Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1897-06-21
18TH NATIONAL sAENGERFEsT OF
NORTHEAST sAENGERBUND.
OPENS TO-DAY IN PHILADELPHIA
CHORUS OF SIX THOUSAND TRAINED
MALE VOICES.
A ChIIdren's Chorus of 5000 Voices
Organizations Famous in Ger
man-Americnn Music to-
Take Part In the
Fest.

Philadelphia, June 20.-The eighteenth
national saengerfest of the Northeastern
saeEgerbund will open in this city to-mor-
row, and there is every indication il will be
the most mammoth musical event Of the
kind ever held in this country. The socie-
| ties which will participate in the festival
| cUme from all the larger cities in the east
ern portion of the United States. and the
mass choruses, which will form a distin-
gushing feature Of the fest, are made up
OF the best singers in each society. The
various numbers in these Choruses will be
rendered by 5000 male voices, in addition
10 which there will be a school childrens
chorus Of 5000 voices. and choruses of
mixed voices numbering several thousand
The first three days of the festival will be
devoted to the vocal contests and concerts,
and the remaining three days to open air
diversions and the distribution of prizes.
Many months have been spent by the local
committees and their aides in perfecting
the details of the occasion, and the result
OF their laborS has been TO gather together
chorus Of male voices seldom, II ever,
eGualed in point of numbers, and the ar
rangement of most elaborate programme
to be sung in an auditorium specially con-
structed for the purpose and capable OF
By a little crowding fully 5000 more can be
accommodated. In addition to this, the ut
ing. For the past two years the musical
dill ectors OF the league have been making
association instructing the singers in the
numbers to be rendered.
The fest will open with reception con-
cert by the United Singers OF Philadelphia
and a ladies, chorus. Arno Leonhardt,
Hastings. Mayor " Warwick and, it is hoped,
Vice President Hobart. although the at
tendance of the latter is doubtful. Carl
will make an address. Following this will
come the festical hymn, composed especial
" tor the occasion. On Iuesoay tiets VIII III
the first and second class and one-half of
those in the third class. The second day
will be brought to a close by grand
festival concert under the direction of Carl
Samans. The next day will be taken up
with prize singing for the remaining half
and the two classes for the City Federation
prizes. Samuel Hermann will direct the
its close the 'Star spangled Banner will
be sung by the 5000 male voices and the
audience. The prizes will be distributed
on Thursday at Lierzs Washington park,
in connection with the open air exercises
to continue until Saturday, when the Of
ficial closing of the fest will be announced
by President Leonhardt.
The five judges Cf the contests have been
selected for the occasion. Each Is an ac-
complished professional musician. and not
connected with any society in the league.
They have been selected in such manner
as to withhold the identity Of one from
the other, and not until the contests are
over and they meet to compare notattons,
will each learn who his associates are. Tha
different qualities to be judged are intona-
tion, precision. light and shade, phrasing
and enunciation- There are six points to
each quality and the society scoring the
highest number of points in each contest
will be awarded the first prize OF that
class.
The auditorium covers the entire block.
The area is 200 by $50 feet and the height
e5 feet. The style of architecture is Ger
man Renaissance. There are no galleries
and the acoustic properties Of the place as
demonstrated by the rehearsals. which
weeks, are as perfect as the most ad-
vanced scientific construction can make
them.
The organizations which will participate
cor sist of some of the most famous in the
history of German-American music.