The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-12-01
II. THOMAS, MUSICIAN
STORY OF THE FATHER OF MUSIC
IN AMERICA"
He IL One of Those Isolated Men That
Follow Unswervingly Their
Plan for Their Career.


Theodore Thomas. conductor of the Chi
cago Orchestra, whose series Of concerts
in this city this season will begin Dec. 16,
at Tomlinson Hall. has had a more impor
tant part than any other man in the prog
ress Of music in this country. Though he
was born in Hanover. he came TO the
United States with his family when he was
only ten years old. He was sixty-six years
old on the 11th of last October. His father
had taught him as a child 20 play the
violin and his musical education was con-
tinued in New York. Before he was twenty
one years old he was a solo violinist and
first vioiinist in orchestral. operate and
chamber concerts. He was a member of
concert company led by Jenny Lind, and
later was director Of orchestras attached
to operate companies. For long term Of
years he was in a quartet with William
Mason. whose Memories OF a Musical Life"
recently have been published.
Thomas is very apparently one of those
peculiar men that early in life lay out
their plan of action definitely and follow it
unswervingly, putting aside all emotional
doubts, determined TO realize their ambi-
ton against any odds. His personality IL
so conspicuously dominating that the or
chestras that he has directed during nearly
forty years have been known as Thomas"
orchestras. The first of these organiza-
tons was formed in 1854 and its concerts
were called Symphony Soirees." Mr..
Thomas imbued his players with his pur-
posefulness and gave them new ambition.
| The project was unsuccessful in the money
! sense, but in the summer of 1866 the con-
| certs were continued at Terrace Garden
| first and then in Central Park. Meeting
| with more encouragement the orchestra
played at Steinway Hall in the winter Al
! that time many young Germans that had
| been thoroughly educated at home were
! coming to New York, and the Thomas or
| chestra took in a large number Of them.
They were fine material for the conductor
| TO work with. Several tours were under
taken with varying financial losses 1t
was hard to get public support Tor the
| enterprise and when, in 1878. the Cincinnati
| College Of Music offered Mr.. Thomas $4,000
year to take charge of it, he accepted.
|
| He has been directing the biennial music
| festivals at Cincinnati since 1872. besides
| his other work, and this he does to this
| day, but he remained director of the music
| college of that city only two years. From
1879 until 1891 he was conductor Of the
| New York and Brooklyn Philharmonic
| Orchestra 1t was in 1891 that he took
| charge of the Chicago Orchestra. The
American Opera Company will live long
| in American musical history. even though
it was a disastrous failure. 1t was the ma
! terialized dream of Mrs. Thurber. OF New
| York, and Mr.. Thomas had the honor
| of being the conductor of the brilliant
| series of performances that began In 1889
| and closed in 1887.
When Mr.. Thomas began his campaign
| in tba limited States his pOiiCV was TO lead
| the public slowly to an appreciation of the
| best i'm musical literature. His first or
chestra. programmes contained many nght
| compositions. He was always forging
| ahead and he introduced Wagner's work
| here al the same time II was being pre-
| scented more deliberately in Germany. He
| has recognized Beethoven as the master
| musician. but has believed that 1t requires
no so-called education of the layman
| before he can appreciate the beauty OF the
| Beethoven symphonies. AS Mr.. Thomas
| has grown older his dignity has heightened
| both in the manner of his conducting ano
| his conception of compositions. He has
! never strayed into the sentimentalism that
| has Victimized so many musicians. NO
| thing could be farther from his mind than
| sensatiOnalism and this fact impresses the
| patrons Of the Chicago orchestra as they
| watch it's conductor direct its playing.
The Chicago Orchestra, under Mr.. Thorn
as is acknowledge to have no superlors
| and few equals. 1t is supported by ar
| association OF business men whose reward
| is in the prestige of the orchestra and
it's excellence. When it Is not occupied III
| Chicago it makes visits TO larger cities OIL
| the middle West and in these tours Indian
apolis has been included for several years
x
William Mason in his Memories ha!
this to say of his old friend, Theodore
Thomas:
'"Thomas's fame as conductor has en-
tirely overshadowed his earlier reputation
as a viOlinist. He had a large tone, tn
tone of a player of the highest rank: HI
lacked the perfect finish OF great violin
| list but he played in a large, quiet, re
| poseful manner. This seemed TO pass from
his violin-playing TO his conducting II
which there is the same sense of largenes
! and dignity accompanied, however, will
| the artistic finish which he lacked as
| violinist. He is a very great conductor
the greatest we have ever had here, no
only in the Beethoven symphonies an'
| other classical music. but in List Wag
ner and the extreme moderns. Why SHOULD
he not conduct Wagner as well as any
body else, or better? Everything is larg
! about Wagner, and everything is larG
about Thomas. His rates of tempo ar
in accord with those of the most celebrated
| conductors whom / heard fifty years ago
In modern times the tendency has beer
toward increased rate of speed, and thi
| detractS in large measure from the impress
siveness of the works, especially those o
Mozart, Beethoven. Won Weber and others
That Thomas had entire confidence il
! himself was shown at the outset OK nj
| career. One evening, as he came home
| had settled himself in a comfortable plac
for a good rest, message came TO hin
from the Academy of Music, about tw
| blocks away from his home on EaS
Twelfth street. An opera season was II
progress there, and, what was not unusual
| the management was in financial Difficult
! ties AnshutZ who conductor of tn
orchestra, had refused to take the desl
unless paid what was due him. The or
| chestra was in it's place, the audience Wa
seated. but there was no conductor. Would
Thomas come to the rescue? He had neve
! conducted opera, and the work for tn
| evenings performance was an opera witt
! which he was unfamiliar. Here was
life's opportunity. and Thomas was equa
to the occasion. He thought for moment
| then said will He arose quickly, go
| himself into n dress suit, hurried to tn
Academy of Music and conducted the operi
| as il il were a common experience. II
was not a man to say: Give me time un
til next week He was always ready 70
every opportunity"