Mary Wakefield's Quaker Descent

AKEFIEL

ROSA NEWMARCH. b

P I

ALL SINGERS AND WORKERS IN 'KENDAL : ATKINSONAND POLLITT, THE MUSICALCOMPETITION FESTIVALS, PRINTERS AND PUBLISHERS. 1912. PAST,PRESENT, AND TO COME.

U l

b CONTENTS.

PAGE PREFACE ...... 7

CHAPTER

I. MARY WAKEFIELD'S QUAKER DESCENT. HER

" For if her soul PARENT§. BIRTH.CHILDHOOD. SEDGWICK. Hath entered others, though imperfectly, SCHOQLDAYSATBRIGHTON. ... The circle widens as the world spins round,- ...... 9 Her soul works on while she sleeps 'neath the grass." II. EARLYFRIENDSHIPS. STUDY IN LONDON. THE

TOWER-ROOM. MY FIKST MEETING WITH MARY '' Music is possessed of a strange power to those who love WAKEFIELD. ... her;an elevating, somewhat awing influence gathersround ...... 21 her ; the love of a lifetime is not good enough for her, the enthusiasm of a life's work is a very small tribute to her." III. VISITSTO ROME. THESALA'DANTE. THE GRIEGS. Mary Wakefield. HERARTISTIC AND SOCIALSUCCESSES. COM- POSITIONS...... IV. MARY WAKEFIELDAS A LECTURER...... V. FRIENDSHIPWITH RUSKIN...... vr. MISCELLANEOUSWRITINGS......

VII. THEORIGIN OF THE MUSICALCOMPETITION

FESTIVALS : 1885-1900...... 79

vm. THE DEVELOPMENT AND FUTURE OP THE MOVEMENT 94 IX. NUTWOOD.THE LAST YEARS...... I08

APPENDIX-LIST OP MUSICPERFORMED AT THE WESTMOR-

LAND FESTIVAL : 1885-1912 ...... I21

l LIST OF ILLUSTRAI-IONS.

...... Frontispiece MARY WAKEFIELD ...... FACING PAGE

...... 14 MARY WAKEFIELD, AGED TWO YEARS ...***

m...... 18 STARTING FOR BRIGHTON ... c-’

..L .I...... , I .. . 22 SEDGWICK . a.

I.. .., 30 *.a ... ’ IN THE “ TOWER OF SONG ”

It only remainsfor me to thank thsose who helped me to compile this volume. TQ MaryWakefield’s sisters I am grateful for the confidence reposed in me, and for the free- dom of judgment theyhave allowed me to exercisein the ...... II2 course of my work. My acknowledgments are also due tu TH.E WOOD-GARDEN, NUTWOOD Lady Bective,Mrs. Gurney (Miss Dolly Blomfield), Miss ... ,., ...... 116 Alice deNatorp, Miss Marion Terry, Mrs. Rough (Miss IN THE GROUNDS, NUTWOOD MaribelSedgwick), Miss Stella Hamilton, and Mr. George Rathbone for their kind and sympathetic help. To thislist should be added thename of Signor Randegger who, not long before his death in November, 191J, took an active interest in the preparation of this book.

London, February, 1912. MARY WAKEFIELD A MEMOIR.

CHAPTER I.

MARY WAKEFIELD’S QUAKER DESCENT. HER PARENTS. BIRTH. CHILDHOOD. SEDGWICK. SCHOOLDAYS AT BRIGHTON.

No biography of MaryWakefield that dealt only with her musical talents and achievements could give a complete and just impression of her remarkable personality. Although her gifts as a musicianwere of so highan order that we need hardly hesitate to say that the light of genius touched, Sf it did not wholly irradiatethem, yet her character was even moreremarkable. It was impossible to knowher in- timatelywithout gatheringthe impression thather personality was greater than anything that circumstances actually allowed her to accomplish. There isno doubt in the minds of those who remember her singing at its best, and who are also compztent to judge of it, that had she elected to follow at all coststhe impulse of herearly years, and devote her whole life tomusic, shemight have become one of the leadingsingers of the day. The force of social convention hindered her, however,from becoming known to posterity in companywith those who stand in the first raakamong professionalvocalists. The memorial she built for herself in the world of music is perhaps less brilliant,but it rests on a surerfoundation than that of thesinger’s fame. Her truly democratic and nobly educative work in connection with theinauguration of Competition Musical Festivals in rural districts, was, in part,the suggestion of herartistic temperament; but stilE more the outcome of certain characteristic qualities. Heruntiring energy, mental and physical, herinfectious enthusiasm for her art;her tact andsym- pathy, which enabled her to weld together all sorts and conditions of people for the fulfilment of a great purpose; her large views of life; her genuine sense of humour, that saved IO IT

John Wakefield, one of sixchildren, was a warm supporter herfrom the mistakes so frequentlyperpetrated by those of the cause of the Friends, and a successful manager of the whohave a mission,spiritual or zesthetic-these werethe Bank. Born in 1794, he was educated at Glasgow University, qualities that enabledher tofound a movementwhich has and eventually married Miss MacArthur, a native of that city. rapidly become a force to be reckoned with in our national He died in 1866, at theage of seventy-one.Like the pre- fice. - vious JohnWakefield,, he had a family of sixchildren, four Mary Wakefield’s musical gifts seem to havebeen almost of whom survived : WilliamHenry, Mary Wakefield’s spontaneous,for there is no record of anymember of her father ; andthree daughters who may be occasionally family having been extraordinarily endowed in this respect; referredto in these pages, Mrs. Cropper, Mrs. Weston and but her characterwas largely an inheritance from many Mrs. Iceightley. generations ìn whom courage,business capacityand liber- Another remarkable member of the family, though only alitywere leading qualities. Forthis reason it is necessary by marriage,.Mrs. PriscillaWakefield, the founder of the to preface this memoir of my friend with some account of her FrugalityBanks, which werethe origin of the modern forbears, especially of those who came of Quaker stock. Savings Bank, must be mentioned before we pass on to later Itis saidthat for at least six generations the Wake- j generations ; not only becauseMary Wakefield cherished fields have beenestablished in Westmorland. An old thetraditions relating to this clear-sightedand benevolent Quaker family , they were constantly id+cntifi.edwith the long woman, of whom she often spoke to me in later years, being andstubborn struggles for liberty of faithand conscience perhapsa little consciously influenced by herexample, but which had been carried on in this district since the days when also because she herself intended at some future time to com- GeorgeFox started hisministry at Swarthmoor,near pile some memorial of this interesting personality. Ulverston ; holding his first meeting of Friends at the house \ PriscillaWakefield, the eldest daughter ofDanieII Bell of JudgeFell in 1652. TheseWakefields, however much and Catharine Barclay, and granddaughter of Robert Barclay theirindividual characters and tempers differed incertain who wrotethe famous Apology f0.r the Quakers, was born respects, were all. known for their strong commonsense, their i at Tottenham, on January 31st, 175I. Shemarried Edward helpfulgenerosity, and loyal attachment totheir native Ivakefield,merchant, of London,the son of youngera county.They combined with their business asbankers and brother of Roger VVakefield. manufacturersthe occupations of landownerson a large A history of the Savings Bank system would be out of scale. Party politicsseem to havehad no attractionfor place in thesepages. It will be sufficient to say that in the them,and in spite of theweight they carriedin their own first instance Priscilla Wakefield, convinced that many of the district, none of them seems to have been ambitious of writ- labouring classes and domestic servants were ready to make ing M.P. after his name. In the improvement of agriculture, some provision for sickness and old age did they but know andin all benevolent and educational schemes, the Wake- where toglace it withoutdanger or inconvenience,deter- fields werealways tothe front. They were not all equally mined to do somethingpractical, if limitedin scope, to strict adherents t.o the tenets of the Friends ; but Quakerism remedy awant which led tothriftlessness and pauperism. was the bed-rockon which their convictions were founded, Shebegan, in rag$, by being herself thebank, the trustee and an active principle in theirdaily lives. Perhaps for the and receiver of the money paid in. Lateron, Mrs. Wake- purposes of this memoir it is unnecessary to trace back the field becoming uneasy because the deposits had swelled into history of the family beyond Roger \Vakefield, born in 1706, some hundreds of pounds,presently resolved to divide her thefather of the firstJohn Wakefield, who carne intothe responsibilities,and formed a committee of ladies, herself worldin 1738. MaryWakefield’s great-grandfather, John acting as secretarv. Wakefield II., of Sedgwick,was the founder of thebank PriscillaWacefield wasnot entirely occupied with the which bore their name from 1788 until 1893, when it was ac- scheme I have just described in outline. In spite of physical quired by the Bank of Liverpool, Ltd., from Mr. Jacob Wake- disabilities,her range of interestswas wide and her pen field and his partners. Her grandfather, the third successive I2 I3

Mary’s father was a typical Wakefield, a man of quick active. Shewas the aunt of thefamous Mrs. Elizabeth decision andprompt action ; straightforward in speechand Fryand the intimate Eriend of Mrs.Barbauld. Among her in dealing ; undismayed by responsibilityand unfailingly frequentvisitors at Tottenham were the Rev. Dr. Bell, the hospitable.Although an excellentbusiness man, he found originator of NationalSchools, and Joseph Lancaster, in time for active open-air pursuits, and was known as a fine whosesystem of mutual educationshe took apractical in- swimmerand skater, a first-rate whipand a fearlessrider terest. Above all she was anxious to raise the status of her acrosscountry. Nis enjoyment of life musthave been full- ownsex, and wrote a treatise entitled “ Reflections on the blooded and complete. At the same time he was simply and presentCondition of theFemale Sex, with suggestions for sincerelyreligious without mysticism. A manwho “ served its Improvement.”She closed her longlife of benevolent his generation by the will of God,”William Henry Wake- activity on September 12th, 1832, in her eighty-second year, field wasnot a bornQuakerj his parentsbeing Church at the house of her married daughter, Mrs. Head, of Albion people, but he had more than a touch of the Puritan in his Hill,Ipswich. nature, and could act up to the role of “ stern parent ” on This digression from my principal subject is more excus- occasion. able than may appear at first sight, because, as this memoir Mary’smother was a strong andoriginal personality, proceeds, we can hardly avoid drawing comparisons between with a quiet sense of humour, who unobtrusively, but surely, PriscillaWakefield’s valuable and unostentatious social made her influence sensible in her own circle. In her appre- wnrk.. ---_ andthe equallyhelpful social activity of her distant ciation of fun, and in her capacity for frank but sympathetic relative, Mary, il; a later generation. criticismMary must have resembled her, and also perhaps Mr. WilliamHenry Wakefield wasborn atBroughton in that warmth and protective tenderness to which it would be Lodge,near Cartmel, May 1=8th, 1828. Hewas the only difficult to do justice in thesepages. A friend whooften son, surviving to manhood, of John Wakefield, the third of saw them together tells me she always carne away with the that name,who moved to Sedgwick on thedeath of his impression thatthe tiebetween motherand daughter was father, about 1830, and lived thereuntil his own demise in unusually strongand perfect. “ WhenI knew Mrs. Wake- 1866. WilliamHenry Wakefield was quite a young man field, ” shesays, “ shewas more or less an invalid,and when he entered the Kendal Bank and shared in its manage- seemed to merather an onlooker atthe life thatwent on ment. In 1851he married Miss Augusta Hagarty, daughter aroundher than an active participator in it. She lived a of hlr. JamesHagarty, AmericanConsul to Liverpool. Al- great deal in herown rooms, but I always feltas though though described in the official documents connected with his shewere actually behind everythingthat took place. Mary appointment as “ JamesHagarty of XewYork,” he was was a truenorth-country woman inher love for her own actually of Irish extraction, and born near Staunton, Augusta people and her own home ; but she had passionate interests County, Virginia, in 1789. Before becoming consul at Liver- that pulled her in variousdirections. Hermother was for pool, he had been engaged in similarservices in Paris and hera centre to which shegladly returned to rest amid the Madrid. His wife was born in 1807, in Savannah,Georgia, manyactivities and excitements of her life. Maryalways U.S.A., andapparently about 1818 herfamily migrated to seemed to me to gain serenity and force from contact with Liverpool and carried on their business there as cotton mer- hermother, although on thesurface she gave theìdea of chants.Her maiden namewas Richards, and she married beingthe more dominating personality of the two. Mrs. Mr. Hagarty in 1826. Although in her portrait, which hangs wakefield’s outlook struck me as very calm and philosophic- in the great hall at Sedgwick,she is represented as seated al. 1 believe no one ever knew Mary better than her mother at an old-fashioned square piano, there is no tradition of her did, or felt more complete sympathy with her.” havingbeen particularly musical. But MaryWakefield After his marriage, Mr. Wakefield lived in the old Bank alwaysdeclared she must have inherited some of hersense House in the quaint Stricklandgate, one of the oldest thor- nf hllmour andthe moremercurial elements of hernature oughfares inKendal. Here, in theaustere-looking town of grey limestone, lying among its surrounding fells and grassy slopes of “ Kendal green, ” like a black pearl in an emerald setting, MaryWakefield was born, on August Igth, 1853. Thefirst seven years of her.existence were spent in this town, which was afterwards to be the scene of those Com- petitive Festivals to the promotion of which herlife was devoted. Of this period of herearly childhood we know next to nothing. The little daughter whopreceded her died

intothe country. Anold friend of theWakefield family tells me that it must have been about this time that Mary’s great passion for music began to be realized by her mother, andone of theincidents which broughtit home toher was \ the child’sspending half acrown of herpocket money on the purchase of a. violin, which she scraped with more satisfaction to herself thanto herlisteners. Soon after this she musthave received someelementary instruction in thisin- strument,for she tells us in some all too brief musical reminiscences, writtenfor a northcountry paper, that her- 1.5

first pubiic performance consisted in playing the violin to her father’stenants at an audit dinner. “ I have hadmany audiencessince,” shewrites, “ but never onemore appreciative.” On the whole,however, she hadvery few musical impressions in her childhood, for niusic did not dwell in, or ’ travel to, Westmorland as she afterwards made it do. Other memories of theseearly days come from Miss Alice de Natorp, a lady who acted for a time as governess to Mary and her sister, Ruth, and has always remained in touch withthe family. Shewrites :- “ My recollections of Mary Wakefield as a child have to travel back abou t fifty years. She was nine years old when I first learnt to know her well, and as I think of her in those bygone days, a vision rises before me of a little girl bound- ing with health and spirits; bubbling over with fun and the pure joy of living. Her rosyface, light browncurly hair andbrilliant smile, forma picture that warms one’s heart to look back upon. §he was so joyous, frank and generous, andeven in thoseearly years, created an atmosphere of sunshinearound her. She was free from all petty, self- centred traits of character : atruly delightful child, bright andintelligent beyond theaverage, and gifted with an unusual power of song and a keen musical instinct. (6 It was my happy lot, during an interregnum of gov- ernesses, to spend the greater part of each week at Prizett, in charge of Mary and her sister Ruth, and the time I stayed therewas one of unmixeddelight. I shallever look back upon it as one of thehappiest episodes of my life. I wish I could remember all Mary’sclever and original sayings. I went homeladen with them almost every week. On one occasion a reminder,or maybe reproof,a produced the instant rejoinder : ‘ Alice, pour words are sharper than any two-edged sword ! ’ Anothertime, on one of our daily bvalks, I called the children, for it was time to return home. A merry voice shouted from the top of a six foot wall, ‘ Ah, Alice, you have not yet learntthe impossibilities of life ! ’ Lest these examples of Mary’s quick and ready repartee be taken for impertinences, I must explain that I was not much more thana child myself, just six yearsolder than herself. 1 cannot remember a single instance in which these fascinat- ing childrenfailed to recognize theauthority with which their parents had invested me. Ridingwas one of Mary’s chief joys; in factshe I6 =7

with character and bright intelligence, and endowed into the delighted in all that was healthy and satisfying to the needs bargain withall that wealth, wisely andgenerously spent, of her boundlessenergy. One occupation,however, did not could give them. commend itself to her views of happiness, and that was the Atthe time of theirremoval to Sedgwick, the Wake- use of the needle 1 Her clever fingers were made to draw forth j field familyconsisted of Mary;Ruth bornin 1856, who sweet sounds of music from various instruments, any of which afterwardsmarried Harvey Goodwin in 1879; Minnie born she could havemastered and excelled in, hadnot nature in 1$62, married in r883 toEdward Arnold ; Johnborn in given her a voice of extraordinary power and beauty which 1858, who died in 1896; Jacobborn in 1860 andWilliam called, forthe absorbing work of her life. I neverthink Henry born in 1870; Agnesborn in 1.866, nowMrs. T. A. of those dear Prizett days without seeing little Mary with a Argles, of Eversley,Milnthorpe, for manyyears Mary’s look of decided boredom on her bonnie face, struggling with capablelieutenant in all ,that concerned the Competition a certain rainbow-coloured kettle-holder which she was rnak- Festivals and recently elected to succeed her as President of ing at great self-sacrifice for ArchdeaconCooper, the Vicar the “ MaryWakefield ” Westmorland Festival. of Kendal, a greatfriend and favourite of the children. I Thiswas in itself afamily party sufficient tokeep the doubt if the Vicar ever realized the patience and self-denial large houseand grounds in a state of cheerfulbustle and embodied in that little piece of woolwork ! activity. But Mr. Wakefield, as we have said, loved to exer- “ To this brief andimperfect sketch I can only add ’ cise hospitality on a large scale ; and plenty of other young that,for me, earth holds no brighterand tenderer memory people,including a goodly band of cousins,were at hand than that of the large-hearted, generous soul we knew and to swell thenumbers. Mary wasthe life andsoul of them loved in childhood,youth and womanhood as Mary Wake- all; old enough to exercise some of the authority of an elder field.” sister, yet near enough in age to join in their amusements. The houseknown as Sedgwick, occupied by an earlier ‘6 Lookingback on those years1” saysone of hersisters, generation of Wakefields, stood onthe banks of the river “ I see that all ourfun emanated from Mary. Qn Sunday Kent. When, in 1866, Mary’s grandfather, Mr. John Wake- she would takeus up to hertower-room ’ andmake us field, passedaway after a longillness, his only son, Mr. learnour hymns and collects. Buther rule was light, and %Villiam HenryWakefield, became senior partner in the herbuoyancy and good temper unfailing.” Itis not sur- KendalBank and succeeded tothe Sedgwick property. He prisingthat shortly after settling at Sedgwickthe news immediately setto work to rebuild thehouse, choosing a that Mary was to be sent to a “ finishing ” school in Brigh- position on higher ground, surrounded by pleasant park-like ton was received with consternation by all the other members grounds, and almost facing Prizett, where Mary had passed of thefamily. What theirfeelings were, has been placed from childhood to girlhood. By 1868, the presenthouse, a on record by an amusing contemporary sketch, the work of fine structurein English domesticGothic style, was com- a boy cousin. Mary,stalwart, and animated by prideand plete, and the family moved into the home ,which was to be an evidentsense of heroism, isstriding down thedrive at the centre of such a bright and prosperous existence‘, and the Sedgwick, carrying her own carpet bag labelled “ Brighton.” cradle of the CompetitiveFestivals movement. Sedgwick Mr. Wakefield (an admirable likeness, by the way) is moved hasnot the characteristic air -of a north-countryseat. The t0 manlyemotion as he gives her his blessing. Her mother view fromits windowsis not extensive, asWestmorland ancl the rest of the family are all in attitudes which suggest views go; there are no glimpses sf lake or mountain, nor of theabandonment of tragicsorrow. Below thedrawing is wild and rock-piercedfell sides. Theaustere note of the an inscription which throwsa gleam of mischievous light northern sceneryis absent. Even thestately house is built upon thesituation. Itpurports to be a cuttingfrom the of a stone warmer and lighterin colour than the usualgloomy agony column of the Times : “ Come back to your despair- limestone of the locality. Onthe other hand it would be ing family. All will be forgotten and forgiven and in future difficult to imagine pleasanter or more radiant surroundings YOU shall have your own way in everything.” Thiswas in in which to bring up a family of young people, all stamped

An accìdentwas the rarest occurrence in her long and ad- venturouscareer as a whip.Once, indeed, she had a spill uponsome awkward side road in a countryfamous for suddendips and sharp corners. She happened on thatocca-

c sion tohave a groomwith her-, andwhen she had picked herself andthe horse up and somewhat recovered from the shock,she said to him : “ Vou hadbetter take the reins, Fred,I’ve lost my nerve. ” Incredulous,the man looked upand down theroad as though expecting to see the lost article disappearing round the corner. Then in a comforting tone, he remarked : “ Never mind, Mum, you’ll get it back.” Which she did ; for Mary was by nature morally and physic- ally one of the most fearless women I have ever known. Atthis time her musical gifts cannot have been very h.ighly cultivated. §he hadcertainly received someinstruc- tionfrom Mr. Armstrong, of Kendal,before she went to school atBrighton. She tells us, inthe reminiscences from which I havealready quoted, that as she grew older she felt a veritable craving for better teaching than she could get in thatfar-away Westmorland district, and for this reason welcomed theprospect of a boarding school. InBrighton sheworked under Mr. Kwhe forthe piano and Signor Meccatti,an Italian singing teacher of the old school. It is evident therefore that her lessons were the best of their kind --thekind which meant two half hours a week,included under the heading of “ accomplishments,” and destined for the most part to-accomplish very little. But at least she now had Ame stimulating musical experiences. “ Here, in fact,” shesays, “ I firstheard any music at all, to speakof, and itwas indeed the opening up of heaven.”In Brighton she first heard Patti, then in the fufness of her glory, “ a thing alwaysto be remembered,for surely hers is the most won- derfulthroat in theworld. I remember,too, meeting Regondi at this time at the house of some friends, where he played that much reviled instrument the concertina, in a way that, I suppose, it has never been played before or since.” ThatMary Wakefield had excellent capabilities and a gooddeal of quietself-confidence, even as a schoolgirl, is evident from the impression she made on those who saw her 1. .p at seventeen. An old friend,Mrs. Gurney, then Miss Dolly Blomfield, met herfor the first time while at Brighton. Mary,who was her senior by twoor three years, was broughtone day to visit the Elomfields by herfather, who P 20 was obviously very proud of his blithe and debonair daughter.Mrs. Gurney remembers being greatly impressedby CHAPTER II, Mary’s voice, of immense volume, not as yet brought under control,and by her lively self-possession; but most of all by the cool and skilful way in which she held her own in a EARLY FRIENDSHIPS. STUDY IN LONDON.SEDGWICK AND game of billiards. The outcomeof this meeting was an LONDON. THE TOWER-ROOM. MY FIRST MEETING WITH almost adoring friendship on the part of the younger for the MARY WAKEFIELD. elder girl; a sentiment which ripened intoa very lasting affection onboth sides, and led tofrequent intercourse as ’B So unsophisti,cated anattitude towards =sthetic ques- the years went on. tions could nothave been of longduration. Although the Mary’s first public appearance as a singer was in 1873, atmosphere of her home cannot have been very musical until at a concert organized on behalf of a hospital scheme, pro- she began to make it so, yet Mary Wakefield was surrounded jected by her aunt, Mrs.Cropper, of Ellergreen, when she by beautiful things, and the district in which she lived was sang twosongs then muchin vogue, Sullivan’s (( Once not only filled with the traditions of a great school of poetry, Again ” andVirginia Gabriel’s (( Sad heart, now take thy .but remained the home of manycultured and interesting rest.”Every one whoremembers her singing in theearly I people. . Moreover, by thelaw of like to like, shedrifted ’seventies agrees that even before she was twenty she had a towardsother gifted musical natures, so that soon the remarkablybeautiful voice, rich andwarm in quality,and stirrings of a ‘(divine discontent ” set her critical faculties exceptionallyround in tone for so young ,a woman. But as in motion, aad shebegan to feel,though perhaps dimly at regards the art of singing, I think at that period in her exist- first, all the laborious polishing that was needful if her rough ence shemust have sung verymuch as the birds do, from jewel of a voice was ever to shine out brilliant, many-faceted, impulse and intuition, giving immense pleasure to audiences yielding its utmost qualities of light and colour. as little critical of her as she was of herself. The time had A love affair which somewhat overshadowed her at this barely come when she realized.al1 the responsibilities ‘involved time, was not without a direct influence on her artistic devel- in the possession of such a gift. opment. Viewed in the retrospect of her whole existence we see thatthis experiencecame too early in life totake the spring, out of so elastic and buoyant a nature as hers. Mary Wakefieldwas far from shallow, butshe was thenyoung, and her after years were destined to be full of activity and interest. Forthe time being, this romance mayhave been strengthened by her father’s decisiveand wise opposition, but it could not have been said with truth to have spoilt her life. At the same time it seems to have engendered a certain restlessness, and driven her to music as a source of consolation. It was at moments when the strong wills of father and daughterthreatened to comeinto conflict thatthe tender sympathyand understanding which existedbetween Mary and her mother was poured forth like a soothing balm, heal- ing allthe results of passing friction.Mrs. Wakefield, who was equally devoted to her husband and her eldest daughter, wasthe most successful intermediary when these two firm and decided naturesclashed, and it ismore than probable evercomfortable that may be--by fishing for paid engagements, without even being blessed by Providence with a fine voice (for if shecan afford aseries of expensivelessons, l’art de dire, no matter how or what, is considered sufficient excuse for a public appearance)Mr. Wakefield’s attitude may seemstilted and despotic. But a generation ago in- dividualism was less rampant in theworld, and a daughter was expected at least to compromise in such matters. More- over, atthat time,the moment of sharpeststruggle and renunciation had hardly come to Mary Wakefield. It must not be supposed from what I have just said that Mr. Wakefield was in reality a tyrannous or unkind parent. On the contrary, within certain limits, he loved Mary’s singing,and the doors. of Sedgwickwere hospitably opened to her musicalfriends. Firstand foremost among these was Maude Valerie White, who at the time when &/Iary first met her must have been still studying at the Royal Academy o* Music, whereher career was krilliant, though incomplete. Enteringthe Academy in 1876, Miss White won the Men- delssohnScholarship in 1879. Unfortunatelyafter holding itfor nearly two years, she had to relinquishher work on account of ill health,which necessitated her taking a long tripto South America.But already some of herbeautiful lyricshad heen written,and were beginning to yin her a reputation. The intimacybetween the two girls ripened apace,and soon we find Miss White aconstant visitor zt Sedgwick,where she had her own particular room in the lower story of the tower, and was gently scolded from time to time by Mrs. Wakefield, because in moments of inspiration she often left traces of ink on other surfaces than that of her music paper, an infallible, but unappreciated, sign of genius ! However,she was forgivenfor the sake of theresults. 23

Several of her' best songs, including " Absent yet present," werewritten at Sedgwick.Mary and Maude Valerie White took part in manyconcerts together all over thecountry, andhad some amusing experiences.Once at C- Miss White played some of Brahms's Hungarian Dances, thena curious novelty to the provincial critic, even in a large town where this took place. The next morning a paper announced " Miss White hlayed Nos. . . of Brahms'sHungarian Dances; we are at a loss to know how to comment on these fi singular productions, but wesuppose that, in companywith the Skye terrier, their beauty lies in their ugliness ! " Another musical friend who visited Sedgwick, and with whose parentsMary Wakefield occasionallystayed in London, was Mr. 'J. A. FullerMaitland, who was not in thosedays musical critic of the Times. The gifted family of Robertsonswere also among her musical friends, thoughnot so intimate as Miss White, if onemay judge from the brief entries in her diaries for these years. Never- theless, it was through the medium of MissRobertson that Mary Wakefield was first introduced to Professor Randegger, who. although a little reluctant to take amateur pupils, consented,after hearing her sing, to undertake the training of

I her voice. Writing in afteryears of herlessons with this famous teacher, she says : " To his careful and conscientious teaching (off and on after this period for many years) I know that I owe all the mechanism of the voice, and in my case, its having lasted as it has, with often a great strain upon it. Randegger, as a master, was a firm and occasionally severe teacher,but it was a severityone never regretted.Apart from his music, he is a cultivated, clever man; his tea'ching is based upon theItalian methods pursued by such singers as the famousMadame Rudersdorf, whoseaccompanist he wasfor years. He has, however,always kepthis hand on the tiller of time,and though heis perhaps now the only master with original oratorio traditions at his fingers' ends, there are few singers who come to thiscountry, or have been educatedhere, who are not, at some the, indebted to his instruction and experience. " Thiswas probably towardsthe close of 1876. The following year she seems to have started the habit of keeping

L smalla diary, which nevervaried in size or kind duringthe remaining years of her life. Evidentlyher young days were too full,and too ardently lived, togive breathing time for I 24 25 Marion Terry in the first instance by 1\/Iiss Ethel Arnold, and recordingthe events and impressions which crowded upon thefriendship, started inLondon, was soon cemented by her so thicklybetween 1877 and 1884. So long as she had Miss Terry’s visit to Sedgwick in 1885, which chanced to her voice, allemotion and self-expression was poured fortli coincide with the very first birthday of the Musical Festival, throughthe medium of song. Later inlife when shehad so that ín after years the thought of her friend was inextric- gained considerable skill in writing, her pen was busy with ably bound up for Mary with the discovery of her life work. anumber of externalsubjects. She was not at anytime Miss hfarionTerry oftenrevisited Sedgwick and constantly given to introspection,or self-revelation, and unfortunately accompanied Mary on her long drives across country. Many it never seems to have occurred to her thatfuller reminiscences weretheir adventures. Once, returning from an unusually of some of herexperiences might have interested others. long expedition,the horse showing- signs of fatigue,Mary For much of what she was and did in theyears before 4 turned off thehighroad into the fields, declaringit to be a knewher I amdependent on the memories of herfriends, shortcut home. So itmight have provedif, afterdriving and on my ownrecollections of what she told mewhen we three or four miles over the turf, they had not found thern- were together in London,or at herhome at Wutwood. selves broughtup‘ suddenly by one of those long walls of Mary Wakefield was a woman with a genius for friend- loose stones which in Lakelanddivide one wide pale green

ship. “ Many of my warmest friends,” she once was heard stretch of fellside from,another equally extensive. No gate to say, “ haveheen made through music ; thereforesmall was to be found, but Mary would not hear of driving her tired wonder that it is very closeand dearto me.” But there favourite back by the track they had just followed and then were also dearly loved cornparlions of whom she saw a great again over thelong high-road home. Her decision was deal at this time, whose attraction though not purely musical characteristic. ‘‘ Take the wall down,” she said, andhitch- heíd her close, andseveral of themmust have helped to ing up thehorse to graze, sheand Miss Marion Terry set mould herthoughts and tastes. Not allher friendships, to work to unbuild the obstacle. Thetwilight was rapidly naturally enough, stood thewear and tear of time-anden- drawing on as with aching backs and sore fingers they Aung forcedseparation, but a wonderfulproportion of them. re- down theheavy slabs of limestoneand then arranged them mained unchanged tothe last. Anlong the chief of these íi?. a kind of ascending and descending causeway over which, loyal affections was that which she always cherished for Lady in thecourse of anhour or so, horseand dogcart were Bective. Her diaries are full of brief allusions to visits paid phted in safety. They did not-it must be confessed- stop to Underley,and in lateryears to Lunefield, while during ’ to rebuild the wall, but jogged home as quickly as possible the last years of her life a largeproportion of hertime in in the growing darkness. London was spent at the house of thisfriend. Itwas at Anothertime Mary set outto drive her friend Over a LadyBectìve’s that she sang MaudeWhite’s lovely set- part of Coniston Old Man. The bridle path,suitable for ting o€ Shelley’s ‘‘ When passion’s trance is overpast ” to riding, wasnot very negotiablefor a vehicle. All might Oueen Alexandra, then the Princess of Wales, who at once have gone well however, had not a mountain mist enveloped H accepted the dedication of the song. them just as they started 011 the steepest part of the descent. Inher diaryfor 1881, occurs,on April 20th, the entry The horse practically decided that it was unwise to move a “ Tea with Miss Broughton,” and this is thefirst mention stepfurther. They left the dogcart therefore by the way- of her acquaintance with the authoress of “ Belínda,” whose side, andtaking out the horse led him downuntil they brilliant and pointed wit no one was more fitted to appreciate reacheda shelter. Then they climbed upagain on foot to than Mary Wakefield. Miss Rhoda Broughton remained one fetchthe cart between them, but they hadhardly reckoned of her most intimate friends, and was in later years a frequent on thesteepness of the declivity. Not all Mary’sstrength visitor at Nutwood. -and itwas far beyond that of average women-aidedby It was in theautumn of r884 thatshe first met Miss the valiant efforts of Miss Marion Terry, availed to keep the hfarion Terry and her sister Ellen, and here again, acquaint- vehicle frombehaving likethe Gadarene swine. It was not ance ripened into life-long ties. She wa,s introduced to Miss t 26

was the scene of those musical gatherings that were such a they who brought the cart down theside of WalneyScar, distinguishingfeature of thelife a.t Sedgwick.There stood butthe cart that brought them, willy-nilly, at a pace that --and still stands-the grand piano at which MaryWake- was neither safe nor dignified. Itwas rare, however, that field; MaudeValerie White,and other friends spent many Mary’s horses left her in the lurch even under the most trying delightfulhours. The height and spaciousness of thehall circumstances. There was nothing she could not coax them made it an admirable place to sing in. When the musicians intodoing, and if the mood took her to walkher cob over gatheredthere, the guests and the family, andgenerally a narrow gangway on to a small lake steamer, or through some of theservants too, would collect quietly atthe best amountain torrent, it generally- obeyed withthe proverbial points of vantage in thesurrounding gallery. Mary’s fine, meekness of the lamb.Hindrances that could notbe got warm voice rang through, the hall, and the tones ascended over,she removed, as wehave seen, with ber own hands. andwere lost in theraftered ceiling above. It was like She would have been an invaluable transport officer in time hearing her sing in the nave of some cathedral. of war. . The hall was theplace where Mr. andMrs. Wakefield Early in September, 1886, Mary and Miss Marion Terry loved to gather a big house-party,supplemented by guests spent some weeks together in Venice. During a part of the from theneighbourhood, and to hold gay festivity. Im- timeMiss Violet Paget (VernonLee) joined themthere. provised concerts and theatricals were of frequent occurrence, This was the visitreferred to in one of Ruskin’s letters to and amongthe visitors who took part in them weremany Mrs. Wakefield. The weather was hot and the evenings were well-known amateurs of the day, and not a fewprofession- oftenspent on the refreshing shores of the Lido. An inter- als. Signor Randegger-irreverentlyreferred to by the esting experience was a short visit to the country house of young people as “ Wan,” tout court, was often at Sedgwick. Princess X. . . atStangella, near Padua, where they got Sir William--then Mr.-Cusins, and Herr Franke, who had aglimpse of realItalian patriarchic life. The men who been associated with Wilhelmji in organizingthe Wagner worked in the fieldsand gardensduring the daywaited Concerts at the Albert Hall in r877, were also guests in the solemnly at table during the evening meal in liveries strange autumn of 1878. toEnglish eyesand white cotton gloves. At thebeginning Besides the hall there is another room at Sedgwick which of October the travellers returned to London by the Italian %vil1always remain as it wereimpregnated with the atmos- Lakes. phere of Mary’spresence : the room which is associated To these old friendships, and many others made in later with herhours of study, and perhaps also with her dreams years, I may haveoccasion to refer in thecourse of this of a wideractivity and farne than circumstances permitted Memoir, but for the moment E must take up Nary’s life at her to realize. From a%door in thegallery which I have Sedgwickand in London, and try to show how rapidwas described,awinding stonestaircase led up to the small her artistic growth and how indefatigable her energy, when room, withwindows looking in threedirections over the once she had attained a glimpse of higher musical ideals. park-likegrounds of Sedgwick, which shechose to make Sedgwickis a remarkablybeautiful modern house, at her sanctum. There she kept her books,and hung her fav- once imposing and home-like, and almost ideally planned for ourite pictures ; although unlike the ladies of medisval times, musicalpurposes. One enters almost immediately into a whoseturret-chambers were perched high above the din great square hall,open up to thefull height of the house, and dust of dining-halland courtyard, .Iam quite sure that with a huge fireplace, andwalls hungfor the most part Mary never solaced her quiet hours withtapestry-work or with portraits of the family. The wide staircase on the left- delicatebroidery. Thedoor of thisroom is decorated after hand leads to the first floor, roundwhich runs a four-sided the style in vogue thirty years ago, with hand-painted panels, corridor,or gallery, into which open the chief bedrooms of thework of hersister Ruth (Mrs. Goodwin). Thedays of the house. Other rooms thereare on theground floor : a amateurdecorations have long since fled, butthis door re- dining-roomcommensurate with Wakefield notions of hos- mains - and ill probablyalways be allowed to remain pitality,and spacious drawing-rooms. But the great hall 28 29 untouched for the sake of the apt quotations inscribed on it : Thence, while the Torrent murmurs from afar, ‘r Here will we sit and letthe sound of musiccreep in our My fancyborne on swallow wings mayglide, ears; ” cc And music shall untune the skies.” And, bound for Heaven, my hopes can venture wide But no sooner was Mary settled in her quaint eyrie than O’er seas of darkness lit from star to star. she found herself confronted with what threatened to be an There on the morrow, when the lark awakes almostinsurmountable difficulty. Towerchambers were Upward he soars ; his little shadow moves relics of a daywhen no one desired to takeinto them any Across my room, a fluttering phantom song : musical instrumentlarger than a lute, a harp, or a viol. A thousand memories of forgotten loves Her requirements, when once she began to study regularly, Sound from the pictured wall he floats along, necessitated atleast acottage piano. The narrowcircular P Loud with a thousand tunes my morning breaks. stairway was an impassable barrier, and the largest window, under the roof,looked sheer down into the carriage sweep . I thinkthe years 1877 and r878 musthave been some many feet below. ButMary was born to refute the irnpos- of-the veryhappiest in Mary Wakefield’s life. Absorbedin síble. An upright Steinway was actuallyhoisted by pulleys herstudies, beginning to be conscious of herpowers as a up the angle between the walls of the tower and the house, singer,fresh, as yet, to theenthusiasm and admiration she hauledin at the window, andplanted triumphantly in the inspired wherever she went, she had hardly begun to feel any middle of the room. It survived thatand other strange acutestruggle betweenperfect enjoyment of,her existence experiences and is spending an honoured old age in the room with all its advantages, .and the lurking conviction that it led where I am now writing.* In the tower-room she found the tono special goal. Once shehad started her lessons with necessary quiet and isolation for the hard work which eventu- ~ SignorRandegger and had graspedthe many things needSul ally produced such fine artistic results. From her lofty nest to the education of a great singer, it is quite astonishing how her voice was oftenheard swelling free and ardent asthe she managed to fill her days to the brim. The days, indeed, song of somewonderful bird poised highoverhead. Her seem often to have overflowed into the nights, and, since she sister Agnes says she has often felt a thrill of delight, when, wasan earlyriser, constantly beginning her activities in returning from a ride or walk, she heard Mary’s voice meet- Londonbefore 9.0 a.m., onefeels that even hergloriously ingand welcomingher as she approached thelodge-gates, sound health must sometimes have been endangered by this clearerand stronger than the murmur of theneighbouring period of Sturm und Drang. Such was often the fear of her river,or the sighing of the wind in thesurrounding trees. master, who knew the value of repose if a voice is to be made Some verses written by the Reverend H. D. Kawnsley, dated the chief cult of a woman’s life. A year or two later, when September pth, 1881, were inspired by thelittle room, the she had become known everywhere, and was in perpetual de- centre of the musical life not only of Sedgwick, but of a large mand for social and charitable functions, Signor Randegger andever-increasing district. I quotethem here : used to scold her roundly for this lavish expenditure of time and energy. These were the only serious disagreements that ever arose between them during their long mutual intercourse THE TOWER OF SONG. as teacher, pupil, and friend. I do not imagine that his scold- ings had much effect. Nothing, I think, could haveacted as When I am weary of the fret and jar The tuneless rush of life’s o’erwhelming tide, a drag upon Mary’s boundless energies, unless perhaps it had been the certain conviction that her whole existence and repu- I sayunto mysoul-come thouaside tationdepended upon the carefulpreservation of her voice. And climb the tower where rest and musicare. - But she has often told me that, in those days, she never knew what it was tofeel tired or atthe end of her physical resources. * In the billiard room of Eversley, the home of Mary Wakefield’s In thespring of 1877,besides workingseveral days a youngest sister, Mrs. T. A. drgles. week with Signor Randegger, she was having Italianlessons ; andthe frequent occurrence of the name of Professor ]Ban- nisteramong her engagements, points-so hersister Mrs. Argles believes-to the fact that she was taking a course of instruction in harmony at the same time. The piano she was studying with Sir William-then Mr.-Cusins. Shealso returned to her first love, the violin, and worked at it for a little while under Herr Stern. At this time she used to stay, withher father’s approval,for a largepart of thespring and \ autumn in the house of some friends of the name of Wedder- burn.During this period inLondon she tellsus that the principal part of hermusical education was accomplished. She alsotook every opportunity of practising her art. “ I joined the Amateur Musical Guild,’’ she writes, “ under Mr. Henry Leslie, and the Handel Society. I endeavoured to join the BachSociety, but was refused, though specially invited later in the same season to do SO ! 4 gained a certain amount of knowledge of choral singing from practice which has since been very useful to me,and got toknow Mr. Henry Leslie intimately,-a friendship which has borne fruit in later years in the further development of his choir competition schemes. At that time he was the principal authority on madrigal and unaccompanied choral singing in London, and to him belongs no doubt the credit of the revival in this country of madrigal andother music of thesame character. The Amateur Musical Guild gaveopportunities for solo as well as choral singing at its concerts, and I well remember my first appearance at §t. James’s Hall, in Handel’s NeYcuZes, for the solo (among others) of ‘ With rosy steps the dawn advances ’ was allotted to me. The results of this perEormance are notfor- gotten, nor yet Mr. Leslie’s fatherly pleasure in its success, I do not remember feeling nervous at all, and am quite sure that, with an orCiin?ry helthy subjecl, nervousness is the result of wider knowledge than I could boast in those days. I made the acquaintance at this time of, Mr. Blumenthal, who very often accompanied me in his beautiful settingof Christina Rossetti’s “ Dreamland,”and -other songs. Man5 pleasant evenings have I passed in his charming house in Kensington Gore. I never sang in public except at some very tiny affairs till I was twenty, and I first sang in London at a semi-public concert at Larxbeth Palace, in ~876,in the day of Archbishop Tait. ’’ Christmasand New Year,as well asthe summer and early autumnmonths, she usually spentat Sedgwick, from i i

i. , . J 31

whence she soon started on whatwere practically concert tours all over England. The concerts in which she took part were,however, almost all strictly amateurentertainments givenfor charity. In June,, 1877, sheran over toParis on a short visit. The entries in her diary make it appear to be h,er first trip> abroad ; but in their characteristic brevity she omits to mentionher travelling companions. We can hardly suppose that she “ ate ices in the Palais Royal,” “ saw the \ Louvre, ” and “ went to the FranCais ” all by herself, and the supposition is that she went with her father, and a dear friend MissMaribel Sedgwick (now Mrs. Rough). By July6th she had resumed her gay and busy life in London, but before the month was out she was back in the tower-room at home This summer she seems to have begun her sittings to Miss Starr, who was probably on a visit to the Wakefields, for the portrait which now hangs at the foot of the staircase as one turns out of the hall at Sedgwick. It was in the spring of this year that I firstmet Mary Wakefield, and although when we came to be intimate in later years the occasion was only a hazy memory to her, to me if hadremained a fairiy vivid impression. Many yearspre- viously, as a very young woman, my auntMiss Virginia Kenney, a daughter of James Kenney the censor of plays and author of “ Raising the Wind,” with its once famous hero Jeremy Diddler, and other popular works for the stage, had been governess in the family of the Croppers of Ellergreen. How this vivacious and extremely witty woman, half French half Irish,had become transplantedfrom the literary and theatrical atmosphere of her homes in London and Paris to a Quaker household, I cannot now explain. §he had a musical gift that bordered on genius,and “ away with her ” that must have somehow proved an attraction to people so utter1.y different in customand tradition to herself. From herI

I oftenheard in my childhood of some of theWestmorland Quakerfamilies including, of course,the Wakefields. Later in life my aunt married a Mr. COX and lived for some years in WimpoleStreet. Here she oftenentertained an artistic i andjournalistic circle. She hadknown Mary’s father as a youngman, and so ithappened thatthey occasionallyex- changedvisits when the Wakefields were in town,and the question of Mary’s voice andthe difficulties of limitingher activities to non-professional engagementswas, know,I spoken of betweenthem. I was only a girl at the time, but f the whole matter made an impression upon me, because just at the same moment a member of our own family was in a similarposition, and thequestion ‘(to be or not to be ” a CHAPTER III. professional singerwas often being discussedbefore me. On oneoccasion my auntorganized a party in Mary’s VISITS TO ROME. THE SALADANTE. THEGRIEGS. HER honour,with a view, I believe, to herbeing heard by some ARTISTIC AND SOCIAL SUCCESSES. leading musical critics, and, as far as I can remember, James COMPOSITIONS.

Davison,who was still writing for (( The Times ” was amongthe number. Besides thebeautiful quality of heF We now reach a stage in Mary Wakefield’s life when we voice andher delightfully buoyant and unaffected manner, are more than ever filled with regret that she should have left what struck me most was her breadth of style and the free us nopersonal record of herexperiences, sketched in her andunforced expression of temperament;she sang as she ’\ bright, individual,and racy style. felt,and she felt deeply andwarmly. Thesewere rare From an earlyperiod in hercareer, in spite of herin- virtues in anamateur singer thirty years ago, when the tense affection forher native Westmorland, she recognized range of songs was usually limited to drawing-room ballads, thatto carry ‘her musical gifts furthe.rafield, to win the andsuch abandon andpassion in non-professional singers appmbation of a wider circle, and run the gauntlet of a more were hardly regarded as decorous on the platform, or in the fastidious criticism, were the best methods of fitting herself home circle. The glowand sincerity of her singing left me for the service of herart. She was wise in notattaching with a lasting impression, although I did not happen to hear . too much importanceto local admiration, which wasgiven her againfor some considerable time. Shewas my senior to’her unstintingly. On one occasion when she sangat a by three or four years, and while she was(pursuing her busy concert at Kendal in which Sims Reeves also took part, she socialand artisticcareer, I wasstudying painting at was recalled timeafter time afterboth her songs, inspite of the fact that the great tenor was waiting to comeon in “ Heatherleys.” Occasionallywe met atthe houses of mutualfriends, Miss Mary Robinson (Mme. Duclaux) and the first instance with (‘My pretty Jane,” and in the secand Miss Annie Goldie (Mrs.Curtis) daughter of Dr. Goldie of owling.” Such a popularsuccess might have Morningside, and an excellent amateur musician, were among spoiled a nature lessgenuinely artisticthan hers. ourmutual acquaintances; but although I wasan ardent By thetime she was three or four and twenty she had admirer of her singing,our intercourse in thosedays was heard much of thefinest music which London atthe time very limited, and it was not until many years afterwards that a-fforded. She hadfrequented the opera, and was aregular we became fast friends. attendantat the Richfer Concerts and the Saturday and h Monday (‘Pops.” She had sung,too, not only in London, ‘“r but in CarlislF, Blackpool,Gloucester and Torquay, in all of which townsher popularity was established and her re- peatedvisits looked forward to as musicalevents. In 1878, shemade a concert tour at theNew Year which included Mansfield, Retford,Worksop, Nottingham and Chester. We now find her on the point of winning fresh laurels still further afield, andwe can imagine with what intense pleasureshe must have hailed theprospect of a visit to Italy, a countryshe frequently revisitedin afteryears and loved only second tothe wild moorsand shimmering lake- lands of herown home. InFebruary, 1878, she ].eft England in companywith m 34 35 her fatherand mother, and herbrother, Mr. Jacob Wake- many distinguished foreigners and Americans, besides a very field, andtravelling south by way of Paris, Marseillesand interesting musicalcircle which included Countess Gigliucci the CornicheRoad to Genoa, reached Rome on Saturday, (Claro Novello), MadameHelbig, Sgambati and others. March 2nd. It is characteristic of her energy that on Tues- LikeMary Wakefield, Madame Liza Lehmann(Mrs. Bed- day,Sth, shehad already started a course of lessonswith ford) made her Roman debut in the Odescalchi. This occur- Signor Alari, a well-known professor of singing who divided renceis related by Mrs. Fraser in herbook. Hadshe been his time between Rome and Paris. She also went to Signor present when Marycarried away her audience with the Sgambatifor pianoforte lessons.Mary Wakefield had car- warmthand vitality .of her singing, undoubtedly she would ried withher an introduction to Mrs. Terry, formerly Mfs. alsohave given us someaccount of that event. But during Crawford, the mother of the novelist Marion Crawford, and thespring .of 1878 Mrs.Fraser was stillwith her husband the RowLe in which shewas now made welcome wasthe in China. Her description of Romanlife helps us, however, Rome so charminglydescribed by Mrs.Terry’s daughter, . torealize to someextent the delightful and congenial at- Mrs. HughFraser, in herbook ‘ ‘A Diplomatist’sWife in mosphere in which Marythen found herself, and to fill in Many Lands.”Mrs. Terry lived in thePalazzo Odescalchi, thebackground of asketch which isall too incomplete. in the Piazza Ss. Apostoli, and almost every day during her One feels during this period, as one so often does in glanc- sojourn in Rome Mary’sdiaries contain the brief entry ing- through her tiny diaries, so fully packed with daily and ‘ Palazzo Odescalchi 4.30 ”-or ‘‘ 8.30 p.m. ,’’ as the case hourly engagements,that she was living tooardently and . might be. Writing of the home of her girlhood, Mrs. Fraser keenly to findroom in her existence for self-analysis. says : “ It was built by a Pope, Innocent XI., whp reigned , She hadatemperamental avidity for new experiences from 1676 to 1689, duringthe doom-ladenperiod when it andactivities, and it was not until much later in life that seemed as if Islam might descend with fire and sword upon she found the necessary ,recueillement to note what she felt the very Vaticanitself. . . . All thesame, the Pope -.and thought, and to commit itto paper. I know that in foundtime to build one of the most princely of Roman afteryears she looked back tothis firstvisit to Italy as palaces opposite that of the Colonnas, who doubtless looked having deeply influenced herdevelopment. Though brief, upon the Odescalchis as meremodern upstarts whenInno- it realized many ardentexpectations and she always saw it cent XI.’s more imposing pile rose up across the way, occu- througha haze of goldenmemories. Shecertainly returned pying,with its courtyard, the entire block betweentwo to England far more sure of herself and her artistic powers streets and running back as far as the Corso.” The Palazzo than before. Odescalchi, in spite of its comparative modernity, harboured But although we have no record of her inmost thoughts severalghostly visitants, of whom Mrs.Fraser gives us a and emotions on first seeing the Eternal City, we know that thrillingaccount. But our concern is less with these dis- there, as elsewhere, shemade a marked impression in the embodied spiritsthan with those whofrequented it in the musical worl’d. OnMarch 13th, shesang for a charityin flesh in the days when Mary Wakefield saw her first glimpse the Sala Dante, and this concert remainedone of her most of Roman society within itshospitable walls.Probably at cherishedand triumphant recollections. Long afterwards, the date of hervisit, Mr. and Mrs. Terry had moved from in givinga brief account of herlife to aninterviewer, she the large apartment consisting of eighteen or twenty spacious saidwith pride : “ I received my firstbouquet (or rather rooms in whichthe Crawford family were brought up, into basket) at the Sala Dante ! I can see it now being dragged a smaller suite in one of the wings of the house. “ It was “pthe middle of the ‘ Sala ’ betweentwo men and finally arrangedon the same lines,” writes Mrs. Fraser. “ They presented to me. The concertwas memorable,however, in had all their household gods about them, the sun shone into otherand more interesting ways, for at itthe famous it allday, and when I used toreturn from my diplomatic Ristori gavethe sleep-walkingscene from Macbeth. §he wanderings to visit them I forgot even to notice the change.” wasassisted, by theway, by anotherremarkable woman, Here,as in theirfirst apartment, Mrs. Terryentertained in a very different line,Julia Ward Howe,sister of the 37

of voice. You did not say a word too much in your descrip- well-known ‘ Sam Ward,’ of American journalistic fame, and tion of her singing, and I feel that I cannot say enough.” herself no mean author, being widely known in America for . This testimony tothe moving and joyous character of her unceasing efforts in the cause of women. She was aunt to Mary’s singing is the more valuable because it is the frank, MarionCrawford, the novelist, a youth of eighteen atthe unbiased opinion of one fine amateur musicianon another. time, and it was in this congenial atmosphere at his mother’s Baroness von ,Rabe’s “ crowning-giftis her music.” She home, the Palazzo Odescalchi, that many a pleasant memor- I is a pupil of Sgambati and an admirable pianist. ableevening was spent. I alsoremember meeting Clara The concert at the Sala Dante tookplace in the after- Novello, thedistinguished oratorio singer, then Marchese noon, and the. evening was spent in a farewell visit to Mrs. Gigliucci, who said many kind things to me about my sing- Terry.The next dayMary left Rome for Florenceand ing of ‘ OhRest in theLord,’ which with a song of Milan. Before her departure she went to visit Mustafa, “ the Buononcini’s ‘ L’espertonocchiero,’ were my twocontribu- last of thefamous soprani of theSistine chapel : Imade tions to the programme in the ‘ Sala Dante.’ ” Fortunately quite a pilgrimage to see him for he was living on the out- wepossess one highly sensitive and intelligent appreciation skirts of Rome just then and difficult of access, but I knew of hersinging at thistime. TheBaroness von Rabe, ’ so much of hiswonderful, hardly human singing,and also another of Mrs. Terry’s married, daughters (the Annie Craw- of his farne as a teacher, that I wanted a personal acquaint- ford of Mrs. Hugh Fraser’s book) was present on the occa- ance,more especially as we hada greatmutual friend. 1 sion,and wrote to Miss Alice de Natorp (Marv’s old €riend found him atlast in hissimple little country retreat,but andformer governess whose reminiscences Ihave quoted our interview was not very interesting, as he could not speak earlier in the book) by far the best and most vivid descrip- Englishand I only a Eew words of Italian.Still I feltglad tion of MaryWakefield’s art andpersonality tobe found tohave seefl thelast relic of themusical glories of the among the vast mass of press notices placed at my disposi- Sistinechapel, for its musicalperformances, which I heard tion. TheBaroness von Rabesays : on the same visitto Rome, were of themost execrable de- “ Yoursoul-refreshing friend, Miss Wakefield ! What scription; it mias on no mean occasion, namely the coronation a glorious,gifted, exuberant creature she is ! Ishall never of thepresent Pope.” forget her 3s shesat at the piano pouringout musicwith I may heremention that in thespring of 1884 Mary such inexhaustible and splendid abundance. I could not help returnedto Italy, travelling -by way of the Riviera to Pisa. saying to a bystander : ‘ There is something Bacchante-like I Thistime she visitedSiena and felt itsfascination fully. inher singing. §he seems to pourout her voice as though Shewas now in thecompany of hermother, which must itwere agenerous wine ! ’ . . . . Itwas quiteunfor- haveadded to herkeen, enjoyment of hertravels. In Rome getableto see her singing so enchantinglyand smiling all ’ she appearsto havedropped very quickly into her former the while. One could feelhow she delighted in giving such social circle. Hervisits to Mrs. Terry were almost daily exquisitepleasure. We were all quite wild abouther, and occurrences. ’she alsofound in Romeseveral people whose the sensation she created in the Sala Dante-where she most acquaintanceshe hadalready made at home, amongthem graciously consented to sing for a Crhche Concert, was really the poet-musician,Theophilus Marziels, whose songsshe delicious to see. All thesober, steady-going English people sang with pleasure, helping largely in their success. But un- clappedand stamped foran encore to herBuononcini doubtedlythe chief event of her second visit toItaly was song--and felt,I inthe perfectpeace of listening to her meeting with Grieg. perfect singing, as though my wearyjourney werequite The Norwegiancomposer and his wife werespending repaid. Her voice ismarvellous in its wonderfullyeven thewinter in Rome for the benefit of his health. Itwas quality. The notes linger on the air like the tones of a finely- one. of Grieg’s several visits to Rome since he first saw the vibratingstringed instrument, and Ido not think I ever city in 1865. In r869 hehad gonethere again with the heard a purer, more perfectly graduated register. Her style express desire to meet Liszt, who had written most encour- is so largeand fine, so utterlywithout coquetry or trick 38 39 agingly of his Violin Sonata, Op. 8, and in two interesting From her wanderings abroad and in England she invari- lettersto his parentshe has describedhis interviews with ably returned at Christmas, and in the summer, like a homing thismost generous-hearted critic and adviser. Liszt’s final bird toher tower-room at Sedgwick.Through all the words to him : “ I tell you, you havethe capability. Keep pleasantturmoil of hermusical and social success, even steadily on-and donot letthem intimidate you,” became before she had made her first modest venture in competition of great. significance to the young composer. (‘The remem- festivals,she still kept in view as one of the chief aims of brance of them, ” he wrote home, “ will havea wonderful herwork the artjstic improvement of herown countrymen power to uphold me in days of adversity.” Therefore Rome andwomen. Thatshe had already raised thestandard of wasfull of glad memories forGrieg, and now,he in his music in the Kendal district is obvious from the programme turn,was to speakthose words of encouragement which of theconcerts she organized there early in the ’eighties. were never forgotten and which have been often recalled by In 1873, we find- hersinging Virginia Gabriel; four or five MaryWakefield in moments of discouragement. yearslater she had the courage to introduce Schumann’s Howwonderful arethese linking fires passedon from ‘6 Dichterliebe ” cycle at her vocal recitals. Butalthough one generous and ardent soul to another throughout all space she upheld the best of vocal music, she knew the educative andtime ! In thespiritual realm, in thesphere of art and value of thepopular element, especially as expressed in the literature,there seem twoclasses of temperament : those folksong, or quasi folksong, too well to ignore it at her con- whoin passingstay to press their glowing torches for a certs.One of hergreatest successes in thenorth was her moment againstthe failing or as, yetunkindled lights ’of own arrangement of the Westmorland dialect song “ Sally theirfellow-workers; and those who with the cold breath Gray.”The audience would shout itself hoarse to secure of neglect, or egotistical indifference, extinguish all the flick- this favourite ditty, and sit spellbound while she sang it with eringlights that cross their path. all the truth and charm she understood SO well how to infuse When Edward Grieg and Mary Wakefield met, it must into a simplefolk-ballad. Usually she reserved “ Sally have been delightful to watch the intercourse between these Gray ” for an encore,and when shetook a recallthere in- twowarm, sincere, and candid natures.They met aften, variably followed a moment of breathless expectancy among the Griegs corning sometimes to the H6tel vvhere the Wake- her hearers-wouZd it turn out to be the right song after all? fields wereliving, or Mary visiting them in theirmodest An amusing story is told of the old huntsman of the Oxen- abode. “ Theywere then,” she writes, ‘(apparently far holme Harriers, who after one of these scenes of thundering frombeing pecuniarilysuccessful artists,and inhabiteda applauseand acute uncertainty, was heard to exclaim small room which contained the piano, and was music, sitting triumphantly as shestruck the first chords of thefamiliar andbedroom all in one. Butwhat delightful music we had accompaniment : “ ?e knaw’d by her baack as it wur goin’ there ! H alreadyknew Grieg’s songs well, butwhat so to be ( Sally. ’ ’y pleasant as to go carefully through them with the composer, Such Tas the farne of her interpretation that local poets hearing personally his ideasconcerning them ! I stillhave vied in theirpraises of it. Here is .one of themost charac- a volume of his songs that Grieg gave me with a dedication teristic tributes, quoted from- the Vt’estmorland Gazette : whichshows, I think,that he was satisfiedwith theresult of our interviews;* though in a certain sense, to me, no one will ever singGrieg’s songs like his wife.They 2re part of her,the phrases seem herown, and her intuition of the THE NIGHTINGALE NORTH OF THE TRENT. music is unequalled. ” Ae was reet gaily puzzelt hooiver, As heam fra’ t’ concert ae went, Q The album, one of Mary Wakefield’s most treasured possessions, is inscribed : ‘‘ Mary Wakefield with my best thanks for her beautiful Fora neetingale seldom or ivver songs. Edward Gsieg. Roma. 1887.” Was heardt singin’ north o’ the Trent, 40 L 41

1i But ma ears were soaked thro’ i’ the humming, the Gloucester Festival in September of the latter year. The Ae cud tell by thetrills and the shaakes work in which shewas heard was Leonardo Leo’s Dixit That t’ song as kep’ coorning an’ cooming Dominus, in which shesang the contralto solo “ Tecum Was t’ Neetingale’s song i’ the Laakes. Principium,”and took part in the concertednumbers. The othersingers whoappeared on thisoccasion were Madame Albani, Miss Anna Williams, the late Joseph Maas and Mr. Girt fwoake may spend gowd, mon its dearer Frederick Ming. Elir press noticeswere entirely favourable. Is a song in a fine furrin’ tongue ; This experiencemust have strengthenedher wish toadopt Ae waared nobbut sixpence ta hear her, aprofessional career. But while itgave her renewedcon- And ae got it aw back i’ ya song. l fidence in herpowers and pricked on her desire totrust herself all in all to her art, it still further emphasized the di-ffi- Upi’ Lunnon yan paays fur paint-faaces, t cdties which besetwomana in herposition when it comes And t’silks i’ which singersis drest, l to thequestion of enteringthearena withthose who are But she sang wi’out ribbans and lasces, i fightingtheirfor livelihoods. Once againshe stood face And herfaace was free-gift like the rest. I faceto with theembarrassing problem-embarrassing at least in those days-whether awoman is justified in earning Up i’ Lunnonfor aw yan may lissen, i money shedoes notactually need;and how farshe may, Ya can niver mak taai1 whot they saay, ’,for herown delight, give her serviceswithout payment, at But ae heard o’ her words about kissen, the risk of depriving some poorer sister of her daily bread. And lovin’ o’ sweetSally Gray. Opportunities of singing at the Chester, Norwich and Leeds / festivalswere declined at her parents’wish, and we can Ae cud hearSally’s spindle ga whirrin’, guess with whatpangs of regret onher part. Indeed at Ae cudsee the cwoach comin’ dang, thistime shemust have begun to realize thestern truth Ah, yan’s heart by the haaystack was stirrin’ conveyed in the admonition, “ how hardly shall the rich enter To mind courtin’times as shesang. intothe Kingdom of Heaven.’’ For Alary Wakefield’s Heaven,that is to sayher highest ideal of existencehere Men as listenedthem girt singin’ syrens andhereafter, was inseparably linkedwith her beloved art. Was chained,parson says, to the mast, It mustnot be supposed, however, that she went through But when .neetmgale pipes its not irons, her dayspining for the one thing denied to her.She was Its herleuk an’ her waay keeps yan fast. full of the joy of living. Her world offered herall the good and pleasant fruits of prosperity and she stretched out Aye, the laady as sings by the Leven, bothhands to jgather in a rich harvest. In afterdays she The lassie as trills by the Lune, wasable to say withsincerity and characteristic modesty : She’s the voice of an aangel fra’ heaven, “ I donot wholly regretving been ableto devote such gifts as I hadin other wa ending in asomewhat musual She’sthe mak of ageetingale’s tune. v Anon. musicalposition, and makingthe professional part of my later life the aqcident instead of the object‘of it.” Besides the success assured to her as a singer, she now The yearfollowing hlary’s firstvisit to Rome was one beganto win considerable fameand popularity as a song- of remarkableactivity at home. Theamateur Charity Con- writer. It would beidle to maintainthat MaryWakefield’s certs inwhich shetook part inthe season 1879-1880 alone musical genius lay in the direction of creativecapacity. I do not think that even if she had devoted more time to the realized the sum of &2,735 ; while the crowning recognition of her artistic powers came in the form of an engagement for study of theoryand composition she would have accom- 4.3 42 ernes,++and afterwards completed the music and the words plished anythinggreat inthis respect. With allher many forherself. Thesong was publlshed in 1879 by Messrs. and remarkable gifts, imagination was not her strong point; Paterson of Edinburgh.In her diary there is a noteon she moved and breathed best in the world of reality; in the January18th, 1881, “ 2,000 copies of ‘ No Sir ’ stamped.” atmosphere which is least congenial to poets and composers. Butthe sale far exceeded thesefigures. It reachedevery She observed closely, and often described what she saw and strata of society and a version entitled “ Yes Lord ” became heard with charm and a happy choice of words; but in the very popular’with the Salvation Army. It was notsurpris- many longtalks we have enjoyed together, whenIhave ing that she was tempted to follow up her success, for pub- seenher most enthusiastic over natureand music,I never lishers were .now ready and anxious to bring out her lyrics. oncesurprised in herthe true imaginative outlook. The Her vocal compositions comprise the following songs : “ No palpable world made a strongappeal to her, but I do not Sir,” “ Yes Sir,” “ A Bunch of Cowslips,” “ Maytime in thinkshe wandered often in that world of poetic illusion I Midwinter,” “ Moreand More,”or “ Beyond all, thine,” which liesoutside the limits of ordinary vision. Yetthe “ Love’s Service,” “Shaking Grass,” “ You may,” “ Moon- littlesongs which shemade and sang herself hadqualities spell,” “ Serenade,” “ ForLove’s sake only,” “ Lifetime which raisedthem above theordinary royaltyballads and andLove time,’’ “ SweetSally Gray,” “ Lassand Lad,” sentimentaldrawing-room ditties; theyhad something of “ Leafy June,” “ Nancy,” “ CourtingDays,” “ After her own genuinesincerity, and warm vitality. Theywere f Years,” “ LittleRoundhead Maid,” “ Shearing-day,” franklyintended tobe popular, but they are by nomeans j “ Whenthe Boys comehome,” and “ The Children are common. Singing.” All thesewere published. Thoseremaining in As early as 1875, Mary sang a song of her own entitled manuscriptinclude : “ For your Sweet Sake,” “ Christmas “ O, the Sun it shone fair,” at a concert which she organized / Come,” “ The Lovethat goes a-courting,” “ Ichdenke forthe funds of CrosscrakeChurch. The occasion was dein,” “ The English Bow,” “ Tout de même,” “ Love will l’ memorable toWestmorland folk forthe first appearance l find outthe way.” Her last song “ A Creed of Desire ” among them of Miss Maude Valerie White. As to the song, waswritten as late as 1909. it seems to have been lost or destroyed, for no one remembers When welook through her engagementlists for the 1 her singing it in later years. It was not until the beginning yearsthat followedon the triumphantseason of 1879-1880 of the’eighties that she turned herattention once more to itis impossible not to feel that Mary Wakefieldnow stood songwriting, when shemade an extraordinarily happy hit ( in danger of becoming themere spoilt child of society. in No Sir,” which carried her name practically all over the ‘‘ ‘Amongthose with whom shewas in constant demand at world in thecourse of a fewmonths. It ishardly an ex- thistime of herlife we find thenames, of nearlyall those aggeration to say that for two or three years the only method leaders of society who stood for music and philanthropy. As of escape from “ No §ir ” was to stay away from concerts i may be seen from a correspondence lasting at intervals over altogether,for even if alady vocalist began by singing a period of sixteenyears, she had no stauncher helperand the SapphischeOde ” of Brahms,or Schubert’s “ Er1 ‘‘ admirer than the late Duke of Westminster, who sometimes King,” one could never besure that “ No §ir ” was replaced theformal “ To MissWakefield ” at the close of not lurking in hermusic case, tobe producedupon the hisletters with the words “ To areal artist.” On several merestsuspicion of an encore. Thesong may be of occasions he placed Grosvenor House at her service for the folk origin.Mr. Cecil Sharp includes whathe con- concerts which she organized on behalf of charities, and once, siders tobe an earlyversion of it, “ O noJohn,” in whensome difficulty arose as regards dates, he wrote with his “ Folksongsfrom Somersetshire.” thatIn case, a grateful and courtly turn : “ J ,qhould be always glad to however,Mary Wakefield sang Englishfolk-song as meet your views and wishes as far as possible, and even, to Monsieur Jourdainspoke prose, quite unconscious of her meritoriousaction, forshe said shefirst heard “ No -)c This lady informed Mary it was of Spanish origin. Sir ” in a very fragmentaryform from an Americangov- .- l*I’

I > 44 45 fa make an impossibility a possibility for you.JJ His last letters erosity.Consequently she did notaltogether escape from relateto the Westmorland Festival of 1895, when hejour- thedanger of occasionally wastingher energies. At times neyed tothe north to give away the prizes. Inexpressing and seasons she, like less purposeful natures, seems to have awish to become a subscriber to the scheme,he says : “ I twistedropes of sand on the margin of a sterile social sea. donot wonder that youshould now desire to widen the And althoughMary Wakefield, fortunately for music in responsibility of management. Itwas a great pleasureto England, wa-s not of the stuff that triflers are made of, we assistat so delightfuland successful a festival,and to see cannot help feelingthat at thisperiod of herexistence she the keenness and interest taken in it.” The Duke of West- must often have found it difficult to consecrate to the deeper minsterwas not without practical experience in thematter interests of life and art of singing contests, for the rural festival which he organized P “ Six moments of the bustling day at Eaton was one of the earliest to follow the inauguration 1 Between the drive, the mart, the race, of the movement at Sedgwick in 1885. The rout, the concert and the play.” Maryappears to have beenfrequently associated with that giftedamateur Lady Folkestone. She was intimate Therefore a shadow of melancholy sometimes comes over me with thelate Mr. Henry Leslieand his family and often when I consider her in these outwardly brilliant years before visitedthem in Shropshire.Indeed the flourishing condi- she had foúnd the one great purpose of her life, and I find tion of the Herefordshire Philharmonic Society, which owed myself comparingher to a gay and gallant ship, equipped its existence to Mr.Leslie’s initiation, gave her some ideas ’ , , forhigh adventures and world-widevoyages, yet turned by for the foundation of her own scheme of competition festivals. circumstances into a pleasure yacht, moving in sunny, shal- She numbered amongher friends Sir Hubert Parry, §ir ,/ low waters, touching at a hundred attractive ports, admired CharlesStanford, and Dr. Arthur Somervell. Sheknew andwdcomed wherever fancy took her; yetfor all that, intimatelyGoring Thomas,whose premature death she de- hersplendid powers restricted to uses which lessercraft plored as a deep loss to music; and her recitals in Scotland, could havefulfilled; debarred from thedeep waters and given in conjunction with Sir Herbert Oakley, led to a genu- ocean spaces of !the world ; often purposeless, often longing inefriendship and much correspondence between them. totàke part in thestorms, conflicts, andmore glorious Apart from musical people, we find in her diaries from 1878 triumphs for which she was certainly predestined and fitted. onward,references to days at Chobhamwith Matthew Arnold ; to visits tothe houses of BurneJones and Alma Tadema;to Professor Sellar and his family,with whom she often stayed on her visits to Edinburgh; to Ruskin, with whose friendship for her I shall deal in another chapter; to days in Oxford with Miss Rhoda Broughton and Leyis Nettle- ship; to days at Rose Castle, Carlisle, with Bishop Goodwin, a keenmusician; to Charles Kingsleyand his daughter “ Lucas Malet ” onthe Sedgwick coach; to lifeon a Doge’s Farm with Vernon Lee; to ‘‘ first nights ” many of themwith the Miss Terrys; and a hundredother hints of interesting experiences. And yetshe could neverbe pur- suaded ‘to believe thather autobiography was in anyway worth the writing ! But all her. busy days were not spent among her -int& lectualand artistic equals. §he devöured-~life’ömnivoro~~IS;, andgave herself andher services with uncalculating gen- 47 l

of herfirst lecture was July Ist, 1890, and atthat time, she told me, “ I thinkSir Frederick (then ‘ Dr. ’) Bridge, of Westminster,was the only lecturer on musicwho pre- CHAPTER IV. ceded meon my agent’sbooks; and he did notgenerally give his own illustrations.” Her lectures began fortuitously, MARY WAKEFIELD AS A LECTURER. without any deliberate intention of becoming-as they eventually did-the profession of her life for nearly tenyears. The life which Ihave described in the foregoing chap- Prompted’ by the wish to spread the knowledge of our ters, divided bétween the yearlyvisit to London,with its national melodies in a popular way, she began by giving a studies and gaieties, the concert tours in England and Scot- farewelllecture on the eve of leavingSedgwick. “ No one land, and the summer of comparative rest at Sedgwick, con- was more surprised,” she said, “ than I was myself at the tinuedwithout much variation until the autumn of 1889, popularity of it a yearlater.” when it was interrupted by the sudden death of Mr. W. H. Thefollowing letter from Sir John Stainer seems to Wakefield. Eightor nine years previously Mary’sfather imply thatit wa‘s at hissuggestion that she began to put had been warned of atendency toheart trouble, and had intothe form of lecturessome magazine articles which she been obliged togive up some of theoutdoor pursuits ití had collected together with a view to publication in a volume. which he excelled. Afterwards,his health having greatly The letter bears ’no date except “ July 20,” but it seems more improved,he once more allowed himself thepleasure of a than likely thatit refers to the series whichappeared in gallop withthe harriers, and it was while hunting with the Murray’s Magazine from July to December, 1889, under the Oxenholme pack that he met his tragic, yet not unenviable, title “ FoundationStones of EnglishMusic.” At all events end. A briskrun was just at its close,and Mr. Wakefield, thesubstance of thesedelightful articles is found again in leaping from his horse, stooped to secure the hare, when he the notes of her lectures on “ English Melody,” “ Madrigal fell witharuptured aneurism and expired instantly. He Time, ’ ’ &c. was buried in thelittle churchyard surrounding the church at Crosscrake which he had been instrumental in rebuilding; Oxford, thechurch, for the funds of which Maryhad often sung, July 20th. and made the training of the choir children one of the chief Dear Mjss Wakefield, interests of heryoung days. I am quite ashamed to have kept your little book so long, With the death of herfather came inevitablechanges. but I have atlast found tirne toread it verycarefully. Hewas succeeded at Sedgwick by hisson Jacob; and his Although the articles ape admirable as contributions to a perodical, I hardlythink they would doin a book form. And yet I think it widow, with her unmarried daughters, went to live at another a pity they cannot be more generally read, as there is a broad healthy familyproperty, Eggerslack, in Grange. Withthe change tone aboutthem which isquite refreshing. of residence therecame also afresh activity into Mary If you could gve them in various parts of the country as lectures withcopious illustrations of the works quoted mel1 sung it would be Wakefield’s life. She was now a woman in the late thirties, of greatvalue educationally. Theirliterary style too would suggest completemistress of herdestiny, and still possessed of a their use in such a form. Those who had read them in the magazine very fine voice. Itwas toolate to think of acareer as a would be glad to hear them again for the sake of the illustrations. concert,or operatic, singer, but her knowledge and experi- Believe me, ence in manybranches of music suggestedto her the idea Yours truly, of giving lecture-recitalsand illustrating thementirely her- J. STAINER. self. Nowadayssuch entertainments are common enough- The lecture-recitals brought her into contact with a great although even now itis comparatively rare to find the lec- number of newcorrespondents and acquaintances, some of turer,singer, and accompanist combined in theperson of whom became real friends. Many of her old note books and one woman-but when MaryWakefield took up this new letters show the trouble she took to get accurate information workshe found herself almostalone in the field. Thedate ’ 48 49 about the songs she selected as illustrations. For her lecture 53, GrandParade, onIrish National Melodies we find hercorresponding with Eastbourne, SirCharles Stanford and Sir Robert Stewart (Professor of October 30th, ’89. 1Music in the University of Dublin from 1861 until his death Dear Miss Wakefield, in 18g4), andindirectly with Mr. F. H. Joyce, of the Board Much has been written re Scottish Song, often inaccurately termed “ Scottish Music,” whichis misleading, asthe latter seems of NationalEducation. Sir John Stainer and the late Mr. toimply instrumental and choral music, of whichthere is next to A. H. Bullen, of theBritish Museum,interested themselves nothing chez L’Ecosse,-those nativeswho have made such music havingacquired their knowledge in foreign orEnglish “ Schools,” inher researches among old EnglishCarols. Inher study and who,excepting when theyintroduce actual national tunes, have of theScotch folk melody she had thesympathy of Sir nothingin their music which can be dubbed “ Scottish.” HerbertQakley (Frofessor of Music in the University of So thatit is important to place thenational song musicunder Dublin from 1865 untilhis resignation in 1891) whoseac- spontaneousor -untrained melody, suchas received its first illustration(as in the case of “ DuncanGray ”) bya whistlingcarter who quaintanceshe hadmade nearly ten years earlier when she issaid .to have composed it,and not under cultivated art. As I first began to be known as asinger in Edinburgh.On one havefrequently said, the less of highand artistic culture in any Europeancouhtry, the more famed has become itsnational music; I. occasion, aftershe had been singingfor .Jhe University forinstance Hungary, Spain, Switzerland, Tyrol, Ireland,Scotland, Musical Society, he pours out his indignation at the lack 9f Wales, wherein,until recently,composers have been but few. It appreciation shown by the Press : “ The concert was a brdl- seems as if the-absence of musicalart causes nations to break out intountaught melody, “ unpremeditatedart,” like the Skylark. liantsuccess and, if all is considered,a triumph over great Inall treatises on thesubject byScotch writers,great exagger- andspecial difficulties. Not half thoseyouths ever sang in / ationis shown, andwant of appreciationand intelligence inregard parts, even if they had ever seen a note of music four months tothe music of more musicalcountries. This has been to a great extent caused by natives never, until lately, having heard the latter. ago.And, yet, as you heard,their chorus singing was A greatreason for the value of Scottish song isthat the words thrillingand excellent. Yet not one of thepapers has a are, as a rule, so fine. Of courseyou know that some of the most generousaccount, and the leading one abuses everything ! interestingtunes are not by natives. But I amwriting an article, instead of answering your questions. . . . . Oneignoramus abuses your ‘ exaggerated ex- If I wereyou, I would ask Patersonto lend you allthey have pressionand misplaced pathos ’ and says ‘ it isa question- on thesubject, including Graham’s, 3 vols. 800 songs, with notes, able liberty for a Zndy to sing the music of ‘ Orfeo,’ as if he - I mean‘annotations. I willsend you a “ Scottish Song,”by one who, ‘‘ forbetter or thought Gluck hadwritten it for a ‘ gentlemafi.’ . . . . for worse ’< has more Scottish than English blood in his veins. I wish you would write me a letter on the students’ singing J -especially of ‘ Camye by Athole ’ and ‘ Omniavincit,’ Yours sincerely, theirtwo best efforts-which Imight read to them. You HERBERTOAKLEY. may perhapsimagine after sucha concert, the labour of months, my disgust at the manner ín which the whole thing Someidea of the wide field of musicalknowledge and is misrepresented to those not present.” Sir Herbert Oakley researchcovered by her enterprise may be gained from the was no Wagnerian devotee, nor apparently was Mary Wake- titles of the lectures, as they appear in a syllabus which Mary field, in 1884, although she was too much a child of her day ’- Wakefieldsent outat onetime througha lecture agency. not to be influenced, if notcarried away, by contemporary They are as follows : enthusiasm. “ I agree with you asto thePrelude to EnglishNational Melody. ‘ Parsifal,’ ” he says, in one of his letters to her, “ the fine ScotchNational Melodies. passage to which you alhde, the ‘ Dresden Amen ’ the best Irish National Melodies. motive in it, is notWagner’s. . . . As tothis being Shakespeare’sSongs and their Musical Settings. the music of the future-cela dépend ! Thereare futures Songs of Four Nations (England, Scotland, Ireland, and and futures ; some in one place, some in another. ” In 1889, W ales). while she waspreparing herlecture on Scottish National TheSongs of Schubert. Melody, he wrote to her as follows : The- Songs of Schumann. 2 f 51

The Songs of Handel. lish Love Song, and, secondly, all those songs in celebration MadrigalTime. of great national events or possessions ”-i.e., the Patriotic A “ Jubilee ” Lecture on 15ctorian Song. Song. “Wagner,” she adds, “ considered thepatriotic airs- She also arranged some of the national songs in the form the most representative of our national song, and remarked of shortentertainments suitable for conversaziones, &c. that RuleBritannia containedin thefirst eight bars the Theywere timed to last about twenty minutes. Sometimes whole character of theBritish people ! ButWagner did she gave in this form an illustrated lecturette on “ Charac- notlove England orthe English, and I would much prefer teristics of Scotch §eng-s, ” or “ TheSkene and Straloch to think that ournational melody wasbest represented by MSS.”The subject of EnglishNational Melody, on.the such a heautifulsong as Drinkto me only withthine otherhand, was often expanded into four exhaustive and ‘ eyes.’ ” scholarly lectures which were sub-divided thus : It isimpossible torecapitulate all the points of special I. The 13th,14th, and 15th Centuries. The Monks interest to the musical student whichthese lectures raise andMinstrels. andilluminate. Beginning with some of theearliest airs II.English Melody underElizabeth, including con- handeddown to us by monk orminstrel, she surveys the temporary settings of some of ShakespearPS Songs. historyof part-singing and the peculiarities of form associ- III. English Melody inthe 17th Century. Cavaliers atedwith different districts,back to the timeof “ Summer andRoundheads. Two Great Song Writers. is a-coming in the earliest secular composition in parts IV. English Melody in the18th Century. Musicians ”--‘ ‘ known to exist in anycountry.” She makes an interesting and the Folk. the and l comment, in passing, upon “ thatcurious and perfectly MaryWakefield fully recognized-and valued the influ- natural gif t, vulgarlyknown as singingseconds,’ namely ence of national temperament and political history upon the ‘ the pow& to sing a spontaneous part to an air, generally a music of a people. Inthe first of theselectures she claims third or a sixth below the melody, which is still to be found that the great majority of English melodies possess “ hymn- in thenorth of Eqglandamong quite young untaught chil- like ” characteristics. “ Ourgreatest composers have al- drenand wholly musically-uneducated grown-up persons. ways excelled in devotionalmusic (for theMadrigal School This seems to prove thatthe present great might well comeunder such a head),and in appreciation t . . . . of it we standfirst; for England is assuredlythe home, if superiorify of north-country voices is aninheritance of centuries. ” not the birthplace, of the Oratorio. ’’ Endorsing, to a great lnthe thirdlecture of thisseries, Marydiscusses the extent, the well-known saying that the English “ take their gradual,rise of instrumentalmusic under the Stuarts, the pleasure sadly,” she goes on : appearance of printedcollections of songs (then called Gar- “ Englishcharacter iscelebrated forits quiet restraint andan unemotional spirit;and it certainly doesseem as if lands), the performance of national dances without the words thisquiet, unemotional,slightly puritanical spirit of the which wereformerly anintegral part of them,and the Englishpeople had crept somewhat into its airs,.though development of fulleraccompaniments to song.She gives itis needless tosay there are numerous exceptions tothis acurious instance of thepersistence of certaintunes in rule. Many of them, ashas beforebeen said, might be popular memory. “ The air of ‘ Love will find out the way ’ hymns; by far the greatest number are in minor keys, even (one of themost beautiful of 17thcentury melodies) was those appertaining to jollity and revelry, as in the air known still current in 1855, when the organist of All Saints’, Maid- stone,noted it downfrom thesinging of thewandering as ‘ Henry VIII.’s tune.’ ” hop-pickersthere.” She thendescribes theintroduction of Followingthe classification of Ruskin,who says that the Masque,-“ aspecies of playwith music and . songs “ Loveor War formedalways the definite subjectof the . . . . of which Milton’s Cornus isa goodinstance,” piper orminstrel,” she dividesEnglish melodies into “ the and the secret cult of Royalist songs which flourished under hymn-like class which almost invariably represents the Eng- the Commonwealth.

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Mention is alsomade of thesongs relating to the end onnearly every note in the scale. A surveyof’ the HarvestHome, which form “ quite a literature of them- origins of Scottishfolk-music, asfar as can be gathered selves,and are firstto be found written downin thereign from reliablesources, follows ; specialprominence being of Charles II., though they are nodoubt older. ” This given to the treasures found at a comparatively late date in sectionconcludes with a specialreference to Lawesand theSkene M§. Shespeaks with fine insightand sympathy “ Purcell, thegreat representatives of English17th century of Gaelic music, which “ has such an entirelydistinctive music.” Of the latter she says : ‘‘ It ismuch tobe wished character of itsown.” But, returning to the Border melo- that more attention was given to his works, which seem to dies,she considers the 18thcentury “ thegolden era of - me to possessall the breadth of Handel with an interest Scotch song.” “ Auld Lang Syne ” she describes as “ the which isabsolutely their own. I amalways a little . . . national anthem of the English-speaking race. ” at a loss toaccount for the extraordinary devotion of the In the notes of her lecture on Irish National Melody we Englishpeople to Handel,unless it be that he always re- find afurther definition of thecharacteristics of the music peatshis good thingsover and over again till it would be of thethree British Isles. “ Roughly speaking, I would impossible thatanyone howeverunmusical could fail to sum up the characteristics of the three ’races’ melody in six understand them ! ” words :-English, pastoral ; Scotch,passionate ; Irish, Tn speaking of the 18th century, she gives a high dace patriotic. ” Spéaking again of the importance of race,tem- to the work of Dr. Arne, of whom she says : “ I have pur- perament, and history as factors in every national art, Mary posely tried in each of theselectures to refer you tothe goes on to say : “ The effect of national character on song pastoral character to be found in such abundance in English ismore easy to follow thanthe historical influence;-for national song; and it seems to me tkat in Arne this promin- instance,it is open to anyone tojudge of theIrish tempera- . entcharacteristic reached a glorified eminence. In nearly ment, and, it is equally easy for the most casual observer to all hissongs there is, not only in choice of words,but in see that the whole Irish nature is of that impressionable and flow of melody, thesuggestion and right interpretatioq of emotional quality which is, above all others, easily appealed outdoor life andfeeling. ‘ Springcomes laughing ’ with to by artistic influences, creative of themand responsive to every note.” Bishop she regards as the “ least really Eng- them, with every shade of its rainbow-hued sympathy, leav- lish composer ofage. his ’’ l ingits stamp on thenation’s song; though the great In lecturing on the National Melodies of Scotland, Mary characterhtic of Irish character-brilliance, combined with Wakefieldsaid without hesitation : “ It is my opinion that want of steady perseverance-has also stamped all classes of no nationalsongs possess suchwealtha orvariety of its art. An Irish writer has said that ‘ Irish poetry consists beauty as dothe Scotch. . . . Incomparison with the of exquisitelyric outbursts, but alone of allnations of Englishsongs, verylittle is certainly known of theirearly Europe the Celts do not possess an epic poem which takes history (history prior to the 16th century), but the following D an acknowledgedplace in universalliterature. . . Irish twocenturies poured forth lilts that noEuropean nation I music has neverrisen beyond anair. The great music of thinkcan touch forbeauty of melody, forpassion, and for the world has beenproduced by peoples of inferior sym- power.” For the historical reasons of thissupremacy she pathiesbut greater industry.’ ” Then follows a scholarly quotesthe “ somewhatfanciful ” arguments of Ruskin in appreciation of Irishtraditional music from a veryearly Fors Clavigera as to the influences which went to the making date, which Mary classifies as Love-Songs, Patriotic Songs, of border minstrelsy. and Songs of Occupation, under which heading she includes Passing on to more technical criticism, she names three Lullabies-a largeand important class. prominentcharacteristics of Scottish melody-first the The lectures on “ Shakespeare’s Songs ’’ and ‘‘ Madri- “ ” Scotch snap orcatch, the short note coming first, fol- gal Time ” naturally cover a good deal of the ground gone lowed by thelong one, secondly the use of thepentatonic Over in the full course of lectures on “ English Melody ; ” scale, and thirdly the peculiarity of the doses; the melodies but we find in the manuscript of the former a plea for the 54

Love-Song which may well be quoted assumming up the stronghuman feelingand wide sympathy which 1Mary brought to all her work in the realm of music : “ It would be difficult to conclude this sketch of Shake- speare’sSongs without asking the question-What is the CHAPTER V. subject,over any other, for song ? . . . The question of subjectis easily answered. As in therelative number of these lyrics, one to another, we have found eighteen love- FRIENDSHIP WITH RUSKIN. songs under one heading, and the next, the ‘ pastoral ’ heading, only approaching it with eleven examples, so, in all ages Mary Wakefield’s friendship with Ruskin began in 1875 andcountries, Love is the subject thatappeals beyond all or 1876. Their firstmeeting took place atOxford, in Mr. othersto music. Be it in thesong of thepeople, in the Alexander Wedderburn’s rooms at Balliol. Inthe earlier dramaticsong, or in thegreatest heights of romanticism, pages of this book I have said that Mary often stayed with theLove-Song outnumbers every other,for truly ‘ musicis theWedderburns in London,and Mr. Alexander Wedder- the food of love.’ . . . Thegreatest Love-Songs, such burn,knowing that she was on a visit toMrs. Humphrey as ‘ Du meine Seele,’are, I venture to think; the greatest Wardat Oxford,and being anxious thatRuskin should music of theworld; there are further heights familk- to hearher sing, made up a luncheon party which included all of us belonging to the intellectual in music, but the humari besides Mary and her hostess, the late Lord Dalhousie, and feelingin such songslifts the artfar beyond intellectual Mr. G. N. Tallents.After lunch they all adjourned to greatness,into regions that should be called divine. This Mr. Tallents’rooms, where there was apiano. Thefirst power, theexpression of allhuman feeling, was Shake- song that Mary sang to Ruskin was “ Voi che sapete,” and speare’s, and it remains the pre-eminentsubject for song.” when she had finished, he said to her : “ Young lady, when ‘It was to the immense gainand pleasure of heraudi- you knowwhat loveis you’ll notsing it like that.” An ences, though perhaps in somerespects a loss to posterity, astonishing criticism,which took all theother listeners by that Mary put so much of her best energyand ltncwledge surprise, since they thought she had sung it splendidly, with intothese song-recitals and lectures. They captivated many fine fervour. Aftel. this, the acquaintance must have ripened people who were not in the ordinary sense musical, because slowly until in the late ’seventies Ruskin made hishome in of thespirit and vitalitywith which she deliveredthem. Coniston;) when they began to meet more frequently. About Yearsafter hearing her, a doctoronce said to hersister this time a correspondence was started, chiefly at first with that “ the ease with which she overcame the physical strain Mrs.Wqkefield and afterwardswith Mary herself, which of talking, singing, and accompanying herself for two hours covered a period of fifteen years.These notes and letters, wassplendid. Itwas like a fine athletic feat.” although of no literary value, afford a few pleasant glimpses The resumé of herlecture-work given in the foregoing of her visits to Brantwood which she herself recorded in her pages is important because it shows that she was a pioneer articleentitled “ Brantwood,Coniston : JohnRuskin’s asregards the revival of interest in national melody ; for Home,” published in Murray’sMagazine, November, 1890. twenty years, or more, ago there was less talk and research Likeeverything Ruskin wrote-even of the slightest-they expended upon thequestion of ourtraditional songs than show that personaltouch which-as the co-editors of the there is at present. new complete edition of his works have so well said-“ con- stitutes the secret of his charm. ”* I had hoped to give Mary Wakefield’s friends and fellow-workers the pleasure of read- ingthese intimate and perfectly naturalletters from one whom she profoundly revered; letters which amply prove-

5 The Complete Works of John Ruskin, edited by E. T. Cook . and Alexander Wedderburn, K.C. George Allen. 1903. s 57 if proofbe wanting-how warmand paternally indulgent 1877, from Italy, where he had spent the greater part of a 1 was the interest which Ruskin took in Mary herself and in year. The correspondencemust have begun very shortly her aesthetic development. But theexecutors of thelate afterRuskin had paid a visit to Sedgwick in theautumn l JohnRuskin being unable-doubtless forgood reasons-to of that year, for in his first letter he refers to having heard sanctionthe publication of thiscorrespondence, I can only the voices of Mary and her sister Agnes floating up through convey in generalterms some idea of thecontents of the the loftyhall, described earlier in the book,until they letters, in SO far as they mark the progress of a friendship reached him in the roomwhere washereposing upstairs. Il which certainly exercised an influence upon Mary Wakefield's Underthis inspiration hesetdown some thoughts upon music l early ideals, and possibly upon her later efforts to bring good . of which hesends the proof-sheets to Maryfor perusal. At music into the life of the masses. the same time he playfully reproaches her for having induced One can readily understand that her youthful and sunny him to read some scientific book which sought to prove that i personality,her natural and unspoilt talent,and above all the music of Nature had no existence save in the imagination ~ herenthusiasm for the revival of genuine artsamong the of thelisteners; a point od view which foundno favour people, would appealwith a peculiar charm to theageing withRuskin, to whom thecarolling of thethrush and the poet, upon' whom the mantle of the prophet hung just t en silvery song sf some rock-encumbered streamlet were music heavily enough. He was suffering acutely, atmany permds/h as realand enjoyable as that produced by human art. Was. of their intercourse, from illness,personal troubles and dis- not one of the best features of his work the clearance which heartenments,and a profounddisillusionment with the he effected of many old superstitions as to idealbeauty in country he so ardently longed to reform. Mary's visits gave art, which had deterred the artist from listening to the voice him healingand consolation, as much by herindividuality of Nature and.so experiencing the manifold forms of emotion as by her art.He once told her that althoughfew people which sh$ had power to awaken in him ? cared more for her singing, it was not that which he prized Early in 1878 Ruskinbroke down in health and was most in their intercourse. laid asidefor some monthswith the first of hisserious Ruskinhad bought the Brantwood property in 1871, attacks of brain-trouble. Hewas able to leavehome to from W. J. Linton, the wmd-engraver,who had lived and recuperate in June,and did notreturn to Brantwood till workedthere for som'e years.Subsequent tenants, Mr. NovembFr, when he occupied himself chiefly with botany for Collingwood tells us in his Life of Ruskin, had adorned the -' therest of theyear. Many of hisletters to the Wakefields exterior of the house with revolutíonary mottoes-" God and now turn upon plants. He wasunable toaccept an invita- the People " and so forth.Regarded as a habitation,how- tion to S(edgwick, but pleads with his friends to visit him in ever, it was at the time of purchase " a rcmgh-cast country his solitude and break the stillness with the echoes of music. cottage; old, damp, decayed ; smoky-chimneyedand rat- At New Year, 1879,he speaks of the delight with which he ridden." Butthe charm of the place forRuskin was-as unpacked and arranged a present of flowers from Sedgwick, he himself expressed it-'' five acres of rock and moor and and henceforth he frequently touches on botanical questions ; streamlet, and I think the finest view I know in Cumberland asking Mrs.Wakefield toraise himspecimen plants in her or Lancashire, with the sunset visible over the same." The hothouses, or expressing gratitude for rare examples of iris, landscapehad indeed already been endeared to poets' eyes. or lily, whichhad proved useful in hisstudies. Hewas Wordsworthhad frequented its heights, and his favourite chiefly interested at thistime in floral mimicry,and in such seat waspointed out to visitors.Tennyson also had a par- plants as simulatethe characteristics of others. In January, ticularseat appropriated to him by localtradition after he 1879, he records in a few words a memorable day when all had lived for some time in the neighbourhood. the world waswhirring on skatesand he and Mrs.Severn The letters written by Ruskin to Mary and her mother crossedConiston Lake on the ice, withbright sunshine re- are inmany instances undated, but allseem to belong to joicing their hearts on this unique walk. the period following Ruskin's return to Brantwood in June, d Ruskin lived chiefly in retirement at Brantwood till the 58 l -59 end of 1881, and it wasabout this time that some of the the most profitable efforts-from the practical point of view- mostdelightful of Mary’s visits-enjoyed equally by host werethe singing lessons of his youngdays whichenabled and guest-seem to havebeen paid him. Theturret-room, him tomanage a voice of greatcharm and resonance, so to which heoccasionally alludes in hisinvitations, was in that, in spite of a tendency tothroat and chest trouble, he the older part of thehouse, in which Ruskinhad built out wasalways ableto read orlecture with apparent ease and at one corner a projectingturret to command the view on clearness of diction.No one realised more fully than Mary allsides “ withwindows strongly latticed toresist the Wakefield Ruskin’slimitations as regardsthe art which storms.” We recall his wonderful word picture of the dawn filled herlife’ to overflowing. Inan articleupon “ Music as he saw it from this window : “ Morning breaks as I write and Great Men ” she tells us that although he never under- alongthose ConistonFells, and the level mists,motionless stoodmusic technically hisslight practical knowledge of and grey. beneath the rose of the moorlands, veil the lower it afforded him keenenjoyment. Itwas the innermeaning woodsand thesleeping village,and thelong lawn of the of music which specially interested him. His musicalideas, lakeside.” No wonderthis wasMary’s favourite room sheconsiders were formed onthose of Plato. “ His know- from which she could dominateher world as completely as ledge of theart beinglimited, he could notarrive atthe from her own “ Tower of Song ” at Sedgwick. intellectual inte,rest of the higher forms of music, and there- / There issomething almost pathetic in Mr. W. G. fore missed in these the emotional power which he so readily Collingwood’saccount of Ruskin-’s “ life-longattempts to recognized in its simplerforms.” Broughtup largely upon qualify as a musician.”From his undergraduatedays until Italianoperatic music, his tastesunderwent some curious the close of hisexistence he was always striving tolearn changesbefore, in later life, he became convinced of the something more about: thear‘t for which he had “a great love, great value olf music as an influence in education and morals. andwithin certain limits a truetaste, but no talent. ”* In At th,e time when Mary Wakefield became intimate with his affection forunsophisticated music, such asthe old him, the musicwhich Ruskin appreciated most, andmost NationalSongs of England,France and Scotland, and his frequently askeld her tosing to him, was that of the old hatred of certain .types of lsve-song-chiefly German--which Italian.masters. Atone period hewas genuinelyinterested he called “ songs of seduction,”he reminds us of Tolstoy. in the sacred compositions of the Venetian Caldara. On the Indeedmany of his views about music are as incomprehen- question qf’old and new music there seems to have been often sible and repugnant to the cultured musician as those of the someplayful sparriqg between the friends,,Ruskin teasing Russianphilosopher; but his tasteswere more variedand Marya little abouther preferencefor themodern scho’ols. oddly inconsistent. He enjoyed “ Claribel,” Corelli, andthe In her girl\hood she was not famed for early rising, and her Christy Minstrlels, toleratedHandel, and detested Mendels- capacity forsleeping was a joke in her family. We find sohn.Late in life heattempted composition on hisown Ruskinwarning her thatthis tendency to excessivesom- account, and left a few trifling efforts which, as Mr. Colling- nolence may lead to her sharing the fate of Rip van Winkle; wood remarks, “ need never seethe light.” andreminding her how tame it would beto wake up and He had a gooddeal of teaching at variousperiods of return to the world to sing only the ditties of a bygone day. his life. Atcollege he appears to have taken lessons in the By the time thecorrespondence had run into the ’eighties, pianoforteand singing; some years afterwards he studied Ruskinhad changed the formal “ Dear MissWakefield ’’ harmony and composition with West, and as late as 1888 he into “ My dearMary, ” andsigned himself “ everyour received someinstruction from Mr. Roberts of Sandgate; affectionate, Ruskin’. ’’ while morethan once heexpresses his willingness tobe About the end of 1881 Ruskinremoved to London for taught and helped by Mary Wakefield. Of all this learning, a year or two, eventually resuming his lectureship at Oxford, andpaying only flying visits to Brantwood. The summer

* “ Ruskin’s Music.” By W. G. Collingwood. Good Words, vacation of 1883 saw him oncemore settled at Coniston. October, 1902. 4 We learnfrom Mr. Collingwood thatRuskin was making 60 61 someefforts at that time to get the village children taught spend as much time in trying to be a painter as Ruskin did music ‘‘ with more accuracy of tune and time than the ordin- in tryingto be a musician. Yet,, knowingMary Wakêfidd ary singing-lessons allo.lved.” He tried to introduce a set cf in lateryears, we must acknowl’edge thatsome of these bells fortraining the ear TO observetones and intervals. admonitionsnot to limit her activities and thomught too “ But it was difficult to interfere with the routine of studies exclusively to music must have been taken to heart, and that prescribed by the codae.” Someaccount of hisefforts in they conduced to that wide outlook and varied interest in life this direction at Coniston is given in Fors Clavigera. by which she afterwards showed herself so different from the On oneoccasion Mary askled him tol makeher one of average singer-amateur or prof’essioaal. his well known drawings of feathers, a brown turkey feather, Thelast letter whichMary received from Ruskin-or such ashe had do’ne for hisniece Wh. Severn,and olther at leastthe last which she preserved-is datedJanuary friends. But he replied pointing out to her that it would be 30th’ 1887, and is perhaps the most touching in its expression a longer and more laborious task than sher .had estimated- i of his warm affection for her. Init he complains of the at least two days’ work-and he also, cast some doubt, upon I mass of correspondencewith strangers in which he found herappreciation of such a drawing. He goes so fa2 as to himself involwed, andthe infrequency of herown welcome l assert that he has neverseen hertake any interest in the communications. Mary was no’t at any time of her life given works of art which hung on the walls of his home. Similar to voluminous letter-writing. reproaches for her lack ,of enthusiasm for the sister art of 1 Mary’sown personal reminiscences of Ruskin as she painting occurfrom timeto time inhis lettlersl. W,e feel knew him under his own rolof were gathered up in the article that a lessfrank and sincere person than herself might at I alreadyalluded to (“ Brantwood,Coniston : JohnRuskin’s leasthave pretended to some interestin the pictures at Home ”), which she contributed to’ Murray’s Magazine about Brantwood !- We must remember,however, thatthis was tenyears before his death* Later reco’rds from SO sym- written just before h’er second visit to Italy, from which time - path’etic a visitor would doubtlesshave had an interBest and forward shebegan to show an awakene“d love of pictures, apath’os all their own’, forshe saw him-as she tells us whichincreased as hertastes widened andmatured. Cer- elsewhere-until a veryshort time o,f the end.But the tainlyin thelatter years of her life onecould hardly have picture she j has herre given LIS of Brantwood in the ’eighties accused her of indifference or ignorance in the matter. She, shows the Master still as the genial and indefatigable host, who loved Nature so passionately, and noted during her long puttinghis beautifultreasure-house atthe service of his cross-country drives all ‘‘ Earth’s royal aspects of delight,” gure&, andreading Scott’s novelsaloud tv0 themin the can never have been reallyinsensible tothe beauties 0.f a evenings,-““ he knew many of th,em by heart,, and they never fine picture, especially a fine landscape. failed to give him unfeigned delight.’’ At the same time there wasprobably a measure of justice ‘‘ Lookingback,’’ she then writes, “ on fifteen years’ in Ruskin’s inclusion of her in his general reproach to modern happy friendship with the owner and inmates of Brantwood, paintersand musicians that theywere usually too well- oneparticularly bright red-letter daystands out clearly contentwith and absorbed in theirrespective vocations to defined on the horizon of time, to be recal1,ed even now with escape, intoother realmsof thought;nor was he unjust in vivid distinctness, while many more recent events have faded his moredirectly personal reproach thatshe was wasting away into the unrememberydpast. As such‘, at anyrate, I of her life inyielding too easily to some of thebest time have always regarded my first visit to Brantwood; it has been socialpressure: andgiving her services on unimportant succeeded by manyhappy memories of brightdays spent occasions. He reminds h,er that some of the greatest Venetian under its roof,and is connectedwith many od life’smost painterswere also musicians, and trie? to beguileher into exercising her pencil and brush by promising to draw some- thingfor her if she will copy it. Itwas fortunate for the K The extracts from this article are reprintedby the kind ,, permission ’ of the publisher, Mr. John Murray, 50, Albermarle musical life of ruralEngland that Mary Wakefielddid not 9 Street, W. 62 63

passed, reiterated on all sides by the happy party that forms his home. ” Once within the charmed circle of Ruskin’s family life, Mary yielded herself wholeheartedly tothe glamour of his personality, and her records lack nothing of the fervour and idealization to which hisgrateful guests have accustotmed us. Never wasprophet more honouredin his own country than Ruskin by the disciples who gathered round him in his lakeland home. Afterdescribing the entrance-hall at Brant- wood, andthe .drawing-roo,m and dining-roomwith their pictures and decorations, she goes on to speak of Ruskin’s study as “ the ‘ holy of holies ’ of the house, sanctifiedby the daily work, thoughts and prayers of one of the greatest, motst reverentand holy minds the worldis ever likely to know. ” “ What does notthat wonderful studyembrace? No taste,hardly a pursuit,but is hererepresented by some ‘of the mostbeautiful things in the world,which are the pride alike of nature and art to lay at the feet caff those! who truly love them;and overall reignsthat quiet care and order typical of “their master’s mind. “ Roundthe little bow-window where Mr. Ruskin’s table and arm-chair are always placedis a low,wide shelf, where a little garden of flolwers gladdens his eyes; a branch of sweetbriar and scented heather, the lovely whitehare- bells and ,the tinyrock roses, all have a share o’f hisdaily regard. Carefully placed among them are the last geological. specimenswhich may haveexcited the Professor’s interest inhis daily walks, collected in this lovely regionwhence even stones have been made to speak-his beautiful thoughts andlanguage to the world at large. Fro’mthe windowwe look straight down on the peaceful waters of Coniston Lake, and across itto the farmhouse-‘ withits ivied chimneys thick and strong like castle towers,’ where Sir Philip Sidney loved to visit Anne, Countess of Pembroke,-on to the broad base of the ‘ OldMan.’ How Mr. Ruskin loves his own particularlake he has told the world, andgiven her fame. Every day he has lived there, I believe I may say, his love folr his north-country home has increased; and it would not be more than the. truth to state that na lights or shadows on the ‘ Old Man,’ no ripple or dark evening cloudpasses over thelake, but hashad its interest for, and won fresh affection from, him who finds poetry and teaching inevery

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phase of nature. . . . Suchtheis ever-present view recent engraving has beendone from it by Hore, of which from his window,varied according toNature's moods, and I amglad to possess a print. well calculated to inspire a Ruskin, wer'e inspiration needed. " " ' Now you must comeall over thegardens, or you Returning to her more personal memories of the place, won'thave half seenBrantwood,' says Mrs. Severn, the ' she then goes on : " How often in the study has Mr. Ruskin bestand kindest of cicerones;-this was on my red-letter warmlygreeted me, and spent hours in showingthe stores clay, so far back in the dark ages that I only like to think oif his treasure-housewith the kindestexplanations and the of the day, not at all of the distance of time that has inter- mostinteresting histories connectedwith each; beginning vened ! Since then, either in company or alone, I have wan- withthe beautiful Madonna and Child over the fireplace, a dered many times over the lovely Brantwood paths, most of splendid specimen of Luca della Robbia's best work, a dearly- themcut' out of the wood by Mr.Ruskin himself, ' where loved item in the collection; and passing on to where, round views of exceeding splendour and beauty are commanded in it on shelves, are ranged the valuable Greek vessels, dug up alllights,' untilevery footstephas some pleasant memory. in Cyprus by General Cesnola, for the possession of i which First we will go to the Fairfield seat (the ' show ' walk at Mr.Ruskin paid an enormous sum, half od whick was Brantwood for those who-cannot mount the moor) in spring- promptly confiscated from the General by the Greek govern- time;walking there through a perfectmist of hyacinths ment. Most of these vessels date between poand $00 B.C., ' opening in flakes of bluefire,' an easypleasant ascent and are as lovely in form-as they are historically interesting. among woods, from which you come out quite suddenly upon The marvellous collection of Greek coins, the ,missals, manu- a most gorgeousmountain view. . . . Thegrandeur of scripts, minerals, crystals, cabinets full of Turners of renown, the hills, contrastingwith the peace of the valley, hasno are indefinitely known by many people to form this ' King's morefavsured point from which itcan be seen; but those Treasury,' but known almostmore as somefanciful palace whocan will notbe content without a further climb on to in the air than as a reality; and indeed it is difficult in words the little moor just above the house, as I saw it last,-a mass to give any idea of the w'ealth of beautyan$ interest con- of heatherand bracken, mingledwith thelate wild rasp- tained here, or to make selections among them when all are berriesand strawberries whichabovnd at Brantwood : the worthy of description. . . . Few people in youth, o'r for things this little moor grows by nature, and still further has that matter in age, could have felt otherwise than that the'lr beenmade togrow by art, would make a longstory ! I mindshad beenlifted tothe wonderfulin Natureand in must be content to 'tell of the juniper and dog roses cluster- Art,and to theidea of true greatnress therein, as he would ing everywhere, and mount a little higher by the path which ~ haveit, by a visit thetostudy of JohnRuskin; though such ! leads over into the Grisedale Valley, when we suddenly find a visit as I haveendeavoured to describeis the result of ourselves in a cherryorchard ! Mr.Ruskin agrees to keep se1,ections madefrom those of fifteen years rol1,ed into one, this orchard for the benefit of the birds who are his tenants, and o'nly possible on paper." forthere are seldom cherries tobe found there except by Two portraits in particular she notes with special inter- themselves. " est, '¡ before leaving the h'ousa to' wander about the lovely One is tempted to quote extensively when Mary Wake- moorland and woodland paths with which Brantwood is sur- field writeson such a congenialtheme; but it is easy to rounded; they are bothin Mrs. Severn's bedroom, and judgefrom these extracts howmany happy memories of representMr. Ruskin's father, and himself in 1857. They Brantwood were woven into her own gardening experiments are both crayon drawings by George Richmond; the one of at Nutwood,which afforded some of the most welcome Mr. Ruskinshowing thatthe charm of expression,with resources of her later life. whichthose who have onlyknown him in lateryears are Maryconcludes her pers,onal recollections with an familiar,was equally presentin youth. The likenessalto- account of " JumpingJenny "-"a boat of Mr. Ruskin's gether stillremains remarkable, and to its owner, Mrs. own design-a good boat and a very safe one, doing credit Severn,this portrait is a pricelesspossession : a beautiful alike to her greatdesign,er and to the local joiner who carried

e 66 out his plans. The last time I was in the ‘ Jumping Jenny ’ was alone with the Professor rowing, and I remember well hetalked of Byron’spoetry in his ownbeautiful fashion. We both l’oved it,and said so, in.these days when literary CHAPTER VI. fashion scoffs at itsomewhat. No Englishman has ever MISCELLANEOUS WRITINGS. expressed passion as Byron did; Swinburne’s is an almighty force of passion’, but Byron’s is th’e warmth o’f a southern Mary Wakefield’s literary work falls naturally into three temperament which hardly realizes its own exceptional qual- sections : firsther writingson Ruskin, including alittle ity. All thisand much mor;e occupied a journeyacross the volume entitled Ruskin on Music and an article in Murray’s lake to- Thwaite;the ‘ Jump ’ acquitting hers’elf manfully, Afagazine alreadyalluded to ; secondly herdescriptive bearing in mind that as shle carries waves and stars all over articles on places of historical interest, or phases of Cumber- her shining bows, the arms of Sir Francis Drake, navigator,, land and Westmorland life, or scenes which appealed to her so she must act up to the grandeurof ber proud escutcheon.” in the course of travel; and thirdly, short papers contributed AmongMary Wakefield’s precious po,ssessions at Nut- from time to time to magazines and newspapers on musical wood was her collection of Ruskin’s works, several of which subjects, and ,particularly in later years on musical competi- containedinscriptions in theauthor’s own hand. The tions and festivals, and the organization of local choirs. In October, 1896, Marycontributed tothe Fortnightly dedicationin “ Slesame and Lilies ” runsthus : “ Mary Wakefield towhose bright and gifted nature-gotod in the Review an articleentitled “ HomeArts in the Cumberland kidest,sense, the author is thankful for someof the happiest Mountains,”giving an account of the KeswickSchool of IndustrialArt. This, one of theearliest centres of the hours of his old age.”In his “ SevenLampms of Architec- modern handicraft movement in the British Isles, bears noble ture ” he wrote : “ To Mary Wakafidd, but the author hopes witness to the influence of Ruskin in his own beloved coun- she’llnot read the bjook.” This was because in latler years try of the lakes, and no less to the practical devotion of its he was not quite satisfied with its original form. founders, Mr.and Mrs. Hardwick Rawnsley, whose labours Ruskin died at Brantwosd on the 20th of January, 1900, receive a worthytribute here. Duringthe summer follow- andwas buried on the 25th in thdlittle churchyard of ing the death of Ruskin, an exhibition of his own drawings, Coniston. Thefuneral service,impressive asit could not hisbesc árttreasures at Brantwood,and many personal fail to be,by reason of thebeauty and appropriateness of relicsand memorials, was held at Conistonin the “ little itsbackground and the sorrowing tribute of themourners grey slate building under the dark guardianship of Yewdale to a national loss, was made doubly memorable to all those Crags ” whichformed the nucleus of thepresent Ruskin present byMary Wakefield’s singing of §ir Hjerbert Oake- Museum. MaryWakefield wrote an account of thisin the ley’s setting of the hymn “ Comes at times a stillness as of NorthernCounties Magazine for February, 1901. Evening.”In a letterwritten subsequently, the composer Inthe admirable and discerning compilationentitled says : “ My special reasoIn for writing now is t70thank you Ruskin on Music, which Mary Wakefield published through much for associating my name with the last solemn Rita of Mr. George Allen in 1894,* we find many suggestive remin- so illustrious a man yesterday by singing ‘ Comes at times.’ iscences of those talks between the songs in the evenings at It is a great honour.” Onecan well imaginethat Mary, Brantwood, of which the letters quoted in a previous chapter out of the warmth of her affection for her old friend, would give us some delightful hints. In a short preface she says : in such an act of homagei give of her very best. “ ,Thefollowing extractshave been gatheredtogether merely withthe view of putting in collective formthe thoughts of Ruskin on Music for the use of his many students

*The volume is now out of print. 68 69

who are also interested in the art of music; and who, accus- 2nd I, personally, well remember his teaching of the ‘ mean- tomed to his manner of teaching, will look behind his words ing ’ of ‘ Voi che sapete ’ to be great in value to the singer, forthe thoughts containedtherein. To make peoplethink, because it came in where the notes and the words ended.” ever has been Mr. Ruskin’saim, and the passages he has §he thenproceeds to gatherup some of thepregnant written on music are no exception to the rule.” sentencesscattered through ModernPainters, Two Paths, Thesepassages, however, are linked together by sym- The Stones of Venice, The Seven Lamps of Architecture and patheticcomments and applications of herown. §he takes other works ;-utterances, indeed, not always consistent with as asort of textfor the whole worka sentence in Fors each other,‘but interesting as illustrations of Ruskin’s in- Cla.uigera,-“ The great purpose of music is to say a thing creasinguse of musicalanalogy in hiscriticism of art, and that you mean deeply, in the strongest and clearest possible his deepeningsense of theimportance of music in thelife of a people. way. ” Taking a familiar passage in Modern Painters as to the The introductorychapter treats of “ The Ideal in Music;”and in summing up Ruskin’s idealisticmethod of executive and critical faculties being in great part independent of each other, and the unreasonableness of asking anyone , approachto every art,she remarks : to refrainfrom criticising a work of art unless he himself “ Ihave found that nearlyall his appreciative writing regarding it [music] belongs to the work of his later years, could produc6 a better, Mary Wakefield says : “ It is in this criticalperception of music’shighest sentiment, w-hich may though a few words as to its moral power are to befound be found in its simplest forms, that some of Ruskin’s words in the preface to Modern Painters (vol i., p. xxiv.) written -In 1843. In youth music doesnot seem tohave been an im- about it touch what is held to bethe soul of music. It is more toexpress this simply by means of anexample, portant influence in his life, so it is them0re striking that easy for whioh purpose such a song as The Land of the Leal in after life he gives it such full perception and importance.” ‘ ’ may betaken. If thesinger, intellectuallyand emotionally, Goingon to relatehow Ruskin gradually came to hear . andobserve good music in thecourse of his travels,Mary conveys throughits means, to its hearers, human longing, Wakefieldquotes some previously unprintedportions of an humansorrow, human loss, and the belief in afuture life, therewe have the soul of the music-not themere words, essay which he wrote at the ag? of nineteen, under the title, notthe mere tune, but something far beyond either and in- “ The Comparative Advantages of the Studies of Music and finitely :above them. This quality in music, so entirely its Painting.”Herein he claims, as aprimary distinction, that own, and so often hbsolutely overlooked, Ruskin has touched the power of responding to music is a “ naturally implanted upon as only sucha mind could do,and told us of its faculty ” which man shares with the brute creation, “ while purpose. ” the power of being gratified by painting is either the acquired Shealso quotes the criticism, so sadly needed atthe taste of a cultivated mind or the peculiar gift of an -elevated timewhen it was penned, of theabsence of art from most intellect. ” EnglishChurch worship. “ Thegroup calling themselves But it would be unkind to repeat at any length the crude Evangelical ought no longerto render their religion an comparisons, always to the disparagement of music, both as offence to men of the world by associating it only with the to its effects and its estimated cost in time and labour, with rnQst vulgarforms of Art. It is notnecessary that they which this youthful effusion abounds.Mary Wakefield goes should admit either Music or Painting into religious service; on to give an extract from a letter which Ruskin wrote from but if they admiteither the one or the other, let it not be Rome two years later in which she discerns “ a certain grow- badmusic nor bad painting : itis certainly in nowise more ing appreciation of the best in music,” and adds : “ It seems forChrist’s honour that His praiseshould be sung dis- curious that one who later so felt the, depths of music’s power cordantly,or Mis miraclespainted discreditably, thanthat should at first have been struck by little but its ear-tickling His TiVord should be preachedungrammatically.” Mary emotionalism. . . . Inlater years Ruskin loved Mozart Wakefield gives a vivid, glimpse of some of her struggles andScarlatti, which meansa certain classic appreciation; us 70 7'

with local choirs in the caustic comment : " If this passage " The foundation of art in moralcharacter is one of the received due attention, a revolution would be effected in some things upon which Ruskin has insisted most forcibly through- church and chapel singing, where often the sounds are such out his writings; even thosewho have followed so far this thatthe only possibleconclusion is thatany howl will do little collection of his thoughts on music must feel that, for for God ! " him, thefull importance of all true art exists principally in She frankly criticisessome of Ruskin's more debatable its moral teaching. So far as it conveys the finest emotions, utterances asto the supremely sensual appeal of music as so far the art is fine; that which conveys to its hearers base comparedwith painting. She vigorously takes up thechal- emotionsbeing no artat all. Thereis no need todiscuss lenge of the words-" The great power of musicover the this teaching here; it is familiar to all Ruskin students, and multitude is owing not to its being less but more sensual in whetheraccepted ornot, is inseparablefrom his views on colour "-and replies : " One cannot help feeling that here art.''The quotations which follow are aptlychosen from speaks the art critic, jealous of the supremacy of the art he Fors Clavigera, Sesame and Lilies, and the Lectures on Art. lovesmost. It could not be granted for an instant that the They include the familiar passage on Saint Cecilia,-a study, power over a multitude of such a song as ' Auld Lang Syne,' shesays, whichmay have been suggested to Ruskin " by the National Anthem, or ' The girl I left behind me,' under his minute consideration of his magnificent thirteenth-century certain circumstances, has even so much as a touch of what musicalservice-book, or anti-phonaire. This belonged to, is ordinarilyunderstood by the word sensual; . '. . at andwas originally writtenfor, the Abbesse of BeauPrk. any rate, a much higher range of feeling is produced by sukh All the music is in the old four-line stave, with the lozenge- airs and appealed to in them than mere pleasure of the senses. shaped notes of the period; but what gorgeous colours, and Thisexpression of evidentlymisunderstood feeling makes whatwondrous gold, did thosethirteenth-century masters one think that Mr. Ruskin, in his retired student life, could shower uQon their well-loved vellum ! (The speciallybeauti- not at this time have experienced the effect, on a crowd, of ful Saint Cecilia leaf from it is reproduced as the frontispiece simple strains, which he would have been the very firstto of this book, though of necessity on a diminished scale.) " feel and acknowledge with admiration. " Turningfrom the Ruskin papers to her own travel- In hislater books, MaryWakefield contends that sketches and studies of country life, we find in " Memories Ruskin's views, " and even the manner of expressing them, of Spring in Sicily " adelightful record of a holiday in werelargely influenced by the well-known sayings of Plato Taormina', and a visit to the Brontë estate at Maniace; con- relatingto Music,contained in the ' Laws ' and in the tributed to the Forfniglztly Review, April, 1905. Here her ' Republic.' " The substance of theseisre-iterated, of keensensel of colourand light in skyand landscape finds coursewith his own commentsand applications, in all that ample scope for expression. " Almond-blossom must be the Ruskinwrote on thesubject of education. blossom of fairyland;that delicatemother-o'-pearl hue of Shequotes at somelength Ruskin's statement of the the almond groves against blue sky, or blue water-. it mat- " Principles of Musicand of Song, " from " RockHoney- ters not, are alike ' a vision entrancing,' and even a grey day comb " and " Arrows of the Chace," including his incidental now and then is welcome for the sake of the contrast, when witticisms at the expense of the Conistonlocal Band, who illuminationcomes in the wake of the sunshine. rowed out into the middle of the Lake and regaled the neigh- " Inspring at Taormina nothing is so easy to under- bourhoodwith polka music, varied by " occasional sublimi-. standas sun-worship. . . . A garden shouldalways be ties-'My Maryland,' ' God savethe Emperor,' and the a temple of the sun, but a garden at Taormina is the sun's like. " holy. of holies. So at least it seemed as one hastened in the Then follows a thorny chapter on " Music and Morals." sunlight of thatrare February day. . . . Februarywas MaryWakefield does not commit herself tothe extreme June-as to warmth and April as to colour,combined with views held by Ruskin on this highly controversial theme, but the odour of the orange-blossom belonging alone to southern she states his case sympathetically and fairly in these words : skies, which holds in its scent the languor of our day-dreams, 72 73

the rare moments when beauty of sound, of sight, and sense, likeaspect of the “ gospel of beauty ” which she loved to seem the only realities of life.” preach. This consists of a short account of the flower trade Then follows apicture of the “ littlemonastic garden of the Riviera, with special reference to the Cannes Flower in theheart of thehills,” where “ itseemed that allthe Guild, which supplies flowers regularlyfor hospitals and monkshad lost in God’s world hadrevenged itself by an othercharitable institutions ; and thewriter pleads for almostpassionate care and attention for this little fragrant somepractical development, or better organization, of the spot. ” flower trade in our own country, not only for the sake of in- In her account of a rustic ball at Taormina we get some creasing the supply of native blossoms, but also for the pro- refreshingly outspoken comments on the musical capabilities motion of ahealthful and beautiful industry in which our of the race: “ A little of asmelling oil-lamp, bad tobacco, Englishpeasantry might learn muchfrom Frenchmethods andthe same tuneon a hurdy-gurdy(for it possessed but of cultivationand marketing. As she justly says, “ we can- one) goes a long -way with most of us, even in the interests not of course compete with the.Wivierain flower produce at the of local colour;and as onelistened to thathurdy-gurdy it same time of year, but at a later season much improvement was impossiblenot to decide in one’s own mind thattruly might be made in the sort of flowers our peasantry cultivate. the Italian and Sicilian are singers, but what power on earth Inthe north of, Englandthe sale of flowers is alreadya would make themmusical ? Nowhere, in all probability, ii feature of summer market days in the country towns, and it the world can you hear so much bad music, badly performed, only requires individual energy to start the growth of roses, as inItaly. Of courseall musicians recognize the gift of lilac, andjonquils forscent purposes in sufficient quantity, voice, which I would sayis the gift of climate,but where to create a scent factory, and a flourishing industry.” else could a hurdy-gurdy have been listened to with perfect Of “ The May Trees of the Holker Mosses ”-a little indifference, playing the same tune from 8 p.m. to 4 a.m. ? study repril‘ited in the volumeentitled CartmeZ Priory and So, notunwillingly, we step out again under the perfect Sketches of. North Lonsdale-Mary Wakefield writes with star-lit sky. ” the affectionateenthusiasm which shealways reserved for With her ardent love of flowersand her desire for a the scenery of her beloved “ North Countrie.” morewidespread enjoyment and understanding of their Writing, in a similar vein, a short letter to the Spectator beauty,avisit to thestudio of Mdlle. Ruth Mercier, at of June 5, ,1$97, shecalls attention to the “ acres of wild Cannes, afforded a most congenialtopic forher pen. The lilies of the‘valley-lik9 the Elysian fields ” in the lily woods gifts of this young French artist as a painter of flowers had of Arnside Knott, and speaks of them with the same eager already been recognized by Ruskin, whose generous tribute, desire to share their beauty with everyone who “ hath eyes (‘You arefar beyond andabove any help from me,”is to see.”

‘I quotedin thearticle, A Studio in Provence,” which ap- (( May Carols,” a papercontributed to the Nineteenth pearedin Murray’sMagazine forJuly, 1890. A picturesque Century forMay, 1897, revealssomething of the scholarly andsympathetic account is theregiven of “ La petite loreand knowledge of musicaltraditions which were so Bastide ” with its “ beautifulcrimson rose of Provence ” happily blended with her ardent nature-worship and her sym- climbing about the entrance. “ A veritable home of flowers, I pathy withevery spontaneous utterance of it in art. real, both in art and life, blossoms out before you in all its “ Surely,”she says in herdescription of HolkerMosses, beauty,and for a fewmoments you noticelittle else. Then ‘(the ecstacy of Maytime need not be a thing of the past ? by degreesdetails obtrude themselvesonyour flower- Still,where are its festivals, its frolics, and its unconscious benumbed senses, and you think you are in a beautiful Pro- nature-worship ? Itcannot surely be that we are so dead- vençal bastide or farm ‘house-part ’ instead of in the atelier ened and deafened by the roar of modern life that we cannot of a rising French artist. ” feelany longer the voices of spring ? No doubt the motor- An article on “ Cannes Flowers ” contributed to another caris notexactly theplatform from which the lover of journal at about the same period deals with the more business- Nature mayapproach his ideals. Still, it has the supreme 74 75 advantage of removing rapidly from such sights and Scenes In the reign of Henry VIII., in the year 1530, this feast of thoseto whom they are uncongenial, leavingòthers of US the dedication of the churches was ordered to be kept on the who are in sympathy with them to establish once again the sameday everywhere, without reference to theparticular link between the children of men and the returned glory 0fC saint of each church. The dedication festival is now held at the earth. ” Grasmereon the 5th of August,St. Oswald’s Day, the Speaking of themore ancient and localcarol4 which patron saint of the pretty little church hallowed by so many musical antiquarians have collected of late from so many of associations, not the least of which is that in its churchyard our English counties, she says : “ As a general observation is theresting-place of VVordsworth. The festivalbegins on on their music, it may be noted that many partake somewhat theFriday, when the aisles of thechurch are strewn with of the character of hymns, the morris dances only represent- rushes.Origihally the floor of the churchwas earth, with ing the lighter revelling part of May-day pastimes ; which a few rough stones here and there, so that the rushes must seems curious, as the words of all the carols are of a very have been almost a necessity in the early part of this century. mixed character,their serious vein beingevidently ,only of The rushes used are the small ones,known as sieves,’ that Puritandate. Thus, though the tunes do not sound, like grow on the fells. They are cut and brought to the village dance tunes to us, they probably may have been so; the old in carts; andthough Grasmere Church has no longerits word ‘ carole ’ was used by the trouvbres invariably to mean earthern floor,’the strewing of the rushes is still an important a song which was sung and danced to, ‘ the performers mov- part of the festival.” ing slowly round in a circle, singing at the same time.’ For , An article on “ The Gullson WalneyIsland ” in the a slow dignifieddance these airs would havebeen feasible, Saturday Review, April 17, 1897, and a similarone entitled and their solemnity is not in any way unusual as represent- “ Breeding Season at the Gullery on Walney Island ” in the ing secular airs; for, from the thirteenth century in the first English TZZustrated Magazine, show the same first-handknow- preserved English May song of all, Summer is a-coming in, ledge of the scene described and the same quick eye for the to the present time, English melody, when ít is not patriotic beauties of its setting. is very aptto be hymn-like.” Thelittle volumealready mentioned-CartmeZ Priory Inher account of “ A NorthernGala- Grasmere and Sketches of ATorth Lonsdale-contains, inaddition to Sports,”contributed to the CommonweaZth for April, 1896, “ The May Trees of theHolker Mosses,” reprints of the MaryWakefield describes a festival of latersummer (held paperson’ “ Cocklipg ” andthe “ WalneyIsland Gulls,” in August) which still retains many features of the old-world anda series of four charming little studies of old churches merry-making,and preserves the characteristic flavour of and chapels in the remoter districts ;-“ Cartmel : .a Haunt the soil. of Ancient Peace,” “ A Quaker Stronghold,” (‘St. Anthony To theSaturday Review of August 26, she con- 1893, of the Fells,” and “ Early Recollections of Grange. ”* tributed a similar article (“ Two North-country Festivals ”) She concludes hersketch of CartmelChurch with an butadding to her description of thesports an interesting allusion to the music which must have echoed from its walls and vivid littlepicture of anothercustom, known as the in the course of centuries of worship, and therewith adds a Rush-bearing ; once general but now only to be found in a modest mention of her own contribution to the musical annals few English parishes. of the place. Forwasit her pleasure and privilege “ Rush-bearing-otherwise ‘ strewingthe church with (shesays) to sing at some of the Sundayafterno,on rushes ’-no doubtis a relicof the heathenvillage feasts, recitalswhich were organized by afew music-lovers in the which has corne down to us from Saxon times. These feasts locality someyears ago, and still vividly andgratefully re- werecontinued by theChristian converts, and became the membered by manywhose enjoyment of themis not to be foundation of the country wake, or feast of Wakes, a dedica- I__ tion festival held originally once a year on the day on which *The collected volume is published by H. T. Mason, Grange- the church in every village was dedicated to some saint. . . wer-Sands. 77

measured by their own musical education or attainments. A through Muway’sMagazine fromJuly to December, 1889. poet’sappreciation of hersinging on these occasiolns The substance of these was afterwards given in the form of may be appropriatelyquoted here. lectureswith musical illustrations, and has been recapitu- lated in the chapter dealing with these lecture-recitals. The “ Bach’spreludes and fugueswere more stately thari everamid such architecture;and there were listeners who subject of “ Carols,Serious and Secular,” does not appear still hear the unearthly and disembodied cadences of Wagner’s on the lecture-syllabus, buttwo of hermost characteristic ‘ Good Friday music ’ echo in thearcades of -the‘tri- anddelightful articles are devoted toit in thisseries, and forium. Of all thesinger’s services to music,none could should be read in sequence with the essay on “ May Carols ” be truer,or give more perfect expression, to her powers, alreadymentioned. thanthe part she took inthese recitals. Inan age that Anotheradmirable little article which doesnot seem permitstrivial music if it displaysvocal charm, she has to have found its way into her lectures is one contributed to alwaysbeen too admirable anartist to countenance such the Commonwealth of August, 1896, entitled “ A Mediaeval unworthyuses of a fine faculty. In thosememorable after- Singerand his Songs.”It is a brief account of thelife noons thegreat music of all generations delightedher and work of Walther von derVogelweide, the twelfth cen- audiences, and it is certain that the mastery and understand- turypoet whose influence changedthe current of popular ing of herinterpretations set manymasterpieces in a new song throughóut Germany, and ‘made him one of the great- lightand widened theirappeal-stimulating and nourishing est progenitors of the later Meistersingers of the Fatherland. thesense of beauty in manyminds, and awakeningit in Himself courtminstrel and Christian Crusader, he became others. an active figure in all the civil and religious struggles of his ‘ To mentionindividual pieces would be a futilecata- time;and his grave may still be seen in thelittle garden which is all that nowremains of the old cloisters of the ‘l loguing of thecharm of these occasions. It isbetter to dwell on t-he abidingimpression of amagnificent voice, Neuemiinsterkirchein theWürzburg. deeply moving no less by human feeling than by mellifluous “ Here,’’says his sympathetic eulogist, “ wehave no quality,strong and austere and dignified,vivifying every merehireling minstrel but a singer-patriot ; andit must note it sang and giving some vibration of eternity to it, and never be forgotten among his deeds of arms that the Minne- alwayssympathetically met by anexquisite handling of the singer laid thefoundation of Germanmusic and song, and organ. It ispart of theremembrance of thetime that this that aslfa? as the state of the art permitted him, he repre- musicand this voice appearedto have been designed for sentsthe music of ‘his time.But he sang notfor coin or thearchitecture amid which theyassumed their place so ordinarypopularity. Hesang for influence, for powerover fittingly;and it seems as if somequality of such a voice theminds of men,and forthe beauty of his art; andfor should remaininherent, half anaroma and half a quiver, this reason, if for no other, the Minnesinger stands alone in in the building, even for those unbo,rn who can never hear it.” thehistory of music. His profession wasalmost invariably Considering her almost life-long occupation with music, that of arms; his freegift to the world wassong. . . . it is impossible not to wish that she had written more fully Vogelweide’s earnest spirit, and his feeling as to the mean- and directly on musical subjects, or put her lectures system- ing and mission of song, may be looked upon as the germs aticallyinto permanent form.Yet it can be readilyunder- of themodern development of Germanmusic, and are, stood that one of the greatest charms of her lectures was the though widely different in manyrespects, closer in feeling freshnessand spontaneity of their delivery andthe scope tothe music-dramateaching of to-day than may atfirst they gavefor impromptu illustration.Some of thisfresh- ’ appear.Both rely first on the‘meaning of music; ’ both use nessand variety could hardlyfail to have been lost if she its emotionalpower forthe expression of that which is Qf hadlaboured toprepare her manuscript for press. There human significance. The spell of our Minnesinger lay in that remains to us, however,one excellent series of articlesen- his songdrew its inspiration from human weal and woe. Naturewas his music’s source;the age in whichhe lived titled “ FoundationStones of EnglishMusic,” which ran P 78

wasthe instrument uponwhich thisman, the first of mediaeval minstrels, played his songs for all time.” One would gladly have had further essays from so pene- tratingand wide-minded acritic; but she devotedmost ofc CHAPTER VII. hertime to musicitself, partly perhapsbecause of herex- THEORIGIN OF THE MUSICALCOMPETITION FESTIVALS, ceedingly practical turn of mind. §he wanted people to love 1885-1900. music and to learn from it at first hand, and it seemed to her that the best way of making them love and understand music In March, 1884, MaryWakefield contributed tothe was to make them sing ;-wisely trusting to the discipline MusicaZ Times apaper upon “ AmateurMusic as it should ofchoirs tofrustrate the display of individualvanity and be,” whichshows how strongly and lucidly she was begin- incompetencewhich so oftenresults from the too general ning to think of. the possibilities of m-aking music an integral advocacy of the practice of an art. §he expressed her earn- part of our social life. §he hadjust been staying with Mr. est belief in such enterprise, and also in the better develop- Henry Lesliefor thecoming of age of theHerefordshire ment of orchestral playing in this country, in two short papers PhilharmonicSociety, and was full of enthusiasmfor the in The Planet for March 2 and June 29, 1907. §he also gave work accomplished in the west od England, when she penned a lecture on the Management of Competition Festivals before thearticle from which I quote the concluding paragraphs : the Concert Goers’ Club, London, on March 15 of thessame “ .Anything but a crammed room at its concerts is unknown, year, and this has been reprinted as a pamphlet by Messrs. andthis not from the tickets being forcedupon unwilling Atkinson and Pollitt, of Kendal. buyers by aristocratic ladies to wholm the effort of getting Her criticism of musicalperformances was at alltimes rid of them is well nigh a desperateone; but from those frank and specific; she f’ound fault only in order to^ point out taken up, by the subscribers to whom they belong. the best andmost practicable remedy. If herkeen ear was “ Houses are filled and parties are made from the esprit swiftto mark deficiencies, hardwork and intelligent effo,rt de corps felt everywhere with regard to ‘our Society’ the same neverlacked her warm-hearted ‘encouragement. Comment sort of interest, indeed,wo’rking for nusic which supports so justand careful as hersgave the greater value to her successfully the county balls and agricultural shows through- praise. Inthe article oa Walther von dier Vogelweid,e she outEngland; nolt a complimentarysimile forart perhaps, but one? whichshows thesort of life absolutelynecessary has, as wesay, “ let herself go ” moreunreservedly than usual on thesubject of herideals in music; andone can from a social point bf view, and ensures a satisfactory result readilyunderstand thatthis knight-errant of song, who indirectly from a musical standpoint also. . . . . added to hischivalry patriotism, and to hik patriotisman ‘‘ Should this short account of successful results and their almostreligious devotion to his art, would appealin a apparent reaaonslead any similarlyoonstituted society peculiarway to heradmiration and love. E-ver seekingto to follow the des and ambitions of thisone, or encourage bringthe inspiration of natureto the task of musicalex- anymusical amateur to gooa withthe great work of pression, the last request of Walter von der Vogelweide was musicaleducation in himself andthose around him, its one after herown heart,-namely thatthe birdsabove his object will have been reached; fo’r if music as a serious art is grave should be fed with corn and water; a tribute to those ever. to be appreciated and understood here, as it is in Ger- many, the formation of an educated, enlightened public is the “ wanderingminstrels of th,eforest ” from who,m hehad firstrequisite, and in orderto produce this valuable result, “ learned the art of song. ” At the time of her death,Mary was contemplating most surely will th,e root of the matter prove to be the cul- several further essays on music and musicians,-in particular tivation and encouragement of the musical amateur.” an article on Saint Cecilia and her influence on music, paint- There is no doubt, from many things which ing,and poetry, with many illustrations. But this peculiarly field afterwards said and wrot,e, that the work so well begun congenial task she was never able to accomplish. by Mr. Henry Leslie at Osw,estrystimulated the idea of 80 81

starting a similar scheme in her own district. In the autumn chorusnumbered 140, andthe firstcombined work was of 1883, a few months after the publicatio,n of the article in given : Mendelssohn’s LaudaSion. At this time theenter- the Musical Times, it was announced at aconcert given in prise was known locally as the “ Sedgwick Choral Competi- the villageschool atPreston Patrick that in the following tion.” In 1891, after the death of Mr. William Henry Wake- year a singing competition would be held at Sedgwick. field, thename was changed to the “ WakefieldChoral Accordingly in August, 1885, thecontest came off, the Clompetition,” in honour of its first patron. meeting taking place in the tennis court, in the grounds of Before proceeding further with the history of the Com- MaryWakefield’s home. Thetest piece wasStevens’s petitionFestival movement, it will be well to ,enquire into time-honoured part-song “ Ye spottedSnakes.” Three what had already been attempted in this direction, and thus quartets took part in the competition, and they sang all the tosubstantiate Mary Wakefield’s claim tobe regarded as repeats ! Dr. Brownwas thejudge, and Mary Wakefield the foundress of the work. With the fairness and frankness gave thme prize.* which characterized all her dealings with her fellow workers, Such was the modest beginning-scarcely defined as an she has recorded that she had gone very thoroughly into the event in her diary for that year-of a movement which has question òf competitionfestivals with thelate Mr. Henry sincespread likea flowing tidethroughout the whole Leslie before starting on her own initiative in W’estmorland. country,creeping down from the north, which hasalways She says : ‘“.e, who, from his connection with Wales had seen been thefountain-head of musicalfeeling in England,to much of the virtues, and I must add the vices, of the Eistedd- places that havelong been regarded as hopelessly aridand fods,discussed with me, havingexperienced himself to a uncultivated in thisrespect. certainextent in the same line, the possibilities of utilizing The experiment was SO far admitted to be a success that the id8e.a in many of its valuable attributes as a ,motive power itwas resolved to repeat it th,e followingyear. This time for awakening musical sloth, more especially in the country therewere more events; the entries numberedtwenty-one, districts. We both felt that the stimulus of competition was anda combined performancewas attempted, so that the a valuable vital initiative, and we thought that the many evils gatheringwas transferred from Sedgwick to §t. George’s that follow in its wake might be to a great extent avoided. Hall,Kendal, where, with an intervalduring which the So we passed on to plans and ways and m’eans, and I resolved Drill Hall had to be requisitioaed, it has always taken place. to start the Westmorland Festival in 1885.” The rapid inflûx of competitors,and th.e enthusiasmwith Here, then, we may see the help she derived from one which the ideawas takenup in theneighbourhood, must moreexperienced thanherself. Mr.Leslie confirmed her have convinced Mary Wakefield that her dear native district strong distaste for the type of festival that builds its popu- wasa promising soil in whichto sow theseeds of musical larity dn the value of the money prizes which it offers, and culture.Indeed the growth of the schemecanno’t have probably gave herpractical advice, but he did notactually failed tosurprise her, since by thethird year (1887) the formulate that particular model of competition festival, with

“The Westmorland Gazette (September IO, 1910) speaks of four its extraordinary germinating vitality, which she thought out entries. I haveadhered however tothe account given meby Miss and inaugurated in Westmorland. When we remember that Wakefield herself, and corroborated in herpaper on Competition the work in Herefordshire had been started twenty-six years Festivals read before the Concert Goers’ Club, March 15th~1907, in which she says, describing the firstWestmorland Festival: “ Three earlier than her own, and had remained a more or less isolat- quartets competed in ‘ Ye spotted snakes,’ as badly as may be.” Before ed phenomenon of our musical life, we realize that, successful presenting the prize, Mary Wakefield saidthat another year,should as it was within its own limits, it must surelyhave lacked there be as many as eight entries for quartet singing from thead- joining villages, she would gladly give further prizes with a view to something of thaturgent, infectiousenthusiasm, that far- encourage the pursuit of music in country places inthe neighbour- reaching power of propagation, which carried Mary Wake- hood. So long as eachvocal partwas properlyrepresented, the field’s scheme from end to end of England in the same period quartet might consist of men and women, or boys and girls, and the parts might be doubledor trebled provided that they did not collec- Qf time. To find aparallel to this result of personalenthu- tively in each quartet number more than twelve voices. I siasmin the musicalhistory of thenineteenth century we 82 must look to the ardent propaganda of the Russian national school under the guidance of Mily Balakirev in the late ’six- ties and ’seventies. Another influence which worked towards the realization of this scheme may well have been Mary Wakefield’s friend-? ship with Ruskin, whose words “Music fulfils its most attractive and beneficent missionwhen the massles of the people enjoy it as a recreation and a solace, ’’ sound the very, keynote of the enterprise. In 1872, an Eistleddfodon the old-fashioned lines had been started by Mr. Griffiths atWorkington; andin 1882, Stratford, in Essex, held its first mseeting, due to the enterprise of Mr. J. S. Curwen, the son of the originator of the tonic sol-fa system. But these, again, did not engender any offshoots. Shortlyafter the first Westmorland contest, the late Duke of Westminster started the competition for a rural districtround Eaton, previouslyreferred to inthese pages. Next to Eaton came Morecambe, a festival which was conducted for two years by Mary Wakefield herself, and one of those which havegrown most rapidly bothas regards the number of entriesand the quality of thework achieved. I may leave out of consideration the competitions held annually 1 at the CrystalPalace, in which choirsfrom the big towns take part; for they stand outside the movement with which I .am nowdealing, which hadfor its primary object the encouragement and cultivation of music in rural districts. l No one was less disposed to stand upon her rights, and

pushher own claims tobe regarded as thefoundress of a l great movement, than Mary Wakefield. It is time, however, that strict justice should be done to her memory, and that it should be made perfectly clear what were the conditions of choral music in our villages before she planned and carried out that vital and truly democratic movement that now flour- ishesunder thename of the Association of Musical Com- petition Festivals. We have seen that, except for Bswestry, Workington,and Stratford, all of which differed incertain important respects from her ownideal model, the field was practically bare of workers. The movement,therefore, as we know it to-day,owes its origin entirely to her initiative andunfiagging enthusiasm. She started it;she promoted itsgrowth ; its successcan never be divided from her memory. What, then,were the distinguishing features of the 83

" WakefieldCompetition Festival " ? I thinkwe may say that they werethreefold : competition as astimulus tothe study and practice of music; the stern elimination of money prizes; and the study of music for combined singing, apart fromcompetition. To be successful, a movement of this kind must be built upon the surest foundatioa : a broad and tolerant knowledge of humannature. 'These threeprimary and simple features of the schemeshow that MaryWakefield understood perfectly well hbw to adapt her ideals to " human nature's daily food. " , As regards competition shesums up the need forit in thesewise words " It isall very well tosay to a class, ' N0.w forthe love of the divine art of music,come rain, come shine, we will meetonce a week and indefinitely work at music,' but a definite aimis lacking. With a definite aimbefore us such as competition implies, we can start with a definite end in view, a definite time in whichcertain works must be accomplished, with, finally, d,efinite, valuable criticism which, for a secbnd year, tells us how to advance in work; to say nothing of a possibleprize, andthe possible great joy of triumphing over the next town or village. Here are objects that appeal to everyone, and, in addition, all this makes for system, andthe instruction becomes perforcesystematic. . i . . Letit not for an imtant be imagined that people want to -learn at the commencement. They don't. To createthis desire 1:s the first andmost difficult part of the whole matter; once the clesire iscreated difficulties fly like chaff 'before the wind. Here,then, the idea of competition is of vahe." The firstprinciple of the movementis therefore a concession tohuman weakness : the second is a safeguard againstit. Competition as an inducement to hardwork is one thing; but competition with a view to raking in valuable . mcneyprizes b,ecomes toooften a vicious rivalry.Mary Wakefield saw inhow many instances ithad sapped the true artistic value of the Eisteddf0d.s. From the commencement she set herface resolutely against " pot-hunting " in Westmorland,adopting instead a system of grants, which go to all thechoirs equally to assist them in their general expenses. The planhas worked well. " As to thse prizes," I shesays, " thefashions of ancientGreece holld swaywith

./- 84 85

us, andthe challenge bowls, thebanners of song, and -the lofty idealism with a saneopewminded critical faculty was bay wreath are the only awards to the victorio'us. "* so valuab1,e in guidingthe early progress of her Westmor- Thethird special feature of the " Wakefield " type of landFestival and its offshoots. We have seen thatshe CompetitionFestival is also themost original. To Mary cameto her work with an experienceand equipment far Wakefieldalone belongs the idea of unitingthe contesting' above that of the ordinary gifted and enthusiastic amateur. choirs together in the performance of works not included in Therefore she was well able to choose with breadth of view thescheme of competition. In her own words : " It is the and knowledge the kind of music that repaid arduous study. development of thisnon-competitive movement side by side 6' Wherever this movement penetrates, the &musichas to be with the competitionin which I am so greatlyinterested. of the highest class " was her dictum; and it must be owned Ido not believe ,thething can endure without it, at all thatshe compromised as little as may be. Wherever it is events in countrydistricts, and I amsure three times the statedthat only " thebest music " isperformed, be it by advance in musicis made by its mleans. . . .79 f ,+oncert-givingorganizations, choral associations, or in cul- For pet.tyjealousies and local rivalriaes mustneeds tureddomestic circl'es, we shall generally find agood many vanish when thechoirs stand uptogether singto exceptions-the outcolme of expediency,fashion, or tem- a Bach Cantata, or suchchoruses as "rThe Re- porarylapse, of judgment-to provethe rule. There is no deemed of t,he Lord " fPom Brahms's Requiem. What I musical scheme so securely fenced around that it can always (mightdescribe asthe moral effect of thesecombined per- exclude thepenetrating element of the secondrate. The formancesis obvious. A number of choirs who have been surest proof thatMary Wakefieldvery seldom lowlered her hotly contesting for a day or two in the small pieces forget standardof. selectionfor thecompetitions or the combined all rivalry andthe bitterness of failure whlen theyunite to performances of her own choirs may be found in the festival do their best in some great masterpiece, befo're an interested programmesfrom 1886 tothe present year.*Apart fro,m andappreciative audience. The combin'ed singing,there- theWestmorland singers, the standard of musichad fore,counteracts the narrowing tendencies of competition necessarily to vary according to the volume and capacity of and becomes the greatest elem,ent of solidarity in the move- thecontesting choirs. For such cho'irs asthose of More- ment. cambeand Blackpool no musicis too difficult, whileevery Other factors of importance in the success of the Waké- year brought into the network of tbe CompetitionFestivals field CompetitionFestival, thoughsomewhat subordinate to some'quite e1emer)tary workers.Mary Wakefield was a thle thme named above, are the care exercised in the choice member of many committees for the choice of music, besides of music; theencouragement of juvenilecompetition and assistin5choirs by correspondence,and forher tru,e combined singing;and lastly its broadlydemocratic and catholicity of tasteand soundness of judgment music all altruisticappeal. over Englandhas much to be thankful for. Shewas not The choice of musicmay appearto many far froma anadvocate of whatshe used to call the " point full " secondaryfactor in thescheme of CompetitionFestivals. competition piece, in which effects verytelling to th,e Still we have seen that a festival may be started, and very audience could be made at every turn,. preferring rather to successfully started,onthe simplestmusical pabulum. hearthe intelligent singing of an ordmarilymarked pi'ece Afterwards, as thechoirs grow more expert and sophisti- of classicalmusic. She had thetrue artist's horror of cated, the question of selecting music that is worthy of long " machine made " effects. months of patientstudy becomesmore complex. It was f Nothing could havebeen sounder than the policy of en- inthis respect that MaryWakefield's colmbination of a listing the coming generation in her work. At the Westmor- land Festivals th,e children-" the music of the future " as she *At first a few unimportant money prizes were offaed, but these used to call them-have their own suitable pieces for study, have now been given up, with the exception of one competition-for the best folk-song. *These will be found at the end of this volume. iI 86

their own competitionday, and finally their own combined classes that are wanted; social support is wanted, money is concert, the chief feature of which is a children’s cantata with wanted, public interest is wanted, the influence of the Press orchestralaccompaniment. Inthe musical progress of the iswanted, and I must say in my ownexperience, all these children,Mary Wakefield greatly deplored thevague, necessary accessories have been most freely and nobly given, attitude ,of theeducational autho’rities and hoped for and the result is the scheme belongs to everyone; hence its thetime whendaily instructio’n in singing would become popularityand the enthusiasm with whichit is worked.” compulsoryeveryin school. (‘As regardsthe chil- These last words bring us to an indispensableelement dren’sattitude towards the Competitions,” she says, “ of in the progress of the movement : the workers who have fol- coursethey simply l’ove it., . . . Fiveor six hundred lowed MaryWakefield’s splendid lead. Without a band of children singing together in two-part music have very credit- devoted and untiring labourers the soil could never be tilled ablé results. . . . But my dreamwith regard to the chil- orthe harvest gathered in. Here,again, the personal dren’s share in competitions is not nearly so far realised as 6lementproved of immensevalue, thepower of imparting in theadult case. . . . In some of our schools the com- her own enthusiasm ; of giving out encouraging sympathy ; petitionmovement for childrenis assisted largeJy by the , the tact and tolerance that welded and kept together people EducationAuthority, butmanyin other places diffi- of the most varied tempers, ambitions, and interests; briefly cultiesarise, and in .many’cases the valuablestimu- the chief reason why men and women enlisted and worked in lus the competitions give is lost, because the general .music her slervice is included in the fact that she was simply herself teaching in rustic schools is of such a poor nature. ’’ Never- -Mary Wakefield. theless the interest and healthy enjoyment awakened in num- She herself wasoften astonished and deeply moved at bers of children at a most impressionable age must count as the unselfish and untiring ardour of tho,se who took up her one of thegood works accomplished by the Competition work. q Commenting upon thespirit of enthusiasm that Festivals. animatesher fellow labourers, not only for the days of the Coming tothe socialside of the movement, its delmo. festival, but during the weeks and months of previous hard craticaspect is rather the natural outcome of itthan a work,she says : “ Remember there islittl’e kudos in the deliberately planned scheme for bringing together all classes end;it is all a freegift. Even if theworker is a musical of the community. From the time when she started her first conductor,only one choir can win, andmany of those I competition in the tennis court at Sedgwick, Mary Wakefield refer ‘to are notthe musical workers at all.Look at the madeit the aim of herlife ‘(to bring the greatest rnüsic collectors of subscriptions. Was th’ereever such disagree- within the reach of thegreatest number.” Incidentally she ablework to do as that? Butwith an unextinguishable the forwardedan idealwhich is socialistic in bestsense of p ardourhave those workers gone o,n foryears. I must theword. There is something Tolstoian in many of her admit that I thinkenthusiasm can be cultivated, and it is, points of view : “ Musicalfestivals form a socialplatform I think, a kind of unwritten law in our movement, that we whereon -everyone, irrespective of religion,politics, class or depend upon it to an enormous extent, b’ecause you see our education, can meet freely with a common cause, ideal, and work is, as a whole, entirely unpaid work; for which reason interest.This is really avery great position to which few only the appeal to the ideal can be relied upon as a lever. abstractpursuits canattain. . . Politics,religious Music makesthat appeal, personal influence mayhelp it, questions,class and education areoften separators; music butthe enthusiastic support of themultitude carries this (as practised at these Competition Festivals) makes for union. democratic musical movement on its shoulders. ” . . . . Musicalenthusiasm is largelyagift, but itcan Inthe early history of the movementits success de- alsobe cultivated for itis very infectious. . . Everyone pended wholly onpersonal enthusiasm and encouragement. connectedwith a districtcan, and should, have his or her Thenit was that all Mary Wakefield’s dominant qualities placein connection with this movement. I shouldlike to foundscope for their employment. Then it was thatthe l say, asstrongly as 1 may, thatit is not only choirsand businesscapacity, the tenacious will, andinward, almost 88 89

spiritual, ardmour inh'eritedfrom a loag line of Quaker conductors are almostinvariably recruited among local ancestorsserved her in good stead. It is at thisjuncture, amateurs : the clergyman or his wife; some musical member too, that we fee.1 there may have been some higher wisdom of the squire's family; or the village schotolmaster or mistress, than mere concession to worldly convention working behind qftencome forward as volunteers. Then a centralmeeting- the hindrances which prevent'ed her realising the early dream place wassought out, after which thesteady work was of heryouth. If the worldhad lost a starit nowgained begun.Think what a new zestsuch winter meetings must the compensation of an initiativeforce. The veryexperi- have given to the monotony of lif,e in many remote villages ! ence shehad gone through peculiarlyfitted h'er to'bring It would not be sufficient, however, for the purposes of musicwithin thereach of the 'masses. Sheunderstood that combined performances to let each choir go on working un- not everyone who is a musician at heart can become one by aided for five or six months in the year at a difficult oratorio profession. She could sympathiz~ewith the craving for or cantata. It is indispensable that there should be a choir- musical expression which is shared by hosts of. obscure and master in chief whovisits from centre to centre, holding inarticulateindividuals : while, havingkept herown ideals li'ehearsals at which the choirs receive criticism and encour- purefrom thedegeneration which istoo often, a part of agement,and are inspiredwith a feeling of unity, so that professional strife, she was still sui'íiciently broad-mind'ed to 'when it comes to the festival their artistic amalgamation is realise thatimperfect musical naturedemands the stimulus only a matter.of one or two general rehearsals. of organised contest. Thiswas the task whichMary Wakefield took upon During the fifteen years that followed the inauguration herself and carried out so effectively. " I remember," writes of the Competition F,estival Mary Wakefield was the leading Mr. George Rathbone, " how she used to travel about, night figure in itsprogress. Until the year 1900, when she re- after night, in all sorts of weather, often with great discom- tiredfrom her public career, she conducted the annual fort, try4ng to infuseinto the members of the choirssome- festival h'erself, and for some years she acted also as chorus- thing of her own tremendousenthusiasm. Shewas invari- master in chief, going from village to village to rehearse the ably successful. Her personality was so charming, so cap- worksselected for c.ombined performance. Frolm the very tivating,she made us all dowhat she wanted. How the first she had a loyal lieutenant in her sister Agnes, Mrs. ,T. choirs loved her ! There were no rehearsals like hers." A. Argles, whose zeal fell little short of her own. Mrs. Argles . Of course,like all enthusiasts, she met with a certain filIed thedouble post of secretaryand treasurer until the amounb of "ridicule and cynical criticism in the beginning of movement grew beyond thepower and control of on'e herwork. Twenty-two years later she recalls this good- woman'spen and brain, however active. For some time humouredly. She could afford to smile forshe had con-

Miry Wakefieldfound a valuableassistant in Mr.George quered. ( Rathbone, whotook over the duties of choir-mastter when * " Now, at anyrate, everyonre hasheard olf the Competi- shebegan to find thestrain onher energies almost over- tion Festival m.ovement, in those days no one had, and much whelming.Since his resignation in 1900, the position has wasit pooh-poohed andlooked down upon (especially, I been filled by Mr. AlfredWillink, of Burnesid'e,near think, in myself, as one more sign of the dementia to which Kendal. musicians are supposed to besubject 1). That all this work Theplan of workado,pted by theoriginal pr,omoter of should be done for the sake of bringing music into the lives the festival was as follows :-Early in the autumn a council of those who were not musical, seemed simply ridiculous. As was held andthe music to bepractised during the winter one north-countryman said to me, in our beloved vernacular, wasthen selected. It included, as alreadystated, music for I after rehearsing for weeks (for T was chorus-master as well competition andfor combinedperformance. In each village as conductor in thosedays), when I wasdragging myself a teacherwilling to conductone or two practices a week wearily into a railway carriage en route for a villagesome wasinvited to co-o.perate. The small fundsat the disposal twenty miles off, whichtook aboutfour or five hoursto of eachvillage have seldom admitted of remuneration, The reach, ' Ah well, it'llbe a labour of luveno doubt.' Th ‘ labour of luve ’ lasted fifteen years, and I look back- on it with the greatest happiness. ” Many strange adGentures overtook her on these expeditions to outlying villages. On oneoccasion shehad fought tj asnowstorm through several miles of roughroad from tfie ui nearest station to the room in which the rehearsal was held. Thepractice was long and interesting, and she forgot the difficulty of getting back over the snow-clogged roads in time to catch the last train home. Consequently she found herself belated, and obliged to take refuge at the one primitive inn which the village boasted. An important lady visitor arriving after IO p.m. in midwinter was a flustering apparition to the goodhostess, who, however, was prepared todo her best. The only availablebedroom wasbitterly cold,snow drifted in at the casement that would not keep shut, and to lie on the feather bed felt like sinking into a drift of damp autumn leaves. The lighting of a fire in this unaired apartment produced steam without warmth.. Tired, damp, but by no means discouraged,Mary suggested the comfort of ahot-water- bottle. The landladyapologized; she did notfossess one- a warming pan of course, but a water-bottle-. !x But the Mary who could take down sucha trifling ob- n stacleto her progress as a five-foot stone wall, wasquite equalto the emergency. “ Whatabout emptyginger-beer bottles ? ” “ Oh, yes, there were some out in the shed.” So the bottles were fetched, a dozen or more, filled with hot water,and Maryslept among the billows of damp Y feathers, outlinedin ginger-beer bottles like a flower-bed in somesuburban garden. She enjoyed the reminiscences of these adventures for they appealed to her sense of humour, but those who loved her felt she had carried such risks quite farenough when shereluctantly resolved togive up the more arduouspart of herwork in theWestmorland hills l and dales. Mr. GeorgeRathbone, for years her co-adjutor in this rehearsalwork, has manyreminiscences of thosestirring times. An excellentpianist and a composer of somemerit, Mr. Rathbone was only about twelve years of age when he l first attracted Mary Wakefield’sattention. In those days she used to go on her round of visits to the choirs with her sisterAgnes, who generally accompanied the works re- hearsedon the piano.After hearing the boy play, she soon arranged for him to take her sister’s place,and he used to s

travelall over the country with her rehearsing the choirs. Lookingback on those years of strenuousbut enjoyable work,he says : “ All Ican say goesto prove how large- minded shewas, howvery human in allher views of life. On manyoccasions I can remember mistakesImade in ma.nner and speech, and how she frankly told me of them in a kind and sympathetic way, where others would only have laughedor sneered. Inthis way shespurred me on todo thingsthat seemed impossible. Attimes I must have an- noyed her more than I can tell; but she was always the same steadfast and true friend.”

(( In those days,” he continues, ‘(the singing must have heen rough, hut there was nodoubt about the enthusiasm. Miss Wakefield seemed to infect everyone with her wonder-

fulvitality. ’ Itwas a great day in the villages when she held herrehearsal. Flags wereflying and crowds collected in the streets to give her a welcome. What she did with the chars was marvellous for she had not a great knowledge of the technicalside of music.* Itwas doneundoubtedly by main force. The combined concertswere always times of anxiety, for here again MissWakefield had to rely on her energy to pull thingsthrough. She was not a conductor in themodern interpretative sense, hut used tobeat time in a splendidway. I wastoo young to be critical in those days, but, looking back, I imagine some of the performances were decidedly rough.The foundations were being laid in good sdid -ground and, as I said before, what was wanting in finish wasmade up in enthusiasm. Now wehave more polish, but we miss -some of Miss Wakefield’s fire. Om these r’ehearsal tours she frequently had to put up with $much discomfort.Horrible weather;often damp, cold . inns and wretched fo,od-although I mustsay she occasionally carried anextra supplyin one of herfamous bags. After therehearsals she was often tired out. Sh’eworked so dreadfully hàrd,singing all theparts. After she retired fromthe work of chorus-trainershe gave more time to organization all over the country.

(( Sh’e gaveencouragement to many young musicians and executants who are no,w famous : Mme. Liza Lehmann,

We have seen that she was equippedfor her work far above the average amateur of herday, but she herself often regretted that she had not had the all-roundtraining so easily obtained nowadays at innumerable schools of music. 92 93

Miss Muriel Foster, MissMarie Hall, Gervase Elwes, name of itsfoundress, and in futureit will beknown as KennedyRumford, Webster Millar, andArthur Somervell. " The Mary Wakefield Westmorland Festival." Thefolk-song ,movemrent received a great impulsefrom With the retirement of Mary Wakefield from public life, hersupport. in 1900, begins a seco'nd era in the history of the Competi- (' As a vocalist, I onlyknew hersomewhat after her tioln Festival Movement, which I propose to treat in the fol- bestdays. She used tosing on Sunday aftIernolonsin lowingchapter. Carhmel Church. Her volice was of beautifulquality. Her command of mezza voce was wonderful, and she could sus- taina pianissimo noteapparently for an eqdless length of time. Herfavourite songs on these occasionswere Schubert's " Litanei "-of whichone can only saythat herrendering was perfect-Oakeley's '( Comes at times," andcertain arias of Handeland Beesthoven. Shewas also very fond of somNeof Parry's wolrk." Eachsucceeding year sawthe movement furtherad- vanced.Place after plaoe j0dne.d in it, so.metimes by means of direct proselytes wh,o came to the Wlestmorland meeting, cameand saw and returned to conquer all prejudice and o'pposition, andto start the idea practically elsewhtere. We haveseen that in thethird year the chorus was numerous enoughto justify the performance of a co,mbined wolrk. At thesixth competition there werle 635 competitors,with a correspondingincrease of eventsand prizes. By1892 it was estiimated that there had been over 2,500 competito,rs, and at the close of ten years' work Mary Wakefield had the satisfaction of knowingthat at least 10,200 vocalistsand instrumentalistshad taken part in theannual contest at Kendal. In the year od her retirement from active conductor- ship (I~oo),Dr. McNaught-one of th,emost energetic work'ers in the field of competition festivals, and an experienced adjudicator-contributed an article on thesubject to the Musical Times in which he states that the adult festival choirnumbered 600 voices. Sone idea of th'e qualityand quantity of the music brought within range olf theWest- morlandrural districts may be gathered from the list issued in that yearwhich will be found at theend of th'e volume. In 1900 it was thought advisable to change the name of the Festival in order to avoid confusion arising betwe'en the family name of Wakefield and the Yolrkshire town which had its ownmusical gathering.Henceforward it was callNedthe Westmorland MusicalF'estival, until last year, when it qvw unanimously decid.ed to link it once againwith the 95

have been possible?Many who at firstprobably only loved music with a luk,e-warm love that would never have stirred them to such selfle,ss ardour,afterwards learnt to che,rish CHAPTER VIII. th'e art they worked ,for, thanks to her compelling example. Was ever anypotentate more loyally servedthan Mary THE DEVELOPMENT AND FUTUREOF THE MOVEMENT. Wakefield? I mayhere quote the words of onewhose services to her duringthe stress and fatigue of F'estival- It mustnot be supposedthat after Mary Wakefield week,in thelater years of herlife, italways touched me laid down the conductor's baton in 1900, and decided to take very deeply to witness. no ,more sectional rehearsals in outlying districts, her efforts ''. And whathas filliss Wakefieldachieved in this her on behalf of her enterprise were in any way relaxed. When best beloved work ? " he asks, " and how has she done it ? sheresigned the conduct~orship of the Competition Festival She originated in hernative county this splendid enterprise she became its president, and did not accept ,this officie in the thegrowth of, whichwe have all seen; andnot only this, capacity of merea figure-head. Alth,ough shehad now but through her wide circle of friends and admirers she has surroundedherself with a band of competentand willing ' been the inqpiration of startingthroughout the length and helpers to whom she could entrust much of her former work, breadth of England, and even in the King's dominions over she remained to the end of her days the infsorming spirit of seas, similar competition festivals to ours, so that there are the wholemovement. And not in the Kendaldistrict only. now over one hundred such festivals regularly held and new She gave up driving long distances in all weathers, but she ones are continuallybeing setto work. And shehas done still complied from time to time with pressing invitations to it by combining with her great talent as a musician a strong inaugurate fresh branches in various parts of England, and busine& capacity, uniting the two with a wonderful gift of hercorrespondence in thecause was enormous. Her per- tact, allexpressed in a compelling personality. She had the sonalpresence was felt to be a factor of successwhenever intuition which told her what " would do " and what would and wherevera new venturewas started. She was an not. And what she wanted done she knew how to get done. admirable speaker, lucid inexplanation, candid in criticism, Qnce win her trust and she trusted you and relied upon you and with a wonderful power of saying the happy word which fortbat loyalservice which nonewhom shetrusted could broughtencouragement and reanimated failing endeavour. ever failto render. And if shemade large demands upon Amongher staunchest upholders at thistime, who re- the devotion of hercolleagues, how they all loved togive lieved her of nota little work and anxiety, were Mr. Colin her their best ! "* , and Mr. GordonSomervell, who eventually becamte jointly The festival of 1900 was conductedpartly by Signor thehonorary secretaries of theWestmorland Festival, in Risegariand partly by MaryWakefield, Mr. Luard Selby, 1904, thelatter becoming alsohonorary treasurer.* An and Mr. George Rathbone, who each furnished a composition executive committee and a musical committee had now been to theprogramme. In 1901,Signor Risegari and Mr. formed and all the increased wo'rk connected with the move- Coleridge-Taylor wgre the j'oint conductors, and the next two ment was placed in strong and competent hands. Guarantors performances (1902 and 1903) were directed by the latter. andsubscribers had come forward with an alacrity that In 19o4 theFestival had become anevent of such im- exceedted MaryWakefield's most sanghe expectations, portance that it was considered advisable to engage the ser- andshe must have felt that she had realised the idealde- vices of Sir Henry J. (then Mr.) Wood and the Queen's Hall scribed in the foregoing chapter : " the schem,e belongs to Orchestra, thus, adding a new side to its educative value ; everyone; hence its popularity and the enthusiasm with which for, from that time forward, the dwellers in th,e rural districts it isworked." But without, her personality could all this of Westmorland have had the advantage of hearing one or

-)c The first secretary was Mrs. Argles, who was followed in turn by Mr. L. Gardner Thomson and Mr. A. H. Willink. $ ++Froman obituary notice signed C.S. inthe Westmorland Gazette.

l ”i

twosymphonic works perfoemed infirst-rate style during theirFestival-week. “ I rememberfeeling,” wrote Mary Wakefield in 1907, “ that the taste of performers and audi- encehad been steadilyraised when twomovements of Beethoven’s C minor Symphony were encored vociferously by achorus of 500 villagersfrom the dales and fells of Westmorland.” It is valuableto have this testimony to her belief in orchestral music asan important addition to the educationalelement of hermovement. It shows that how- everhighly she estimated the practice of choral music as a social and artistically refining force she was far from regard- ingit as the be-all andend-all of our musical life, which seemsto be the point of view of the blindly enthusiastic choralist, and leads to the singularly paradoxical condition ‘of thingsto be observedin some of ourlarge towns, which, while boasting fine choirs, seem at the same time lamentably backward as regards taste and the appreciative faculty. But MaryWakefield’s wise provision for fine orchestral music was what might have been expected from rpneof the most comprehensivelymusical natures I have evermet : apractical musician; a fine listener, and a sane open-minded critic. Sir Henry J. Wood now undertook some of the sectional rehearsals 0.f the choirs before the Festival-week. The vari- I ous choirs join for thispurpose at somegiven centre, such as Grange-over-Sands,Kirkby Stephen, Sedbergh, Kendal, ‘or Kirkby Lonsdale. The dates of these rehearsals are made knownlong beforehand, and the event is anticipated with almost as muchexcitement as theFestival itself. They are really hard working lessons, and of profound interest to the local conductorsand the members of the choirs. SirHenry Wood’s genial, but uncompromising, way of bestowing praise and blame, draws the very best out of everyone. Theprogrammes in 1905 included Mendelssohn’s Walpurgis Night and part songs by Brahms and Elgar; but theyear was chiefly memorablefor a remarkably fine performance of Dvorak’s Stabat Mater, the interpretation of this inspired work by thesevillage choirs being a revelation of what may be accomplished by combined effort and well directedenthusiasm. In 1906, theFestival schleme celebratedits twenty-first birthday, and H.R. H. Princess Christian was present at t.he performancesand gaveaway the prizes to the successful competitors.This year, the Festival which hadgrown in THE TWENTIETH COMPETITION FESTIVAL, ISOS. (Sir Henry J. Wood conducting). 97

tenyears to be a threedays' event, extended for thle first timein itshistory to four days. The expenseand trouble annually involved in holding a Festival on so large ascale now resulted in its becoming biennial. At first it was feared by some that the interval oif two years might tend to' cool the enthusiasm of the villagechoirs, butsuch fears have luckily provedunfounded, thefestival of 1908 havingbeen in every way a financial and artistic succe,ss. A shadowwas cast upon thefunction in 1910in con- sequenqe of the abs'ence forthe firsttime in itshistory of itsfoundress, whosehealth was then in a precarious state. What the withdrawal of herpresence meant tothose who hadworked with her for twenty-fiveyears can be easily realised. Herown sorrow was such as canhardly be

* touchedupon in words. I saw her in Londoa in April, being on the point of starting myself for a long journeyin Russia an,d Finland,and muchdistressed by hercondition which filled me with thte fear that I might not find h'er still with us on my return. But all personal grief vanished when we talked of the Festival and I read the unspoken pain and regret iq her eyes; for she could scarcely b'ear .to speak of it. The next Festival (IgI2)-the first since her irreparable loss-will be investedwith a specialsolemnity, two of the worksfor combined performancehaving beenchosen in memory of her : Mozart's sublime Requiem and a Choral Prelude Out of a Silence, thewords by GordonBottomley, the mdsic by GeorgeRathbone. Moreover several prizes have been instituted in memoriam .- the silver medallion bear- ingher likeness; and the prizes for String Quartet and Stringorchestra givenby §ir Henry J. Wotod,also with the same idea. This ìs no4 more than her due; but, in truth, will notall succeeding " MaryWakefield " Wlestmorland Festivalsbe the best of all-memorials to herwho founded them ? I must now speak of a further development of the schemewhich has beenproductive of increasedunion and activityin thecause of music. In 1904, thenumber of off- shootsfrom the parent festival in TVestmorland having reached the number of forty-nine,Mary Wakefield thought the time had come whren an annual meeting, or conference, of all who were interested in the movement should be held inLondon, with the object of discussingall kinds of ques- tionsgermane to the subject of competitionfestivals. Ac- 99

cordingly son May 17th, 1904, a preliminarymeeting was to receive a fair quantity of letters with all sorts of queries, convened at the residence of the D’owager Lady BeauchaTmp, some of which I ,was able to answer ; in other instances I at 13, BelgraveSquare. Thechair was takfen by Lady knew of peoplewho could give much better advice than I MaryFo’rbes-Trefusis (then Lady Mary Lygon), and abaut could on the particular point in question. So it often seemed eighty people were pre.sent, amongthem being the Hon. to me, if we could focusall our experienceand knowledge Mrs. Robert Spencer, Countess Valda Gl,eichen, LadyWini- in a Congress once a year,we could then, if it is properly fredeElwes, Mr. GervaseElwes, Hon. Everard Fielding, organized, get the very best authorities on special subjects, Dr.Arthur Somervell, Mr. HenryJ.W’ood, Miss Mary which would be an enormous help to all. There should also Wakefield, Miss Cecilia Hill, Miss Craig Sellar, Mrs. Peake, be ample room for discussion, so that anyone could bring up Mrs.Argles, Mrs. Mansell, Mrs. Commeline, Rev. G. points .of difficulty. And furthermore I would suggestthat Commeline, Mr. W. H. Leslie, Dr. Perrin, Mr. Minshall, Mr. Dr.McNaught and myself, if appointedsecretaries, should FullerMaitland, Mr. J. Graham, Mr. F. G. Edwards, Mr. be at handfor some portion of theday insome room to Alfred Littleton, &c. tryand make ourselves generally useful ! The idea of this Mary Wakefield in a well balanced and eloquent address , Association.should be (as Isee it) as wide as musicitself; showedhow strong a hold the C,ompetition Festival move- nostereotyped rules or methods which mightcut out one mentwas taking upon thecountry. After nineteen years Festival while admittinganother could beentertained. Our work,the Westmorland gathering which hadthen stood common &round should be our work for music, our difficulties alone was now a mere part in a splendidly organized whole, and our successes. I am glad to say we all have both.” the value of which wasalmost universallyacknowledged. Others having spoken, including representatives of sev- Once more she emphasized the one point in which she claimed eral centres in which the movement was in operation, it was originalityfor her own system and type of festivals : the resolved toform an Association of CompetitionFestivals, workdone by thechoirs apart from competition. “ I do to hold ayearly conference in London.Lady Mary Forbes- not believe,” shesaid, “ that thegreatest power for in- Trefusis accepted the office of Chairman of Congress ; Mary structionis reached by thesefestivals until this combined Wakefieldherself, and Dr. W. G. McNaught,to whom the workis arrived at. It isthe co-operativesystem adapted movementalready owed much, became the honorarysecre- to musicalrequirements. Workscan be performed and taries ,pro tem; Mr. W. H. Lesliewas electedhonorary knowledge of music gained, by separatedinstruction and treasurer,and, later on, Mr. J. A. FullerMaitland joined massedresults, which astonisheven those who have had thisexecutive committee. The nominal sum of a shilling experience of years’standing. To all thosewho have not a year entitled the subscriber to membership and a ticket for yet unde&aken,‘it, I commend music Learnt not for competitive the congress. purposes as the highest attainment of this most useful com- The firstConference took place on June 27th, 1905, at petition lever. Therein speaks the voice of a great art quite Messrs.Broadwoods, Conduit Street, W., and they have directly toits humblest votaries, calling them to serve it been held there every year up to the present time. The pro- without emulation, without rivalry, simply as ‘‘ Music, sacred ceedings were carried on from IO a.m. to 5-30 p.m. Papers tongue of God. ” were read dealing with the following questions : “ How this Passing on to the immediate object of the meeting, she Association can enhance the value of the Musical Competition continues : “ It has appeared to me for some years past that Festival Movement : Whatis the Hindrance to Musicin all of us connectedwith and interested in this movement England? ” by MissMary Wakefield; “ Voice production wantedsome practical binding link, also something almost in Choral Classes,’’ by Dr. Coward (Sheffield) ; “ The Cultiv- Qf the ‘ Inquiry Bureau ’ character, to which many questions ation of the Child’s Voice,” by Mr. James Bates ; “ Various that arise on different topics could be referred, and at which aspectsand details of MusicCompetitions,” by Dr. W. G. papers would beread, followed by widediscussion. It has McNaught ; “ The EducationalValue of Music,’”by Dr. been my privilegeand pleasure in thepast nineteen years Arthur Somervell ; ‘‘ The people who listen,” by Mr. W. H. IO1 I O0

for, the work of this'' Association as the best memlorial we Leslie; " Music for Competition Festivals," by MissMary can off er. ' ' Wakefield ; " The financial position of Competitions," by the Beforeclosing this brief résumé of the development of Rev. CanonGorton (Morecambe). The followingopened the Competition Flestival movementafew words may be . discussions, or wereinvited to contribute to them : (Mr. said as tothe value s'et upon it by theleading native Plunkett-Greene,Mr. E. P. Cook (Worcester),Dr. Coward, musicians of the day, and also as to its future influence upon the Hon. NorahDawnay (Northampton), Lady Winifrede the creative element in our musical life. Cary-Elwes(Brigg), Mrs.Commeline (Berks., Bucks. and Among Mary Waltefi'eld's letters are several which show Oxon.),Mrs. Rosa Newmarch, the Hon. MaudStanley, the that her work awoke the admiration and approval o,€ many Hon.Mrs. R. Spencer (Northampton), MissMary Egerton contemporarycomposers, and foremost writers on musical (York),Mrs. Whittaker (Blackpool),Mrs. Manse1 (Mid- questions. I need only quote a fewhere to show how men Somerset),Mrs. Massingberd (Spilsby), and others. of themost varied tastesand views united toencourage It is hardly possible in this memoir to follow the work her in herwork. Writingto her in 1904, §ir Hubert of the Association year by year.This can be done byall Parry says : '' I do indeed thinktbe CompetltionFestivals whocare to becomemember's, by means of theadmirable are splendid' things--quite among the most hopeful signs o,f annual rep.orts, issued in the October following each gather- the timesin this country. Thlere are hundreds of ways in ing. which theydo good : showingpeople holw reallyenjoyable At the meeting held on May 31st, I, a vote of sym- 191 goodmusic is when you colme to knowit, in spite of all pathywith th'e members of MaryWakefield's family was that is said to the contrary, and giving people something to unanimouslypassed, andthe words spoken by LadyMary work for and exercise their faculties upon, which are troubEed Trefusison that occasion formsuch a noble and unforced and dulled. sometimes in, the country districts when without tribute to her wo'rk and personality that this memoir would an incentive to activity; and giving them also opportunities be incomplete without some quotation fro'm them. to meet togetherand expand their experiences of men and " Theshadow ,of Miss Wakefield'sdeath is over us things. " to-daywith special h'eaviness. Her lossis a vivid personal About the same time Sir Edward Elgar writes : one to most of us, andit is a losswhich time does not soften.But if herpersonality. stolod to us foranything, it " We are leavingfor the lower RhineFestival on stoodfor a keen andvital interest in promotingall that Tuesda$-The Apostles-or I shouldhave been very glad. was highest and best in art-especially in music-an interest indeed to have attendled the meeting. You know that I whichadmitted of no baffling obstacles nar indolent in- greatly approve the general idea of the competitions which, differlence when a definite goalwas to be reached. properlyconducted, can only beproductive of posd. I " This association of ours was very dear to Miss Wake- shouldlike to see the whole of England covered, so that a field's heart; she was most anxious that it should be a f,orce child or, in fact, any singing person, could not escape when for union to the movement of Colmpetition Festivals all over they move, as trhley often d'o, from one district t,o another." the country, and last year she spoke often of her wish that Ayear twolater be writes again in answerto an it should b'ecome a still greater bond of musical fellowship, or a stronger power for united action, and a more definite centre invitation toattend a conflerence of the Association o€ for all that concerns our mutual well-being and progress. MusicalCompetition Festivals, suggesting a form o'f prize which, as far as I know, has never yet been offered at any " We cannot show an affectionate loyalty to her m'emory better than by each one of us doing our best to help on her of the Competitions : ideal anddetermining togo forward withthe work she June 25th, 1907. began smplendidly, and, therefore, our keynote to-day must Dear Miss Wakefield, notbe regret-intense thoughthat is in our hlearts-but I am so sorry I cannot be at the meeting. I shouldnot rather a renewedquickening of interest in, and enthusiasm have had much to say, but amongst other things, I feel that at every I02 103

competition a prize should be offered for ‘(the most artistic ” effort. contempt flor allmusic of tihe lowerkinds. And it should I say (( effort ” because the best work during a whole festival might be done by a conductor with an inadequate choir: that is to say the be observed that at presentthere is no othermeans by judges should bestow the award .on that person, or choir, which they which these results can be achieved. If those who are luke- think has shewn the greatest artistic perception-possibly apart from ’ warlm about the!,Competition Festivalcan sh.ow usa better actual execution. Providence, it was irreverentlysaid, is on the side of the big battalions and, judged from the standpoint of tone, choirs way of interestingtens of thousands of ordinary people large in numbers, or drawn from large districts, must necessarily have annually in first-class.music in their olwnhomves, weshall the advantage. behappy to adopt it; but at presentthe Festival hollds the The awardshould be an important one in every festival: i.e., of considerable value in relation tothe other prizes offered. field.” Finallyhe concludes with these pregnantwords : “ The C,ompetition Festival movementis one that should Believe me, Yours very sincerely, appeal to musiclovers ‘everywhere. It achieves the maxi- EDWA~DELGAR. mum of resultswith the minimum of expense. Itgoes direct to the root of the malady of Englishmusical life by bringing the finest music into the homes o,f the people, and Hereare Professor Hadow’s views,given on a similar by giving them, after they have sung it at the Festival, the occasion : “ It would have been a great pleasure to attend, dualopportunity of criticisingother petople in thesame if I hadbeen able, and to say a few words of cordial con- piece, and of being thelmselves criticised by expertadju- gratulation on thegreat success o€ the movementwhich dicators. Those wh.0 have seen the system at wotrk cannot you haveinaugurated. Ever since Somervel1 firsttold me think withòut a thrill of the spiritual pleasure, the sense of of it, many years ago, I have breen much interested in your the beauty of life, that all this lovely music has brought into scheme; and it is very encouraging to see how it is growing m:any a ‘poor home,many a dullvillage, many an ugly over the whole country and what a wholesome influ’ence it is factory. Thegreat mass of the peoplre cannot possibly see exercisingon English music. When ourblossoming time manypimures, read many- books, or live amongbeautiful comes-and it is rapidly coming-wle shall o,we a great deal scenery. It, ìs musicalone, thatcan lift them out of the to the seed which you have planted.” routine or the squalor of theirdaily to,il, and gild existence Mr. Ernest Newman,in a reoently published brochure forthem if it bme only for a fewhours. The Competition entitled “ TheValue of Co,mpetition Festivals,”says : Festival movementmakes music a bright reality tothem; “ There is probably no one who has been brought int.0 close themore they live with it the more ,of a necessitydoes it touch with the Competitive Festival m,ovement who doles not become ’to thlem; and when itis a neoessity to all of them,, remain anardent worker for it. The prime ground of this andnot aluxury or a terror,England will atlast become enthusiasmis the conviction thatthe movementis doing truly musical..” more than any other single force for the musicalregenera- We might multiplyinstances of suchcongratulations tion of England.”Again, by way of solving the problem andgood will, butit is unnecessary : the present status of asto how weare to acquire the -musical habit inthis the movement speaksfor itself. country, he argues as follows : “ The public taste inmusic We may, however, speak -with some prophetic certainty andthe appetite €or it must so increase thatthe dremand as to the influence of theseCo,mpetitive Festivals upon the will be strong enoughand permanent enough to insure future of musical life in this country. supply. The presentforces obvi’ously cannot.create this de- If thework o’f those r,esponsible forthe organization mand. Had they been able to do so., they would have doae of these Festivals all over England has been done faithfully itany time during the last fifty years.There seems to me and c,onscientiously, then, sidle by side with immense technical IIQ force equal to the work except the Competition Festival. improvement in o,ur cholral singing, will come a corresponding . . . . . In everydistrict where the movement has sharpening of ourcritical faculty, a broad,ening of our out- taken deeproot there is a markedincrease in the public look, and elevation of taste. §Q that we maylook forward appreciatilo8nsf music of the higher type, and in the public to the time wh’en appreciation will no longer be‘centred in a 104 fewlarge towns. We shallhave a great musicalpublic with a judgmentthat cannot be imposedupon; apublic then, are we to turn for an expression of the natifonal sense which will only careto perform and listen to really good of musicwhich shall afford strong hopeand security f0.r a music in vari,olus styleswithout distinction of school or permanentexistence? Nearlyevery village in Englandand nationality.At the same time it maybe said olf choral. Wales may be-said to possess its choral society, oorrespond- music, more than of any other branch of art, that a people's ing in somedegree with the numer,ous local orchestrasto need canbest be supplied by itsnative composers. The be found on the continent. If we would but devot'e the mere fact that they deal with the vernacular in a suitable way ,energieswhich are yearlydissipated in attempting-and in has much to do withthis. But to a really musicalnation failing-to establisholrchestral societies, to the recognition thequality of themusic will always be thle firstconsidera- and the fostering of existing choral organizations, I venture tion. Therefore we may look tothe work of the Co(m- to think that the harvest would be rich and profitable. We petitionFestivals tobring abcout two itmportant results in have not yet, by a long way, exhausted all thte possible effects the nearfuture. The first will bean improvement in the to be .obtained from a judici'ous colmbination of voices, and quality of thetranslations which publishers will venture to if theextraordinary techniquewhich hasalready beenac- offer to an intelligent singing public. The second, and more quired in the orchestra can only be applied to the tveatment important, willbe the encouragement offered to native Gom- of the chorus, we are surely justified in making the attempt posers to aim high and consider the more critical standards and in lookingforward to the realization of great achieve- of ourfuture performanoes. For assuredly as we become ment in the future." more educated we shall form our judgments with less reliance Elsewhere he writes : upon theguidance of a soft-heartedPress, and singers and " Thexeis good reason to expect a revival of musical audiences who have beten largely nurtured upon the master- interest among all classes in England at the present time. In pieces ofBach will acquire sufficient independence of spirit the growiag popularity of the Musical Competition Festival, to concentratetheir enthusiasm only upon what is actually apurely democratic movement, lies a great hopefor the vital in creativeart, We shallthen be less flooded with future.Apart from the educational value of suchfestivals, home-.made creations; but the quality will begin to tell. they may be said to justify their existence by a refining and A Britishcomposer will not be accepted and flattered far-reaching influence, impelling the people, at no little sacri- simply because he is British, which is becomingth,e great fice of time and labour, to devote their spare energies to the danger to nativemusic at the present time. cultivation and acquirement of a higher technique, which has already í%ached analmost incredible degree of proficiency. To turn from personal reflections to the view,s Q€ one of l The prospect of anymonetary reward is in mostcases a our mostprogressive musicians, who may be relied upon negligible factor, the chief interest being centred in an hon- to see as far ahead as it is given to most olf usmortals to ourablerivalry in the open field. In theNorth of England do, Professor GranvilleBantock, realising, as a conductor and in parts of Wales it has been my privilege to be present and musician of wide 'experience, the difficulties which beset at many of these meetings, to listen with delight and amaze- the spread of orchestral music in England, says : ment to some of the finest renderings of bothclassical and " The modern orchestra has developed intol an organ of modern music, and to find the audience and musicians, alike incrediblepower and resource, th'ough, chiefly for economic drawn from the humbler classes, attracted thither solely by reasons,signs of a possiblereaction in this directio,n are their love for music,and enjoying and appreciatingthese notwanting. Thlere mustbe a limit sommeWhere,and in subtler forms of expression that elude the average concert- Englanditappears to bealmost impossible to expect goer. ' ' orchestralconcerts even to payexpenses. Forthis reason MoreoverGranville Bantock has proved by workshis instrumental music of the colossal propolrtions explected at faith in the future Q€ choral music in England. Hearing the thsepreslent day, although satisfactory enough to' the artistic firstproduction o€ hisChoral Symphony based upon Swin- sense,cannot be justified on prudentialgrounds. Where, burne's Atalanta in Calydon by theHall$ Choir, at Man- I oG 107

chester, on January 25th, 1912,it was impossible not to ask value-and their lo’nglist ‘of soloevents, depart so widely

oneself whether the enterprise modestly inaugurated at Sedg- fromthe original type of the (( Wakefield ” festivals that wick in 1885, hadnot led on,surely and directly, to the theyentirely contradict theprimary intentions of the in- possibility oaf sucha bold creation,and its adequate inter- augurator of the movement andapproach perilously near pretation. to theplan of theWelsh Eisteddfod, whichwas the very Those who have followed this composer’s recent develop- thing she was most anxious to avoid. ment cannot have failed to see that he was alert to the pos- To such objections it is only possible to reply that when sibilities afforded by the improved choral technique which is Mary Wakefieldunsealed the unsuspectedfountain-head of the outcome of the Competition Festival movement.Wisely musical enthusiasm in our midst she could hardly have foreseen he has taken full advantage of it by writing a little ahead the varied courses in which its issuing streams were to run; perhaps of the presentday, but by nomeans beyond the nor was she in a position to estimate the unequal tributary grasp of many of therising choirs whoserapid progress f,orces which should leave une a modest, rural brooklet, and from strength to strength is one of the most stirring signs of make of another a powerfuiriver, drawingoth’ers into its thetimes; choirs that are splendidly fulfilling Ruskin’s spreadingand deepening current.Had s‘ne lived, though admonition : ‘s Do better than your to-day’s best to-morrow.” regretting some of h’er original ideais, there is no doubt that We should be unwise toassert that Bantock’s Chord she would everhave been the first to welcome every fresh Symphonyowes its inception wholly to the Competition accretion pf genuineenthusiasm to the movement. She Festivalmovement, but undo~btedl~no composer would knew-no one better-that the ~~~~it~,o~ssuitable for coun- haveventured to write works SO daring in theirdemands tryfestisals, which itwas her original aim to promote, upon choraltechnique as Sea Wanderevs, Omar Khayyam, codd not always be made to accord with the needs of large andthis latest example of his art-unless hehad been urbanccntres. Her ownpersonaî ideaí was undoubtedly sensible of theextraordinary advance in interpretative the gathering- to,gether of all classes to sing as much as may capacity which ‘may fairly be a~tr~~~lt~~to the move- be for the pure joy of singing. Modifications of this personal Inent. This,the first ChoralSymphony thein truc ideal were inevitable as the movement grew more and more sense of the word, fits a few exceptional choirs of the present beyondher personal. controland influence. Once started it da).; but it \\.ill fit a number Q€ choirs in the near future. never could have remained a ‘‘ one woman I’ affair. She Others,too, have written,and are writing, with this could neverhave wished it to be so. At the same timeshe movement in view. had a wise horror of seeing a mov~~~ntthat had its springs As an exampleof what is now beingdone in some of in suchpure, ideal ent~usia§~polluted by greedyrivalry, the larger centres, n-e may instance one of the latest recruits ‘ pot-hunting ” andthe commercialspirit generally. She to the movement- the Midland Competition Festival,to he would certainly have protested to the last against her work held in the city of Birmingham in May, I~IZ. Here,the becoming a tool in thehands cf any one §ch~~l~clique, or schemeincludes ninety-five classes;the Festival is a five branch of the musicalprofession, Ehen the most largely days’event; the music is selected from the works of sixty supported and in~e~e~~entoff-shoots of her primitive scheme composers, of every period andschool from Palestrinato -ct-ould be wise to keep always in remembrancethe id’eafs Strauss;and eachevening a concert is given in which the of strict justice, ~~~~~1~~~~~arid ~~~~~~~~€~~ €ell~w~~~~on winningclasses takepart. ?-*i;t-LicPi - It was first based; for on thesefoundations the

Lí I wish,” writesProfessor Bantock, commenting on stability and future achievement of the movement will thisscheme, that Miss Wakefieldwere still with us to entirely depend. witness this development of hersplendid initiation. ’’ Many will doubtlessobject thatthese great competi- tionsin large towns which draw upon thicklypopulated districts, with their money prizes-although not of excessive CHAPTER IX.

NUTWOOD. THE LAST YEARS.

Earlyin February, 1890, Mrs.Wakefield and her )two uamarrieddaughters, Mary and Agnes, went to the south of France.In the sulmmer of thatyear they left Sedgwick forgood and settled at anotherfamily property atEgger- slack. Mary's indefatigable helper, Agnes Wakefield, married in January, 1893, becomingMrs. T. A. Argles, of Eversley, Milnthorpe;but her new home was still within the district coveredby the activities of theWestmorland Festival, and she continued to take the same keen ifiterest in the work as before,although she relinquished to Mr.George Rathbone the ofice o€ traveiling accompanist on the rehearsal tours. In illay, 1894, Mrs.Wakefield dieda She had long been more or less of an invalid, but her death \vas rather sudden, and must have been agreat shock to Alary, ~vhohappened to be axvaJ7 fromhome \f:hen the illness took a fatalturn. She n-as summonedback to Eggerslack in haste,arriving only just in time to see her mother in life again. hIary TVakefield, althoughsurrounded by manyfriends, aucl bound ta herfamily by unusuallywarm bonds of affection, had now to face the prospect of living alóne, since her busy life and independence of character made a separate roof-tree practically indispensable. In the autumn of 1894 shewent to Bayreuth,her special objectbeing to hear " Parsifal. " Afterwardsshe spentsome weeks in theBavarian ~i~-h~~~d~~returning to JVestmorland in October.December found her established in London,where she now had asmall flat. Soon after- \yardsshe threw herself intowork again, and ~-~~~~e~her lecture-recitals. Mary Wakefield moved into the house that was to be her last home atthe end of April, 189.5. She kept on her London pied-h-terve for a time;but she could never have lived the n.hole year round " in city pent," and the Festival vmrk necessitatedher spending a good'deal of time in Westmorland.Nutxood-another Wakefield possession- standshalf way upthe wooded slope of Yewbarrow,above ii 109

thegrowing seaside resort, Grange-over-Sands. A short walk dmownhill leads to the hotel, the railway station, the ornamentalgrounds, aPI theother symbols of an advanced and,alas, advancing civilization. Rut half anhour's climb throughthe woods at the back of Nutwoodcarries us out on tu the open, breezy spaces of Hampsfell, with its glorious views overglittering sea and amber sands, over range on range of theWestmorland and CumberIandmountains stretching away tothe distant Lakeland; while in theeast congregate t.he wild Yorkshire hills. Looking ove-r t,he other side of theridge, we seeCartmel Village, clust'ered grey and hurnbtc under the shadow of its great calm Priory- Church, like a group of Iott~liyfriars awaiting the benediction of some imposingdignitary. From Nutwooditself, inset 'In its terracedgarden, shrubberies and enfoldingwoodlands, nothing can he seen or g-uessed of touristand tripper dis- porting on theshores below. The Riviera it,self has scarcely anything n~orelovely to show thanthe ol;tlook from the windows o€ Nutwood when sun and cloud in endless alternation send drifts sf radianceor of shadowBoating across Morecambe Bay. The sweepingcircle of inland sea is now brimmingwith a full tide, as various in lightand colour as an opaf; a few hours fater it becomes a vast expanse of level sand, pale goldand silver, with d~~rn~~d-~~sl~e§ n-herethe sun strikes on someshallow pool or current, left by the receding waters. 'l'o look out on this scene, watching '' the great changes of the ocean pass, was a never failing source of joy to Mary \Vakefield and her guests. It &vas here, at thebeginning of May-which isstill early spring in ~~e~tnlol-~and-whenthe cherry bloss'olm was frothing up the darkly .t~ooded hill-§lopes like spindrift blownin from the far-of€ IrishSea, that I learnt to know Mary ~~~~~~~ldi~~i~~t~~y.In her plantatlons, the daffodils a-ere Lifting golden bannersto the breeze and the veined wood-sorrellay in gleamingpatches on tihe m'oss, like tiny snowdrifts still forgotten by 'the sun, when first I came- to Nutwood.Often as weafterwards met inLondon, it will alwaysbe in this country hobme that I shallsee her in my memory, sittingat herwriting table in the morning-room where she did so much useful work, surrounded by innumer- ablesouvenirs of her full andinteresting youth; still filled withenergy and sympathy; still possessing what she used todescribe as "thNe elementalquality of carryingaway

I i/ I IO III others on thewings of one’sperso’nality.” Or I recall her Nutwood thatshe did notmake some day-long expedition workingwith some of h,er olld physical strength in the to Cartmel, tothe sands, to Walney Island, to Ulpha, gardenthat was really a series of small, terqaced gardens, Swarthmoorand other placesin theneighbourhood. Miss of which shesometimes said that theywere so manyand Fergusonwas fired by Mary’sintense lovleof Natureand some so minute that she was always afraid of entirely over- outdoorlife, and in her last novel, “ Love a.gain-Life lookingoae of thesecharming, unexpectedpatches. When again,” which she dedicated to her “ InHappy Memotry she was tired, which was all too soronin those later years, of Sound,and Sight, and Colour,” she writes with s’orne we would sit on the topmost terrace of all and talk of many poeticfeeling of the “ R,egion separate, sacred, of mere, of things,always drifting back to the “ eternaltopic. ” Ho,w ghyll, and of mountain,” in which the friends spent a brief keenly she followed everynew de~elopmentof music ! She time of closeintercourse. But if we compareValentine always liked to hear about the national movement in Russia, Ferguson’sdescriptions of North Lonsdalescenery with and particularly about thme strange personality an.d fiery zeal thoseglowing little pictures whichMary Wakefield left us of-Mily Balakirev,whose prropagandist powersI have else- in the essays of whichI have spoken elsewhere, we cannot where compared with her own. Strangely enough both these fail tó be struck by the more natural and impassioned worship beacon spiritspassed away in thesame year, within a few o€ Nature,the d’eeperpenetration of hermoods, and the months of eachother. But while Mary worked to the last, stronger@reatment of theborn daleswoman. Thosepapers, Balakirev, enfolded in mystic seculsion, had actually died to if not perfect as literature, are und,oubtedly “ th,e real thing ”; the world long before 1910. ’ the sketches in ‘‘ Love again-Life again ” when set beside Whenever I went to see Mary, or whatever our subjects ‘l Theway Trees of HolkerMosses,” or “ A Quaker UI discussion,invariablyI came away feeling rested and Strongho’ld ” look likSe palecopies of the o’riginal. braced by theatmosphere of warmsympathy in which she The life which the friends enjoyed together at, Nutwood knew so well how to, wrapher friends, and by herstrpng lasted only until thesummer of 1897, when,after six or belief in the efficacy of works.She kept to the end of h,er sevenweeks’ acute illness, duringthe later days of which days the active, beneficent enthusiasmwhich may he said IJarywatched unceasingly by hersick bed, Miss Ferguson to include faith,for it does indeedrenmve mountains of died onSeptember 14th. It isneedless to touchupon a sloth, prejudice and indifference. sorrow to which, even ten years later, M.ary Wakefield could Her first years at Nutwood must have been a period of hardlyendure to allude. great happiness,ov,ershadowed later by a great sorrow. In January, 1898, she joined Lady Bective on a tour to Although she needed an independent life, she hat!ed a solitary Southtern Italy,and they spent a shorttime at Naples, one. Therefore soon aftershe hadsettled at Grangeshe j,ourneying on tmoSicily, which exercised a great fascination welcomed the idea of sharingthe house with a companion for Mariy. Togetherthey revisited Italythe followingyear. who was in everyrespect congenial to her. Miss Valentine I This time they stayed chiefly in Venice and Florence, winding IClunro Ferguson, the writer of severalworks of fiction and up with a sojourn at Monte Gteneroso, and a wonderful some gracefulverse, joined her at N~t~oodin the spring- week among the flowers, “ gentians anrd narcissus every- of 1895. Apart fro’m their mutual interest in artand where,’’ she notes in herdiary. literature, n4iss Ferguson was in delicatehealth, and Mary At, this kirne she always returned Lo ~~~t~~o~din March soonlavished upon her thatmaternal, protective tenderness axad Apri& in order to take therehearsals for the forth- xvhich all her friendsfelt to be one of the most beautiful coming festiual, and in the spring of I8923 she also acted ai; qualities in her strong and practicalnature. adjudicator at the ~aiverncompetition. We now see by herdiaries how deeply attached she During these years she became one of the earliest sup- had become to this beautiful district of Sorth Lonsdale, and porters of the Women9s Sufrage movement. She was in hoxv her pleasure in it was doubled when she could share aft things on the side af progress andhad few- misgivings itwith a friend. Seldom a week passed while she was at as to the possibility of making the xvorld meve cm tee fast. ~ I I2

i As regards this and kindred problems,her sympathies were I partlyinherent, for as she herself says : " fromearly days

I Friendsthe have heen supporters of theqeat ' woman ' I question, as shownorigin,ally, to-day,and by their female j preachers,andalso in thepart theyhave played wherever a woman'swork required a helpinghand. " Shecertainly 1 hadthe courage of hjer convictioa,political or sitherwise, l and noridicule or persecutionwould, I feel sure,have sufficed to drive her from a position she had once taken up. At thesame time, her well-balanced judgmentand keen sense of humour would havealways kept her from joining ~ in th,eeccentric and injurious procedures of some of her II i! fellow workers in the cause. t! By 1900,it is easy to divinefrom engagements cancelled 11 andfrequent mentions in her diaries of severechills and jt II fatigue,health,herthat hitherto impervious to all th,e Il strainssheput upon wasit,slightly failing.But shewas i; accustomed to think of herself as hardyandstrong beyond 1: i' theaverage. She neverwillingly lether mind dwell on //j illness, and had-for h'erself at least-a masculine impatience It1 of allthat is involved inthe words '' giving in. " A dayor u' t!' i two of comparative repose, and she took up all her occupa- ., tions with renewed zest; but such enforced periods of idlehess i now began to be of morefrequ'ent occurrence, andthe necessity forretiring from public life andresigning herself to a morerestricted sphere of workbegan to be, forcibly borne in upon her. Fromthis year onward, sh'e spent mosre quietmonths at Nutwood, and, the diary of her life beco'mes moreand more the day-book of her garden. Externally her existence now begins '20 offer fewer points of inter,est;but inwardly she lived it as keenly as ever. It ,i~ still gaveherpleasure singtofor herself onetwooror friends.Indeed as lateas 1905 shesang to me at my 1; specialpleading, andher voice wassympathetic and in tune. l; But she sufTered acutely shebecameas conscious that year 1 by year that gloriouspersonal medium of her music, which had grown and developed with her life-had been in fact her \.tr>. self-was gradually being taken from her, Once or trice she spoke to me of this loss n7ith the tears in her eyes and a Pook that made me realise that the slow, inevitable drying LIP of that fountain of song which had heen a c 3 1 I3 source of light and joy to herself and others was as tragic asany lingering dissolution. It wasjust at this time when theloss of a dmear com- panioa and the prospective loss of her voice, made the out- lookparticularly depressing thatshe had the good fortune to find a new friendand helper in MissStella Hamilt,on, of Windermer'e.At first Miss Halmiltlon would come toher on short visits, which gradually became of longer duration, until finally she dividedher life fairly evenly between her home andNutwood, and learnt to help Mary Wakefield betterthan anyo'n'e else could do. Tlogetherthey planned and carried out all kinds of improvements in the garden, an occupation which was veryrestful t.0 her. They laid out a delightfulrock-garden in the steep wood abovethe house. As long as shte wasstrong eno,ughMary did really hard manual wtork with spade and pick, and spent hours cutting down treeswith her ownhand. " Shewas so clever at planningand foreseeing effects," says Miss Hamilton. When firs%twe started on the wood-garden we rollled large bould,ersab&, apparently aimlessly; at first I could not follow 'her ideas,but I rolled thesto,nes and trusted-and you kniow tlhe result " ! What glorious clumps and spots of colour Stood o,ut againstthedark background of the woodsand ruggedmasses ,of limestrone ! Besides blue --larkspur, columbines,purple andpink and white, , andshining constellations goldenof lilies, shewas also very proud of a fine flourishingroot of mandragora, with {its repulsive fruit; a plant-I hadalmost written a creature-more curiousand " creepy " thanornamental. Her first " Garden Bolok " was start>ed in 1897, and her last entry was made yery shortly bef,ofreher death, in the summer of, 1910. In thesebooks she always drew plans of the flower-beds eachspring and autulmn, which was a help in decidi:g year by year what to grow in them; she kept a list of plants thatshe bought, or had given to her, and col- kcted all the ph,otographs that had been taken in the garden, and all kinds of garden-lore in verseand prose. Itwas a ncl'er €ailing saurce of quiet happinessand interest. hIary TVakefield did notturn her rooms into kennek after the fashion of the present day, hutXutwood was nex-cr \\-ifhout a dog or tn-o. Her faa-oarites \vere generally black Skye terriers, of famous Balmoral descent, like the one shonm in the picture of the wood-garden, ì

I14 115 L, 3

Insidle the houseshe had her books andpictures, in- and at this time Miss Hamilton says Mary sang a great deal cludingsome beautiful wo,rks by Mr. Arthur Sev'ern. Some- in herown roo,m at the hotelwhere thley stayed. She how these things at Nutwood were like friends; t,hey f,ormed studied the customs which belonged t'o all the various Festas, such anintimate part of life there,one never thought of and I think it must h,ave been during tihis visit that she began them as merely dmecorat'ive, or as portioas of " the furniture to mllect matlerials for her unfinished articl'eon St. Cecilia. and effects. " Herreturn to ltaly the followingyear was lessfor- Unlikemany women who are absorbedin a causse, or tunate. She was already .suffjering intermittently from neuritis strenuous work of anykind, Mary Wakefield had inherited andrheumatic troubles, and the two mlomnthsshe spent from her mother the instincts and capacities of an admirable abroad, first at Alassio. andthen inRome, broughtno housewif,e. Sh'e saw to it personally that everythingaround alleviation. On thecontrary, in thelatter place shegot herwas very dainty and comfortable.Side by sidewith a muchworse, and although she had stomehappy days there favourite quotation, or a scrap o€ gardening news, one may withher sister Ruth (Mrs. Goodwin) andStella Hamilton, sometimes light upon a recipe for solme unusual and delicious shse resolved tocut short hervisit andreturned tro London dish she had eaten abroad. She was thle soul lof hospitality, before '-$he New Year. andit was ber greatest pleasure to have her spare room I Shespent the first threemonths of 1906 London,in occupied. taking a course of electric baths, which did hler slo'me gomod, At Nutwood, she instituted the meetings of the Co,mpeti- so that when she went home to Nutwood in April the lame- tion conductors in 1901,when they all gathered at her house r \, nes; which had been such a trial to her all the winte,r was t10 go throughthe music for thle next Festival. After two somewhatJess irksome. Shewas abl'e todo some garden- hours'hard work, those whso pleas,ed stayed oln' andwere ing, ,and, contrary to her own previo'us fsears, to attend th,e en&ertained at tea. WestmorlandFestival. wasIt an unusually important Shehad a characteristic method of summoaingthe occasion-the,C'oming of age of her cherishedwork; and gardeneror his boy when shewanted thlern at the house. H.R.H., PrincessChristian had consented toattend tbe I haveoften seien herstanding in theporch at' Nutwood 'Festivaland give away tbe competitionprizes. Longyears sounding a vigororusfanfare on an old coachhorn, a relic had .elapsed since any member of theRoyal Family had of Sedgwickdays. usedI tolaugh at hervirtuosity on visitedKendal, and there was naturally a flutter of anxiety this instrument, and call her in fun " the female Borsdorf." lestall should not be carried out in accordance with pre- Shewas immenselyamused when another musicalfriend cedlence and thF laws of etiquette.Mary, who was nothing exclaim,ed aptly enough : " Hark ! Mary must be calling the if not practical, having been consulted on the subject, under- cattlehome across the sands of Kent.'' ,? Í to:ok to rehearse the whole ceremony with the police, greatly In November, 1903, Stella Hamilton, who had recovered toher inner amusement. I had beenlist$ening tothe oom- froman illness,was advised to spend a few mlonths in 'peting,choirs most of themorning, and o'n slippingaway Italy.Mary Wakefield loved Westmorlandwith the steady fromthe hall,I wasastonished to seeher receiving an 1,oyal love of a child forits mother; but fo;r Italyshe had imqginarybouquet, and people respectfully backing from a palssion,*econd only to herpass?bn fo,r music. She 4 berin all directions ! When she had done with her officiais could neverresist a chance-of returningthere. Consequent- and laid aside her t,empo,rary state, all had been thoroughly ly she joinedMiss Hamilton for this tour and they started learnt, and subsequently the ceremonypassed o.ff without a €or Naples, Mary thoroughly enjoying her friend's 'enthusiasm hitch.But althoughshe was sustained byher pride and at herfirst sight of thecountry; she was delighted to see satisfactionin being able to lookupon this full grown herviolently strickenwith the Italian 'fever. FromNaples creation of h'er Qwn energies,th,e twenty-first Festival was theywent to Rav8ello, breakingthe journey at La Cava to a great strain uponher failing physical powers. seethe famous organ o,f LaTrinith, said to be the finest 1907 brought, on the who,le, a happiertime for her. instrumentin Italy. March, 1904, foundthem in Rorme, Partlyshe was beginning to accept with some philosophy'

1 I 16 the altered condition of things; partly, too, sh>e was able to move about with great,er ease, although,remembering her past activity, it is pathetic to find a walk of half-a-mil,e outside the grounds of Nutwoodchronicled as an event in her ,existence. Therewere, of course,brigh,ter days inter- spersedwith these times of lassitudeand pain; the visits of hersister Ruth, or of some old friend,always gave her pleasure. Now andagain sheer pluckcarried her through shortperiods of grjeatexertion, as when shecame up to townin June for tbe Conference of the Association od Musical CompetitionFestivals, or when, in Octoher,she managedto be present atthe Leeds Festival, which she hadrarely missed since her girlhood. With all itsbeauty olf surroundingsand (mild climate, Nutwo,od did notappeal tio her as awinter residence. Tha$ surrounding woodsmade itdamp in lateautumn, and the rainy or snowy months in Lakeland are often of long duration. . Shewas glad to lea$, itthen for the congenial atmosphere of Londo,n, where she could hear music and see th,e old friends to wbom sheclung more closely as time went on. All throughthe early part of 1908 shestayed in town,with Lady Bective, and judging from the com- parativelyfew indications of illnesls inher diaries, and the, number of her social engagements,her life hadresumed something of its old joyousactivity. InFebruary of this year I introduced to her the Finnish composer, Jean Sibelius. They met several times, and alth,ough neith,er of them spoke more than a few words of any language known to the other, they managed to, uinderstand something of the:irmutual artistictastes and convictions.Sibelius's songs, withtheir lofty idealism and subtle reflectimonof nature-of a landscape and atmosphere not unlike those of her own native district- spokevery eloquently toMary Wakefield.How she would have sung them twenty years earli'er ! This being a Festival year-it had now become biennial-she returnedto West- morlandin April. Latier on shestayed in Lond'on in order to hear some of Richard St'rauss's works at the Promenade Concerts. In September she settled down again at Nutwood, andthe Princess Louise of Schleswig-Holsteinbeing on a visit to Lady Bective, at Lunbefield, Maryfound immense pleasure in acting as herguide to many pf herfavourite nooksand corners of North Lonsdale. Shedelighted in suchexpeditions in thecompany of a sympatheticand 3 1 I7 c enthusiasticadmirer of these wild fells,wide-stretching . mosses,1 andrusset wo,oded slopes;and the Princess was a great lover of outdo,orlife, enjoying these simplepl'easures as much- as hercicerone. Therest of thatautumn passed uneventfully' at Nutwood. r,, r,, The early part of 1909 was in most respects a repetitioin of the previ'ous year.She remainedin London until April and was able to attend many of the most interesting musical events of thespring season. Her diary is full of entries of visits' paid to her and by her, so thatone is glad to feel that this year started more cheerfully and inspired the hope thatshe might be spared to us for a long timle to come. In the autuin@> however, itbecame evident that herillness had taken a far moreserious turn. Early in 1910it was thJught advisable that she should be in London in 'order to be within r,each of specialadvice andtreatment, and she took a flat in Carlisle Mansions. Shewas now quite an invalid, spendingmost of her time in bed. To her, all the paraphernalia of sicknesswas insupportable. She hadnever been on'e of those women who y enjoy bad health " and find a kind of consolation in being made th,e chief consideration of tho.se around her. As might be. expected from so brave and energetic a nature, she made. a badinvalid, but a co,urageous sufferer. There is no need to dwell, upon these months of her life over which she ? herself would have sto gladlydrawn a veil. The onebright /side of themwas in the devotion of thosewho surrounded her., Sh,ewas able tio enjoy the visits of hersisters and herfriends. Everyone who knewher passion for flowers sent them to her, so that her room had always a festal air. But I' think she loved best the little bits of palm, the catkins, andthe immaturme buddingthings that remindedher how

spring J wascreeping up to her woo,ds androck-garden at home. During the greater part of her time in London Miss Hamilton was with her. Partiallyconvalescent, sh'ewent back to Nutwood in June. The warmsummer days brought some furth'er ivm- provement,but the h'lary Wakefieldof old, untiring, independent, giving out so generously of her mental and physical powers to allwho needed it, was nearing the end of her work.No one who truly loved or understoodher could havewished the time of weaknessand suffering to be indefinitely prolonged.

i I 18

3 119 ~ c Happily the last months of her life were less invalidish for aday or twoafter the fatal seizure, butsoon aquiet than the early spring had been. During the summer she sat uncodscioúsness enfolded herfrom allcommunication with Out, no longer planting or pruning, but planning and super- thosewho watched and followed her, as far as one mortal intending thework in thegarden. She stillcared to know may follow another along that last, shadowy path that leads whatwas going on in the world of literatureand music, out to the great dawn. althsough the weakness of her eyes prevented her r,eading or > She died on Friday,September 16th, 1910,and on the writing much. following Monday shewas laid torest besideher father The Festival and all that concernedit remained to the andmother in thelittle churchyard at Crosscrake, forthe last a livinginterest to her. Above all, in herbest days, rebuilding of which she had sung and worked yearsbefore she could stillenjoy being driven to herfavourite haunts. in theSedgwick times. Shewas crried to hergrave by One or two such drives we had together while I was- on a the coqductors of the various choirs <"belonging to the West- short visit to herafter my returnfrom abroad inJuly. morland Festival ; while representativesfrom each district Although few words had been said, I do not think either of formed the choir that took part in the funeral service. US really expected to see each other again after I had taken B leave of herin London nearly three months earlier. The 3 memory of these drives will always remain with me for the U wonderfulpeaceful happiness weboth drew in from " the intense tranquility of silent hills, and more than silent sky." One of our expeditions took us past the little Quaker meet- Well, ,or ill, my task isnow completed. Thewriting ing-house at " The Heights, " with its humble, sequestered of this memoir has not been all a joy. Who does not know graveyard where she sometimes said it would be good to lie the h-eartache from which we suffer eachtime wesee and amongthe golden daffodils when thestrange, intricate touch a pagT

r I20 L also to keepher memory green for those to come; for her " music of the future ; " that ever increasing mulbtude who, thanks to herinitiative and steady purpose, will learn the fullmeaning of thosewords of MartinLuther which con- stituted her favourite motto : " Music is a fair and glorious gift of God. I would not for the world renounce my humble share in music.'' Thinking of these, who never had the privilegeof knowingher 0.r feeling thedirect influence of hter ardour, I can but co,nclude with the hlope that at least I havedone no injustice tothe mer;.ory of a noble worker and a dear friend. i

o 2 .B Piecesmarked with C ” aresuitable foY Competitions,those in largetype are Works suitable for Combined Performance by the Choirs, .“ S ” For Competi- tion a piece is selected by the Judge from Concert Music. 1885.86.

PARTSONG ...... “ k’e SpottedSnakes ” (c) ...... Stevens PARTSONG ...... “ RhineRaftSong ” (c) ...... Pinsuti MALEVOICES, 4 parts ... ‘‘ LegendA of theRhine ” (c) ...... Smart I TREBLEVOICES, 3 parts ... “thine Lift eyes ” (c) ...... Mendelssohn FJ N BARTSONG ...... ‘‘ Songs o+ praisethe Angels sang ” ...... Leslie PARTSONG ...... “ Here in cool grot ”...... Mornington . MALEVOICES, 4 parts ... “ The Sailor’sSong ” ...... Hatton . CHORUS ...... “ Galatea,dry thy Tears ” ...... Handel

~ _,’ 1887.

CANTATA ...... “ LAUDA SION ” ...... Mendelssohn PARTSONG ...... “ The SilentLand ” (c) ...... Gaul CHORUS ...... “ But as for Mis People ” ...... Handel FEMALEVOICES, 3 parts ... “.Hearts feel that love Thee ” (c) ...... Mendelssohn PARTSONG ...... “ TheSeahathits pearls- ” (c) ...... Pearsall / PARTSONG ...... ‘‘ Lullaby of Life ” ...... H. Leslie

J 1888. c CANTAPA ...... “O, LIGHTEVERLASTING” c ...... Bach” “ ” ...... Ha.nde1 CHORUS ...... O, go your way unto Mis gates L “ Morning Brayer ” 4 CHORUS ...... Mendelssoh ... “ ” Autumn Song ... Q ‘CHORUS ... ..x “ May no rashIptruder ” ...... Handel

MADRIGAL ...... “ In going to my lonely bed ” (C) ~ ...... Edwardes, 1560 TREBLEVOICES, 3 parts ... ‘ ‘ Flow down, cold Rivulet ” (C) ...... LuardSelby MALET/TOICES, 4 parts ... “ At Andernach in Rhineland ” (C) ...... Abt . TREBLEVOICES, 4 parts ... “ The Swallow ” (c) ...... Leslie “ Allan-a-Dale ” ...... C. H. Lloyd

1889. CANTATA ...... “ GALLIA ” ...... Gounod ANTHEM ...... “ Rejoice in theLord alway ” ...... Purcell MALEVOICES, 4 parts ... “ Gondolier’s Serenade ” ...... Schubert CHORUS ...... “ Hallelujah ” (Mount of Olives) ...... Beethoven TREBLEVOICES, 3 parts ... “ The Nightingale ” (C) ...... Weelkes, 1600 MADRIGAL ...... “ Now is the Month of Maying ” (C) ...... Morley TREBLEVOICES, 3 parts ... “ O, HappyFair ” (C) ...... Shield TREBLEVOICES. 3 parts ... “ Hear my Prayer, O Lord ” ...... Mendelssohn “ TheHunter’s Farewell ” (c) ...... Mendelssohn PARTSONG ... { ‘‘ HuntingSong ” (c) ...... {a “ Pastimewith Good Company ” ...... Henry VIII. BACH ... 1b “ Once I loved a Maiden fair ” ...... OldEnglish

1890 (No Festival). ,’

1891. CANTATA ...... “ GOD’STIME ISTHE BEST ” ...... B ach Mendelssohn B TREBLEVOICES, 2 parts ... “ Fair-tinted Primrose ” (Curwen’s Leaflets) (C) ... CHORUS ...... “ The manyrend theSkies ” ...... Handel TREBLEVOICES, 3 parts ... “ The Nightingale ” ...... Bateson,1601 MALEVOIC~ES, 4 parts ... “ Serenade ” (C) ...... Mendelssohn a “ The Young May Moon ” , .. Balfe CHORUS ...... { ...... b “ TheLass o’ RichmondHill ’.’ ...... Leslie CHORUS ...... “ Forththeto Meadows,Rosamunde ”...... Schubert CHORUS ...... “ In thesedelightful pleasant Groves ” (C) ... Purcell

H 1892. 13 -P CANTATA ...... “ THE SONG OF MIRIAM ” ...... Schubert “ The Flowers of the Forest ” PARTSONGS ...... Arr. byPatterson { “ The Campbells are coming ” } .... PARTSONG ...... “ Itwas a Loverand his Lass ” ...... Morley, 1600 FEMALEVOICES...... “ Hail ! Star of Eve ” (c) ...... Spofdrth MALEVOICES, 4 parts ... “ The Merry Wayfarer ” (c) ...... Mendelssohn PARTSONGS ...... “ When Evening’sTwilight ” (c) ...... Hatton “ Departure ” PARTSONGS ...... Menzelssohn r> “ The Vale of Rest ” Y( Nos. I to 4 of Mendelssohn 4 part Songs } ‘‘ An Old Romance ” ... Mendelssohn

02 \ ‘-l i > r Y c I^- - ./

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,, 1893. d CANTATA ...... ‘‘ ODE ON ST. CECILIA’S DAY ” .... =.. C. H. H. Parry , “ Ladye Fayre, thou hast my life ” Old French, edited by PARTSONGS ... .-.{“ Thismorning, Dawnthe at of Day ” H. Leslie CHQRUS ...... (‘Hail, Bright Abode ” (Tannhäuser) ... .;. Wagner CHORUS ...... “ The Land of Lealthe ” ...... Arr. by Patterson “ ” CHORUS ...... BonnieDundee ...... Miller c( tJ TREBLEVOICES, 3 parts .... “ Say,where is He born ? ” (C) ...... Mendelssohn Ln TREBLEVOICES ...... “ Summercoming ais in ” (c)...... 13th Century TREBLEVOICES, 4 parts ... “ Hark,Hark, the Lark ” (C)...... Arr. by H. Leslie MALEVOICES, 4 parts ... “ Hail to the Chief ” (c) ...... Schubert CHORUS ...... “ Seewhat love haththeFather ” (c),,- * - ... Mendelssohn CHQRUS ...... “ When Allan-a-Dalewenta hunting ...... Pearsall MADRIGAL ...... “the Whydo Roses ” (c) ...... Pearsall \ ‘‘ COME LET US SING ” (95th Psalm) ‘ CANTATAS ... L ‘O. { ‘‘ AS THE. HART PANTS”(pnd ... Mendelssohn CHORUS ...... ‘‘ Behold, God theLord ” (Elijah) ...... Mendelssohn a “ The Knight’s Tomb ” PARTSQNGS ... “ ” .... a.. ... b Corydon, arise } ...... Stanford c ‘‘ Sing, Heigh ho ! ” PARTSQNGS ... a ‘‘ The Harp that once ” ... { b “ The Minstrel Boy ” } ...... Arr. by Balfe H PARTSQNGS ... “ ” ... Scots WhaHa’e ...... Arr. by A. Somervell hl TREBLEVOICES, 2 parts m ... ‘‘ Hail,Judæa ! ” (c) ...... Handel TREBLEVOICES, 3 parts .... ‘‘ LiftThine Eyes ” (c) ... TREBLEVOICES, 3 parts ... Mendelssohn ... ‘‘ Seethe Chariot at hand ” (c) ...... Horsley MALEVOICES, 4 parts ... “ The Winter it is past ” (c) ... a.. ... Somervell “ With Drooping Wings ” (c) ...... Purcell “ The Shepherd’sSong (c) ...... Mendelssohn MADRIGAL,5 Voices ... “ TheSilver Swan ” (c) ...... Gibbons, 1612

‘1$95. -y. CJ J ,c CANTATA ...... “THE POWER.OF §OUND .. , ...... Sorperuetl CHORUS ...... Hag “ The ’ ..1 ‘O ...... ’L. Selby MALEVQICES, 4 parts ... Soldiers’ Chorus ’’ (Faust) ...... Gounod .. Roeckel CANTATA(Children) ... “ The Silver Fenny ” ...... TREBLEVOICES, 2 parts ... Nurse’s Song ...... L. Selby .. ... RostonBourke TREBLEVOICES, 3 parts ... “ Surely Melody from Heaven was sent... ” ... German TREBLEVOICES, 3 parts ... .. Orpheusand his Lute .. (C) ...... MALE VOICES, 3 parts ... HQWmerrily we live (c) ...... Este .. .. Wesley ANTHEM ...... “ O Lord my God ” (c) ...... - ... Callcott PARTSONG ...... “ Go, lovely Rose ” (c) ...... Wilbye, 1596 MADRIGAL ...... “ Adieu, Sweet Amarillis ” (c) ...

1296...... Glück OPERA ...... ‘d ORPHEUS ” ...... Roéckel CANTATA(Children) ... “ Red Riding Hood’s Reception ” ... Wakefield TREBLEVOICES, 2 parts ... “ The Children areSinging ” ...... Button ACTION SONG ...... “ TheFarmyard ” ...... J. S. Stevens TREBLEVOICES, 3 parts ... “ Blow, blow, thou Winter Wind” (c)...... Macfarren TREBLEVOICES, 2 parts ... “ SweetDay so Cool ” (C) ... Leslie TREBLEVOICES, 3 parts ... ‘‘ Rise again, glad Summer Sun... ” (C) ...... Chwatal MALEVOICES, 4 parts ... ‘‘ Lovely Night ” (c) ...... Farrant ANTHEM,4 parts ... “ Lord, for Thy tender Mercies Sake ” (C) Benet, MADRIGAL ...... “ Flowon, my Tears ” (C) ...... I599 1897, \ CANTATA ...... 6‘ INVOCATION TO MUSIC ” ...... Parry CANTATA ...... “A STRONGHOLD SURE ” ...... Bach CANTATA ... LIGHT BRIGADE ” ... Somervell PARTSONG ...... J. C. Bridge PARTSONG ...... “ In thishour of softenedsplendour ” ...... Pinsuti CANTATAYChildren) ... “Hours The ” ...... Roeckel TREBLEVOICES ...... “ Queen of theSixty Years ’’ ...... Wakefield TREBLEVOICES ...... “ Jack Frost ’’ ...... Natton W TREBLEVOICES “ Archer’s Song ” ...... h, ...... 03 3 Stafford Smith . TREBLEVOICES, 3 parts ... “ Nanie ” (c) ...... I.. ... Schumann MALEVOICES, 4. parts ... ‘‘ Beleagured ” (c) ... o.. CHQRLJS ... Sullivan ...... , watchingIsraelover ” (c) ...... Mendelssohn PARTSONG ... Melody of May ” (c) ...... Arr. by ... Somervell MADRIGAL ... “ Corne let us join the Roundelay ” (c) ...... Beale REBLE VOICES,z parts “ The MerryMaidens ” (c) ...... Rubinstein UARTETTE -.. “ Sleep, gentleLady ” (c) ...... Bishop

1898. , < ...... Somervell CANTATA ...... ‘‘ ODE TO THE §EA ” ... HYMN OF PRAISE ’’ ...... Mendelssohn CANTATA ...... Weber CHORUS ...... “ Huntsmen’s Chorus ” 99 ... Hand e 1 CHORUS ...... “ et their Celestial Concerts all unite .. Welsh., arranged by “ The Bells of Aberdovey ”. .. CHORUS ...... L. C. Venables “ March of the Men of Harlech... ” 1*ld -E ...... EatonFaning CHORU§ ... .s. “ Moonlight ” ... Handel CHORUS ...... “ Music spread thy voice around... ” _...... Schumann CHORb s ...... “ Gipsy Life ” ...... # B. Tours CANTATA(Children) ... “ Home of Titania ” ... ’9 Gaul ACTION SONG ...... ‘‘ ‘Union Jack ...... Mozart TREBLEVOICES, 3 parts ... “ Yet once again ” (ZauberfZte) (C) ...... Marcello, 1686 TREBLEV., 2 pts. Anthem ‘‘ ive ear unto me ” ...... Fray A bt TREBLEV., 2 pts.Anthem ...... Schumann “ PluckyeRoses ” (c) ...... C. H. Lloyd TREBLEVOICES, 3 parts “ To a Skylark ” (c) ...... Weber MALEVOICES, 4 parts ... “ Lutzow’s wild Chase ” (C) ...... e Smart PARTSQNG ...... “ Ave Maria ” (c) ...... - .~ ... Macfarren PARTSONG ...... ‘‘ The Sands of Dee ” (C) ... . m.. ... Parr y PARTSONG -.. ..e “ Music when soft voices die ” (C) ... Festa, I541 MADRIGAL D.. ... Down in a Flowery Vale ’’ (C) ... 8899. CANTATA ...... " RUINS OF ATHENS " ...... j.. CANTATA ...... Beethoven " THE BANNER OF ST. GEORGE "...... CHORALBALLAD ... Elgar " YOUNG LOCHINVAR " ...... L. Lehmann "Honaur In of Music " ...... CHORUS ...... " HasteNymph thee, " ...... Somervell CANTATA(Children) ... " Old May Day " ...... Handel . TREBLEVOICES, 3 parts ... ('Hey ho, tothe Greenwood " (c) ...... C. Woods " " w TREBLEV., Part Song, 2 pts. The BritishGrenadiers (c)...... Arr. by Byrd L4 TREBLEVOICES, 3 parts ... " SinkstheNight 'j (c) ...... W. G. McNaught o Schumann '' NOWthe Golden Morn " (c) ...... MALEVOICES ...... Stainer '' The Homeward Watch "'(c) ... s.. ... Smart CHORUS,4 parts . ... " Come away,sweet Love " (c) ...... Rathbone CHORUS,4 parts " O gladsomeLight " (c) ...... Sullivan MADRIGAL ... '' Laay, seeon ev&y side' J . (c)...... , .. Marenzio, 1570

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1900. ... C. V. Stanford ...... " PHAUDRIG CROHOORE " ... CANTATA ... Coleridge-Taylor CANTATA ...... " HIAWATHA'S WEDDING FEAST " .J. ... A. M. Wakefield ... " Breathe Softly, Flutes " ... MADRIGAL ... " When the Boys come Home~- ...... CHORUS ...... Etwa Selby " The Nightingale in silent night " ... G. Rathbone PARTSONGS ...... {" GatheryeRosebuds '' ... " " ...... Bridge CANTATA(Children) ... TheFrogs andthe Ox ... k ...... E. Boyce w .L. " In Mary's Garden " (C) ... TREBLEVOICES, 2 parts ... Handel w ... " Welcome thou, whose deeds conspire " TREBLEVOICES, 2 parts ...... P. A. Thomas SONG...... " Cricket Song " (C) ...... Hiller TREBLEVOICES, 3 parts ... " He in tears that soweth j' (C) ...... Stainer ANTHEM, 4 parts ... " What are these " (c) ... ('Sing Heigh-Ho " ... A. Somervell PARTSONG, 4 parts ...... C. V. Stanford PARTSONG, 4 parts ... " Sweet Love for me " ...... Schubert VILLAGEORCHESTRA ... '' Overtureto Rosamunde " ...... CANTATA .Q. ..m OF MINNEHAHA j’ ... CANTATA ... Coleridg-e-Taylor ...... “ HIAWATHA’S DEPARTURE ” ...... Coleridge-Taylor CANTATA(Children) ... “ THE WAITS OF BREMEN ” .I. ... LuardSelby CHORUS ...... ‘(‘Be not afraid ” ... ..I ...... Mendelssohn PARTSONG ..O j’ ... ‘‘ The Miller’s Wooing ...... Eaton Faning PARTSONG ... m.. “ Evening ” ... .o* ...... PARTSONG ... Sullivan ... ‘‘ Ye Mariners of England ” ...... H. Pierson TREBLEVQICES, 2 parts ... “ The Old Green Lane ” (c) ... H ... .o. G. Rathbone TREBLEVOICES, 2 parts ... G) “ To Victory ” ..* ...... Barwell N MALE VOICES, 4 parts ... “ The Lotus Flower ’’ (c) ... PARTSONG, 4 parts ... m.. ... Schumann ‘s Persevere ” (c) ...... Goetz PARTSONG, 4 parts ... ‘‘ There Rolls the Deep ’’ (c) ... PARTSONG, 6 parts ...... Parry “ Serenade ” ...... PARTSONG, 4 parts ...... Brahms “ Come pretty Wag ” (c) ...... MADRIGAL ...... Parry ... “ In Pride of May (C) ... VILLAGEORCHESTRA ...... Weelkes Military Symphony (I st and 2nd movement) ... Haydn

1902...... B ach CANTATA ... ..f “ SLEEPERS WAKE ” m.. ... Brahms ‘‘ SONG OF DESTINY ” ... CANTATA ...... ,. Hamish McCunn ‘‘ LORD ULLIN’S DAUGHTER... ” CANTATA ...... ArthurSomervell “ ELEGY ” . ’. CANTATA ...... F. H. Cowen ‘LVILLAGE SCENES ” ... CANTATA(Children) ...... Ethel M. Boyce ‘‘ The Coming of May ” (C) ... TREBLEVOICES, 2 parts ...... TheRrethusa ” (c)...... H TREBLEVOICES, 2 parts ... ,.. ... Schumann w VOCALQUARTETTE ... ‘ ‘ Summer Time ” (c) w “ Hymnbefore Action ” (C) ...... Walford Davies MALE VQICE QUARTETTE... .. I.. Reinecke “ TheDreaming Lake ’’ y, -.. FEMALEVOICE CHOIR ...... Needham ... “‘ HQWdear to methe hour ... .. PARTSONG ...... Dvorak ... “ SlavonicCradle Song ” ... PARTSONG ...... Nicholson ...... ‘ ‘ Phillida Flouts me ” (C) ... MADRIGAL ...... Handel ... March from “ Seipio ” ... BRASSBAND ...... Mozart VILLAGEORCHESTRA ... Overture to “ Idomeneo ” 1903. CANTATA ...... “ CQRONATIQNODE ” ...... Elgar CANTATA ...... 6‘ POWER OF SOUND ” ...... Somervell MADRIGALS ...... “ Summer is y’ coming in ” Old English ‘‘ Down in a flowery vale ’’ Festa “ In going to my lonely bed. ” Edwards “ Lady fair thou hast ” Old French “ To take the air ” Farmer “ Love in May” ‘OldFrench “ In pride of May ” Weelkes “ Why do the Rosesy” Pearsall “ The Silver Swan ’’ Gibbons “ Come let us join Beale “ Since first I saw your face ’’ Ford ‘‘ When’ Allan a’Dale ” Pearsall “ Awake sweet love ” Dowland “ Music when soft voices die ” Parry “ Now is the month ’’ r‘ Better music ne’er was known ” M Morley} Parry w “ Lady see on every side ” Marenzio “ Sweet Love for me ’’ Stanford P CANTATA(Children) ... “ VOGELWEIDTHE MINNESINGER ” ... G.Rathbone TREBLEVOICES, 2 parts ... “ WhisperingWind ” (c) ...... Labbett TREBLEVOICES, 2 parts ... “ Blackberries ” ...... Myles Foster QUARTETTE ...... ‘‘Water The Lil;” ici ...... Gade FEMALEVOICE TRIO ... “ Thou farart ” (c) ...... Schumann MALEVOICE CHOIR ... “ Warrior’sSong ” (c) ...... Hatton PARTSONG ...... “ The Nightingale ” (c) ...... Mendelssohn PARTSONG ...... “ My lovedwelt in a northernland ” (c) ... Elgar MADRIGAL ...... ‘‘ Why weeps alas my ladylove ” (c) ... Pearsall VILLAGEORCHESTRA ... Symphony No. 5 in B Flat ...... Schubert

ORATORIO ... ’ ... “ ELIJA? ” ...... Mendelssohn RAPSODIE,for MALEVOICE CHOIR AND CONTRALTOSOLO ...... Brahms Nos. I, 3, and 4 of Four ,Trios for FEMALEVOICE CHOIR,with Harps and Horns Brahms MALEVOICE CHOIRAND BARITONESOLO ... “ Cavalier Songs ” ... . . , Stanford EIGHT-PARTCHORUS ... “ Blest Pair of Syrens ” ...... Parry “ Whispering CHILDREN’SCONCERT “ Hail Judzea” ‘‘ Nurse’sSong ” .. .Schumann Wind ” Labbeft \Wandel{ ‘6 §ELECTION welcome come me Thou”! Plcck ye Roses ” ...Selby “ Blackberries ” Foster BRASSBAND (Selection) ... “ The Hymn of Praise ” ...... Mendelssohn

QUARTETTE ...... “ TheGardenour Rose in ” (c) , .. ... Leslie QUARTETTE (Male Voice) “ He who trusts in Ladies fair ” (C) ...... Eisenhofer ORCHESTRA ...... ‘‘ Cornelius ” (c) ...... Mendelssohn

FEMALEVOICE CHOIR ... “ theIn dell anddingle ” (C) ...... Benet, ... VILLAGECHORAL SOCIETY “ Red, red Rose ” (c) .I. ... Hatton a “ O HappyEyes ” ... a.. ... Elgar CHORALSOCIETY *m- b 66 Lilian ?Y (4 ...... Waddington MADRIGAL ...... ‘‘ Where flowery meadows ” (C) ...... Palestrina JUNIORCHOIR ...... “ The Posy ” (c) ...... E. Boyce JUNIORCHOIR (Boys only) “ WorkPlay and ” (c) ...... Foster JUNIORCHOIR (Girls only) “ Wanderer’sNightSong ” (C) ... Rubinstein BOY’S SOLO ...... “ Blow, Blow thouwintry wind ” (c) =. . ... Arne JUNIORS’DUET ... “ Down in a greenand shady bed ” (C). . ... K. Boundy JUNIORS’VIOLIN SOLO ... Sonata No. g (c) ...... Corelli 1905. @HORUS ...... STABAT MATER ...... Dvorak CHORUS ... ..* “ FIRSTWALPURGIS NIGHT ’’ ._. ... Mendelssohn ‘6 FEY SINGINGBIRD ” ... FEMALEVOICE CHOIR ..m 66 THE SNOW 17 ...... ’)...... Elgar MALEVOICE CHOIR AND BARITONESOLO “ DIE VATERGRUFT ’’ ...... Cornelius a “ THE MAIDEN ’’ ......

“ ” .I. b DIM-LIT WOODS . .,I CHORUS ... m.. ... Brahms c “ DEAR CAN’ST THOU TEEL ” ..” d “ THE FALCON ” ...... CANTATA ...... “ ORPHEUS ” The wordsbeing ‘ The Power of Music ” WORDSWORTH}G. Rathbone CHORUS ...... ‘6 HAIL,BRIGHT ABODE ” (Tannhäuser) ... Wagner VOCALQUARTETTE ... “ TowerTomb ” (fromYeoman of the Guard) (c) Sullivan FEMALEVOICE TRIO ... “ SoundSleep ” (c) ...... Vaughan Williams VIOLINSOLO ...... “ Sonata in A ” (Introductionand Fina1e)t ... Handel FEMALEVOICE CHOIR ... “ A Song of theFour Seasons ” (c) ...... LuardSelby

VILLAGECHORAL SOCIETY “ Praise, oh praise ” (c) ... .I. ... Luará! Selby

MALEVOICE CHOIR ... “ A VintageSong ” ...... ,I . ... Mendelssohn CHORALSOCIETY ... “ O lovely May ” (and portion from Concert Music (c) Brahms MADRIGAL ...... “ Thyris ” (c) ...... ,, . ... Benet

JUNIORCHOIR ...... “ EveningSong ’ ’ (c) ... . I, . ... Mendelssohn Bous’ CHOIR ...... “ A Song of Summer ” (c) ... .*, . ... EthelBoyce GIRLS’ CHOIR ...... “ TheDream Child’s Lullaby ” (c) ...... EthelBoyce a “ The Fighting Temeraire ” (c) .(,. ... Pascal BOY’S SOLO ... .f.{ “ ” b Hark, hark the Lark (c) ... . I, . ... Schubert BOUS’ DUET ...... “ May Song ” (c) ...... Schumann PIANOSOLO “.. “ Liederohne Wörte No. I ” (c) ... , . . Mendelssohn ... {E “Toccata ” in A major (c) ... *a. ... Paradies ORCHESTRA ...... “ Petits Riens ” BalletMusik (c) ...... Mozart -u i 7

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,-\ 1906. j \ ... Bach CHORUS ...... “ O LIGHT EVERLASTING”’ ... “ ” ...... GoringThomas CHORUS ... .0. THE SUN WORSHIPPERS Clive CHORUS ...... “ ODE TO THE NORTH-EAST WIND ” ... F. MALEVOICE AND ... Brahms CONTRALTOSOLO ... “ RHAPSODIE ” ...... CHORUS ...... “ THE MESSIAH ” ... i.. ... Handel a “ A CradleSong ” (c) ...... b “ Nurse’sSong ” (c) ... ErnestWalker c “ Night ” (c) ...... CHILDREN’SCONCERT ... d “ The Laughing Song ” (c).... 1.. SELECTION :::i a .‘‘ The Snow ” ...... Schumann ... Schubert b “ Song of Shepherdesses ” ...... Schubert FEMALEVOICE CHOIR ... “ Coronach ” ...... Elgar> MALEVOICE CHOIR ... ‘‘ It’s oh to be a Wild Wind ” “ In silent night ” (c) ... German Folk Songs The enchantedNightingale ” (c) ... {“ ... ..* W. H. Bell CHORALSOCIETY ... “ My sweetSweeting ” (c) ...... Marenzio MADRIGAL ...... “ Spring returns ’’ (c) “ Little Maiden ” (C) ...... Gall VOCALQUARTETTE ...... Beethoven BOY’S SOLO ...... “ A Song of May ” (c) Bom’ DUET ...... “ The old Gray Fox ” (c) I ...... Stanford ... Gurlitt ORCHESTRA ...... “ OverturetheMarionettesto ” (c) ... i 1908.

CRQRUS ...... ('THE REVENGE .. ... q.. ... Stanford CHORtJS ...... '( EveningScene " ...... "I ... Elgar

CHORUS ...... 66 SpanishSerenade ... s.. ... Elgar CHORUS ...... *.. Brahms

FEMALEVOICE CHOIR D.. ... Schubert ORCHESTRA V OICE CHOIRMALE VOICE AN ...... Grieg ORCHESTRA CHORUS ......

(( As Vesta was '' Weelkes (FemaleLitany Voices) Hurlstone My heartit seemed Palestrina Liebe '' (Male Voices) Btrauss (( Sweet honey sucking bees" Wilbye " Ola vvhmt a lovely magic " '(Great God of Love '' Pearsall '(Awake, awake 'y Bantock (( Charm me asleep Les Zie " Evening has lost herthrone can butI can love thee '' Cornelius Lady" The Oriana, " Wilbye

" The Luck of Edenhall " (s).. ... "*I ... S. H. Nicholson " Hey ho themorning dew " (s) ...l ... Irish Folk Songs " O sleep my baby " (s) ... .,, \I Cradle-sonk 9' ...... JUNIORCHOIR ...... (S) " The man is coming " (s) ...... Brahms '(The LittleSandman '' (s1 . , . .., Remember the poor " (i)' ...... '} ... IrishFolk Songs ('Clare's Drago,ons " (s) .*. ...

(',Sleep my Child " ...... JUNIOR CHOIR, with SOLO{" "'} ... Old German ... Praise be to God ". .. .r. " Longingfor the Spring 'I' ('C) ...

BOY'S SOLO ...... ' ( The oncoming of Spring '' ...... ) ... Mozart The little Spinner " (selectedby judge:) . FEMALEVOICE CHOIR ... 66 TheShepherd " (c) ...... WalfordDavies MALE VOICECHOIR ... " Boot, saddle, to horse " (c) ...... Bantock VILLAGECHORAL SOCIETY .. Song of theFlaxspinners " (c)., ...... Leslie 'CHORALSOCIETY ... A Love Symphony-" (c) ...... *. . Percy Pitt

MADRIGAL ...... " Arise, awake " (c) ... o.. ... Morley

ORCHESTRA ...... Overture to Mireille " (c) ...... -. Gounod t

1910.

CHORUS ...... 6' CHRISTMAS.BRATOR10"--P''t. I. & II. ... Bach CHORUS ... .. " MAGNIFICAT " ...... -". ... Bach CHORUS ... .._ " TE DEUM " ...... Dvorak

CHORUS .e. ... COMPLETE MUS1C'"b '(ROSf?LhIlUNDE 'j with Contraltowith SOIO ... *.. ... Schubert 'CHORUS ...... ('THE GOEDEN LEGEND " ...... Sullivan FEMALEVOICES .AND ORCHESTRA }('Ophelia " ...... Berlioz 1910 (continued).

JUNIORCHOIRS ...... n “ Wae’s mefor Prince Charlie ” (S) Scotch a ‘‘ Slaves of the World ” (s) Rounds fromthe b ‘‘ Wha wadna ficht for Charlie ” b “ Wind, gentleevergreen (S) 1 National Song c “ TheLament of Flora JlacDonalrlS!’ (s) ‘Ongs c “ GapingMatch ” (S) Book Ì J a “ The Greenland Fishery ” (s) “ Sunshine ” (s) BoyceEthel b “ The Sheep Shearing ” (s) l ‘‘ A Song of the Cornfield ” 1 F. A. mene c “ TheTree in the wood ” (s) j 8ongs - (Action Song) (s) j

FEMALEVOICE CHOIR ... ‘‘ Elfin LMusic” (c) ...... Bantock FEMALEVOICE CHOIR ... ‘‘ .Ingel Children ” (c) ...... I).. Paladilhe n P FEMALEVOICE CHOIR ... “ EIarkj harkthe lark ” (c) ...... ErnestWalker O FEMALEVOICE CHOIR ... “ Fate of theRoses ” (c) ...... Chaminade MALEVOICE CHOIR ... “ TheWinter it is past ” (C) ...... Somerue11 MALE VOICECHOIR ... “ O pieaceful night ” (c) ...... German VILLAGECHORAL Socm~srw ‘‘ Christ our’ Helper and Life-giver ” (c).. _.. Bach VILLAGECHORAL SOCIETY As Torrents Summerin ” ,(c) ...... Elgar

CHORALSOCIETY ..I ‘ So softand warm ” (c) ...... Cornelius

CHORALSOCIETY /I . *, “ Who shall win my lady fair ” (c) ...... Pearsall MADRIGAL ...... Cuckow ” (c) ...... Anon. MADRIGAL, ...... “ Flora gave me fairest flowers ” (c) ...... Wilbye T he FishermanThe ” (C) ... Schubert BOY’SSOLO ... I...... Symphony No. 7 in majorC (C) ...... Haydn ORCHESTRA ... .I.

1912. ORCHESTRA ...... O~vertur~e“ NozzeFigaro de ” (c) ...... Mozart for SopranoDUET, for and ‘ ‘ Thou and I ’ ’ (c) ... . .*} ... Cornelius Tenor G “ The best Love Letter ” (c) ... STKINGQUARTETTE ... First movementfrom Mozart’s Quartet Mo. I in G (c)

VOCALQUARTETTE I.. “ Golden Slumbers ” (c) ...... Walthew FEMALEVOICE TRIO ... “ What can lambkins do ” (c) ...... Coleridge-Taylor STRINGORCHESTRA ... Second movement of “ PeerGynt ” Suite I, “ The H Death of Ase ” 2 I CHILDREN’SDUET ... ‘‘ Shepherd,Shepherd ” (c) ...... Purcell VIOLINAND PIANODU IET... Slonata No- 3 (C) ...... Handel VILLAGE CHORAL SOCIETY “ 0 friend of souls ” (C) ...... Bach VILLAGECHORAL SOCIETY ‘‘ A Song of Rest ” (c) ...... Walford Davies CHORALSOCIETY ... ‘‘ Music’sSweet Voice ” (c) ...... Max Bruch CHORALSOCIETY ... “ June in Kentucky ” (c) ...... LuardSelby MADRIGAL ...... “ Lullaby ” (c) ...... Byrd MADRIGAL ...... “ Shoot false love ” (c) ...... M’orley MALEVOICE CHOIR ... “ Keep Watch ” (c) ...... Brahms i B912 (continued)

FEAIALIS VOICE CHOIR ... " Cradle Song ') (C)...... WalfordDavies CANTATA ...... " Little SirHugh )) (S) ...... S. H. Nicholson TIVQ-PARTSONG ... '' Drake's Drum " (S) ...... Coleridge-Taylor UNISONFOLK SQNGS ... " I'm seventeen come Sunday " (S) " ' } Arr. by Cecil Sharp (Somerset) ) '' The Coasts of High Barbary " (S) ... 01m ENGLISH~PELODTI . ._ '' The Children are singing " (S) ... Arr. by A. M. FVahefield CH0RI-S ...... " REQUIEM " ...... Mozart CH0tiL.S ...... " THE CAPTIVE QUEEN )' ...... Sibelius

CANT.\l'A ...... " GOD'S TIME IS THE BEST "...... Bach FEMALEVOICES...... " BLESSEDDAMQZEL " ...... Debussy CANTATA ... -~~ '' BLEST PAIR OF SIRENS " ...... Parry CHORALPRELUDE ... " OUT OF A SILENCE '' ...... G. Rathbone