Evening star., 1903-07-11
BY A LARGE MAJORITY
VOTE OF CHORAL SOCIETY AS TO
SUNDAY CONCERTS.
Both Active and Sustaining Members
Support the Board-No De-
cision Reached.

The regular meeting OF the board Of man.
ayers Of the Choral Society was held on
Thursday evening at the residence OF the
president Of the society, Mr.. William B.
King.
The principal business before the board
was the difficult question as to the holding
Of concerts for the coming season. The
secretary Mr.. Edwin A. Hill. had COM
piled table Of the expressions Of opinion
from the members Of the society In rela-
ton to holding concerts on Sunday. The
total votes cast was 437 active and sustain
ing members. OF these 1t was found that
| about four-f1fths Of the active members
voting, comprising nearly all the strength
! of the society during last year. had pro-
ncunced themselves as favorable to the
plan of giving oratoria on Sunday. and
expressed their desire to take part in the
rehearsals and concerts for the coming
year. the rehearsalS to be held as usual
on Monday evening and the concerts to be
given on Sunday evening. This will take
the singers away from choir attendance
for only three Sundays during the year.
Showing Unexpectedly Large.
The showing was unexpectedly large
and was gratifying evidence to the board
Oh managers VI lHc tCiy 6AOoe AAieSA S's
shown by the active members Of the so
ciety in the valuable work In which they
have been engaged.
Among the sustaining members or an
nuaI subscribers the vote was not so large
ly favorable to Sunday. A number of we'll
known clergymen Of this city. who have
for years attended the society's concerts.
announce their opposition to Sunday pre-
sentations of sacred oratorio, although the
clerical element in the membership Is by
no means unanimous on the subject. The
vote of the sustaining membership was
somewhat over two-thirds in favor of the
concerts being given on Sunday, and some
what less than one-third opposed. The
board of managers in the discussion or
this subject generally express the opinion
that ample financial support would be in
sured to the concerts.
There Is general unwfll1ngness to un-
dertake Sunday performances unless 1t Is
very clearly shown that In no other
method could the work Of the society in
it's chosen field of choral composition in
the larger forms be continued The feel
ing of the board was that this course
would necessarily ALLEVIATE a number OF the
society's very best friends and old sup
porters, and that nothing should be done
which would accomplish this result. If in
any possible way 1t could be avoided.
The suggestion. made in The Star Of last
Saturday. and from many other sources,
was then taken up. that an opportunity
should be given the authorities OF the Con-
gregational Church. as representing to
some degree the Sabbatarian sentiment Of
the people of the city. to permit the con-
tinuance of the work Of the Choral Society
by the use of their auditorium. II the Com
missioners of the District. on their part.
would be willing to state that the use of
the auditorium for this purpose without
profit. but with payment of the actual ex-
penses would not subject the church to
taxation. Accordingly the executive COM
l,n.t kA1 % o..
authorities of the Congregational Church
and to ascertain from them II they would
be willing to grant the use Of the church
for the society's concerts II the Commis
sioners would cOncede their right without
taxation. A further meeting of the board
Of managers was ordered In two weeks. as
1t Is extremely important that the Ques-
ton should be settled and the society's ar
rangements made for the coming year.
Cooperation Of Orchestra.
The President also reported to the society
a full account Of interviews which he had
with Mr.. Reginald DeKoven. director Of
the Washington Symphony Orchestra,
with the view to securing. II the concerts
are given on Sunday. the cooperation Of
these two organizations. No organic union
of the two bodies is in contemplation, as
that would be impossible. but both Mr.
Kaspar. the conductor of the Choral So
ciety, and Mr.. DeKoven. the director of the
orchestra. feel that a very hearty co-opera-
ton between the two bodies should be ef-
fected.
The particular lines on which such co-ope-
ration might be assured were very fully dis
cussed by Mr.. King and Mr.. DeKoven, but
positive action in relation to the subject
had to be postponed until the Sunday ques-
ton is definitely settled. II the Congrega-
tional Church should be opened to the So
ciety. then they would be obliged to give
their concerts without the orchestra.
number of additional letters have been
received from numerous supporters of the
society. giving their views both for and
against Sunday concerts. The matter now
| rests with an opportunity afforded to the
church people who are opposed to- Sunday
concerts to make the way clear for the con-
tinuance of the Choral Society's work on
week nights as in the past. The officers
of the society feel that when they have ex-
hausted all efforts to carry on their work
without using Sunday evening for the pur-
pose. those who are interested in the prog
ress of the city in sacred music WILL to a
large extent. say that the work Of the So
ciety should be continued on Sunday even
ings rather than wholly abandoned or taken
up In a less important field than heretofore
occupied.