The San Francisco call., 1910-09-04
EMPEROR'S CUP
Chief PRIZE Of
Big FESTIVAL
German Societies Strive For
HOnOrs Before Appreciative
Audience of TeutOns
Winners Viii be Announced To-
morrow Night in Greek
Theater at Berkeley
By WALTER ANTHONY


terday afternoon was nearly as inter
esting as the saengerbund; the par
takers Of the feast were about as en-
: crossing as the saengerfest =,
Many purchasers Of seats came with
expectations Of returns in concerted
song and diversity of program or
chestrally supported which were by no
means realized. What was realized was
a latter day exposition of the gospel of
Hans Sachs The meistersingers were
on hand TO sing for tokens and the
gathering Of the singers was occa-
stoned by the offer OF prizes There
were three trophies offered TO three df-
visions OF songsters The partici-
patng societies We're grouped off ac-
cording 10 numerical strength: those
which numbered not more than 20 vo-
caiists Were in group A: in group 3
organizations numbering not more than
- were listed. and in group c an
active singing membership of not less
than 40 was required. One after an
other they troOped out on the stage.
sang their song and passed off to give
pace TO another contesting club In
A group, T. Van der Suckers s'ITeber's
Jahr,t nlein Schatz" was sung in all the
competing societies; in group Z. Won
AtJenhofer's "Abendfeier" was sung.
ana IN group Q. wherein contested the
aspirants for the cup that Emperor
William has offered as trophy. 2 He
gars -Morgen i'm Waldo" was the Sc
lection sung. To the singers right sat
the judges, but they could neither see
nor be seen, for draped over the box in
winch they deliberated was a hood of
purlap. The judges. Arthur Ficken-
sher, Dr. J. Fred Wolfe. Theodore Vogt.
herman Perlet and Xavier Rocker, had
only their ears TO guide them in pick
ing the winners, and the allotment Of
rewards was thus made p matte :,
which knowledge Of the victors' iden-
tity was kept from the critics who de-
cided
GREAT ISSUE SETTLED
During the long afternoon many lef+
the hall They didn't know that q. great
issue was being settled; that Emperor
W llIam mad sent over a solid silver
Up 20 pe a wander prize" and that
TINS contest On group c. was to de-
Iiilie the nrst years possession Of
tle coveted trophy. Three consecutiz-a
winnings in three consecutive saengar-
lSsts VIII give the cup permanently to
Lne successful organization Manv IN
the audience didn't know that for a
year the German singing societies from,
s7'sllLe 10 Los Angeles have been prac-
IcLng Tor Ihe great test and that yes
1eIdaE was the great day of decision
IN truth, # one lacked that -knovrl- /
eoSe Jne afternoon at the Auditorium 1
must have been a dry season. for II /
IS not pleasant, according to far west 1
ern notions OF entertainment, to spend |
an afternoon listening 10 three Sc
lections in German folk song form re-
peated by innumerable clubs.
GERMANS UNDERSTAND
But there was an interested nronor-
song and was disappointed because the
judges did not there and then announce
the winners This proportion was Ger
man The individuals comprising IT nm
oerstood, and hung with critical in
terest on every chord that was sung
by the badged members of the clubs.
U hey were quick to regard merit hv
their applause whether earned by the
foress suited singers from Seattle or the
Nocaiists from Los Angeles The con
test with them, took on the Importance
Of ball game wherein tied teams plav
of The odd game
To any who took the pains to con-
slider the fest aside from the few songs
Jnat were sung the contest was of ab-
sorbing interest and Importance. Where
else save among the Germans will Won
hnd businessmen willing to leave their
dollar chasing pursuits in Tacoma or
their lot selling enterprises in Los An
10 singe The spirit manifested yester-
day afternoon was a splendid rebuke to
Anglican indifference to the advan-
-tages ot culture. and to the pleasures
that arise from community Of interest
IN harmony. The Interrogation mark
which spans the sky Of American music
Will not be effaced until this country
out Of its own cosmopolitanism develops
2 Leuton love Of music and a serious
demand for its re1nements. Then there
VIII arise composers. for they will be
needed.
PRIZE COMPOSITIONS
II was a mistake. / think. on the part
Of the management Of the saenEerbund
committee TO hide away the prize com
positions which were written for this
.saengerfest and sung yesterday after
noon by the San Francisco turn verein
ar the conclusion Of the contests. Kon-
rad Mes of San Francisco wrote one of
the poems which won prize and II was
set 10 music by NJ. Buechse Of PhfladeI-
phje- Theodore Vogt composed the
music 10 the other prize winner the
words OF which were written by Her
yaann Meyer OF Milwaukee Both com
Nositions were dignifed in conception
and well worked out musicaliy NoEt's
composition was somewhat marred in
the rendition; its harmonic DEVELOPMENT
proving TO be a little too intricatelv in
leieSLnS Tor the limited rehearsing
which evidently il had received. Both
should have been reserved for interpre
ta-tion at the hands of the combined 4
singing societies of the Pacific Coast 4
saengerbund, for both proved worthy of /
the distinction
In group A there participated for the I
prize the eSattle liederkrsnz WaIhaIla /
Of san Francisco, Grutli verein of San /
Francisco. Bayerbund OF San Francisco |
and the san Francisco maennerchor
The writer would pick for winner the
Seattle singers.
Los ANGELES WINNERS
In the second group Of clubs, num- |
bering not more than 25 members, the
Los Angeles Fidelia singers, under Df- /
rector Hagen, seem like winners, with |
san Francisco's Alpenrosli vocalists |
under Director Joseph r. Riegger, close |
seconds. In the c group the Los An
geles Germania. turnverein, under Di- |
rector Thomas, is in the lead for the |
emperor's cup, with the San Francisco |
turnvereiners but a short distance be- |
hind
However, the judges will not make |
public their decisions until next Mon |
day night. when, at the Greek theater |
IN Berkeley, the awards, including the |