The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1906-05-15
DAMRoscH, HERBERT AND sousA THERE
LARGE ORCHESTRA AND 1000
VOICES ASSIST At CONCERT
IN MADISON SQUARE.

memory Of Patrick Sarsfield Gilmore,
the famous American bandmaster,
whose death in 1892 left a great void
in the ranks of American conductors.
Anticipating a tremendous attendance
the seating capacity of Madison Square
garden has been increased to about
10000 by utilizing the large floor space
of the hall, where collapsible chairs
were placed. So great has been the
demand for boxes and seats that there
is every reason to believe that the hall
will be crowded in every part tonight.
When the plan was first proposed to
give a concert in honor of Gilmore's
memory, the suggestion was received
everywhere with great enthusiasm.
Few men in the musical profession
have had as many admirers in all
classes of society as Gilmore, who was
undoubtedly the most popular band
master that ever lived in this coun-
try.
A Gilmore memorial concert commit
tee was formed, which organized at the
residence of John D. Crimmins by the
election of Thomas M. Mulry as presi-
dent; General Thomas L. James and
John R. Van Wormer as vice-presi-
dents; John D. Crimmins, treasurer;
John P. Carter, secretary and director
general, and Andrew Mccormick man
ager.
Many distinguished men, like Presi-
dent Roosevelt, Archbishop Farley, ex-
President Grover Cleveland, Governor
Frank w. Higgins, U. S. Senator Thos.
M. Carter, the Hon. Seth Low and
many others, became members Of the
committee and worked faithfully to
make the concert a financial success.
The project was taken up by musicians
everywhere with such enthusiasm that
in a few days enough material was Of
fered to give three monster concerts.
For the concert tonight a fine pro-
gram has been prepared. Walter DAM
rosch, Victor Herbert and John Philip
Sousa will be the conductors. A
large orchestra, composed of members
of the various orchestras and bands
of this city, will play selections under
the direction of Mr.. Sousa, and a cho-
rus of 1000 well-trained voices, under
the direction of Walter Damrosch, will
sing several numbers. Besides that,
there will be a number Of soil by prom
inent singers and musicians.
Gilmore was born on Christmas day,
1929, in Ballygar, Ireland, and came
to this country at the age of nineteen
years. In 1858 he brought Gilmore's
band into existence. Fort Sumpter had
scarcely fallen before he attached his
band to the Twenty-fourth Massachu-
sets volunteers and later he reor-
ganized all the state militia bands un-
ueI d CoiIiIi1SSioil lIoIH OoNcIIOT ALI
drew. He served through the war and
was appointed bandmaster general by
Major General Banks. The close of
the war brought his first musical event.
At the Inauguration of Governor Hahn
Gilmore conducted a chorus of 10000
school children and an orchestra of
900 men. Accompanied by the BOOM
ing Of SO cannons and the musketry of
three complete regiments, the children
sang the "Star Spangled Banner" and
other patriotic songs.
His next musical enterprise was the
big Boston musical festival, which
opened on June Is, 1869. Then came
the big peace jubilee in 1872. with a
chorus Of 10000 voices and an orches-
ira of 1000 men. 1t was held in Bos-
ton and began on June II, 1872. and
continued for eighteen days. Boston
showed its gratitude by presenting Gill
more with two gold medals and $780,
900.
In 1873 Gilmore attached his band to
the Twenty-second regiment and be-
gan his series of concerts in Gilmore's
garden, where Madison Square garden
now stands. In the centennial year
Gilmore went to Philadelphia, where on
the Fourth of July he gave great ma
tional concert in Independence square.
in front of the building where the
Declaration of Independence was sign
ed, and then gave sixty concerts in
the main building of the exposition.
In 1873 he took his band to Europe
and toured Great Britain, France, Ger
many, Belgium and Holland with phe- |