New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-11-12

atrtcal matters. Here the stage had fourished TOT
half a century at least before II was even per-
mitted 10 exist in Boston II would be strahse'
indeed therefore. II 1t should be found that ihsIu
mental music was in higher favor and more en-
Enthusiastically cultivated in the New England cap
ital at the beginning OF the nineteenth century
than In New-York. New-York has never peeh
without performances of English opera from 400
I'M now and operate performances presuppose
hand of some kind. Doubtless the thea'il0ai
bands OF the last century and the hrst dechoes oi
this were sorry affairs. but they gave employment
to professional musicians, and thus advanced lhe
day when orchestral concerts were possible MT
Elson pays no attention TO this, but begins MS
record with one Of the organizations, parity pro-
fessional and partly amateur, which played SO I'M
portant a part in both cities century ago l"
his contribution 10 the Memorial History oil Dos
ton the late John S. Dwight discovered German
musician named Gottlieb Graupner TO have oeeh
the fountainhead of classical music In Boston.
Craunner WAS an extremely interesting and versa
tile character, among his other claims 10 reho"H
being that he also pioneer OF negro inHi-
strelsy on the dramatic stage. though OF that iac'
Mr. Dwight was probably ignorant MT Elsoh nav =
ing undertaken no original research, Graupner IL
olso HE nioneer Recounting his adventures from
the time that he left the Hanoverian regiment
in which he had been oboeist till the beginning
OF the activities which made him the father OF
| the American orchestra as Mr.. Elson calls hlih
our author says:
In 1885 the wanderings ended. and our musician =
settled In Boston where there were then apout nan
| dozen professional musicians. ne very SUM
drew these and few amateurs in working
| order beginning with about ten neInpSIs .trhu'
! harmonic and at once combined with the choral
| performances Of the town
The Implication here is that Boston had an or
cbestra very soon after 1898. Mr. Dwight does
not warrant any such statement HIS WORDS III
dictate rather Boston had no organization that
| could properly be called an orchesua u'''i i
Here his words:
From London he came to Prince Edward Isl
and; then spent some time In Charleston s Go
Wtb ne few associates he formed the nucleus Of
| the first meagre combination WhlGh couiu oe
Go 1,r hovhood seeing him lead the little orchestra
| in the old Federal Street Theatre with his double
musicians there was not half score in town but
Nj Graupner and his little knot OF musical iriends
in mos so which was still in existence when tbs
Handel and Haydn Society Vas f9 saie1dav
ings when in their small way, they practlsec
Haydns symphonies
Plainly the instrumental situation In Boston II
1910. or from 1910 to 1916. when the Handel ant
Haydn Society organized, was that described
in Mr.. Dwghts last lines Now ignoring 'h'
theatrical orchestras OF New-York in the las
century OF which know little or nothing w
have evidence OF the organization here OF 81
Cecilia Society TO cultivate instrumental music
17sl Moreover the Euterpean amateur or
chestra which was still In existence several year
: after the New-York Philharmonic Society. wa
, founded In 1872 dated back into the last century
for It gave its forty-eighth anniversary concert Il
! 1SH.
e So much for the early amateur and mixed or
ganizations; let us add a note on the professional
This phase OF musical activity. Mr. Elson believes
Y had its origin In the Germania orchestral bod
0 OF German musicians who came 10 New-York froT
, Berlin and made Boston their headquarters ate
d they had given number Of concerts In New-Yor
i and Philadelphia and these being financially ur
u successful had accepted help from the New-Yor
= Philha rmonic Society. Mr.. Elson treats the Ge
mania Boston organization, and so 1t wa
after IT had disbanded and been reorganized bt
& there was no want OF appreciation OF It's meri
e among the music lovers OF New-York, though i
: concerts were not profitable. Boston gave Il
d excellent band a hearty welcome. but Boston ha
4 less 70 offer It's people In the way OF amusemel
g than New-York. In 1%S. when the German
o came the Philharmonic Society gave four col
l., certs and admitted its associate members 10 all
its rehearsals The Germania had twenty-thr
> members and the Philharmonic between fifty al
l. sixty II is very likely that the Germania WI
= composed OF musicians OF higher order in Il
70 avera9e than the Philharmonic. but In the ranl
l. OF the local band there were many admirable m
!, s,ciaus men like Bristow. Dodworth Hi. OFT
10 Wooif Nather of the critic OF THE Boston he
Il aia'o Boucher (son brother OF the "Bonche
It of whom Mr. Elson tells in connection with
10 foolish story about the authorship OF the Ma
ssiilsse). Milon. Loder Rein, Etienne and Timi
:. II 10 impossible now 10 institute comparison
d. the two orchestras, but II there IL any evidence
u the seal Of the musicians and the taste OF the pu
l. lie In the two cities in a comparison OF the pr
Of grammss offered by the Germania and Philha
IL monte respectively. he would be a sorry historii
no who would give the palm to Boston at tho tin
u under discussion. When the Germania Orchest
IN went TO Boston the Philharmonic Society had q
~ ready played all Of Beethoven's symphonies lew
no the ninth with solo voices and chorus) except q
N nrst and fourth besides the three OF Morarts nc
cl- the active list. two Of spohr's OF Haydr
II and OF Mendelssohns. Beethoven's Nth a
ne seventh had been played three times the seco
lor and third twice and the sixth eighth and min
he once each. The 0ermania arranged popular q,