The herald., 1898-10-02
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1t ID gratifying to realize that the musical
public Of Los Angeles will be given def
nate opportunity to prove their apprecia-
ton Of good music and their encourage
ment Of home talent. Their very check
cred musical history has provided good
ground for difidence as to the sincerity Of
the true artistic spirit here. Home talent
has never been properly encouraged. 1t
has been apparently hopeless to divorce
the pursuit Of good music from social en-
tanglementa The various societies that
have been formed here Of late years have
provided plenty OF pleasant social func-
tions, but. It is true, lamentably little
good music. People have been willing
enough to fork up s. to hear Melba or
Paderewski, because 1t was "the correct
thing to do and It was such an advan-
tage to crow over your less fortunate
neighbor afterwards. But the honest,
faithful pursuit Of good music for Its own
sake has not been conspicuous In Los An
geles of late years. That Is undeniable.
The birth of the Symphony orchestra last
year gave every promise Of better things.
The best work was essayed, Its perform
ance generally gratifying, the attendance
Increased at every concert.
Now has arrived the first crisis of the
Symphony orchestra's life. VIII It be al
lowed to live or Is 1t to be starved to death?
A substantial financial basis In absolutely
necessary for the continuance of this good
work.
The following prospectus, which will be
mailed this week, after which a personal
canvass will be made, is self-explanatory:
Mr.. Harley Hamilton desires to call the
attention of the musical public of Los
Angeles to the resumption of the popular
concerts which met with such universal
SUCCESS last season. The Los Angeles
Symphony orchestra has been enlarged and
strengthened In many ways, and 1t is the
intention of tho conductor to place high
class orchestral music before the admirers
OF good music Of this community in a man.
her never before attempted here. One very
essential feature in the formation of a.
scheme like this is adequate financial sup
port. With an orchestra Of forty musicians
vnder constant rehearsal the expense is
necessarily very large and the purchase of
orchestrations for such large number Of
musicians Is a considerable item In the ex-
pense account 1t seems necessary that a
guaranty of a certain amount should be
provided for In advance. In the cities of
New York, Boston, Philadelphia, Chicago
Pittsburg. Buffalo, and Louisville, KY, the
public eubscribes annually q, certain
amount for the maintenance Of similar or
ganizations to that which It is proposed to
bring together here, and this insures each
season good orchestral music. To accom-
plish this In the simplest manner, and at
the same time to give subscribers the great
est value for their money, the following
plan has been decided upon: For a con-
tihuance OF last seasons popular orches-
trail concerts the least possible amount
that will in9llra 81 30 tan
basis OF an organization consisting Of
forty members will amount to at least
COO0. Taking the sale of seats last season
as q criterion, and placing the admission
ut 20 cents, with reserved seats at 30 cents
probably from one-thrd to one half of this
amount can be raised from the sale of such
tickets; the remainder 1t Is proposed to Sc
cure by asking for advanced subscriptions.
II 200 citizens will subscribe SO each for
coupon system of tickets which will en-
title each subscriber to two admissions to
each concert. or twenty admissions to one
concert. at 30 cents apiece, the amount of
5000 can be raised thus. Advanced SUBJ
scripers are to have first choice of re-
served seats. and II the financial results
are ahead OF those which are now approxi-
mated. and twelve concerts can be given
instead OF ten. they will be entitled to
twenty-four admissions, instead of twenty
at the same figure. The bringing together
or this amount of money will insure the en-
gaginE OF the best musical talent In the
city. also warranting an expenditure of a
large amount of money for suitable or
chestrations and at the same time allow the
conductor to place before our public a bet
ter series of programs than have ever been
presented IN this city, What we need Is
your hearty cooperation. If this meets
with your approval. and you would care to
become a subscriber. kindly send your ad-
dress either to Harley Hamilton at his
rooms In the Bryson block. or to L. Behy-
mer at the Los Angeles theater.