March 27, 1890 Joseph’s Bondage Cantata

Thursday and Friday, March 27 and 28, ’90 at Farmer Hall, Farmer Village, under the direction of Prof. J. M. Chadwick, Sacred Cantata Joseph’s Bondage.

We don’t know if this cantata had been performed in our village prior to 1890 but the knowledge of this performance has been saved for us on paper, in a photograph and a costume. There are two beginnings to this story, one in 1876 in Rochester, and another in the collections in 2005. 

“The New Oratorio of ‘Joseph in Bondage’.” So begins an article in the Evening Express, Rochester, NY, Saturday, March 18, 1876 edition. “Some time ago it was whispered about that certain citizens of Rochester were composing a new oratorio, (or more properly speaking, dramatic cantata) the subject of which was the beautiful story of Joseph as related in the Bible. Such an announcement having appeared in print, papers in various parts of the country began making “squibs” concerning it, and jokes were cracked about Potiphar’s wife, etc. But the dramatic cantata is, nevertheless, a fact, and one, we think, which will make a sensation among both musicians and the public generally. The author of the libretto is Mr. H. A. Staples, the well-knows baritone singer of this city, while the composer is Mr. J. M. Chadwick, the leader of the Choral Union.”

Mr. J. M. Chadwick is better known locally as Prof. John M. Chadwick, leader of the Third Brigade Band of Civil War times, and organist at the Baptist Church. Prof. Chadwick wrote a number of musical pieces from short dances, to choral works, and several longer cantatas.

The cantata appears to have been well received and continued being performed for many years. The 1890 performance in Farmer brought out considerable of the local talent to participate. Names known, and not so well known, are shown in the Dramatis Personae: J.H. Stover, Mrs. W. E. Peterson, A.D. Chadwick (son of the composer), Homer Boorom, Mrs. T. P. Hause, and on and on. [click here to see the full program including a Synopsis of Scenes.

Cover, March 1890 presentation of Joseph Bondage
Interlaken Historical Society Collection: Chadwick Family Papers

In the photograph collection are several photos from different events presented at Farmer Hall, or the Boyer Opera House as it was later called.

Fast forward to the Spring of 2005 when Society volunteer Nicole Nelson wanted to submit a bright orange and black costume used in an unknown Chadwick cantata as a submission for a forthcoming costume calendar.

The costume, a skirt, bodice, hat and long gloves, were a gift from Miss Hilda Horton back in 1961. The information on the worksheet noted it had been worn in the 1890s in a Chadwick cantata. Not a lot to go on, but it was a start.

Nicole put the costume on a small mannequin to take pictures and hope for inspiration. A few years before this, she had been stage manager for South Seneca’s Spring Musical, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. As she would note in an article for the July 2005 Historical Society newsletter, “Being familiar with that musical, I was walking past the dress and stopped to look at it from a different angle. With its brass stars and moon trims, I thought, what if it was from Joseph’s Bondage,” rather than one of the other cantatas.

Interlaken Historical Society collection
Item 1961-74 bodice detail with stars and moons

Joseph Bondage company
Interlaken Historical Society Photo #1203

We could say the rest is history. The 1890 cast photograph was pulled from the files, and using “a magnifying glass we found the dress.” Also, located in the collections were the program copy, a copy of the cantata and articles in the local papers. Unfortunately, confusion about the process resulted in a missed calendar submission deadline. 

Dewitt’s Diary March 27, 1928 and 1929

March 27, 1928 I scraped the road yesterday. We went to town with some syrup this morning. $2.25 per gallon for syrup this year. We are having plenty of orders for syrup.

March 27, 1929 We finished buzzing my wood up at the woods and also the pile at the house. Hedley Smith and father helped. The engine ran fine. The weather is fine. Francis [his brother] went up to Leroy today to study Aviation.