The guardian. [volume] (Boston, Mass.) 1901-1960, 1944-03-04
CHAPTER Xxx
THE FAMOUS JUBILEE SINGERS
FISK UNIVERSITY

I might now if it were necessary, fill many pages
with the comments made upon these charming singers by
the American press both before and after their trip to
England but these would only be repeons of the auda
tory notices just given The following is quoted because
it descriptive of the Improvement made by the singers
Said 1.-THE Boston Journal
"The Jubilee Singers.-The students of Fisk Unver
sity Nashville Tenn whose sweet voices made such
popularity for the Jubilee Singers in this city two three
years ago. and royal favor the other side OF the
Atlantic gave their first concert since their return at
fremont Temple last evening. The audience numbered
some thousand persons dmanfesed an enthusiasm
seldom witnessed at concert in this city From the initial
to the finale the programme the singers appauded
and encored and now and then the enthusiasm broke
forth in the interudes So many thousands have listened
with delight to the full rich voices of the Jubiees and
the sweet undertone which disarms criticism while it
charms the popular ear that it is needless to speak of
them at length The simple purity of the rendering of the
Lords Prayer which initiated the programme, gave evil
dence that they had lost of their natural and
simplicity of expression by their tour the water;
and this was confirmed by the peculiar and plaintive
melodies of the Southland in the days of slavery which
made up the major part of the programme few selec
tions of artistic composition introduced for the
purposes of demonstrating, thc did most fully that
the students have been educated to appreciation of the
higher grades of vocalizaon The great charm of these
singers WILL however remain in the reproduction Of the
melodies of that has gone happily to return
melodies which the natural expression of the fan
ces and sympathes Of emotional race and which
musical culture or refinement render with the
sweet simplicity and charming that flow from the
lips of those to whom they are the native music
I'm the summer of 1874 they returned to Nashville,
having given two of concerts in this country and
in Great Britain The best evidence of the appre
catye and enthusiastic welcome given them in both
tries is the fact that the result for Fisk University
was over 100000" The problem" of the little band of
faithful teachers had been noby gIorousy solved The
old accommodating in which they began their abors
was discarded. Today, beautiful, commanding
site OF twenty-five with all the appliances of the
best modern colleges, stands noble building, forever
dedicated to learning and to Christianity.
Since the events whose record is just closed, it has
been determined by the faculty of Fisk University to raise
by other concert tours 100000 an endowment fund
At the present writing (June 1870 the Jubilee Singers
are making tour of the Continent They in Ho
land Thus far their continues unabated and un
doubleday they will succeed in amply endowing the in
stituton which in praseworthy and remark
able, they have erected The following extract from
letter affords pleasant glimpse at the European life of
the singers Il
i Will tell you something of summers ex-
perence The company had passed through hard years
work, and were greatly in need of a rest chamng
countryseat rented in the suburbs of Geneva at
very reasonable rate and the months of July and August
were spent there with great benefit to ALL The citizens
were evidently astonished at this introduction of new
shade OF humanity and the singers seldom passed along
Inc streets without hearing remark about e negres
or les nors But they invariably treated with the
greatest respect and in fact never once annoyed
by rabbe in the streets they frequently are else
where gathering around with a rude and inpertinent
curiosity.