Scan 20
Musical Courier 1903-06-24: Vol 46 Iss 1213, 1903
145 lines. Read by computer on 23 September 2026. Printed page 21. See the scan on archive.org.
1THE ST. LOUIS SAENGERFEST.
3St. Louis, Mo., June 20, 1903.
5EDNESDAY evening, June 17, the North American Saengerbund and certain singing societies of St. Louis gave the first of a series of four concerts in Liberal Arts Hall, one of the buildings of the Louisiana Purchase World's Fair. According to the printed programs this was the thirty-first national gathering. The orchestra numbers about 200 musicians from Chicago, Cincinnati and St. Louis. There was a festival chorus, a national male chorus and a children's chorus made up of the pupils of the public schools, the whole aggregating some thousands of singers. The soloists were Mme. Katharina Fleischer-Edel, soprano; Mme. Louise Homer, contralto; Willi Birrenkoven, tenor; James J. Rohan, baritone, and Max Lohfing, basso. The conductors were Alfred G. Ernst, William Lange, Richard Stempf and W. H. Pommer.
7The performance Wednesday evening brought to mind that old story that originated before the advent of "Higher Criticism" and the "New Theory" to the effect that once upon a time the devil sheared a pig, when his labors resulted in a "great cry and little wool." So it was at this performance; many musicians and little music; many voices and little tone. It is doubtless, from many points of view, good to have these national musical gatherings, particularly as they stimulate an interest in music on the part of those who are to sing, but the musical enjoyment of the listeners amounts to little. It is perhaps possible to so construct an auditorium that will seat 15,000 people that a concert can be given in it successfully from an artistic point of view, but the Liberal Arts Hall falls far short. It is an immense room partitioned out of the centre of one of the World Fair buildings. A stage has been constructed in one end, and in front of it chairs have been placed on the level floor extending back 300 or 400 feet. Those having seats in the rear should come provided with ear trumpets and telescopes. Two lines of large pillars extend from one end of the room to the other and cut off sight and sound from those on the outside of them—at least one-half of the audience. Of course the original idea in securing the Saengerfest for St. Louis at this time was to increase the attendance at the World's Fair, since it was expected that the fair would now be in progress. This was before the postponement. Possibly the festival building (not yet constructed), which will be used during the World's Fair for musical performances, would have been a proper place in which to give such concerts as these. If so it is greatly to be regretted that the World's Fair management left music as the last thing to be provided for, and that the building intended for such uses is not now in existence. Before the musical program began short addresses were made by Otto Stifel, president of the St. Louis festival board; David R. Francis, president of the World's Fair; Rolla Wells, Mayor of St. Louis, and F. Hanno Deller, president of the North American Saengerbund. The program was as follows:
9PROGRAM OF OPENING CONCERT.
10WEDNESDAY EVENING, JUNE 17, AT 8 O'CLOCK.
11Musical directors—Richard Stempf, William Lange and Alfred Ernst.
12Soloists—Mme. Katharina Fleischer-Edel, soprano; Mme. Louise Homer, contralto; Willi Birrenkoven, tenor; James J. Rohan, baritone; Max Lohfing, basso.
13Kaisermarsch …………………………………………..Wagner
14Orchestra.
15Address of welcome by Hon. Rolla Wells and Hon. D. R. Francis.
16Responses by Otto F. Stifel and J. Hanno Deller. Presentation of the banner of the National Saengerbund.
17To the Arts (male chorus with orchestra)……………………..Wagner
18United Singing Societies of St. Louis.
19Aria from The Prophet………………………………….Meyerbeer
20Mme. Louise Homer.
22Loreley (Finale, Act I)………………………………….Mendelssohn
23Festival mixed chorus of the city of St. Louis and orchestra.
24Soprano solo, Mme. Katharina Fleischer-Edel.
25Ride of the Valkyries………………………………….Wagner
26Orchestra.
27Aria from The Jewess…………………………………..Halevy
28Max Lohfing.
29Duet from Siegfried………………………………………Wagner
30Mme. Fleischer-Edel and Willi Birrenkoven.
31Lohengrin (Finale, Act I)……………………………….Wagner
32King Henry……………………………………………..Mr. Lohfing.
33Telramund……………………………………………….Mr. Rohan.
34Lohengrin……………………………………………….Mr. Birrenkoven.
35Ortrud…………………………………………………….Madame Homer.
36Elsa of Brabant………………………………………….Mme. Fleischer-Edel.
37Festival mixed chorus of the city of St. Louis and orchestra.
38America ……………………………………………………Carey
39Massed chorus and orchestra.
41The work of Mr. Ernst and the orchestra deserves most commendation, for even in the Liberal Arts Hall their work was fairly effective. The chorus sang with precision in the selection from Mendelssohn's "Loreley," ably conducted by William Lange. How anyone ever came to mistake Richard Stempf for a conductor is past understanding. His successful efforts to create confusion in the performance of the "Lohengrin" selection very nearly produced three separate breakdowns in the course of that number that were averted by members of the orchestra and the singers going forward with their parts regardless of his meaningless gestures. He does not seem to have achieved even the knowledge necessary to beat three in a bar or four in a bar, but seesaws up and down regardless of measures or tempo. Of the soloists nothing but words of unqualified praise can be justly said. Mme. Katharina Fleischer-Edel possesses a remarkable soprano voice, and is a thoroughly trained Wagner singer. Messrs. Birrenkoven and Lohfing are just such artists as this country would produce and honor if St. Louis, Cincinnati, Buffalo, &c., had resident opera companies where good voices and musical talent could find a field for usefulness and development. Madame Homer added another to her St. Louis successes, and Mr. Rohan, whose versatility makes him able to sing the baritone part in the Lohengrin Finale on Wednesday evening and the second tenor part in the Quintet from "Die Meistersinger" Friday evening, held his own with the other singers in the little he had to do.
43The programs for the remaining concerts were as follows:
45THURSDAY EVENING.
46Musical directors, Richard Stempf, William Lange and Alfred Ernst.
47Soloist, Mme. Katharina Fleischer-Edel, soprano.
48Vorspiel, Die Meistersinger…………………………….Wagner
49Orchestra.
50Ode to Music…………………………………………..Rheinberger
51National Male Chorus and Orchestra.
52Huntsman's Fickle Love……………………………….Dregert
53Whence With Joy………………………………………Silcher
54National Male Chorus.
55Cheerful Poverty………………………………………Kremser
56United Singers of Cincinnati, Louis Ehrgott, director.
57Siegfried's Death………………………………………Wagner
58Orchestra.
59Holiday Eve…………………………………………….Attenhofer
60National Male Chorus.
61Awake……………………………………………………Baldamus
62National Male Chorus and Orchestra.
63Soprano solo, Mme. Fleischer-Edel.
64Within a Shady Grove…………………………………Gluck
65National Male Chorus.
66Toreador and Andalusienne……………………………Rubinstein
67Orchestra.
68My Old Kentucky Home………………………………..Foster
69National Male Chorus.
70Chorus from the opera Jessonda………………………..Spohr
71National Male Chorus and Orchestra.
73FRIDAY AFTERNOON.
74Soloists, orchestra and grand chorus of pupils of the public schools.
75Directors—William H. Pommer and Alfred Ernst.
76Soloists—Mme. Katharina Fleischer-Edel, soprano; Mme. Louise Homer, contralto; Willi Birrenkoven, tenor; James J. Rohan, baritone; Max Lohfing, basso.
78Overture, Phedre………………………………………Massenet
79Orchestra.
80Within These Holy Walls (Magic Flute) (In diesen heiligen Hallen)………………………………………Mozart
81Mr. Lohfing.
82The Heavens Are Telling……………………………..Beethoven
83Lullaby…………………………………………………..Brahms
84Chorus of Children of the Public Schools.
85Waltner's Prize Song, Die Meistersinger (Walther's Preis-Lied)………………………………………Wagner
86Mr. Birrenkoven.
87Der Daxelhofer…………………………………………Hegar
88Buffalo Orpheus, John Lund director.
89Quartet from Faust…………………………………….Gounod
90Mme. Fleischer-Edel, Madame Homer, Mr. Birrenkoven and Mr. Lohfing.
91Largo from the opera Xerxes (for strings)…………….Handel
92Orchestra.
93Aria from Fidelio………………………………………Beethoven
94Madame Fleischer-Edel.
95Mignonette……………………………………………..Pinsuti
96Postillion……………………………………………….Taubert
97Chorus of Children of the Public Schools.
98Loreley…………………………………………………..Liszt
99Omnipotence (Allmacht)……………………………..Schubert
100Madame Homer.
101Suite from Carmen…………………………………….Bizet
102Orchestra.
103Quintet from Die Meistersinger………………………..Wagner
104Madame Fleischer-Edel, Madame Homer, Mr. Birrenkoven, Mr. Lohfing and Mr. Rohan.
105Song of the Vikings…………………………………..Fanning
106Red, White and Blue…………………………………Shaw
107Chorus of Children of the Public Schools.
109FRIDAY EVENING.
110Musical directors—Richard Stempf, William Lange and Alfred Ernst.
111Overture, Tannhauser…………………………………Wagner
112Orchestra.
113Song of Challenge (Truklied)…………………………..Attenhofer
114National Male Chorus and Orchestra.
115In the Distance (In der Ferne)………………………..Silcher
116Awake, Beautiful Dreamer (Wach auf, du schöne Traum-erin)………………………………………Gericke
117National Male Chorus.
118Battle Hymn (Schlachtgebet)…………………………..Moehring
119United Singing Societies of Chicago, Gustav Ehrhorn director.
120Suite de Ballet, Queen of Sheba (Königin von Saba)……Goldmark
121Orchestra.
122Little Blue Eyes (Blau Neugelein)……………………..Witt
123National Male Chorus.
124On the Rhine (Um Rhein und mein Wein)……………..Ries-Ehrgott
125National Male Chorus and Orchestra.
126Farewell (Lebe wohl!)………………………………..Silcher
127The Young Journeymen (Der Wanderbursch)………….Weidt
128National Male Chorus.
129Slavonic Dances………………………………………Dvorák
130Orchestra.
131In the Forest (Der Wald)……………………………..Haeser
132National Male Chorus.
133The Star Spangled Banner…………………………..Arnold
134National Male Chorus and Orchestra.
136Mme. Luisa Cappiani.
138MME. LUISA CAPPIANI assisted at the concert on board the steamer Minnetonka for the benefit of the Royal Merchant Seamen's Orphanage at Snaresbrook. The accomplished vocal teacher delivered a touching man's story, which she wrote herself. Hugh E. Williams, the Brooklyn baritone, sang two songs. Miss Avice Boxall played two harp solos. Mrs. Nathan sang two French songs. There were other musical as well as humorous and literary numbers. Madame Cappiani made a great hit with her clever story.
140After leaving London Madame Cappiani went to Ostend, and from there to the Rhine, by the way of Brussels and Cologne. From Frankfort Madame Cappiani will go to Carlsbad for a sojourn of four weeks.
142A Resignation.
144PROF. N. COE STEWART, supervisor of music in the Cleveland (Ohio) public schools, has resigned after filling the position thirty-six years. He is widely known throughout the country in musical circles.
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