The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1901-03-10

Amateur musicians have soberly listened
to several very learned recital lectures ant
attended the Choral-Symphony concert or
Thursday night. where a diff1dent young
man sang most beautifully popular music
adapted to the barytone voice. And they
enjoyed rather more than usual the Morn.
ing Choral Clubs lecture on "Isolde and
Tristan" which was illustrated with piano
solo bits. AT the Music Hall they saw an
| opera that demands more histrionic ability
than singing capacity and they ransacked
the music shops downtown for solos they
couldn't find because there Is SO very little
detached music in the score.
Just now the next purely amateur thing
on tapis is that April concert of the St.
Louis Amateur Orchestra. most probably
to be given in the Union Club. After that
there are whispers that an enterprising per-
son has plans to make a union of the vari-
Gus amateur orchestras in the city, which.
In conjunction with amateur choruses and
~soloists. he intends to present at a single
concert in the Odeon. But, there Is nothing
besides the plan yet.
Should this plan really come to something
the promoter will certainly have no diff
Guilty in finding plenty of good instrumental
and vocal %solOists. AS his violinist he
might choose, among others. a tall young
man, who lives on Cleveland avenue. named
Witter. He has the artistic tenn
permanent. 1t Is in the atmosphere In his
home. That is why his brother, Edgar, Is
winning approval in New York for his abil-
ity to paint.
Near Writer'S home. over on Russell ave-
$40 lfx,ay Mise Mario nronckol tr-tn has
such an unusual mezzo-soprano voice that
she has been urged to use it upon the
stage; but she seems to have q distaste for
that sort of thing, and she uses her voice
for the pleasure of her friends. Singing is a
family trait. Her brother Frederick has
n thin. but pure. tenor voice. and her sis
ter, Miss Minna Duneckel. sings soprano.
On summer nights, when they can pick UP
a convenient bass, they go out boating and
edify their friends with sweet quartet
songs.
Miss Bertha Buddecke of South Ninth
street is in mourning for her father. She is
much missed / nthe various clubs in which
she was active. Several winters ago she
led a girls chorus and a glee club at the
North and South Side Self Culture clubs.
Near Missouri avenue, on Park. there is
q home where there are two brothers who
are exceptionally clever amateurs. Alfred
Fatham plays the piano. flute ard violin
and Jesse Fathman sings frequently at
amateur entertainments.
H. N. Popping, the man who plays the
bassoon in the st. Louis Amateur Or
chestra, is descended from a st. Louis fam
lily that has always thought as much Of its
music as most people do Of their jewelry.
Mr.. Popping Is a young man, but he is an
able musician. Amateurs will tell you when
you mention Poeppipg's name that his is a
family noted for playing the oldest instru-
ments in town. They always managed to
cultivate instruments that no one else ever
thought about. They lived down In Caron-
delet and were connected by marriage with
the family Of Judge Wilson Primm. Every
Sunday night there was a musical at either
the Popping residence or the Primm resi-
dence. They had a family orchestra in
which there were only two outsiders, inc
It included three first violins. two seconds.
one viola, cello. double bass. flute, clari-
net, oboe, French horn. bassoon. trombone
and piano. This orchestra has now dwindled
down to the Amateur Orchestra bassoonist