Sixty Years of California Song

Sixty Years of California Song,
by

Margaret Blake-Alverson This eBook is for the use of anyone
anywhere at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You
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Title: Sixty Years of California Song
Author: Margaret Blake-Alverson
Release Date: October 12, 2006 [EBook #19528]
Language: English
Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1
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YEARS OF CALIFORNIA SONG ***

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SIXTY YEARS OF CALIFORNIA SONG
Margaret Blake-Alverson

M.B. ALVERSON 1913
[Transcriber's Note: Numerous typographical errors and misspellings
(especially of non-English words and names) in the original text have
been corrected in this e-text, where the correct spelling could be
confirmed.]
[Illustration: "Should Auld Acquaintance be forgot?"
Margaret Blake-Alverson
Webster Photo, Oakland, 1912]
Address all correspondence to
MRS. MARGARET BLAKE-ALVERSON 1429 SECOND AVENUE
OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA
Copyright 1913 by MARGARET BLAKE-ALVERSON All rights
reserved
Man must reap and sow and sing; Trade and traffic and sing; Love and
forgive and sing; Rear the young with tenderness and sing; Then
silently step forth to meet whatever is--and sing.
TO MY FRIENDS EVERYWHERE I AFFECTIONATELY
DEDICATE THIS BOOK.
IF AS A SINGER AND A TEACHER OF SINGING I HAVE BEEN
A FACTOR IN THE BETTERMENT OF INDIVIDUALS AND
COMMUNITIES, THEN HAS MY WORK BEEN WELL DONE
AND I AM CONTENT.
MARGARET BLAKE-ALVERSON
OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA JANUARY, 1913

FOREWORD
This book has been written for friends and musical associates of more
than half a century.
The author's life has been a busy one, often with events of public
import, and so it may be that this volume has value as history. Those
who should know have so affirmed.
It is hoped that old-time Californians will find the book good reading.
The later generations of students and musicians will be interested in the
story of one who helped to prepare the way for them.
The narrative tells somewhat of the Christian ministry of a noble father,
of the writer's career as a public singer and of reminiscences of many
associated musicians, efficient factors in the development of music in
California to the high place it holds today.
Some mention is made of distinguished divines and men of note in the
professions and in business. The part taken by the author in political
campaigns and in the activities of the Grand Army of the Republic will
appeal to patriots.
Some chapters on the singing voice and its cultivation are the fruitage
of a wide experience of many years. A list of pupils for three decades is
added.
The illustrations have been at once a labor of love and an extravagance
of money cost, but it is believed that the reader will find in that feature
alone justification for the publication.

THE TEXT
Antecedents and Childhood 1
Our Trip to California via the Isthmus and Early Days There. First
Church Choir in Stockton 13

Stockton in the Fifties. Benicia Seminary. Genesis of Mills College.
Distinguished Pioneers. Marriage 33
How I Made the First Bear Flag in California 43
Boston. Dedham Choir, 1858. The Civil War. Musicians. Return to
California. Santa Cruz 48
Music in Santa Cruz in the Sixties. Return to San Francisco. How and
Why I Became a Dressmaker. Opera. Music in San Francisco in the
Seventies 59
Lady of Lyons Given for the Fire Engine Fund, Santa Cruz.
Flag-Raising at Gilroy Hot Springs. Visalia Concerts 69
On the Road with Dick Kohler, Mr. Vivian, Walter Campbell, Mr.
Wand and Charles Atkins 75
Early Music and Music Houses. Musical Instrument Makers. Old-Time
Singers 83
As a Church Choir Singer in Cincinnati, Stockton, Benicia, Dedham,
Santa Cruz, San Francisco, San Bernardino and Oakland. Rev. Starr
King, Howard Dow, Henry Clay Barnabee, Carl Zerrahn, J.C.D. Parker,
Carlotta and Adelina Patti, Jenny Lind, Joe Maguire, Georgiana Leach,
Sam Mayer, Harry Gates 92
Golden Jubilee of Song Service, June 12, 1896 108
Camilla Urso's Festival, 1873. Madame Anna Bishop, The Loring Club,
Alfred Wilkie, Frank Gilder, D.P. Hughes, Ben Clark 112
St. Patrick's, St. Mary's, St. Ignatius' Cathedrals. Episcopal and Jewish
Music. J.H. Dohrmann. The Bianchis 123
Great Musical Festival in Aid of the Mercantile Library, 1878. At
Gilroy Springs 130
Authors' Carnival, 1880, President Hayes and General Sherman Present

137
Vacation Episodes at Deer Park, July 4, 1893 145
In Oakland. Sad Accident. With Brush and Easel. Kind Friends 152
Party at Dr. J.M. Shannon's Home in 1907 157
Lee Tung Foo 161
What I Know of the Voice and of Teaching 167
Tremolo 172
More About the Voice 179
Political Campaigning. Work as a Patriot on National Holidays and
with the Grand Army of the Republic. Flag Raising at