New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-07-01
SAENGERFEST'S PROGRESS.
NO FURTHER ATTEMPT TO FINISH THE
FESTIVAL HALL.
SPECULATION IN REGARD TO FUTURE USE OF
THE BUTDING-BUFTA1Io TO HAVE NEXT
sAENGERFEsT-MUsIcAL FEATURES
CF GOLDEN JUBILEE.
Try TELEGRAPH TO THE rRrBuyE.l

Try TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNE.l
Cincinnati, June 3O-The business cares OF the
North American Sangerbund and Of the local
Festival Committee have been temporarily laid
aside. and the festival is now pursuing the usual
artistic course. All attempts to finish the hall
have been abandoned. There are walls. a roof and
for singers and places for listeners. Another
day and the local committee. instead OF distressing
themselves about the question which has given
them many sleepless nights. will be debating the
possibility OF n sale OF the structure as 1t stands In
the hope OF realizing fraction Of their unexpect-
edly enormous expenditures.
There have been some offers to purchase at con-
siderably less than half the cost OF construction
thus far. and may look confidently TO the
growth OF popular sentiment IN favor Of the halls
completion and preservation. It would make an
admirable convention hall. and there are longings
in the Cincinnati social breast for a horse show
something like that at which New-York disporS
and displays its fashion annually: so 1t is possible
that syndicate may buy the building and attempt
TO put II to use hereafter Great things once re-
suited to the city from such proceeding and nope
springs eternal in the human breast-or words TO
that effect
Cincinnati is also largely given over TO sports
and perhaps the wsest among those who are plan
ming for the preservation Of the building are the
men who vary the monotony OF depositing hve-cent
pieces in the gambling machines. which occupy a
large space In the multitude Of gaudy drinking
places by talking Of the possible amount or money
which might be made by buying the building ana
giving a prize-hght or two inside Its song-halo"eu
walls. But there is no need to go further IN spec
ulations of this character. The Sangerfest Is
housed more or less at last and the city is as
usual giving itself up TO the pleasures or the mo-
ment and when II bends It's energies resolutely IN
this direction It's motto seems to be. After US the
deluge."
II use can be found for the hail. 1t will be pity
II It is destroyed Now the great gaps In It's sides
xvhi hav heen closed only partly and tempo
rarily, prevent It's admirable acoustic properties
from being appreciated at their full worth IL Is
difficult to hear a concert because baoel OF
noises comes in from the surrounding streets, but
II this were not should not hesitate TO say that
the building, considering its siZe IS ono OF 'he oeS|
for musical purposes that have ever seen.
As rule solo and orchestral performances at
Sangerfests the veriest farces, the only Hiu-
scally effective things being the part-songs OF the
main chorus the simpler the better But on 1hurs-
dav evening and again to-day the solo voices as
serted themselves persstently and the erect wouid
have been fine without qualification II 1t had not
been marred by the noise from the OUTSIDE where
thousands gather to witness the excitement anu
keep their feelings edge by the expectation ol
seeing the building fall down
Buffalo will be the next festival city. Its dele
CATION came TO Cincinnati prepared 10 WORK haru
IN capture the dubious prize at any cost OF EFFORT
but found the fruit, such as it is, ready 10 drop
into their mouths. The Mayor was here, ana the
delegations OF singers have carried cotton sun
umbrellas about bearing the legend, "Bunalo' lsVi'
Pan-American Exposition" Thelr pan was "
SECURE the next meeting of the Bund for Buhalo IN
1oo, when the Pan-American Exposition Is TO be
held and they expected some trouble from the iact
that the constitution of the Sangerbund PROVIDES
only for trennial festivals. There was also d
movement 70 separate them by five years which. II
s,,ccessfnl would have interfered with the bulalo
plan .,..,o-
Rut all fears were groundless. The Constitution
was changed TO make future festivals Quadrenhiai
,nstead of triennial, but the amendment VIII not
take effect until 1901 and Buffalo won the game III
which there were competitors. Bufalo also car
ried off the honors at the aftern BON concert Wheh
ITS Orpheus conducted by John Lund. sang In the
festivals of the Eastern Bund the afternoons are
devoted 10 competitions between the dinereht mem
hers of the organization. This "Wettingsen' as II
is called, long ago caused so much trouble III t,e
ORIGINAL union that It was abolished, ana certain
nron,,nent societies are invited, out OF cour-
tesy to give single and separate performances
At the afternoon concert to-day me soc'eie'
chosen for this distinction were tho MILWAUKEE,
yusil Voicen the United Singers OF St Louis ana
the Junger Mknnerchor Of Phadelpha- bul 'he
last had a place the programme OF the receP
tton concert because Of the postponement, ana the
Buffalo Orpheus took its place this AFTERNOON III
order TO permit those Of Its members Whorh uu'!
called home to obey the summons IheIe "eio
many, such not only in this but in other societies
he as numerous rs II was to-nlgh'' u say "e
OF the promises Of the prospectus .
Whom all is over It will be surprising X INC
greatest credit for artistic achievement 10 "''
noted to the reception concert. us hiAeu c"o
~ about twelve hundred voices was an exceIehuy
trained body and had freshness vgor ana lowe
,,ress of tone quality, such Cincinnati mas hot
heard since the climax of the May resuVais III
1880 II Is not particularly gratifying 10 locai puo
20 say that SO fine choir deserved better inuS,o
than was vouchsafed them but local pride mas al
ready been sufficiently fattered by Things WIN"
have been said in defiance OF truth
nv Elsenheimer's cantata was Disappointing IL
iooke variety Il lacks development, 1t lacks as
tinction and, most Of ALL II lacks originality Inc
Monumental introduction put pretty severe Strain
on the good nature Of the students OF "dsHeI'
with his too palpabe imitation OF the prelude 70
"r,e Walkure" to say nothing OF the harmonic
processes during the entire work But prize CUM
nostions and pieces for occasion are Always Gil
titled to the mercy Of the court
Al the third concert this evening the mass
chorus which furnishes the only raison detre lor
festivals OF this character, gave the nrst TASTE o
&c cuaI,tv II was hoped to honor the city ana
tho Jubilee character Of the meeting by giving the
choral feature q wider scope than II ever hao III
the country before. This was all put accoih-
etched Certainly three thousand men sang In
~" oborus and sang with heartness and beauty
thot made all the other features OF the meeting
dwindle into insgnifcance. IT Is the oio s'oI! Vi
tho all-compelng potei y OF numbers Inc par
opce Of voices was not rfect. the BASES largely
outnumbering and outweleh hing the tehors out ~
the simple pieces Of folk-song character, IKE
49, -, tho numbers which followed a festival hymn
Win orchestra, which was all but shipwrecked by
tho inability OF a semi-chorus TO meet us dlhcuI-
ties the effect most imposing.
one hundred and twenty-eight socieues' from
.,, dinerent cities and towns, are represented In
49, oe,cial list and had all come and remained the
chorus would number nearly four thousand singers
rrhev came from Akron, Ohio; Allegheny PENN
Avenue Penn: Belleville H. Birmingham Ala'
Rutalo Chicago, Chattanooga, Chilhco'he' Cn'.In-
~, a,ord Columbus Irvington. KY; Dayton
Ha.- -. 1,Anr East IdyerpOol Ohio: Evans