Sixty Years of California Song
M.B. ALVERSON 1913
Transcriber's Note: Numerous typographical errors and misspellings (especially of non-English words and names) in the original text have been corrected in this e-text, where the correct spelling could be confirmed.
Address all correspondence to
MRS. MARGARET BLAKE-ALVERSON 1429 SECOND AVENUE OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA Copyright 1913 by MARGARET BLAKE-ALVERSON All rights reserved
TO MY FRIENDS EVERYWHERE I AFFECTIONATELY DEDICATE THIS BOOK.
IF AS A SINGER AND A TEACHER OF SINGING I HAVE BEEN A FACTOR IN THE BETTERMENT OF INDIVIDUALS AND COMMUNITIES, THEN HAS MY WORK BEEN WELL DONE AND I AM CONTENT.
MARGARET BLAKE-ALVERSON
OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA JANUARY, 1913
This book has been written for friends and musical associates of more than half a century.
The author's life has been a busy one, often with events of public import, and so it may be that this volume has value as history. Those who should know have so affirmed.
It is hoped that old-time Californians will find the book good reading. The later generations of students and musicians will be interested in the story of one who helped to prepare the way for them.
The narrative tells somewhat of the Christian ministry of a noble father, of the writer's career as a public singer and of reminiscences of many associated musicians, efficient factors in the development of music in California to the high place it holds today.
Margaret Blake Alverson
SIXTY YEARS OF CALIFORNIA SONG
Margaret Blake-Alverson
FOREWORD
THE ILLUSTRATIONS
PORTRAITS OF PUPILS
CHAPTER ONE
ANTECEDENTS AND CHILDHOOD
CHAPTER TWO
OUR TRIP TO CALIFORNIA VIA THE ISTHMUS, AND EARLY DAYS THERE. FIRST CHURCH CHOIR IN STOCKTON
CHAPTER THREE
STOCKTON IN THE FIFTIES. BENICIA SEMINARY. GENESIS OF MILLS COLLEGE. DISTINGUISHED PIONEERS. MARRIAGE
CHAPTER FOUR
HOW I MADE THE FIRST BEAR FLAG IN CALIFORNIA
CHAPTER FIVE
BOSTON. DEDHAM CHOIR, 1858. THE CIVIL WAR. FAMOUS MUSICIANS. RETURN TO CALIFORNIA. SANTA CRUZ.
CHAPTER SIX
SANTA CRUZ IN THE SIXTIES. WHY I BECAME A DRESSMAKER. OPERA. MUSIC IN SAN FRANCISCO IN THE SEVENTIES
CHAPTER SEVEN
LADY OF LYONS GIVEN AT SANTA CRUZ. FLAG-RAISING AT GILROY HOT SPRINGS. VISALIA CONCERTS
GILROY HOT SPRINGS FLAG RAISING, JULY 18, 1872.
VISALIA CONCERTS.
CHAPTER EIGHT
ON THE ROAD WITH DICK KOHLER, MR. VIVIAN, WALTER CAMPBELL, MR. WAND AND CHARLES ATKINS
CHAPTER NINE
EARLY MUSIC AND MUSIC HOUSES. MUSICAL INSTRUMENT MAKERS. OLD-TIME SINGERS
CHAPTER TEN
AS A CHURCH CHOIR SINGER. BARNABEE, ZERRAHN, PATTI, JENNY LIND, JOE MAGUIRE, SAM MAYER, HARRY GATES
CHAPTER ELEVEN
GOLDEN JUBILEE OF SONG SERVICE, JUNE 12, 1896
CHAPTER TWELVE
CAMILLA URSO'S FESTIVAL, 1873. MADAME ANNA BISHOP. THE LORING CLUB. ALFRED WILKIE, FRANK GILDER, D.P. HUGHES
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
ROMAN CATHOLIC, EPISCOPAL, AND JEWISH MUSIC. J.H. DOHRMANN. THE BIANCHI'S
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
GREAT MUSICAL FESTIVAL IN AID OF THE MERCANTILE LIBRARY, 1878. AT GILROY SPRINGS.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
AUTHORS' CARNIVAL, 1880, PRESIDENT HAYES AND GENERAL SHERMAN PRESENT
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
VACATION EPISODES AT DEER PARK, JULY 4, 1893
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
IN OAKLAND. SAD ACCIDENT. BRUSH AND EASEL. KIND FRIENDS.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
PARTY AT DR. J.M. SHANNON'S HOME IN 1907
CHAPTER NINETEEN
LEE TUNG FOO
CHAPTER TWENTY
WHAT I KNOW OF THE VOICE AND OF TEACHING
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
TREMOLO
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
MORE ABOUT THE VOICE
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
POLITICAL CAMPAIGNING. WORK AS A PATRIOT. GRAND ARMY OF THE REPUBLIC. FLAG-RAISING AT MONTEREY
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
REPERTOIRE AND OTHER DATA. MUSICIANS AND SINGERS OF THE LAST CENTURY
HALLS AND THEATERS WHERE I HAVE SUNG
CHURCHES WHERE I HAVE SUNG
ORATORIOS AND CANTATAS I HAVE SUNG IN BOSTON, SAN FRANCISCO, SACRAMENTO, STOCKTON, OAKLAND, SAN BERNARDINO AND SANTA CRUZ
MASSES I HAVE SUNG IN THE DIFFERENT CATHOLIC CHURCHES IN CALIFORNIA
MASSES SUNG IN 1869
MASSES SUNG AT ST. PATRICK'S CHURCH, MISSION STREET, 1870
SOLEMN HIGH MASS FOR POPE PIUS IX, 1880
MASSES SUNG IN ST. PATRICK'S CHURCH, 1873 AND 1875
MASSES SUNG IN ST. MARY'S CHURCH
MASS SUNG IN ST. IGNATIUS CHURCH
MASS SUNG IN THE FRENCH CHURCH
MASSES SUNG IN 1874
GRAND HIGH MASS AT ST. PATRICK'S CHURCH, 1881
1888
1889
EARLY MUSICIANS OF CALIFORNIA
FIRST CHOIR OF SINGERS, 1852
1853
EMINENT SINGERS, 1854
MUSICIANS WHO CAME LATER IN THE FIFTIES
WOMEN PIANISTS
WOMEN SINGERS OF EARLY YEARS, 60'S AND 70'S
1896
MEN SINGERS IN EARLY DAYS
CALIFORNIA COMPOSERS
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
EARLY CALIFORNIA REMINISCENCES OF MUSICIANS AND SINGERS
RUDOLPH HEROLD
J.H. DOHRMANN
RICHARD CONDY
FREDERICK KRAUS
SARAH P. WATKINS-LITTLE
WALTER CHAUNCY CAMPBELL
FREDERICK ZECH, JR.
HENRY HEYMAN
MRS. LOUISA MARRINER-CAMPBELL
SAMUEL D. MAYER
MRS. J.M. PIERCE
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
REMINISCENCES OF LATER CALIFORNIA MUSICIANS AND SINGERS
JOSEPH MAGUIRE
MR. AND MRS. STEPHEN W. LEACH
PROF. FREDERICK KATZENBACH
RICHARD THOMAS YARNDLEY
WILLIAM M'FARLAND GREER
MARY CHENEY-CLARK
CHAS. H. SCHULTZ
OTTO BLANKART
MRS. THERESA BLANKART
M. AUGUSTA LOWELL-GARTHWAITE
SANTIAGO ARRILLAGA Y ANSOLA
MISS CARRIE HEINEMANN
HENRY S. STEDMAN
THE HINRICHS FAMILY
H.B. PASMORE
WALLACE A. SABIN, F.R.C.O., F.A.G.O.
JOHN W. METCALF
GEORGE LINCOLN BLAKE
PROF. HUGO MANSFELDT
A.W. KLOSE.
PROF. MAURO SOLANO
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
WITH MY PUPILS
WILLIAM H. KEITH
MADAM TREGAR
THE JORAN QUARTET
WM. P. MELVIN
ROSE CHAMPION
LORINA ALLEN KIMBALL
PAULINE PETERSON
BERTHA GRACE HUNTER
GEORGE G. PETERSON
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
A LIST OF MY PUPILS
