The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-07-21

They Were thick as leaves on the trees
at the West hotel, but they blazed well
defined trail along the streets even to
Minnehaha Falls and the lake district.
White caps, provided they are Of the
right pattern, represent Swedish singers
| to-day and for the rest of the week.
| There are about 600 in the city.
| The occasion that brings the singers to
Minneapolis Is the fifth biennial music
| festival of the American Union Of Swe-
| dish singers. The visitors call 1t a SAN
garfest. All sangerfests are memorable
| any that the union has held previously.
Veterans who were members Of the old
| United Scandinavian singers and who
| later assisted in organizing the present
union, are here. The famous soloists,
| Fru Anna Hellstrom, prima donna So
prano Of the Royal Swedish opera, Hr.
| John Forsell, primo barytone of the Royal
Swedish opera, and Miss Martina John
stone, the American violiniste, are here.
About twenty-five singing societies from
| the great middle west, giving a grand
| male chorus Of nearly 600 voices, are here
and everything Is well.
Welcomed to Minneapolis.
The first event of the sangarfest aside
| from the informal reception Of the incom-
1 ing societies was the welcome by the
mayor Of the city at the West hotel at
2 o'clock this afternoon. The mayor in
| his own inimitable style extended the
hospitality of the city to the singers and
| their friends and babe them remain as
long as possible and take all that life had
| to offer. aE
The mayor said:
| Fellow Citizens and Members of the
| American Union of Swedish Singers: On
behalf of the queen city of the north star
state, and especially on behalf of the many
thousands of your fellow countrymen and
| kinsfolk who have made their homes here
and are contributing SO largely to the
upbuilding of our fair city, bid you a
most hearty welcome. In ancient times
an invading host captured the city of it's
choice by the strong arm and the cruel
weapons of war, only to pillage and de-
strOy; but you have made us captives by
your mere presence, only to enrapture our
| souls by the sweetness and melody of
| your songs.
yours is indeed most glorious mis-
sion. Music is indeed the sunshine -
! the heart and from no country in lie
| world has this peculiar radiance gone
| forth to the world powerfully and
beautifully than from far-away Sweden
| Again do I bid you the hospitality of our
| city and hearts and homes of our people,
and wish you a joyous sojourn and a
| God-speed when you return
The singers formed into line for their
| parade. Each society formed a company
marching with colors and banners Cap
/ tain G. c. Bennett of Battery B acted as
marshal. The line of march began at the
Fifth street side Of the West hotel from
| there to First avenue north, thence to
| Sixth street, thence to Hennepin avenue,
thence to Seventh street, thence to Nico1-
| let and down Nicollet avenue crossing the
river to the Exposition building.
! There the singers settled down to the
serious business Of the first rehearsal of
| md OH ,InrS 10 Ne c,,,, OF
the concerts at the Exposition auditorium
| Wednesday and Thursday evenings.
! The program for the day ends with a
''sexa," which originally was a banquet
of only six courses, but has later been
applied to any informal banquet or smoke
social" 1t has some of the features of
the German students "kommers,'' and is
given up largely to singing and speaking
An Avalanche Of Singers.
The West hotel lobby was the scene of
great animation from early morning until
the parade left. Before Z o'clock the Du-
luth delegation arrived. 1t consisted Of
the members of the Svea Glee club Of Du-
luth and West Superior and the Orpheus
Singing society of Duluth, who with some
| friends occupied two special coaches on
the Great Northern train. The head Of
! the lake contributes thirty five voices to
the grand chorus.
Later on the lobby filled with white
caps as the singers who arrived in the
might made their appearance after a good
lrest.
The arrivals last evening numbered
nearly 1000, comprising the ladies and
associate members who accompanied the
/ singers The Milwaukee sangerfest spe-
cial train from Chicago pulled into the
station about $3.50 p. 1t was a double
header of sixteen coaches and containing
800 passengers, Of whom about 200 were
singers They were met by the members
! of the Orpheus and Singing club and the
4 Swedish Glee club of this city and es-
corted to the West hotel. On account of
the late hour, no formalities were at
tempted last evening.
L, In the Chicago party were the famous
Swedish Glee club Of eighteen membmers
led by John r. Ortengren, who is also the
musical director for the union, and the
no less famous Svithiod Singing club led
by John L. Swenson with twenty singers.
Bernhard Anderson, the president of the
glee club, is in Europe at present and will
miss fine Reunion, but Fred r. Franson,
president Of the Svithiods for eight years,
is on hand with nearly 200 pounds of en-
. thusiasm.
The other Chicago societies to arrive
were Lyran and Norden, led by William
! Dahlen; Orphei, Harmony and Iduna Sing
ing societies, all led by Joel Mossberg and
: the Frithjof and Nordstjernan Singing
societies led by Ernst Lindblom. Among
the we'll known faces with the party were
those Of Magnus Olson, the first presiden,
of the union Gustaf Hallbom, a promin-
ent member for many years, Gustaf Sven
: son. who tho no singer, has been a, pillar
of the Swedish Glee club and it's treasur-
! Continued on Sixth Page.
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