The Black Swan at Home and Abroad: or, A Biographical Sketch of Miss Elizabeth Taylor Greenfield, the American VocalistAnonymous
General
The Black Swan at Home and Abroad: or, A Biographical Sketch of Miss Elizabeth Taylor Greenfield, the American Vocalist
Anonymous
Greenfield, Elizabeth Taylor, approximately 1819-1876
Miss Greenfield, whose wonderful vocal powers have been astonishing the
musical world recently, is to give a concert at Mechanic Hall, in Salem,
this evening. Her programme will be found in another column. On her
first appearance in Boston, she was labouring under severe
indisposition, contracted at the burning of the Hampden House, in
Springfield, where she was boarding at the time of its destruction.
Salem Advertiser, February 10, 1852.
We heard the Black Swan, as she is called, at the City Hall last
Saturday evening. We have only three things to say of her performance:
The first is, that she had an excellent house, composed of the most
intelligent and enlightened of our citizens. The second, that all who
heard her seemed to be exceedingly well pleased with her efforts.
Although she does not claim to be, nor her friends on her behalf, that
she is an artistic singer, yet the compass of her voice and the
sweetness of her notes seemed to enchant every auditor. Our last
observation is, that we were ourselves very much pleased with what we
heard, and fully concurred in the justice of the loud applause so
frequently bestowed on the occasion.
Vox Populi, Lowell, February 13, 1852.
The concert of Miss E. T. Greenfield, under the direction of the
gentlemanly J. H. Wood, was one of the most successful that has been
given to this city for a long time. From the great fame which had
preceded the "Black Swan," had she not really proved herself what she
is, a most remarkable vocalist, there would have been a strong feeling
against all concerned; but there has not, within our knowledge, an
entertainment of the kind taken place in this city that received such
general applause. Her compass of voice is probably greater than that of
Parodi, Catharine Hayes, or Jenny Lind, even; but she lacks the artistic
power of either. Notwithstanding this deficiency, we presume to say that
the audience were better pleased with her singing than they would have
been with either of those named above, though perhaps some few would not
be willing to acknowledge it. The Black Swan sounds twenty-eight full
notes, a qualification accorded to no one before her; and one which most
successfully rivals the powers of ventriloquism which Jenny Lind so
successfully introduces in her echo song. Every piece she sung on
Saturday evening was rapturously encored. The song in barytone was
listened to with surprise and admiration, many of those present hardly
believing it to proceed from her, so much did her deep, sonorous voice
resemble that of a male. The second piece of the last part (sung instead
of the first, which was loudly encored) and also the last piece, neither
of which were on the programme, were enthusiastically applauded, and may
be regarded as the best pieces sung: at least such is our impression. As
we have already remarked, the concert may be pronounced the most
successful ever given in this city. The instrumental part, by Professor
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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