New-York tribune., 1905-04-16

Carl Friedrich Fasch. accompanies extraordinary
TO that royal fiautist Frederick the Great. When
it was organized. however the Stoughton
Musical Society. of Stoughton, Mass, which is
still in existence. was a few years ago. was
already five years old. There were only six
amateur singing societies in Germany when the
Handel and Haydn Society of Boston never
more vigorous than now, founded, in 1915
The story of the foundation is an interesting
one. II is thus told in Mr.. Krehbers Notes on
the Cultivation of Choral Music" book now
out of print
IN 1889 there was among Fasch's pupils
MIL Charlotte Dieterch. a stepdaughter of
the PriVy Councillor Milow. She belonged 10
that class of musical amateurs who are the salt
of the artistic earth. Il her custom at
about the date mentioned TO gather d few of
the music lovers from her circle of friends into
iIer home of evening and devote the time to
singing her part songs. Fasch the accom-
panist He grew interested in the eatherinas
and composed music for the jealous band that
grew more and more numerous with every
month. In 1871 the circle. which met Tegu-
lary once a week for study under Fasch. mum
bered twenty persons, among whom were few.
professional singers who looked upon music as
something better than trade In 1872 the
NUMBER mad increased to thirty and Included
, yirtuosi OF the highest rank. The salons of the
PriVy Councillor MiiOw too small for
the meetings. and the choir made bold TO apply
TO the curators of the Royal Academy of Science
and Art for a meeting room in the academy.
The application received the approval of the
curators, and, this fact bringing with it a need
of organization the choir took a name estab-
| lished a system of dues. appointed officers and
the famous Sngakademe entered upon its public
career. In IE3 II numbered ifty-hye members.
In 1874 siXty-fOur (and now friends were admit
ted 70 its perI9rna m nee5l; 4 IN '96 eshty-three
ed the four voices in the following proportions;
| seventy sopranos, 2S contraltos, ~ tenOTs and
/ 70 baSSeS The government of the society was
vested by Fasch in a presiding council of three
men and three women. He himself retained full
| power in the musical administration and 1t
I ion laf tln ariI
chosen. lie gave his services as director gratui-
tously, and not only this. but his labor as COM
poser He even copied the parts for all the
singers and paid his share of the dues, which
were fixed at half a thaler month until the
growth Of the society made this unnecessary.
| When the choir fairly launched Fasch quit
all private instruction and devoted himself al
most exclusively to the new work. He
| posed mOtets and psalms without number. cop
! led and multi plied the parts. not only of these
! but also of the compositions of other masters
and enlisted in wonderful degree the interest
| OF contemporary musicians. 1t is recorded by
| Zelter who. after Fasch's death. succeeded to
the dictatorship of the Singakademie, not with
| out a glow Of pride in the accomplishment of
| his revered teacher that so admirable was the
! administration Of the society's affairs that by
| slight increase in the dues in the fall OF
| It9b II became possible to provide carriages
| for the lady members through the winter
months. that inclement weather did not
| prevent the gathering of he full choir
The Sngakadenie nov numbers three hun
/ Gred singers, under the direction of the
poser George Schumann. II is perhaps the
/ finest choir in existence. But how Bach would
/ stare could he see such a body of singers and
| hear them in the dramatic choruses of his Pas
sions The choir which he commanded was lu-
| dicrously small In August. 1880 he submitted
| to the authorities of Lelpsic plan for a church
/ choir OF the pupils in his In this plan his
singers numbered twelve. there being one prinGi-
PAL and twO ripienists in each voice; with charac-
! teristic modesty he barely suggests preference
] Tor sixteen The circumstance that IN me Sanls
document he asks for eighteen instTumentalists
/ ltWo more If flutes are used), gives an insight
| INTO the different relations existing between
| choir and band then and now,
| While on the subject OF Bach performances
1t may interest many to learn that Mr.. J. FRED