Eight journeys abroad

Front matter

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Dedication

AS A MEMORIAL OF HER WONDERFUL TALENTS AND UNCEASING INDUSTRY, THESE LETTERS ARE PUB- LISHED AND DEDICATED TO THE SONS, RELATIVES AND SUCH FRIENDS AS REMEMBER THE WRITER IN LIFE

Preface

The writer of the accompanying letters, Mary D. Rosengarten, was born in 1846 at Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, daughter of James and Laura Clifford Richardson. In 1857, Mr. and Mrs. Richardson removed to St. Louis, Missouri, and it was in that city their daughter received her early education, graduating from the high school at the head of her class, in 1862.

After her graduation in St. Louis she entered the home of President Sanborn of Dartmouth College at Hanover, New Hampshire, and under his supervision studied English literature.

Later, in 1863, she entered a school in Brooklyn, N. Y., on Brooklyn Heights, and applied herself to the study of vocal and instrumental music.

The following years she studied vocal and instrumental music and became a most accomplished singer, having a mezzosoprano voice.

Her intense desire for culture induced unceasing efforts in all branches. Her study of music, and French, Italian and English literature never wavered, even during her long years of married life and motherhood. Her appreciation of the artistic and beautiful was a strongly marked characteristic. Her kindness of heart, generous disposition and quiet charity made her beloved by the many who knew her.

In the winter of 1863, instead of journeying to her home in St. Louis, she spent the Christmas holidays at the home of the father of her future husband at 1532 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia.

Her visit there began a friendship that never wavered and resulted in her subsequent engagement and marriage in 1873, ten years after her first visit to Philadelphia, followed by over forty years of intensest mutual love. From 1864 to 1869, she lived at her father's home, 2827 Locust Street, St. Louis, from

PREFACE

time to time making journeys in the United States, until in 1869 she was enabled to fulfill her ideals for European travel and musical culture.

She left New York on the 30th of October, 1869, accompanied by her father, journeyed to Italy and settled in Milan to study singing under the celebrated Maestro Lamperti.

At first she studied singing under the Maestro Corsi, taking three lessons a week, but wrote home objecting, "He will not let me practice more than two hours a day!"

Later she concluded her studies under Lamperti, among whose pupils was the great tenor Campanini, who created in his later career the intensest enthusiasm and with Christine Nilsson constituted probably the greatest vocal duo ever known.

Her letters written during this period of late 1869 and 1870 were treasured by her parents and were carefully preserved; it has been a labor of love to reproduce them literally, for they so fully demonstrate the deep appreciation she felt for the wonders of Europe, although written in hurried moments.

These pilgrimages included travels in Italy, Switzerland, France, Belgium, England, Scotland, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Russia, Poland, Austria, the Tyrol, Spain, Algiers, Turkey, the Balkans, the Holy Land and Egypt. The places and things described by her will certainly interest persons familiar with them. Persons intending to travel can read her descriptions with assurance of their accuracy.

She was married on the 5th of March, 1873, at the home of her parents, 2827 Locust Street, St. Louis, and, after a short wedding journey by way of Louisville, Cincinnati, Harper's Ferry and Washington:, arrived at Philadelphia, her home from that time onward.

At first residence was made at 1532 Chestnut Street. After a few months, 256 South 15th Street was purchased and then furnished and adapted to suit her taste for artistic surroundings. This home was occupied for twenty-one happy years and here were born her two sons, J. Clifford and Samuel Richardson Rosengarten.

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In 1894 the family home was changed to 1905 Walnut Street, and occupied by her for the nineteen remaining years of her life.

During all her forty years of married life in Philadelphia she was enthusiastically busied with musical activities. She constantly attended the Grand Operas and delighted in listening to the greatest singers of the world. She joined the Beethoven and St. Cecilia Choruses, was a director of the Philadelphia Orchestra from its inception until her death, was one of the founders of the Eurydice Chorus and was president of that society at the time of the celebration of its 25th anniversary.

She induced the conductor, Professor Parker, of Yale University (composer of the Opera of Mona and other celebrated compositions) to make the concert given in honor of the celebration a unique musical event. The concert was devoted to the memory of Michael Cross, first leader of the Eurydice and conductor of the Orpheus Club, and in the programme were several songs that had been taught the chorus many years before by Mr. Cross. Compositions written by Professor Horatio Parker, by his assistant at Yale University, Professor Smith, by Mr. Chadwick of Boston, who has written music of the very highest worth, a song by Gilchrist of Philadelphia and one by Frank Damrosch, at one time conductor of the Eurydice and now the head of the great conservatory of music in New York, were rendered.

The crowning feature of this concert was the fact that each of these eminent composers conducted in person the composition allotted to him.

After the concert these men and many of the chorus were entertained at Mrs. Rosengarten's home, and speeches were made congratulating the society on such a wonderful event and praising the genius and musical talent of the president of the society.

Mrs. Rosengarten was insatiable for travel and study of the wonders of the world. She visited Europe in 1 869-1 870, in

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1872, in 1892 and 1897, in 1900, 1903, 1906 and 1910. Twice she was in California and many times in Canada. She visited the Centennial Exposition of 1876, the Exposition at Paris in 1900, the St. Louis Fair, the Pan-American Exposition in Buffalo and went twice to the World's Fair in Chicago.

While her summer home and garden in Jamestown, Rhode Island, were quite satisfying to her esthetic and artistic ideals she always declared it to be a waste of valuable time to reside there when there was so much of intensest interest to her in many parts of the world she had not seen.

She deeply regretted her inability to visit her niece, the wife of a high military officer attached to the staff of the Viceroy in India, and another niece, married to an American officer attached to the United States Embassy at Peking, China.

She died on the 29th of October, 191 3, at Coronado, California, after long months of illness. She passed away peacefully, surrounded by her family and loyal home servants, beloved and admired by all who knew her.

F. H. R.

Contents

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Miniature painted from photograph made in Milan in 1870 Frontispiece