Letter from Henrietta Matson to Elizabeth Spence. Undated (Ca., Nov., 1889).

Letter from Henrietta Matson to Elizabeth Spence. Undated (Ca., Nov., 1889).

Henrietta Matson--Correspondence--Spence Family--Fisk Jubilee Singers--India--Asia--Fisk--Missionaries

This is a letter written by Henrietta Matson addressed to Elizabeth Spence. In this letter, Matson provides much detail about the Fisk Jubilee Singers' stay and performances in Calcutta in November, 1889. Matson praised their perforomances, "but in some of the new pieces there was a little bit of the grotesque thrown in where the words were most solemn and might have been impressive, but no one else believed with my ears, and I heard nothing but the highest praise, except for a young Scotchman,..." According to Matson, this man was "full of grouch."
Matson describes receiving an invitation from Loudin to have lunch at their hotel, "The Great Eastern," which is the largest and fanciest in Calcutta. Moreover, Matson claims that a Indian man, "Mr. Nelson," joined the Fisk Jubilee Singers while they toured Australia. While she states that he performed with them in Calcutta, Matson does not indicate whether he continued to sing base throughout the remainder of the tour.
Unfortunately, the last page of this letter is missing.

Henrietta Matson

The Auburn Avenue Research Library, Atlanta, Georgia, USA. The Adam Knight Spence and John Wesley Work Collection, Series 4, Box 3, Folder 9.

Undated (Ca. November, 1889)

Dr. Patrick D. Rasico, metadata input

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("Letter from Henrietta Matson to Elizabeth Spence. Undated (Ca., Nov., 1889).") The Auburn Avenue Research Library, Atlanta, Georgia, USA. The Adam Knight Spence and John Wesley Work Collection, Series 4, Box 3, Folder 9.