Patey, Janet Monach

1842-1894

Contralto concert and oratorio singer. Her father was a native of Glasgow, but Janet was born in London. John Wass was her first teacher, and later she studied under Pinsuti and Mrs. Sim Reeves. When eighteen she sang in concerts at Birmingham and later became a member of Henry Leslie's choir. She did not become a professional singer until 1865, when she toured the provinces in Lemmen's Concert Party. The next year she married the barytone, John Patey, an operatic and concert singer, and later a music publisher, and he toured with her in America, where she sang Elijah in New York City. In England she appeared at many festivals and at other important musical gatherings, singing not only the old and tried but creating many new English works, among them Macfarren Y s cantata, Lady of the Lake. In 1875 she sang at Paris and received a medal from the Conservatory. In 1890 she and her husband went to Australia, and in 1894, during her farewell concert tour, she died suddenly at Sheffield.