Church Music Association Extra Rehearsal

“Extra rehearsal (C. M. A.) at Trinity Chapel. Mostly devoted to the Lobgesang. Those choruses improve a little as one grows more familiar with them, but they will be heavy & obscure to an uninitiated audience. Mrs. Davison replied to my note of last evening that an engagement prevented her accepting my offer to call for her & escort her to this evening’s rehearsal. She came to see us a week ago today to apologize for her not attending the snow-storm rehearsal of the 8^th, and to declare that she would attend every future rehearsal unless absolutely sick in bed. As it is clear we cannot depend on her, I instructed Pech to write her a civil note, regretting, etc., & that we are obliged to fill her place. The lady is doubtless quite right in thinking that she can sing her own part in the quartette music of Haydn’s No. 16 without further practice, but she forgets that the other principals may be unable to sing theirs, unless they can sing it with her & with the orchestra & chorus, once or twice before the concert. I fear she will be mortified & perhaps wrathful, on receiving this notice, but it will do her good.”