The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-05-17
SING AND BE MERRY.
The German Vocal Societies in The
City and Vicinity.
What They Are Called and
Where They Meet.
THE SAENGERFEST SEASON.


ular Amusements," We gave short description Of
the manner in which the German population Of this
city pass their leisure hours ltwas then stated that
rational ACKNOWLEDGEMENT recreation-was AS
necessary for the physical ana mental wellbeing OF
man as food. This truth one can or VIII gainsay;
nor can anybody dispute the assertion that OF all
nationalitles there is that has cultivated the
study OF relaxation from the strain OF business and
WORK to such perfection as the Germans.
And at other time does this appear
60 publicly nor to such obvious advantage
AZ during the summer months, when their
numerous festivals attract great crowds. They have
their saengerfest schuetzeniest open air concerts,
'ILalan nights" competition prize snging-as the
singers OF old had at the Wartburg according to me
Nieoelgea Iceland variety Of other easts, at all
OF which they strive with heart and soul to be happy
and Jolly themselves and TO make all Others as hap
py and Jolly Us possible. And with renewed energy,
with Refrigerated vital powers they return to their
daily vacations, mindful OF the old adage that
"there is time for everything, for work as well az
Tor play and amusement
All will recollect last years schuetZenfest at jones'
Wood, which on some DAYS during Its continuance
was visited by not less than $4,000 persons, IRON
morning I'LL midnight. Then the Germans had
also last summer their grand national Germano-
American SaeDgerfest in Chicago, where number
OF the most prominent societies of this city attended
ana participated III t1e three
even a delegation from Germany, representing sing
ing societies in the old Fatherland, the
celebrate the union of the Old and the New
World through the means OF German song. Only q
week ago the German residents OF the Southern
States had their annual Schuetzenfest at Charleston
S. O., to which whole company OF German amateur
sharpshooters from this city Stunned not the time
and expense TO 60. II was the New York Schuet-
zen Corps" volunteer organization, formed by
100 OF our substantial German business men,
commanded by Captain John +. Gerdes who during
their three days stay at Charleston did well with
their rifles that they bore OF the first four principal
prizes which now adorn their meeting room at Gen.
The season of the Saengerfeste Is now approaching.
The New York section OF the Northeastern saenger
bund, consisting OF nearly one hundred singing
societies OF New York and vicinity ana numbering
over a thousand vocal performers, lnaugurate the
season by grand open air concert and festival at
Funk's Park, the East and sixty-third
street. to-day. The Nineteenth Ward Reading
ar the on terrace m GSpdsn The on ana
Llcderkranz societies Will follow at the same place
during the summer on each alternate saturday, and
all The other German vocal societies, OF which we
shall presently give complete list, have arranged
each for one or more similar festivals during tue hot
term, and the vocal sections Of the Turn Verein
ANgemeine Saengerbund and number OF minor So
ceties have also their festival to-day at Jones' Wood
And then, in July. the grand Saengeriest Of The
Northeastern Saengerbund IL TO take place at Bat
more lasting from the 10th to the 18th OF the MONTH
Over thirty societies from this city VIII take part in
It. All along during the winter and spring the
rehearsals have been kept up-nrst each society bv
itself and then several together-whe IL Is pro-
posed 10 continue the rehearsais Haasse-tnat Is
ALL the singers to join in full chorus II Is believed
that at the great mass chorus which is TO be per-
formed Al Baltimore no less than from two to three
thousand voices viii unite. Al all these festivities
the recollection OF and connection with the good old
Patherand is, we are almost tempted 10 say, piousy
cherished The popular poet, Mueller Won der Vera,
IN Saxony, has written q hymn, and the Nestor OF
German song composers, Franz Abt, has sent q
beautiful patiotic song which will be rendered by
well skilled amateur performers.
IA .
cultivated among the Germans for their own moral
benent and the delight OF the community. But thus
is not all. The several societies have their stated
evenings each week. when they meet for practice
exercise and rehearsal, under the leadership OF some
OF the many professors OF music IN the city, who
generally receive liberal salary IL does one good
to vsit some OF them occasionally and observe the
pans.aking endurance with which merchants and
professional men. bankers, artists, physicians and
lawyers, mechanics and laborers all mngie
learn how to sing well how TO intonate
properly, how TO muse expression and life
into the melody. The practice al such meetings lasts
for several hours. and howsoever tedious and labo-
rious II may be- they gladly undergo the trouble Tor
ties have what is called .Inixed chorus the wives.
sisters and daughters Of the members joining IN the
rehearsal aud IN the more or less public perform
pense, regular singing schools, al which boys and
g taught by the musical director OF the society
Aer such rehearsals the time Is spent in social and
cornwall entertainment, in which the families OF
the members generally take an active part. There
l. most assuredly certain degree Of p0esy this
KIND OF life, In which the ute ci duce h so ration
ally mixed.
LIST or GERMAN SINGING SOCIETIES IN NEW YORK
CITY AND VICINITY
The American reader will be quite astonisned TO
there this city alone sixty such
societies Of Germans cltvaiing song as an ennobling
recreation. There are probably more, but the fol-
towing alphabetical list Is very near correct giving
me names of the societies. their meeting places the
days Of meeting Tor practice and the number Of
4Jrs cbueIer (Abt's Pupils, named after the
composer Franz Abt-Heets Tuesdays ana Fridays
al hundrs saengerhall, 2o5 East Fourth street; ls
members.
Alem0nnid-Assembles Tuesdays at the same
place; % members.
Ari1n.-Tbls IL one OF the leading vocal societies
IN the city, aud IT'S mastery performances under the
leadership OF Maestro Carlo Bergman are well known
o. the general public IL numbers 6S2 members aud
meets every Tuesday ana Friday at the GermanIa
Assembly Rooms In the Bowcry, near FIRST street.
The society has II IN contemplation 20 build hall Of
IT. own on Fourteenth street. at cost OF about
32OU,OO0, TO which member FROM the Nineteenth
wail proposes W cohIlDute *lVuyO III .wo ils.ai-
ments NO definite movement IN THIS matter has yet
been resolved ON.
street, every Tuesday and Thursday; about 10
members.
1,roro-Assembles every Wednesday at the same
place and the Aurora Mixed Chorus every sunday
comprises ABOUT % members
Beethouea 8desnerchor--At No 4si East sixth
street Fridays and Tuesdays; about 70 members.
BeethOrei sing AcadeHv-At Ungers Dramatic
Hail. East Houston street. Wednesdays and sun
days; nearly 100 members.
fHcordid Ydenneyctor-At Concordia Hall, No.
2I8 East Forty-iirst street. Tuesdays aud Fridays;
d1ionid-At their own han. No. 252 Bowery; re.
hearsas every Wednesday ana saturday; over 200
mcmDers.
ColoBid Ltedertotet--At Germania Hall, No. 4?
avenue A; meets Monday and Thursday, aud has
about 30 nembers
colonial Maen,ierchOT-At she Steuben House, IN
the Bowery, every Wednesday; IN the neignborhood
Of 90 members. .
CO,,anbia-At 2o1 East Fourth street, every Mon
day aud Thursday; about 10 members.
DtutsClter Ndefner'cluT-At the Steuben House
each Thursday, with about the same number.
E,tDhoud-- At Dramatic Hail. every Monday.
Ftdei,d-l29 Spring street. every Monday
PiOrd--At Thueringer Hall. Thursdays.
Trdnz LJt quartet C1ub--At the New YORK Casino,
East Houston street, Mondays and THURSDAYS
FrdtnnOb-At Dramatic Hall, Houston street
oerradBid-Eyery Friday, It corner VI First street
and avenue A.
HdrH,Opte-At the Harmonic Club House, 100
spring street meets Mondays and Fridays.
HtfieR AdeiuleichOr--At Stalp's Hall, Third ave-
nue., between lad and l23d strcels, every wednes-