Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-07-07
THE MUSIC WORLD.
A Brilliant Future Confidently EX-
pected for the Mozart Club.
A LITTLE ANCIENT HISTORY.
Inauguration of Grand Campaign for
Next Season.
NEWS OF OUR LOCAL MUSICIANS

The attractive little pamphlet jus. issued
by the Mozart Club tells in pleasant fashion
the interesting story OF the clubs growth
from a very small beginning, through many
obstacles, up to its present commanding
position in Pittsburg's musical life. The
story was pretty fully told in this column
year or two ago; brief resume now VIII
enable the reader better to appreciate the
exact situation os the club and its needs for
the future.
In the early winter of 1873, some two
dozen singers got together on the Southside
to help along in pair of church benefit
concerts. Mr.. James P. McCollum was
their director and he rehearsed them so
faithfully in Sullivan's cantata, "The
Prodigal Son." that they resolved to go on
with the work after the concerts had been
given. This was the beginning of the
Mozart Choral Society,"" which was at
once organized upon permanent
plan much the same as that
now followed. The active members con-
tributed their services and the associate
members their $40 a year for the privilege
of listening. High standards were set from
the start, but they were not jumped at;
artistic thoroughness and business prudence
dictated a modest, slow-but-sure polIcy,
which. while it looked small beside the big
festival schemes that rose and fell from time
TO time, formed the best possible conditions
for solid, permanent growth.
With the seventh season what may be
called the clubs second period began The
earnest work of Mr.. McCollum and the
chorus had commenced to tell in the quality
of its singing, but the results in concert
were largely discounted By the use only OF
a piano accompaniment. But "A names
were on the associate mem mbership list;
total assured income of S24O year. An
orchestra was needed so badly, however,
that the bold step was taken of devoting
halt of that income to secure for the Feb
ruary concert the needed professional play
ers to fill ou. the amateur orch estra then or
ganiged. Shortly afterward the orchestral
department was permanently added TO the
organization, which was thereupon re-
baptized as 1.-THE Mozart Club, and in 1886
incorporated under this name. The i'm
proved performances increased public inter-
est, and soon raised the associate member
shin list to a point that secured the expense
of maintaining the orchestra upon that
economical, semi-amateur basis.
The clubs concerts were first regularly
given in the Cumberland Presbyterian
Church, Sixth avenue; then, 1856, In the
Fourth Avenue Baptist Church; since the
fall of 1887 it has leased Old City Hall and
reclaimed that auditorium for the higher
uses to which it was put in earlier days
There is not a tinge OF moDey-seeking about
the workers of the Mozart Club. Director
McCollum has labored all these years with
out any salary at all; the pianist did like
wise until lately, and now gets but
q trihe; the officers and active
members not only give their services,
but pay small dues besides. These
services have been often and cheeriully
given Tor charitable objects as well as Tor
the clubs own concerts. The musical re-
suits of this clubs activity have been OF
greater value than that OF any other single
element in the city's musical activities.
"Home talent !'' has ever been the watch
word. Concert, church and freside singers
have been plenti ully developed thereby;
while The whole plane Of musical Pittsburg
has been elevated by these annual series of
high-grade concerts, eliminating in the
superb Elijah" concert with the Boston
Symphony Orchestra last month.
~
The club Is now making an effort to
inaugurate what may be called its third
period, to extend and broaden the scope OF
its work so that it shall include not only the
cultivation ofhome talent, but also tine giving
of the best music by the best attainable per-
forming force, be it drawn from local sources
or otherwise. More is promised in the pros
pectus for next season than ever before
offered by home organization; more both
for the associate members specifically and
for the public welfare generally.
Intending subscribers will do we'll to
make themselves known without delay.
Plans for such a campaign as is proposed
must necessarily be laid before the season
opens; they cannot be safely determin,o,
however, until the wherewithal is assured.
The one aim of club, as stated, is to
give only the highest order of music in the
very best manner possible, in as great vari-
ety and quantity as can be done thoroughly.
1t is its purpose to give, during the coming
season, five concerts instead of three, as
heretofore, as follows: On November II an
oratorio or contats for solo voices,
chorus and orchestra, on Feb
ruary 19 similar programme, and
on March 10 a miscellaneous programme.
For these concerts there will be an orchestra
OF IS to 40 musicians. On May % Mendels-
sohn's "Hymn of Praise" Zone hour) and
orchestral programme by Boston Symphony
Orchestra, or some other celebrated body of
instrumentalists. On May "a the same
orchestra, with choral work to be selected.
The recent performance of "Eiiiah"
with the Boston Symphony Orchestra
proved so acceptable TO the large audience
present and met with such enthusiastic
enconiums from leading citizens and musi-
clans that it is believed to be in the line of
a healthy progress to endeavor to have such
an organization with us at least once in the
year.
Crotehets and Quavers.
TIE Gernert and Cuenther Orchestra COM