Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-07-07
Its Marvellous Growth the Last
twenty-five Years.
WEALTHY CITIZENS SHOULD KEEP TUP
Our Orchestras Rank With. the Best
in Europe.
WHATTHEFUTUREMAY SHOW


Re bert Brane, In The Etude
Every patriotic American music lover
must feel thrill Of pride in looking back
at the marvellous growth of music in the
United States within the last quarter of a
century, and in looking forward to the inn
mense development Of the near future IN
our national musical activity when we shall
certainly become one of the great musical
nations, If not the ultimate musical nation.
The rapidity of the musical development
of the United States since the early sixties
is unparalleled in the musical history OF
any nation. At that time the support OF
music of the better class by the people
generally was almost nil. We had no
American orchestras, no permanent opera
few oratorio societies and only occasional
concerts by travelling European artists
Now, a citizen of one of our larger Amer
lean cities has fully as good an opportuni-
ty of hearing the great works OF music as
the citizen of the average European city.
In the larger European cities the govern
ment comes to the rescue with SUBSIDIES
in the case of opera and some other forms
of hgh-art music which, owing to the
high cost of production, cannot be MAIN
tanned by the sale of tickets to the general
public. In the United States the people
are king, and the wealthy classes OF all
our great American cities are coming to
the support of music by way or subscrlo-
era for the building Of music halls, for the
foundation of permanent orchestras, con-
seryatories, colleges of music and other
forms of musical activity.
Foreign Governments Meet Deficit.
Take the case of opera, for instance. In
Paris, Berlin and other European capitals
the government pays whatever deficit ex-
lists at the end of the season of opera. In
New York, grand opera is given at the
Metropolitan Opera House on scale sur
passing in expense that given in either
Paris Berlin. AT certain performances
in the past season it has cost $4,000 to
raise the curtain on a single performance
1t Is the wealthy people of New York who
make the existence Of permanent season
Of opera possible there.
Thirty years ago there was no such thing
as a permanent American orchestra of the
first class. Now we have several entitled
to rank with the very first European or
chestras, and every American city will, in
a short time, have it's Symphony orches-
| ira, just as it has it's public library and its
museum.
The Boston Symphony Orchestra and the
| Theodore Thomas Orchestra of Chicago are
Justly entitled to rank first of our Ameri-
| can orchestras. The first requisite for an
orchestra of the highest rank is that it
shall be a permanent body, the members
of which receive an adequate salary, and
| are not obliged to depend upon outside en-
| gagementS. Constant rehearsals result in
| perfect ensemble, and the body of must
| clans achieves an esprit de corps impossible
| in the case of an orchestra put together
| for a special occasion.
| Wealth to the Rescue.
| In the case OF the Boston Symphony Or
| chestra this was achieved through the
| generosity of Mr.. Henry l.. HigginsOn who
| became its financial SPONSOR and in the
case of the Chicago orchestra, through the
| subscriptions of wealthy citizens.
| The establishment of orchestras is be-
| coming popular all over the country In
| Cincinnati leading citizens subscribed funds
| for the formation of a symphony orchestra
| Frank van der Stucken, the New York
| conductor, engaged, and concerts have
been given semi-monthly during the season
| with great success.
In Pittsburg a similar movement has re-
| suited in the formation of an orchestra
! now under the direction of Victor Herbert
| Regular concerts are given at Carnegie
| Hall, in Pittsburg.
! Although not yet on permanent basis
| most of the larger American cities, suct
as Philadelphia (Which has two organZa
uons), St. Louis, Baltimore, Cleveland, In
dianapois, Kansas City and San Francisco
have orcheStras which give concerts o.
| high-class music from time to time, an(
| which, with the advancing years, will NJ
doubt be made permanent in character.
| One of the most encouraging features O
| the orchestral situation is the constantly
| increasing number of performers in ou
| best orchestras who are of American brit
| and education.
Festival Idea in England.
AS in England, where 1t has been tn
| means of a wonderful dissemination o
musical culture. the festival idea is grow
ing rapidly in this country, and the mum
Der of cities which look forward to annua
! or biennial musical festivals consisting o
choral and orchestral works of the highes
character, is rapidly increasing. Amoni
| the cities which have regular musical fes
| rivals aye Cincinnati, Indianapolis, Pitts
burg, Springfield, Mass, and Worcester
) Mass. The Cincinnati festivals have beel
| held biennially for over twenty years, un
der the direction of Theodore Thomas. TIL
chorus is a body of over 800 singers, whicl
| practices on the works to be given for tw
years. Eminent soloists. some of then
specially engaged to come from Europe TO
5 the festival, engaged, and the Thoma
Orchestra furnishes the orchestral porto
I OF the programs. Almost every great chora
and orchestral work known to music ha
r been given one or more times at theS
festivals The festivals in the other cite
I are similar in character, but on a smaiie
t scale
The society which gives the Worceste
t | festival dates from 1896, when the organi
| cation was known as the Worcester Han
monte Society. The festivals have bee
| given annually since 1871, with a choru
| of 500 voices, and with eminent soloists
The present director is Mr.. George W
| Chadwick of Boston The mastering of
| chorus of 800 voices in Il city of 1850
l | population is certainly a remarkable show
| ing for Worcester
: Constantly Growing Interest.
The interest in choral music in this cour
: | try is constantly growing. There is hardl
| city in the United States Of $4,000 popu
I lation or more but what has It's chors
$ | society, as well as a male singing society
| 1t is doubtful whether a single year passe
I in the United States but what every chors
= | work known to music is given by some on
r | of the legion of musical societies through
., | out the country
The building of great halls suitable fc
| giving concerts of the highest class in se'
= | eral of our larger cities has been gres
: | incentive to the cause of music. The Cal
negie Music Halls, one in New York cit
c and the other in Pittsburg, built throug
= | the generous cooperation of Mr.. Andre
u Carnegie, who subscribed for most of tt
: stock to build them; the Cincinnati Mus
:, Hall, built through a bequest of Mr.. Rev
, | ben r. Springer; the Auditorium in Chico
go, and the new Music Hall in Bosto
| soon ~ he h{,tIt are halls which will con