Emma Lucy Gates Bowen: Singer, Musician, Teacher

Emma Lucy Gates. All photographs arefrom the Widtsoe Collection, USHS.

Emma Lucy Gates Bowen: Singer, Musician, Teacher

BY CATHERINE M .JOHNSON

IN 1846 THE MORMONS LEFT THEIR HOMES in the Midwest to establish a new community where they could practice their religion as they chose.

Their settlements in the Great Basin reflected the Puritan background of their leader, Brigham Young, who abhorred extravagance and other symbols of vanity. Yet, eager to promote cultural attainment in the new pioneer environment, he encouraged the construction of a theater in which the fine arts could be pursued

Furthermore, since Young had felt deprived of the advantages of a formal education, he made sure that his children had the best education available in the valley—education of a caliber not available to the children of most other families. One of their teachers was the eminent educator Karl Maeser, a German immigrant who would later become president of the Brigham Young Academy. Daughter Susa Young Gates was a beneficiary of this emphasis on education and culture in the home.1

Even after Young's death the family's connections with prominent people continued to provide opportunities not available to many citizens of the community. In 1878 Susa, given a scholarship by the new church president, John Taylor, enrolled at the Brigham Young Academy. She also entertained the idea of going to London to study, implying that financing was available for her to do so. Instead, she accompanied her "Aunt" Zina to the Sandwich Islands (Hawaii) where she became reacquainted with Jacob Gates. In early 1880 they were married and settled in St George, Utah Jacob, an insurance salesman and realtor, was also musically talented and intellectual.2

Marriage and motherhood did not prevent Susa from availing herself of opportunities that took her away from honie, from Jacob, and from the eleven children they eventually had. For instance, she attended a summer session in literature and education at Harvard in 1892 Even though she frequently left her husband and many children to develop her own talents, she did not approve of such interests taking the place of home and family. Susa believed, as her father had, that a woman's first responsibilities were "obedience to authority and reverence for the Priesthood. . . . "3

One of the children born to Susa andJacob was Emma Lucy—on November 5, 1880, in St. George. When she was two, the family moved to Provo. They moved again in 1885 when Jacob was called on his second mission to the Sandwich Islands. There Lucy sang everything her young voice could encompass. She also played on the mission's organ, a guitar, and a ukulele "with childish abandon."4

Lucy's family returned to the United States when she was nine At age thirteen she won a prize for playing the piano in a contest in the Salt Lake Tabernacle. On that occasion three eastern critics served as judges, and 10,000 people were in attendance. The other contestants were all over seventeen.5

"I began about that time to dream of going to Europe to study," Lucy was later to say, "and one day I put my arms around Grandma's neck and asked her to find me the way." Lucy's parents concurred, feeling that she could become an accomplished music teacher upon her return to Utah.6

In March 1898 Susa Gates wrote to her mother, Lucy Young, asking if she would accompany young Lucy to Germany as her chaperon. As a beneficiary of Young's estate, Lucy Young was likely in a financial position to do so But due to other considerations, she declined, and so an alternative arrangement was made. Lucy's older half-sister, Leah Dunford, was to be married toJohn A. Widtsoe later that summer, and they were planning a move to Germany to continue his studies Susa did not want Lucy to accompany the Widtsoes, fearing her presence would spoil the honeymoon. However, at the Widtsoes' insistence, Lucy shared their honeymoon journey without any apparent problems.7

In August 1898 the three of them sailed for Europe. Upon reaching their final destination, Gottingen, Germany, they found an apartment and Lucy began her studies Before long, however, she wrote home that she would like to go to Berlin to study in March 1899. She would remain with Leah until then while she learned the German language and customs. In the meantime, she could also study with a professor of music at the university who had a fine reputation.8

Lucy's letters often contained apologies and explanations for her busy schedule which prevented her from writing more often. She also felt the need to justify her financial expenditures in some detail. She was obviously distressed whenever she felt she was not pleasing her parents Finances were an ongoing concern for Lucy, and she wanted her parents to know she was spending her money wisely. Her years of studying were funded primarily by her grandmother, but later Lucy was able to supplement that money with earnings from her own performances.9

Lucy and her professor were very pleased with her progress on the piano. However, while practicing the piano one day, she took a rest and started to sing to amuse herself as she often did. Her music teacher happened to enter the room. Realizing that she was unaware of his presence, he sat down to listen. His reaction was later described in a Boston newspaper: "He was wonderstruck at the marvelous beauty of her voice. It was so flexible and sweet; the range was so wide; the quality was so pure." He was afterward to comment, "It was the voice of a generation." The professor continued to listen until he could not restrain himself from applauding He then advised Lucy to begin training her voice, even if she had to give up her piano work.10

Lucy was undecided about what to do. In November 1898 she wrote to her parents that her heart was leaning toward pursuing vocal studies. "Mywhole soul seems to be brought out more when I sing," she said "I love to sing and I think one of the greatest pleasures of my future life will be in singing praises to God in His holy Temples." She also observed that there was not then a "good Mormon teacher or Emma Lucy Gates and hergrandmother Lucy Bigelow Young. singer in Utah."11

Within a few months Lucy and her parents decided that she would apply to the Berlin Conservatory of Music and that she would study voice. In the spring of 1899 her grandmother, Lucy Young, decided to join her in Berlin, serving as a chaperon and companion thereafter.

Lucy had not been at the conservatory long when she realized that its required courses (not related to music) would necessitate three more years of studying to graduate. Also, the additional studies were robbing her of time to spend on her voice and piano lessons. Despite only limited encouragement from one of her new professors, she knew she could be an accomplished singer. Thus, she left the conservatory in search of another voice teacher.

When she found Madame Correlli, Lucy wrote to her parents about their first meeting: "She tried my voice and said it wasn't as spoiled as she had expected it to be after being in the Hochschule [conservatory] for the winter and I told her that I hadn't let it go as much as they wanted me to as I knew a little before I went there."12

An unidentified columnist from the Boston Herald wrote that in the fall of 1900, before Lucy left Germany to return to America, an American man heard her sing at Madame Correlli's studio: "He said that her voice is one of the sweetest and most sympathetic he has ever heard, and that it will be too bad if it is kept in Utah, and the public not allowed to hear it." Madam Correlli had responded that Miss Gates was "the most promising voice she had ever trained."13

The article recounting that incident did not name the man who praised Lucy. However, about the same time an important American, Major Pond, heard her sing and was also impressed with her voice He expressed interest in engaging her "for an American tour in conjunction with a boy violinist [prodigy] Florizel."14 Since Lucy and her family had intended that she return to Utah and become a music teacher, suggestions that she should perform caused some consternation within the family.

As always, though, Lucy showed a deep and loving desire to have her family's approval. She wrote, responding to a letter from her father, "Father dear I have no, no desire to become a public singer! . . .

To give a few concerts before I was married was all the ambition in concert life I have ever had." But in a letter to her mother at another time, Lucy expressed interest in becoming a great singer. Apparently she envisioned this to include some performing as well as teaching, for she said, "I don't mean opera, I think I shall never want that, but concert and . . . teacher at home in my own dear state, but be able to give concert tours if I can do good to the Church and family."15

Lucy's teacher had her own feelings on the subject of her student's voice and her returning to stay in Utah. Correlli stated

it was lamentably wicked that she should be buried in the West, to sing only in the Mormon Temple [sic], which was what she was expected to do, and which was the only career laid out for her by her parents, who were much opposed to her going before the public even as a concert singer, while they were overcome at the idea of her appearing in Opera. And the girl had no wish beyond theirs.16

The issue of whether or not Lucy should perform in concert apparently remained undecided when she left Germany to return to Utah. On the way home she visited Major Pond in New York, and he made her a formal offer to do some concert work. Lucy did not accept but left the matter until she could go over it with her parents at home.

After discussion and deliberation, her parents finally agreed to let Lucy accept Pond's offer. Barely twenty years old, she was to begin her professional career.

Upon returning to Utah during the summer of 1901, Lucy performed in church programs throughout the state. Her first official concert was given in the Salt Lake Tabernacle on a program with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. In the years to come, upon spending vacations in Utah, she would continue to perform widely on local musical and religious programs.

Also in 1901 Lucy formulated some long-range plans. One of her major goals was to establish a local opera company. According to a Salt Lake newspaper, "The young woman believes that in the course of two or three years, at the latest, it will be possible to organize a local grand opera company."17 Lucy and her brother, B. Cecil Gates, were only able to lay the foundations for that project; it would not become a reality until 1915

In accordance with Major Pond's arrangements, Lucy traveled to New York to make her concert debut there in February 1902. At that time she appeared at Carnegie Hall in conjunction with Florizel, the boy violinist. The reviews of her performance were not favorable.18

That same month Lucy also performed in Boston, and those reviews were flattering One admirer referred to her as the "Utah Nightingale," a description that remained with her for many years. 19 Following the adverse New York reviews, Lucy was especially pleased with Boston's response.

Returning to New York, Lucy auditioned to study under Madame Fride de Gebele Ashforth, who said of Lucy's voice, "I was surprised beyond expression. . . . She has a truly wonderful voice."20 The singer and her teacher decided that Lucy would make her European debut and establish a reputation there before making another New York appearance. In 1907 they finally left for Europe and, reaching Berlin, found a vocal coach. Ashforth returned to the United States in June while Lucy stayed to continue her work Prior to Ashforth's leaving they decided that Lucy would make her debut in December 1908.21

But unexpected problems arose. In a letter to her parents in April 1908, Lucy expressed concern about a condition that had developed in her voice and explained that she had returned to her former teacher, Blanche Correlli:

When I went to Correlli my voice was in a condition that I could not sing two Arias one after another, and that badly That was what drove me nearly crazy! Because I knew I could not sing over five or ten minutes, and Gerke, my kapellmeister [coach], said it was useless to go to any agents while I sang as I did! He said he could tell there was something wrong with a naturally beautiful voice. . . . 22

Correlli said she could remedy the problem, making Lucy promise to stop all singing until her voice was "set in the proper place." Lucy said, "My whole voice and method of singing had to be changed ['mended' written above]. This took some time and careful work."

Correlli was able to restore her voice within five months, and Lucy vowed never again to tie herself to a bad teacher, She was more than ever convinced that Correlli taught the best method of singing.23

In the fall of 1908 one of the foremost agents in Europe, Herr C. Harder, arranged for Lucy to try for an opening for prima coloratura at the Royal Opera House of Berlin The audition was successful, and in April 1909 she sent her parents the news that she had signed a fiveyear contract, to be final after two trial performances. Within just a few weeks Lucy had successfully completed the trial performances, and the Berlin Opera House ratified her permanent engagement.

While she was with the Berlin company, Lucy received many flattering offers from rival opera-houses. Among them was the Royal Opera House of Cassel where Lucy had appeared as a guest performer in Rossini's The Barber of Seville, one of the most difficult operas to perform. The general manager was so impressed that he offered her a contract.24 In the meantime, problems arose between Lucy and the management of the Royal Opera House of Berlin. Newspaper articles from Salt Lake City had made their way back to Berlin and caused some misunderstandings that Lucy alluded to but did not really define One apparent result was that the Berlin Opera wanted to renegotiate her contract. Uneasy about the friction, Lucy felt it best to accept the offer from Cassel and performed there many times during the next few years. She also performed in many other European cities before leaving for a vacation in Utah.

With the outbreak of World War I, Lucy was unable to return to Germany. In the United States she had a hard time securing recognition Finally, her manager, Foster and David, secured a contract for her with Columbia Records, and she began to attain success. She also auditioned for the Metropolitan Opera, singing for them on three different occasions After two business discussions the Metropolitan finally offered her a second position that consisted of frivolous, supporting roles.

Fortunately, Lucy received a simultaneous offer for first position with the Chicago Opera. They also offered her guest engagements with some of the leading stars of the time and allowed her freedom to perform in concerts as well. She accepted.25

In the summer of 1915 Lucy returned to Utah to fill some engagements, including one act of Rigoletto. This production was so successful that another production, La Traviata, was planned for October These performances were the start of the opera company that she had talked about in 1902, the Lucy Gates Opera Company.

The Lucy Gates Opera Company gave operas at intervals in some of the larger cities throughout the Rocky Mountains. Lucy starred in the leading roles and acted as artistic director and stage manager Her brother Cecil was the conductor and musical director. Unfortunately, the opera company lasted only a couple of seasons. 26

Lucy returned to New York for her operatic debut there which was declared a success. Her debut in Chicago received raves as well.27

During the next few years she sang in many cities of the United States and Canada, including New York, Brooklyn, Newark, and Philadelphia. She captured the hearts of audiences wherever she sang.

In 1916 Lucy married attorney Albert E. Bowen, a widower with two children who later became an LDS apostle. Bowen realized the great satisfaction his wife received from performing and supported her in doing so. In fact, the Bowens engaged live-in help to relieve Lucy of enough of the household and family responsibilities that she was able to continue a career outside of the home, just as her own mother had done.

Susa, however, continued to see Lucy's career as a problem At one point mother and daughter even exchanged heated words backstage during a performance. The fact that their personalities were as "different as night and day" apparently complicated efforts to resolve their disagreements.

Gradually, Lucy limited her musical engagements outside of Utah. Although she never had children of her own, her niece, Eudora Widtsoe Durham, recounted that Lucy was "thrilled to death" to be a wife and stepmother. This was a role she always assumed she would fulfill even as she pursued a career. Lucy, herself, said, "if I had to choose between home and children and a career, I'd take the home and children."28

Lucy filled an important role in developing the arts and artists of Utah until her death in 1951. She lent her support to the Utah Symphony when it was a struggling new orchestra; through her musical connections she was able to engage soloists for a reasonable fee to come and perform with it. She encouraged and promoted talented young musicians who were trying to make names for themselves. And, finally, she became that music teacher in her "own dear state" of Utah that she had set out to be.

NOTES

Ms.Johnson, Ithaca, New York, is a graduate of Brigham Young University where she majored in history.

1 Susa Young Gates, "Family Life among the Mormons," North American Review 150 (1890): 339.

2 Interview with Eudora Widtsoe Durham, Lucy's niece, May 31, 1991, Salt Lake City Susa's marriage to Gates was her second. She filed for divorce from her first husband, Alma Dunford, in 1877. It was an acrimonious proceeding and was followed by a temple cancellation of the sealing, highly unusual for the time There were two children; the court awarded custody of daughter Leah, age four, to the father and custody of son Bailey, age two, to Susa for ten years at which time he could choose which parent he preferred See Rebecca Foster Cornwall, "Susa Y Gates," in Vicky Burgess-Olson, ed., Sister Saints (Provo: Brigham Young University Press, 1978), pp 68-69.

3 AndrewJenson, Latter-day Saint Biographical Encyclopedia, 4 vols (Salt Lake City: Andrew Jenson History Co., 1914), 2:629.

4 "Lucy Gates," MS, Emma Lucy Gates Bowen Collection, Utah State Historical Society, Salt Lake.

5 Ibid.

6 "The Magic of a Voice," unidentified newspaper clipping, and Lucy Gates to parents, February 15, 1900, Gates (Bowen) Collection, Special Collections, Brigham Young University Library, Provo, Utah.

7 "Lucy Bowen's Funeral Service, May 3, 1951, Remarks by Richard L Evans," Widtsoe Family Collection, Utah State Historical Society.

8 Lucy Gates to parents, September 12, 1898, Gates (Bowen) Collection, BYU.

9 Lucy Gates to parents, October 17, 1898, ibid.

10 Boston Herald, November 17, 1901.

11 Quoted inJohn Louis Coray, "Emma Lucy Gates (Bowen), Soprano—Her Accomplishments in Opera and Concert" (master's thesis, Brigham Young University, 1956), p 11.

12 Lucy Gates to parents,January 20, 1900, Gates (Bowen) Collection, BYU.

13 Boston Herald, November 17, 1901.

14 Deseret Evening News, April 26, 1909.

15 Lucy Gates to parents, October 18, February 15, 1900, Gates (Bowen) Collection, BYU.

16 Boston Herald, November 17, 1901.

17 Salt Lake Herald, January 12, 1902.

18 "Florizel Arouses New York Audience to Enthusiasm," The Concert Goer (New York), February 8, 1902, Gates (Bowen) Collection, BYU.

19 Salt Lake Tribune, February 7, 1902.

20 "The Magic of a Voice," Gates (Bowen) Collection, BYU.

21 Salt Lake Tribune, April 6, 1902; Coray, "Emma Lucy Gates (Bowen), Soprano," p 32; Lucy Gates to parents,June 22, May 22, 1907, Gates (Bowen) Collection, BYU.

22 Lucy Gates to parents, April 5, 1908, Gates (Bowen) Collection, BYU.

23 Raye Price, "Utah's Leading Ladies of the Arts," Utah Historical Quarterly 38 (1970): 72; Lucy Gates to parents, May 18, 1908, Gates (Bowen) Collection, BYU.

24 "German Laurel to Salt Lake Singer," unidentified newspaper clipping, Gates (Bowen) Collection, BYU.

25 Lucy Gates to parents, April 23, 1915, Gates (Bowen) Collection, BYU.

26 "Lucy Gates," Emma Lucy Gates Bowen Collection, USHS; Coray, "Emma Lucy Gates (Bowen), Soprano," p 62; interview with Margaret Bowen, wife of Albert E Bowen,Jr., Lucy's stepson, August 22, 1995, Salt Lake City.

27 Salt Lake Herald, October 27, 1916; DeseretNews, August 5, 1918.

28 Interview with Florence Stamm, June 8, 1995, Salt Lake City; Durham interview.