New-York tribune., 1902-12-15
4 PHILH4RMONIC FUND.
4ndre7c Carnegie Heads .SubScrp0-
fiOn List.
tiOn List.
PLANS TO ADVANCE THE SOCIETY.

After the first concert Of the Philharmonic
Society had been given this year, the subscrip-
tion list reopened for the accommodation
of the lovers Of orchestral music in NeW-1ork'
the concert having demonstrated that new
spirit had been infused into the performances OF
the organization by the conductor Mr.
Walter Damrosch The enthusiasm of its pa
irons was chilled tritie because Of the dis
appointment given by the solo performer at the
second concert, but within the last fortnight
subscriptions have been received for twenty-five
boxes for the remainder of the season. This re
suit is due a movement which is on foot 10
advance the artistic standard of the socIety's
performances, and insure to il the permanency
which shall lift it above the sway of the vicissl-
tudes which always hand to threaten
the existence Of organizations wholly dependent
upon public support. Some of its old friends
have been holding conferences of late, and there
will be a meeting of a large number Of old sub
scribers at the house of Mrs. George Sheldon
next Saturday.
But there has been something better than
talk. a project has been formulated. which will
be presented to a meeting OF the directors of
the society within a few days, which points di-
directly toward such a change in the artistic ad-
ministration of the society's affairs Will raise
the performances to a higher level, and shield it
from the shifting winds of fad and fashion. The
outlines of the plan so far as it has been pos
sible to learn them. are: An annual subvention
fund of generous proportions is to be established
for four years and its administration placed
in the hands of trustees. who shall represent the
business and artistic interests of the society,
and also its benefactors and patrons. How large
this fund is TO be has not been divulged, but
the subscription has been headed most hand
somely by Mr. Andrew Carnegie, and it IS pur-
posed, also, to meet Mr.. Carnegie's well known
principle of benefaction. that the members of
the society shall be enrolled among the
tributors to the extent of a percentage Of their
annual earnings. OF their Willingness to make
such a subscription there can scarcely be
doubt 1t IS a mistaken notion that sordid mo-
tives only prevail among the members of the
society. There many of them to whom the
work compelled by their membership has been
a sacrifice in every respect, even in the heyday
Of the societys success These members lose
more money through attendance on the re-
hearsals and concerts of the society than they
gain from the annual dividends; but if there
has been any loss of interest in the society and
its mission on this account. memory which
compasses the ups and downs of the organiza-
tion for d score of years does not recall the fact
The men have made much So for each
public meeting of the season; they have also
played for as little as SIS for the whole season
within the memory of present subscribers. High
water mark was reached in the ffty-fourth sea-
son, when the performing members received
S264 each for the twelve public rehearsals and
concerts. 1t was the fourth season under the
musical archonship of Mr.. Seidl, who was at the
height of his popularity. For two seasons
more the prosperity continued, though the con-
certs had been increased from six 10 eight, but
with his death there came q falling off In the
four years Of Mr.. Paur's conductorship the divi-
dends fell from SIG % (S24 the preceding
payment to So 30. Notwithstanding this dis
Couraging tendency the members continued to
put forth greater and greater efforts TO meet
the wishes Of their conductor. For this reason
it is safe to assume that the new plan of asking
them to contribute a percentage Of their earn
ings TO the betterment of the concerts and the
assurance Of their permanency will meet with
their hearty approval.
It is purposed that the annual fund shall be
expended upon the improvement Of the concerts
What this all patrons of the Philhar-
monic Society have had occasion to learn this
season. They have found that weak features
in the band have been strengthened and have
come 10 a new appreciation of the sterling ex-
cellence of the strings with their unexampled
puissance. There are improvements stlu TO De
made. Nothing in the constitution or bylaws
of the society is in the way of them They re-
oIIire money, but not anything like the sum that
symphony Orchestra. Mr.. Thomas's band has
cost its guarantors something like S390OOO in
the last eleven years. Nevertheless the public
spirit of Chicago's wealthy men has been such
that they do not seem for a moment to nave
harbored the notion of abandoning their enter
prise Under the Philharmonics system frac-
ton Of the yearly average represented by thls
sum would not only effect the needed improve
nnent in the personnel Of the orchestra, but ex-
tend its usefulness nightly. Its mission Is not
exhausted by it's eight concerts and eight puolc
rehearsals per season, despite the welcome visits
of the Boston symphony Orchestra and the null
titude Of popular orchestral concerts which the
season brings ,us. There are other enterprises
which can be brought into dignifed harmony
with the mission that the Philharmonic Society
has pursued for sixty years. From these All
classes of music lovers might beneht-
There are the Peoples concerts, given In
Cooper Union this year with five dltferent pahus
called together for the purpose by five dl1erent
conductors. They might be given by d feor-
ganized Philharmonic The boroughs OF BROOK
lyn and The Bronx ought to have concerts ana
there would be no degradation in series Of
high class popular concerts in the summer sea-
son Here is an ample field of usefulness and
worthy and deserving instrument at hand
Organize these enterprises under the adninls-
+ration of the Philharmonic Society and the
trustees of the fund (Which Is not a
thought theory, a speculation, nope nut
already a fact. and the future or symphonic
music is assured in New-York.
In view of this new and interesting fnforH1a-
ton il seems apropos TO recall an onserNatloh
made hy The Tribune last April, when there
was some talk of raising money to establish
= eo-called permanent orchestra in NeW-1ork-
So far as New-York is concerned, no scheme
ant