New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1869-10-23
THE GERMAN LIEDERhRdNZ.


OPENING OF The ENLARGED HALL AND ROOMS
TONIGHT.
This we'll known society has resumed Its re-
bearsals in its in Fourth-st, which nave during
the past Summer been enlarged and refurnshed new
Workers have great deal to boast OF In the arSuc
line but for this deficiency they have large
compensation IN musical privileges The native New
Yorker cares Often comparatively little for the arts
but the German from the Land OF Song bringing
with him music, which eminently the trdRSpIantdoe art
The great paintings, statues, cathedras are fixed pos
sessions in foreign countries; we cannot buy them or
borrow Them do yet create the like. But music
we can have IN its perfection Both for choral and In
strumental music largely indebted to the Ger
mans They give us Philharmonic Society, with its
hundred skilled performers they give the Central
Park Garden music, and they have transported, as IL
were part Germany itself into the very heart of the
city, and called 1t The LederkraDz Society" The Leder
kranz Is social and musical club, numbering more than
thousand members OF this number about 50 are sing
ing or active members who pay On entrance fee OF $50
and annual dues amounting to s2, while the correspond
ing charges nonsngers are $50 ana VA Inc society -
% wears old It has become rich from the well invested
income derived from these fees. 1t owns me ciuo-
house and singing hail. and has lately purchased the ad
Joining house in order yet more ample accom-
modatons Come invited guest, and let us see the
ederkranz at home 1t Thursday night the night OF
the "mixed choir rehearsal. Ladies are al
mitted as singing members and have an e1'
elusive rehearsal on Saturday night; the gentle
men rehearse Tuesday evenings and tonight we hear
tho voices OF lady singers enter the ane-rooms OF
the slngiughall We notice reading-rOom as we 90
down stairs the hat and cloak but the click OF
billiard balls and the rumbng OF the DowllnRaey seem
to invite away from literature. The Easements OF the
three connected buildings which form the CLUB house are
converted into single hall making spacious SUPPER
and billiard room. Through cloud OF smoke you DIS,
cern 100 or more jovial Germans. some are grouped
around the suppertable. with loDgnecked bottles OF
Rhine wine before them, as You nave seen then SUING
i'm the terraces OF hotels upon the romantic German
river some patropze the card and billiard tables, aud
others keep up such thunder at the bowling alley as
famous Dutchmhn. Rip Van Wrinkle ersdwhlle on the
Katskls The current Of German speech hows brlskly
and all the faces are foreign You seem 10 nave passed.
emit s the spirit Of the company from anything that you
meet in the ordinary social or club circles OF the city
The German cOnvviaty the spirit OF enjoyment, the
absence OF haste furry and nervousness all belong 10
another civilization than that OF America Listening;
above has ceased Ia moment bell summons the men
sugers who greet the welcome signal by capPng the
hands They leave their games. cigars ana gossip ana
hasten up stairs join the sopranos and altos IN the
concert room THIS IS spacious anu hanaS , na s
man poets At end are galleries where guests slt
there is raised platform provided with seats and music
stands for an orchestra; Ihe chorus ga,nere1
the room. numbers eighty or ninety skful yOeaIsts.
The singing 10 conducted by Herr Paur an enthusasc
i'm the las, and in previous gerfests is to be
trusted, the Lederkranz" has attained a degree OF
musical proficiency that unequaled among the German
vocal societies Of the United States There ia consider
able rivalry between this society and others but II Is
always OF friendly character It's effect IL to make the
rehearsals as well the public performances or tins
society very thorough and Interesting The Liederkranz
renders the exquisite chorusmusic OF the later German
com Observation-Disclosures Welt, Max Bruch Ab Schubert,
with spirit fire. ard sweetness that can hardly be sur
three times q week those harmonies that seem to
touch last depths OF passion and tenderness often
they rise and swell so loudly that the passers
ia the street pause 10 eaten their sweet re-
heard Ike he song s Of sd Tn. Of h 5S%aS
fe instead OF the flowing Rhine stream. AS You listen,
the chorus sinks TO pidlssino ana clear SOLO Voce
tenor or soprano rises upon It. and Is borne away with
the accompaniment like bird upon the wing: To hear
such chorus as Ma Rs una 70 tSoss OF sS
love music ndescrbably pleasant experience
OF music that the Lederkranz Society sings has
been written for 1t by prominent German composers,
Ab Marschner and others This music is not published,
is by no means only musical resource OF the Leder-
kranz. Among the cultivated Germans who compose It's
entasts These organized into an amateur orches-
ira They meet weekly, aud practice the symphonies
Ave weeks during the Winter months. the Society gives
private concert OF which tne PERFORMANCES Oh tIls
yen Schumann, Wagner concerto IN which some emf
nen solo player IS engased 10 take part %n russ
an sunday eyening M the great hall OF the Society each
member Is privileged to bring his friends After the
Thursday evening, or mixed choir trehearsal, Is con-
Guided another muse appears upon the scene. Dancing
takes the place OF song and Lederranz resolves IL
self evening party where all the guests are united
hans has 40 fy ayaed itself OF the social element as
ths II resembles the Circle Harmonic OF Brussels,
which 10 also musical club, and 10 which gentlemen and
ladies are admitted equal terms. Neither admission
fee however annual dues required OF the lady
members OF the Lederkranz. They arc more strictly
musical than corporate members and attend only on the
nights Of Tehearsals concerts, and balls They have
paror adjacent the muslc-hl, where they may be
In beyes, slipping wines, or that unromantc beer,
bright "lager" which is furnished at the socetys eN
peuse the warOers Beside rehearsas, concerts, ana
dancing the IlcderkranZ Society annual masked
ball at Academy OF Music This generally the moss
brilliant masquerade of the tits the very carnival
OF Menus. Gorgeous dresses rich music. unlimited fun
aud hrtaton-cOlor, sound and sentiment-comblDe To
make this quite intoxicating fesyity. BY the Society
itself however t Ia ess valued rs means OF amusement
than OF profit Tickets are sold at SIS apiece,
and the ball produces some 5000 annually OF clear
income to the treasury. For their dedication the
masked ball each Winter only members aud their friends
being admitted. Nor Is II inactive IN the way or charity
recent concert which IL gave In aid OF the German
Hospital OF this city produced nearly $1,000 IN AID OF that
institution. Each Summer the IiedeTkranZ makes
musical tour into the country Last year 1t attended
the Chicago Sangerest and shared the first hOnOrs OF
that great festival. The last summer 10 visited
Baltimore and the first honors there. The expenses
OF the cities where tho festivals held In the Summer
Of 1870, reunion OF all the singing societies IN North
America will occur In NewYork, and the Lederkranz
will have the pleasure OF footing the bills.
Such Is the German Liederkranz, one or the notable
institutions OF this city, whose rooms. enlarged and reht
which the full chorus and male chorus Of the society
grand orchestra, and Miss Aide TOpp Will assist The
hall and buildings comprise Nos 81, 80 and IS East
Fourthst BY the addition OF house and lot No. 35, the
supper room etc. so to accommodate double the mum
Der OF persons provided for hitherto.
npnp1r, Ant f,oTrNTrpCRIrEp STpRENDFRS