ater to Dedham, a suburban town out of Boston, when my husband was
appointed manager of a department store by the firm of Parker, Barnes
and Merriam. I heard my first concert, where I listened to some of the
great singers of the day in Boston Music Hall, January 28th, 1859. The
oratorio, "The Messiah," was given by the Handel & Haydn society, with
300 or more in the choir. Among the soloists were Clara Louisa
Kellogg, Isabelle Hinkley, Adelaide Phillips, Signor Stigelli, Mons.
Guilmetti. On April 3rd, 1859, I heard Neukomm's grand oratorio of
David with grand opera principles. Among the singers were Mrs. J.H.
Long, Louisa Adams, C.R. Adams, P.H. Powers, J.P. Draper, Edward
Hamilton, George Wright Jr., Carl Zerrahn, conductor, J.C.D. Parker,
organist. After these two grand performances I heard many oratorios
Sunday evenings at the Boston Music Hall, where each Sabbath a sacred
concert was held instead of evening services in the churches. These
opportunities helped to lay the foundation for my musical training.
The oratorios were interpreted by the best singers. I never dreamed of
such an opportunity when my husband told me I should hear the best and
Boston was the place.

It was not many months before my opportunity came to be admitted into
the Oratorio Society. It came about like this. My husband's people
were Unitarians and attended the First Church, of which Starr King,
then a young man, was pastor. There was no choir singing, but
congregational song with a precentor who stood in the middle aisle and
led the people, with the large organ at one side of the church, J.C.D.
Parker, organist. As the service began my husband said, "Maggie, when
the hymn is given out you can sing, since the entire congregation
sings here." He had an excellent tenor voice, and we both sang,
unconscious that we were attracting any attention. Between the hymns
Mr. Barnes (the precentor) stood three pews behind us. After the
service was ended he came to our pew and introduced himself, telling
us that when he heard my contralto he thought the church had a
visitor, Miss Adelaide Phillips, of the opera company, and Boston's
foremost contralto. He was surprised to find my name was Blake
instead. I did not know until I heard this wonderfully beautiful
singer in opera oratorio how highly I had been complimented. Then I
realized the comparison and did my best to merit the praise which had
been bestowed upon me in my twentieth year. When we parted Mr. B