The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1897-01-07
Associate Membership of
the Famous Society
Dwindling.
Cooperation Among Cultured
People May Aid the Arts.
tic Work.
Active Memb ers Will Carry 1t On,
and a Committee Will Enlist
Music-Lovers.

There have been rumors that the cele-
brated Loring Club, the society choir par
excellence, might be forced to dlsband.
At the regular monthly meeting of the
club held last Monday night the gradual
falling off in the associate mem bership
and consequent deficiency of funds were
discussed, with the result that 3 commit
tee was appointed to decide what was
best to do under the circum stances and
devise ways and means of reviving inter-
est in the association and building up the
mem bership.
Another result of the discussion was
the passing of resolution by almost
unanimous vote tbatthe active mem bers-
that is, the musicians themselVes-would
go down into their own pockets for the
money necessary to keep up the club and
maintain its high standard.
The committee appointed consists OF
Messrs. J. ]. Morris, E. H. Hueler and
Waiter S. Mackay. They will meet to.
morrow night and report to the club at a
meeting to be held Monday night. No
consultation has as yet been had with the
advisory board, and it is expected that
from some of the members of it may come
some suggestions which will help to solve
the difficulties. In any event the decision
has been made to continue the clubs ex-
istence, and the necessary funds will be
forth coming.
The active membership of the club
which consists of the members who sing
in the concerts, has not fallen off at all,
either in numbers or efficiency, but the
associate mem bership, which consists OF
l. Hro- -
Joy the concerts has, on account of the
recent hard times, dwindled away from
over 200 mem bers to about 80, and conse-
quently their contributions are not suf-
ficient to meet the necessary expenses.
These mem bers, in return for their sub
scriptions, have four concerts per annum
given them of the highest class, and at
each concert they are furnished Jour tick
cts to give 10 their friends. The club is
semi-privste one and no one is admitted
to the concerts but the subscribers and
their friends. consequently the diminish
ing OF the association membership has
endangered the clubs existence.
1t is considered by the thoughtful much
to be regretted that an organization which
has done such excellent work in the past
should not be supported by the people of
San Francisco with a membership large
enough TO maintain the club at the same
high standard which was set by Mr..
Loring when he built it up. 1t has an
active mem bership of sixty highly trained
male voices, and they are capable OF CIV
ing trst-clsss rendition of the finest
music composed by any of the great mas
tiers. 1t is an organization of musical
talent OF which this or any city might be
proud, but Mr.. Loring says that it is APP
parently much more appreciated by music
lovers in the East, who have en- loved the
concerts while visiting here, than it is by
its own people. According to him it seems
to be case of a prophet not being with
out honor save in his own country. Nearly
every one of the well-trained musicians is,
or has been, a member OF it, and gained
his standing as musician largely through
means of that mem pership.
In some of the concerts given i'll the
past they were assisted by the Schumann
Club of sixty female voices. In others
they have had a full orchestra, and have
given the subscribers musical treats which
cost 500 for the single performance. From
this it can readily be seen how necessary
1t is to revive interest in the club and join
its associate subscribers If this deserving
factor in the culture of the City is to be
main tanned in its pristine excellence.
David w. Loring, who founded the club
twenty years ago, is fine musician, and
he says the voices are oil of a high order
and that their training in singing to-
RStneI III periect UNISON Is deserving OF
lar more appreciation than San Francisco
gives them. The renditions of the finest
and most difficult music which they have
given would do credit TO Boston or any of
the big centers of civilization. Mr.. Loring,
who was the musical director for eighteen
years, has recently returned from Japan,
where he spent two years. He is very de-
sirous of seeing interest in the club re-
newed.
The present officers are: William Greer
Harrison, president: Charles f. Croker,
ice-president; w. @. Stadtfeld, secretary;
W. II. Murison, treasurer. The musical
director is d. P. Hughes, and the ad-
vsory board consists of William Alvord,
James d. Phelan, Mrs. William Alvord
and Mrs. L. L. Baker.