The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-02-25

age. Perhaps the first musical
note that was sounded on the banks Of
the Mississippi may have been sung by
some voyager floating down the river
in his canoe or intoned by some humble
and hardy follower Of the Society of
Jesus.
The first mention Of any historical au
thing in the musical way was the es-
tablishing Of Plymouth church choir in
1857. Plymouth church was founded
| in that year by band of New England
ers, who came here with their Yankee
predictions and early practice: in
"cross roads singin skule. ~ This
| choir was first composed Of a quintet,
Charles M. Cushman conducting the air
and Mrs. Cushman and Joseph Clark,
the other members. This organization
also formed a glee club which used to
sing in the homes of the church congre-
cation.
The Hutchinson family Of antebellum
fame was also an early arrival in Min
neapolis and came here regularly on its
tours with wheeling melodeon and a
stock of songs. In 1864 the cantata
Esther was performed in Harrison
hall, then existing at the corner Of
Nicollet and Washington avenues. This
was conducted by j. B. McGibbeny, a
famous character of that time, who
fairs and incidentally supporting fam
lily Of fourteen children. This cantata
had run of two weeks with packed
houses every night. The Plymouth
church choir was the backbone of this
affair unsteady. The services of this
choir in the church were, Of course, en-
tirely voluntary and gratis, no ungodly
professional being, at that time, so
much as thought Of.
German Musical Spirit.
About the year 1865 there arrived in
Minneapolis German colony of immi
grants. This company contained such
names as Vanderhorck, Oswald, HUM,
Knoblauch, Grethen, Harmsen and Rau-
en-. This band Of hardy German pi:
oneers brought with them from the old
country their customs and traditions
not the least among them the love OF
} music. The Harmonic society was at
once formed Of forty male voices and
which position he held for thirteen
years.
These sturdy German citizens were
be proud. They held yearly musica
festivals and in 1868 sangerfest or
Nicollet island. Their customs and ideas
as may be we'll imagined, were some
what different from those of the Plym
outh church choir. In fact, this san
|; gerfest might well remind one of the
Story of the little girl who defined {
demigod as a vessel containing bee1
and other liquids.
this; not the present one recently
burned, but a hall located at Second
street and First avenue. The Pence
operahouse also was built about thi!
time, and the first record Of any opera
given in Minneapolis was "Der Fret
schutz,' presented by the Harmonic so
ciety, the DAM orchestra accompany
ing. This opera also had a run in st
Paul. Members Of this same German
colony subscribed for and built thu
new Harmonic hall, which was los
under mortgage in 1898, when tn,
old Harmonic society was disbanded
Some Of the members of the Harmonic
society are still to be found in tn,
Frohsinn, Turnverein and Liederkran;
societies still in existence here.
David Blakely's Leadership.
The greatest single factor in tn,
early musical history Of Minneapolis ii
David Blakely, who came from mu
) seal fam1lY OF TOUR Drotners. one o.
them, A. w. Blakely, is a prosperou
editor in Rochester, Mimi, and still
conducts an amateur orchestra for hi
: own amusement. David Blakely was
wonderful man; he had commanding
person, standing six feet two in hi
{ socks. His vocation was newspape
work, he being connected at various
I times with several Of the leading dai
{ lies of the state. His avocation wa
! music. In the early seventies he forme,
I a Bassini society, and in 1875 the Men
Z delssohn club Of forty male voices
{ Among the members Of this club wer
5 George and Charles Eustis, Charlie
{ MEG. Reeve, GhagleA W, J Johnson, 1AlYal