A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Patey, Janet
PATEY, Janet Monach, née Whytock, was born May 1, 1842, in London, her father being a native of Glasgow. She received instruction in singing from Mr. John Wass, and made her first appearance in public at a very early age, at the Town Hall, Birmingham. She became a member of Henry Leslie's Choir, and afterwards received further instruction from Mrs. Sims Reeves and Pinsuti. In 1865 she was engaged by M. Lemmens for a provincial concert tour. In 1866 she was married to Mr. Patey (see below), and sang at the Worcester Festival of that year. From that time her reputation continued to increase, until in 1870, on the retirement of Madame Sainton-Dolby, she succeeded to her position as leading contralto concert-singer, and as such has sung in several of the principal new works, such as Benedict's 'St. Peter,' Barnett's 'Ancient Mariner,' 'Paradise and the Peri,' and 'Raising of Lazarus,' and in Macfarren's 'St. John the Baptist,' 'Resurrection,' 'Joseph,' and 'Lady of the Lake.' In the part of Blanche of Devan, in the last of these, she developed an amount of dramatic power for which her admirers had not given her credit. In 1871 she started on a concert tour in America with Edith Wynne, Cummings, Santley, and her husband, and enjoyed great success. In 1875 she sang with her usual success in Paris, in French, in four performances of the 'Messiah,' on the invitation of M. Lamoureux, and under his direction. Also on Jan. 31 of the same year she sang in English 'O rest in the Lord,' at the concert of the Conservatoire, with such effect that she was reengaged for the next concert, Feb. 7, when she more than confirmed the previous impression. In commemoration of this the directors presented her with a medal bearing the dates of the concerts, a compliment rarely accorded by that conservative body to any singer.
Hervoice is a contralto of great power and sweetness, and of extensive compass, and she is equally excellent either in oratorio or ballads.[ A. C. ]