The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-09-29
GIFT Of CHORUS.
Vase for Fl, W. Par
ker in Worces-
ter, England.
HOW THAT FESTIVAL IS RUN.
Round of Gayeties---Sup-
port from City, Church
and People.
HOW THAT FESTIVAL is RUN.

Nobody attending the festival had a
more interesting story to tell than Prof.
Horatio William Parker of Yale. His
personal experiences at Worcester
Eng. were of the pleasantest, and there
was information of value in his COM
parsons between an old world festival
and ours 81 never was so we'll treated
anywhere" said he as he turned over
| bundle of English papers to The Spy
representative. Among them was a
| special edition of the Worcester Echo
of Sept. Is, giving an account of the
celebration of the composers birthday.
| At the suggestion of some of the Off
GERS of the three choir" festival, the
members of the choruses from Here
| ford, Gloucester and Worcester and the
! Leeds contingent contributed a six
! pence apiece, and with the fund thus
| raised a very elegant royal Worcester
| china vase was purchased and pre-
| scented to their American guest.
| AT intermission, the great chorus as
| sembled on the green in front of the
west door of the cathedral and Mr..
| Somerton, superintendent of the chorus,
| mounting the steps, called the assem-
! bly, to order. When Mr.. Parker ap-
peared, there was lively applause. The
| spokesman told how spontaneously the
| fund had been contributed, and in pre-
| senting the vase, wished Mr. Parker
health, wealth and prosperity to the
full measure that any human being
could expect" The chorus hoped to
sing another of his works and to greet
him again in Worcester. Mr.. Somerton
said the chorus had found Mr., Parker
most kind-hearted and genial and as a
lady from Worcester (Massae husetts)
said, "a very nice man." (This last
phrase, given with the American in
tonation, excited much laughter.) Mr.
Parker had won his way to the hearts
of the chorus, and they were delighted
with his work.
In replying, Mr.. Parker is reported
by the same paper to have said che had
never had so many kind and pleasant
things said about him in his life, and he
felt almost as if he were reading his
own obituary notice. He was afraid
they would spoil him, but it was a most
delightful sensation and he was afraid
he should be very much damaged by
the time he got back"
These quotations are sufficient to in
dictate the demonstrative hospitality
with which Prof. Parker was received
in England. His name always appears
in the papers with the prefix PRO
fessor." and the critiques of the Lon
don and provincial press TEEN with ex-
pressions of praise for "Hora Novis~
sima" which need not be repeated here.
The number of social attentions be-
slowed upon him is really typical of the
character of the English festival The
Spy has already told of the impressive
opening of the exercises by the mayor.
arrayed in his crimson robes of office
and attended by his retinue in full re-
gala, but this does not end the civic
and official features of the institution.
The mayor gives lunches and dinners TO
the artists and the prominent people
of the town, and the bishop and other
dignitaries conform to the custom. Mr..
Parker thinks he averaged three in
vitations to every lunch and dinner dur
ing his stay, and of course the mayors
and bishops functions were among
those which he attended.
Whatever may be the financial fate
of other festivals, Worcester, Leeds and
Birmingham, Mr. Parker SAYS, make
money. The gross receipts range be-
tween $4,000 and $4,000 annually. The
proceeds are used for the support of the
widows and orphans of the clergy. The
fundamental object being charity. the
church and city combine to make the
enterprise profitable The Guildhall or
city hall as we would call it, is deco
rated with flags and bunting, and the
mayor publicly calls upon the citizens
to decorate their residences and shops.
so that when festival week comes
around, the principal streets are ar
rayed as for some great popular fete.
Merchants and manufacturers hear
| tily cooperate in the scheme. for aside
from all considerations of music and
art, they believe the festival in all re-
| spects an excellent thing for the city.
| Not only do they support it by the pur-
| chase of high-priced tickets and a gem
eral round of social festivities and pub
| lie decorations, but they freely give
1 their employees who belong to the cho-
rus the necessary time for ATTENDING
and singing at the day concerts Here
again, they are moved less by love OF
music than by public spirit, and the
common sentiment that the festival is
an institution that must in every way
J be encouraged and upheld. They fine
that their best employees are those whc
Join the chorus.
Such devotion as this implies sacri
flee in many quarters, for it is by M
means confined to the chorus member!
land managers. 1t would be strange in,
ldeed if the citizens did not seek to fine
pleasure in the event, and Mr.. Parker
says the social side of the festival /.
universal. continuous and. altogether
delightful, Lunches for ahundred, o,
even 200 guests are of everyday occur
renee, and at them are found the prin
cipal artists, the managers and tn,
most eminent citizens of the town.
Besides the handsome Worcester vase
Mr.. Parker brought home another inter
esting souvenir. 1t is a gorgeously
bound volume containing the officia
program book, autographs of the mayo
and bishop. the leading artists, the con
ductor and the leading British musi
critics who attend the festival. TIL,
warm fraternal spirit with which tn,
American composer was greeted is an
other indication of the common kinshi1
of the two English speaking nations