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GERMAN MUSIC AND SONG -
It did not take long for the conquering power of music and song to make it felt
even in New England. A Handel and Haydn Society were started in 1786 in Stoughton,
Mass. In June 1815 a similar one in Boston, organized by GOTTLIEB GRAUPNER, a
German musician, who founded also the first orchestra, the Philharmonic Society,
followed it.
Societies with like purposes were formed in New York, Baltimore, Cleveland,
Cincinnati and other centers of German life. New York had the Euterpean Society,
founded in 1799; the Sacred Music Society, founded in 1823; the Choral- and the
Harmonic Society. To these early clubs came in 1842 the famous Philharmonic Society.
Her members, mostly Germans, aimed not for financial gain, but to reach in their art
perfection. From 1842 to 1865 U.C. HILL, GEORG LODER, H.C. TIMM, THEODOR
EISFELD and KARL BERG-MANN alternated as conductors; from 1865 to 1876
Bergmann conducted exclusively and led the society to her triumphant position.
Bergmann was also a pioneer in another direction. He had come to America as a
member of the Germania Orchestra, which consisted of fifty political refugees of 1848.
Being elected as its conductor, Bergmann boldly began to make concert tours with this
orchestra, visiting many eastern cities.
After his resignation LEOPOLD DAMROSCH became his successor as
conductor of the Philharmonic Society. At the same time he founded the Oratorio Society
and the Symphony Society of New York, which under his leadership gave, during May
3d to 7th 1881, a grand festival in the armory of the 7th New York Regiment. It was a
musical event of the highest order. The chorus consisted of 1200 select voices, which
were supported by 1000 young ladies of the high schools of New York and by 250 boys
of the choirs of several churches. The orchestra numbered 250 instruments. The most
important works of the program were Handel’s Messias and Te Deum, Rubinstein’s
Erection of the Tower of Babel, Berlioz’s Missa Solemnis and Beethoven’s Ninth
Symphony. The artistic success as well as the financial results of this festival surpassed
all expectations.
It did not take long for the conquering power of music and song to make it felt
even in New England. A Handel and Haydn Society were started in 1786 in Stoughton,
Mass. In June 1815 a similar one in Boston, organized by GOTTLIEB GRAUPNER, a
German musician, who founded also the first orchestra, the Philharmonic Society,
followed it.
Societies with like purposes were formed in New York, Baltimore, Cleveland,
Cincinnati and other centers of German life. New York had the Euterpean Society,
founded in 1799; the Sacred Music Society, founded in 1823; the Choral- and the
Harmonic Society. To these early clubs came in 1842 the famous Philharmonic Society.
Her members, mostly Germans, aimed not for financial gain, but to reach in their art
perfection. From 1842 to 1865 U.C. HILL, GEORG LODER, H.C. TIMM, THEODOR
EISFELD and KARL BERG-MANN alternated as conductors; from 1865 to 1876
Bergmann conducted exclusively and led the society to her triumphant position.
Bergmann was also a pioneer in another direction. He had come to America as a
member of the Germania Orchestra, which consisted of fifty political refugees of 1848.
Being elected as its conductor, Bergmann boldly began to make concert tours with this
orchestra, visiting many eastern cities.
After his resignation LEOPOLD DAMROSCH became his successor as
conductor of the Philharmonic Society. At the same time he founded the Oratorio Society
and the Symphony Society of New York, which under his leadership gave, during May
3d to 7th 1881, a grand festival in the armory of the 7th New York Regiment. It was a
musical event of the highest order. The chorus consisted of 1200 select voices, which
were supported by 1000 young ladies of the high schools of New York and by 250 boys
of the choirs of several churches. The orchestra numbered 250 instruments. The most
important works of the program were Handel’s Messias and Te Deum, Rubinstein’s
Erection of the Tower of Babel, Berlioz’s Missa Solemnis and Beethoven’s Ninth
Symphony. The artistic success as well as the financial results of this festival surpassed
all expectations.