New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-07-13
AT THE SAENGERFESr
THE NETWORK SINGERS CARRY OFF IN,
HONORS OF THE DAY.
MR. Zo,.LLNER'S PRIZE COMPOSITION gyfsrs,
ASTICALLY RECEIvED-LARJE ATTEND
ANCE AT THE EVENING CONCERT

AsTICALLY REcEIvED-LARGE ATTEND.
ANcE AT THE EVENING CONCERT
(BY TELEGRAPH TO TIE rRiBUxEI
Cleveland, Ohio, July 12.-without being M a..
nounced on the house bills, the first afternoon cone.
OF the festival OF the North American saeneprb-,s
to-day was contest between the leading sinan,
societies OF New-Oreans, Philadelphia, Cincinnati ~
New-York In bygone years the last Of esrs
festival was set apart for such n competition. a.
there were an Official adjudication and an award ~
circumstance that the SITS, friendly though u,
were I'm spirit, always left ncartburnngs and btts,
ness behind them, led to the abolition OF this feau,
of the festivals The return to something like H.
old plan, but with the omission Of the adjudicato.
and prize in the present festival was probably due -
the need Of providing choral numbers for the afts,
noon concerts, which, like many features, WIN.
narrowed from the Cincinnati festivals. II has a.
advantage In that 1t stimulates ambition and encouu.
ages study in the better class OF societies. and ena1
the less gifted to profit By the example OF tn,
betters.
If has been obvious, though, TO observer n,
two days that the prevalent feeling among IN.
gathered singers was not wholly cordial toward IN.
WORKERS. To Of the Western societies thev
probably looked a little like nteropers. They hsve.
indeed been In the festival, but not OF IT, for thu,
participation was summed up In the individual pey
Torrance this afternoon and the union with the r.
tiyal chorus I'm the evening, when Mr.. Z0eIner,a
cantnta "Die neue Welt sung. In thc evening
the identity OF the uederkranz was practically lost
the choir consisting OF more than 1000 voices, but
there was no question OF who or where the singes
were in the afternoon They gave an account d
tn, mselves which ought go into the annals Of ths
festival as its brightest page. Only OF the con.
netting societies brought the same number OF Slngeo
as the Ledcrkranz the stage. This was unos
OF all the men from Cincinnati who appeared eighty
voices strong The Licderkranz should have had
nnetysix but sixteen were absent, 80 that In nun,
bcrs the two level The New-Orlcanss
Quartet Club presented sixteen singers, and sang
Max Spcker's NOch sind die Tage der Rosen.n The
Philadelphia Junger had fifty voices, and gave Lebes
Das Heldcngrab, The Cincinnati singers exhibited
their quality In Mairs "suomis Sang and the Ledef.
kranz in Zoelner's Song OF Greeting composed %
the Western trip and Story's "Nachtsauber.'
II might seem little ungrucious under the circun,
stances 10 institute detailed comparison between IL
visitors from New YORK and their rivals but II due
the Liedcrkranz say that its superiority In evey
factor that enters into the OF artistic performance
was made so manifest that neither the careless pubic
nor the judc!ous musicians present could be In doubt
for 4 moment as to who had carried on the honorS u
the day. The contest was cresccndo I'm merit, ana
judged by the public. Tie Cincinnatans were
applauded heartily, and had TO return to give sup
Elementary piece. Mr. Louis Ehrgott who conducted,
chose an arrangement Of the familiar foksong Maedd
ruech, rueck, rueck mene gruene Seite.' Their
singing was appreciated by the NEWCOMERS who were
generous In their praise OF the skill Of who could
DO 30 WELL after Il temporary organization merely ID
manner quality and volume Of tone, balance Of voices
and interpretation However. the contrast between
the last performances was as DE-
cided between the third and hrst.
There was the air OF artistic aristocrscy
In the singing OF the NEWCOMERS Their first
stanza Of Mr. Z0elners greeting to the Western singers
evoked storm OF applause, whose spontaneity ana
sincerity was attcstcd by its untimeliness. Tho
listeners were simply taken by surprise and quite
singers called back before half OF them had
got or the stage. They then sang kremsert
komm', - komm'. hodes kintchen.'
After the matinee the LiederkranE fraternzed with
the Orplcus OF Buffalo, whose passive members WV
entertain the excursion party in Buffalo tomorrow
city being the stop I'm the homeward Journey
which will be continued tomorrow forenoon.
The other features OF the afternoon CONCERT wen
solos by Mrs :. c. Ford Miss Lena Little, Conrad
Eehrens and Barron Dcr,hald and the performance Of
the snkuntaa- overture. Lists Preludes.' and the
ballet Music from Rubinsteins "Feramors' Dy the
orchestra under the direction Of Emf! Ring formerly
an oboe player In the 10 ton symphony Orchestra,
but now conductor OF the Cleveland Philharmonic
Tho evening concert also contained feature OF
interest TO New Workers. the prize composition OF Mr.
Zocllncr conductor OF the iederkranz. This compost
ton, which was written last year, In competition for
the prize Of $1,000 was crowned by the Judgment Of
Xaver scharwenka of New-York Arthur Caassen,
u Brooklyn, AMI Emil Ring. OF Cleveland. IT 1, short
cantaa for chorus. soprano and barytone solos ana
and In style is admirably adapted to the
purpose for which II designed 1t Offers
few difficulties TO the choristers IS rich In
contrast Of feeling and musical effect, and closes
with swelling hymn In choral style, which through
the device OF gradually augmenng forces, vocal and
IA boys chorus being added ut the last
and enrichment In the orchestral guraon, works NJ
a climax that Is thrilling. The work consists OF
three numbers. and occupies about twenty minutes IN
performance. Mr.. ZOener wrote both words and
music, and In the former made up for a penury In
and poccal thought by deftness in the EN-.
poyment OF verbal forms and devices which ~
welcome to tho composers OF such pieces Of occe
sion.
The first number Is double chorus, N
which the spirits in antiphonal question ami
answer tell Of the voyage OF Columbus, and predict
The outcome Of his voyage. Here the music is lyme
aRd descriptive In the second part a dramatic. or
ather epcal style is introduced, Colunbu, appearing
IN the person Of the solo barytone and giving ex'
preston to his fears and hopes. lie kneels on the
ieck I'm prayer and Is cheered, first BY a song OF
spirits of the deep bidding him to hope on, then BY
he vision Of godlike woman. who halls him as
destined for immortality and declares herself TO be
he future bearer Of his name, Columbia. As she
loses her song the chorus breaks in with shouts OF
Land The climax. Is we'll built up and leads into
he final prayer of thanksgiving, the character Of
which has already been indicated.
The performance not such a one as brought out
he full beauty and effectiveness OF the work. As Is
Usual at the monster festivals the singers were not
thoroughly grour ded In the music. and there was Q
scouraging discrepancy between the number OF sing
RS and the volume OF tone Then again. the band
wholly inadequate and, being handle pped besides
~ the sunkcn orchestra, which has turned out be
serious obstacle. IL was completely drowned. In
he finale Mr.. zoellner has provided for some broad
fleets OF sorority by increasing the trumpets to
wenty- -four and the trombones to twelve. As was
o be expected the prescription was not Needed and
he full potency OF the development was not brought
mt. Nevertheless the work much enjoyed and
pplauded, and among the congratula lions showered
mon the composer one which came By telegraph