New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-05-12
The Past and Future of
Festival in Cincinnati

fact that the orchestral association had
made contracts with number or musicians
which contracts still have two years 10
run, made it pretty plain that the interests
Of orchestra and festival would have TO
be combined. The public spirit in men ana
women who had borne the financial BUR-
den placed upon them by the symphony
concerts promptly filed Mr.. Stokowskis
place by calling DR.. Kunwald' OF Berlin
10 the conductorship, securing In him a
leader of experience. learning and VIDE
reputation. gentleman and man whose
cooperation will no doubt be acceptable
10 the Festival Association. under an ar
rangement like that which has prevailed
since 1908.
DR.. Kunwald. the new conductor of the
Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, Will be
remembered by New York music lovers as
one Of the conductors brought over from
Europe by the Philharmonic Society as a
guest" in the interregnum between the
consulships of Paur COR Walter Damrosch-
| am far from my records and SafOnoif.
With his coming a new chapter VIII be
opened in the history OF orchestral music
here. That history is full of variegated
incidents. of which feel quaihed TO speak
"Qurque ipse mserrma vidi, ct quorum
pars (parva) fui."
About forty years ago l.. {. Hopkins, a
drygoods merchant (he died not long age
in Brooklyn, beleve). built a small music
room. which he called Hopkins Hail. at
Elm and 4th streets, and there few con-
certs were given under the direction OF carl
Barns a German musician, who was also
the chorus master of the l.rst Music Fos-
tival in 1873 the orchestra being composed
Of bandsmen from the theatres. There was
no bassoon player in the city a that time
and the baSsoon parts in oyerturcs and
symphonies were played on violoncelloS
Choral music had been cultivated for fulIy
fifty years at the time. yet MI Hopkins
on one occasion hired a whistler as the
solo performer at concert. few years
later. first with George Brand as con
ductor Che was sound musician and a
good violinisu and after his death with
Michael Brand. his brother Ga fine 'cclli~t
sometime with Theodore Thomas in New
York; as conductor, anc Louis BallcnhcrE
a fautist as manager. symphony concerts
were given in Pixies opera House. very
considerable degree Of excellence was at
tanned in these concerts, but they were
costly TO their few supporters, and thcr,
was never a feeling that anything like per
manencv OF organization had been attained
4 desire toward this end lci 10 con-
ference with Theodore Thomas in the sum
mer OF 1877, when he was giving popular
concerts at the Highland House. resort
on a hill In the eastern part OF the city.
Mr.. Thomas promised his encouragement
and surrendered his baton at ole concert
to one OF his players named Diedrich, so
that local amateurs might judge Of his
fitness as leader. Within a year, however,
Mr.. Thomas had himself agreed to become
resident of Cincinnati and director OF the
newly formed College OF Music. ! gave the
news 10 the people Of Cincinnati in dis
patch from New York 10 The Gazette
newspaper, after having verified my in
formation by a talk with Mr.. Thomas. In
that talk Mr.. Thomas told me Of hiH desire
70 organize a symphony orchestra 10 col
Tolerate with the College OF Music. and
asked me to muster the musicial rs OF Gin
cinnati and let him know how many men
he would have 10 bring with him from Ne"
York. The situation in Cincinnati made
this a delicate and difficult task. There
were three employers Of instrumentalists IN
the city, each one Of whom controlled few
men whose services were desirable. Mi
Ballenbehg had charge Of the music In
Pixies Opera House. where the best or
ohestra was maintained; Mr.. SeidcnstrickcT
had the German Theatre and provided the
bands for public and private dances; MI
Currier was leader of the lst Regiment
band and practically monopolized the