New-York tribune., 1902-07-13
EARLY MEMBERS OF THE PHILHARMONIC SOCIETY," TO WHICH Msl
PHILHARMONIC VETERANS.

oPED ORCHESTRAL MUSIC IN
NEw-YoRK-THE FIRST
PROGRAMME.
among sevessi extremely interesting relics OF
New-York's musical past preserved by Mr. Kari
KIsuser. OF Pennington, Conn, is Photographic
reproduction of a daguerreotype of an old board OF
officers of the Philharmonic Society. The picture is
undated and only a study of the records OF the
society and Identification Of the portraits can en-
able approximately TO fix its date. Mr. klauser'
himself an old New-York musician. was unable to
name all the men. and il became necessary to go
20 a contemporary of the men TO have the labels
properly affixed. Fortunately, such man was
found in Mr. Henry Schmitz. the Oldest living men,
ber Of the Philharmonic Society and Tor nineteen
years it's treasurer. With his help the picture was
identified that of the board of officers of the
society during its seventeenth season QS5S- 3d.
When It was taken Mr.. Schmitz was already
a veteran in the Philharmonic ranks Born IN
Minister, westphalia. in 1928. he came to New
York in 1886 and after playing brief season IN
the Boston Theatre. elected member of the
Philharmonic in 1S47 Mr. Schmitz is horn play
er. and sat at his desk in the band until he was
elected treasurer in 1888 None of his colleagues
Of ffty-fve years ago in the society to-day and
those who are alive he could probably count on
the fingers Of one hand. Probably his oldest as
sociafe IS Mr.. Frederick Bergner, who was retired
last year. after fifty years Of continuous service
Mr.. schnlitz entered the official council Of the
society in 1852. and served director until 1870
After an interim of thirteen years he re-entered
as treasurer and has filled that post ever since,
having for a colleague during ali this long period
Mr.. August Roebbelen as secretary. Mr. Roebbe-
len declined a reelection last April, but Mr..
Schrnitz was continued in Office
The sight OF the old picture puts one in rerni-
niscent mood. All the men delineated upon It.
with the possible exception Of one OF whom can
not speak with defniteness. are dead Their
names, reading from left TO right. follows:
Top row, J. Noll, Theodore Eisfeld, c. Brannes.
George F. Bristow; bottom row, L. Spier. H C.
Tium and d. Walker. OF the men who bore the
best known Of these names shall have more to
say presently; word or two about the lesser
lights. Noll long years the leader of the
Eiolins in the band. the Concertmeister. as the
Germans say. He was admirable enough in his
art TO play Yieuxtemps's second concerto at the
frst concert of the society's nineteenth season.
Branres was a first class horn player, and also
q VioLoncellist. Many years ago he returned to
his native Germany. and when last heard from
was living in Hanover. He was member Of tho
board OF directors from the thirteenth TO the
twenty-third season, inclusive. L. Spier was sec
retary Of the society thirteen years in all, retir
ing in 1851 Walker IVES a music dealer in the
later years Of his lie. but was OF the found
Of the Philharmonic and sat at his desk among
the Viooncellos at the rst concert in 1872. He be-
came treasurer in the fifth season, and served in
that Office five years In 1861 5S he vice-pres-
dent, and in 1857 reelected treasurer serving
four years and then disappearing from the So
cety's councils.
Now come the more familiar names all but one
OF which reserve for discussion in connection with
the offices which they filed. The exception is
George F. Bristow, who remained a familiar fig
in the musical circles of New-York until
comparatively short time ago. Mr.. Bristow, long
superintendent of music in the citys public schools
became a member OF the Philharmonic Society at
the beginning of its second season. in Is43 He
of the few native Americans belonging TO
the Philharmonic in it's infancy and from an early
day stouily insisted upon the duty which the
ciety had pledged itself 10 perform toward native
composers. Seconded by William Henry Fry. him
self a composer and musical editor of The Trib-
une Brstow led a nativstic movement against
the majority of the societys members which
seemed to smack a good deal OF Knownothingism.
Yet he had the lions share of all the attention
given TO American composers by the Phil
harmonic. At the second concert Of the fifth
son he conducted a concert overture of his COM
position; at the third concert of the fourteenth
son his Julien" symphony performed; the
fourth Of the seventeenth season his SYM
phony in sharp minor; at the first concert of the
twenty-hfth season. his overture Columbus; at
the fourth concert of the thirty-second, his "Ar-
cadian" symphony IN E mno-. He member
OF the board Of directors In the twelfth, seven
teenth and eighteenth seasons, and vice-presdent
in the twenty-hfth, when he also filed out the
unexpired term of William Scharfenberg who
eigned the presidency
During the first half century of its existence
active members Of the society were its presi-
dents, and the executive ofice was held in success
siou by three of the most energetic and useful of
its founders-U. c. Hill. who served during the
first six years; H. c. Timm, who served uninter-
ruptedly for the next fourteen and William Schar-
fenberg who served the concluding five of the period
mentioned. The first Of these men was the real
soul OF the movement which resulted in the organ
ization OF the society sixty years ago, though he
did not occupy the chair at the meeting of
sicans which had that purpose in view. For that
honor man was selected who never was identified
with the fortunes Of the society. It seems likely
that he put forward a hgurehead or TO
avoid 5ealouses He was eccentric Bohemian
named A. p. Heinrich. whose career bafled nearly
all my efforts Of research ten years ago. when
the occasion Of the 1ftieth anniversary Of the
ciety published its history. long time afterward
j found his name cited among the musicians Of
the Czech school, by Of the fact that he had
deposited large number of original scores in the
National Library at Prague, and still later, while
asserting the posthumous papers OF Alexander w.
Thayer. found letter to that eminent Beethoven
biographer written in Vienna. chiefly occupied with
a setting forth OF the writer's claim to distinction
American composer. His musical compo-
sitions must be curiosities. Among them have
seen mentioned overture entitled 1.-The Condor
of the Andes "a high flying title. surely. and
other overture. "Rectro Retro" composed
that IL might be played forward or backward at
will, Concerning that overture the privi-
1ege OF harboring a reasonable doubt Crab canons
are one thing; crab overtures something vastly DIFF
<erent
Hill was a Connecticut Yankee who studied the
violin with Spohr became the leading violin teach
er OF New-York organized and conducted any
number OF amateur societies, remained in the
ranks of the society which he had done more than
anybody else cali into existence until 1873 Oar
ring years in which he sought his fortune in
the west-I found traces of him in Cincinnati
leng ago)-and at seventy years OF age stricken
from the list Of playing members because of old
.zr