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THE BALLAD FIFTY YEARS AGO 147
She sent it down again and said she didn't like it. However, a few days later, when she was feeling better—or was it a case of varium et mutabile ?—she looked through it again and took a great fancy to it. Eventually she made it essentially her own and secured an immense success with it, being engaged at a number of concerts, both in England and Scotland, specially to sing this and "Sing, Birdie, Sing." "The Nightingale's Trill" was sung, it may be noted, by Adelina Patti at the composer's concert in 1898.
"When thou wilt be my bride' was written for Sims Reeves. He was to have sung it at the composer's concert, but on receipt of the familiar telegram announcing his indisposition it was sung by George Perren in his stead, and sympathetically encored.
Another of Ganz's successes was " Sing, Sweet Bird." When Melba came to England she brought a letter of introduction to Ganz, in which it was stated that she had already made this song popular in Australia. At her first concert in this country she sang "Ah fors si lui," followed by "Sing, Sweet Bird."
This song was first published by Ransford and Sons, a small firm in Princes Street. Ashdown and Parry afterwards bought the copyright for ^500. Ransford, by the way, instituted a series of ballad concerts held once a year, which may |
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