The Western news., 1904-10-19

jerusalem! Jerusaleml
Hear the angels singj
Hosanna in the highest,
Hosanna to the King.
It Is not difficult to imagine Mrs.
Florence Maybrick, once sentenced to
death for the murder Of her husband
and now released, after spending
many years in an English prison. sing
ing the refrain Of Stephen Adams pop
ular sacred song. 1.-THE Holy City,"
But it is not generally known that hers
was the voice which first gave utter
ance to the strains which were destin-
ed to become as world famous as those
of Sir Arthur Sulnvan's The Lost
Chord" or 1.-The Palms," by Faure.
The song was the work Of the young
er brother Of the man Mrs. Maybrick
was convicted Of poisoning. Its COM
poser was her most relentless enemy
and was mainly instrumental In So
curing her conviction.
Few English composers have more
successful songs to their credit than
Stephen Adams. Few have made such
fortune out Of royalties as he. 1t
has been stated that Nancy Lee"
alone netted him a quarter of a mil.
lion dollars. His warrior Bold"
"Midshipmite," and "Blue Alsatian
Mountains" were scarcely less sue
cessful.
He is now extremely wealthy, JUS
tice of the peace, and a member Of
the Victoria Yacht Club, and he has
served two terms as Mayor Of Ryde,
Isle Of Wight, in which capacity he
has frequently entertained tho King
Of England.
"Stephen Adams" Is merely the
name under which Michael Maybrick
publishes his songs. Mr.. Maybrick be-
gan his musical career as a barytone
singer at local concerts around Liver
pool. He Is the son of a well-to-do
shipping agent Of Liverpool.
He and his brother were widely dis
similar in tastes, character and ply
siQue. The elder was a weakling. fee
BILE Of mind and body, a hypochondr1-
&C, addicted to the use Of drugs. and
with mind fixed upon commercial
enterprises.
The younger, Michael, was a mag
nificent specimen of humanity, tall,
broad, and athletic. OF artistic tenn
permanent, he quit the counting house
and studied music in Milan and Leip-
zig. The elder remained at home, al
ways ailing, always scheming to Sc
cure more wealth.
The brothers had only one trait in
common. They were both enthusiastic
yachtsmen.
Mrs. Maybrick was a good musician,
had great liking for music, an ex-
cellent voice, and love Of conviviali-
ty. Thus she drew together to some
extent the brothers who had drifted
apart
Her husband owned fine yacht. a
feature Of which was music saloon.
There many well-known singers and
musicians were entertained. Michael
Maybrick, who had just leaped into
fame as the composer of Nancy Lee,"
but as yet had not gathered in enough
of the profits to indulge his passion
for owning a yacht, was frequent
guest.
1t was one Of these musical even
ings, while the yacht was anchored in
the Mersey. that Michael Maybrick
produced from his pocket manu-
script song which he said he had writ
ten that afternoon while dreaming the
time away In his cabin. and listening
to the splash Of the waters. He had
caught the inspiration Of Weatherly's
words. but the voice part only had
been jotted down. The accompani-
ment had still to be filled in.
Sitting at the piano. he vamped an
Introduction and asked his sister-in-
law, Mrs. Florence Maybrick. to sing
1.-THE Holy City" from the voice part.
She was an excellent reader. and read
lily did this, he filling in an extempor-
lied accompaniment
Thus it was her voice which, for the
first time, stirred the air with strains
destined to become almost classic.
It was some years after the trial of
Mrs. MayDr1ck, ana while she was
shut of from the world, buried within
prison walls, that ''The Holy City"
was published and became popular.
Publishers to whom 1t was submitted
shook their heads, and declared it too
sombre in character and tone.
Bring us another Nancy Lee,'"
they said, land name your own price.
Another waltz song with the swing Of
| The Blue Alsatian Mountains would
be a sure winner. This is very fine,
but it isn't in the Stephen Adams
style, and the public would not stand
for it."
How erroneous was the judgment Of
those gentlemen has been proved by
the popularity Of the song. Before q