The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1895-02-04
Sketched by a CAL" artist.l

by. paths were crowded with promenaders
from every walk of life; the rich mingled
with ohe middle class and these elbowed
against the poorer class, all eager to reach
some objective point.
Thousands upon thousands crowded into
the space in front of the band stand in
order to secure places so as to hear Herr
Fritz Scheel direct his first concers in the
park, while many others wended their
way to the top of the panorama structure on
Strawberry Hill to view the surrounding
country. Not one of the many who made
the ascent regretted the trip, for the view
they obtained, majestic and interesting,
repaid them for the labor expended in
reaching the summit; it would have re-
paid them had the distance been twice as
great. To say nothing OF what from
there can be seen outside the limits of the
park, the view of the park itself, the ruins
of Sunset City, the lake with its numerous
boats filled with pleasure seekers, and the
many PEOPLE promenadihg formed pic
ture never to be forgotten.
The center of attraction, however, was
the music, and before the hour for the rem
dering of the first number by the band,
which was to be directed by Scheel, every
seat in the concert space was taken, the
walks between the rows of seats were filled
with people standing so close to one an
other that there was no chance Tor elbow
room; the space between the last row OF
benches and the Scott Key monument was
crowded and the sloping banks, south, east
and north of the band stand were covered
with people, some reclining, others sitting
and many standing, all intent upon secur-
ing a spot at which they could listen to the
musical treat in store for them.
One by one the uniformed musicians took
the places assigned to them, the brass to
the left of the directors platform, the
reeds to the right, and the other instru-
ments in the rear and center.
When Herr Fritz Scheel, attired in suit
of black, with Prince Albert coat, dress
hat and tan-colored kids, appeared upon
the platform he was greeted with round
of applause. When he took up his baton
to give the signal for the rendition OF
''ScheePs Golden Gate Park March" the
applause was redoutled. The rendition of
this admirable piece of music won for the
composer well-merited applause.
1t did not take the director long to note
that he had placed himself en- rapport with
his vast audience. Number after number
was given with precision and finish that
showed that the forty-odd first-class play
ers appreciated that they were under the
direction of a master mind, a fact which
the multitude were not slow in discover
ing.
One of the highest compliments paid the
eminent conductor and his skilled musicians
was the standing through the entire pro-
gramme of ten numbers of great crowds of
people. There was no shutting about, no
moving away. After the performance of one
of the numbers those who were there stood
as if spellbound, drinking in the harmon
ious sounds and giving vent to their appre-
citation by loud applause and redoubled
applause for encores, which several times
were yielded.
AS the finale of the tenth and last num-
Der was given and the last strains of the
Radeztky March by Strauss escaped from
the instruments, there was dead silence,
then simultaneous clapping of hands, so
profuse and so loud that it was returned by
the echo near Lake Honda. The musicians
were preparing to put away their lnstru-
ments when Herr scheel arose, and, raising