The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1867-09-03
INDIANAPOLIS CORRESPONDENTS.
The S4ngeffest.
: 50 49, .o@l INDIANAPoLIs, Sept,,2 1867.
Editors Journal:

Editors Journal:
IL .Ttefo- jS4ENGER HALLE.
The colossal structure, erected ex-
pressly for the Grand German Sen
gerfest, which is to commence il this
city tomorrow, fronts on Washiaaton
Street, on the south side of the Court
House square, and is 16O feet In
length by 90 feet in breadth. Th9
height of the center dome is g .4et,
and the building is "a feet t. 5he
caves. The vestibule is % feei Rmo
doors lead from it direct into, thu c.a-.
cert room, and two by the stai!w ays
to the gallery. There are also two
side doors for exit. The stage. 9Th
circular seats for the singers, i aity
40 feet. There are ten rows Of e.4lest-
ed seats around it, which will ae5am-.
modate over eight hundred PEE .ans.
The orchestra is sc by IA feet. Ilaetc
are four aisles the full length o.-rthe
audience room, and six rows d eats.
which will accommodate /, AS per-
sons, The gallery across tAe end,
and so feet in length on each, side,
will accommodate S74 persons. The
house will seat SO0singers, aHprches-.i
ira OF 70, and an audience of 200,
in all 3, 165. There. will be stand
ing room for several hundred more!
3i-n ORIGIN OF sENdERBUNDs. ~ ed
Sangerbunds-or Singer Unions
are national demonstrations Of a
modern type (which were introduced
into Germany about thirty years ago.
4. i
quence of the rapid growth of the art
of music and song, especially in con-
sequence of the cultivation 81 the
manner gesang (men's chorus songs.)
In very few years, almost stimuli
taneously, musical societies and glee
clubs for the manner gesang we're
esta blished in almost every city and
village in Germany. 1t was a new
movement in which the people were
engaged with great zeal and enthusi-
asm.
Until this period the exercise Of the
art of chorus singing had beon rather
exclusive, and mostly confined TO the
theatre, the church and art associa-
tions, or the choruses were composed
of male and female singers (Gemi-
schete chors), who only cultivated
classical music. The cultivation of
national song and music, and the COM
positions of the greatest masters of
the nation were, however, neglected,
and manner chorus, songs and quar-
tette singing were only cultivated by
the teachers of the common schools,
teacher associations and conferences,
at period when the common schools
became, more emancipated from the
church. From this period up to the
present time music and song of this
description were extensively cultiva-
ted. and the manner chorus became
national institution.
As soon as these musical associa-
tions had been established in all parts
of the country, it was found necessary
to inaugurate more extensive reunions
for the purpose Of facilitating social
intercourse, and to render the compo-
sitions of the national masters in an
efectual manner en-. Tldsse. This led
to the organization of the Singer
unions = the S9ngerbunds = which
celebrated their great Senger festi-
walls at Dresden, Wuerzburg, Cologne,
Brunswick, Kenigsburg. Berlin,
LEIPZIG, Munich, Karlsruhe, Bonn,
and other cities, Under the leadership
of eminent composers and musicians,
such as Zoellner, Abt, Duecken,
Franz, Weber, Rietz, and others.
Especially in Western Germany, IN
the lands on the Rhine, this move
ment became very interesting. The
Germans united with their Germanic
neighbors, the Belgians and Hol-
landers, and Netherlandish Germany,
and Germanic- Belgian Sanger Unions
were organized, VINO celebrated their
great musical festivals at Arnheim,
CIeve, Brussels, and Cologne. Even |
abroad the German art of chorus
songs is gaining favor, as has been |
demonstrated by late musical festi-
val at Paris. In consequence of the in
creased cultivation OF music, a general
German Sanger band has been estab-
lished in Germany, as previously the
general German Turner and Sheutzen
Unions have been organized. The
first general Sengerfest was held in
the celebrated old town of Nurnberg
on grand scale, where deputations
and societies from all parts of Ger
many met, as they now will meet
again at Dresden. The great German
national festivities are, however, of
historic origin, and are of great ma
tional and political Importance as far
as the never -ceasing movement for