Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-11-25
THE CHORAL SOCIETY.
Actively Rehearsing ..The Messiah,
for Presentation Next Month.


The Choral Society is now busily engaged
in rehearsing 1.-The Messiah" which will
be given at the Congregational Church dur
ing the Christmas holidays. The board of
managers hope that the public will give
the society that support which the excel
lence Of it's past work entities it to expect
Among the works presented by the Choral
Society may be mentioned Beriioz's Dam
nation of Faust" Bouchs "Arminius."
Bucks Light of ASIA Dvoraks The
Specter's Bride Gounod's Redemption"
Handel's Messiah" Haydn's Creation"
Mendelssohns Elijah" Mendelssohn's
Saint Paul." and Saint-Saen's Samson
and Delilah' to say nothing of minor num-
bers. Several of these oratorios have been
given more than once and 1.-The Messiah
has become the regular number for the De-
cember concert.
Mr.. Walter Damrosch who was the con-
ductor of the society from 1891 to 1893 de-
clared that they sang certain parts of THE
Messiah" "as well as l have ever heard"
and In personal letter not long since
wrote follows:
1T gives me great pleasure indeed to
testify to the noble efforts of the WASH
ington Choral Society toward furthering
the highest class of choral music in WASH
ington. Such efforts deserve the highest
support of every Washington citizen, as
genuine musical life is impossible without
local societies devoted to the cultivation of
music"
1t Is just this support which the society
is now seeking. The sister organization in
ST. Louis now has guarantee fund for the
present season of $4,000 while the Wash
ington Choral Society. with probable eX-
penses of about 1000 for the season, has
thus Tar guarantee fund of only 500
or $500 The managers hope that
some of the very many who are abundantly
able will come forward in support of this
organization, particularly in the matter of
SUBSCRIPTIONS to it's guarantee fund and the
purchase of sustaining membership tickets.
me society is not a business enterprise. and
does not as rule, pay expenses. There
are no salaried officers or singers i'm the
chorus, the only regular salaries paid being
TO the director ana accompanist. the
amounts paid them being merely nominal
and no adequate compensation for their
services. Moreover, the members of the
chorus, by their dues, pay for the expenses
or the rehearsal hall and music so that
the amounts obtained from ticket sales and
subscriptions go for the rental of the con-
cert halls and mainly for the salaries of
the SololStS. AS the society has ALWAYS
procured the very best soloists to be had
and as this class of talent can only be had
at very high rates, it will be readily seen
that without liberal public support the
ends cannot be made to meet at the end of
the season. 1t is believed. however that
with this detailed statement of the case
the public will rise to the occasion and
afford the society that support which its
disinterested efforts on behalf of the musi-
cal public of the national capital entitle
IL TO expect. The reserved seat tickets this
season will be sold at Ellis & Co.'S 937
pennsylvania avenue. where the So sustain
ing membership tickets are now on sale.