The daily morning journal and courier., 1900-02-23


 original Steinert orchestra and later 0
 his orlgination of New Haven's gran } symphony orchestra of to-day.
 The book is handsomely published b lG. P. Putnam's Sons of New Yorl and is profusely illustrated with poi
 traits, photographs of various places i
 Europe connected with the author
 life and with pictures of some of hi more famous ancient musical instru
 ments, which are now among Yale
 possessions through his public spirite generosity.
 Credit Is due Mrs. Jane Marlin, wel
 known writer of this city, for her skill
 ful assistance in the arrangement am
 compilation of the book.
 One of the most humorous stories o
 the book of local interest is herewith given in full: @
 My little Dutch-Yankee band were a!
 much interested as ever in the playing and I was equally anxious to have ar orchestra if bad one--in the city
 I worked hard, and finally, by Weeding
 out lot of bad players and substitut. ing others, had good orchestra, an6
 We decided to appear before the public
 under the name of the 'Stenert Or.
 chestra," and I felt very happy wher
 I heard them play Haydn's Symphon- | ies, several overtures, operatic selections and Strauss waltzes As I knew that
 the orchestra could not live without f.
 nancial basic, I made an engagement for them with the officers of the Young Mems Institute" who gave a series of
 lectures each winter in Music Hall, with
 such celebrated speakers as Wendell
 Phillips, Henry Ward Beecher, Anna Dickinson, John B. Cough and many other Well-known orators Mr. Edwin Marble, the president of the association, | engaged Us to play concert program | of our own before the lectures, and l l must say to the credit of the orchestra, | that our music gave general satisfac- ton, and may perhaps be called the cor ner-stone of the New Haven Symphony Orchestra, which now affords so much pleasure to our cultured citizens in a series of concerts given each winter in the Hyperion Theatre.
 Among the musicians there was pe- culiar character, volinist by the name of Fischer. He was bachelor, a coun- tryman of mine, coming from Bavaria where he was originally a blacksmith Without going into details concerning his peculiar characteristics, I shall only say that Peter Fischer celebrated his birthday twice a year, and had good time semi-annually, for he was not temperance man, loving his beer as much as his music, and no one can deny that he loved the latter with his whole heart and soul While Peter always en- joyed his beer, the banner-days of the year were his birthdays, when he would invite his friends-and he had great number of them--and they would as- semble in beer stube in a basement on Church etreet, kept by Moebus. Fischer expected his friends to come early and stay late. He would usually gather his forces together in the morning and open the banquet by ordering beer to be eerv- ed in different sized glasses. With these glasses before him on the table and his friends close at hand, he would form miniature company of soldiers, the officers being represented by the larger glasses, and after giving a few orders the guests would each seize
  back on the table iniits original posi- ton, whereupon Fischer, after several more commands would sweep the glass es to the floor as finale of the military manoeuvre. It was an unfortunate day for the conductor of the ''Steinert Or chestra" when one of Fischers birth dave occurred on the day when the or chestra was engaged to play a concert program before Coughs lecture, and it was still worse for the great conductor that he didn't know it.
 A little before seven I entered Music Hall loaded with music and my violin cello, and, as it was about time for the men to make their appearance and not one of the band came in, grew cold with anxiety, and almost embraced MT. Briggs, the second horn player, when he entered Where are the others?" questioned, whereupon he burst out laughing, and said, Why don't you know that to-day is Fischer's 'Geburt- stag and that the orchestra is down in Moebus' cellar celebrating" It didn't take me long to run over to Moebus', where I found my orchestra in state of great hilarity and mirth, for Fischer had been drilling his soldiers all day. I put my head in the door Fischer rushed at me and in a maudlin | way embraced me, expressing his great | owe for me, offering me wine and beer | n honor of the happy days. While I r would have enjoyed Fischer's hospitali- y upon any other occasion, I was in l despair when I looked around and saw he condition of my little band, and |, their musical state when sober
 naturally felt that the engagement 0 play for the lecture that evening would be connected with great risk. I ssued call upon them, nevertheless, to ollow me to the hall, whereupon they began to laugh and informed me en nasse they would not play; that it was Geburtstag;' that they were invited there by him to celebrate the appy event, and that they would not esert him.
 For a moment I was staggered It vas nearly time for the concert, and ere were my men in semi-intoxca- ed condition, refusing to play, Sud- enly happy thought came to me, and l the most charming manner 1 said, All right, boys, let's have round of ] eer in honor of the event." The beer 1 -as immediately served, and, lifting my , lass, I drank to the health of Peter , fischer, our colleague. While waiting ( ,r another round I said that the glori- i