Garcia the Centenarian And His Times Part 15

Such, then, was the transformation that had come over her rendering of Norma. No wonder that Stockholm went wild with enthusiasm, and that from that time on her career was one long crescendo of success.

Jenny Lind had the priceless power of taking pains, added to which hers was a glorious voice, properly developed under her master's tender care.

The combination of these gifts, mental and physical, enabled her to overcome every obstacle which crossed her path, and to reach the lofty position which she retained up to the time of her retirement from public life. Her career was the pride of her fellow-countrymen, and the name by which she became known, the Swedish Nightingale, acted as a constant reminder of her nationality.

The Swedish people paid their tribute to Garcia by making him a correspondent of the University of Stockholm, while the Swedish king created him "Chevalier de l'Ordre de Merite (Gustavus Vasa)."

But the thing which the maestro prized more than all else was the undying grat.i.tude of his pupil.

CHAPTER XI.

SOME FAMOUS PUPILS.

(1842-1848.)

The remaining six years which Senor Garcia spent in Paris before migrating to London were important for the musical world.

We have seen how at this point in his career he was able to claim as pupils a trio of world-renowned singers--Maria Malibran, Pauline Viardot, and Jenny Lind. During the period between 1842 and 1848 this number was greatly increased, for there pa.s.sed through his hands a series of artists whose successes were a tribute to their master's method and powers of teaching, and to his right to be acknowledged by all the world as the foremost _maestro di canto_ of his age. Henriette Nissen, Catherine Hayes, Mathilde Marchesi, Johanna Wagner, Julius Stockhausen, Barbot, Bussine, and Battaille,--these are the princ.i.p.al ones.

Even if his career had ended in '48, instead of being continued in England with no less triumphant results, he could well have claimed to have brought out a greater number of famous artists than any other teacher: only certainly he never _would_ have claimed it, for he was ever the most modest of men, the most reticent on the subject of his own powers.

And now to say something concerning the career of the pupils whose names have been set down above.

Henriette Nissen (afterwards Mme. Siegfried Salomon) had commenced her vocal studies with Garcia in 1839, at the same time learning the piano under Chopin, and had made immense progress in her singing during the two years preceding the arrival of Jenny Lind. Being a favourite with the maestro, and a Swede by birth, it is not surprising that Garcia hastened to introduce her to Mdlle. Lind, and that she became her most intimate friend at this period. For the following details I am again indebted to Canon Holland:--

"The two would frequently sing together, and before long a feeling of generous rivalry sprang up between them, which must have been of infinite advantage to both. Mdlle. Lind makes frequent mention of her fellow-pupil in letters written during this period. 'I go to see her pretty often, and we sing together. She has a beautiful voice. In future we are going to have music together at Herr Blumm's.'"

These meetings at his house became quite an inst.i.tution. Herr Blumm was a Swedish gentleman of kindliest disposition and infinite _bonhomie_, who held the appointment of "Chancelier" to the Swedish legation in the Rue d'Anjou; and he bestowed on the two young friends innumerable acts of courtesy and kindness during their study with Garcia.

"I am going to Herr Blumm's," she wrote again, "where Mdlle. Nissen is waiting for us, with an old relation of hers, and we four are going somewhere into the country for the day. She is a very sweet girl. The divine song draws us to each other."

A charming episode is recounted as having happened at the Christmas of 1841. When the festival drew near, Jenny Lind's heart was torn by yearnings for home.

"Ah! who will light the Christmas tree for my mother?" she wrote. "No one, no one! She has no child who can bring her the least pleasure. If you knew how she is ever before me! How constantly she is in my thoughts! How she gives me courage to work! How I love her, as I never loved before!"

In the midst of this cruel burst of home-sickness, good Mdlle. du Puget, in whose house she was staying, bethought her of an expedient, and the result was seen in the following letter:--

"Christmas Eve pa.s.sed off better than I expected, for Mdlle. du Puget went to fetch the dear sweet Nissen, and all of a sudden, as I was standing in my room alone, she came creeping in to me. We sang duets together,--but my thoughts strayed homewards."

It was beautiful, as time progressed, to note the utter absence of jealousy which characterised this rare artistic friends.h.i.+p between two young students, each of whom had a reputation to ensure, and a name to render famous.

In the beginning of 1842, Garcia considered Mdlle. Nissen sufficiently advanced to make her appearance, and in April her _debut_ was made at the Italian Opera as Adalgisa in "Norma," this being followed by an immediate engagement for three years under the same management, commencing at a salary of from three to four hundred pounds for the first year. At the conclusion of this she toured Italy, Russia, Norway, Sweden, and England till 1849, when she appeared at Leipsic, and in the following years sang at most of the Gewandhaus concerts there, while in Berlin she almost rivalled Jenny Lind in popularity.

In the summer of 1842, the year of Nissen's _debut_, Catherine Hayes came from Ireland, by the advice of Lablache, to place herself under Garcia, being at the time seventeen years of age. After four years'

study she made her _debut_ at Ma.r.s.eilles in "I Puritani." Next year she appeared at Vienna, and in the following seasons sang in various parts of the Continent with success.

Her London _debut_ was made in 1849, and during that season she appeared at Covent Garden in the _roles_ of Lucia, Linda, and Amina. She soon became one of the most popular vocalists of her day in England, showing herself to be possessed of remarkable power, while her chief forte lay in the rendering of ballads.

The year 1844 saw the advent of three interesting pupils, the names of all curiously enough beginning with the same initial letter,--Barbot, Battaille, and Bussine.

Joseph Barbot came to Garcia at the Conservatoire at the age of twenty, and soon proved himself to be possessed of a remarkably fine tenor voice. At the completion of his training he was engaged at the Grand Opera, but soon left it for Italy, where he sang with great success.

Perhaps the most noteworthy event of his career took place on March 19, 1859, for on that date he created the t.i.tle part at the first performance of Gounod's "Faust" at the Theatre Lyrique; while sixteen years later he was appointed to a professors.h.i.+p at the Conservatoire as successor to Mme. Viardot.

Charles Battaille appears to have commenced earning his livelihood as a doctor of medicine, the while he carried on his vocal studies. When he had brought these to a close he gave up his practice, and accepted an engagement as ba.s.so at the Opera Comique. Here he remained for ten years, till an affliction of the larynx caused his retirement. From that time on he devoted his life to teaching, having already, in 1851, been appointed professor at the Conservatoire. In 1861 he published the first portion of a voluminous treatise ent.i.tled 'L'Enseignement du Chant,'

containing some important results of his physiological study. His princ.i.p.al claim to fame, however, is the fact that he was chosen by Meyerbeer to create the ba.s.s _role_ in "L'Etoile du Nord," while he won special renown in the "Seraglio," of Mozart.

As to Bussine, he was connected for some time with the Opera Comique, and left it for an engagement as princ.i.p.al tenor at the Grand Opera in Paris. Moreover, he gave much time to teaching, one of his best known pupils being Duc.

The year 1845 saw the advent of one who ultimately became Garcia's greatest pupil in the field of teaching--Mathilde Marchesi, or, as she was at that time, Mdlle. Graumann.

Her father had been a wealthy merchant, but in 1843 he lost his fortune, and his daughter, being at this time seventeen years old, decided to adopt the musical profession. She went in the first place to study in Vienna, but in 1845 came to Paris to place herself under Garcia, who soon discovered in his new student a remarkable apt.i.tude for teaching.

Of her own recollections of studying under the maestro, Madame Marchesi has sent me the following details, some of which have already been narrated in her interesting book of reminiscences, published under the t.i.tle, 'Marchesi and Music':--

"I need scarcely mention how the maestro's clear, intelligent, and thorough method furthered my artistic efforts. His ideas on the female voice and its development were a revelation to me, and they were the foundation of my future career. With Nicolai and Mendelssohn I had only studied cla.s.sical music; now Garcia initiated me into the style of the Italian school, as at that time a florid execution was the princ.i.p.al aim of all good singers. The compositions of Rossini, Bellini, and Donizetti were the chief objects of study, and I was obliged, therefore, to work away at countless scales, arpeggios, &c., and, what was worse still, with the metronome, which sometimes rendered me almost desperate.

"Besides Garcia, Bordogni and Banderali were also justly celebrated at this time, but he alone had made a thorough study of anatomy and physiology.

"All the maestro's pupils were enthusiastic about him, and patiently submitted to the necessity of waiting sometimes for hours in the anteroom, as he permitted no one to a.s.sist at his lessons.

When at length the anxiously awaited moment had, as we thought, arrived, he often sent us home with the remark, 'I am tired, children; I will see you to-morrow.' Whenever this occurred we were terribly disappointed, but this wonderfully gifted man's next lesson made us soon oblivious of the previous day's deprivation.

"In the spring of 1847 Garcia fell from his horse and broke his right arm, which accident prevented him for a time from continuing his lessons. He therefore intrusted me with a number of his private pupils. I was very much flattered with this mark of distinction and the confidence thus placed in me, and as he had on various occasions already confided many of his beginners to me, I was not afraid of the responsibility, more especially as I was always able to go to him for advice in difficult cases."

Four years after Mdlle. Graumann had commenced her studies with the maestro, she followed him to London, and soon obtained high standing as a mezzo-soprano concert singer. In 1852 her marriage took place, and two years later she accepted the post of professor at the Vienna Conservatoire. From the first her attempts at carrying on the Garcia traditions of "Bel canto" singing met with the crown of success, and during the succeeding years Mme. Marchesi turned out such pupils as Ilma de Murska, Fricci, and Kraus, to bring fresh fame to the already glorious banner of Manuel Garcia. 1861 saw her removal to Paris, where pupils came from all parts, while about this time her text-book, 'ecole du Chant,' was published.

In 1865 Mme. Marchesi went to teach at the Cologne Conservatoire, where Antoinette Sterling came to her for a few lessons; while three years later she returned to Vienna to resume her post at the Conservatoire.

This was resigned in 1878, but she continued to teach there for a time, after which she returned to Paris, and took up her work there again.

In addition to those already mentioned, her pupils have included Suzanne Adams, d'Angri, Calve, Ada Crossley, Eames, Evangeline Florence, Frau Gerster, Blanche Marchesi, Melba, Emma Nevada, Sybil Sanderson, Francis Saville, and Tremelli. Truly a wonderful record to add to the list of exponents of Manuel Garcia's method.

In 1847 an important pupil was coming to Senor Garcia's studio--one who was destined to do great things hereafter. This was Johanna Wagner, the niece of Richard Wagner. Her musical ability already began to make itself noticeable at the age of five, when her father and uncle were residing at Wurzburg; for she used to sing everything she heard, and the composer in after years would often laugh as he quoted these childish versions.

In 1844, when Johanna was in her seventeenth year, her uncle obtained an engagement for her at the Royal Opera in Dresden, where he was preparing for the first performance of "Rienzi." Though of but tender years she had such success as Agathe in the "Freischutz," that she was engaged for three years by the management, and created Elisabeth in "Tannhauser."

On October 21, 1845, fifteen months later, the King of Saxony, who had taken the greatest interest in her progress, sent her to France to study under Garcia. She arrived at the beginning of February, accompanied by her father, who had hitherto been her only instructor. Thanks to the a.s.sistance which she received from Garcia during her stay in Paris, she quickly made her mark.

On her return she went to Hamburg, creating Fides in the German version, and taking part in the first performance there of the "Prophete." In 1850 she left for Berlin, where she was permanently engaged by the management of the Royal Opera House. Whilst there Fraulein Wagner was a great favourite with the royal family, and frequently sang in private for Frederick William IV. and his Queen, being generally accompanied by Meyerbeer.

In 1856 the prima donna appeared in London at Her Majesty's Opera House in "Tancredi," "Lucrezia Borgia," and as Romeo. In 1859 she married Herr Jackmann; two years later she lost her voice suddenly, and started on a second career as an actress, in which she made her name no less surely than as a singer. In this, Johanna Wagner resembled Genevieve Ward, for that famous tragedienne only entered upon a career of acting after having sung in opera under the name of Ginevra Guerrabella. With her, too, it was owing to loss of voice in consequence of overstrain that the change of career was adopted.

The training of Johanna Wagner by Garcia raises an interesting point in connection with German singing. Richard Wagner was so delighted upon hearing the improvement in his niece's voice on her return from Paris, that he wrote the maestro a letter full of the warmest recognition of the progress which she had made under his tuition.

But the grat.i.tude did not end here: over twenty-five years later there came a very signal proof of the extent to which he had been impressed with Garcia's powers, for, when he was making the arrangements for the first Bayreuth Festival, he wrote to his old friend, asking whether he would undertake the training of the singers who were to take part in it.

Garcia was so busy with his teaching in London at this time that he was unable to accept the offer; but the mere fact that he was asked to do this is a very material answer to those who would have it that Wagner's music is not supposed to be treated according to the Italian ideals, but should be rendered in the style of _Sprechgesang_, which has been a current German cry.

After the publication of his 'Memoire sur la Voix,' Senor Garcia had continued to labour incessantly in perfecting his method, and in 1847 (the year in which Jenny Lind made her triumphant _debut_ in London as Alice in "Roberto," took the town by storm, and earned the name of the "Swedish Nightingale") this culminated in the publication of what is without question the most valuable contribution to the books upon the study of singing. It was issued in two parts, under the t.i.tle of 'Traite complet de l'Art du Chant,' and was dedicated to King Oscar I.

of Sweden, as a tribute to the nationality of the greatest of the maestro's pupils.