New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-04-29
THE MUSIC FESTIVAL.


THE FESTIVAL ORCHESTRA
pacent rehearsals for the Music Festival to be held
,oyt week had all the appearances of monster con-
.erts The transformation of the drili-room OF the
9TH Regiment Armory into coneert-rcom was
sompete and on the stage erected at the west emu
were gathered on Thursday afternoon the whoi0
festival orchestra and the local festival ono",
Twelve hundred voices and 300 Instruments 'Ul"o"
in the music of Israel in Egypt" ana no les eiI'"
1000 persons sat in the chairs on the audeuoo
ND listened with almost the same interest," ana ce
corols behavior that they would show al a cohce''
!, Gas a fine opportunity TO marshal all the iactors
.be tes val and picture the scenes OF next week
Tho festival hall is as attractive IN appearance
md "a perfect acouscally as could he oeSIeu' IL,
arpory drill-room is handsome IN It's arch'eo'ui"'
forms proportions and decorations ana the ciid'iH'
necessary 10 adapt il TO its new purposes a'e 0'o
made in conformity with wise plan ana III gnu
fasie The thought that the stage Is ohly 'oI"-
,,or,rv orc does not obtrude itself upon the
audience the front having been paheie" ana
stained and hung. in part with handsome dIapery
J-o,n every mart OF the room unObstructed view
of tbe whole structure can Toe had. for there
ore no pillars the roof being supported by
fron tr1sses which rise from the floor and describe
a senI-ellipse. The arrangement OF the stage Is
eouallv good The orchestra instead of being
sDrawled all over 80 feet of space, as II was
NJ the festival last with the groups of wind in
struInents divided that persons sitting at one
side Of the room heard both divisions at different
times Is kept in homogeneous mass on platform
six feet above the door OF the auditorium. The
placing Of the stands practically the as that
which Mr. Thomas follows in the Philharmonic
eoncer.s except that the increased number OF
double-bass players compels the deplOying of two
SQUADS of these at either side of he band. The
choristers occupy an amphitheatrical stage which
describes a segment of circle and by Successive
rises reaches a height of thirty five feet
The first is raised above the
heads Of the instrumentallsts, who occupy
fiat surface, that every singer in the choir can
see the festival director without effort. The whole
structure is 1853 feet wide and is substantially
Quilt. The organ, being placed under the stage.
does not break the symmetrical rows of singers and
By the use Of a reversed action and electrical con-
pecton between the kev-boX and the pipes II is as
completely under the control of Mr. Thomas as the
nearest instrument in the band. The electrical ap-
pliance Is simple yet effective and, SO far, there has
been none Of the troube which might have been APP
pretended of a sowness Of utterance from the pipes
because of the somewhat novel action and the dis
position of the instrument.
glance over the auditorium when it is filed with
peorle shows that double advantage has been
gained by changing the floor from level to a Sc
RES of platforms each higher than that in front
Of it, Not only is the view Of the stage and Its Oc-
cupants made better but the appearance Of the au-
iience is wonderfully improved. The newness of
the added floors has been concealed IN the aises by
coverings Of cocoa mating and the chairs have
been stained brown in harmony with the prevailing
color on the walls and ceiling The windows on
the sides of the amory have been transformed INTO
doors, without injury TO the walls, 10y removal OF
The wiudow-sashes and the construction of stairs
balu-trudas 10 n to the gilfs the
sidewalk Oh side and the hall floor the other
THIS festival is not the fruit of a hastily formed |
resolution. but the product of wise plan and tie !
outcome Of a movement that began long time ago /
The organization of a Festival Association gave |
Finglene,s of purpose 10 efforts which year ago /
seemed 10 have different aims Mr. Thomas knew |
that festival worthy OF New-iOrk could not be |
given with choral forces. and before the fesii-
val plan had been talked about in public he began |
OF he Philharmonic Societies of this city and !
BROOKLYN. Last season these chOirs APP |
Pas9ral .ncieties and wiIened the field of their
activity very materially. The brooklyn chorus
douTshed and bias maintained itself In good stand
ing; the New-YOTk chorus was reoTganHed tins
wear unuer the care of "a NeWi DIRK Chorus Society
which, while administering ITS own internal gov |
pru-nent depended for financial backing upon the !
Music Festival Association. The results attained |
speak well tor the wisdom Of the plan. The singers
1sre held down to discipline and study and encOuT-
aged in their work by two concerts gwen on |
"A large scale in Stelnway Hall In this way /
an effective chorus of 200 singers was |
brought
the advantage Of TWO years dnI under Mr.. Thomas |
and his able chorus-masters, William q. Dietrich |
Bnd {. Mortimer Mlske. They form the local festival
Chorus and participate IN All me evening concerts
the visiting societies from Boston PhlaGephla
Baltimore. Worcester and Reading coming 10 their
help IN special works such as The Bacn cantata
|" Elm feste Burg" HandePs Ctrecht Jubiate"
and Israel IN Egypt These are the works il
which increase IN numbers brings increase in ei-
tectiyeDess, and hence the cooperation Of
these societies with the local chorus is important
Feature tie Festival bu II is hardly necessary TO
tfff.r flnfF lsaf rl,raff
choir would Ice twice ,srge the body of singers
whose work has brought so much glory 10 the GIN
tlnnau musical festivals. On Wednesday and sat
uIday evenings OF next week the local choir made
ny OF the New-lOrk ana Brook IN societies. Will
compose tie FESTIVAL chorus; on Tues,
day, when the Bach cantata and Handel
Jubate will be gwen. the Worcester County
Musical Association and the keadIng Choral
Society viii add their numbers to the chorus. while
Friday all the societies Will participate except
tie two last mentioned. Following are the soce-
lies that viii take part IN The Festival
. The New York Chorus society 900 Singers Theodore
Ire Brooklyn philharmonic Chorus GOO singers; The
pdore Thomas. director; c. Mortimer Wiske and ". e.
The Handel ana Haydn Society Of Boston, $50 singers
TIE Cecilian, OF Philadelphia $50 singers; Michael H.
The Worcester County Musical ASSOCIATION OF Massa
cAlsett-. 400 singers Carl Lerrahn, conductor.
The Baltimore OraiOre Association. 300 singers; Fritz
The Eeadlng Choral Society Of Reading Penn, 100
sngers FL ward A. Berg, conductor.
The Festival orchestra compelled tribute from a
wider territory than the chorus 1t numbers 300
Instruments, ana the W no CON pose among
the representative orchestral players OF the country
HE fact that Newly Ork alone supplied 800 of the
men is az Indication of the great wealth of thlsciy
an hrst-class lnstrumentailsts. In engaging the
men the pCrpOse kept III view OF securing only
such as haG played frequently under Mir. ThOmas's
direction. FOrty-hve came from other cties--eIgh-
teen from Cincinnati seventeen from Chicago two |
from Boston. two from Philadelphia, two from
Brooklyn, and one each FROM ST. Louis, Mwaukee
New-Orleans and Lancaster Penn. The fact that
Festivals will be gwen next month in Cincinnati