New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-05-06
THE MUSIC HALL OPENED.
EXERCISES CELEBRATING THE INCIDENT.
THE BUILDING cRowDED-BIsHoP PoTTER's
ADDRESS.

was celebrated last night when Bishop Potter de-
clared the New-York Music Hall to be opened for
the use and support of the people of New-YorK
City. The ceremonies attendant upon the opening
of the rev structure were all that those who
were charged with the varied duties OF taxing
part in them could desire. The brilliantly llghted
hall was packed with people. There were present.
beautiful in attractive gowns ana men
well known in New-York. All the boxes were oc-
cupied, and in the other part of the hall not a
seat was vacant.
The Secretary of State, James g. Blaine, occu-
pied chair in one Of the centre boxes on the
lower tier With him were Mrs. Blaine Miss
Harriet Blaine and Mrs. Walter Damrosch, Mr..
Blaine's daughter. In the same tier were
Mr.. and Mrs. William c. Whitney, j. ]. Kennedy,
John D. Rockefeller, c. NJ Hyde, d. Bacon,
Edmund Coffin. j. f. Searles, jr.. w. S. Hawks,
j. j. McComb, DR.. Dennis, Andrew Carnegie, Will
lam j. Sloan. Isaac Seligman Sherman w. Knevals,
Henry Selgman. Bishop Potter. Morris Reno,
Frederick W. Hollis. Z. Francis Hyde, James
Stokes. Mr.. Kingsland w. b. Putney and Thomas
Hitchcock
In the boxes which were occupied by the Sec
retary Of State and Mr.. Carnegie punches Of
beautiful cut flowers had been left
Many Pennsylvania friends of Mr.. Carnegie
cane to witness his triumph in the successful
opening Of the hall, and they occupied boxes on
the first and second tiers. Among them were Mr..
and Mrs. James B. Scott Mr.. and Mrs. Christopher
L. Magce, John w. Beattie president of the
Pittsburg Art School; H. c. Frick of the II. c.
Frick Coke Company and William L. Abbott, Of
Carnegie, Phpps e Co. Cornelius n Bliss,
George William Curtis and other well-knOwn men
were also present
The evenings entertainment began O'Clock
but when the electric lights flashed and made
plain every nook and corner in the large hail. they
showed the stage crowded with musicians and
singers and the greater part Of the hall filled with
people. The singers occupied raised seats on the
PLATFORM and the women, who sat five rows deep
across the stage, were all dressed in pure white
Their costumes harmonized admirably with the
general tone of the hall and the
effect was pleasing Back of the female
singers sat the male members of the
chorus some 200 in number The orchestra took
up nearly one-haf of the large stage and its men,
bers occupied seats in plain view of the spectators.
Promptly at O'Clock the young conductor,
Walter Domrosch, raised his baton and the strains
of " Old Hundred " filled the hail.
The audience content to listen to the air
and applauded loudly when it had been finished.
After the applause had died away Morris Reno,
president of the Music Hall Company stepped
to the front of the PLATFORM and in a few we'll
chosen words introduced Bishop Potter. who was
TO dedicate the hall to the use of the music
loving people of Ncw-York
Bishop Potter said in part:
have no orston deliver; does this occasion de-
mand This Is feat OF dedication, and on the
ned historic Gettysburg Lincoln, with simple, but
matchless eloquence declared, In larger sense,
cannot dedlcate-c cannot hallow
this ground The brave men who struggled here have
it far above to add detsct
Ths world w.l lt'la long remelaber what we say
here but Il can never forget they did here" here
tonight and all through tho long vista OF unefu days
and nights which open from this hour Will be theirs who
are It vocal with and resonant with melody
and harmony dedicate and to rededcate this noble
building those noble to which this evening 1t is
set apart
though any technical such occasion as
this grafton, 1t has been judged that 10
would quite complete without at least some words
OF greeting and CONGRATULATIONS And 1 fondy believe
speak them because represent that
largest class most largely represented this even
ing within these walls.
1t IS fifty years ago almost to day since the first
endeavor, Of which this is the fine and eonstinmate
flower shape in NewYork. Fifty years ago there
formed in this city the first society for the performance
Of symphonic concerts, the Philharmonic Society
But the history OF the Philharmonic Society was In
many respects discouraging. The in modern
music had not quite dawned. The new day Of wide
spread musical enthusiasm still long of. Cas-
sic had
cautious reserve and the dominion OF yankee Doodle
I'm the concertroom still very vibrant and penetrating
reality. the honorable. therefore, to those
earlier pioneers the work which crowned this evening
with this splendid success that they would not be dis
couraged They were few in number, they were often
widely misunderstood but still they perseyered and in
time they planted seed which has since then blossomcd
in many and various forms.
Among them were the Oratorlo Society, founded some
eighteen years by that man and accomplished
An
plauseJ Before that day there had been than ono
choral society called into being, only to live struggling
and n;ful existence and then expire. There high
purpose there willing cooperation there cheerful
expenditure. the occasion demanded leader, and
got it in DR.. Damrosch Appause.) He had not per-
haTs every GIT and quality that make great conductor,
but he had the most important Of them He knew how
to awaken enthuslasm-he knew how 20 muster and
his forces he was thorough master OF his art Best
OF all he had that fine and selfiorgeng enthusiasm
which indispensable any large and commanding IN
nuoncc believed profoundly in his art he despiscd
charctanry and prcnson he revcrenty owned the high
sacred ministry Of music and he gave himself utterly
to promotion. There element to me at any rate
of nrofound pathos occasion when think how he
would have rcioiced in It, and how, within these walls
his rare gifts would have found their fitting and inspiring
opportuny May this hall not be long without his bust
to recall to grateful recollection the reverent student
the loving master and the ardent and untrng leader
(Appause)
1t was Dr. Damroschs energy and magnetic persuasive
~ that five years later also called into being the SYM
nhony Society. experience not wholly unlike that
Of It's predecessor honorable has been OF
dnlcu,tv and struggle Along with thai, before IL and
after it have other musical societies all Of them
witnesses to high purpose and evergrowng aspiration Of
which may not tarry tell the tale They have known
many yclss:udcs and musical festivals in which
they have eliminated been followed more than once by
per!od, OF reaction and depression
Indeed t could not well be otherwise. Those festivals
dor whatever LEADERSHIP whether that Of Dr. Damrosch
m our own atchless Thomas-ours, alas, more but one
dav trust to return the city Of his earlier Triumph
and his long and brilliant oa-ccrthose festivals had demon
strated II they demonstrated nothing else, the imperous
itv NJ .urh p home for music dcGicatlng to-
night 1t has been depressing experience TO listen to
sne great and eeyatlng composition in an atmosphere
where the clown was csreng last night and might be
canring tomorrow 1t was inspiring spectacle TO