-
Title
-
Mrs. M. S. Patterson annual event news clipping
-
Description
-
News clipping about dance recital, "The Unveiling of Spring".
Mary Emma Saunders (1872 - 1950) was not widely known beyond Philadelphia's church circles and musical societies. Mrs. Mary Saunders Patterson had cultivated a reputation for nurturing young voices with precision and discipline.
-
A talented soprano and a well respected vocal instructor, she came from the accomplished Saunders-Venning family, a known Black Philadelphia lineage. Born in Middletown, PA, Mary Saunders married William F. Patterson on October 29, 1902 (Family Group Sheet for William F Patterson / Mary Emma Saunders (F5162) m. 29 Oct 1902 : Lincoln Cemetery Ancestors, n.d.).
This Delaware news clipping refers to one of her annual music recitals held that year, 1920, in the city's Musical Fund Hall. There were themes in three parts encompassing the spring season, a Japanese setting and an Egyptian scene all beautifully supported by soloists and choruses. Mary Patterson performed other activities, such as teaching, dance, music performances and recitals mostly chronicled in The Philadelphia Tribune's section called "Flashes & Sparks -Weekly Coming Events" (The Philadelphia Tribune 1920).
In 1912, a shy teenager named Marian Anderson arrived at Mrs. Patterson’s South Philadelphia doorstep. Marian came from modest means. She attended public schools and her family could not afford regular music lessons, but Mrs. Patterson saw something in her—something rare. Their formal study time together was brief and formative. Mrs. Patterson taught Marian the foundations of vocal technique: breath control, phrasing, the emotional power behind each note. She didn’t charge at first—believing in the promise of this young contralto. The lessons shaped Marian’s voice, preparing her for later studies with professional teachers like Giuseppe Boghetti. However, Mrs. Patterson’s impact endured--- she had given Marian validation, access and the gift of preparation.
-
Miss Anderson
-
Contributor
-
Library Company of Philadelphia
-
Date Created
-
1930
-
Creator
-
Willis, Georgine Upshur
-
Rights
-
This work is not in copyright, but commercial uses of this digital representation are limited. For more information, contact printroom@librarycompany.org and see http://rightsstatements.org/page/NoC-NC/1.0/
-
Identifier
-
P.2022.16.84
-
Language
-
eng
-
Format
-
Text
-
Extent
-
1 page
-
Spatial Coverage
-
Philadelphia, PA
-
Publisher
-
The Library Company of Philadelphia
-
Is Part Of
-
Stevens-Cogdell/Sanders Venning Collection - Upshur Willis Collection_Georgine E. Upshur Willis collection_scsv-p-2022-16-84
-
Subject
-
Anderson, Marian, 1897-1993
-
Contralto
-
Sopranos (Singers)
-
Vocal music
-
Music teachers
-
Music--Instruction and study
-
Music students
-
Clippings (Books, newspapers, etc.)
Mrs. M. S. Patterson annual event news clipping 