Part 11 (1/2)
”The Hutchinsons and Lucas sang to quite a full audience at West's Hall last evening. The performance could not, coming from troupes possessing talent varied and of the higher order, be otherwise than good. These bands, when they united, made a palpable hit. Their combined concerts are almost invariably successes.”
A Wooster (O.) paper, February, 1859, says,--
”The Hutchinsons and Lucas--these two celebrated troupes--will give together one of their unrivalled entertainments at Arcadame Hall on Sat.u.r.day evening next.
They are spoken of in the highest terms by the press in different directions. Both troupes have been in Wooster before; so that it is unnecessary for us to speak of them favorably. The hall will undoubtedly be filled.”
A Cleveland (O.) paper, Feb. 28, 1859, says,--
”The well-known Luca family are now giving concerts in connection with Asa B., Lizzie C., and little Freddy Hutchinson, of the Hutchinson family; and their performances are highly spoken of by Western exchanges. They perform in Elyria on Tuesday evening; and will soon appear in this city, we understand.”
Shortly after the return of the Luca family from the tour with the Hutchinsons, Cleveland the pianist, with a n.o.ble aim, resolved to go to Africa. This circ.u.mstance caused the disbandment of the troupe.
Their father has resided for a long time at Zanesville, O., where, although quite advanced in years, he is still esteemed as a vocalist, singing in a church choir, and where he enjoys the respect of all for his many good qualities of heart and mind.
His two sons, John and Alexander, are now, as ever, devoted to the art of music; the former being a valuable member of the celebrated Hyer sisters concert and dramatic troupe, while the latter is vocal director of another company.
As a fitting close to this sketch, as a corroboration of my own testimony, and as an evidence of the n.o.ble qualities possessed by that rare musician and Christian gentleman, Asa B. Hutchinson, I add the following beautiful tribute from his pen:--
GENEVA, O., Dec. 15, 1875.
In regard to our dear friends the Lucas, I am glad to state that it was our pleasure to a.s.sociate with them in public concerts ”in the cruel days of the prejudiced past;” and this is our testimony: that, in all our concertizing for thirty-five years, we never formed an alliance with any musical people with whom we fraternized so pleasantly, and loved so well, and who evinced so much real genuine talent in their profession, and such courtesy and Christian culture ”in their daily walk and conversation.” Our dear lamented Cleveland was a thoroughly educated pianist, and won the enthusiastic admiration of the scientific musicians in every city and town we visited. He executed most rapidly, at sight, any and all of the difficult and new compositions that were presented to him by his friends, to their astonishment and our mutual joy; and when the three brothers, ”Alex.,” John, and Cleveland, united their respective instruments and voices in one grand choral, the effect was intensely thrilling and electrical. In some of our concerted pieces, where they united with us, we carried our reformatory sentiments and songs to a successful termination; and, notwithstanding the then great and bitter prejudice of our audiences against us all for daring thus publicly to a.s.sociate together, they cheered our combined efforts with loud applause and frequent encores.
And now that each of our bands are broken by death, still believing that the freed spirits of the departed loved ones are re-united in ”singing the songs of the redeemed” in that realm of light, liberty, and love beyond, it is a great satisfaction to me, a poor lingering pilgrim, to revert to one of the sweetest experiences of our entire concert-life,--the acquaintance and fellows.h.i.+p of the Luca family.
ASA B. HUTCHINSON.
VII.
HENRY F. WILLIAMS,
COMPOSER, BAND-INSTRUCTOR, ETC.
”Thy purpose firm is equal to the deed.”
”His lyre well tuned to rapturous sounds.”
A writer in ”The Progressive American” for July 17, 1872, said,--
”Having occasion to visit Boston, I attended one of the unrivalled concerts at the Coliseum, where, to my great astonishment, I saw undoubtedly the greatest a.s.semblage of human beings ever congregated under one roof, and heard a chorus of nearly or quite twenty thousand voices, accompanied by the powerful organ and an orchestra of two thousand musicians. I was highly delighted. But what gave me the most pleasure was to see among some of the most eminent artists of the world two colored artists performing their parts in common with the others; viz., Henry F. Williams and F.E. Lewis. Each of these was competent to play his part, or he could not have occupied a place in the orchestra. I was informed by the superintendent of the orchestra that both these man were subjected to a very rigid examination prior to the commencement of the concerts.”
[Ill.u.s.tration: HENRY F. WILLIAMS.]
The pleasure afforded this writer, by witnessing our subject's appearance on the memorable occasion referred to, was shared by many other persons who were able to distinguish him in that vast concourse of fine musicians. It was not so easy to distinguish him from the others by his complexion as it was by his dignified, graceful appearance. Of this, as well as of Mr. Williams's musical skill, the organizer of the great orchestra, Mr. Baldwin, has, since the event, spoken to me in terms the most complimentary. He said it was not more Mr. Williams's good playing, than his handsome, manly appearance in the orchestra, that afforded him pleasure; and that in both of these particulars Mr. Williams stood in favorable contrast with many other members of the orchestra. This was high praise indeed, but no higher than its recipient deserved, as all will testify who know him.
As stated in the extract just quoted, Mr. Williams, before being accepted as a member of the Jubilee orchestra, was subjected to a severe test; being required to execute on the double-ba.s.s the parts written for that instrument in the celebrated overture from ”William Tell,” and also in Wagner's difficult ”Tannhauser.” In regard to this test Mr. Baldwin has since said to the writer, ”I myself had no doubts as to Mr. Williams's ability as a musician. My object in arranging the test performance was, that I might afterwards point to its successful result, and thus silence many of the instrumentalists that came from other parts of the country, in case they should object (I knew that many of them would do so), on the weak ground of _color_, to playing with Mr. Williams. Neither Mr. Gilmore nor myself knew any man by the color of his face. What we wanted for the grand orchestra was _good musicians_, and, when any one objected to our two colored performers, we triumphantly referred to the exacting and satisfactory test they had undergone as sufficient answer to the foolish clamors of all those afflicted with 'color-phobia.' Seeing the managers of the Jubilee thus resolved, and convinced that the two colored men were artistic performers,--superior in ability to many with whom they were to be a.s.sociated,--no one declined to play; and all was harmony thereafter.”
And here I may be permitted to record the thanks of all well-meaning people for the n.o.ble action of Messrs. Gilmore and Baldwin. The two artists mentioned were not the only members of their race who took a part in the memorable Jubilee concerts. Several others in a vocal way occupied even prominent positions at these concerts. Some sang as artists on the stage, and several were members of that great chorus of nearly twenty thousand voices. In all these places they did their share in making the occasion a grand success, while they justified fully the wisdom of those by whom they were invited to partic.i.p.ate.
The action of the latter was no more than what was due and right, it is true; but it is well to remember (for we must take things as we find them) that Messrs. Gilmore and Baldwin were not obliged to engage these persons. Had the former not been men of pure principles and firmness, they might have yielded to the mean and by far too popular prejudice entertained against colored people, and have refused to allow them to take part in the performances. That they did not thus yield is much to their credit as musicians and gentlemen; and they are to be thanked, I say, for their manly action.