National Republican., 1877-03-04
MISS EMMA dBBoTT.
Her Merits as Singer Elaboratoiy Discussed
Did She Improve Her Voice by Her Eu-
ropedn Tuition.


Her Merits as a singer Eiabora,ciy Discussed
Did She Improve Her Voice by Her Eu-
ropedn Tuition.
The much talked about Miss Abbott gave
three concerts In that charming 6onBonnicrc
ChIckcring Hall, and two performances at the
Academy OF Music. The public had, therefore,
iull opportunity to learn how far the paragraphs
accumulated for years to excite public interest in
behalf Of Miss Abott, had any foundatl in fact
The one reproach excepted, which the papers
made her-that her friends most injudclOusly
pulled her, reproach which she herself had not
exactly deserved, because nobody is responsible
for any one elso's doings-we think that the press
have dealt with her very fairly, in some instances
even generously. The Tribune gave, after her
first concert, in q wonderfully CONDENSED article.
summary Of her romance and suffering, which
wasa little masterpiece, when we consider how
much was said In so few lines. The Times brought
long and very kindly article, dealing with the
greatest leniency with her deficiencies, and since
1t is not admissible that those defects should
have escaped the keen perception OF the Times
critic II is clear that he did not care pin about
pointing them out, and Miss Abbott eau only feel
grateful for such criticism. Tho World, In a dis.
passionate calm, put pitiless manner, explained
what singer might be and what Miss Abbott is
not, and the Sun, although evidently not favor.
ably impressed, tried TO throw the veil Of charity
over many sore point. The Sidafs ZeiiuH1
whose able critic will not allow an infatuated
clique to impose singer upon the public and the
press by brutal force Of money, speaks It's mind
out very clearly, while tho Courier dcs Ef1I,
tnts, with the accustomed gdHdnierie OF cOur.
teous Frenchman, endeavors to see only the good
be any, and to be delighted nyhow; but eve a his
gailantry had to give way aftcr the operate
Miss Abbotts singing does not by any mean,
entltle her to any claim Of long discussion. She
does nothing extraordinary; Her voice as well
as her requirements remain In that state which we
must call ordinary, and 1t is only owing to tho CON
tinually repeated dodge of her being 'vlctimEcd"
wherever she did not succeed, that she owes the
The purport Of nearly ali the criticisms Of her
performances may be summed up in two words:
Miss Abbott, when she left this country, was
provided with ample means to study In Europe.
This sending her to Europe was great mistake,
because there was nothing in her that authorized
hope Of her becoming 4 great celebrity. She
arrived there with voice OF a thick, indcxlblo,
distinct mezzo soprano from Q 10 A. and Il was
an 10 bSTce tbre,p up bS 10 e. voice 4; Ike
and short can be extended 10 anv hISwsyeF thick
condition that 1t gets thinner, and oeca aslonaliy
when too far stretched, II snaps This is exactly
been broken even by SO famous a master as
Duprez, by this continual hunting after high
notes. her musical education has not improved
understanding Of vocal matters said OF hor with
great truth; She 10 an inverted pyramid. Which
tirely neglected the beginning. Miss Abbott's
voice has an extraordinary travelling quality
without which, weak as 1t is, It could
not be heard even In the coucert. room
This quality enables her to sing moi only
mezza yoce, but what Is called boccd chiusd, 4
pianissimo effect, which since Jenny Lind not one
singer used with SO much taste as Miss Abbott
does, although sometimes she does a little too
much Of the good thing: The sympathetic
expressive, only sometimes exaggerated, feeling,
and the great quality that she has no mother
this torment forgotten by Dante In the hell's
suterings form about the total of her ad antages
Deficiencies there are o. very serious kind. She
has got three different emissions Her head
notes, + to Q, are the best, the chest.notcs the
weakest, and the notes under the "r' she forces
roedliSes do not exist; her scales are defective;
her shake Is the worst, most decidedly we ever
heard in public; her cadenzos of a very doubt.
full taste and execution. Her iutonation forced
as II must be when the voice Is driven out of It's
focus, rs we might call It, is, to say the least un
certain; her acting exaggerated and particularly
undistinguished. Miss Abbott, in fact, comes
back m diminished pupil OF great intell gcnce and
viii, but IN bitter want Of some one to take the
elements through with her and ma Ike her a useful
church singer. The possibility Of ever making
her great singer we can by no means see. The
Tribune said n cruel but Immortal word about
hcr--ono OF those nsois,not to be forgotten: "Sho
reminds US of lttio girl playing at lrima
DONNA" Miss Abbotts supporters were SlgnOr
Brignoli, IN artist of the hrst water. and Slgnor
Ferranti one Of the best bufos living. Alaretzek
accustomed to face the storm. The public were
enthusiastic, and In their enthusiasm showed
what they thought of Miss Abbott's ngiog: they
encored-her drumming.