Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1906-01-01
MUSIC'S PLACE In LOCAL LIFE
Omaha the Center Of a Considerable
Activity in Harmony.
CLUBS AND SOCIETIES PAST AND PRESENT
BeEinnings, PnImy Days and Repults
I'm the Effort Among the Gull
tured to Increase Their
Talents.

In studying up the history OF the various
musical organizations of the city, l find
that at least two owe their origin to that
most prosperous of all musical clubs ever
formed in Omaha with the possible excep-
ton Of the old Apollo club under Mr.. Lor-
rens), namely, the Ladies' Musical society.
Why the most prosperous? Because the
secretary used to take in heaps of money
at the door. At the opening concert of one
season. the sum was $500! Read that and
gasp, ye frantic local managers! To turn
to the subject directly in hand, the wom-
ans club department of music, and the
Tuesday Morning Musical club are both
outgrowths of the "Old Ladies' Musical So
ciety," as a certain musician in haste to
make himself clear once dubbed 1t.
The musical department OF the woman's
club came into being in 1897, when the La
dies Musical society was given up. its first
president being Mrs James r. Buchanan
After her in succession came Mrs. Charles
NJ. Wilhelm, Mrs. J. NJ. Metcalfe, Mrs
Ford 1.-TWO years., Mrs. Baetens 1.-TWO years.
and Miss Paulson. Mrs. Katz, the present
officer in charge, has held her position two
years.
During Mrs. Metcalfe's presidency the
club was much enlarged and began to work
on broader lines. musical history class
was organized, and some excellent chorus
work done under the guidance OF Mrs Her
man Kountze. Also at this time money
was made from professional recitsls-seven,
think-and out of portion of the fund
small but valuable collection of books relat-
ing to music was purchased. also many
good pictures of the tone masters, which
now hang on the walls Of the club parlors.
~.
G.. w. Noble.
The department is giving but one recital
a month this season. Many new corners in
the musical world are heard for the first
time at the Woman's club recitals. Mrs
Katz, the present leader, has been untiring
in her efforts to accomplish good programs
Tuesday Morning Musicale.
When the Ladies' Musical society broke
up there were some members who did not
care to join forces with the Woman's club
Mrs. G. NJ. Hitchcock, Mrs. J. II. McIn-
tosh, Mrs S. A McWhorter and some
others decided to start a small club which
could meet at private houses. This they
did. The club has grown and prospered
| The membership now numbers nearly 100
fifty associate members and forty-four
active. In 1902 a reorganization was eff
fected and since that time the quality Of
the programs has steadily improved This
is Mrs. Cudahys third term as president
She has been most generous in singing and
| in giving her house for the meetings, there
being comparatively few homes which will
accommodate so large an assemblage. Her
| piano is a very good one and IL is always
| a pleasure to listen amid such congenial
surroundings. Mrs. Kountze has served
| three years as vice president Her good
| influence in musical matters needs no com
| ment
To Mrs. l. r Crofoot belongs the real
| credit Of the club as it now stands. She
| has worked persistently and untiringly to
| mt ii on its present artistic and prosperous
footing. Her ideals are mountains high,
It is her nature to be always moving
nearer to them. She has impaired her
| strenuous spirit to the club. Only six pro-
| grams are to be performed this year II
| behooves those who lead them to hustle
| and have them first class. The two al
| ready past have been professional in their
| excellence.
Musical Art Society.
Mr.. Simms can hardly be called new
| conner to the city, yet he has not been here
such a very long while. His influence,
however. has been felt very decidedly for
| good The Musical Art society which he
| founded in 1904 and which numbers some
| seventy members is giving It's second sea-
| sons series of concerts. The chorus was
! formed to cultivate a taste for unaccom-
panied choral singing, which Mr.. Simms
| considers the highest and purest form OF
| that branch Of music. Part songs, glees
folk songs, etc, have been sung, which dc
not make such great demands on the
singers in technical way but develop the
| oF tNa L., . =.
future it is Mr.. Smms' intention to give
more pretentious works, with orchestral
accompaniment.
That these choral concerts are thor
oughly enjoyable is proved by the in
creasing audiences which turn out to lis
ten TO them. Mr. Simms is extremely
anxious to make this chorus permanent
He should have the support Of the music
loving people of the city. The society II
also doing much good in that it provides
an opportunity for soloists, those who
have up to now appeared in that capacity
being as follows: Mrs Crofoot, Mr.. Calm
pianists; Miss Barr and Mr.. Mcintyre, vo
calists; Franz Wilczek, violinist; Mr.
Simms, organist; C. w. Dickerman
reader.
The Wagner Chorus.
Miss Fannie Arnold, supervisor OF mu
sic In the city schools, is director of
chorus OF 100 voices. The members ar
teachers and they meet once a month TO
their pleasure and to study. The organ
ization is called the Wagner chorus. Mis-
Ida Rlackmore is the pianist; Miss Ger
trude Warren, librarian. Miss Jessie Pyr
tie presides at the tea table when tn
afternoon practicing is over. Very shortl,
they will take up the Legend OF Bregenz
by Bendall, and the Flower Maidens' Cho
I rus from "Parsifal."
Omaha Festival Nhorus.
The Omaha Festival chorus is the larg
I est musical body in the city, numberin
several hundred members, and led by MI
I Ben Stanley, who until recently was di
! rector of music at the First Methods
Z Episcopal church and is now choirmaste
at Trinity cathedral. The works sung b
the organization have been most ambition
and appearances have been made with TN
Paur orchestra of Pittsburg, when tn
chorus assisted by Madame Gadski
the 'Inhammatus," from Rossinis sta
4 bat Mater" and also gave The Hol
a | Of May with tho fHb