The sun., 1909-06-23
TRYING FOR KAISER PRIZE
THE SAENGERFEST GETS DOWN
TO REAL BUSINESS.


TO REAL BUSINESS.
At Night the Five Competing Societies
Give the Prize Song and Ono Other
omposition-Afternoon Concert q
Test OF the Federation Choruses
The singing for the Kaiser prize which
was the real business OF this saengerfest
at the Madison Square Garden began
yesterday afternoon and lasted through
out the evening. At the proceedings
yesterday there we're no soloists. no or
chestra, only the members Of the North
eastern Confederation Of Singing Societies
entitled to compete for the notable prize
OF the festival, So the atmosphere was
serious. The five judges. Prof. Max
Mayer O Oldersleben and Gustav Wohlge-
muth, who came to this country especially
to serve as judges in this contest. the
former from WGrzburg and the latter
from Leipzig; Max Spicker, Arthur Noes
and Prof. Cornelius Rubner Of Columbia
University. once moro took their places
behind the white canvas screen to mark
the comparative excellence OF the singing
OF the different. organizations.
Competitors for the Kaiser prize are
judged on five points, intonation. pre-
cision, phrasing. diotion and conductor 8
Interpretation. On each G: :hess points
each society may receive a maximum Of
twelve marks.
Before the competition for the Kaiser
prize began yesterday there were the
societies OF the city and county fedora
tions Of the first, second and third class
to be heard. Among these were the
United Singers Of Newark. Brooklyn,
Philadelphia, Baltimore. Hudson county,
New Jersey; Long Island City and At
lantic county, New Jersey.
The singing societies OF the first class
that were judged yesterday afternoon
were- the Liederkranz OF Jersey City,
Williamsbufger Saengerbund OF Brooklyn,
Hartford Saengerbund,G Germania Manner
chor OF Baltimore and the Junger Manner
chor OF Scranton.
The organizations competing for the
Kaiser prize were the Kreutzer Quartet
Club OF this city. Concordia Gesang
Verein OF Wilkesbarre, ,Junger Mannerchor
of Philadelphia. Nj. G. V. Germania Of
Newark and the Gesang Veren Arion Of
Baltimore.
These societies have a certain choice
as to the song in which they show their
talents as choral singers. They are
allowed to take any song they want.
but they must notify the officers OF tho
federation in advance. Then they are
expected to sing in the public competi-
ton the number they have selected.
Even the judges took of their coats
yesterday afternoon, and their backs
looked hot as they worked away at their
records, each writing down as the societies
sang their excellencies in the rendering
of the song they have selected. Yester-
day afternoon the public audience was
m0v ed to great applause by the singing
OF the Hartford Saen gerbund.
The audience yesterday afternoon filed
coat almost TO man and with palm
leaf fan sat down to listen.
The United Singers Of Brooklyn selected
as its test song -Zu Schuls i'm kleinen
Friedhof," the Philadelphia society sang
-Erwaohen des Waldes, the, Baltimore
men rendered -Sehnsucht,' the Newark
oompetitors relied on .Maerzluit ,ad and
in Die Treue.' Long Island City's
chorus sang -Waldmorgen.'' while At
asonntas." These awards viii be made
with the assignment OF the Kaiser prize
at Ulmer Park tonight.
Matthew Neumann. who wrote the
Kaiser prize song, heard it sung last
night five times by the competing So
cieties. Unlike the competitor OF the
afternoon, the five societies In this class
are not allowed to select their song. In
addition to the prize song, which was sent
to them for preparation about six months
ago, they are allowed to give one other
extra number must be taken, however.
from one OF seven gs which the officers
Of the federation named some months
ago. These are well known compost
tions that have already been sung at pre-
oeding concerts Of this saengerfest.
They were This is the Day OF the Lprd.'
Ry Rydss As ds1 aS der
deutsches Lebeslied. .Heimliche Liebe,'
BY Juengst. and -Ritter's Abschied.' by
Kinkel. 1t had been suggested that after
the singing OF all the competitors the
composer, who has come to this country
conduct all the societies in the song.
This was found impossible. as the inter.
probation Of the various conductors had
been 80 different that il would have been
for the choruses 10 sing it
without rehearsal in way to do justice
to the composition.
The Concordia Gesang Verein of Wilkes
barre, which at present holds the silver
which the Kaiser presented
to the societies for competition, will have
to win IL again to make its possession per-
manent. II Is a curious fact that this
chorus which covered itself with glory
again last ght should be made up largely
OF Welsh singers in the Pennsylvania Ia
mines Such singing as the five clubs in
this class did last night is different from
any that has been heard so far and it was
an unsettled question last night as to
which OF tho organizations has shown its
There was applause for all
OF them.
Already two cities are hotly claiming the
right to hold the next saengerfest within
their walls. As II does not meet until 1912
there is still time to settle the question
but both Warrington and Philadelphia
are crying for it. Tho announcement OF
the prize winners will he made tonight at
Ulmer Park and the victors will DO able
TO carry of their prizes right then and
there, as they will be presented at o. clock.
". BARCLAY PARSONS BACK.
q n.