The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1897-06-21
Will Open in the City of Philadelphia
To-Day.
Societies From the Largest Cities in
the Eastern Portion of the United
States VIII be Represented, and 1t
Is Expected That Six Thousand
Voices Will Take Part in the
Chorus.
Chorus

PHILADELPHIA, June 20.-The
eighteenth national saengerfest of the
Northeastern Saengerbund Will open IN
this city tomorrow, and there is every
indication that it will be the most
mammoth musical event of the kind
ever held in this country. The socie-
ties which will participate in the fes-
tivaI come from all the larger cities in
the eastern portion of the United
States, and the male choruses which
will form a distinguishing feature of
the fest are made up Of the best sing
ers in each society. The various num-
bers in these choruses will be rendered
by 5000 male voices, in addition to
which there will be a school children's
chorus of 5000 voices, and choruses of
mixed voices numbering several thou
sand
The first three days of the festival
Will be devoted to the vocal contests,
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 for the occasion,
and the result of their labors has been
voices seldom, if ever equaled in point
of numbers and the arrangement of a
most elaborate programme to be sung
in an auditorium specially constructed
for the purpose, and capable of seating
comfortably nearly 10000 persons, and
by little crowding fully 5000 more
can be accommodated
In addition to this, the utmost atten-
flOYl. ba0n 10
the past two years the musical direc-
tors of the league have been making
regular tours through the territory of
the association, instructing the singers
In the numbers to be rendered
The fest will open with a reception
concert by the United Singers of Phil
adelphia and a ladies chorus. Arno
Leonhardt, President of the United
Singers, will welcome the visiting So
cieties, as will Governor Hastings,
Mayor Warwick, and it is hoped, Vice
President Hobart, although the attend
ance of the latter is doubtful Carl
Lenz, President of the Saengerbund,
also will make an address. Following
this will come the festival hymn COM
posed especially for the occasion. On
Tuesday there will be prize singing for
ond class, and one-half of those in the
third class. The second day will be
brought to a close by a grand festival
concert under the direction of Carl Sa-
mans. The next day will be taken up
with prize singing with the remaining
half of the third class for Individual
societies and the two classes for the
city federation prizes
Samuel Herman will direct the festi-
val concert Wednesday night, and at
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 Lierz's
Washington Park, in connection with
the open-air exercises to continue until
saturday when the official closing of
the fest will be announced by Presi-
dent Leonhardt
The five judges of the contests have
been selected for the occasion. Each
Is an accomplished professional musi-
can and not connected with any So
clety in the league. They have been
selected in such a manner as TO with
hold the Identity of one from the other.
ana not until the contests are over. and
they meet to compare notations. will
each learn who his associates are. The
dlherent qualities to be Judged are in
donation, precision, light and shade,
phraslng and enunciation There are
SIX points to each quality, and the So
Getty scoring the highest number of