The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1892-12-07


mar, Conductor, Charles G. Richards
treasurer and John L. Shaw, Parmenio
W. Neal and DR.. A. Parsons executive
committee.
This organization resulted in the pro-
dnotion of the Creation at City Hall,
May 18th, 1869. The Oratorio was a sue
cess, in spite of some complications at
the beginning. 1t had been intended
that Parepa Rosa, then in the height OF
her popularity and easily one of the
greatest singers of the time, should
assist at the concert; but there were
certain details of arrangement upon
which she insisted and which the local
singers would not consent to. The Ger
mania band, twenty-five pieces, furnished
the orchestral accompaniment, and
three hundred voices sang in the chorus.
The solo singers were Mrs. Harriet n.
Wetherbee, now Mrs. Fl. N. Jose, Miss
Lizzie Gates, Mr.. Samuel Thurston, and
Mr.. Myron w. Whitney, who had already
attained an assured position in the must
cal circles of New England. City Hall
was crowded for two consecutive nights,
and at the close the singers found them
selves with surplus of four hundred
dollars.
1t was the possession of this money
which led to the legal incorporation of
the Haydn Association as it exists today.
In the twenty odd years that have passed
since it has achieved some musical tri-
umphs that have compelled the admira-
tion of the ablest musical critics in
America.
The concerts of December 18th and
14th, 1869, followed the success of the
spring. The faded programme of that
performance bears many familiar names.
The Germania band, Carl Eichler leader,
assisted and Mrs. Charles A, Barry of
Boston. was the contralto soloist. With
her were Mrs. Harriet N. Wetherbee,
soprano, Mrs. A. j. Mosher, contralto,
Mr.. Samuel Thurston, tenor, Mr.. John
L. Shaw, basso, Mr. A. H. McKenney,
baritone, Miss Lizzie W. Dyer, pianist.
Mr.. Kotzschmar was conductor as usual.
Part first of the programme consisted OF
selections from Mendelsshon's oratorio
of St. Paul. The soprano solo, "Jerusa-
lem. Thou that Killest the Prophets"
was rendered by Mrs. Wetherbee, and
the tenor air, "Be thou Faithful unto
DEATH" by Mr.. Samuel Thurston. Part
second of the programme was from
Rossini's ''Stabat Mather.' The first
number was solo quartett by Mrs.
Wetherbee, Mrs. Mosher, Mr.. Thurston,
and Mr.. Mckinney.
Although excellently carried through
this concert was financially a failure, aad
the Association lost $500.
The next occasion worthy OF especial
notice was the part taken by the Asso-
citation in the Peabody funeral ceremo-
MES in January, 1870. Upon the death
of George Peabody, the American who
became the great banker and philanthro-
phist of London, his body was brought
to the United States for burial. The
landing was at Portland, and the milf
tary and civic display was remarkably
elaborate. The ceremonies were in City
Hall, where the casket was placed upon
large CO tafalque in the centre of the
hall. Soldiers and marines guarded ii
and the hall was deliberately draped by
Harry Brown. The arched doors in the
Fight gallery were taken out, and this
cave free access from the Fgallery CORR
dor of the main stairway A platform
was erected over that stairway, making