New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-05-27
MENDELSS0HN HALL TO CO
GIee Club and Lovers of Chamber
Music Lament Loss.
NOTHING TO REPLACE IT
Clark Estate Sells for 1926, 1000
to Buyer Who Will Erect a
Twelve Story Building.

There were widespread lamentations yes
terday among musical folk specially IN
terested in chamber music and small con-
oerts in general, and in the Mendelssohn
Glee Club in particular. on account Of the
sale Of Mendelssohn Hall IN West 10th
street by the Clark estate. Philip Levi
sohn, who bought the property for $685.
COO will erect twelve story building on
IT'S site. Although tho Mendelssohn Glee
Club members considered that they had
the chief grievance. since the hall has
been free home to them since II was
built for their use by Alfred Corning Clark
in 1895. many persons outside Of tho or
ganization expressed equally strong re-
gret. The passing Of the hall. they said.
would leave the city entirely without an
auditorium suitable for the sort Of musical
concerts they are particularly interested
In.
yes. the club was disappointed to learn
Of the sale" said Taylor More. secretary
OF the Mendelssohn Glee Club I'm 1886
we gave up our lease in 55th street TO come
down and occupy the hall prepared for
our use by Mr.. Clark. We were led TO
suppose that It would be permanent
home for the club. MendelssRhn Glee
Club Hall is sculptured in the stone over
the doorway. and NJ. @. c. is carved in
the design throughout the decorative wood
work.
Some Of the older members OF the club
know that Mr. Clark had intended TO
execute some sort OF deed OF trust placing
the hall forever at the disposal OF the
club. but he died before this purpose was
carried out We are adrift now, and al
though we have reserved some provisional
dates for next seasons concerts at the
Waldorf, we are uncertain as TO just what
we shall do"
During his lifetime Clark's interest in
the club amounted almost to that Of a
good angel II is known that on more
than one occasion he helped financially
some Of the older members personally. and
that he always stood behind the club with
ready assistance. The hall was practically
an endowment by him for the clubs con-
certs since the rental derived from the
concerts Of other organizations and pro-
fessional entertainments held there never
amounted TO enough to pay for the in
veNnent
After his death. his widow. who later
became the wife of Bishop Potter. con-
tinued her interest in the club TO the ex-
tent Of maintaining the hall as free
home for them The floors above the audi
forum were fitted up as bachelor apart
ments, but these are said never TO have
paid as an investment.
During Clark's lifetime the club was an
important factor in the musical affairs or
the city. II was very exclusive. names
having been known to stand on its waiting
list for as long as fifteen years before a
vacancy occurred TO let them in. The ac-
tive membership is limited to fifty. and
the associate members TO one hundred and
fifty. Edward Mcdowell and Frank DAM
rosch were former musical directors OF
the organization. the present director be-
ing Charles Dickinson.
The loss 10 the city will be as great as
TO the club itself. declared others outside
Of the Mendelssohn Glee Club The the
etres are unavailable during the concert
season. they say. for small concerts and
chamber music recitals, and If they were
they are not suitable The hotels. they
say. are also not desirable. because the
critics unanimously refuse TO go 10 con-
certs there.
The aversion Of the critics 10 hotel con-
certs, II was explained, was founded on
the fact that such affairs are usually held
under private patronage and are social
affairs 70 which the critics are invited AS
guests. necessarily placing "a polite muf-
fer on their hammers" Concerning re-
citals given in public hall such as the
Mendelssohn was. they are free 10 express
their candid opinions.
The city is sorely in need OF a small
auditorium with graded seats and a seat
ing capacity Of about fifteen hundred,
said Miss Florence Bate, Of the Chamber
Recital Company. With the passing OF
Mendelssohn Hall We are left entirely
without such a place. 1t is hard 10 see
where one IS coming from. as the limited
income from it would make It dubious as
a. business proposition. 1t practically
means that an endowed hall is the only
hope"
At the Loudon Charlton agency II was
said that they were up IN the air for
next season. and that the only recourse
they could think of was to use the hotels.
The same opinion was expressed by a
number of other managers whose special
~ is small concerts and chamber music.