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Goves Dictionary Of Music And Musicians, 1920
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1BOHEMIAN CLUB, THE, of San Francisco, has become famous for maintaining unique open-air performances for its members and their guests in which literary, dramatic and musical elements are mingled in varying proportions. The initial experiment was made in 1878, leading to a series of 'Midsummer High Jinks' that continued from 1879 to 1901. The programs for these were at first miscellaneous, but tended after 1890 to become unified upon some plan proposed by the leader or 'sire' for the year, resulting often in a continuous play or drama. From 1880 the exercises regularly culminated in a symbolic ceremony called 'The Cremation of Care,' and until about 1910 the thought underlying this dominated other exercises. Of late years, however, this ceremony has been transferred to the opening of the celebration. Since 1902 the principal event has been the presentation of a 'Grove-Play,' which has become increasingly significant artistically. In these 'plays,' as in the earlier 'Jinks,' music has figured largely, either in melodrama or in fairly complete operatic form, enlisting the genius of many composers and interpreters. From almost the first the 'revels' have been held in the impressive redwood forests of Sonoma County to the northwest of San Francisco. They are now domiciled at 'The Grove,' a tract of over 800 acres on the Russian River near Guerneville. Here the Club holds a two weeks' encampment in August. The theater or arena at its center now has (1920) a 3-manual open-air organ resembling that successfully installed at San Diego in 1915.
3Among the earlier productions which approximated the later musico-dramatic type were 'The Sermon of the Myriad Leaves' (1892), 'The Sacrifice in the Forest' (1893) and 'The Enigma of Life' (1901). The list of 'Grove-Plays' is as follows:
51902 'The Man in the Forest,' text by C. K. Field, music by Joseph D. Redding.
61903 'Montezuma,' text by L. A. Robertson, music by Humphrey J. Stewart.
71904 'The Hamadryads,' text by Will Irwin, music by W. J. McCoy.
81905 'The Quest of the Gorgon,' text by N. J. Tharp, music by Theodor J. Vogt.
91906 'The Owl and Care,' text by C. K. Field, music by H. J. Stewart. Not strictly a Grove-Play.
101907 'The Triumph of Bohemia,' text by George Sterling, music by Edward F. Schneider.
111908 'The Sons of Baldur,' text by Herman Scheffauer, music by Arthur Weiss.
121909 'St. Patrick of Tara,' text by H. M. Stephens, music by Wallace A. Sabin.
131910 'The Cave-Man,' text by C. K. Field, music by W. J. McCoy.
141911 'The Green Knight,' text by Porter Garnett, music by Edward G. Stricklen.
151912 'The Atonement of Pan,' text by J. D. Redding, music by Henry K. Hadley.
161913 'The Fall of Ug,' text by Rufus Steele, music by Herman Perlet.
171914 'Nec-Natoma,' text by J. W. Shiels, music by Uda Waldrop.
181915 'Apollo,' text by Frank Pixley, music by Edward F. Schneider.
191916 'Gold,' text by F. S. Myrtle, music by Humphrey J. Stewart.
201917 'The Land of Happiness,' text by C. T. Crocker, music by Joseph D. Redding.
211918 'The Twilight of the Kings,' text by R. M. Hotaling, music by Wallace A. Sabin.
221919 'Life,' text by H. L. Wilson, music by Domenico Brescia.
231920 'The Ilya of Muron,' text by C. C. Dobie, music by Ulderico Marcelli.
25In 1918 there were published in a limited edition three volumes of Grove-Plays of the Bohemian Club, with a thoughtful Introduction by the editor, Porter Garnett, the well-known dramatic critic and author. Many of the plays are preceded by special introductions by the authors of the words, and in most cases notes are given of the principal themes employed in the musical settings. Articles upon the work of the Club have been written by Jesse L. Williams in 'Collier's Magazine' (Sept. 7, 1907), by Arthur Farwell in 'Musical America' (Oct. 16, 1909) and by Percy Mackaye in The Civic Theatre (1912). See also an appreciative notice in The Art of Music. iv. 396-9.1
27BOHEMIANS, THE, of New York, is a fraternal union of musicians, started in 1907, of which Rubin Goldmark was president in 1907-10 and Franz Kneisel since 1910.
29BOISE, OTIS BARDWELL (Aug. 13, 1844, Oberlin, O. : Dec. 2, 1912, Baltimore), while attending school in Cleveland began to play the organ in church when but fourteen. In 1861 he went to Leipzig, studying with Hauptmann, Richter and Moscheles for three years and then continued at Berlin with Kullak. In 1865 he returned to Cleveland and for five years was teacher and organist there. Then followed six years in New York, teaching composition in the New York Conservatory and serving as organist at the Fifth Avenue Presbyterian Church. In 1877 he went to Europe again as student and composer and enjoyed the advice and assistance of Liszt. In 1878-88 he was in New York, for three years in music and for seven years in other business. Then for thirteen years he was in Berlin, gaining a fine reputation as teacher of theory. He returned to America in 1901, becoming teacher of theory and composition at the Peabody Conservatory in Baltimore and music-critic of the 'News,' holding both positions until his death. Among his well-known pupils are Huss, Brockway, Hutcheson, Arthur Nevin and Atherton. His
311 The data for the above summary were supplied by the courtesy of Mr. Henry Bretherick of San Francisco.
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