Chapter 14

These young ladies (as will be seen from criticisms annexed) have created a great sensation wherever they have appeared; and, it being the intention of their father (who accompanies them) to take them to Europe to perfect them in their art, he has been induced, at the request of numerous friends, to make a tour through the principal cities of America, to afford the musical public and those anxious to hear these truly wonderful artists of the colored race an opportunity of hearing them, and judging for themselves. The music they sing is always of the highest order, and their selections are from the most difficult and classical pieces that have been sung by the most accomplished artists.

MR. WALLACE KING (tenor) possesses a fine voice of splendid quality and great compass, which he uses with marked skill, and is especially adapted to music of dramatic character.

MR. JOHN LUCA (baritone) is also the possessor of a splendid voice, and sings in admirable style, both in songs and concerted music.

MR. A.C. TAYLOR (pianist and accompanist). This gifted artist, besides being an excellent accompanist, is also a solo-player of great promise. He has had the honor of playing before the most critical audiences of New York and Boston; and it is predicted by our leading musicians he will rank with the first pianists of the day.]

As will be seen by the comments drawn from the press, which have been already and which will be hereafter given, Mr. Hyers's statements of the artistic merits of his company were by no means exaggerated.

Their performances in the city of New York and in other parts of the State drew large, cultivated, and enthusiastic audiences, and were, to use the words of one writer, considered "a revelation."

Thus spoke "The New-York Evening Post:"--

"The Hyers sisters are colored, and, to the musical instincts of their race, have added careful musical training. Miss Anna Hyers possesses a flexible voice of great compass, clear and steady in the higher notes. Miss Emma, the contralto, has a voice of great power and depth; qualities which, in impassioned strains, give it a richness not often heard in chamber concerts.

"The gem of the evening was the 'Miserere' scene from 'Il Trovatore,' which was skilfully rendered by the sisters, Miss Emma singing the tenor part with very fine effect.

"A duet by Millard, sung by Miss Anna and Mr. J. Luca, was also remarkably well rendered; Miss Anna displaying the admirable qualities of her voice and her careful training to the greatest advantage.

"The audience was enthusiastic, and the encores were frequent."

Said "The New-York Tribune,"--

"A concert was given last evening by the Hyers sisters at Steinway Hall. These are two young colored girls who have received a musical training in California, and who are by no means mere 'Jubilee' singers, as the programme of last evening clearly shows. It embraced several airs and duets from 'Martha' and 'Trovatore;' the last being the 'Miserere,' which called forth hearty applause."

"The Evening Telegram" alluded to them in the following complimentary terms:--

... "The selections last evening embraced a high order of music, operatic and otherwise; and were rendered with a taste and grace that elicited frequent applause.

"One of the young girls possesses a very pure soprano, the other an equally excellent contralto voice; and, singly or together, their execution is marked by a refinement, culture, and attractiveness that deserve first-class audiences and first-class appreciation."

So great was the success of the talented troupe in the metropolis, that when they visited Brooklyn they were already fully advertised, and a general and very eager desire was manifested in that city to witness their performances. So great was this desire, that, said "The Brooklyn Daily Union,"

"Not only was every inch of standing-room in the Young Men's Christian Association Hall occupied, but the ante-room and even the stairway were completely jammed. In spite, however, of the uncomfortable crowding, every one was pleased to be present, and all were delighted with the concert.

"The young ladies are gifted with remarkable voices, and sing together with perfect harmony; displaying the full compass and beauty of their voices, which are clear and sweet.

"Mr. Wallace King's rendering of Tennyson's beautiful song, 'Come into the garden, Maud,' was really exquisite, and was followed by a vociferous encore. The concert was one of the finest of the series."

But notwithstanding the many critical tests to which these young ladies had been subjected all along from California to New York, and despite the fact that their journey had thus far been marked by a continual series of triumphs,--the thick walls of color-prejudice everywhere yielding before the force of their rare musical abilities, their almost marvellous sweetness of song,--they now approached with feelings somewhat akin to dread the "modern Athens," that acknowledged centre of musical and general aesthetic culture, Boston, whose critical audiences ever receive coldly, at first, all newcomers, and who, guided by their own judgments, and having their own standard of merit, never yield praise because it has been accorded in other sections.

The Misses Hyers, although fully recognizing all this, were not to be daunted by it; and they therefore chose an ambitious, but what proved to be a wise course: they at first appeared at Tremont Temple before a select circle of musical connoisseurs. At this test performance, Mr. Eben Tourjee, Mr. P.S. Gilmore, and others of the highest musical ability in Boston, were, by invitation, present. Before the Misses Hyers began to sing, Mr. Tourjee said that they would be judged by the same standards as would be Nilsson or Kellogg. Mr. Hyers, speaking for his daughters, readily assented to this: and the sequel proved that his confidence was well founded; for all became satisfied, after hearing them sing, that these young ladies had not been too highly praised by the press of other cities. Said Mr. Gilmore, "These ladies promise much that is great."

But the following, taken from one of the Boston papers appearing the day after the performance just referred to, best describes the effect of the same on those present:--

"We were invited with some fifty other persons this forenoon to hear the singing of two colored young ladies, named Anna and Emma Hyers, of San Francisco, at the Meionaon. They are aged respectively sixteen and fourteen years, and, after a casual inspection, may be called musical prodigies. They are, without doubt, destined to occupy a high position in the musical world.

"Anna sings not only alto, but tenor, and both with great excellence. They sang 'Ah forsetui' [Transcriber's Note: 'Ah, fors'e lui'] from 'Traviata,' 'M'appari' from 'Martha,' and the 'Miserere' from 'Trovatore,' each with remarkable clearness and accuracy, and surprised all with the general skill they displayed. Anna has also the faculty of reaching E flat above the staff. Judging from present data, they are on a par vocally with our better concert-singers; and a further hearing may place them in rank with more pretentious vocalists."

Having at this _musicale_ satisfied the critics, they were spoken of in words of warmest praise by the public press; and their subsequent performances in Boston created, after all, the same enthusiasm as that awakened in the West and in New York. I copy from "The Boston Journal" the following:--

"The young California singers, Miss Anna and Emma Hyers, gave their last concert at Tremont Temple last evening. The audience was both large and enthusiastic; and a duet from 'I Masnadieri,' 'Home, Sweet Home,' by Miss Anna, a duet from 'La Traviata,' a cavatina from 'Lucia di Lammermoor,' and 'The Last Rose of Summer,' also by Miss Anna, appeared to give great satisfaction. The young ladies have made a very marked impression in their concerts here.... Mr. Wallace King has a pure, sweet tenor voice of remarkable compass, and sings with excellent taste."

In Boston they made many warm personal friends, receiving from many of its most cultured people very flattering attentions; and here, too, were pointed out to them, in a candid and friendly spirit, such slight defects in their voices, or manner of singing, as only those skilled in the highest _technique_ of the musical art could detect. All such suggestions were readily received by the young ladies, who, acting upon the same, made much advancement in the technical requirements of the lyrical art. They lingered long in Boston, being loath to leave its congenial art-circles, and to leave behind its many facilities for improvement in their profession.

Finally deciding to start again on their travels, they visited many of the towns and cities of Massachusetts, and sang also in the principal cities of Rhode Island and Connecticut. Their singing everywhere gave the utmost satisfaction; and cultivated New England confirmed, in words of highest praise, the verdict of the West and of New York.

A writer in "The Springfield (Mass.) Republican" thus spoke of the troupe:--

"One of the largest, and certainly one of the best pleased audiences of the whole season, attended the concert of the Hyers sisters at the Opera House last evening. The voice of the soprano, Miss Anna Hyers, is beautifully pure and liquid in its higher range; and she sings notes far above the staff with the utmost ease, where most sopranos gasp and shriek. So easily, indeed, does she sing them, that few persons are aware of the dizzy vocal heights which she scales. Mr. King possesses that great rarity, a _real_ tenor voice, pure and sweet, and of great compass. But the charm of the concert consisted not so much in individual excellence as in the combination of the voices in some wonderfully fine four-part singing. Nothing in this line so exquisite as the 'Greeting to Spring' (Strauss' 'Beautiful Blue Danube' waltz vocalized) has been heard in Springfield for many a year. The voices were as one; the shading was perfect; the modulations were absolutely pure and true; melody and harmony were alike beautiful."

At Worcester, Mass., the performances of the company created a decided excitement in musical circles and among the people generally. "The Daily Press" of that city referred to the performance of the troupe in the following complimentary manner:--

"A larger audience than that of last Saturday evening greeted the Hyers sisters at Mechanics' Hall last evening. The programme was a new one, with the exception of the 'Greeting to Spring,' which was repeated by request, and was enthusiastically received. The 'Excelsior' of Messrs. King and Luca, the 'Cavatina Linda' of Miss Anna Hyers, the 'Sleep Well' of Mr. King, and the 'Non e'ver' [Transcriber's Note: 'Non e ver'] of Miss Emma Hyers, were encored, as well as nearly all the quartets. The quartet-singing was unaccompanied, and was the finest that has been heard in this city for years. The voices blended beautifully, and were full of expression. Nor can too high praise be bestowed upon the soprano and tenor. They showed great cultivation, and a quality of voice rarely equalled."

While they were in Connecticut, "The Daily Union" of New Haven remarked,--

"New Haven has but rarely heard such extraordinary artists, or reaped so much benefit as from their concerts."

And "The Providence (R.I.) Journal" said,--

"Seldom in the history of our pleasure-seeking has it been our good fortune to enjoy an hour of such exquisite pleasure as we were blessed with on the occasion of our attending a concert given here, a short time since, by the Hyers sisters."

Our talented artists had now acquired throughout New England a fame so fair, that Mr. P.S. Gilmore felt warranted in inviting them to appear at the great Peace Jubilee concerts; and here, before an audience of fifty thousand people, and in the company of several of the great solo-vocalists of the world, surrounded by a chorus of twenty thousand voices and an orchestra of one thousand performers, these gifted girls occupied a proud position, reflecting upon themselves and all with whom they were identified additional honors.

During the winter of 1875, the Hyers troupe several times appeared (on Sunday evenings) on the Boston-Theatre stage in sacred concerts, supported by a select orchestra of forty performers, all under the management and conductorship of that fine musician and prince of gentlemen, Mr. Napier Lothian, leader of the Boston-Theatre orchestra. At these concerts the music rendered was mostly classical; although the programmes contained also numbers of a popular character,--such as were suited to the tastes of the large, miscellaneous audiences in attendance,--which showed to the highest advantage the versatility of talent and extensive musical resources of the troupe. The writer recalls with much pleasure the delightful emotions which, on one of the evenings alluded to, were awakened in his breast by the very graceful stage appearance and the divine harmony produced by these accomplished musicians; for when not thrilled alone by their music, so faultlessly, so sweetly rendered, he could not repress the thoughts that came forcibly into his mind, of not only how much these noble artists were doing for the cause of pure music, but for that other righteous one,--the breaking-down of a terribly cruel prejudice, founded on the accident, so to speak, of the color of the face.

The concerts just alluded to, it is needless to say, brought out the warmest praises of the Boston journals. It is unnecessary, after the numerous comments, so highly eulogistic, already given, to quote what would only be a repetition of the same.

The Misses Hyers have, since the events heretofore mentioned, visited most of the cities and towns of the State of Maine. In that State they are great favorites, and sing always to large and delighted audiences. "In Lewiston," says "The Folio," "they received at a concert thirteen encores; and at Auburn a full house was gotten out on a half-day's notice."

It would be pleasant to follow the Misses Hyers into that other walk of art, the drama, which they have of late been pursuing so successfully, were such a course within the province of this book; but, as it is not, we will only briefly state, in concluding this sketch, that they have lately, with an enlarged company, been acting in a drama called "Out of Bondage," written expressly for them by Mr. Joseph B. Bradford of Boston. The drama is in four acts; comprehends four phases in the life of a freedman, beginning in slavery, and continuing through to his attainment of education and refinement; and is full of interesting incidents. Their success in this new field has already, in the smaller places in New England, been great; and it is the intention of the troupe to produce the drama ere long on the Boston stage, and in other of the large cities.

Mr. Hyers still holds to a resolve to take his talented daughters to Europe, in order to there perfect them in the higher requirements of their art, and to fit them for the operatic stage.

It is to be hoped that he will not relinquish this ambitious and creditable resolve; for certainly his gifted children have already clearly shown such rare musical powers, and, incidentally, so much of dramatic talent, and have had so much stage experience, as to fully warrant him and all their friends in firmly believing that these versatile young ladies may, after a short course of training under the best masters of Europe, easily attain to the highest distinction on the operatic stage.

XIII.

FREDERICK ELLIOT LEWIS,

PIANIST, ORGANIST, VIOLINIST, ETC.

Like the honey-making bee, Passing from flower to flower, Tasting and gathering the sweets of each.

In musical versatility, in capability for playing upon a great variety of musical instruments, there may be possibly, among the large number of talented artists of this country, a few who equal the subject of the following sketch: the writer, however, confesses, that, if there be such, he does not know of them. But, be this as it may, such an instance as I am about to present is one, which, in its showing of great musical talents and diversity of acquirements in instrumental performance, will be readily admitted as, to say the least, most extraordinary.

For Frederick E. Lewis performs with ease and with pleasing finish on the piano-forte and the organ, on the violin, viola, violoncello, double-bass, and the guitar, on the clarinet and flute, on the cornet, and on nearly every one of the wind-instruments. Indeed, you can scarcely bring to this remarkable musician an instrument upon which in tasteful and artistic manner he cannot perform.

It is not my purpose, however, to present him here as a musical "prodigy," nor as one of those rather abnormal, supernatural beings who astound their hearers by playing upon an instrument almost at sight, without previous study, or without observable method; playing, as it would seem, from a kind of instinct. I present him rather as he is,--an intelligent, a cultured gentleman; an artist so great in natural gifts as to often excite astonishment certainly; but yet one with intelligent method, and fully able to understand and explain all he so skilfully performs.

His extraordinary success in acquiring a good degree of proficiency in playing upon at least fifteen instruments--on two or three of which he excels as a performer, and most of which, too, he teaches--is due not alone to his great natural endowments, but is largely the result of an assiduous cultivation of the same, and of a severe, steady, and long-continued study and practice of each one of these instruments, in which occupation he has ever aimed at the classical, and avoided all that was coarse or commonplace, either in the compositions used, or in his execution of the same.

On choosing an instrument for study, Mr. Lewis's plan has been to first learn all about its structure, the theory concerning its qualities, its tone-producing capabilities; and then, choosing the best practical text-books procurable, to commence, without other teachers than the latter, its practice. He is acquainted, therefore, not only with the musical capacity of all the instruments he plays, but also knows so much in regard to their mechanism, that, when out of order, he can generally repair them; thus possessing in this latter respect an ability far from common among musicians. He has at his rooms quite a large family of stringed instruments, consisting of two or three violins, a viola, two 'cellos, a double-bass, and a guitar. These have all been carefully chosen for their beauty of form, and nicety and sweetness of tone, their owner being a decidedly good judge, a real connoisseur; and none of them are for sale.

His rooms are neatly but not expensively furnished. A few choice pictures hang on the walls: but here, there, and everywhere are to be found the emblems and accessories of the musical art,--a piano-forte, on the back part of which are great piles of music, and in which are the latest and choicest publications; a number of music-stands; several of the viol family hanging on the walls, or placed in their boxes on the floor; two or three varieties of the clarinet; a cornet, a guitar, a flute, &c. In fact, there is music, music everywhere, and enough instruments to form at any time an orchestra of at least a dozen performers; with a skilful instructor or conductor near at hand in the person of Professor Lewis, ready to wield an efficient _baton_, to play the leading part, or with pleasing compliance to play in a subordinate capacity.

A visit to these rooms is always highly pleasing and instructive, not only to the practical musician, but to all lovers of good music. With the former Mr. Lewis is ready to join in a duet; allowing his visitor to choose from among his many instruments the one with which he is familiar, while he himself is prepared to take any other one necessary in forming the duet. To those who cannot play, or who, perhaps, choose to listen rather than to play, he is ever obliging, and acts as though he considers it a very pleasant duty to entertain his friends. At such times he will commence with his favorite, the piano, and go through successively a performance upon each one of his many instruments, giving his delighted listener a taste, so to speak, of the melodious sweets of each. He delights not only to play, but is also quite fond of conversing on general music; with which subject he is very familiar, and is ever interesting and instructive in discoursing upon the advantages and pleasures to be enjoyed by its study. Indeed, at such times one is in doubt whether to admire him most as a performer or as a theorist; for as the latter he is remarkably proficient, and in treatment delightfully eloquent. As may be inferred from the foregoing, Mr. Lewis is in his manners extremely affable and easy. He charms his visitor by his simplicity, modesty, and freedom from that conceit which might be perhaps expected from one so wonderfully skilled in his profession. Pope's expressive lines apply to but few persons so closely as they do to Mr. Lewis; for he is truly

"Of manners gentle, of affections mild; In wit a man, simplicity a child."

In these times of charlatanry, when titles are so often assumed with a reckless disregard of truthfulness, I hesitate to apply even to one so fully qualified, so extra skilled in music, as Lewis, the prefix _professor_; for I wish, as I ought, to entirely disassociate him from the mere pretenders to whom, in general, I have just referred. But to him the title surely belongs; and there is no competent judge, who, when made aware of the great talents and acquisitions, theoretical and practical, of Mr. Lewis in the science of music, will not cheerfully accord it to him. Mr. Lewis does not encourage a use of this title as applied to himself: it is, however, habitually given to him by those who enjoy his acquaintance, and who believe that it belongs of right to him.

Although depending for his support upon the profession of music, his intense love for the noble art is so pure, is so conscientious, as to lift him far above the exhibition at any time of a spirit of cupidity, and to cause him frequently to discourse the most exquisite music, when he can expect no other reward than the pleasure he feels in thus gratifying his auditors.

I have thus given a somewhat general outline of the characteristics and accomplishments of our subject. But what is his history in particular? What have been the beginnings, the circumstances, that have united to produce a character so pleasingly and so harmoniously formed? These questions I shall now endeavor to briefly answer.

Frederick Elliot Lewis was born in Boston in the year 1846. His parents, both natives of New England, were people of musical and general culture; his father being a performer on the flute, violin, violoncello, and piano, as well as a chorister; while his mother was a pianist, a leading soprano-singer in choirs, a lady of fine musical taste, appearing often in public, and taking always a leading part.