Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-07-18
WONDERFUL VOICES,
Some "reminiscences of Famous Mas
ters of Music.
INCIDENTS OF THEPAsT.
Written for The Evening Star

Written for The Evening star.
ONE OF THE PENALTIES ALL HAVE TO
" bear who write for the public is to be criti-
cised and their facts disputed. To the first, 90
far from entering an objection to it 1T is the
duty Of your readers, il they feel 30 disposed
My statement that Wachtel, in the roles he as
sumed in opera, reached the upper "E" was
not only doubted by musical critic, but the
fact that Rubini sang to the upper sc" was
pronounced absurd. Fearing my musical
knowledge had been imposed upon consulted
my friend Mr.. Edward F. Droop He confirmed
me rs to Wschtol, aud my friend DR.. p, pro-
found authority upon music, confirmed me as
to Rubini, but referred me to Sir George
Groves History Of Music" and Fer
ris' musical works, and there I find
that "Rubinrs voice was more sweet
than robust, save on rare occasions when
he put forth its full power, when It extended
from in the bass clef to B in the treble in
chest notes, besides command of falsetto register
as far as and even above that" He was
master Of every kind of forid execution.
Donizeth wrote the tenor part in Gamma
Bolena" expressly for Rubini and no one has
lived. except Farinella, who equaled him. The
phenomenal singer Farinella stands alone among
all singers since music had a home on earth. was
born in l1O5 and lived until 1852. Popora, his
teacher, when he tried his voice gave him in
structions and told him to study them and
come back to him in six months, in which time
ne could master those instructions, and il he
would study he would be the best singer
OF the world His prophecy was fulfilled
His powers augmented as he employed
them. His respiration was some thing
marvellous. His trial Of it with a German
trumpeter, whom he vanquished in holding
out against his instrument. swelling note after
note, was prodigious exhibition of his power
which seemed inexhaustible." His voice was
OF large compass. taking seven or eight notes
more than any singer had ever done before or
since. He visited spain professionally and the
queen detained him there to soothe tine
melancholy madness Of Philip the Fifth. He
lived In Spain for twenty-five years and was
so successful that he attained unbounded in
nuehce and wealth, and was in ali but name the
ruler OF Spain. He used his power discreety
and for the benefit of the people and the state
he returned to his native land the possessor of
large wealth, which he employed in charitable
works and In the advancement Of art among
the people.
MANY CAN REMEMBER.
These singers. however, were before our
day. but Of the present generation many can
recall the singing Of ''the contralto of the
Those who did hear her have never forgotten
her magnificent voice. unequaled in the an
nails Of music. Her repertoire seemed mex
haustible; she sang in all the well-known
operas after many Of them had been rear
ranged to suit her marvellous voice Grisi
Persian1 and Piseroni held the operate stage
at the time she made her appearance, but un-
willingly yielded to her musical power. In the
great duet in ''Semiramide," Giorno d'Orore
Grisi sulked at the applause which she felt was
directed to Alboni's part. Her execution was as
wonderful as her great voice. The Musical Re
rie,c OF Paris said of her: There is no
instrument capable OF rendering with more
certain and faultless intonation the groups of
| rapid notes which Rossini wrote and which
Alboni sings with the same facility and the
same celebrity. Smiling while she ran the most
difhcult scales, extreme feats of musical
| execution seemed spontaneous and not the
fruits Of art and labor" Sine restored the
beautiful aria In 81 Barbara in "Semira-
mide' which had been suppressed for want
OF contralto of sufficient greatness to
give II full effect" She assumed Madame
Persiani's part in I'll Barbiere' without
rehearsal and at a moments notice
This great artist was not successful in
this country. l mean financially. 1 knew
her manager, Ls Grande Smith, and through
him learned Of the unfortunate financial re-
suit OF that tour. What accustomed it he could
not explain. The country was. think, in one
OF those throes Of financial trouble or a want of
appreciation or bad management. but for some
reason the American tour OF one of the great
est, II not the greatest, artists that ever lived
was unsuccessful After winning all the fame
to be obtained by her great contralto, she de-
termined to sing soprano roles, and was sue
cessful in the part Of ROsind in The Barber of
Seville and others. 1t strained her graud
voice, however, and after demonstrating her
power she returned to her former roles. The
great cOntralto OF the world, after her marriage
with Count PepOli, retired from the stage and
resides In splendid widowhood in Paris. Only
Few months ago she emerged from her seclu-
sion and appeared for some benefit at the Grand
Opera and sang with almost her former power
MADAME vIARDor-GARCIA
TIE star announced not long since that
Madame Viardot-Garcia would appear, after
thirty years retirement, on the occasion of the
centennial Of Meyerbeer, September s. and sing
| in the cathedral scene in lie Prophetic y
Madame Viardot-Garcia is the sister Of Mali
bran, whose girlhood and early appearance in
America was SO full OF trial and trouble She
married here, and between the harshness of
her father and the sufferings caused her by an
unworthy husband her life was rendered so I'M
happy that she fled to Paris. Here her great
musical talent found abundant reward, and for
years she reigned supreme. Her voice was
Of such Aexibility that it took all
sorts Of liberty with the written score
and to use phrase employed at the time by
one Of the musical journals, she embroidered
| the score with charming improvisations." She
too, like Alboni, tired of her power az a
soprano and sang the contralto part Arsace, in
"Semiramide" with entire acceptation. After an
absence Of years her unworthy husband ap-
peared at Paris to claim his share in her wealth.
| when she fed from France in the midst of the
| operate season and refused to return until he
had left the country. Official interference COM
PEELED him to accept apecuniary recompense and
agree to divorce and her return was thus Sc
cured. She subsequently married DR.. Berriot,
the celebrated vioiinist When Malibran was
in New York. in 1885, an old friend of mine,
now dead, Mr.. E. W. Burr. was then living with
an uncle near the Bowery Theater, and the
manager Of the theater obtained permission
from his uncle ''to let Eddy go to the theater
and play with little girl who was there" The
little girl was Malibran, then in her sixteenth
year.
| TO AMERICA FOR FORTUNE
We have had all the great singers in this