Notwithstanding all these drawbacks, “the Swan” took everybody by surprise. Her compass is extraordinary; her musical education, evidently, very limited. But her execution certainly equalled that of many white performers of pretensions, and in some pieces drew out a hearty encore. She was dressed in very good taste, with only a slight display of ribbon. On her next appearance before the public, she should exert her feminine privilege, and insist on being led out like a lady, by her accompanyist, and not like a ghost he was afraid of.
Troy Daily Budget, Saturday, Jan. 17, 1852.
We were not able to attend in season to hear the first part, and can therefore only give our impressions of the second. The Swan’s voice is certainly one of great sweetness and power, especially in the lower register, but in the upper notes it dwindles into a thinness that is anything but agreeable. This was specially observable in her cadenzas, of which, she is rather lavish. Her enunciation is not so good as we had been led to suppose. There is a certain flatness at times in her utterance which betrays her origin, which essentially mars her performances. This we noticed particularly in “Sound the Trumpet,” by Hamel, the bill says—a composer we never have had the pleasure of hearing of before. We suppose Handel was intended.
The next piece purports to be “Saut a la France” from the opera of the “File du Regiment.” What kind of a file this was, we were rather dubious—but it certainly suggested rat-tails and three corners. In hearing it, however, we recognised the celebrated “Salut a la France,” which the Swan gave with very good effect.
‘Do not Mingle’ was tamely rendered. That style of music is evidently not her rôle, and we wonder at her attempting to execute that exquisite morçeau. It is one of those gems to which none but a finished artist can do justice.
The next piece, “O Native Scenes,” was admirably done. We cannot say so much of the “Banks of Guadalquiver.” The time was too slow, thereby destroying much of the spirit which should be infused into it. Perhaps the delicious tones of Madam Bishop in this song, who has made it peculiarly her own, and whose notes still linger in our memory, may have instituted unfavourable comparisons.
On the whole, the concert was a good one, and exceeded our expectations. By care and cultivation the Black Swan will become a vocalist of no mean pretensions, and even now she excels many, who modestly herald themselves as musical “stars.”
Jan. 23. From the same.
We predict for this celebrated singer a brilliant audience to-night at Harmony Hall, for it is to be undoubtedly the great Concert of the season. We understand Lt. Gov. Church and Lady, together with large numbers of both branches of the legislature, also large numbers from Lansingburg and Waterford, are to be there to-night, and in order to secure choice seats, it is necessary to go early, as this will be the last opportunity of hearing a lady that can sing a higher and a lower note than any other public singer that has ever visited us.
Col. Wood, her gentlemanly manager, informs us, that she goes hence to Boston and New York, and will visit Europe in June.