Music and Some Highly Musical People Part 9

"'C.B. PHIPPS.

"'BUCKINGHAM PALACE, July 22, 1854, LONDON.'"

"In May, 1854, she received an invitation through the Rev.

Mr. Geary to sing at a concert, but declined, being advised not to sing at public concerts until her return to the United States. She therefore sang only at private parties until July, 1854, when that same n.o.ble benefactress, the d.u.c.h.ess of Sutherland, secured for her two places in 'The Indiana' steam-packet for New York.

"With a warm invitation to revisit England at some future period, she embarked at Southampton to return to America."

The trip to London and its attendant circ.u.mstances resulted in much benefit to Miss Greenfield in an intrinsic, artistic sense, adding decided _eclat_ to her professional reputation. "The New-York Herald,"

a journal which in those days was generally quite averse to bestowing even well-merited praise upon persons of her race, was, however, so much moved upon by her exhibition of an increased technical knowledge of the lyric art as to speak of Miss Greenfield as follows: "'The Swan' sings now in true artistic style, and the wonderful powers of her voice have been developed by good training." This was but echoing the general verdict.

During the years that intervened between Miss Greenfield's return from England and her death,--the latter event occurring at Philadelphia in the month of April, 1876,--she was engaged in singing occasionally at concerts, and in giving lessons in vocal music.

Remembering her own hard contests as she ascended the hill of fame, Miss Greenfield ever held out a helping hand to all whom she found struggling to obtain a knowledge of the n.o.ble art of music.

Possessing, on account of her great vocal abilities, the high esteem of the general public, from a rare amiability of disposition enjoying the warm love of many friends in those private circles where she was always an ornament and a blessing, this wonderfully gifted lady at the age of sixty-eight years died, deeply mourned by all. Of her brilliant career, of her life, which, in many important respects, was so grandly useful, as well as of her peaceful death, nothing more need here be added, further than to place her name in the honorable list of those of whom Milton so eloquently says,--

"Nothing is here for tears; nothing to wail, Or knock the breast; no weakness, no contempt, Dispraise, or blame; _nothing but well and fair_, And what may quiet us in a death so n.o.ble."

VI.

THE "LUCA FAMILY,"

VOCALISTS AND INSTRUMENTALISTS.

"G.o.d sent his singers upon earth With songs of sadness and of mirth, That they might touch the hearts of men, And bring them back to heaven again....

But the great Master said, 'I see No best in kind, but in degree: I gave a various gift to each,-- To charm, to strengthen, and to teach.'"

_From_ LONGFELLOW'S _The Singers_.

While nearly all persons have to a greater or lesser degree musical sympathy and capability, or, to speak generally, capacity for the enjoyment or production, in one way or another, of harmony; and while, too, a goodly number there are who possess what may be called musical apt.i.tude,--it is yet only once in a great while that we find those who are thus endowed in a degree which may be considered extraordinary.

For the Muses, however often and earnestly invoked, are never lavish in the bestowment of their favors. This is especially true as applied to the G.o.ddess who presides over the art of music. Only here and there is some one selected to whom is given great musical inspiration; into whose keeping is placed the divine harp, which, when swept by his hands, the people shall hear entranced.

[Ill.u.s.tration:

1. ALEXANDER C. LUCA, SEN.

2. CLEVELAND O. LUCA.

3. ALEXANDER C. LUCA, JUN.

4. JOHN W. LUCA.]

Occasionally we may observe in families one member who appears particularly favored by nature in the possession of rich and varied musical talents, the same being improved by careful cultivation. Such a one readily attracts attention: his native endowments and his extensive acquirements often form the theme of conversation, of warmest praise; while everywhere he is a most welcome guest. But, if in a family a single instance of this kind produces the effects just described, the latter can but be greatly enhanced when is found a family composed of a number of persons in no wise small, each one of which is a highly-talented and finely-educated musician. It is, however,--for the reasons already mentioned,--so rare a thing to see the musical faculty thus possessed, and its advantages thus fully embraced, by an entire household of nearest relatives, as to render the circ.u.mstance a cause of much surprise; while a family so greatly skilled in the most beautiful, the most charming, of all arts, easily attains to high distinction, its members becoming objects of such general private and public interest as to render their careers quite worthy of the best efforts of those who would make the same a matter of history.

The foregoing remarks, although made in a somewhat general way, may be particularly applied to that excellent troupe of artists, the "Luca family," a brief account of whose remarkable natural endowments, superior acquirements, and interesting musical life, is here appended.

The family, as at first professionally organized, consisted of six persons,--the father, mother, and four sons. Some changes that occurred afterwards will appear as the narrative progresses.

Alexander C. Luca, the father, whose history shows most pointedly how much may be accomplished by devoted study, deserves especial mention.

He was born in Milford, Conn., in the year 1805. He is, in the most proper sense, a "self-made" man. Possessing but few opportunities for acquiring an education, he yet made the most of those he had, and is to-day a man of varied culture, an excellent example of the Christian gentleman. At the age of twenty-one years he apprenticed himself to a shoemaker, having previously spent his life upon a farm; and, while thus engaged, he showed a decided taste for music. In the shop where he worked were several boys who were learning the trade, and who were also members of the village singing-school. Going occasionally into their school, listening eagerly to all they sang and talked about both there and in the shop, he soon learned their songs, and was induced by the surprised teacher to join the school. In a short time, by the aid of a naturally musical ear and a good voice, and by diligent study of the rudiments, he became quite a proficient scholar; surpa.s.sing, in fact, most of the other pupils of the school.

After learning his trade he removed to New Haven, Conn., where after a while he was married to a lady of fine musical qualities (she being especially remarked as a singer), and who was also of a musical family. Soon after his arrival at New Haven, Mr. Luca, having acquired by this time quite a fine knowledge of music, and being an excellent vocalist, was chosen chorister of a Congregationalist church. In a short time his choir was considered the equal of any in the city; which was high but well-deserved praise. Some time previously to the formation of what was called professionally the "Luca family," the subject of this sketch organized a quartet consisting of Miss Dianah Lewis,[11] a sister of his wife, his two older sons, and himself, and gave in New Haven and vicinity a number of fine concerts. Mr. Luca trained all his children in music at an early age, and taught them to sing in his choir at the church.

[Footnote 11: She was a vocalist of rare powers, and was considered the equal of the celebrated Miss Greenfield, or, as the latter was frequently called, the "Black Swan."]

Mrs. Luca heartily sympathized with, and aided her husband in, the musical and general culture of the family. One of the sons thus speaks of her: "Our earlier taste for music was especially encouraged by our mother, who thought that the study of it would claim us from the bad influences which idle hours and mischievous a.s.sociations engendered."

With such parents it is not strange that the Luca children became so worthy and eminent as exponents of the art of music.

John W. Luca, the oldest son, when quite young, was remarkable, mostly, as a comic singer. He sang frequently at school exhibitions, and often created much sensation in singing a temperance song called "The Old Toper."

Alexander C., jun., who in after-years became so noticeable as a tenor-singer and violinist, was at first the dullest of the boys.

Simeon G. possessed a tenor voice of extraordinary compa.s.s, singing high C with the greatest ease. He sang the choicest music from the various operas to astonished and delighted audiences. He was also a solo violinist of rare powers; often thrilling his audiences by the smooth, sweet, and expressive strains evolved from his instrument.

Cleveland O. Luca, the justly celebrated, the wonderful pianist, began to exhibit extraordinary talent at the early age of seven years. It was not, however, the intention of his parents to have him begin to study so early. Indeed, little did they think that the fire of musical genius burned so brightly in the soul of their young boy. But Cleveland, or "Cleve" as he was then called, was not to be restrained.

Going often into the room where his aunt was playing on the piano-forte, he listened eagerly and delightedly, his little soul stirred and filled by the sweet sounds of harmony; and, after she had left the instrument, he would go and play the selections even better than his aunt. Of course such striking evidences of genius filled the b.r.e.a.s.t.s of his parents with delightful surprise; and it was soon decided to place the gifted boy under the care of a competent instructor. He rapidly developed those remarkable powers for ready reading, facility and brilliancy in execution, that afterwards made him so wonderful and so noted.

When but ten years old, he had become a performer of such excellence as to attract the notice and to receive the unequivocal praise of such good judges as Strakosch, Dodworth, W.V. Wallace, and other noted musicians of New York.

When it was resolved to form as public performers the "Luca family,"

the decided musical powers possessed by young Cleveland made his services indispensable, and he was of course taken as a member. As the "wonderful boy pianist," he everywhere created quite a _furore_.

The ladies in the audiences were especially delighted with him; and forgetting often, in their enthusiasm, that he was black, it seemed that they would certainly carry him away.

Never satisfied to rest alone upon his fine natural endowments, our young artist pushed his studies, entering the cla.s.sical, the technical domain of the great master-composers, and playing with easy, graceful, magnetic touch, and delightfully winning expression, any of their works. As a reader at sight of compositions the most difficult, it is doubtful whether he had an equal in this country.

The prejudiced or incredulous, before having observed his rare powers for reading and playing, often as a test, and sometimes with a hope to embarra.s.s him, placed before him some technical and very difficult work. But the readiness with which he played the piece changed one who had come to doubt or to scorn into a silent, deeply surprised, and interested listener; and it was most always the case, too, that such a one, yielding to the exquisite charm of the music, as well as to the gentlemanly, graceful manners of the young virtuoso, became from that time forth his warm admirer and friend.

But this brilliant artist did not confine himself to the interpretation of the more difficult compositions for the piano. At the time of which I am writing,--twenty years ago,--his success as a performer before miscellaneous audiences could not have been so great, had he not possessed, in a most pleasing degree, a versatility of talent. His _repertoire_ was an extensive one, and decidedly "taking"

in the varied character of its excellent pieces. Many of the latter were simple, yet always purely musical, and of course highly pleasing.

Before the public, Mr. Luca was, in the best sense, a successful performer; while, in those smaller and finer artistic circles where the more delicate and higher musical forms were appreciated, he delighted and even instructed his listeners, receiving their warmest praise.

_True_ art is ever n.o.ble and enn.o.bling: in its domain its devotees are known and valued, not by the color of their faces, but by the depth of artistic love that they feel, and by the measure of success to which they attain. And so the subject of this sketch, although of a complexion quite dark, and often suffering from the coldness, if not the insults, of those afflicted with "color-phobia," was yet ever sought after and cordially received upon terms of equality by all the _great_ musicians wherever he journeyed. Nor did the press of the country, nor people of culture generally, fail to pa.s.s upon him the highest encomiums. A few of these are elsewhere given.

Besides his ability as a pianist, Cleveland Luca was also a vocalist of fair powers. No especial pains being taken, however, to develop this faculty, he attracted, as a singer, no great attention.

On the 27th of March, 1872, in far-away Africa, whither he had n.o.bly gone to carry the bright, cheering, and refining light of his musical genius, his frail const.i.tution yielding to a fever, he died at the age of forty-five.

It is hard to over-estimate the great good this remarkable artist accomplished for his much-abused race in dissipating, by his wonderful musical qualities, the unjust and cruel prejudice that so generally prevailed against the former at the beginning of his career; for in him was fully and splendidly ill.u.s.trated the capacity of the dark-hued race for reaching the highest positions in the walks of the art melodious. The example, moreover, of his intelligent parents, who, when they discovered his talents,--avoiding the mistake often made by some, who, alas! but too frequently rest content merely with observing the signs of genius in their children, allowing the at first bright spark to go untended, to burn "with fitful glare," and to finally become, from this neglect, extinguished,--devoted themselves at once to their fullest and most artistic development,--this example, I say, is one to be highly commended, and ever to be followed.