At the Postern Gate
What could singer Oliver Steward, Metropolitan Opera star tenor, Frederick Jagel, and sports announcer Graham McNamee possibly have in common? First, they are all American born, second, the obvious answer would be a connection to Gena Branscombe. And, yes, all three of them sang her song, “At the Postern Gate” from her song cycle, “Songs of the Unafraid.” In Gena’s November 14, 1928 letter to Mr. Austin at Arthur P. Schmidt Publishing, she mentions that Oliver Steward had sung the song at a private musicale and at the Plaza Hotel. She happened to meet Mr. Frederick Jagel of the Metropolitan Opera who told her he had also sung the song at a private musicale and would be singing it over the radio in January. In what seems to be a whimsical after thought in her letter, she asks if Graham McNamee singing that song on the radio had “stirred up a little life!” There is no information about Oliver Steward on the internet. I will s...