The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-10-23
DAY OF FINE MUSIC
Everything in Readiness for the
Concerts To-Day and Evening.
Big Chorus Will Appear Tonight
How SOusa Came TO Compose
''The Chariot Race"

All the details for the great musical event
OF the autumnal season are completed, and
those who have had charge of the work feel
pleased with the condition of affairs Every
thing has been done to make the event a
success. Musically the most exacting critic
and those who are not so gifted will be
charmed with the programmes prepared.
All the music will be pleasing on first hear
Ing. The evening will be ushered in by
Sousa's concert band. with the ever-pleas-
Ing and melodious overture to the Tam
hauser." In yesterdays Journal was pub
hshed a description OF this great overture
translated especially for the Journal from
wagner's own words by Mr. Richard Lie
Der. A study of this description will make
the overture more interesting. Sousa's band
will make its first appearance here as at
present organized. and it is safe to say that
no such band has ever been heard here 1t
IS q concert band, and should not be asso-
ciated with military bands.
The great prima donna, Signorina Nice
Moreski, will be heard here for the first
time this evening. She has recently arrived
In this country from Milan, where her
singing has been awarded the highest praise.
Leonora Van Stosch is the most popular
lady violinist before the public and her
playing is wonderful.
Inc autumndl chorus OF over three hum
dred voices, conducted by F. X. Arens, will
appear only IN the evening. The two
choruses TO be given are the Heavens are
fo1d Ne porta1s iron, tSs and
The reception to Mr.. and Mrs. Sousa
during the intermission in the evening will
be one of the pleasing features Governor
and Mrs. Matthews and Mayor and Mrs
Denny Will have charge of the reception.
Signorina Moreska and Leonora Won
Stosch have arrived and are stopping at the
Bates. The band viii arrive at Eoon to-
day in a special train from st. Louis. Mr..
Sousa and principals will stop at the Bates.
The band Will stop at the Grand Hotel The
box office will be open to-day until $50 this
evening for the sale of seats.
> Philip Sousa came to write his famous SYM
phOnic poem, The Chariot Race" a musi-
cal setting of the intensely dramatic scene
In Gen. Lew Nallace's "Ben-Hur," which
will be heard at the evening concert. For
q number of years the United States Ma
rine Band, under Sousa's leadership, gave
the concerts In the star course or enter
tainments in Philadelphia, which are man
aged by Miss II. Harris an able and in
In the spring of 1890 Miss Harris present.
ed SOusa with copy of "Ben-Hur" and
asked him to read IL carefully with a view
to ascertaining if he found anything in the
story worthy OF a musical setting. Sousa
took the book To Washington with him, and
during his first leisure moments applied
himself TO its perusal. When he read the
famous race scene he was at once struck
with its dramatic intensity and the posi-
bilities IL offered for "a strong musical COM
position, and he so wrote to Miss Harris,
much to her delight, as she replied that she
had given him the book in the hope that
this one idea would occur to him as IL had
to her.
This determined Sousa to write a compo-
stion upon this theme, and he told Miss
Harris that she could announce THE Char
Tot Race from Ben-Hur for the second
concert of the next season. During the
summer Sousa reread the book several
times until he became thoroughly saturated
with the story, and, although he did not
write a note Of Ii then, the composition
the piece had been announced for produc-
ton in Philadelphia some time before THE
Chariot Race" was reduced TO writing.
On Dec. Is. 1890. the old Academy of Music
capacity. The first numbers on the pro-
gramme were received with that enthuSi-
asm that always follows Sousas perform
ances, but IT evident that the interest
OF the audience was conferred upon The
Chariot Race" When that number in the
programme was reached Sousa raised his
baton TO give the signal for the trumpet
call with somethiI akin to trepidation
For the first time in his life the composer
was anxious and doubtful as to the probable
success of his creation. When the last
faint sound OF hoofs marked the end OF the
race and the conductors arm fell to his
side, there was mOmentary hush all over
the house, which was the next moment fol-
lowed by such a scene OF wild enthusiasm
thas the composers doubts were immedi-
ately dispelled. and he realized that THE
Chariot Race was a distinct and emphatic
popular success. The composition was
promptly billed for the next concert, when
over a thousand people were turned away
from the Academy of Music. unable 10 Sc
cure places inside. such was the interest
manifested I'm the piece.
1.-THE Chariot Race" has everywhere re-
peated its Philadelphia success, and has
been played by Gilmore and all the great