El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1916-01-05
WHAT MUSIC WILL
Do FOR 4 CITY.
Some of the Results of a
Symphony Orchestra in
City of Minneapolis.

As indicating what symphony or
chestra can do for city; how, from
small beginning it rapidly grows into
popular favor; how it benefits a city,
increases its liking for good music and
generally elevates the people of q COM
munity. the following regarding the
experience Of Minneapolis, Mimi, has
been submitted TO The Herald:
Fourteen years ago Minneapolis had
no symphony orchestra Today. owing
10 the efforts of Emil OberhOffer and
his combined abilities for artistry and
business, the Minneapolis symphony or
chestra occupies a recognized place
among the orchestras OF the nation.
THE Minneapolis orchestra started
IS a small organizatsS-l in 1902 for the
purpose of accompanying the Minnsa-
polls Philharmonic club in perform
ances Of oratorio. Emil Oberhoffer's
energy and musicianship have built It
up to its present standard. It now
consists Of so musicians This season
1t is giving % evening symphony con-
certs, u in Minneapolis and i IN st.
Paul; 20 Sunday afternoon popular con-
certs: four concerts for school children,
and in February and March II is TO
make a southern and eastern tour OF
three weeks, which will include New
Orleans, Boston and New York FOR
eight years il has been making an an
nual spring tour of 10 to L weeks
through the north and middle west.
The effect Of the symphony orches-
ira upon the musical taste Of the Twin
Cities has been remarkable. This is
especially noticeable in the popular
Sunday afternoon concerts, which, at
prices of 25 and so cents draw packed
audiences who otherwise might be at
inferior places of amusement When
the popular concerts began there were
complaints that the programs were too
Classical Now there are many re-
quests for symphonies and symphonic
poems. and the Sunday programs ap-
mr. oh If
symphony concert than Of so-called
popular concert.
There are also in Minneapolis two
fine amateur Orchestras OF so or more
pieces There are orchestras in the
Y N. c. A and the Y. ". c. A. There
are orcheStras in the five high schools
The Twin City Rapid Transit COM
pany pays a professional conductor TO
car stations The board of education
this fall voted to pay a professional
conductor to organize orchestras in the
II grade schools Of the city 1t will
not be long before Minneapolis will
have upward of so orchestras in all
parts OF the city. What this means to
future generations Of music lovers is
incalculable.
That the orchestra is considered a
business asset to Minneapolis is best
shown by the statement that the lead
ing business men and capitalists OF
the city gladly subscribe TO an annual
guaranty fund Of $4,000 for its main
tenance. No symphony orchestra in
the world is self sustaining; such
thing is as vet impossible. Early in
the history of the Minneapolis orches-
ira it was with difficulty that the or
chestra association secured subscrip-
lions TO a fund Of $4,000. Now no diff
ficulty is found in securing double the
amount. The list OF guarantors con-
tains the names of some of the shrewd-
est business men in the community. As
z. l. Carpenter Of the Shevlin -Carpen-
ter lumber interests, and president OF
the orchestra association. said when II
was first proposed to send the orches-
ira to New York: They know. down
there. that we can make good flour
and lumber; let's show them that the
northwest can make good music This
view was taken early, and has been
found to pay"