Janet Monach Patey (''née'' Whytock; 1 May 1842 – 28 February 1894) was an English concert and oratorio

contralto A contralto () is a type of classical female singing voice whose vocal range is the lowest female voice type. The contralto's vocal range is fairly rare; similar to the mezzo-soprano, and almost identical to that of a countertenor, typically b ...

. She was born Janet Monach Whytock in

London London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...

in 1842. She had a fine alto voice, which developed into a

, and she studied singing under John Wass,

Ciro Pinsuti Ciro Pinsuti (9 May 1829 – 10 March 1888) was an Anglo-Italian composer. Educated in music for a career as a pianist, he studied composition under Rossini. From 1848 he made his home in England, where he became a teacher of singing, and in ...

and Emma Lucombe (wife of

Sims Reeves John Sims Reeves (21 October 1821 – 25 October 1900) was an English operatic, oratorio and ballad tenor vocalist during the mid-Victorian era. Reeves began his singing career in 1838 but continued his vocal studies until 1847. He soon establ ...

). Whytock's first appearance, in 1860, was made at

Birmingham Birmingham ( ) is a city and metropolitan borough in the metropolitan county of West Midlands in England. It is the second-largest city in the United Kingdom with a population of 1.145 million in the city proper, 2.92 million in the West ...

under the name Ellen Andrews. Her first regular engagement was in 1865, in the provinces. From 1866, in which year she sang at the

Worcester Worcester may refer to: Places United Kingdom * Worcester, England, a city and the county town of Worcestershire in England ** Worcester (UK Parliament constituency), an area represented by a Member of Parliament * Worcester Park, London, Englan ...

Festival, and married John Patey, a bass singer, she was recognized as one of the leading contraltos; and on the retirement of Helen Sainton-Dolby in 1870 Patey was without a rival whether in

oratorio An oratorio () is a large musical composition for orchestra, choir, and soloists. Like most operas, an oratorio includes the use of a choir, soloists, an instrumental ensemble, various distinguishable characters, and arias. However, opera is mus ...

or in ballad music. She toured in America in 1871, sang in Paris in 1875, Australia in 1890, and New Zealand in 1891. She died at

Sheffield Sheffield is a city status in the United Kingdom, city in South Yorkshire, England, whose name derives from the River Sheaf which runs through it. The city serves as the administrative centre of the City of Sheffield. It is Historic counties o ...

on 28 February 1894 and is buried in Brompton Cemetery, London. Her daughter was Ethel Patey, the artist, who under her married name, Ethel Jackson, gave a portrait of her mother to the

Tate Gallery Tate is an institution that houses, in a network of four art galleries, the United Kingdom's national collection of British art, and international modern and contemporary art. It is not a government institution, but its main sponsor is the U ...

Notes

References

New York Times obituary, access 13 June 2008
;Attribution *

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Patey, Janet Monach 1842 births 1894 deaths 19th-century British women singers Burials at Brompton Cemetery English contraltos