Omaha daily bee., 1917-02-15
Early Days of Good Music in Omaha;
Thomas J. Kelly Reviews History
Conductor Of the Mendelssohn
Choir Talks of Difficulties
and Triumphs Met by
Local Leaders.
CHORAL MUSIC PROGRESS


The coming concert of the. Men
delssohn Choir OF Omaha in associa-
ton with the Minneapolis Symphony
Orchestra brings "reminiscences to the
mind OF Thomas ]. Kelly, conductor
OF the Choir, who divides his time be-
tween Omaha and Chicago, and who
will shortly decide to devote, all his
time and energy to one OF these
places.
Seeing Mr.. Bcknell Young at the
Virginia hotel in Chicago the other
day" said Mr.. Kelly reminded me
Of my first days in Omaha. Mr..
Young was then known as B. B. in
stead Of the more classy first name,
which he now carries. Mr.. Young is
now prosperous and popular lee
turer, one OF the best, they tell me,
in the Christian Science field. Then
(say about 1889 or 1901 he was voice
teacher in Omaha and conductor of
the old Apollo club. was one of the
few tenors who tried to help him get
up presentation of the Messiah
the chorus was small and very enthu-
siastic. a
Mime. Young Hasn't Changed.
1--WE met at Max Meyers music
rooms in the Paxton block. Madame
Mazzucatto Young looks just the
same as she did when she trudged up
and down Farnam street with a
bundle of score manuscript under her
arm and a bonnet tilted to the back
OF her head. The score was Mr..
Sampson OF Omaha an opera, a real
grand opera of Omaha. To be sure
the present generation knows moth
ing OF this, but there are many in
Omaha who do remember that opera.
so the thought occurred to me"
said Mr.. Kelly, "and mentioned it
to my wife, who seconded the mo-
ton. Let Us get the opera-..Mr. Samp-
son of Omaha'-and either give it in
concert form by the Mendelssohn
Choir and a local orchestra, or else
do with it the thing that Gus RENEE
and ! have often talked about "a
pageant OF some musical nature.
4 "But, alas, when Mrs. Young was
asked about the matter she said: oh,
we threw that away long ago-pieces
of II were loaned here and there
It became scattered and one day while
packing to move our residence, we
threw away lot of old things, among
them the last leaves Of the famous
opera "Mr. Sampson Of Omaha" /
think Herman Schunke has some Of
it.
THE singular part, Isl says Mr..
Kelly, shat this was long before the
time that the name Samson was
thought of for the imperial chancel-
lor Of King Ak-Sar-Ben.
Good Old Days"
These were the early choral con-
dition Of Omaha small band OF
about forty getting together under
B. B. Young to give the Messiah.
Then the Gilmore's band concerts
brought a great concourse of choral
lists, about 800 N the chorus, 100 sing
ers and 700 copyholders. We re-.
hearsed Hail, Bright Abode from
'Tannhauser,' and when Gilmore con-
Quoted at the concert he ripped it
through at twice the speed 1t had
been given at rehearsal. sat next,
to Walter B. Wilkins, then tenor
soloist at Trinity cathedral, and |
don't know whether he remembers
it or not but | know that never be-
fore or since did he sing at such
pace. These were the old days
then came the Mondamin Choral 30
ciety and the Transmississippi Ex-
position chorus OF the l897-l8o8
period and that marked another point
Of progress.
Under Some Difficulties.
"These organizations were under
my own direction and they sang with
orchestra. The first with local or
chestra was very good indeed. al
though there was anguish about re-
hearsals and the performances were
not always sure to be satisfactory. |
remember very DISTINCTLY couldn't
forget it--one concert when at the
last minute several men notified me
that they couldn't come, as their sub
stitutes would not be accepted at a
local theater. May Irwin was play
ing, and took my nerve in my hand
and went to see her; explained the
situation and though interrupted her
in rehearsal, she was a true and
good scout, she said: Surely, the
special men can go; I'll get along
somehow with just a few But the
director and a manager were not Of
the same mind as the coincidence and
we didn't get the men.
Sang with Thomas Orchestra.
The Exposition chorus had the OPP
portunity Of singing many times with
the original Theodore Thomas or
chestra Of Chicago, and here it was
1888 that first had the. honor of
conducting choral works with that
great organization furnishing the or