Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1885-06-13
THE ARION QUARTETTE CLUB.
A German Male Singing OrEaniHati0u
and the Work it Performed.

steady prosperity. There seems to be in among
American male vocalists q lack of that subordt
nation Of personal interest and feeling which II
SO necessary to successful organization while to
this selfabnegation for the benefit Of the entire
| association which Is manifest among German
singers there Is also cohesive attraction in the
social feature which forms q feature OF all their
| singing clubs that holds the interest Of both
active and passive members, and insures @
long and prosperous lite to their organizations
The Choral society, which reached the acme Of
about five years, while the S@ngerbund, which
participated in the same fest where the Chorals
the s in
seems TO be no good reason why they should
not live thirty years longer. Occasionally, from
passes out Of existence, but the members IRE all
absorbed by some OF the others that remain,
ana serve to the Of the
instance OF this is found In the history Of the
AR1oN oUARTETTE CLUB.
This club was organized on the 9Th ofSeptem.
Der, 1896; of splendid material, superior to that
usually met with in the formation of a musical
society. The members possessed o genuine and
| ardent love for music, and entered upon their
work with great enthusiasm. During the wal
continuous organized practice In music was
| impossible, except to the military bands.
When things began to settle down after the war
| was over, the Arions were the first in the field
70 enter upon regular musical Improvement.
Though the Saengerbund was then over ten
years old, the new club was so diIigent in its
practice and improved SO rapidly that it speed
ny gained reputation which threatened to
Quently the Saengerbunds awoke from their
letharsy and showed new life and energy.
Several Americans joined the Arions, both as
| active and passive members, and the new club
started under excellent auspices, with Rudolph
heihrichs as president and Reinhold Springs
guth as secretary. The first leader was Mr..
Carl Bergman. under yvhnSQ infollfoonf
ton the club soon attained q high degree Of
proficiency. Mr.. Bergman retained his inter-
enfeebied health rendered it impossible for him
10 Longer WELD the baton, he was succeeded
In the leadership by Mr.. Chas. Kley, who
deceased. Probably the greatest success Of the
Arions, however, was during the period when
, ,hhey Were led BY Prof Carl Richter who to
ana enthusiasm; which he impaired to the
members, bringing them up to their best work.
ofhis social on
a Volo winch has not since been filled.
THE FIRST ENTERTAINMENT
gwen by the Arions took place at the National
Theater, when they were assisted by the Balti-
more Leiderkranz, Mrs. Louis Morell, Mrs,
Windward, Mr.. Stinbach and other eminent
soloists. The Arions held three days festival
on this occasion to celebrate the Inauguration
of their flag, which had been ordered in Ger
many, and which was brought on by dele.a
ton from abroad and presented with appropr
ate ceremonies at the 7th-street park. Mr.
and, besides the Leiderkranz the club had as
guests a delegation from the Germania Maen-
Saengerbund aud Maennerchor of this city.
and many prominent German and American
citizens Mrs. Heinrichs made the presenta-
pied in German, and addresses were also made
III English by Major Bailey and in German by
mr.; Mr. MoreH and others. An open-air concert by
SlnHinT v,v;fl
excellent effect and brilliant display Of fire
york at night concluded the festival. During
their visit here the Leiderkranz were banqueted
by the Arions at Lederer's, where speeches were
made In German and English by Messrs Tobri-
nsr. Aoueh, Of Germany; Wangaeir and
Frank Chase and others. At the Ma.
tionM Theater concert the "Wal-nacht"
chorus was given with splendid effect, and Mrs.
ton, singing the aria from der Freyschutz''
with great simplicity and tenderness.
OTHER CONCERTS BY THE ARIoNs
One OF the most notable concerts given by the
Arions during their existence took place in Car
roll hall, on September 3D. 1863 and was given
for the relief Of the Ayondale sufferers. The
attendance was very large aud several hundred
dollars were placed in the hands of Mr.. w. s.
Huntington, the treasurer of the relief fund. as
the result of the entertainment. At this con-
cert the Arion ms sang Abrs Song Of Victory"
and Abt's "Nation' Prayer Prof Bergmann
was the leader, and the excellent efforts Of the
club attested his skill as a conductor and the
diligent practice to which his forces had been
subjected. On this occasion the Arion had the
assistance of the Marine band and the follow
Messrs. Fred: Knonp, Victor Hagman, Emil
Hasman and +. Schiennig, while the accom-
PIANIST was Prof Geo. Kuhn.
AT the centenary anniversary OF the birthday
OF Alexander Won Humboldt, which was cele-
brated on September IA, 1869, the Arion Quar-
tette club was the moving spirit, although the
S1enRprnnnn in tho
cises In Carroll hall where, in addition to the
musical numbers the program included Ger
ton by John T. Norris and poems In Ge9 oaa,
6y Dr. b. Risler, and in English by Mrs. Rutur
Dufour. The Arons participated in several
Choir, OF this city, and always sustained their
excellent reputation for correct and effective
singing. One OF the most effective combination
concerts ever given in this city was In Lincoln
hall on september l5, 1870, under the auspices
of the Sacngerbund, when that society, the
Arlons s. and the Choral society sang together
Abts "Victory Song" with glorious effect The
Arions also took part in the two great Saenyer-
tests at Philadelphia and Baltimore, and during
their existence as an organization gave manV
agreeable concerts, balls, excursions pcnics &c
OFFICERS AND MEMBERS OF THE CLUB.
The presidents Of the club besides those al
ready named were Messrs. E. L. Schmidt.
Reinold Springsguth, Am. Behrend, Vim.
Hinke, John Gricsbaur, Henry Schmedtie and
Louis Morell. Mr.. Sprngsguth was the secrs-
tary during the entire existence of the club,
with the exception of one year, when he served
as president. The active force OF the Arions
varied from twenty-five to thirty-ave members.
while its Inactive membership averaged about
$50. Many of Its leading members have passed
away, among whom may be mentioned Mr..
FRANC Chase, the basso, who was an ardent
friend Of the Arions; Victor Hazman and Louis
Morell. Among the honorary members were
the venerable NJ. Cohn, Papa Mardel as he
was atfectionately called by tho younger mem
bers of the club; Chas. Fisher and Aug.
Schmcdtie. The active members, SO far as can
r:rnest Schmid, +. L. Schmidt, Henry E. Peter.
sen, A. Behrend, Louis Goldschmidt JAG
Gotthelf, Louis Moreli, Victor and VIM. Hag-
man, r. Springsguth, Andrew Bischoff, VIM.
Behrend, Ed: Droop, Chas. and John Harding,
Y. Behrend, Louis Dieterlch, Geo. Hoelscher,
Henry Schmedtie, Ad Levy, A. Spear Julius
Lansburgii, Phillip Goebel, q. Brickwedde, DIR.
Sonnenschmidt, Theodore Goldman, Hugo
bert, Frank A. Chase, A. Schmier and C.
Kruger. It Is hardly likely that the Aron
Quartette club will be again revived, as its sur
viving members are now actively engaged in
other German singing organizations, but 1t
and performed a noble part in fostering and
improving a love for male voice singing.
BANKER FISH SAYS HE WAS SwINDLRD BY
Marine bank, New York, was examined by the
referee for the receiver of Grant & Ward, in Lud-
low street jail one day this week. Fish was very
bad-tempered. When asked If certain lots
money belonging to Grant Ward, he blurted
out, Don't ask such id foolish questions"
He said he had thousands OF dollars worth OF
stock stolen from him. al bought stock in q
mine from Grant g. Ward" said the witness,
but 1t was o swindle. bought and paid for
manV mines which Onlv QYfStad In the in10Oi.