Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-11-14

largest circulation, but gives the figures, and
Ewears to theml
THE GEORGETOWN ORCHESTRA.
Something OF Its History and the Work
in Has Accomplished. .
Tho Georgetown Amateur Orchestra, which
will enter upon its eleventh season this winter,
was originally developed from the informal
weekly meetings of four gentlemen in George
town in the year 1877. These were Messrs ii.
ID. Cooke, jr., I. II. Gibbs, C. s. Helm and DIR.
+. S. Barbarin. All were passionately fond of
music and they used to come together at the
residence of the late Gov. Cooke for practice
and mutual improvement. Some of their
friends learned of this meeting and were grad
ually taken into the gatherings and the quar-
tet grew in size until it formed n small or
chestra. The object of the meetings then as
now was. aside from the pleasure of congenal
association, that Of the qualification and i'm
proyement to be derived from the practical
and personal study of orchestral music. be-
cause at that time the only chance of hearing
such works performed was on the rare occa-
allowed Of only hearing OF each
work presented. whereas music Of the
classical school can be thoroughly under
stood only after repeated hearings.
Meetings for a similar purpose had been held
for many years at the residence OF DIR. e. w.
Pope on 14th street. and these two sets of mu-
sicians coaIesced and the orchestra increased
its proportions. At that time quite a number
OF professional musicians playing instruments
shat offer no peculiar inducements 20 amateurs
used 20 attend the meetings when their other
engagements did not interfere, but the uncer-
talnty of their attendance. together with the
largely increasing attendance of listeners from
among the friends of the orchestra. suggested
10 M h.
ganzation for the purpose OF giving concerts.
This effected at the Cooke mansion in
Georgetown, with Messrs. H. D. Cooke as pres
ident; T. 5. Barbarin, secretary; I. X. Gibbs,
treasurer; /. i. Davis, librarian; L. W. Stone,
assistant librarian, and Il. c. Bernays, con-
ductor.
THE FIRST CONCERT.
The first concert was given at Curtis Hall on
January 10. 1882: admission was charged to de-
fray unavoidable expenses, the professional
men had now TO be paid to insure their attend
ance. and music had to be bought. Financially
this was not success and then recourse
was had TO the election of passive members.
An inspection of the list of passive members
reveals the fact that in the beginning 1T was
made up almost exclusively of Georgetown
people These. however. have gradually
dropped OFF until there are now but few left.
With the great increase in active membership
and the constant accession of Washington peo-
pie TO the passive membership. the accommo-
datiOns of Curtis Hall became more and more
insufficient. and the orchestra obliged.
though with regret. to obey the inevitable and
move to Washington for good and all. The
support of the Georgetown people was not
sufficient OF itself TO insure the per-
manent success Of the organization
and the change was made the
original members dropped out and their places
were taken by more enthusiastic musicians from
Washington. The object of the orchestra is
SUI essentially the same. that of educating
themselves. their friends and the public at
large IN the very enticIng study of instrumental
music. The necessity for greater technical
perfection has in the course of time rendered
the orchestra necessarily more professional in
Its methods and the social idea has to a large ex-
tent been dropped out. In the matter of seIec-
tons presented the orchestra was at first some
what documentary, the programs embracing
nothing but Haydn symphonies and light
music, what some might be inclined to call
trash, but the growth in numbers as
well as the extension of the horizon
OF artistic vision brought about a gradual
change, until in 1885 the selections were exclu-
sively standard works. 1t has been found
necessary to modify this policy somewhat, but
the reasons for this are not far to seek In
earlier years these were the only orchestral
concerts given IN this city, and as Offering the
only chance for hearing orchestral works the
shortcomings of amateurs were good naturedly
overlooked, but with the advent of the Boston
symphony Orchestra and the unexpected re-
turn of Mr.. Theodore Thomas, after an absence
OF SIX years, they we're subjected to invIdlous
comparison. This fact and the necessity newly
arisen for depending entirely on the public for
support have led to the introduction into the
programs of selections of not quite so severe
character. which, as they did not involve SO
much time in the preparation, left a greater
opportunity to give to the more serious com.
positions the amount OF study necessary to
present them acceptably. With this same OBJ
ject In view it has been found practicable to
increase the rehearsals to more than double
the number that were formerly required.
SOME or THE WORKS PERFORMED.
It may be of interest to mention among the
works given by the orchestra in past years the
following symphonies: Haydn, Nos. 2, T. 5,
6. Q. II and Is; Beethoven. /. q 3, f. 5, and 8;
Schubert. and 10; Mozart. and minor and
Lent, IL nat; oye-tures. Auber. lie Roi d'lvetot.
Masaniello. Fra Diavolo, Reissiger Felsen-
muhle, Rosslnl. Tancred. Semaramde. William
Tell. Mozart. Figaro. Don Giovanni. Gluck
lphigenia, Cherubini, Watercarrier. Boieldieu,
Jean de Paris. HerOld Tampa, Flotow Stra-
della. Reinecke. Mafred Gade Scotch Mem
delssohn. Son and Stranger, Thomas, Raymond
Schubert. Rosamunde. a number of piano con-
certos by List, Nendelssohn, Weber and Bee
thoven and innumerable minor pieces.
The society has az various times received
material financial aid from Mr.. H. d. Cooke,
the late WV. Curtis and Mr. Frank B. Met
zerott
The improvement OF the orchestra under the
leadership of Pro-. josef Kaspar has been most
marked. 1t Is now thoroughly disciplined and
each member has been imbued with an earnest
ness and enth ,iasm that results in a combined
excellence not heretofore shown. The work of
the orchestra last year exhibited such crafty
ing progress that it received liberal support
from the public, and its season closed with
pleasant antcipation5 Of what might be ex-
Pected this winter. 1t is the intention Of Prof.
haspar and the members OF the orchestra that
these anticIpations shall be realized, and those
who have listened to recent rehearsals are sat
isted that the Georgetown Orchestra will this
season excel all Its former efforts and prove it.
self an organization of musicians OF which
Washington may well be proud
A BALLOON AMONG PEASANTS.