The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1870-06-24
THE SENGERFEST.
SPLENDID MUSICAL FErE OF TIE
NoRTHTEsTERN GERMANS.
This Cincinnati Festival OF the North
American Sengerbaad-Im - m m g ms e
Gathering of Germans-The Instru-
mcntal Music and the sfngfng-Fine
Rendering of the Oratorios.
Correspondence of the New York Tlmes.l

hSnOerlnS Oh tAe OThtoAAos'
Correspondence Of the New York Tlmes.l
CINCINNATI, Friday, June II.
1t is good old custom, joyously observed,
as most people know, by the Germans of the
Fatherland, with eachTeturn of the beauties of
early summer, to meet together and enjoy
their festivals of song. All classes Of Germans
enter into these sangerfests with the greatest
enthusiasm, and during the months Of June
and July, the land ofthe Rhine end the sbeau-
tlful blue Danuben is jubilant with the grand
chorals of Mendelsshon, and the beautiful,
touching volkslieder' of Abt and Franz, and
however far from the Rhine the German may
emigrate, he still carries with him his enthu-
siasm for the festivals Of his native land. 1t is
this enthusiasm which has inspired the great
body of German siagers from all parts of the
Northwest to come this week to the Queen City
of the section to unite their voices in thesongs
Of the Fatherand.
THE NORTH AMERICAN sENGERBuEa-
The North American Sangerbund numbers
about one hundred and six societies, which
are mostly located inftAe Northwestern States:
Formerly there were many noted societies OF
the Eastern cities inahis Bund, ,iincluding the
famous Liederkranz and Arion, Of New York;
but of late years, owing no doubt to the great
distance to be travelled In order to attend the
festivals, the Eastern societies have Withdrawn.
But. nevertheless, there are number OF sing
ers from the New York societies IN attendance
here. The Sangerbund look upon their bien-
nial festival as grand event; for three months
mast extensive preparations for the event has
been in progress. And as nearly oil OF the
German singing societies. from the Northwest
ern States are here, it ds not surprising that
Cincinnati has no parallel-certainly not more
than one-to the scenes presented IN her streets
Oh the opening day Of the festival.
THE OPENING CEREMONIES.
Tie festival ceremonies Cd the day consisted
merely OF procession. New, professions IN
general present the most ordinary spectacles,
and this one in particular was no exception to
the rule. There were men on foot, men on
horses and men in carriages; there were sing
ers. sharpshooters and flremen; there were
pretty Young lady singers In pretty colors and
carriages; and there were bands and banners
the most noticeable of which was cartoon on
Offenbach and Wagner. But the feature which
afforded the most amusement to the multitude
was company of mounted Teutonie butchers,
whose rotlind proportions may be described by
the dimensions given to Mynheer Wouter Van
Twiller by the historian, Diedrich Knickerbock-
er, as five feet six inches in height. and six
feet five inches In circumference; and whose
faces were as red as the fresh bovine flesh
they were wont to cut, and as innocent of any
expression or traces of thought as that OF the
aforesaid Van Twiller. Yet Cincinnati sus-
pended business and put on holiday attire,
decked the walls Of her houses with flags and
oak leaves and eVergreens and roses, and her
windows with fair faces, and filled the streets
with multitude Of people, so that when the
seventy visiting singing societies marched
through the streets In the grand procession,
there was no need Of the thousand banners in
that their reception by both American and
German citizens could be no warmer.
THE RECEPTION CONCERT.
The musical portion of the fest was inaugur-
ated by grand reception concert given on
all the concerts will be given. The Feste
Halle is large wooden building, somewhat
similar In appearance to the grand Coliseum
of Jubilee notoriety, and Is capable of accom-
mOdating about ten thousand persons. The
interior Is handsomely decorated with flags,
flowers and evergreens, which has such
charm for the German eye. The heart OF every
notices expressing the German idea OF genu-
Inc enjoyment of life-the same Idea as ex-
pressed by Horace in Viui1nus, HiuanuS.
For here was Guadeamus tgilur; CantatoreS
drnent hum0res; also the very significant In
quiry, ''Why should man whose blood
Is warm within him sit like his grand
sire cut in alabnaster? To which there
was held who had in him no soul for music,
was proclaimed in the outspoken motto, Pre-
posterous ass, who never read so far as TO
know why music was ordained" Among the
evergreens and flags appeared the serene
of the German masters OF music,
from good old Handel down to 0ffenbach. Yes
the genial, rolcking author Of the can-can
as we'll as the fearless exponent of the Emusic
Of the future" Richard Wagner. Then, pass
ing from the real to the symbolic, the four diff
ferent kinds of music so popular with the Ger
mans were expressed by four figures, male and
female respectively, called Heldenlied,' v
'kirehenlied," "Liebesllcd' and "Yolkslied."
THE INSTRUMENTAL Music.
The opening notes Of the jubilee were heard
in Wllber's familiar jubilee overture, given by
an orchestra OF siXty-seven musicians, under
the direction Of Philip Walter, the "Fest
leader" 1t was soon apparent that this body
of musicians had not been accustomed to
playing together under the same baton, and
that the West had not afforded them those op-
porlunities for practice and improvement en-
loved by musicians of some Of the Eastern
cities. 1t was also apparent that this orches-
tra was too small for the size oil the building, |
hence the effects produced seemed light and |
thin. But the six thousand people in the hall |
we're good -natured and enthusiastic, and when |
the last strains of ''God Save the Queen" the |
finale of the overture, were finished, there was |
scarcely any limit to the applause.
THE sIEGrNG-oRAToRt0S.
The voices were first heard in the 'Clncin-
natl Senger Greeting piece composed and |
dedicated to the Seventeenth North American |
Sangeriest by Philip Walter. The piece,
which possesses considerable merit as COM
position, was sung by the combined Cincin-
natl societies, three hundred and fifty singers,
with orchestra and accompaniment Then
came the choral, "1o God on HIGH" from
''St. Paul. and Handel's "Hal-
eluah," sung by mixed chorus of four hun
lred and fifty voices The rendition of these
selections made it evident that the vocal ex
,rcises of the festival were to be greater
success than the instrumental, and that there
is here, In Cincinnati, excellent material for
interpreting oratorio music. The leading |
singing society here is the 0rpheus, which
has large number Of excellent voices well
disciplined by constant practice. In fact, 1t is
70 this society, more than 10 any other source,
that the Queen City looks to for occasional
operatic treats, and the society have
riven a number of operas with the most
marked success. With such a society for q
there are other excellent ones
nere-and with large German population
who are enthusiastic music-lOyers, there Is no
oit y,nt In