Garcia the Centenarian and His Times: Being a Memoir of Manuel Garcia's Life and Labours for the Advancement of Music and ScienceMackinlay, M. (Malcolm) Sterling
History
Garcia the Centenarian and His Times: Being a Memoir of Manuel Garcia's Life and Labours for the Advancement of Music and Science
Joseph Barbot came to Garcia at the Conservatoire at the age of twenty,
and soon proved himself to be possessed of a remarkably fine tenor
voice. At the completion of his training he was engaged at the Grand
Opera, but soon left it for Italy, where he sang with great success.
Perhaps the most noteworthy event of his career took place on March 19,
1859, for on that date he created the title part at the first
performance of Gounod's "Faust" at the Théâtre Lyrique; while sixteen
years later he was appointed to a professorship at the Conservatoire as
successor to Mme. Viardot.
Charles Battaille appears to have commenced earning his livelihood as a
doctor of medicine, the while he carried on his vocal studies. When he
had brought these to a close he gave up his practice, and accepted an
engagement as basso at the Opéra Comique. Here he remained for ten
years, till an affliction of the larynx caused his retirement. From that
time on he devoted his life to teaching, having already, in 1851, been
appointed professor at the Conservatoire. In 1861 he published the first
portion of a voluminous treatise entitled 'L'Enseignement du Chant,'
containing some important results of his physiological study. His
principal claim to fame, however, is the fact that he was chosen by
Meyerbeer to create the bass _rôle_ in "L'Etoile du Nord," while he won
special renown in the "Seraglio," of Mozart.
As to Bussine, he was connected for some time with the Opéra Comique,
and left it for an engagement as principal tenor at the Grand Opera in
Paris. Moreover, he gave much time to teaching, one of his best known
pupils being Duc.
The year 1845 saw the advent of one who ultimately became Garcia's
greatest pupil in the field of teaching--Mathilde Marchesi, or, as she
was at that time, Mdlle. Graumann.
Her father had been a wealthy merchant, but in 1843 he lost his fortune,
and his daughter, being at this time seventeen years old, decided to
adopt the musical profession. She went in the first place to study in
Vienna, but in 1845 came to Paris to place herself under Garcia, who
soon discovered in his new student a remarkable aptitude for teaching.
Of her own recollections of studying under the maestro, Madame Marchesi
has sent me the following details, some of which have already been
narrated in her interesting book of reminiscences, published under the
title, 'Marchesi and Music':--
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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