Evening star., 1885-06-06
AMATEUR ORCHESTRAS.
Those That Existed Before the Present
Georgetown Organization.

| InOSe Inat Existed Be1Ofe the present
| Georgetown Organization.
| THE PERFORMERS WHO PLAYED UNDER THE
| LEADERSHIP OF KoPPITz AND BENKERT-
| PROGRESS OF MUSICAL CULTURE IN WASH
| INGToN-GREAT NEED OF MUSIC HALL.
| "You are doing a good work in compiling the
| histories fthe various musical organizations
that have been formed in the District" said a
| prominent musician to a STAR reporter, "and
| the musical people appreciate 1t. The publica-
| tion of these sketches shows the gradual de-
| velopment OF musical taste here, and the pro-
| gress that has been made in the art But the
association of amateur instrumental performers
dates back of the period you fixed in the
sketch of the Georgetown Orchestra
| "How much earlier?" was the query of the re-
| porter.
| "Well, as nearas can remember, 1t was some
time in 1862 that a quaret:e, consisting of MIR.
Will Gunuell, who was u brother OF DIR. Gum
| nell, surgeon general OF the navy, Mr. Noyes,
| Harry Sherman and Mr.. Hoffmann useti to as
| semble weekly at the residence of Mr.. Gunnell,
| at the corner OF Goth and q streets, to practice
! concerted music. Mr.. Noyes played first violin,
Mr.. Gunnel second violin, Mr. Hoffman, viola
| and Harry sherman the violoncellO. These gem
t!emen continued their practice, being some
! times Joined by Others for abOnt two years, and
| their proficiency induced the formation Of
THE FIRST AMATEUR ORCHESTRA,
| which took place in 1864, and was under the
| leadership of Koppitz, who at that time, had
| charge of the orchestra of the National theater.
Kopptz himself was flute and piccolo player
| of considerable prominence, and he had a very
fine orchestra at his command. The new Or
ganzaton was largely composed of amateurs,
| together with the. theater orchestra and other
| professional musicians. 1t WAS but short lived,
| and died out after an existence OF a few months
1t gave no public performance, although 1T held
regular rehearsals for practice each week, and
| these were frequently attended by the friends
| OF the performers in large numbers"
| THE PIONEER PERFORMERS.
| Further investigation showed that this first
amateur orchestra included in its membership
| Messrs. Gunncll, Noyes. Fouche and Geo. X.
| Finckel, violins; Samuel Carusi and Gen. Ger
hardt, violas: Harry Sherman and Henry Eb
| erbach, 'cellos; Henry Fries, double bass; Be-
| nisch, clarionet; Schutter, Justh and Roderi-
guez, flutes McNalnee, cornet; JnO. B. Wood
| worth, horn; Mr. Sousa, ST., the father OF the
and Ed. Droop, drum and cymbals. Their
meetings were first held in Carusi's saloon, now
The Theater Comique, but they subsequently
removed to Temperance hall, on E street. now
Marinis hall.
SCATTERED INTO SMALL PARTIES.
After the failure of this first attempt at an
amateur orchestra the amateur performers
seemed to split up into little parties, and sew
ertl trios, quartettes, DC, were formed, so that
| although all the amateur musicians were not
united under one leader or in one organization,
nearly all were found playing in some one of
these small parties.
Perhaps the largest gatherings met weekly at
the residence OF DR.. W. q. Pope. who was him.
sell an enthusiastic musician, as was also his
wife, and it may be said that the nucleus of an
orchestra was nursed by DIR. Pope and his wife
from the encouragement they extended to
amateurs to meet once Il week at their home.
Among those who availed themselves of this
Moorhead and Fouche, violins; Geo. Finckel
and Delacamp, viola; DR.: Pope and Eberbach,
ter, flute; Woodworth, horn; Fries, double
bass; DIR. kimball and Mrs. Pearson, piano.
This practice continued for years. and, in fact,
some of those who in the early days found SO
much pleasure still gather at DR.. Pope's resi-
dence and indulge i'll an evenings enjoyment
| OF instrumental music.
THE NEXT ATTEMPT
at an amateur orchestra was in 1867, with
| George Felix Benkert as the moving spirit.
| Benkert was finished pianist and an excellent
| musician generally. He possessed great enthu-
| siasm, and the orchestra that was formed
| largely through his exertions performed some
| excellent work under his leadership AS near as
can be a>certained the following were among the
| members: Weller, Pearson, John p SOusa
| kickhoeer, ST., Burr, Hoffman and Billiard
vi2lins; Finekel, Gen. Gerhardt and DR.. kim
| bah, violas; Eberbach and Julius Ulke, 'cellos;
| Fries, DrOOp and Tyler, double bass; Justh and
Schutter flute BeniSch, clarionet; Woodworth
| sails were held over Ellis music store, and dur
| ing the existence of the organization il gave
three concerts, one at Odd Fellows hall and
two at Lincoln hall. These were all well at
| tended, and the orchestra received warm praise
for its work: Notwithstanding its apparent
| prosperity this orchestra lasted less than two
years, and then the players divided
| up into small bodies again, and there
was no attempt made TO form another amateur
| orchestra until the Georgetown organization
sprang into existence. Many of the players In
| this present orchestra performed under Benkert
and under koppitz and hope that they have
| now found rest in an orchestra which is destined
| to exist for many years. During the life OF the
Benkert orchestra it gathered together a large
and valuable collection Of music. to which the
| GEORGETOWN orchestra legitimately fell heir.
The number of trios, quartettes, &c, that have
| been formed and had longer or shorter lives
can hardly be told. AS musical knowledge
| increased in the District large accesSi6ns were
made to the amateur performers, and friends
! would meet together for practice and mutual
| Improvement. The chamber concerts that were
given under the auspices of Anton Gloetzner
| the high proficiency which had been attained,
and though they did not yield great pecuniary
success, showed the rapid progress that musical
culture had made here in the past twenty
| years.
| MUSICAL GROWTH OF WASHINGTON
| Washington said Prof kaspar, "has grown
| more rapidly in musical intelligence and taste
than any other city in the country. 1 know
from my experience teacher, and other
| teachers will bear similar testimony. Five
years ago there was only one lady in this city
who played the violin, now have fifteen girl
pupils, and other teachers have many female
| number OF those who desire to become pro-
| 1cient upon various musical instruments, while
| tHose VINO seek vocal instruction more
numerous each year. There is no reason why the
national capital should not ultimately set the
| standard OF musical excellence"
| a MUSIC HALL NEEDED.
"But what is greatly needed" he continued,
sis music hall of sufficient proportions to give
large orchestral concerts, oratorios, &c: a hall
Duilt with special reference to its acoustic quail
| tiles. where the best effects of musical effort
may be produced. There isn't musical organ
| iz;tiion that would not aid the project to build
| Il music nall to the full extent of its power and
the Wagner society has already offered s1OO to
| start a su description. 1t can hardly be accom-
piished in that way, however. Some public
| spirited citizen, or two or three OF them, will
have to undertake the erection of a suitable
| building and trust to the future for reimburse
ment OF the outlay, for believe that an enter
prise of that kind would ultimately Weld a
| handsome revenue in the increased number of
| musical attractions that would come to this
| CITY,"
A Sonnet and n Song Of June.
| Written for THE EVENING STAR.
| BLACKBERRY BLOOM.
With blackberry bloom the woods and olis are white.
| Like drifts SNOW Ii CLEANS along the hills