James Sauvage
Encyclopedia
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
baritone
Baritone
Baritone is a type of male singing voice that lies between the bass and tenor voices. It is the most common male voice. Originally from the Greek , meaning deep sounding, music for this voice is typically written in the range from the second F below middle C to the F above middle C Baritone (or...
singer.
Early life
Sauvage grew up in the mining community of Penrhos, Rhosllannerchrugog, WalesWales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
, the son of Thomas and Mary Savage of The Square. Before he was nine years old, he began working in one of the local collieries, the Brandie Pit No. 6 at Ruabon
Ruabon
Ruabon is a village and community in the county borough of Wrexham in Wales.More than 80% of the population of 2,400 were born in Wales with 13.6% speaking Welsh....
, working twelve hour days. His musical talents appeared at an early age and as a child his voice was highly appreciated in local concerts and eisteddfodau, and he sang alto
Alto
Alto is a musical term, derived from the Latin word altus, meaning "high" in Italian, that has several possible interpretations.When designating instruments, "alto" frequently refers to a member of an instrumental family that has the second highest range, below that of the treble or soprano. Hence,...
in the choir at the Calvinistic Methodist Capel Mawr (lit. "Big Chapel") in Rhos.
At the age of eighteen, he left to seek work in the coalfields of Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
with several other young men from Rhos. A few years later, in the town of Jackson, Ohio
Jackson, Ohio
Jackson is a city in and the county seat of Jackson County, Ohio, United States. The population was 6,184 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Jackson is located at ....
, he met Lewis William Lewis (known by his bardic name
Bardic name
A bardic name is a pseudonym, used in Wales, Cornwall and Brittany, by poets and other artists, especially those involved in the eisteddfod movement....
of ‘Llew Llwyfo’) of Penysarn
Penysarn
Penysarn is a small village located in the north-eastern corner of Anglesey, Wales, and on the north-eastern side of Parys Mountain, at approximately 140–150 feet above sea level.-Name:...
, Llanwenllwyfo, Anglesey
Anglesey
Anglesey , also known by its Welsh name Ynys Môn , is an island and, as Isle of Anglesey, a county off the north west coast of Wales...
, Wales. Lewis was touring the Welsh communities of the USA with a concert party he had brought over from Wales. Llew Llwyfo managed to persuade James Savage to give up his job in the mines and join the concert party, a decision which changed the course of his life.
Musical career
On returning to Wales, Sauvage began to make a name for himself in the musical world, and was frequently called upon to perform at the National Eisteddfod. He later gained a place at the Royal Academy of MusicRoyal Academy of Music
The Royal Academy of Music in London, England, is a conservatoire, Britain's oldest degree-granting music school and a constituent college of the University of London since 1999. The Academy was founded by Lord Burghersh in 1822 with the help and ideas of the French harpist and composer Nicolas...
, London, England and in two years, the shortest time in record there for a student, won the bronze, silver, and gold medals. He was later elected associate of the institution and soon after became a Fellow
Fellow
A fellow in the broadest sense is someone who is an equal or a comrade. The term fellow is also used to describe a person, particularly by those in the upper social classes. It is most often used in an academic context: a fellow is often part of an elite group of learned people who are awarded...
of the Royal Academy.
Although he started his singing career as a tenor
Tenor
The tenor is a type of male singing voice and is the highest male voice within the modal register. The typical tenor voice lies between C3, the C one octave below middle C, to the A above middle C in choral music, and up to high C in solo work. The low extreme for tenors is roughly B2...
he later developed as a world-famous baritone
Baritone
Baritone is a type of male singing voice that lies between the bass and tenor voices. It is the most common male voice. Originally from the Greek , meaning deep sounding, music for this voice is typically written in the range from the second F below middle C to the F above middle C Baritone (or...
. He was widely known as an operatic singer, and for a number of years was a member of the Carl Rosa Opera Company
Carl Rosa Opera Company
The Carl Rosa Opera Company was founded in 1873 by Carl August Nicholas Rosa, a German-born musical impresario, to present opera in English in London and the British provinces. The company survived Rosa's death in 1889, and continued to present opera in English on tour until 1960, when it was...
, and his repertoire included the standard English, French and Italian works.
Sauvage continued to make regular visits to the United States and eventually the family settled there in Lincoln Park, Newark, New Jersey
Newark, New Jersey
Newark is the largest city in the American state of New Jersey, and the seat of Essex County. As of the 2010 United States Census, Newark had a population of 277,140, maintaining its status as the largest municipality in New Jersey. It is the 68th largest city in the U.S...
. James took up the position of Director of Music at the Peddie
Thomas Baldwin Peddie
-External links:* at The Political Graveyard...
Memorial Church in Newark and later was appointed Professor
Professor
A professor is a scholarly teacher; the precise meaning of the term varies by country. Literally, professor derives from Latin as a "person who professes" being usually an expert in arts or sciences; a teacher of high rank...
of Singing at Vassar College
Vassar College
Vassar College is a private, coeducational liberal arts college in the town of Poughkeepsie, New York, in the United States. The Vassar campus comprises over and more than 100 buildings, including four National Historic Landmarks, ranging in style from Collegiate Gothic to International,...
in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. James Sauvage eventually became a naturalised United States citizen.
Every summer James made an annual ‘pilgrimage’ back to Rhosllannerchrugog, travelling in some style between New York and Liverpool
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
on the best of the Cunard Line
Cunard Line
Cunard Line is a British-American owned shipping company based at Carnival House in Southampton, England and operated by Carnival UK. It has been a leading operator of passenger ships on the North Atlantic for over a century...
liners. He made his last visit to Rhos in the summer of 1922.
Death and legacy
Professor James Sauvage died in Newark, New Jersey at the age of 73. David Lloyd GeorgeDavid Lloyd George
David Lloyd George, 1st Earl Lloyd-George of Dwyfor OM, PC was a British Liberal politician and statesman...
, who later became British Prime Minister, wrote of James Sauvage:
"About thirty five year ago he was the principal vocalist in the Criccieth Eisteddfod. After having charmed the thousands who came to listen to him from the hills and valleys, he came home with me for a cup of tea. When he learned that my mother could not attend the eisteddfod, owing to ill health, he sang to her all of his programme of songs and encores, with the same vigour and enthusiasm that he displayed in singing to the thousands. What pleasure this gave to my dear old mother. Ever since, there has been a warm spot in my heart for the famous musician."
Personal life
James Savage married Eleanor Lewis, the daughter of his mentor Llew Llwyfo, on 11 December 1871 at St. Louis, MissouriSt. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
. They had six children. Their first child Lillian was born in St. Louis in 1872. Their second child Thomas (always to be known as ‘Tonzo’) was born in Rhyl
Rhyl
Rhyl is a seaside resort town and community situated on the north east coast of Wales, in the county of Denbighshire , at the mouth of the River Clwyd . To the west is the suburb of Kinmel Bay, with the resort of Towyn further west, Prestatyn to the east and Rhuddlan to the south...
, Wales in 1874 and in 1898 married Elsie Peddie in Newark, New Jersey
Newark, New Jersey
Newark is the largest city in the American state of New Jersey, and the seat of Essex County. As of the 2010 United States Census, Newark had a population of 277,140, maintaining its status as the largest municipality in New Jersey. It is the 68th largest city in the U.S...
, the daughter of Republican politician Thomas Baldwin Peddie
Thomas Baldwin Peddie
-External links:* at The Political Graveyard...
. Their third child, Vilda, was born in Aberystwyth
Aberystwyth
Aberystwyth is a historic market town, administrative centre and holiday resort within Ceredigion, Wales. Often colloquially known as Aber, it is located at the confluence of the rivers Ystwyth and Rheidol....
, Wales in 1875 while James was studying at Aberystwyth University. James and Eleanor’s fourth child, Mary Blodwen, was born in Fulham
Fulham
Fulham is an area of southwest London in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham, SW6 located south west of Charing Cross. It lies on the left bank of the Thames, between Putney and Chelsea. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London...
, London, England in 1877. They had two more children, Louis Idris born in Hammersmith, London, England in 1885 and James Elwyn born in 1890 in Newark, New Jersey.
Sources
- Obituary of James Sauvage, "Rhos Herald", Rhosllannerchrog, Wales, 1922
- Obituary of James Sauvage, "Newark Call", Newark, New Jersey, USA, 1922
- Ellis Island Records
- UK Census Records
- USA Census Records
- Missouri Marriage Records, 1805-2002 at Ancestry.com