The Washington times., 1919-12-04

Sohh McCormacks lie story as TOTO
in his own book, recently issued, is
Of much interest: 8
AT eighteen" says Mr. Mccormack,
"the determinations to become a sing
er was g. seed firmly implanted In my
mind" He does not deny the story
that he took a stroll in Phoenix Park
on glorious afternoon when an ex-.
| animation for q postal clerkship was
toward, or that he forgot in his ABB
sorption in nature and song that
there was such a thing as an examina- |
ton. Mf
II probably could have passed" he
says. But the postal cierkship had
l secured IL, would have been mechan-
ically nlled. Ny alternate, IL we may
call HIM such. no doubt served the
government more efficiently than I
would have done. 1t was
about that time (1903) that my friends
one and all began proffering adyiee.
L was destined to have
singing career and was fool not
to see 1t. 1 let myself fall into the
ways of their thinking. and before |
winter had passed music had me for
life votary."
Sang For slxS A Year.
His first position was as choir
singer at q salary of SIPS q year and
NC IctuciuOeIS 10 THIS o1ys tn&t ue 4
walked out happy young man" or
securing II.
Shortly afterward he won the gold |
medal at the Feis tenor contest and
he calls that date, May IA. 1908 the
pivotal day in his career.
| 1t was doubly so. for at this festival
there was another prize winner, Lily |
Foley. q soprano, who afterwards be- |
came Mrs. John Mccormack.
toll tnt 80 4gv%up
year again in that Mr.. Mccormack
heard his first operate peri ,rman e,
the double bill" of Cavalleria Rus
ticanna" and "Pagliacci."
The two tenors were Francis Mac
lehman. American. and Philip Prozel.
Englishman, and Mr.. Mccormack
speaks with generous admiration Of
Maclennan's voice and style.
The tenor's~ first visit to Americ
came at the instance Of q certain NJ
Riordan, who engaged him to appes
twice a day at the Irish Village l.
| the st. Louis worlds Fair. In retur
for transportation and &10 week.
salary for six months.
seened \ Fortune.
This, says the singer, :1oomed
fortune to me-" and he accordingl
sailed on the Lucania- His futu'
wife was engaged by the same i'm
pfs5ario as the other representative
| irish singer.
Six weeks after the engagement
began. Mr.. Mccormack terminated II
because, as he explains, he considered
a certain act insulting to the Who'll
irish people.
In 1s04-5 he heard Caruso for tn
nrst time, made his first phonograph
records, and arranged to go to Italy
to study. It, is characteristic of the
singers attitude toward the great OF
his own art that he mentions his first
lhearing Of CArueo rs one Of the great
events of his life.
when ] listened to the openin
phrases Of Puccfnfs music. sung b,
that indescribably glorious VOICE as
Caruso alone could sing" he says,
my jaw dropped as though hung on
a hinge. Such smoothness. and pur-
ity of tone, and such quality: it was
like a stream of liquid gold"
In Milan he studied with vincenzo
Sahatini; and his description Of tho
boy Of twenty. as he was, standing |
before the maestro and the Signora |
Sabatini, awaiting, the verdict Is |
most appealing.
"'You have come to ask me IL |
will take you as pupil--and that |
will. But I cannot place your voice
NY .hSdTl lcll ithcf lump Ol icdu AT
those portentous, words. I cannot
place your voice. the maestro said. |
because God did that"
First Concert Job.
In. March. 1907, came the first ray
of real promise in the tenor's en-
gagenent to sing at two of the IA
nous Boosey Ballad Concerts In |
London. More than one singer rose
or fell through them" explains the |
biographer.
They were held in Queens Hall |
on Saturday afternoons, were attend 1
ed by the smartest of Londoners as |
well as by the masses. and musicians |
of position always attended them"
Established artists always found |
admirers to greet them. and these
connoisseurs-amateu and profess |
sional-inclined invariably. listen
ing ear for the newcomer, and a /
critical ear IL was"
At this concert, Mr.. McCormack's |
success, according to Arthur Boosey. |
the manager. exceeded all expecta- |
tions;, and the second went IL any |
thing better than the first
The two events marked the turn |
ing point in the singers career. as
the tenor himself states. \