Marie Parcello

Marie Parcello is one of the most successful of our young American singers. Her success has been won purely upon the merits of her magnificent contralto voice, which has the unusual range of three octaves of beautiful, even, vibrant tones, from C to C. This has commanded the attention of the musical public, and her artistic temperament and intelligent interpretations will continue to place her among the foremost coutraItos of our time.

Miss Maude Marie V. Parcells (Marie Parcello) was born at Cayuga, N. Y., and surrounded by musical influences from her infancy, her grandfather, Dr. Christopher Feldhausen, beinga fine mateur violinist, and her father, Rev. J. J. Parcells, possessing a powerful baritone voice. Two of her cousins are well-known musicians—the Rev. Geo. Weed Barhydt, composer of church music. and the young oratorio tenor, Edwin H. Douglass.

Miss Parcells attended school at Auburn, N Y., and from the age of seven had excellent teachers in music, among them being I. V. Flagler, of Chautauqua fame, and for a short time Mrs. Sumner Salter, of Syracuse.

Becoming an orphan at an early age, her education was assumed by her aunt and adopted mother, Mrs. Gilbert Lincoln, who sent her to Europe to study piano and composition as a foundation for later vocal study. Upon her return to America she made her home in New York City, and won an enviable reputation throughout the country as a teacher and lecturer in Young Ladies' Schools ("Illustrated Musical Lectures"). She diligently pursued her vocal studies with Mme. Murio-Celli, and became the solo contralto at the noted Church of St. Mary the Virgin. One summer was passed in London, where she began her operatic studies, gave many recitals, and became a great social favorite.

At this time, at the beginning of a great career,_she was severely injured by a fall on a defective sidewalk, while visiting at Auburn, N. Y. Spinal trouble resulted and she became an invalid for three years and was obliged to give up her profession. Part of this ,time she was a cripple and under treatment at Auburn Hospital, after whichhupon the advice of physicians, she Went to Nice, where the climate proved a great help toward her recovery. She was absent from the musical world for three years, and during this enforced idleness showed the greatest fortitude and patience, winning many friends by her courage and sweetness of character.

As her prolonged ill-health involved great pecuniary loss, an action to recover damages was brought by Miss Parcells against the city of Auburn, through whose ofiicial negligence the accident occurred. After a hotly-contested lawsuit the jury returned a verdict of $9,000 damages in favor of the plaintifl. The city appealed from this, and the case was bitterly fought from court to court for more than two years, resulting in a complete victory for Miss Parcells. Thirteen judges of the Supreme Court passed upon this case and all decided in her favor.

The long litigation ended last year, and Miss Parcells at once started on an extended concert-tour, combining health and business interests. She visited Algiers, Italy, and the Riviera, giving song-recitals and meeting with the greatest success. She made many friends with her fine voice and sympathetic personality, and at one concert in Nice the enthusiasm was so great, it required two cabs to convey the floral offerings to her hotel.

From the Riviera she went to Paris where her concert was the success of the season. The hall was hung with American flags and her patrons were the American Ambassador, Mrs. Eustis, the Duchess de Pomar, the British Ambassador. Lady Dufl'erin, and Mrs. Eames Story.

Resuming her concert-tour she went to England and Belgium, appearing before King Leopold and other royalties and everywhere meeting success. During this tour Miss Parcells used the professional name of Marie Parcello, which she has now permanently adopted, for euphony.

Since her return to New York during the past year, Miss Parcello has given recitals at the Waldorf and Steinway Hall, and has also opened a studio in Carnegie Hall where she trains contralto voices only; limiting herself to six pupils as the remainder of her time is reserved for her owu study and rehearsals In speaking of her studies, which she declares she will continue as long as she lives. Miss Parcello says she believes one can find better teachers in New York than in any other city in the world. She reverses the usual order, and does her studying in America, going abroad to give concerts.

Miss Parcello is a fine conversationalist, having a liberal education, speaking and singing in four languages. She is a fine pianist and has devoted considerable time to composition. Her songs for contralto are published by Schuberth 8: Co. She has a very religious nature, and has since childhood had a warm friend in Bishop Huntington, of Central New York, by whomshe was confirmed and to whose influence and counsel she attributes much of her real success and happiness.

References

• This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain: Edgar S. Werner's Werner's Magazine (1896)

Bibliography

• Werner, Edgar S. (1896). Werner's Magazine. Vol. 18 (Public domain ed.). E. S. Werner. {{cite book}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)