Worcester morning daily spy., 1898-02-11

the festivals" Therefore, let us encour
| age them in every effort, to maintain it
deficiency by a watchful care of it
quality and not by adding to it's mum
bers, it's present size being ample for al
work. l have no interest in the chorus
when quality is subordinated to mum
bers. The big chorus of 700 may be bes
| for some conditions and in some local.
ties, but for our work give us the small
er, closely trained choir of all gooC
singers, every one of which has me-
the requirements of the committee. Car
any one question this opinion when we
recall the fine work done in the two
concerts alluded to? Avery few statistic.
relating to this department will be OF
| interest: In 1896 there were 552 singers
enrolled, the average attendance at re-
hearsals was 320 and 460 sang in the
| festival For 1897, 448 were enrolled
| 303 was the average attendance at re-
hearsals, and 1893 sang in the concerts
Nineteen rehearsals were held in 1885,
and 27 in 1897.
am under the impression that the
financial side 'of these festivals is moi
| fully understood by all, and as the sue.
cess, the life even of our association is
dependent upon the successful disposi-
ton of that question l feel no apology
is needed for introducing the subject
treatment here.
AS is well known, the actual loss
of the last festival was $410O
which sum was taken from the
reserve funds, reducing them to $502S
the present sum of our surplus
The present board has been charged
with extravaganza, by unthinl1ing per
sons. The expenses for 1897 were S14,-
| 900, 1920 more than for 1896 The aver
| e., If,f.f
The following statistics will give lit
/ tie insight of the matter:
Average cost of artists for the three
years, $4,000; cost for 1897, $500; or
chestra $3470, for 1897 $3650; advertising
$3.50, for 1897 $10SO; new music $297, for
| 1897 $577; conductors $1024, for 1897 $1106
| The other items Gid not differ mate
| rally.
The possible receipts is a subject
| less understood, and has never been
| treated in the annual report. Refer
ring to the very full report of the ticket
committee for the festival Of 1896, the
accuracy of which we have no occasion
to question, find the following figures
After deducting the value of the com
plimentary, season and single admis-
sion tickets, the value of those remain
! ing, based of course upon the prices foI
| that year, amounted to $14, 545. Rehear-
Sdl llChGlS SOlu dIHOuJll6u. 70 0ll0l, lut
premiums amounted to $152J, which
made possible receipts aggregate ST.
257. The actual sale of tickets amount
ed to $8137, to which add amount of re-
hearsal tickets sold $11S7, and premi-
ums received amounting to $1525, and
| the aggregate of receipts from that ac-
| Count, it wDl be seen, was $10,S49 The
value Of the tickets returned by the
selling agent, as appears by the report
amounted to $6400. In these figures we
have food for thought.
The opening sale of tickets has not
been satisfactory of late years, and
am told by friends of the asso-
| ciation' that the method is criti-
cised. The board has had under con
sideration for some years different
methods, but difficulties and objections
| prevented the formation of any new
| plan.
| think the time has come to put into
| operation some such plan as prevails
in the sale of the Boston Symphony or
chestra concerts. While claim that oul
sales are conducted in an honorable and
| fair manner, / am willing and glad to
| yield to the call for palmer exhibit al
the beginning and during the progress
| of the sale.
Besides the circumstances previously
mentioned, the 40th festival will also be
memorable for being the last conduct
| ed by Mr.. Zerrahn, and his last was as
| suredly his most Successful. We all
conductor and managers, have reason
for gratitude that his long and hohora-
| BILE career as our conductor terminated
under such brilliant conditions. We
shall long remember his last work in
which all the characteristics Of the great