Women of distinction/Chapter 16
CHAPTER XVI.
ELIZABETH TAYLOR GREENFIELD.
("BLACK SWAN").
This most noted lady of song, so often called the "Queen of Song," was born in Natchez, Miss., in 1809, and was early taken to Philadelphia and cared for by a Quaker lady, who loved her as fondly as if the two were mother and daughter; and in keeping with this the good lady, who died in 1844, left in her will a legacy to our subject; but somehow Miss Greenfield was deprived of the gift by some decision of the courts. The name (Greenfield) affixed to her name was derived from her faithful friend and guardian. She was always ambitious and apt. She began to receive instructions in music in a family in the neighborhood of Mrs. Greenfield's residence. This was quite astonishing to her guardian, who, however, learning that it was a fact, was well pleased. We quote the following from "Some Highly Musical People," by James M. Trotter:
Previous to the death of this lady, Elizabeth had become distinguished in the limited circle in which she was known for her remarkable powers of voice. Its tender, thrilling tones often lightened the weight of age in one who was, by her, beloved as a mother. By indomitable perseverance she surmounted difficulties almost invincible. At first she taught herself crude accompaniments to her songs and, intuitively perceiving the agreement or disagreement of them, improvised and repeated until there was heard floating upon the air a very lovely song of one that had a pleasant voice, and could play well upon a guitar. In October, 1851, she sang before the Buffalo Musical Association, and her performances were received with marks of approbation from the best musical talent in the city that established her reputation as a songstress. "Give the 'Black Swan,'" said they, "the cultivation and experience of the fair Swede, or Mile. Parodi, and she will rank favorably with those popular singers who have carried the nation into captivity b}' their rare musical abilities."
In Rochester, N. Y., in December, 1851, she was extended the following invitation by a large number of the best citizens:
The undersigned, having heard of the musical ability of Miss Elizabeth T. Greenfield, of the city of Buffalo, and being desirous of having her sing in Rochester, request that she will give a public concert in this city at an early day, and we feel confident that it will afford a satisfactory entertainment to our citizens. (Signed by a large number of the most respected citizens of Rochester).
The following quotations were taken from the various papers by Mr. Trotter:
The Rochester American had this to say of her singing:
Corinthian Hall contained a large and fashionable audience on the occasion of the concert by this new candidate for popular favor on Thursday evening. We had never seen an audience more curiously expectant than this was for the debut of this new vocalist. Hardly had her first note fallen upon their ears, however, before their wonder and astonishment were manifest in an interchange of glances and words of approval, and the heart}' applause that responded to the first verse she sang was good evidence of the satisfaction she afforded. The aria, "O Native Scenes," was loudly encored, and in response she gave the pretty ballad, "When the Stars Are in the Quiet Sky,"
The Buffalo Commercial Advertiser says:
Miss Greenfield is about twenty-five years of age, and has received what musical education she has in the city of Philadelphia; she is, however, eminently self-taught, possessing fine taste and a nice appreciation, with a voice of wonderful compass, clearness and flexibility. She renders the compositions of some of the best masters in a style which would be perfectly satisfactory to the authors themselves. Her low or properly bass notes are wonderful, especially for a female voice, and in these she far excels any singing we have ever heard.
The Daily State Register, of Albany, N. Y., speaks as follows:
The "Black Swan's" Concert.—Miss Greenfield made her debut in this city on Saturday evening before a large and brilliant audience in the lecture-room of the Young Men's Association. The concert was a complete triumph for her; won, too, from a discriminating auditory not likely to be caught with chaff, and none too willing to suffer admiration to get the better of prejudice. Her singing more than met the expectations of her hearers, and elicited the heartiest applause and frequent encores. She possesses a truly wonderful voice, and, considering the poverty of her advantages, she uses it with surprising taste and effect. In sweetness, power, compass and flexibility it nearly equals any of the foreign vocalists who have visited our country and it needs only the training and education theirs have received to outstrip them all. The compass of her marvelous voice embraces twenty-seven notes, reaching from the sonorous bass of a baritone to a few notes above even Jenny Lind's highest.
A New York paper speaks of her thus:
Miss Greenfield's Singing.—We yesterday had the pleasure of hearing the singer who is advertised in our columns as the "Black Swan." She is a person of lady-like manners, elegant form and not unpleasing though decidedly African features. Of her marvelous powers she owes none to any tincture of European blood. Her voice is truly wonderful, both in its compass and truth. A more correct intonation, so far as our ear can decide, there could not be. She strikes every note on the exact center with unhesitating decision. She is a nondescript, an original. We cannot think any common destiny awaits her.
Any one who went to the concert of Miss Greenfield on Thursday last expecting to find that he had been deceived by the puff of the American newspapers must have found himself most agreeably disappointed.
A Brattleboro, Vt., paper, in January, 1852, said of her:
"The Black Swan," or Miss Greenfield, sang in Mr. Fisk's beautiful new hall on Wednesday evening last to a large audience. We had seen frequent notices in our exchanges and were already prepossessed in favor of the abilities and life purposes of our sable sister, but after all we must say that our expectations of her success are greater than before we had heard her sing and conversed with her in her own private room. She is not pretty, but plain. * * * Still she is gifted with a beauty of soul which makes her countenance agreeable in conversation; and in singing, especially when her social nature is called into activity, there is a grace and beauty in her manner which soon make those unaccustomed to her race forget all but the melody. * * * Nature has done more for Miss Greenfield than any musical prodigy we have ever met, and art has marred her execution less.
From triumph in America she sailed to Europe, where the London Morning Post said of her:
A large assemblage of fashionable and distinguished personages assembled by invitation at the Stafford House to hear and decide upon the merits of a phenomenon in the musical world. Miss Elizabeth Greenfield, better known in America as the "Black Swan," under which sobriquet she is about to be presented to the British public. This lady is said to possess a voice embracing the extraordinary compass of nearly three octaves, and her performances on this occasion elicited the unmistakable evidence of gratification.
The London Times also said of her:
Miss Greenfield sings "I Know that My Redeemer Liveth" with as much pathos, power and effect as does the "Swedish Nightingale," Jenny Lind.
Her voice was at once declared to be one of extraordinary compass. Both her high and low notes were heard with wonder by the assembled amateurs and her ears were pronounced to be excellent.