The San Francisco call., 1908-04-13

TT refreshing evidence OF the inter
est local amateurs are taking in
the best music came the recital
last Wednesday evening by the
Zech orchestra at Golden Gate Com
mandery hall A very dificult pro-
gram was creditably presented. almost
entirely without professional assist
ance. OF the fnstrumentalists who
make music business there wtre. 1
think. not more than three or four In
an orchestra of so pieces. Thus IT was
essentially an amateur night
This orchestra was organized by VIII
liam F. Zech more than a year before
the fire. At the time Of the April dis
aster plaps had been completed and re-
hearsals nearly concluded for q SYM
phony concert such as was given last
week. but April Is put an end to these.
as well as all other arrangements. The
members. however, almost Immediately
reorganized and the serious work OF
mastering the classics was resumed.
Though the orchestra, or a part OF
1t. has appeared at concerts since the
fire 1t has been in conjunction with
other musical organizations. so last
Wednesdays recital. being the first at
which the members supplied the entire
program, was really debut. AS such
and because of the excellence OF the
music presented 1T deserves more than
passing attention
The strings, while not numerically
strong. were artistically so. and played
with fine precision Miss Olive Hyde.
heading that division of the orchestra.
proved herself worthy the position OF
concert master by an admirably played
solo during the course Of the evening.
With the addition Of more members in
the string choir the orchestra's ex-
pressiveness would be doubled: but
good amateur violinists, as good as
those already secured. are none too
plentiful here or elsewhere
The brass division was somewhat
rough and did not get into the or
chestra's composite tone as suavely as
1t might have done. It was bit too
noisy. The wood wind department was
better. in spite of the difficulty now
and then apparent to be too ambitious
on the part of the flutes about the pitch.
Admirable tempt marked the Schubert
unfinished symphony; Director Zech
kept his play to a well thought out
dynamic scheme. In short the members
of the orchestra are to be congratu-
lated on their first appearance as sym
phonists and their second concert will
be waited with interest. 1t is to be
hoped that Zech has indeed solved the
difficulty of keeping good amateur
players together. The promise held
out in the recent recital is one Of hope
for those who would see a permanent
orchestra. devoted to good music
thriving in amateur music circles of San
Francisco.
For the sake OF the record the fol-
lowing list of members who took part
In Wednesdays recital Is appended;
First violins-Miss Olive Hyde. con-
cert master; Mrs. p. Westerfeld, Miss
c. Ferrin, NJ. Frederick. Miss d.
Lachmah. Mrs. L. W. Simon, Miss j.
Clark. Mrs. c. Jenkins. S. p. Topp.
Miss L. H. Prieber, Miss B. Morrill, Nj.
H. Knopfr1acher.
Second sviolins-H. Russell. Miss c.
Raudut, w. Summerheld. Miss NJ. G..
Coffin, NJ G. Paulsen. Miss Lillian
James. H A Garcia. z. Wo1fstein.
yiolas-M- P. Goldsmith, ]. Clement.
H. G. Aylesworth-
Ceuos-H. B. Tobey. II. A. Fitch, Al
Huber. F. Engelbrigtse
Bass-Luke Flynn, c. G. Zimmerman
Flutes-L. w. Simon, H. Pankow.
Piccolo-H. Rudlaff.
Oboes-A. NJ. Fowler, A Gabernache.
Bassoon-C. H. Dayton.
!. Clarinets-F- Antilles. L. Inglis. A c.
Trittenbach.
Horns-H. Aylesworth. l.. g. Kirsch
Cornets-C. c. Cline, z. Guide.
= Trombones-C. B. Musante. c. E.
Platt. P. Bernhard
Tuba-C. G. Zimmerman.
Tympani-G. Pomeroy.
William F. Zech is the director, III.
Frederick is secretary and treasurer
and M. P. Goldsmith is librarian OF the
orchestra.
Jean Gerardy. the French violonceI-
list who was to have appeared in a
series of recitals in this city, has can
celed all his western bookings and will
not cross the Rockies this season.
Manager Greenbaum. under whose aus
pices the cellist was to have appeared
here, consoles himself by the fact that
with the New York symphony orchestra.
which Is coming next month, is Henry
Bramsen, solo cellist. who will play the
best music written for his Instrument
On the Russian program arranged by
Director Walter Damrosch. Bramsen is
put down for the Theme and variations
for cello by Tschaikowsky"
One of the features at the opening
concert in this city of the New York
symphony society, May II, will be the
first performance in this city OF Smet-
ana's new symphonic poem "Ultava'
(The River). Smetana Is an ardent ma
tionalist and incorrigibIe patriot, and
the piece was composed as one number
Of group OF symphonic poems which
he called My Fatherland." The sec
and poem, the one to be played. 'Ul-
tava," describes the river Moldau.s 1t
is said to be a wonderful piece of de-
scriptive writing, yet full of real mel
ody. Still another interesting novelty