Church Music Association Public Rehearsal

“Dull day & rainy afternoon. But rehearsal of C. M. A. at Steinway Hall was not neglected by chorus or the audience. An hour & a quarter spent on those ungrateful choruses of the Lobgesang. Handel’s or Bach’s antiquated obscure method without a trace of Handel’s or Bach’s genius. We must cut out that dreary tedious difficult “The night is departing”—though Dr. Pech drop dead at our feet. Mass perfectly executed, it is enough to give one enteritis or Plica Polonica. Then came the pretty choral passages from Meyerbeer’s Pardon de Ploermel (or Dinorah) overture. They seemed “like a meadow gale of spring,” coming just after the labored dullness of the Lobgesang. Then Haydn “Et vitam” & to end of the most lovely Benedictus. The quartette (Mme. Salvotti, Mrs. Jenny Kempton, Leggat, & one Jewett) strong & true, far better than our quartette of Jan. 12. Mme. Salvotti good naturedly supplied Mrs. Davison’s place. That lady made default, though a carriage had been sent up for her. We have had much bother with her. She is a sweet kind of person, with intense feeling for art, but she seems capricious—off and on—we don’t know where to find her. She has been the divinity—the Jenny Lind or Grisi—of a little musical circle at St. Louis & Chicago, perhaps feels herself a prima donna here, & entitled to do exactly as she pleases. She sang last night at Mrs. R. Willis’ little soiree (Mrs. R. Willis No. 2, alas) & Ellie heard her. Her voice is remarkably fine, but needs much culture before she can take rank with Miss Minnie Parker, Miss Fanny Reed, & other amateurs, some of whom sing gladly in our chorus, as did the good straight-forward Miss Fanny this afternoon. I sent the lady a polite note, which will probably settle whether she sings for us or not. Mme. Salvotti can take the soprano part in the Mass quite well enough, so I care little about Mrs. Davison’s decision. Of the two, Mme. Salvotti may be the more desirable.”