Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-03-30
THE ENGLISH TENOR.
EDWARD LLOYD, SIMS ReEvEs,s Sue
cesSOR, COMING TO AMERICA.

EDWARD LLOYD, SIMS REEvEss Sue
cessOR, COMING TO AMERICA.
~,.. Eminent Tenor MT Home and on the |
pistform-Disiike OF "socIety"-
Fashionable Music, Etc.
correspondence Of the Richmond Dlspatch.l
LONDON. March 1s. 1890.
Edward Lloyd leaves England on his visit |
4. the United States with no light heart.
"a NJ narting from his family, not TO sneak |
IS a few OF bis dearest friends. even for |
he brief period of three months, was
not an easy one. For the keynote |
- the great singers personal char
Ter is bis domestcity; he is n |
somebird much more than most Of |
tbe choral tribe. Home, Sweet Home" is |
.be song of his heart, the watchword of |
his life Very sweet in honest truth ia
Tdivard Lloyd's homo: sweet especiallyto |
.he yisitor-some brother in art. it may
he-weary Of town pleasures md fashiona- |
No amusements. For tho singer chooses
80 live in a charming cottage Gt Tulse Hill,
southern suburb OF London, some miles
from Piccadilly circus, but quito close to
Surrey county.
AT HosIE.
Here in the bosom OF his family be
amends for ten months Of the year all tho
timo that Is left him by constant engage
ments III different parts of the country.
The remaining two months-Aucust and
September-constitute hir Lloyds vaca-
tiou. which il invariably passed with wife
and children at his house in Brighton.
This devotion 10 his own firesldo
naturally makes the singer reluctant 70
undertake an expedition OF some thou
sards OF miles. As a matter Of fact, of all
the pressing invitations showered upon
him from the capitalF Of Europe. only one
bqs been accepted, this being two years
ooo. when Gounod's Moses ct Vita was
GIVEN i'm Paris. II 10 but few weeks since
he received an urgent request TO visit Ber-
i'm where tho success of some Of Gilbert
and Sulhvan's operas has caused a strong
movement 10 set in in favor of English
music generally. Mr.. Lloyd Is good
sailor. however, and from the voyage
across the Atlantic he expects to derive
much physical enjoyment.
TEMPERATE HABITS.
IN his distaste for society Sims Reeves's
successor has one feature in marked con-
trast 10 most OF his fellow artists. He alb
bors the club and avoids the salon. Inc
delights Of Belgravia attract him no more
than the diversions of bohemia. Il live by
rule." he tells his friends, and very sim
ME rule it ia. comprising breakfast at and
dinner at2P. ". and ; o'clock tea. Tho
morning is spent IN practice and CORE
sunndence, the afternoon, when the Wea-
tkcr Is agreeable, in walking or tennis
niav;ng. OF which latter exercise
The singer is very fond. When not
siucing Mr.. LLOYD retres TO rest at
10 O'clock; and If he y engaged at the
Albert or st. James Hall his carriage
brings him home some considerable time
before midnight. Excepting rs an aid TO
digestion at dinner-when he usually
drinks port-wine-Nr. Lloyd rarely takes
alcohol and never "a a stimulant 10 the
voice. Il Is this sound regimen which en-
ables him to bear the fatigues OF ms great
noaition. Mr.. LLOYD frequently travels a
| thousand miles per week without even
| losing the healthy tint Of his complexion
and the robust formation OF DIS hgure.
Despite some tendency to cmbonpoint, Nr.
! How'd. at the age of forty-hye, has much
of the activity, as well as tbs spirit Oh
youth.
SINGING FREE AT FASHIONABLE REJECT TroN5.
Quite apart from personal consldera-
tions. Mr.. LLOYD regrets the s9crlhces
which singers mgAe TO me "ouut ,io., oi
Social Pleasure. lie laments the tendency
thev have of late years displayed e. pay
HOMAGE to the shrine OF Lady Clara We're de
Vere. In passing from concert hail 10 re-
cen+Ion-room. in mixing the strains OF
Cbonin with the sparklcs of champagne,
Young artists attempt to lead double
hyos. which too often end IN disas-
ter. 81 have been asked" he remarks
"to accent o membership OF both the
lyric and the Nestcrsingers. cluns,
Int in both cases | declined. No doubt
IL IS very pleasant for members OF the
clubs. the artists give their services as
honorary members, | suppose, aud first
class concerts are provided free OF charge;
Rut hoy, injurious al this IS 70 the real
interests of music" Mr.. Lloyd was equally
severe upon the practice of professional
artists rendering free service as guests NJ
at homes" and fashionable receptions.
Rich people who can well ahord 20 pay
for seats ut concerts do not attend them
| because they can hear all the music they
desire 20 hear free OF charge at tner own
and their friends houses"
HIS EARLY LIFE.
Mr.. Lloyd's father was q bandmaster
and his mother a pianist. As boy, ne
sang in the choir AZ Westminster Abbey.
| tronp his fellow-choristeTs We're Sir Ar
thur sullivan and Collier, the composer OF
Dorothy" The trio of distinguished old
bows occasionally met TO talk over Old
times. When LLOYD was about eighteen
wears old his. father died. leaving the
| family in poor circumstances. His
mother then obtained the position
| of music-teacher at the newly-estab-
lished Cheltenham College for Girls,
panied her. Willie there the Young man
! discovered that he had the germs OF a
! tenor voice. and in a few months h went
/ TO Cambridge as chOrister at Trinity Co..
! lege. The position was open TO puphc
competition. and twenty competitors came
| from all parts Of the country. Always OF
a nervous and excitable disposition Ed
ward Lloyd has n vivid recollection OF his
! feeling on that fateful morning. lie did
the very worst thing he could in regard to
| his voice-spent n sleepless night and IN
the early morning took long walk into
the country. Yet he won the day-won it
| with his singing of Angels Ever Bright
| and Fair"
The young singer spent twelve months
! at Cambridge and Of his University life
| Edward LLOYD retains the pleasantest me-
mories. 1t was. indeed, amid the church
spires and turrcted towers Of the pic
! turesoue town on the Cam that no fir {
met the young lady who il now
his devoted wife. But ambition stirred
within him. ambition that could
| lOL Ut ElaAAhFN III -httt ~ > '''A'
paratively small sphere. His ewes turned
iondonwards, ard to London he came
back as the first tenor in the well-known
church St. Andrews. Wells street, seek
ING to fill his leisure by concert en-
Cagements. In a short time the young
| singer gained the much more important
position of principal soloist at the Chapel
Royal.
TIE hit CT HIS LIFE.
Tt was while fulfilling his duties at the
Chapel Royal that Mr. Lloyd made " a hit,
a.palpable hit" by his singing in Bach's
Passion at the Gloucester Festival. He
was then only twenty-three, but so widely
was the success noised abroad that he was
at once flooded with offers Of engagements
from all parts of the country. So thick
and fast did they come, indeed, that the
Young man was compelled TO resign his
Chapel Royal appointment. The next five
wears were those in which Mr.. LLOYD did the