IN VOCAL MUSIC Heavens Repast.

EACH new day echoes the triumph of some individual who has gloriously bridged chasms of earthly deterrents—racial, financial, mental, physical and moral—during which time that individual has been torn and left naked, bleeding and despondent; but to the brave these vicissitudes never weaken, but strengthen, and they fight with the tenacity of a savage, finally reaping conquest after conquest. Roland Hayes, tenor of Boston illustrates the result of being firm, holding on, fighting, and today he has achieved what every artist desires as a reward of their genius, their years of struggle to excell, the recognition of the world, of kings and queens. And May 2 the cables flashed word that a Negro tenor had been received at the palace to sing for the royal family, and was presented a diamond pin by King George, the significant manner in which royalty pays homage to great musicians of the world. They were delighted with the voice and manner of the singer, and the king observed how different the songs were from what the English were taught to believe were characteristic Negro melodies. We have always been caricatured, always portrayed as the jester for the world’s amusement, and Mr. Hayes did not overlook the opportunity to rescue our folk songs from the debasement they have suffered from the result of pernicious money mongers, and present them as the sorrow songs of a persecuted people filled with weariness and renunciation.

“His sojourn in London has been marked with success after success, beginning with his premiere recital, significant with concurrent praise from the critics. An appearance at the dinner given by the American Society to British women at the Hotel Cecil, on which occasion he sang “The Star-Spangled Banner.” His appearances at two concerts given by the Samuel Coleridge-Taylor Choral Society (Mrs. I. F. Coleridge-Taylor, patron; Sir. Charles V. Stanford, president, and Douglas M. Durston, conductor) in aid of the mayor’s unemployment fund and numerous concerts, the last of which, April 16, was a huge success financially and artistically. The critics said many lovely things of Mr. Hayes anent his voice, his style, his intelligence and manner; but to us who know and love him, who feel his very heart throb as he pleads through his art for his people, recognize and understand that his voice wails in eagerness for deliverance, freedom, the right to breathe and live untrammeled and unoppressed.

“A word is here appropriate in praise of Lawrence Brown, who has been his sympathetic accompanist and collaborator in the settings of a number of spirituals for concert use. Mr. Brown is also an excellent pianist, and the critics recognize his dual talent by always giving him a share in their notes.”

The above quotation is extracted from an editorial that appeared on page 13 in the May 1921 issue of Nora Douglas Holt’s monthly magazine, Music and Poetry, that is published in Chicago, Ill.

Mr. Hayes received his musical education in the New England conservatory of Music, Boston, Mass., and today is acclaimed not only the foremost tenor in the Negro race but one of the greatest tenors in the world.

Colored and white song critics on both sides of the ocean have for many years recognized Harry T. Burleigh as the leading baritone soloist in the Negro race. For the past twenty or more years he has been a soloist in the choir of the St. George’s Protestant Church, which is one of the leading and wealthiest white churches in New York City, having on its membership roll such world-known names as Seth Low and J. Pierpont Morgan. Mr. Burleigh is also a composer of international fame, and his “Deep River” is frequently sung in different parts of the world by famous white singers. More mention of Mr. Burleigh’s celebrated compositions will be made elsewhere in this book.

“Guide to Voice Culture” is a book written by Madame E. Azalia Hackley. This book is soundly based on the ripe and rich experiences gained by Mrs. Hackley after an untiring and extensive preparation under the best voice culture masters in America and Europe. For many years she was the most prominent Colored singer in America. For several years past she has been devoting her time and energies in traveling throughout the country organizing and presenting chorus recitals dealing mostly or wholly with American Negro folklore songs. In thus constantly coming in personal contact with the masses of Colored people in all parts of the United States, Mrs. Hackley is doing more today than any musician in personally meeting and influencing so many Colored people to learn to love, sing, and preserve Negro plantation melodies.

Anita Patti Brown of Chicago, Ill., is today one of the most eminent sopranos belonging to the Negro race. She has made numerous and unusually successful trips throughout America and the West Indies, and those who have heard her remarkable singing instantly fall in love with her full round voice of natural richness and sweetness. Among her most catchy pieces is the one titled “Villanelle” which has been reproduced on Columbia Phonograph records with great success.

Florence Cole Talbert, aside from winning the diamond medal at the Chicago Musical College has also won national reputation as one of the leading sopranos among the American Colored people. Although high up on the ladder of songhood, she is continuing to climb to the top by taking special courses in Chicago under such famed teachers as Oscar Saenger and Madame Valerie. This great singer’s home is in Detroit, Michigan.

Cleota Collins, Columbus, Ohio, is a soprano of note, and, as the editor of Music and Poetry has so well said, “is a young woman with a frail body but such an enormous mentality and a voice that makes you close your eyes and listen to her interpretation of songs that set your senses titilating. But she has worked patiently to acquire this power and now condescends to tell young students how she did it.” She is associate editor of Music and Poetry.

Although he is at present living in New Zealand, where he has endeared himself in the hearts of all music lovers there H. Hodges can be rightly claimed an American product on account of his native home being Boston, Mass. His commanding and well trained talented voice is one of the wonders of Auckland where he conducts one of the most exclusive music studios.

After spending several years of personal sacrifices and hard study in America, France and England, Rachel Walker of Cleveland, Ohio was finally rewarded by receiving personal recognition and praise from kings and queens during her first successful appearance in Europe. And today she is classed among the best of American Colored song birds.

Worcester, Mass., and New England in general is justified in being so proud of Estelle P. Clough who has won for herself first place among great Colored singers. She has successfully appeared in most of the important cities in the United States.

Wm. H. Richardson of Boston, Mass., is one of the best Colored baritones in America. He has made numerous joint recitals with Maud Cuney Hare through the United States and has met with great success on all occasions.

In singing compositions of Negro, French, German, Italian and Russian musicians, Wilson Lamb of Orange, N. J., demonstrates in his recitals that he has a baritone voice of marked agreeableness and unusual control. Each year when he gives his big recitals his voice shows the favorable results of his continued hard study and practice, and white papers are unstinting in giving him praise.

For twenty years Sisseretta Jones has successfully managed a musical company of her own organization known as “The Black Patti Troubadors”. In all the European cities they visited they had over-crowded houses night after night. It must be said to the glowing credit and praise of Madame Jones that she is probably the only woman in America, Colored or white, who has been successful in organizing and keeping together for so many years such a high-classed group of musical entertainers.

During the early eighties Madame Selika better known as “Black Patti”, went to Europe and completely captivated the friendship of music lovers in the “Old Country” by her marvelous birdlike thrills and matchless renditions of her famous “Echo Song.” The great range and sweetness of her voice was a delightful mystery to all who heard her.

It was as far back as 1851, at the time the world-famed Jenny Lind (white) was enjoying her greatest fame, that Elizabeth T. Greenfield a Colored woman came into prominence as a noted singer. She was often called the “Black Jenny Lind” and won fame in America and Europe where she was given the pet name of “The Black Swan.”

In the minds of many people still living there are yet fond recollections of that human song bird, Flora Batson, (Mrs. Bergen) who was born in Providence, R. I.. The music people in America, Europe, Africa, Australia and New Zealand considered it a rare treat to hear her touching and pathetic voice that had such bell-like tones and clarity of enunciation. For ninety-one continuous nights at a revival in New York City her voice held vast crowds spellbound as they tearfully listened to her soul-touching voice sing “Six Feet of Earth Make Us All One Size.” And hundreds of curious and prejudiced white people who first went to those meetings to jeer and make fun had their set minds suddenly converted by listening to the truth and full meaning of that song and had their frozen hearts completely melted by the soulful shocks of that great singer’s voice. (Ref. Work’s Negro Year Book, 1918-1919 edition, pgs. 326-7-8).

Anna and Emma Hyers, soprano and contralto; Wallace Kine, tenor; John Lucca and Frederick Louidin, Bassos, of the Old School, were among the foremost singers of their times and proved vocal marvels to all who heard them sing in America and Europe. For years the well trained and talented quartettes of Fisk University, Hampton and Tuskegee Institutes have been winning fame throughout America and even in Europe as unsurpassed singers of Negro plantation songs.

Below are the names of just a few human Colored song-birds of today whom the writer was able to discover among the many flocks that, although now perched very high, are constantly flitting up and up toward the top branches of solo-song trees.

Marion Anderson, Phila., Pa., Martha B. Anderson, sopranos; E. H. Boatner, baritone, Boston, Mass.; Minnie Brown, soprano, N. Y.; Edmonia H. Brown, soprano, Kansas City, Mo.; Arthur Brown, baritone, Mayme C. Byron, soprano, T. Bryant, tenor, Grace Campbell, soprano, Chicago, Ill.; C. Carroll Clark, baritone, New York City; Dessa Clements, soprano, H. Delmore, tenor, Boston, Mass.; L. B. Duppe, baritone, Springfield, Mass.; Isabelle Givens, soprano, Cincinnati, O.; Leroy Goodman, tenor, Columbus, O.; Mrs. H. L. Grant, soprano, Washington, D.C.; C. J. Harbour, tenor, Okmulgee, Okla.; Blanche D. Harris, soprano, New York City; S. Hilliard, tenor, Chicago, Ill.; Revella Hughes, soprano, New York City; Mrs. H. Hunter, soprano, Durham, N. C.; Alfred H. Johnson, baritone, C. L. Johnson, tenor New York City; Marie P. Johnson, soprano, Ella F. Jones, soprano, Lulu R. Jones, soprano, Mary Jones, soprano, Chicago Ill.; Josephine A. Junius, contralto; Paige I. Lancaster, baritone, John T. Lattimore, tenor, Hampton, Va.,; Jennie C. Lee, soprano, Tuskegee, Ala.; Annie H. Lee, soprano, Baltimore, Md., Lawrence Lomax, tenor, C. A. Marshall, baritone, Junious Maxwell, tenor, Lydia McClain, soprano, Phila., Pa.; B. D. McCorkel, tenor, Carolyn Montgomery, contralto; J. A. Myers, tenor, Nashville, Tenn.; W. P. Norcum, baritone, Portsmouth, Va.; Alice M. Pettijohn, soprano, Amherst, Mass.; Mrs. C. Rechley, soprano, Baltimore, Md.; Wm. Simmons, basso, Chicago, Ill.; Maud J. Roberts, soprano, Chicago, Ill.; W. Ryder, basso, Cincinnati, O.; N. Clark Smith, tenor, Kansas City, Mo.; Innis Simpson, tenor, Leon Simpson, soprano, Princeton, N. J.; Luela D. Smith, soprano, Daisey Tapley, contralto, Grace W. Thompson, soprano, Lillian E. Tibbs, soprano, Washington D.C.; S. A. Thomas, basso, Newport News, Va.; Mabel O. Story, soprano, St. Louis, Mo.; Emlyne J. Tindley, contralto, Phila., Pa; Clarence Tisdale, tenor, Chicago, Ill.; Mrs. F. K. Watkins, soprano, Durham, N. C.; Junius Williams, basso, New York City; Mrs. L. Wilson, soprano, Baltimore, Md.; Sidney Woodward tenor, New York City; Mary Stafford, soprano, New York.

Having as its object, “To foster Negro talent; labor for economic and educational betterment”, The National Association of Negro Musicians, under the wise leadership of Henry L. Grant, is wielding a musical influence for good that is being felt and appreciated not only by American Colored and white musicians but by music lovers of both races even abroad. Other nationally known musicians, who, as officers in this organization, are ably assisting their president in furthering the inspirational and elevating work of this organ are; Melville Charleton, R. Nathaniel Dett, Carl Diton, Kemper Herreld, Nora Douglass Holt, Deacon Johnson, H. P. B. Johnson, R. Agustus Lawson, W. H. Loving, Harriet G. Marshall, James A. Mundy, Alice Carter Simmons, T. Theo. Taylor, Clarence C. White and Fred J. Work.

If there be Colored youths who, after reading these inspirational pages, still lack ambition and courage to develop musical talents they possess, because of their race and color, such youths should remember that:—

The most popular and sweetest singing bird in the world (the canary) is Colored. But if hundreds of years ago that bird had ruined his God-gifted voice with discouraged croakings about its yellow feathers, the canary bird of today would be not able to sing so sweetly as to cause its listeners to completely forget it is a bird with a colored complexion. Its singing is so sweet and beautiful that people learn to see beauty and loveliness in its yellow coat that Nature has given it.