Foreign Language Press Service

The Apostles of Apollo The Third Day of the Festival

Illinois Staats-Zeitung, July 2, 1881

The third day of the great song Festival is now also a thing of the past and presents another page in the glorious history of the German-American singing societies.... [Translator's note: A poetic dissertation on the weather is omitted.]

Because of the cool temperature even the afternoon concert enjoyed excellent attendance, while the evening performance was crowded again; there were almost no vacant seats. The hopes of the Festival committee were more than realized, and the belief of the committee members that it would be difficult to arouse enthusiasm among the masses proved erroneous.

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Schumann's Second Symphony, opus 61, was chosen for the opening number.....[Translator's note: Descriptive text omitted.] It was the only orchestral number, that is, the only number played by the orchestra exclusively. The choral numbers were Moehring's "Vorbei," sung by the Columbus Male Chorus, and "Fruehlingsnahen," by Kreutzer, sung by the Philadelphia Young Men's Chorus.....We regret to say that both renditions were very unimpressive. The Columbus Male Chorus, which had excellent singers at its command,....showed a lamentable lack of confidence, and only the imperturbability of their conductor, Carl Schoppelrei, saved them from complete failure. We expected much of the Young Men's Chorus. The writer still remembers Liszt's "Gang um Mitternacht" which this Chorus sang at the Baltimore Song Festival--what a contrast between that masterly rendition and the presentation of Kreutzer's effective song, which was given in an almost mediocre manner! Pitch, precision, and expression were all lacking, not to mention the roughness of the voices. [Translator's note: Too much beer; see July 1 edition.]

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The Milwaukee Musical Club was much better. Under Luening's leadership the association was sure of itself; they sang "Maedchen von Sorens," by Schrader, and their rendition also had expression.

The high light of the concert was undoubtedly the solo by Anna Louise Cary, an aria from "Semele," which the artist sang so appealingly that the audience demanded more. Mrs. Feschka Leutner sang the "Bolere" from Verdi's "Sicilian Vespers". The absolute perfection of her rendition evoked stormy applause, with shouts and demands for an encore; so she repeated the trills and staccato passages of the bravura aria.

Mr. Whitney, as usual, made a profound impression. He sang "In Diesen Heiligen Hallen".

Eduard Schultze, our Chicago tenor, sang the "Ave Maria" from "Stradella". He was slightly hoarse at first but continued undismayed and gave a very presentable rendition, receiving generous applause.

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this last was sung by Mr. Remmertz. It was a pleasing composition but too light in structure for a powerful grand chorus, although the work was intended for a mass of singers and had been written by the composer for the song festival of 1870 and dedicated to it. The rythmic appeal was entirely obliterated in yesterday's presentation, but the final movement was given in a splendid manner and created great enthusiasm. Mr. Remmertz sang with much expression, and the Germania [Chorus] deserves praise.

In choosing the "Tempelweihe" the conductor was more fortunate, and his arrangement of the orchestral accompaniment was excellent. The chorus provided an unostentatious background for the fervent prayer of "Salomon" (Mr. Remmertz) and was indescribably effective and inspiring; there was magnificent teamwork of soloist and choral members.

Braun's "Mutterseelenallein" was not suitable for a large chorus and from the technical point of view proved the weakest of these numbers.

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It can hardly be asserted that "Drusus' Tod" by Reissmann electrified the audience. The work is of too classical a character for that. Only the march in Chorus Six proved effective enough to arouse what might be called "spontaneous applause"; otherwise the response was languid rather than animated. Particular interest was aroused, however, by the solo parts, which were given excellently by Mme. Peschka-Leutner and Messrs. Candidus and Remmertz. Mr. Candidus in particular distinguished himself in Recitative Number Nine, "Entsetzlich Weib," although his voice was strained with fatigue.

The number was the last one of a very long program, and the inevitable noise of people leaving the hall distracted the attention of the audience for these reasons the offering did not attain the success which it deserved.

Besides the united chorus the Apollo Club also appeared on the program, and the rendition of the fourth scene of Bruch's "Frithjofs Saga" showed the German singing societies at the highest level reached by Americans. The 6Apollo Club's achievement and the Cleveland Singing Society's offering at the first afternoon concert will probably be remembered as the most distinguished presentations of choral singing in the entire Festival.

Mme. Peschka-Leutner had elected to sing the well-known "Variations" by Proch. She sang them with a perfection masterly beyond description. This number was the climax at the great Boston Song Festival, and she has lost none of her vocal gifts since that time. Mme. Peschka-Leutner undoubtedly is pre-eminent in all coloratura soprano parts. To Mr. Candidus two solo numbers were assigned, an aria from "Euryanthe" and "Walther's Preislied" from the "Meistersinger" by Richard Wagner. He sang both numbers splendidly, but his voice is not particularly well adapted to the last-named selection, since he apparently lacks the essential ardor. Mr. Whitney sang his often-heard favorite selection, Mendelssohn's "I Am a Roamer," in his accustomed manner, although at times he deviated from the true pitch.

Mme. Donaldi's aria from "Favorita" by Donizetti confirms our opinion that 7the lady can make no claims to being the greatest American soprano, as announced on her lithographs. She received a large lyre made of flowers last evening, a present from an anonymous admirer.

Today's Concerts

The following nembers appear on today's program, the last day of the festival.

Afternoon Concert

Adolph Rosenbecker, Director

1. Overture from "Robespierre" ................ Littolf

2. Chorus, "Normannenzug" ..................... Moehring Germania Male Chorus, Cincinnati, W. Eckert, Conductor

3. "Deities of Hades" from "Alceste" ............ Berlioz Miss Annie Louise Cary

4. "Preludes," Symphonic Poem................. Liszt

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5. Aria from "Don Juan"....................Mercadante W. Candidus

6. Aria from the "Creation"................Haydn M. W. Whitney

7. Song.......................................Bach-Rosenbecker

8. a) "Brudefaerden"......................Kjerulf

b) "Hoer Oess, Svea!" .....................Werneberg Freja Chorus of Chicago, Mr. Moe, Conductor

9. "Pace, O Mio Dio" from "Forza Del Destino".........Verdi Mme. Donaldi

10. March from "Die Afrikanerin".........................Meyerbeer

Evening Concert

Hans Balatka, Conductor

1. "Festmarsch," Opus 6 ..................................Lassen

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2. Trio, "Tremate" .......................................... Beethoven Mme. Peschka-Leutner, Messrs. Candidus and Remmertz

3. Introduction and Third Scene from "Lohengrin"....... R. Wagner All the Soloists

Second Part

"Ninth Symphony," Opus 125................................ Beethoven Soloists: Mme. Peschka-Leutner, soprano; Miss Annie Louise Cary, alto, Mr. W. Candidus, tenor, Mr. Remmertz, baritone, and Festival Chorus of the North American Singers Alliance

The Orpheus Banquet

It has been customary at many of the banquets given at song festivals in the past to imbibe freely, to the exclusion of everything else. I said "imbibe" because I did not care to use a stronger expression; and from time to time a 10toast was given, or some one treated the boys with a song, and finally, as Mayor Harrison remarked so tactfully yesterday,

"When absolutely full, the fellows wobbled to their quarters."

Today, however, the music and song festivals have reached such a stage of perfection that efforts are even made to improve the banquets, which originally were regarded as a recess for the singers. Now we have come to the point where these rest periods are being regarded as entertainments with long-winded orators and overgenerous singers doing their utmost to bore their listeners, and incidentally it tires the performers.....The banquet started at 11 P.M., and the participants hardly had time to drink a glass of beer, since the gavel of the chairman constantly reminded them that they were expected to provide entertainment, regardless of the prolonged singing at the Exposition Building only a few hours before. That these remarks are not exaggerated will readily be admitted by all who were present at the Orpheus banquet.

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Hermann Pomy, president of the Orpheus Chorus and master of ceremonies on this occasion, welcomed the assembly in the tastefully decorated banquet hall in the north part of the Exposition Building. The Chicago Orchestra played a selection, and at its conclusion the musicians played a flourish, while the members of the association gave a cheer to the guests. Then the sumptuous repast was served, and then came the inevitable Carter H. Harrison, Chicago's Mayor, with his standard panegyric of the Germans and his stale jokes about Cincinnati and St. Louis, while guests from those cities were among us. The Orpheus Chorus sang "Die Vier Zecher" (The Four Topers). Next came another speech, this time by Franz Amberg, president of the North American Singers' Alliance, who gave a brief account of the twenty-second Song Festival and showed what great efforts were required [to prepare for it], and how the people of Chicago had collaborated [with the committee], proving that the Festival was not merely a matter of diversion but represented the unification of the German elements throughout the land to uphold German traditions and German song. This speech formed a great contrast to the Mayor's ostensibly humorous address and was received with great acclaim by the 12singers from out of town. Than followed a toast to the Alliance....more songs....and a xylophone solo by Mr. Wagner with orchestra accompaniment, which had to be repeated upon insistence.....[Next came] a speech in English by Louis Wahl, who referred to the Festival as a cosmopolitan event, in order to efface the Mayor's blunder....and after many more songs the banquet came to an end.

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