledge of the human voice and his power of detecting its faults were equally marvellous. He had a pupil who, by singing higher than her natural range, had strained her voice, and it was necessary that she should avoid singing anything in a high register. Once only she disobeyed him, and on entering his room the next day she was greatly surprised that the master's face was flushed with anger. At once he reproached her for having sung soprano. She pleaded guilty. "But how did you know?"
"I heard you speak, that is quite enough," he said; and he told her that in ten years not a note
The pupil's singing was much admired, for few besides herself and her master could detect that anything was amiss with her voice. She was not inclined, therefore, to realise the importance of his decision, and after a few months' work she cheerfully accepted an invitation to spend the winter abroad. When she informed him of this he bade her farewell, saying that it would be perfectly useless for her to come back to him, because, when accepting her as a pupil, his condition was—"One year's uninterrupted study."
Thinking it would be an easy matter to talk him over, she came back to him on her return. But she had not reckoned with the iron will of the maestro. He refused to give her any more lessons. For over an hour she sat in his room, and as one lesson after another was given, she could not keep back her tears. The situation became intense, but the teacher did not lose control. He was pained to see her sorrow, and at last rose from his seat and led her gently away, saying, "Never in my life have I wavered over a decision once made; I cannot do so now. You must make the best of what you know already; you will probably get engagements, but do not base your future on singing."
Time has proved that he was right. After a few years she began to lose her high notes rapidly, and soon her voice was completely gone.
I have already alluded to the maestro's hatred of the tremolo. In this connection an old pupil has sent me the following note:—
"I was going through the various exercises in the book, 'Hints on Singing,' and one day, after I had been studying some little time, there came the usual query, 'What is the next exercise we come to?' 'The shake,' I replied promptly, and added, 'Shall I take that?' The maestro gave a quiet smile as he answered, 'Well, no, I think not. You shake quite enough for the present. We will pass on to the following one. With this gentle rebuke at the tremolo, of which I had not as yet been able to get rid, he went on to tell me how he had been at the opera a few nights before, 'and, Mon Dieu, what tremolo! I could have howled like a dog as I listened.'"
Not only had Manuel Garcia a remarkably accurate ear, but he possessed the gift of "absolute pitch," a fact shown by the following anecdote. A friend called to see him one afternoon, and the conversation turned upon the question of pitch. Garcia shook his head reproachfully when the visitor, who was some seventy years his junior, stated that he could not tell what a note was by ear.
"No sooner had I said this," writes this friend in describing the incident, "than the old maestro rose from his seat, stood with his back to the
AN OCTOGENARIAN AUTHOR.
(1890-1895.)
THE five years preceding the celebration of Manuel Garcia's ninetieth birthday are principally noteworthy for two episodes, which I will leave Mr Hermann Klein to relate, since he was intimately connected with both.
The first took place during the summer of 1892.
"In the midst of this abnormally busy season, M. Maurel elected to deliver a lecture at the Lyceum Theatre on 'The Application of Science to the Arts of Speech and Song.' This duly came off, and its main feature proved to be an exceedingly virulent tirade against the coup de la glotte. This would not have mattered much had it not happened that Manuel Garcia himself was present, and had to 'possess his soul in patience,' while M. Maurel executed some ridiculous imitations of what he considered to be the indispensable vocal concomitants of the coup de la glotte,—a term derided only by certain Paris teachers who have misunderstood and misdirected its use.
"Age and dignity alike compelled Signor
"When the lecture was over, however, I offered him the columns of 'The Sunday Times' as a medium for replying to M. Maurel's assertions.
"On the spur of the moment he accepted, and sent a short account of the lecture, written in his own terse and trenchant manner. Then thinking better of it, he decided not to take any personal part in the discussion, and requested me not to print his copy.
"This threw the onus of reply upon me, and the answer proved so far effectual that M. Maurel was moved to make a protest in other London papers against any contradiction of his 'scientific argumentation,' save by M. Garcia himself, and not even then unless supported by something beyond 'simple denial.'
"Accordingly, the maestro then consented to write a letter to 'The Sunday Times,' confirming the statement that he had found M. Maurel's illustrations of the coup de la glotte 'extremely exaggerated,' but declining that gentleman's invitation to discuss the subject-matter of his lecture, and adding that it would be utterly impossible to argue upon theories which still remain to be revealed."
The second episode took place shortly after the maestro had entered his ninetieth year,—an event which was celebrated at the Royal Academy of Music by the gift of a silver tea service, subscribed to by the professors of the R.A.M., the actual
Some two months after this—that is to say, in the May of 1894—Hermann Klein received a letter from the veteran teacher, who a few days before had attended a dinner given at his house in honour of Paderewski, the other invited guests being Sir Arthur Sullivan, Sir Joseph Barnby, Sir A. C. Mackenzie, Signor Piatti, and other prominent musicians. The maestro, it may be mentioned, had never heard Paderewski play in private before, and was so enchanted when the latter sat down at the piano, that he remained listening to the music till past midnight. "A worthy successor to Rubinstein." This was his criticism of Paderewski's genius.
The letter ran as follows:—
"MON ABRI," CRICKLEWOOD.
Dear Mr Klein,—I want to know the cost of printing music, and in this connection would ask you to write answers to the four questions contained in the enclosed card. I suppose that in England or in France the ream consists of 500 sheets?
Excuse my troubling you, and believe me your very sincere
M. GARCIA.
Your evening was charming!
Hermann Klein answered the questions in person, and thus quickly discovered the nature of the scheme that was afoot.
Manuel Garcia in his ninetieth year intended to bring out another text-book on Singing. His old pupil at once offered to assist in the editing and arrangement of the MS., and the maestro readily
"For several weeks in succession I went to 'Mon Abri' regularly, to aid him in the work. On two points he insisted—namely, the 'catechism' form of the text, and the title, 'Hints on Singing,' which I candidly confessed I did not care for. Otherwise any little suggestion that I made was cordially agreed to. He was very careful about the signing of the contract with the publishers (Messrs Ascherberg), and on this point wrote as follows:—
Translation.
'MON ABRI,' Monday, May 7.
Dear Mr Klein,—I have thought that at the reading of the contract between Mr Ascherberg and myself, if it were to be immediately followed by the signing, we should not have time completely to understand the clauses. As these doubtless will contain the details regarding the Colonial, American, and foreign rights, it is preferable that we should know in advance what the terms are, and we should be very much obliged to Mr Ascherberg if he would be so kind as to send us on a copy of the contract. We will send it back to him any day that may suit you.—Mille amitiÉs!
M. GARCIA.
"Three months later the printing was finished, and early in September the proofs began to come to hand. We were both away from London when I received this missive:—
Translation.
Gale House, Lake Road,
Ambleside, Westmoreland,
September 7.
MY DEAR FRIEND,—Are you in town?
I have been working like a little nigger correcting, transposing, suppressing, &c., the proofs. I will send you my
M. GARCIA.
"The question of a preface now came up. The maestro was somewhat averse to providing one, but ultimately he yielded to the desire of the publisher, who was naturally anxious that the 'Hints' should contain everything calculated to arouse attention. He wrote only a few lines, however, and I had to persuade him to add more. He also decided to include a reproduction of the well-known woodcut of himself using the laryngoscope by the light of an oil-lamp, and a couple of laryngoscopic mirrors (half-size), which by some mistake nearly came to being omitted. With the proofs he took infinite pains, and wrote me several notes about them, of which the following deserve quotation:—
Translation.
Dear Friend,—Among some corrections which I have been making at the printer's, I have eliminated pages Nos.—— (I have forgotten the numbers). I asked to see the whole of the proofs, and they have sent me only those which were uncorrected. If I can get them immediately (the newly-corrected lot) you will doubtless have the whole set without delay.
In the preface they have taken out the two little mirrors: now one—the smaller—would be necessary, and sufficient to explain the laryngoscope.
As to the preface, I will see what I can add. It seems to me, if I am not mistaken, that Mr Ascherberg has the intention of adding an editorial preface to the work, with the idea of increasing the sale. That, I think, would be a mistake.
Send me, not those proofs which I have, but the corrected pages, including those in which I have corrected the accompaniments, and the whole shall be returned to you without delay. We shall be back again on the 18th (September), and if you care to come to me on the 19th we will prepare the index.—Bien À vous,
M. GARCIA.
"By the middle of October the work was complete and ready for the press. However, a delay occurred, in consequence of the necessity for waiting until an American edition had been printed and published in accordance with copyright requirements. The dear old master grew a trifle impatient, although he knew the cause:—
Translation.
Dear Friend,—Business having called me back to town, I paid you a visit at your house, but did not find you at home. No other cause led me to do this than the simple curiosity to know what has become of the 'Hints.' I suppose Mr Ascherberg is having them prepared for publication in America? If you have time, send me a line.—Mes amitiÉs!
M. GARCIA.
"Eventually the 'Hints on Singing' were published in the last week of January 1895. The reception of the book generally afforded pleasure to its venerable author, and he was particularly gratified by the long notice of it which appeared in 'The Sunday Times.' Hence the note here appended. The one that follows it was elicited by some remarks concerning the 'real' inventor of the
Translation.
'MON ABRI,' CRICKLEWOOD.
My dear Mr Klein,—I owe you double thanks, first, for the cordial congratulations brought by your telegram, and again for the flattering article in 'The Sunday Times': two friendly emanations which have been greatly appreciated by the inhabitants of 'Mon Abri.' I trust your family are all well. Here we are in the best of health, and unite in warmest regards to you and yours, wishing you all the prosperity that you can desire!—Tout À vous de coeur,
M. GARCIA.
Translation.
My dear Friend,—Since you wish to come to the aid of the artistic reputation of the 'maestro di bel canto,' be good enough also to favour his scientific reputation by saying that he invented the laryngoscope, and that the Laryngological Society of London created him an honorary member.
Ascherberg would like me to do something to push the sale of the 'Hints.' What can I do?
This little book has given you more trouble than it deserves, and I am sorry on your account.—Tout À vous cordialement,
M. GARCIA.
"Acknowledging another notice of the book:—
Translation.
MON ABRI,' CRICKLEWOOD.
Dear Mr Klein,—Thanks a hundred times for the exceedingly flattering article you sent me. Let us hope, for the sake of the sale, that the public will accept your point of view. If Mr Ascherberg should think of bringing out a new edition (when need arises), I will point out two or three errors which still exist, even in the 'corrected' copies I have received. I had already altered them in proof, but they were inadvertently left in.
What frightful weather! I dare not go out any more. I hope you and your family are well.—Tout À vous,
M. GARCIA.
Here Mr Klein's contribution ends.
Two months after the publication of 'Hints on Singing' the subject of our memoir completed his ninetieth year, and with this the feeling was borne in upon him that at last he might enter on a less strenuous life.
Accordingly in the following September he relinquished his professorship, and membership on the Committee of Management at the Royal Academy of Music, and thereby severed a connection of nearly half a century. Already a middle-aged man when he first took up his work at the Academy under Cipriani Potter, he saw him succeeded as Principal in turn by Charles Lucas, Sterndale Bennett, Sir George Macfarren, and finally Sir Alexander Mackenzie, who was holding the position at the time of his retirement. Allowing for a possible break of a month or two, SeÑor Manuel Garcia was actively engaged in teaching singing at Tenterden Street for the long period of forty-seven years. The Chevalier Alberto Randegger, who was his colleague on the staff for the greater part of this time, sent me the following letter:—
"Although SeÑor Garcia and myself have been good colleagues for many years at the R.A.M., he was, as you know, so reserved, modest, and retiring that very, very few people were by him allowed to approach or frequent his society on very intimate terms."
What of musical London during the twenty years
With 1875, the year after Sarasate's dÉbut, we find three events worthy of note. There took place the first performance in London of "Lohengrin," with Albani as Elsa, Cotogni as Telramund, and Nicolini in the title part. Then in the following September the Carl Rosa Opera Company appeared in the capital for the first time at the Princess's Theatre. Lastly, during the season there was heard at Drury Lane a young Polish singer, who met with emphatic success in baritone parts such as Don Giovanni, Nevers, Valentine, and Almaviva. He appeared then under the name of "De Reschi": eventually he was to return and take the town by storm as Jean de RezkÉ.
Two years later we hear of the dÉbut of Gerster, and of GazarrÉ, a Spanish tenor, who bridges over the interval between the retirement of Mario and the advent of his famous successor.
In this year, moreover, Richard Wagner came to England to take part in the series of Wagner Festival concerts, which had been arranged with a view to paying off the debt on the new theatre at Bayreuth.
1878, in which the deaths of Charles Mathews and Frederick Gye are chronicled, is important for the London production of Bizet's "Carmen" on June
The receipts for the first two or three nights were miserable, and Mapleson had to resort to the same sort of expedients as in "Faust" for securing an enthusiastic reception, knowing that after a few nights it would be sure to become a favourite.
"It was no easy matter for a performance at the opera to satisfy the maestro in these days," writes Hermann Klein; "the singing rarely pleased him in comparison with the part. Upon my reminding him that 'Carmen' had been nearly a failure at the OpÉra Comique in Paris three years before—'I know,' he replied; 'and the poor composer died of a broken heart three months later. That is the way France generally treats rising talent, including her own. I place little value on the opinion of Paris about a new work.'
"Garcia was enthusiastic over the opera. The
During the same year the Gatti brothers gave a series of Promenade Concerts at Covent Garden, with Sullivan conducting.
We may note here a piece of theatrical news. In December Ellen Terry first appeared at the Lyceum under Irving's management, taking the part of Ophelia in that memorable production of "Hamlet." 1879 sees the Italian Opera season given under Ernest Gye (whose father had died from the effects of a gun accident in the previous December), and the superb Jean Lassalle is added to the company. Concert-goers find an interesting fact in this year in the establishment of the famous Richter Concerts. These were the outcome of the Wagner Festival of two years before, and were announced for this preliminary season as a series of three "Orchestral Festival Concerts."
With 1880 comes the dÉbut of the great basso, Edouard de RezkÉ, as Indra in "Le Roi de Lahore."
Next year Anton Rubinstein was in London for the production of his opera, "The Demon."
In 1882 (bringing with it the death of Wagner), we may examine the list of stars at the Opera House once more, so as to note what names have disappeared, and by whom the gaps have been filled. Among the fair sex we find Patti, Albani, Trebelli, Sembrich, Valleria, and Lucca, who had returned after ten years' absence; while the men
"Early in the year a troupe had been formed by Herr Neumann for the purpose of performing 'Der Ring des Nibelungen' in the leading cities of Germany, Austria, Holland, England, and Italy. The months of May and June were chosen for the London visit, and Her Majesty's Theatre was engaged. In all, four cycles of the tetralogy were given. The casts included not a few of the famous artists who had taken part in the initial performance of the 'Ring' at Bayreuth in 1876—among them Niemann, Unger, the Vogls, Hill, Schlosser, and Lilli Lehmann (who sang 'Woglinde,' 'Helmwige,' and the 'Bird' music); with Reicher-Kindermann as Brunhilde, while Anton Seidl conducted."
During the same month Herr Pollini arranged with Augustus Harris for a series of performances at Drury Lane, by the entire troupe of the Hamburg Opera House, and with the very popular Viennese chef d'orchestre, Hans Richter, as conductor.
The Hamburg artists comprised at the time several who were to earn world-wide reputations.
"Imagine the advantage of hearing 'Tristan und Isolde' and 'Die Meistersinger' for the first time," writes Mr Klein, "with such a noble singer and actress as Rosa Sucher, as 'Isolde' and 'Ena'; with such a glorious 'Tristan' and 'Walther' as
In 1883 there are two new productions at Covent Garden, Boito's "Mefistofele" and Ponchielli's "La Gioconda." Then, again, Joseph Maas makes his dÉbut in Grand Opera as Lohengrin, while Carl Rosa inaugurates his first season at Drury Lane, and brings to a hearing two new operas by English composers,—the "Esmeralda" of Goring Thomas and the "Colomba" of Sir Alexander Mackenzie.
In 1884, the year of Sir Michael Costa's death, the great names are Patti, Albani, Lucca, Tremelli, and Edouard de RezkÉ.
In the next year Mapleson is once more in command, and the season closes with the presentation of a diamond bracelet to Adelina Patti, in commemoration of her twenty-fifth consecutive season at Covent Garden.
In 1886 Ella Russell made her dÉbut, while both the AbbÉ Liszt and Rubinstein paid their last visits to England. It was on this visit that Rubinstein gave that wonderful series of seven historical concerts at the St James's Hall, which realised no less than £6000 gross receipts.
The Jubilee year is noteworthy for the advent of Augustus Harris into operatic management, for we find him giving a season at Drury Lane for which he has secured a new tenor, Jean de RezkÉ, then practically unknown to London audiences. The artist opened in "AÏda," and obtained a complete triumph.
Nellie Melba 1906 Photo by M. Shadwell Clerke.
With 1888, Harris becomes lessee and operative director of Covent Garden, with a strong social
In 1889, the year of Carl Rosa's death, we have two important events. "Romeo et Juliette" is given in French, instead of Italian, with a superb cast, of which the star parts are taken as follows:—
| Juliette | Melba. |
| Romeo | Jean de RezkÉ. |
| Friar Laurent | Edouard de RezkÉ. |
Moreover, in July, Jean de RezkÉ takes part for the first time in an Italian version of "Die Meistersinger," with this cast:—
| Ena | Madame Albani. |
| Magdalena | Mdlle. Bauermeister. |
| Walther | M. Jean de RezkÉ. |
| Hans Sachs | M. Lassalle. |
| Beekmesser | M. Isnardon. |
| David | M. Montariol. |
| Pogner | Signor Abramoff. |
| Kothner | M. Winogradon. |
The early summer of 1890 witnessed the London dÉbut of the successor to Liszt and Rubinstein, of the greatest of the fin de siÈcle group of great pianists—Ignace de Paderewski. He was announced for a series of four recitals at the St James's Hall. The first of these was given on May 9 before a meagre and coldly critical audience, the second to a better audience, which improved
| Rebecca | Marguerite Macintyre |
| (Garcia's pupil). | |
| Rowena | Esther Palliser. |
| Ivanhoe | Ben Davies. |
| Richard Coeur de Lion | Norman Salmond. |
| Cedric | FfrangÇon Davies. |
| Friar Tuck | Avon Saxon. |
| Isaac of York | Charles Copland. |
| and | |
| The Templar | Eugene Oudin. |
While the alternative group of artists included Miss Thudicum (Garcia's pupil), Lucile Hill, Franklin Clive, Joseph O'Mara, and Richard Green. It ran from January 31 till the end of July; then in November the house reopened with "La Basoche," in which David Bispham made his dÉbut on the London stage. With the autumn, however, all went wrong, the public stayed away, and finally,
Before leaving 1891 we must note the Covent Garden season, where a very remarkable collection of artists appeared, who must have compared favourably with those whom Garcia had heard half a century before. The new-comers included Emma Eames, Sybil Sanderson, Van Dyck, and PlanÇon; while in the company were the de RezkÉs, Lassalle, Maurel, Ravelli, and Montarid; Melba, Nordica, Albani, ZÉlie de Lussan, Rolla, Bauermeister, Giulia Ravogli, and Mme. Richard.
Nor must one pass over Signor Lago's venture of an Italian season, embarked on during the autumn of 1891 at the Shaftesbury Theatre. It was notable chiefly for the first production in England of Pietro Mascagni's "Cavalleria Rusticana." In the premiÈre, which was conducted by Arditi, Marie Brema made her dÉbut in opera as Lola, while the cast was made up with—
| Santuzza | Adelaide Musiani. |
| Lucia | Grace Damian. |
| Alfio | Brombara. |
| Turiddu | Francesco Vignas. |
In 1892 comes the dÉbut in London of CalvÉ, while Harris engages the great Wagner singers from Bayreuth, to appear for a season of German opera on Wednesday evenings at Covent Garden, with Rosa Sucher as Brunhilde, and Alvary as Siegfried. One must also note the dÉbut of
In 1893, the year of Gounod's death, opera lovers at Covent Garden made the acquaintance of the younger school of Italian composers in Mascagni and Leoncavallo. The former first appeared at Covent Garden on June 19, when he conducted "L'Amico Fritz" with CalvÈ, De Lucia, Pauline Joran, and Dufriche. "Pagliacci" was given, with Melba as Nedda and De Lucia as Canio, while Ancona gave a magnificent rendering of the famous prologue.
The works of two English composers were also produced during the season,—Isidore de Lara's "Amy Robsart" and Villiers Stanford's "Veiled Prophet."
With 1894 there are two novelties added to the repertoire,—Verdi's "Falstaff" and Puccini's "Manon Lescaut"; while the English Jubilee is celebrated of Joseph Joachim and Alfredo Piatti.
With 1895, the year in which Manuel Garcia concludes his ninetieth year, Adelina Patti returns to Covent Garden for a few more performances, and Jean de RezkÉ makes a temporary absence during the season, for the first time for eight years.
The following year saw the death of Sir Augustus Harris, and with the event the present rÉgime came into existence, the formation of the Covent Garden Syndicate, with Earl de Grey at its head, Higgins as director, and Neil Forsyth, secretary. Here we will abandon the narration of the trend of operatic events in London, for those
