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May 5th, 1882.
THE MUSICAL CRITIC AND TRADE REVIEW.
3t>5
first musical utterances were from "The Lock festivals twenty-four years ago. The quarter cen-
HISS AMELIA WDKM1!.
Miss Amelia Wurmb, mezzo soprano, came Hospital" and other collections of hymn tunes tennial festival of the association will occur dur-
here last fall with an excellent reputation as then in general use in New England. By degrees ing the last week in September. Among other
works the society has in preparation for this event
concert singer in Paris, Vienna, Berlin, Kome, music of a higher order was rehearsed.
and other European musical centres. Miss Wurmb Its first public performance was given on Christ- the "Damnation of Faust," by Berlioz; Scenes
was born in Vienna in 1853. When eight years of mas Day, 1815, at Stone Chapel, now called King's from "Lohengrin," by Wagner; the Ninth Sym-
age she played the organ on several occasions in Chapel, to an audience of one thousand persons. phony, and "The Messiah." For fifteen years Mr.
the cathedral in which her sister was the soprano. The chorus consisted of about one hundred, of Carl Zerrahn has been not only the conductor at
• At one time when her sister was ill she sang the whom ten were ladies, while an orchestra of about the annual festivals of the association, but the
solos in a mass in her stead, being at the time a dozen instruments and the organ furnished the chorus master, all rehearsals being held under his
accompaniments. The programme included selec- direction.
scarcely nine years of age.
THE CECILIAN SOCIETY.
Her education, begun in Vienna, was com- tions from "The Creation" and "The Messiah,"
pleted in Paris under Delsarte. Her debut was and other works by Handel. An enthusiastic The chorus, numbering about 400 voices, was
at length made in a Thomas concert in January journalist declared that "there was nothing to organized in Philadelphia on May 15, 1875. Mr.
last, when she sang selections from Wagner's compare with it," and that "the society was tbe Michael H. Cross was chosen musical director.
"Rheingold." The lady is an accomplished lin- wonder of the nation." This conceit was re- The first rehearsal was held on September 15,
peated on the 18th of January, 1816. The State
guist.
Legislature granted to the society February 9, 1875, in the large hall at Chestnut and Eighteenth
PUDLEY BUCK.
1816, a special charter wherein the purpose of the streets, which the chorus has ever since retained
The early education of Mr. Dudley Buck, the society "to extend the knowledge and improve for its preparatory work. In three months "The
organist, was not conducted with a view to his the style of church musick" was recognized. In Messiah" was given before a crowded house at the
becoming a musician. His father, a shipping mer- the early concerts the solos were sung by mem Academy of Music.
The concerts of the Cecilian have since theu
chant in Hartford, where Dudley was born in 1839, bei's of the choir, and to a certain extent they
been a regular feature of the musical season. In
wished his son to succeed him in business. While composed the orchestra also.
at school, though, he managed to borrow a flute The first engagement of a professional soloist several years the orchestra of Theodore Thomas
was engaged. Mrs. E. Aline Osgood, Mr. Theo-
and made his first musical essays seated among was
that of Mr Thomas Phillips, in April, 1818, dore
and Mr. Georg Henschel were first
the foliage of a cherry tree. From a clerk in his to whom
paid the extraordinary sum of four heard J. at Toodt,
the
Cecilian
Concerts.
father's office he obtained a work on thorough hundred was
for two concerts. It was not The oratorio of "Samson"
was first sung in
bass, which he studied diligently. When on his until the dollars
seventeenth
concert
that
a
complete
thirteenth birthday he received a flute as a present, oratorio was performed. This was "The Mes- Philadelphia by this chorus, and "St. Paul" had
he surprised his family by at once playing upon siah," and the month was December, 1818. The been unheard so long that it was new to most
when the Cecilian sang it four years
it, for they knew nothing of his previous essays. number
of concerts given during a season has listeners
ago. .
He had to wait for a piano until he was sixteen; been as low
as
one
and
as
high
as
twenty-three.
and not until 1858, when he was a junior at
The list of works given in public by the so-
rarely has a concert been omitted at Easter,
Trinity, did his parents decide to give him a Very
ciety includes "The Messiah," "St. Paul, "Sta-
and
still
more
rarely
has
the
society
failed
to
give
musical education.
bat Mater," "Samson," "The Creation," "Elijah,"
"The Messiah" at Christmas.
In that year he went to Leipsic and studied at The support of the society is almost wholly de- "Judas Maccabaeus," besides, a great deal of mis-
the Conservatory. In 1862 he returned to this rived from the proceeds of the concerts, but cellaneous music has been rendered by the so-
• country and was appointed organist of the Music there ia a permanent trust fund, begun with the ciety. The most ambitious task yet undertaken
Hall. Mr. Thomas met him and engaged him as profits of a festival given in May, 1865 (to wit, by the society is "Israel in Egypt."
assistant conductor at the Central Park Garden $2,000), and which, by subsequent earnings, in-
FESTIVAL CHORUSED.
concerts. He is now organist at Holy Trinity, terest, bequests and donations, now amounts to
The
New
York
Chorus Society—600 singers.
Brooklyn, and conductor at the Apollo Club of 320,000. In pursuance of its avowed purpose to
that city. Besides numerous church compositions improve the style of church music, the society Theodore Thomas, Director. W. G. Dietrich,
and technical works, he composed the Centennial in its earlier days published several volumes of Chorus Master.
The Brooklyn Philharmonic Chorus—600
•Cantata, received the first Cincinnati Festival prize, anthems and hymn tunes, established lectures on
and has written a number of songs of considerable musical topics, and formed singing classes The singers. Theodore Thomas, Director. C. Mor-
merit.
publications quickly became standard, and large timer Wiske and W. G. Dietrich, Chorus Masters.
MB. O. MORTIMEB WISKE,
profits were realized from the sales; oratorios were The Handel and Haydn Society of Boston—350
published under its supervision. Th© number singers. Carl Zerrahn, Conductor.
The conductor of the Williamsburg branch of the also
of
members,
and retired—the latter a volun- The Ceciliau of Philadelphia—350 singers.
Brooklyn Philharmonic chorus, was born at Troy, tary condition active
after
twenty years' service—is about Michael H. Cross, Director.
N. Y., January 12, 1853. At the age of twelve three hundred and seventy-five.
The active choral The Worcester County Musical Association of
years he was appointed organist of the Tibbetts force is a little over five hundred.
The female Massachusetts—450 singers. Carl Zerrahn, Con-
Chapel, Hoosick, N. Y., and at sixteen years of
have never been members of the society, ductor.
age he was appointed organist and choir director choristers
speaking, but are, as members of the The Baltimore Oratorio Association—550 sing-
of the Church of the Ascension in Troy, which technically
subject to the same rules as the men, ers. Fritz Finke, Conductor.
position he held until his removal to New York in chorus,
while paying no dues and having no vote. The The Reading Choral Society of Reading, Pa.—
1872.
100 singers. Edward A. Berg, Conductor.
society has held seven festivals.
He has held prominont positions in Brooklyn as
THE FESTIVAL ORGAN.
It
has
also
taken
part
in
the
opening
ceremo-
organist and conductor, and is at present con-
nected in this oapacity with the Hanson Place nies at the Crystal Palace in New York in 1854; of
Mr.
Hilborno
L. Roosevelt has built an organ
Church. At twenty-one he was appointed con- the Beethoven Centenary Festival, New York, especially for the Festival. It has been placed
ductor of the Brooklyn Choral Union, and held June, 1870; in a series of concerts in connec- under the stage, as all the stage room is needed
the position during the three years of the so- tion with Theodore Thomas's orchestra, in 1873, for the singers. The instrument was designed
ciety's existence. In 1880 he organized the Arn- at Steinway Hall, New York, and has ap- especially to. support the chorus, and consists
phion Musical Society in Brooklyn. This society is peared at the Academy of Music, Brooklyn, on of one manual and one pedal keyboard, con-
only in its second year, but is one of the most which occasions they performed "Elijah," "Hymn trolling twelve registers, with scales that are
successful of its kind, with a membership of over of Praise," the Ninth Symphony, and selections very large, and tones powerful, round, and bril-
four hundred. This society produced in January from "Israel in Egypt." It also participated in liant, without being harsh. The keybox is placed
of this year scenes from "Frithiof's Saga," by the two Peace Jubilees in Boston, in 18G9 and directly in front of the conductor's stand, so that
Max Bruch, under his direction. In 1881 he was 1872. It has brought out in sixty-seven seasons Dudley Buck has the same view of Mr. Thomas
appointed conductor of the eastern district branch forty-eight important choral works, of which very that the orchestral musicians have. The keys are
of the Philharmonic Chorus, and has organized a few had then been sung in Boston, or even in the connected with the organ by electrical contriv-
force of two hundred voices which haTe been United States. Including the present season it ances. There being insufficient height for them
actively engaged all winter in preparations for the will have given 636 concerts.
under the stage, the large pijies of the 32-feet
Festival. Mr. Wiske is well known as a composer The following artists, among many others, have Open Diapason stop of the pedal organ lie flat
of part-songs and of organ music.
appeared with the society as solo singers: Mmes. upon the floor. These are the stops of the or-
Anna Bishop, Caradori Allen, Grisi, Sontag, gan:
MR. WILLIAM G. BIETRICH,
D'Angri, Christine Nilsson, Laborde, Piccoloraini,
MANUAL.
The chorus master of the New York and Brooklyn Colson, Parodi, Carlotta Patti, Parepa Rosa, Edith
choruses, was born in the city of Amaberg, King- Wynne, Rudersdorff, Adelaide Phillips, Drasdil,
1 16 feet Double-Mouthed Bourdon, wood, 58
dom of Saxony, and commenced the study of Cary, Winant, Pappenheim, Titiens, Kellogg, pipes.
music at a very early age. His first teachers were Thursby, Osgood. Sterling, Catherine Hays, and 2 8-feet Open Diapason, metal, 58 pipes.
the Cantor (Ebbardt) and the organist (Siegel) of Messrs. Braham, Incledon, Henry Phillips, Hat- 3 8-feet Violin Diapason, metal, 58 pipes.
the principal church of that city. Later, he visited ton, Stanley, Cummings, Varley, Stigelli, Brig- 4 8-feet Doppel-Flote, wood, 58 pipes.
the city of Prague, Bohemia, where he studied noli, Mario, Campanini, Henschel, Whitney, and
5 4-feet Octave, metal, 58 pipes.
with Professors Wittel and Hertzig, both of the Courtney.
6 4-ranks, Mixture, metal, 232 pipes.
Conservatory of Music. He came to America
7 8-feet Tuba Mirabilis, metal, 58 pipes.
THE WORCESTER COUNTY MUSICAL ASSOCIATION
while quite young, and has resided in various
PEDAL.
cities of the United States as teacher and con-
Has been in existence forty years, and numbers
-ductor.
8 32-feet Double Open Diapason, wood, 27
five hundred vocies. Among the most important pipes.
He was the musical director of the Castle and works
they
have
given
in
their
annual
festivals
Oampbell English Opera Company, and subse- are the oratorios of "Elijah," "St. Paul," "Crea-
9 16-feet Open Diapason, wood, 27 pipes.
quently of the Richings Opera Company. He tion," "Judas Maccabseus," "Joshua' and "Sam- 10 16-feet Bourdon, wood, 27 pipes.
was the conductor of the Philharmonic Societj of
the "Cecilia Mass," by Gounod, and the
11 8-feet Octave, metal, 27 pipes.
Philadelphia during the existence of the society. son;"
"Manzoni" Requiem Mass, by Verdi; "1/Alle- 12 16-feet Trombone, metal, 27 pipes.
He has sifice resided in New York, and has been gro,"
"Loreley," the "Stabat Mater," etc., etc.
Octave Coupler.
"with Mr. Theodore Thomas since the spring of Its services
were sought in the choral forces of
1875 as his assistant.
Mauuale to Pedale Coupler.
both the Boston Jubilees.
is no case around the organ, and nothing
THE HANDEL AND HAYDN SOCIETY.
The society has also vi&ited Providence, R. I., to There
hinder
the free egress of sound, and it has
This society was organized in March, 1815. Its six times in as many years, and given performances
so constructed that it can be speedily taken
first President was Thomas Smith Webb. Its of oratorio. The association began their annual been
down. After the festival it will be transported