New-York tribune., 1871-06-27
THE SAENGERFEST.
YESTERDAYS MUSICAL EXERCISES.

banauets yesterday for the visiting singers but in little
companies they rOamed about the East side
of the city, thronged the bedecked saloons
OF the Bowery, where the tri-color Of Faith
erland noated beside the Stars and Stripes, and
the banners OF Germania and Gambrinus hung lovingly
together. The chief event Of the day was the grand
contest for prizes in which 1s OF the visiting societies
took part the singers Of NewYork as the hostS OF tho
festival appearing merely spectators Inc
were divided into three classes according 10 tne huDe
Of active members on their rolls. FOR tnose Vi
the first or largest class the prize was SUCK
piano, worth 1880; for the second Glass; a
Cycoid piano worth oO for the third, book and music
case worth $500.
THE PRIZE SINGING
The exercises began at Steinway Hall at 2o'clock III
the afternoon Flags and flowers in great profnsion oec
grated the stage and quantities Of bunting were draped
about the walls and galleries. The audience numbered
about 2OOO and very excitabe and deeply mteresteu
audience It seemed to be- The songs were listened 10 "n
the closest attention, but the tumult OF applause
after the most satisfactory performances was soetnH
tremendous. The arrangement Of the contest was eAce
lent for those who wanted TO estimate the comparative
excellence Of the societies. but rather wearsoe fOr te
miscellaneous public which went TO hear tho music ana
did not care who got the prize. All the societies OF
class sang the same song. mus IN con'
cert lasting two hours and han there "ere
only three songs the first Of which was gwen SIX thes
the second seven times and the third five times only
three OF the CLUBS were cOnbpcuOuSly eAOSI4cHJ
several certainly were conspcuously bad Indeed IL
must be confessed that the prize contest as WHOLE
was not artisticay brilliant The concert opened
with Webers Jube overture, played by an orchestra OF
about so pieces under Mr. Bergman. Ihere was 700
much resonance in the hall for band OF that size, and
We believe that about half as many Instruments woua
have made better effects forty or perhaps sixty Is the
number of pieces for which steinway Hall Ia best
adapted The societies Of the third class tnen
entered the lists with good song by Dr. f. Eyrlcn'
"Das aacht dds dunkelgrane Lduo." clt Is the uark
green foage.) The first In order was the HARMONIC Oh
Baltimore 2s strong, directed by Mr.. Tman, and par
ring an occasional uncertainty in the first tenors IL dd
remarkably well Pelted with bouquets from all parts
OF the house, and followed by shouts and applause
IL then filed off the stage by the door opposite
that at which 1t entered and close upon ts heels came
the Beethoven MannerchOr OF Philadelphia, "a men, d.
rected by Mr. Groebe The other entries Tor the pre
of the third class were the Buffalo sangerbund' ~
singers, conducted by Mr.. Gaertner; the Germama OF
Poughkeepsie 10 men, Conductor Kuehnj the Germama
of PHILADELPHIA "a men and the Ledertafel OF Buffalo,
2S men 1t Is useless to speculate IN advance upon the
verdict OF the Judges but the prize doubtless rests De-
tween the Buffalo LAedertafe and sdngerbund ana the
baltimore Harmonic. In truth, however, none OF tne
singing in this class was very good.
LISTS Mazeppa" march followed, and then came the
trial OF the societies Of the second class Their song was
the Waldeszauber" Charms Of the WoodsO OF L.
Reiter Like the two other selections t was an sdmra
be study in harmony and full Of difficulties that tested
thoroughly the requirements Of the chorus but IL had
also some elements Of popularity which the others
lacked and hence the second part was muoh the most
interesting OF the three The competing clubs were
the Washington Choral Society, 40 men, Mr.. II. o.
| Sherman; Washington sangerbund, 81 meni Bal
| timore Arlon, 3S men; Buffalo Orpheus, 80 men ;
| Philadelphia COncorda, 50 men, Mr EngeKe ;
Philadelphia tzenLiedertafe, 81 men. Mr. Hene-
man, and the Philadelphia Quartet Club 80 men, Mr
Hartman The superiority Of the first and last OF these
over all Others either the second or thrdclass, was
unmsakabe and recognized by the audience in the
most emphatic manner 1t is of very gratifying
that the first appearance Of American Society," led by
an American conductor in one OF these concerts w1ne
the Germans have made peculiarly their own should
| be rewarded with such distinguished success
| as fell to the lot Of the Washington Choral
Society," and II not mistaken its only competitor
the Quartet Club of Philadelphia, is also In large part
American The former reoices in the possession Of one
tenor singer with remarkably sweet, true and strong
voice which in the quartet that forms part or the
song produced O beautiful effect. The excellent
rendering OF this quartet constitutes the soeietys
chief claim to the prize. In the rest OF the CON-
position 1t was surpassed by Mr.. Harmans Quartet
Club which did not give the QUARTET at all but sang
the whole piece as a chorus We not sure whether
this departure from the score is allowable 1t b the
Quartet Club deserves the highest honOrs OF the day
with perhaps single exception to be hereafter noted
sweet than the one from Washington, but frmer and
more trusty.
Mendessohn's Ruy Bias" overture served as the next
nterlude The competition song for the societies of the
first class was John Herbeck's "Frihling upd Ltebe"
("sprlng and Love0, and the contestants were the
Junger Mannerchor of Philadelphia, AZ strong, directed
by Mr.. Hartman; the Philadelphia sangerbund,
80 strong; Philadelphia Harmonic, Il strong;
Germania Mdnnerchor OF Baltimore, As strong;
and Baltimore Lederranz, AZ strong The Philadelphia
Mannerchor also the programme, but did not ap
pear The general verdict assigns the preemnence in
this department to the Baltimore Liederkranzand this
is the one Society which shares with the Philadelphia
Quartet Club the first place in the feast.
The prizes will probably be officially awarded on
Wednesday.
The grand concert by the united societies. last evening"
al the Empire Rink, not in all respects triumph OF
art yet was certainly brilliant Even as spectacle it
had it's appropriate glories The vast building was
crowded and the chorus of two three thousand men,
filling the gaiy lighted and decorated stage, worth
looking at to say nothing OF its singing There
performance OF Beethoyens Fifth Symphony which
must have almost naudble except by persons
the stage From the first measure to the last there
constant tramp OF feet, rustng and chattering Of
late corners, running about OF people who could not
find their seats and OF ushers who had lost their reckon
ing. But quiet came after while, and the singing
was duly enjoyed There only two vocal pieces,
both OF them gems The first was delicious Morgcnlied
by Rietz. which was enthusiastically encored The
honor was well deserved for it is noble song, and it
was well sung In the performance Of the societies sep
aratey during the afternoon individual defects
always less conspicuous and the quality OF the
voices was often agreeable. But when the whole
force combined the effect very different Roughnesses
were smoOthed away Nasal tenors and rasping basses
mingled their good and bad qualities IN the great ocean
OF tone and the bad somehow seemed 10 get swallowed
up and lost They made admirable chorus and though
it is impossible that choir composed as this was OF
many distinct organizations should not wander little
into devious paths IL was kept pretty well hand by