The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-05-13
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
NEW YORK TRIBUNE's COMMENTS on
MR.. VAN DER sTUCKEN's WORK.
Expenses Last season at Cincinnati
0,e0O-saIe of Single Seats for
Festival Opens To-day.

The New York Tribune of Monday con-
tains an account of the musical activities
of Cincinnati, with particular reference to
the work of Mr.. Van der Stucken. In the
course of the article is the following history
Of the origin and development of the SYM
phony Orchestra, whose services have been
secured for the Indianapolis festival next
week: For three years Cincinnati has had
its own orchestral concerts. The movement
which has had this outcome is old. but UNI
til 1t was taken in hand by the forces that
have thus far carried it TO success it was
little else than a pious and earnest wish on
the part of the real music-lovers of the city.
Prior TO the establishment OF the College
of Music, the orchestral concerts were spo-
radio affairs, three or four in a season,
given by the local musicians. supplemented
by one or two which Mr.. Thomas provided
on his peripatetics. In 1877. when popular
enthusiasm had been fired by the success of
the first two festivals and the Music Hall
was in process of building, Mr.. Thomas
found sufficient encouragement to give a
series of summer-night concerts at one of
the hilltop resorts, such as he used to give
IN the Central Park and Madison-Square
Gardens. Through these concerts the desire
for a permanent orchestra was newly
aroused, and a plan was set ON foot which
was ShipWreCked, as so many beautiful
plans have been, on the rock OF local Jeal-
ousies. When Mr.. Thomas came TO be di-
| rector OF the College or Music ne organized
an orchestra and gave a series OF concerts,
but with his departure matters reverted TO
something like the old state of affairs,
though the College of Music tried to main
tain the meetings, under the direction of
one and another of the college professors.
The results were not satisfactory, however,
and the enterprise languished until it was
taken up by the Ladies Musical Club three
years ago. Where the men had so often
failed the women t~riumphed. They secured
the cooperation of a number of public
spirited citizens and raised a subscription
fund which seemed to justify the estab-
ilshment OF an orchestra on a quasl-pefma-
nent basis. A long hunt for a conductor
followed; it proved in vain, and the 1rst
series of concerts was given under the di-
rection of three different conductorS-Mr.
Seidl, Mr.. Schradieck and Mr.. Van der
Stucken. The last had been offered an en-
gagement, but did not accept. the next
year he was sought out again, and this
time he gave consent, and a contract was
signed for a term Of six years. In the last
two seasons he has given twenty afternoon
and twenty evening concerts, and has built
up an orchestra of which the knowing
speak with enthusiasm. The work has been
accompanied Wiz difficulties of all kinds,
some of which are not yet overcome, for
Mr.. Van der Stucken became involved with
the trades union, which the musicians
maintain, not only by bringing musicians
from abroad, but also by aking
S YorR. One q result was irO to ca Mnw
a division in the local union; another, that
Mr.. Van der Stucken has been summoned
to answer charges before the Musical Mu-
tual Protective Union, of New York.
The Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra con-
sists of from tifty-seven to sixty players.
OF these fifteen are salaried men, and the
remainder play at the twenty concerts per
season at union rates, 1T being understood
that the concerts of the organization have
precedence over all other engagements. The
management is in the hands OF a BOARD or
directors composed OF women, PACK or
whom are d number of wealthy and public
spirited men, who signed the guarantee
which made the orchestra possible. The
women have secured annual contributions
ranging from SZ0U per annu1n u0Wn 10 d
small sum, and these subscriptions, supple
mented with the money received Tor the
sale of tickets form the fund which is de-
voted to the maintenance OF the orchestra.
The sales last year amounted TO $l9,UOO. Inc
expenses in the first season under MIR. van
der Stucken's dictatorship were $4,000; last
season they were $50, 600, the band being IN,
creased when the concert room was changed
from the opera house to the MUSIC HAN;
In order that this change might be efIeeted
one of the friends of the enterprise, mt.
F t'o951 sdIe d. IL inns 5a tic guagah0{s n this ds guar guar
antee he has been assessed this year, put
he is undismayed and undaunted, ike ms
associates, of whom the leadlnS spirit IS
Mr.. Jacob Schmidlapp.
When it became apparent that the sales
and subscriptions were not nkely 10 cover
the expenses of the organization next year,
Mrs. Nicholas LongWorth onered a new
subscription of $500 a year for TOUR years,
provided nine others would do the same;
seven had come forward UP to last Friday;
Thus the orchestra has been successful
both artistically and financially, the loss 70
MIR. Thomas's enterprise in Chicago beng
larger each year than the entire cost Of
maintaining the Cincinnati orchestra. The
character of Mr.. Van der ueken pro-
grammes may be read in the following list
of symphonies, symphonic poems, suites
and overtures played in the season just
Symphonies: Tschaikowsky, No. A.. Bee
Haydn, in c; Mozart. Jupiter, svendsen'
in d; Brahms, in f, and Berlioz, Fan
tastiaue." Symphonic poems: Dvorak. The
Noon Witch and List, @ { T{g6ts DE sui6es;
Bach prelude. chorale and fugue; Saint
saens, @Aigerienne;'' Massenet; ballet
Cid" Overtures: Wagner, Die Meister-
singer" 'Rienzi,' "Lohengrin," Tam
hanser" and "Flying Dutchman;' Benoit,
Charlotte Corday;" Berlioz, King Lear"
Beethoven, "Coriolan" and "Leonore NO.