Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1878-05-24
THE CINCINNATI MUSICAL FESTI.
VAL.
Special Correspondence of the Bulletin.

AAAO OANOxNNAlx mU0xOAA Il GOlx
VAL.
Special Correspondence of the Bulletin.
CINCINNATI, May 20, 1878.
Now that the great May Musical Fes-
tival is thing of the past, judgment
can be passed upon it as an entity
which is far better method than by
piecemeal, as the daily papers have
been compelled to criticize it, In COM
pleteness, extent, artistic excellence and
pecuniary success, it can be safely set
down as the greatest musical event in
the history of America; and it can also
be truthfully averred that in no other
city in the Union but Cincinnati could
such a success be achieved at the pres
ent time. This statement though at
first blush apparently preposterous, is
nevertheless true, as investigation will
show. The Paris of America is singu-
larly blessed with philosophical citi-
zens, and it is to the munifcence of
one of these, Robin R. Springer by
name. that the erection of Cincinnati's
Music Hall Cor Springer's Hall, as it is
more lovingly called) is due. This mag
nificent ediice Is without it's peer in
America, and it is doubtful if more
perfect building for the purpose for
which it is designed exists even in
Europe. In saying this, do not mean
to insinuate that it is as ornamental in
or design as the grand
Opera House in Paris, Albert Hall in
London, or La Scala in Milan. | mere
ly wish to convey that it is as large as
any of these, rich in architectural beau
ty and perfect in acoustic properties.
1t is situated on Eden St., opposite
Washington Park, upon the site Of the
old Exposition building. Its front is
of pressed brick and freestone, and
shows in how many ways pressed brick,
with its bright color, may be mingled
with the soft gray freestone to please
the eye. The approach to the Hall is
paved with freestonc, and broad stone
steps must be assembled to bring you
to the entrance. The Hall is entered in
front by nine doors, each Of which
measures eleven feet four inches in the
clear. The aggregate space in the front
Of the Hall, for ingress and egress: is
one hundred and two feet. Nearly a
hundred persons could march abreast
through these doors. The nine broad
doors open into spacious vestibule, a
hundred and twelve by forty seven feet.
Over the vestibule is a corridor the
same width, running across the entire
front Of the building on the same floor
as the dress circle of the main hall.
There is corridor eighteen feet wide
on each side of the Music Hall, running
its whole length, with broad stone steps
at each end. These stair-cases are en-
tirely of iron and stone, and are fire
proof. The corridors, which extend
around two sides and across the front OF
the building, are lined from the floor up
about three and half feet with Port
land cement, which can be made any
color desired, and by the action OF the
atmosphere becomes as hard and smooth
as marble. Mouldings are made of the
same material.
MAIN HALL,
as will be perceived, is surrounded by
corridors, which will prevent, as was the
intention of the architect, any noise
reaching it from the street. This main
hall, or auditorium, is the great feature
of the building. 1t is one hundred and
ninety-two feet long and one hundred
and twelve feet wide. Every inch of
the wall and ceiling is lined with tulip
wood, finished in oil. This lining alone
cost the snug sum of thirteen thousand
dollars. Mr.. Springer was in Salt La! e
City, Utah, last summer, and from the
Tabernacle of the Saints he got the idea
of lining the Cincinnati Music He'll with
wood. The tulip-wood is not poplar, as
it is usually and wrongfully called, but
belongs to the magnolia family 1t is
believed that the success of the Music
Hall, from an acoustic point, is largely
due to the wooden lining This wooden
lining is not placed fiat against the solid
brick walls, but stands out a few inches,
and acts on the principal of a violin. If
strings of the proper size were put on
this wooden shell, and great bow
drawn across them, there would be re-
Spouse in tones corresponding to the
Of the instrument. The Mu-
sic Hall will cost 100000 without the
organ, the organ belonging to separate
l. uC ildlIl HUT dlollc CoH-
tains three thousand chairs. Including
balcony and dress circle, the main hall
contains 4, 42S chairs. This does not in
clude the seating capacity of the stage,
which is quite as large as an ordinary
sized hall-one hundred and twelve feet
wide and seventy-one feet deep. This
stage may seem entirely too large, but
every foot Of it was used for the chorus
and orchestra during the festival. The
floors Of the main hall and the corridors
are of wood, made double, with three
layers Of heavy brown paper between
them, which serves to deaden all sound
arising from persons moving about in
the hall
A chorus of 500 singers tested the
auditorium, and it was found to be per-
fectly satisfactory. The lowest tones of
the organ were heard distinctly in every
part Of the house, and the members of
the chorus remarked that they had new
er sung in hall where it seemed so
easy. There are 500 gas-burners in the
main hall, thirteen immense chandeliers,
and in the whole building there are $50
burners. The floor declines four and
one-half feet from the entrance at the
front of the auditorium to the stage,
but the stage is on the same plane as
the threshold at the front of the Main
Hall. The distance from the floor to
the ceiling is so feet, but the hall is so
well proportional that it seems little
more than half that distance
THE LARGEST AND FINEST ORGAN IN
AMERICA.
The organ was built by Hook and
Hastings, of Boston, and cost $36, 900.
1t fits recess in the west end of the
hall, fifteen feet Of it projecting upon
the stage. 1t is the largest and most
complete instrument of the kind in
America, and the world at present CON
tains but two larger organs. Albert
Hall, London, has the largest organ in
the world, having III stops and 1879
pipes. The second largest is in the St.
Sulpice Catheral, Paris. 1t has 100
stops and 1854 pipes. The Cincinnati
organ has four manuels and pedal,
81 sounding stops. IA me
chanical registers, II pedal movements,
6,287 pipes and carlton of 30 bells. 1t
has 763 more pipes than the Boston or