Music and Some Highly Musical People Part 18

JNO. L. BURNS.

To this the following reply was returned:--

SALT-LAKE HOUSE, Aug. 15, 1871.

Messrs. WALKER, TILDEN, A.W. WHITE & CO., HOOPER, ELDRIDGE, & CO., AND OTHERS.

_Gentlemen_,--Your esteemed favor is before us; and, gratefully accepting your high compliment to our humble endeavors, we respectfully name Thursday, Aug. 17, as the time of the proposed benefit at the Salt-Lake Theatre.

Respectfully,

HYERS SISTERS.

While in St. Joseph, Mo., they elicited from "The Daily Herald" of that city the following encomium:--

"Whoever of our readers failed to visit the Academy of Music last evening missed a rare musical treat. The concert of the Hyers sisters was absolutely the best, furnished those in attendance with the choicest music, which has been in St.

Joseph since we have resided here.

"The Hyers sisters are two colored ladies, or girls, aged respectively sixteen and seventeen years; but their singing is as mature and perfect as any we have ever listened to. We had read the most favorable reports of these sisters in the California papers, but confess that we were not prepared for such an exhibition of vocal powers as they gave us last night.

"Miss Anna Hyers, the eldest, is a musical phenomenon. When we tell musicians that she sings E flat above the staff as loud and clear as an organ, they will understand us when we say she is a prodigy. Jenny Lind was the recipient of world-wide fame and the most lavishly-bestowed encomiums from the most musical critics in the Old and New World simply because she sang that note in Vienna twenty years ago. Parepa Rosa, it is claimed, reached that vocal alt.i.tude last summer. But the sopranos who did it flit across this planet like angels. Several competent musicians listened to Anna Hyers last evening, and unanimously p.r.o.nounced her perfectly wonderful. With the greatest ease in the world, as naturally and gracefully as she breathes, she runs the scale from the low notes in the middle register to the highest notes ever reached by mortal singers. Her trills are as sweet and bird-like as those with which the 'Swedish Nightingale' once entranced the world. In Verdi's famous 'Traviata' there was not a note or modulation wrong: her rendition was faultless, her voice the most sweet and musical we ever listened to.

"In the duet, 'There's a sigh in the heart,' her voice was exhibited in wonderful range; and, in the tower-scene from 'Il Trovatore,' its great power was singularly and very agreeably apparent.

"We do not remember to have been more completely and agreeably surprised than we were last evening in the matchless excellence of the singing of the Hyers sisters.

They deserve a crowded house; and we predict that in Boston or New York, by the most severe critics, they will be p.r.o.nounced musical prodigies."

In Chicago their success was none the less flattering. In this, styled by many the "Queen City of the West," the remarkable musical powers of these young ladies created intense excitement, especially among people of the highest musical culture. The extraordinarily high range of the voice of Anna Hyers quite astonished every one who heard her, and evoked the warmest praise of the critics. For the purpose of a.s.suring those who had not heard her sing, or who, although present, failed to exactly locate in the scale her greatest alt.i.tude, as well as to more pointedly mark this rare achievement in vocalism, a number of the best musicians of Chicago published a card in "The Tribune," in which they declared that "Miss Anna Hyers sang at the concert last night the second G above the staff,--a note touched by no other singer since Jenny Lind."

Still proceeding towards the East, they next appeared in Cleveland, O., where their delightful vocal powers were thus alluded to by "The Daily Leader:"--

"On Sat.u.r.day evening last, we had the pleasure of listening to the Hyers sisters, who have, since their appearance in public, been the recipients of the most flattering testimonials; and are warranted in saying, not without the best claim to them, the exhibition they gave of their ability was most satisfactory. The soprano (Miss Anna) has an exceptionally pure, sweet voice, with ample power for all the demands of the concert-room. Her execution was admirable. The contralto (Miss Emma) possesses a voice of remarkable quality; and we do not hesitate to say that a richer or more evenly-conditioned contralto voice is rarely heard. Her execution was all that could be desired."

Encouraged by the marked success which had thus far crowned their efforts, their father, with whom and under whose direction the Misses Hyers had travelled since leaving California, now determined to enlarge his troupe. This he did by engaging the services of Mr.

Wallace King of Camden, N.J., a gifted and accomplished tenor-singer; Mr. John Luca, widely and favorably known from his connection formerly with the celebrated "Luca family," and who sang baritone; while as accompanist he engaged the fine pianist, Mr. A.C. Taylor of New York.

An intelligent idea of the composition of Mr. Hyers's troupe can be formed by a perusal of the following, which was the preface given to the programme of his concerts:--

[Ill.u.s.tration:

THE GREATEST MUSICAL PHENOMENA OF THE AGE!

THE FAMOUS CALIFORNIA VOCALISTS,

THE

HYERS SISTERS!

(COLORED.)

MISS ANNA MADAH HYERS _Soprano_ AND MISS EMMA LOUISE HYERS _Contralto and Tenore_ a.s.sISTED BY MR. WALLACE KING _Tenor_ AND MR. JOHN LUCA _Baritone_

AND THE GIFTED PIANIST,

A.C. TAYLOR.

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 princ.i.p.al 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 cla.s.sical pieces that have been sung by the most accomplished artists.

MR. WALLACE KING (tenor) possesses a fine voice of splendid quality and great compa.s.s, 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 compa.s.s, clear and steady in the higher notes. Miss Emma, the contralto, has a voice of great power and depth; qualities which, in impa.s.sioned 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-cla.s.s audiences and first-cla.s.s 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 a.s.sociation 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 compa.s.s 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.