There was no choir singing, but
congregational song with a precentor who stood in the middle aisle and
led the people, with the large organ at one side of the church, J.C.D.
Parker, organist. As the service began my husband said, "Maggie, when
the hymn is given out you can sing, since the entire congregation
sings here." He had an excellent tenor voice, and we both sang,
unconscious that we were attracting any attention. Between the hymns
Mr. Barnes (the precentor) stood three pews behind us. After the
service was ended he came to our pew and introduced himself, telling
us that when he heard my contralto he thought the church had a
visitor, Miss Adelaide Phillips, of the opera company, and Boston's
foremost contralto. He was surprised to find my name was Blake
instead. I did not know until I heard this wonderfully beautiful
singer in opera oratorio how highly I had been complimented. Then I
realized the comparison and did my best to merit the praise which had
been bestowed upon me in my twentieth year. When we parted Mr. Barnes
invited us to meet some friends at his home on Monday evening, when we
met the principal members and officers of the Handel and Haydn
Society, and after a pleasant evening of part song, solos and duets, I
was asked to sing for the company. I was reluctant to comply, as I was
not considered a solo singer, my place was always in quartette work
and duets. Contraltos were not so popular in those days as the soprano
and tenor and not considered solo voices where I ever sang before.
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