New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1921-04-07
Da111roscl1 Saws
Farewell to His
OratOriO Work
End of Festival Tonight
Marks Conclusion of His
Term as Society Leader.
Which He Began in 1918
Served IA Years Before
Organization Was Founded
by His Father i'll 1873;
Brother Also Directed 1t

the Damrosch family should take up
the baton OF the Oratorio Society of
New York, the festival to be concluded
House viii mark the farewell of the
Damrosch dynasty as the head Of the
Oratorio Society. Leopold Damrosch
founded the Oratorio Society in 1878
he was succeeded on his death in 1885
by his son, Walter In 1899 Frank
Damrosch followed his brother as con-
ductor, and in 1918 Walter Damrosch
was again appointed director of the
society With the exception of one
period of five years the society since it's
founding has always been under the
direction of q Damrosch.
Three years ago, the society finding
itself III artistic and financial difficult
ties, appealed to Walter Damrosch, and
although fully immersed in his work
with the New York Symphony Orches-
ira, his old affection for the society
prompted him to accept the CONDUCTOR
snip Tor one year, with the understand
ing that he was to be released and an
other conductor found But the one
year grew into three years, during
l.
ton, hqudated large debt and in
spired renewed life for choral music.
Does Not Begrudgc Extra Work
although the hundred symphony
concerts in New York and elsewhere
whlch l conduct with the New York
symphony Society orchestra more than
occupy my time and interest, I do not
begrudge the extra lebors which nv
three years incumbency in the Oratorio
society placed upon me-" said Walter
Damrosch yesterday by way of valedic-
tory.
1T IS hardly necessary for me to
point out the absolute need artisticallv
tor continuing to support and maintain
large choral organizations like the Ora
torlo Society, and | urged the idea of
giving great choral festival last
spring at the last Regiment Armory in
order to demonstrate to a larger and a
new public what could be ACCOMPLISHED
III tha' direction. There is something
truly inspiring in the gathering of hun
dreds of singers laundering out the
great choruscs OF Handel, Mendelssohn
or Bach, and while the armory did not
prove altogether suitable acoustically.
the enthusiasm which was aroused by
the PERFORMANCES was ample iustifica-
ton CT the gigantic effort | was per
sonal.y not in favor OF repeating the
festlyn! again this year, because | think
such festivals serve cheir purpose bet
ter II year or SO has elapsed between
them. 1t is true that small city like
Worcester has music festival every
year, tut that is about all they do have
1t is ike boa constructor that takes
one solid meal every six months and
hes down to sleep the rest Of the time.
New York, on the other hand, is one
continuous delirium of music through
out the entire season.
Opposed 1921 Festival
"TEe president and directors of the
society overruled my fears, and the
success of this festival seems Go prove
that they were right and was wrong.
u personally owe a great deal to
the music festival idea because when
the first great festival was given in
New York, in 1881, ! was appointed by
my father, although only nineteen years
OF age, to conduct two sections Of the
the Newark Harmonic Society, which
promptly elected me as it's regular con-
ductor and with which | gave in the !
years following in Newark. N. j.,
such works as Messiah Rubenstein's |
Tower of Babel Berliozs 'Damna-
ton of Faust and Mendelssohn's
Elijah. This gave me an intimate ac-
qualntance and routine in the drilling
of choral and orchestral forces, SO that |
at my fathers death, in 1885, I was
elected conductor Of the Oratorio
Society and was not only technically
equipped as musician, but had GER
tain amount of routine in conducting
large bodies of executants.
Although | retire from the active
musical direction of the Oratoric So
ciety my interest for it and Hs welfare
remains as great as ever, and as q men,
Der of the board of directors I shall
continue to take an active part in its
future"