The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-08-05
EMMA ABBOTT, ROUGH DIAMOND 800: :.
Favorte iii I'LL Till lin Hill VIuIDI
: liz IAk IIHkkuII \IuIst
Great iii I'LL iii INUlIV1 0Invu
Universal favorite.
, Yet Not
A Great Singer

M STRONG personality. backed
A( with good sense. determined
A\ will and enough selfishness. is
II IL a far better equipment In the
u A worlds struggle than genius,
or great talent without them.
The phenomenal careers in the worlds
history are instances In which all these
qualities are combined: of the qualities
mentioned. the one. self-interest. Is Of
ten the telling quality. Emma Abbott
was not a great singer: she wasn't within
gunshot OF being one. yet she was the
most popular singer OF her day. hardly
excepting Patti Today the provincial
cities of this country speak OF her as one
OF tho greatest artists of her age. Her
art" consisted in pleasing the not over
fastidious public with whom she was In
contact She knew what they wanted,
and she was shrewd enough to give II
to them. II. in the middle OF the most
serious phases of grand opera. she was
en.ored. 'Suwanee River" My Old Ken
lucky Home" Coming Thro' the Rye"
or some such popular but at the such
time homogeneous song would tickle their
ears. In her operate career she fire.
quently sang a song taught her by that
mighty basso. Jules Lumbard, 'Oh, Are
Ye Sleeping Maggie7" OF course. Patti
has done the same outrageous thing. and
possibly Emma Abbott copied her. was
present when 1900 people--the packed
Metropolitan opera house--demanded OF
Patti. the last time she was here. just
such a song.
Emma Abbott was rough diamond.
with many flaws that could not be cut
out or polished. / was walking up
Broadway one day with that fastidious
gentleman. Richard Grant White. and
when near Ditson's my attention was ar
rested by a woman shouting to me from
the other side OF the street and waving
her arms like a windmill In moment
Emma Abbott rushed across with piece
OF peanut candy In her hand, and asked
me and my companion II we wouldn't
have some,
Emma Abbott was discovered by Lewis.
the violinist. singing for pennies In the
streets OF Chicago. She accompanied a
pleasant voice with guitar.
George r. lockwood. in the New York
Mail and Express. thus gives her suisse
quent history:
when she first came 10 New York
she went directly to Mr.. Beechcr, and he
sent her to Henry Camp, who taught her
sight reading and obtained a position for
her In a Brooklyn Baptist church. Camp
was as well known for his interest in
and aid to young singers as for his Won
derful musical instincts. lie was a lit
tie disturbed by Emma Abbott's total
lack OF conventionality. but he knew that
she had ability. good voice and pure
character. / think IL was he who intro
duced her to Albert J. Holden, the COM
poser. then the organist OF DIR. Chapin's
church. II was at = trial ~ sopsasc
voices. in the Church OF the Divine Pa
ternity, where first saw her. Various
candidates had appeared. and with the
usual lack OF tact. sang exhibition pieces
far over the heads OF the ordinary nusi-
cal committee. IL there Is any one quail
ity emphatic In the typical church music
committee II Is the total lack OF knowi-
edge OF music, their ignorance Of tho re-
quirements of choir singer and their
susceptibility TO the charms OF pretty
faces, Each singer on this occasion. gave
In turn. I Know That Ny Redeemer
Liveth.' with Verdure Clad and various
songs and arias Of the same character.
such as are sung in churches perhaps
once year. After several Innings tho
music committee was as much At sea as
when the trial began. although in this
committee there WAS some real musical
taste Finally. a plainly dressed girl
stepped forward. who was, noticed al
most the embodiment IN feature of Jenny
Lind. Her piece was n simple hymn,
Guide Me- O. Thou Great jehovah. rem
dered with sweet. musical voice. clean
enunciation and perfect intonation.
Emma Abbott was engaged on the spot
Holden is man of keen musical In
sflncts and common sense. He not only
discovered her strong points. but knew