A Lady Gives a Monster Concert Betsy G. Miller Columbia, South Carolina The Bulletin Every scholar of nineteenth century American music knows of the “monster” concerts of bandmaster Patrick S. Gilmore OF THE S OCIETY FOR A MERICAN M USIC and perhaps also that these concerts may FOUNDED IN HONOR OF O SCAR G. T. SONNECK have been inspired by similar concerts in the United States given by French bandmaster Louis Jullien. What is not often noted is that Vol. XXVI, No. 1 Spring 2000 celebrated violinist Camilla Urso was able to mount a “monster” concert of her own on the Defining Texas Music: West Coast, a feat remarkable for any musician of the time, but most likely a singular Lota May Spell’s Contributions event among the female musicians of her day. Camilla Urso, born in Nantes, France in Kevin E. Mooney historians can play in the construction of 1842, was the first female to enter the Paris The University of Texas at Austin music repertories. Conservatory. A child prodigy, Camilla began Assuming that “Texas music” is a historical touring the United States at the age of ten in Texas historian, educator, and musician, idea, the particulars of which are dependent 1852. Her success in Boston was such that in Lota May Spell (1885-1972) is remembered primarily upon collective opinion, and that 1854 soprano Henriette Sontag chose Urso today, if at all, primarily as the author of Music the history of this idea can be traced in the as a replacement in her concert company for way in which it has been conceived and the celebrated boy violinist Paul Jullien, who presented over time, I will evaluate Spell’s was ill with brain fever.1 After taking a brief efforts to define and promote a distinct Texas break from touring in 1856-1863, Urso music repertory and assess the significance continued to concertize for the rest of her life of her role in the history of Texas music.2 in the U. S., Europe, Australia, and South She was, in her words, “accidentally and Africa. She died in New York in 1902. unintentionally born in Big Spring, Texas, [in French conductor Louis Jullien (1812-1860) 1885]. My mother’s home was in San Antonio. was a musician-showman of enormous I don’t know why she was in Big Spring, proportions. From his thirty-seven names, to passing through, I suppose.”3 She also had his reputation, to his popularity, and most of roots in Mexico. Her father, William Harold all in the size of his concerts, he was a Harrigan, worked alternately for the Union colossus. Born as the son of a bandmaster, Pacific in Denver and a railroad company in he toured America in 1853-54, performing in San Antonio that sent him to Mexico City, New York, Boston, and several other where he became a superintendent for the American cities. Jullien, who received thirty- company. This personal connection with the six Christian names from the thirty-six continued on page 2 continued on page 6 Lota May Spell, ca. 1904. Credit: Lota May Spell Papers, Nettie Lee Benson Latin American Contents Library, The University of Texas at Austin. Articles Defining Texas Music: Lota May Spell’s Contributions ..........................................................1 in Texas, the first general history of Texas A Lady Gives a Monster Concert ............................................................................................1 1 Reflections on the Fort Worth Conference ............................................................................9 music. Although Spell worked primarily as And So They Fled: Eighteenth-Century Fugitive Slave Musicians ......................................13 a public school teacher, librarian, and private Departments piano teacher, her 1936 book is still cited as Performances of Note ..........................................................................................................11 a primary source on music in the state. But Letters from Canada ..............................................................................................................15 Spell should not be regarded as merely the Letters to the Editor ..............................................................................................................16 author of an ambitious, seminal, yet outdated News of the Society ..............................................................................................................18 Bulletin Board ......................................................................................................................20 book. Her contributions toward the Conferences ..........................................................................................................................21 identification and promotion of a unique Obituaries..............................................................................................................................31 Texas music repertory extend beyond the Index to Volume XXV (1999) ..................................................................................................22 pages of Music in Texas. Indeed, her story Reviews of Recorded Material ................................................................................................24 provides a regional perspective on the role Reviews of Books ......................................................................................................................27 Some Recent Articles and Reviews ........................................................................................29 of Music Clubs, and the Texas Music Teachers The Bulletin of the Society for American Music Association. Besides her work with these The Bulletin is published in the Spring, Summer, and Fall by the Society for American Music. © groups, which in one instance included Copyright 2000 by the Sonneck Society, ISSN 0196-7967. formal recommendations to the State Board Editorial Board of Education regarding the choice of songs Editor . .Larry Worster ([email protected]) considered appropriate to be taught in the Book Review Editor . .Petra Meyer-Frazier ([email protected]) public schools, Spell also lectured extensively Record Review Editor . .Orly Leah Krasner ([email protected]) on the history of the state’s music. Her Bibliographer . .Joice Waterhouse Gibson ([email protected]) illustrated presentations included slides of Indexer . .Amy C. Beal ([email protected]) musical examples from both the state’s past Copy Editor . .Joice Waterhouse Gibson ([email protected]) as well as its present. Her practice of Articles for submission, accompanied by a 100-word biographical statement, should be addressed promoting the songs of her contemporaries to Larry Worster, SAM Bulletin, 255 S. 40th St., Boulder, CO 80303; [email protected]. All materials resulted in several letters of solicitation from should be submitted in double-spaced printed copy, on a three-and-one-half inch disk, or as an Texan composers who sought Spell’s attachment to e-mail. Microsoft Word 6.0 and Wordperfect 5.1 are the recommended file formats. endorsement. For example, on 7 November Photographs, musical examples, or other graphical materials should be accompanied by captions 1935 Ethel R. Wartham of Corsicana, Texas, and desired location in the text. Deadlines for submission of materials are 15 January, 15 May, and writes: 15 September. In general, the Bulletin follows the styles given in The Chicago Manual of Style, 14th I hope you can see your way clear to mention ed. (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1993). [my song “Texas, Land O’Dreams”] in your Inquiries concerning book reviews should be sent to Petra Meyer-Frazier, 2414 Steele St., Denver, talk. [I] have never tried to have it CO 80210; [email protected]. Inquiries concerning reviews of recorded material should be sent published. But someone should be interested to Orly Leah Krasner, 30-29 49th St., Apt. 2S, Long Island City, NY 11103; [email protected]. in publishing Texas songs. They are in such demand at present. If there ever was an “Spell” continued from page 1 Thomas as director, the Cincinnati College of opportune moment for a Texas song to go region undoubtedly fueled her interest in and Music opened its doors in 1878, [and] it is of over, it is now.7 research of Latin-American culture, resulting particular interest to Texans that its director in numerous writings on the subject.4 from 1903 was Franz van der Stücken [sic ], a The “opportune moment” for Wartham, of Lota May began her music education in native of Fredricksburg, Texas.”5 course, was the Texas Centennial era.8 San Antonio, studying piano and composition Assumptions of exceptionalism or Attempts to construct and promote a with August Schemmel, who in 1898 became distinctiveness, whether regional or national, distinct regional music and identity acquire director of music at the Virginia Institute, a automatically suggest an “other.” Just as a timely relevance beyond the everyday girl’s boarding school in Bristol. Continuing American composers of the 1920s and 30s during state (and national) centennial her studies with Schemmel in Virginia for struggled to find their own voice in the celebrations. The intense media coverage three more years, in 1901, at only 16 years of shadow of the Western European musical and associated with the Texas Centennial age, Spell went abroad, where she attended cultural traditions, some composers and heightened an interest in things Texan and, the Grand Ducal Conservatory in Karlsruhe, intellectuals of the Southwest, such as Spell, for some, inspired a strong sense of patriotism