Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-12-24
THE CHORAL SOCIETY
Probably the Best Known Local
Musical Organization.
SPLENDID WORK IT HAs DOM
Coming Performances Of Handles
Oratorio 1.-THE Messiah
AIMS OF THE SOCIETY

Probably the best known local musical
organization and the one with the largest
clientage is the Washington Choral Soci-
ETY.. Its active membership has been
drawn from the best singers in the city,
and its lists of sustaining and associate
members include many of Washington's
best known and most substantial citizens,
as well as those specially interested in the
advancement OF music here. Its objects
are entirely unselfiSh and have in view
the development and cultivation of the
taste for the highest type of classic music
by study of the art in its noblest forms.
and the presentation of the best sacred
oratcrio and classical choral works in the
most finished manner.
The society is now entering upon its
fourteenth seasons work It's organiza-
ton was effected at meeting held in No
vember, 1885, in a private residence in
this city. The chorus at first numbered
about sixty voices. The first public per-
Torrance occurred Saturday evening, Feb
rIi ~ "A. 1854, in the old Lincoln Hall, and
the miscellaneous program presented was
well received by the audience. Such en-
eouragement was offered by the friends Of
the organization that the society gave a
seco mo- concert the same season. and in
Guided in the program was Mackenzie's
cantata of THE Bride" which was the
hrst choral work publicly attempted by the
society.
During successive seasons the society in
creased in public favor and presented va
Fied ana interesting programs. In its third
season the first attempt was made to pro-
duce work of any considerable magni-
,uae. such as would occupy an entire even
.tls IN its presentation This was done at
the congregational Church, when Dudley
BUCKS Light of Asia" was sing. Three
years later this work was successfully re-
peated under the personal direction of the
composer.
The Messiah
Tine first sacred 9ratorio attempted by the
society was The Messiah" which has
proved so popular and which through the
eHorts of this musical organization has be-
come familiar to a large part of Washing
ton popuiace. 1t was sung first in Decem-
Der 1872, and has since been regularly re-
peated each season during the Christmas
holidays.
Dr. Harry c. Sherman was the first di-
rector OF the chorus, and continued as such
Tor eight successive seasons He again as
summed charge for the season of 1Sy5-y6
and did much to build up the society and
secure for 1t deserved recognition His sud
den death during the tropical hurricane of
last September was source of deep regret
TO all the members of the society. which
PAID appropriate tribute to his memory in
the special musical service recently held
For TWO seasons Walter Damrosch was
nominally conductor of the chorus, though
the burden of the duties devolving upon the
clhce was assumed by his assistants
Messrs. e. SZemelenyi, n. Du Shane Glow
ara and John Porter Lawrence. The pres
eht director is Prof. Josef kaspar who
also had charge of the chorus during the
two seasons of 80 and 81
During its existence the Choral Society
mas produced some of the choral works of
m
the long list may be mentioned: The
Damnation of Faust" Berlioz; The Light
of Asia" Buck; THE Specter's Bride
Dvorak; Into the Silent Land" Foote;
The Redemption Gounod; '.The Mes
siah, Handel; The Creation" Haydn
st. Paul. and Elijah" Mendelssohn;
Samson and Delilah." Saint-Saens and the
Spinning Chorus from the Flying Dutch
man. Wagner; besides choruses and can
tatas from such other composers as Sir Ar
thur Sullivan, Rubinstein, Nevin, Mozart.
Jensen, Mackenzie and many Others In it's
work it has been assisted by some of the
most prominent artists of the country,
among them Arthur Beresford. Miss Lii
liam Blauvelt, Ericsson Bushnell. Payne
Clarke, DIR. Carl Duff, Anton Schott, Miss
Gertrude Edmonds Miss Katherine F'lem-
ing, Nine. Helene Hastreiter, DR.. B. Mer-
rill Hopkinson, Miss Emma Juch, W. J..
LAWN, Mrs. Mary HoweLavin, John Por-
ter Lawrence. Agostino Montegriffo, Ivan
Morawski, Carl Naeser, Miss Christine
Powell, Mrs. Nellie Wilson Shir-Cliff Miss
Florence Stidham and Miss Ruth Thomp-
son.
Artistic Quality of Work.
The artistic quality of the work of the
society has commanded recognition, not
only in this city, but elsewhere. The we'll
known musical critic, Mr.. George H. Will
son, has testified as follows: 1.-The unselfsh
labors of the Choral Society of Washington
are bearing fruit; but all too slowly when
it is remembered that its field is the ma
tons capital" In the opinion of Mr.. Wal
ter Damrosch the Choral Society sang GER
tain parts of the Messiah "as well as he
ever heard" This same authority, in
personal letter. said: 1T gives me great
pleasure, indeed. to testify to the noble eff
forts of the Washington Choral Society
toward furthering the highest class of
choral music in Washington; such efforts
deserve the heartiest support of every
Washington citizen. q genuine musical
life is impossible without local societies de-
voted to the cultivation of music
But aside from the cultivation of the
musical taste of the community by the
presentation of the greatest works of the
composers who have written masterpieces
of choral work. there has long been cher
ished the hope that the society might be in
strumental in still further advancing the
cause of art in this city by the erection Of
a music hall, the promoters of the project
realizing that for full development of
the objects OF the organization modern
equipment is Indispensable. The plan as
conceived by some of the members provides
| for a substantial structure. INTELLECTUALLY
an ornament to the city. to include a
large concert hall with a suitable concert
organ, and smaller hall for rehearsal and
| other purposes. musical library is also
contemplated In the idea, so that the hail
would be the center for those interested in
| the study of any musical question and
there lectures and recitals could be held
| from time to time. The hall might serve,
| 1t is thought. as a headquarters for many
of the local musical societies.
In the same connection the organiza ton
| of permanent local orchestra is agitated.
| As yet the society has not been able to see
| the way toward the fulfilment OF these
! iongings, as its financial condition has not
| been such as to warrant active efforts in
! this direction. But the desire for these ad-
vantages is deeply rooted in the minds of
| many of its most loyal members who are
| not without the hope that they will some
\ day be realized.
The society Is now actively rehearsing
! The Messiah which will be given at the
| Congregational Church next Tuesday and
| "Wednesday evenings, with Mr.. Ericsson
4 Bushnell of New York as the bass soIoist
/ Miss Hall of Baltimore. contralto; Mrs Mel
lie Wilson Shir-Cliff, soprano, and Mr. w