CHAPTER III
EARLY YEARS
With the first steps safely passed and the Philadelphia Orchestra organized, the period of financial difficulty began. In 1901-1902 fourteen pairs of concerts in the regular series, and a total of fifty-two concerts for the season were given. The deficit jumped from $14,000 to $72,000. Everything was quadrupled except the audience. That remained almost stationary. Twenty years after Theodore Thomas’s time Philadelphia was still not ready to attend symphony concerts or support an orchestra at any general sacrifice to its own purse. The general attitude was that such a project must be supported by a few persons who had time and money to spend. Indifference was widespread.
Scheel early saw the need of traveling to make the orchestra known, especially in New York and Boston, as he realized that the saying about the prophet held good for orchestras as well as for persons. He was faced with the fact that the Association could not see its way to send the orchestra to large cities. Appearances out-of-town were undertaken as early as 1901-02, in cities in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. During the next season New York, Baltimore and Washington were visited.
He well knew, however, that his work with soloists would bring the orchestra fame, and much effort was expended in preparing accompaniments. A case in point was the time that Ysaye was the soloist and was playing a Bach Concerto. At the end the violinist stood like a statue until the orchestra had finished. When Scheel went off the stage, Ysaye kissed him on both cheeks and said that the accompaniment was the finest he had ever had. Shortly after this a member of the Boston Orchestra told one of our violinists that Ysaye had been booked to play the Bach Concerto with his orchestra; but after starting it he stopped the rehearsal and said: “Not after the Philadelphia Orchestra will I play the Bach Concerto,” and another concerto was substituted.
With artistic ambitions ever growing, it was discovered that some of the needed instruments were not to be found in the city and in addition to this a number of players would not accept the terms of the contract. The situation became acute, so in the summer of 1901, and again in 1902, the conductor was commissioned to seek musicians in Europe.
When it became evident that the Philadelphia Orchestra was going to be permanent, application was made in 1902 for a Charter[13] for the Association, which was granted on January 5th, 1903, to the following persons, only nine of whom are now living:
GEORGE BURNHAM, JR. EDWARD G. MCCOLLIN A. J. CASSATT THOMAS MCKEAN JOHN H. CONVERSE CLEMENT B. NEWBOLD ECKLEY B. COXE, JR. JAMES W. PAUL, JR. WILLIAM L. ELKINS MRS. FRANK H. ROSENGARTEN MARY K. GIBSON RICHARD ROSSMÄSSLER CLEMENT A. GRISCOM EDGAR SCOTT MRS. ALFRED C. HARRISON SIMON A. STERN JOHN H. INGHAM ANNE THOMSON OLIVER B. JUDSON ALEXANDER VAN RENSSELAER EDWARD I. KEFFER HENRY WHELEN, JR. C. HARTMAN KUHN P. A. B. WIDENER
[13] For Charter see Appendix A.
From the beginning Scheel inaugurated the polity continued ever since, of putting the orchestra in the lead artistically. “First,” performances began almost immediately. Three years after the formation of the orchestra he gave the first complete Beethoven Cycle ever presented in Philadelphia. Five successive concerts were devoted to this, ending with the Ninth Symphony, in which the Mendelssohn Club participated. This event was preceded by a series of five Young People’s Educational Concerts with lectures, by William J. Henderson, William F. Apthorp, Louis C. Elson, Hugh A. Clarke and Henry E. Krehbiel, whose subject was “Beethoven.” Other lectures were given on the same subject on the days of the concerts.
PROGRAMMES OF THE BEETHOVEN CYCLE First Concert, Friday, March 20th, 1903
1. Overture “Egmont,” E major, Opus 84 2. Symphony No. 8 F major, Opus 93 3. Symphony No. 3 E flat major (Eroica), Opus 55
Second Concert, Saturday, March 21st, 1903
1. Overture “Coriolanus,” C minor, Opus 62 2. Symphony No. 1 C major, Opus 21 3. Symphony No. 6 F major (Pastorale), Opus 68
Preceding lecture by HUGH A. CLARKE, MUS. DOC., at 3 o’clock, Saturday afternoon, at the Broad Street Conservatory, 1329 South Broad Street, GILBERT R. COMBS, _Director_
Third Concert, Tuesday, March 24th, 1903
1. Overture “Fidelio,” C major, Opus 72 2. Symphony No. 2 D major, Opus 36 3. Symphony No. 5 C minor, Opus 67
Preceding lecture by PHILIP H. GOEPP, at 3 o’clock, Tuesday afternoon, at the Assembly Hall of the Sternberg School of Music, 10 South 18th Street
Fourth Concert, Wednesday, March 25th, 1903
1. Overture “Leonore” No. 2, C major, Opus 72 2. Symphony No. 4 B flat major, Opus 60 3. Symphony No. 7 A major, Opus 92
Preceding lecture by HUGH A. CLARKE, MUS. DOC., at 3 o’clock, Wednesday afternoon, at the Broad Street Conservatory.
Fifth Concert, Thursday, March 26th, 1903
1. Overture “Leonore” No. 3, C major, Opus 72 2. Concerto for Piano and Orchestra E flat, Opus 73
Constantin von Sternberg
3. Symphony No. 9 D minor, Opus 125
Preceding lecture by PHILIP H. GOEPP, at 3 o’clock, Thursday afternoon, at the Sternberg School of Music
* * * * *
_Musical Courier_, New York, March 25th, 1903:
“The cycle was to crown the third season of the Philadelphia Orchestra’s successful existence, and for many months, the leader, the orchestra, the manager and the committees have been busy in the endeavor to make these five concerts matchless in performance and memorable in historical significance.
“The cycle was projected as an art undertaking pure and simple. Profit was a secondary consideration. Flamboyant advertisement was eschewed. There were announcements dignified and to the point. The prices were put within the reach of the student and the poor lover of music. Society was asked to patronize at the box office, but not on the programme. It is thus apparent that never in the musical life of America has there been conceived a project more ideal, more artistic and more utilitarian than this Beethoven Cycle in the City of Brotherly Love. Fritz Scheel is not overshadowed even by the great Joseph Joachim, who together with three famous fellow musicians, proposes next summer to play all of Beethoven’s string quartets at a musical festival in Germany.”
* * * * *
“Beethoven’s ‘Coriolanus’ overture was played by the New York Philharmonic Orchestra this season. The Filharmonic Fathers should have been provided with free transportation to Philadelphia in order to learn how one conductor can mar and another make the same composition. This Philadelphia Coriolanus was a hero indeed, who walked with erect head and proud chest. There was no rheumatism in his knees and there was no crick in his back. When his mother pleaded she spoke in accents human and loving. Her voice was softly attuned. It sang a song that Coriolanus did well to heed. Scheel’s graphic characterization made the Philharmonic performance appear in the memory like almost a travesty.”
* * * * *
_Musical Courier_, April 1, 1903:
“At the end, when the composer abandons absolute music and turns to song, Philadelphia’s own distinguished choral body, the Mendelssohn Club, came to the support of the musicians, and the beautiful ‘Hymn of Joy’ was brilliantly sung. As a quartet for the solo part, Mrs. Marie Kunkel-Zimmerman, Mrs. Osborne, Nicholas Douty and Mr. Schurig did brilliant work. Altogether the playing of this Ninth Symphony formed a fitting climax to this memorable week devoted to the great master’s own musical history.”
* * * * *
“After the performance of the overture, Scheel was presented with a floral wreath, lyre and harp, and John H. Converse on behalf of the Directors of the orchestra, bestowed upon him a bronze bust of Beethoven, in well chosen words of compliment and congratulations.”
Scheel’s one thought was the artistic development of the orchestra. The story is told of a time when new members of the Board found that the concerts were being given at a tremendous loss. They at once criticised the quality of the music, and said, “The programme must be changed; you are giving too high-class music for the people, and they won’t stand it.” The Executive Committee therefore decided that Mr. Scheel should put waltzes on his symphony programmes; and a meeting was arranged with him. This was in the early days when his English was less fluent than later, and his understanding of the language less keen. It took him some minutes to find out the real purpose of the Committee. Then he expressed himself in a very formal way—somewhat in this wise: “Gentlemen, I am the head of the department of music of this association. I am elected by you. You represent the business end of this association; I stand for art. I cannot allow any one to interfere with my programme. If my programme and my management of the musical side of the association does not meet with your approval, you may get another conductor; but as long as I am conductor of the Philadelphia Orchestra, waltzes will not be played on a symphony programme.” He spoke so emphatically that there was no recourse and the subject of waltzes at the regular series was dropped.
After this decision, however, Mr. Scheel suggested giving popular concerts. The committee immediately accepted this offer, and plans were made for five. At the last minute, when the sale at the box office was found to be exceedingly small, it was considered necessary to call upon outside organizations to make the concerts a financial success, so they were given for the benefit of various charitable organizations, such as the University Hospital, Hahnemann Hospital, St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children, and others.
The first Popular Benefit Concert for the Men’s Medical Ward of the University Hospital was put in charge of the “Benevolent Aid Society” of that ward. This committee, with Mrs. William W. Arnett, as Chairman, and Mrs. S. Naudain Duer, as Vice-chairman, at ten days’ notice secured one thousand patronesses and sold out the house, David Bispham having been secured as soloist, and a popular programme having been announced. This was the first time people representing a so-called “Opera Audience” had heard the Orchestra. In 1905 this same Committee secured the orchestra and gave an afternoon of Music in the Horticultural Hall. Tea was served at tables, and two programmes, with an intermission, were given. In each of these events about one thousand dollars each was cleared by the orchestra and the Men’s Ward. While these efforts were not entirely consistent with the dignity of a great orchestra, the financial situation in which the management found itself made such overtures for money making and advertising advantageous.
_The Press_, November 12th, 1902:
“PHILADELPHIA ORCHESTRA
“FIRST POPULAR CONCERT A GREAT SUCCESS—BISPHAM THE SOLOIST
“The first popular concert of the Philadelphia Orchestra at the Academy of Music last evening was a great success, not only from the financial point of view—the proceeds being for the benefit of the University Hospital—but from the artistic, the soloist, Mr. David Bispham, coming in for a special word by reason of his familiar finesse as an interpreter of aria and song.”
PROGRAMME CARL GOLDMARK Overture “In Spring” WAGNER Pilgrim’s Chorus from “Tannhäuser” (a) WAGNER “Evening Star” from “Tannhäuser” (b) VERDI Page Song from “Falstaff” JOHANN STRAUSS “Danube Maiden’s Waltz” BRAHMS Hungarian Dances Nos. 1 and 2 BEETHOVEN Overture “Leonore” No. 3, Op. 72 (a) SCHUMANN “The Two Grenadiers” (b) SCHUBERT “Hark, Hark, the Lark” GRIEG “Ase’s Death,” “Anitra’s Dance”
(_For String Orchestra_) (a) GOUNOD “Oh That We Two Were Maying” (b) H. H. WEIZLER “Killiekrankie” (c) DAMROSCH “Danny Dever” LISZT “Hungarian Rhapsody” No. 2
MR. DAVID BISPHAM, Soloist
In the early days rehearsals were held in the banquet room of Musical Fund Hall, and in the room of the Commercial Museum, through the courtesy of those organizations. Later Odd Fellows Hall was rented, but since 1912 the rehearsals have been held at the Academy of Music, by a special arrangement with the management, which has always co-operated to the fullest extent with the Association.
THE STRAUSS CONCERTS
During the fourth season of the orchestra’s existence, the Executive Committee took the bold step of engaging Richard Strauss to appear with it in Philadelphia. Later, two appearances in Boston with the Philadelphia Orchestra were added, as it was learned that no guest conductor was permitted to conduct the Boston Symphony Orchestra.
Strauss’s first American concert was in New York, where the practice of sending substitutes to rehearsals was common. In the middle of “Don Juan” the orchestra broke down and they had to stop and begin again. Therefore, when Dr. Strauss reached Philadelphia, he was prepared for another such occurrence. He arrived for rehearsal in a perturbed state of mind, and proceeded brusquely to the conductor’s stand. Mr. Scheel, however, had spared no pains in preparation for the great event. The rehearsal was held at Odd Fellows Temple, in a small room, where the reverberations in the fortissimo passages were tremendous. After simply bowing to Mr. Scheel, Dr. Strauss began to lead. He had played but a few measures before he discovered an orchestra thoroughly proficient and well-rehearsed in his numbers. After playing a few bars he dropped his arms and allowed the orchestra to play on. There was an entire change in his manner. He turned to Scheel, and, throwing both arms in the air, exclaimed, “Famos!” Every few moments he cried, “Wunderschön!” “Ausgezeichnet!” After making one or two corrections in the parts, he stopped the rehearsal and became highly enthusiastic over the playing of the orchestra.
THE PHILADELPHIA ORCHESTRA
FRITZ SCHEEL, _Conductor_ Increased to 100 Performers for these Occasions
DR. RICHARD STRAUSS Conducting his own Compositions, and
FRAU STRAUSS-DE AHNA Dramatic Soprano, accompanied by DR. STRAUSS
PROGRAMMES Friday Afternoon, March 4, 1904
1. FRANZ LISZT A Faust Symphony in Three Pictures (after Goethe) I. Faust (Allegro) II. Gretchen (Andante) III. Mephistopheles (Scherzo, Finale)
2. RICHARD STRAUSS Songs with Orchestra: a. “Das Rosenband” b. “Liebes-Hymnus” c. “Morgen” d. “Cäcilie”
FRAU STRAUSS-DE AHNA Conducted by the Composer
3. RICHARD STRAUSS “Tod und Verklärung,” Tone Poem, Op. 24
Conducted by the Composer Saturday Evening, March 5th, 1904
1. JOHANNES BRAHMS Symphony No. 2, D. major, Op. 73 I. Allegro non troppo II. Adagio non troppo III. Allegro grazioso (Quasi Andantino) IV. Allegro con spirito
2. RICHARD STRAUSS Songs with Orchestra: Three Mother-Songs a. “Meinem Kinde” b. “Muttertändelei” c. “Wiegenlied”
FRAU STRAUSS-DE AHNA Conducted by the Composer
3. RICHARD STRAUSS “Till Eulenspiegel and his Merry Pranks,” Op. 28
Conducted by the Composer
Great preparations were made for this event and much money was spent, for Strauss not only received a large fee, but much had to be used for advertising.
PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER, March 5th, 1904:
“RICHARD STRAUSS AT THE ACADEMY
“FIRST APPEARANCE OF THE FAMOUS COMPOSER MADE YESTERDAY AFTERNOON. HE CONDUCTS A FINE PERFORMANCE OF HIS OWN
“DEATH AND TRANSFIGURATION,” AND HIS WIFE SINGS FOUR SONGS
“There was a very large audience at the Academy of Music yesterday afternoon, when the Philadelphia Orchestra gave its last Friday afternoon performance for the current season. The occasion was made notable by the first appearance in this city of the famous composer, Richard Strauss, who had arranged to guide the orchestra through the mazes of the tone poem entitled, “Death and Transfiguration,” one of his best and most characteristic works; and it was rendered additionally interesting and important by the Philadelphia début of Mme. Strauss-de Ahna, who has the reputation of being an exceptionally skillful and sympathetic interpreter of her distinguished husband’s songs.”
* * * * *
“After his wife had finished her group of songs, and the enthusiastic and long continued applause which her work had elicited had died away, Mr. Richard Strauss returned to the platform to conduct his own “Tod und Verklaerung.” He is a singularly modest and unobtrusive looking man, with an appearance more suggestive of a school teacher than of a musician, and with nothing about him to betray any large estimate of his own consequence, but there can be no question as to his ability as a conductor. That had already been indicated in the manner he played the accompaniments to his wife’s singing, but it was conclusively demonstrated by the way in which he conducted the orchestral feature of the programme. In its lucidity and balance, in its delicate sense of proportion; in its wide and pregnant variations of light and shade; in the splendor of its climaxes and the salient force with which each detail was projected and each nuance given its proper value, his performance of “Death and Transfiguration” has certainly never been equalled in this city. It was a very great achievement and the audience rightly recognized it as such.”
* * * * *
_Philadelphia Ledger_, March 5th, 1904: “STRAUSS CONCERT A GREAT SUCCESS “WARM GREETING FOR THE COMPOSER AND HIS WIFE
* * * * *
“Strauss has a very precise beat, ordinarily quiet and undemonstrative and making very little use of his left hand; but when he wants a big climax for the brasses—and he is not afraid of noise—he conducts with his whole person. The orchestra knew the music perfectly and was absolutely responsive to every nuance.”
_City and State_, March 10th, 1904:
“The highest point, not only of the winter, but in a certain sense of all previous musical seasons was reached last week.
“To have the most eminent musician—we use the word advisedly in the strictest sense—interpret his compositions with our own orchestra in two concerts, certainly marks Philadelphia as one of the self-dependent musical centers of the world. But it was much more significant to hear the unstinted praise which Mr. Strauss bestowed on the orchestra after the concerts. On Friday, after the exalting performance of “Death and Transfiguration,” the composer seemed to forget his audience in the heartiness of his acknowledgments to the orchestra. Indeed, we see no impropriety whatever in publishing the fact that Mr. Strauss was immeasurably better pleased with the work of our orchestra than with that of the New York orchestra, which he conducted last Thursday evening. On Tuesday he declared himself entirely contented with the single rehearsal for the Friday concert. It seems almost a pity that we Philadelphians cannot discover for ourselves this excellence of our own enterprise—that we must have the most distinguished musician of the day come from Berlin to tell us that we have a splendid orchestra, and, it may be added, splendid conductor. At any rate, the fact ought not only to be taken to heart by all of us, but we ought not to hesitate to boast bravely of this advantage of ours over New York.”
These concerts were repeated in Boston on March 7th and 8th, where they had been well advertised and both houses sold out. But when the programmes were announced there was a cry of protest from the critics and musicians of that city. “Why should Boston have to listen to Fritz Scheel conduct a symphony on each programme?” The Executive Committee replied firmly that Boston had refused to have Dr. Strauss lead the Boston Symphony Orchestra, and now the Philadelphia Orchestra Association was giving Boston an opportunity to hear Dr. Strauss conduct as guest conductor of the Philadelphia Orchestra. The programme was not changed, but Philadelphia had to explain the stand she had taken even after the orchestra had reached Boston.
Then a real contretemps occurred, trying enough to shake the strongest nerves. In those days, either moving orchestras was more difficult, or the Philadelphia Orchestra was still too inexperienced a traveler to do so efficiently. When the hour for rehearsal in Symphony Hall arrived, there was no music and there were no instruments. They had been lost en route. The explanation arrived at after much telegraphing was that these valuable possessions had been placed in a car too high to pass under the bridges on the regular route, so it had been re-routed and would probably not arrive until evening. This was a predicament for a young orchestra, none too easy in its mind at the prospect of playing in the city of the Boston Symphony Orchestra; and now deprived of rehearsal in a hall new to the conductor, as well as to every player. The day passed, evening came, the audience assembled, and still no instruments. Twenty minutes after the concert hour, heavy teams were heard outside. The day was saved, the instruments were hurriedly put in place, the men went on, and the symphony, Brahms’ No. 2, began. The Philadelphians present say that the orchestra never played so well, and at the end of the symphony Scheel was recalled six times. Mr. Elson, a most friendly critic, who had given a dinner for our conductor the night before, rushed behind, saying, “Scheel, you have conquered Boston.” At a reception given for the two conductors after the concert, Mr. Philip Hale said of Scheel: “He has the right arm of Thomas and the left arm of Nikisch.”
_Boston Herald_, March 8th, 1904 (Philip Hale):
“The performance of the orchestra under Mr. Scheel was admirable.... Here is a conductor to be respected for many qualities, for his mastery of mechanism and for his genuine and poetic feeling.... There is no doubt that Mr. Scheel is an accomplished drill master. His patience and intelligence in rehearsal were shown by the fine performance of the supple orchestra under his direction.”
_Boston Evening Transcript_:
“Mr. Scheel is unquestionably a conductor of parts, whom one would gladly know better.... The wonderful beauties in the scoring of Liszt’s symphony were all made the most of, and under the hands of Mr. Scheel the dull passages became less hopeless than usual. Of the dramatic points Mr. Scheel took full advantage and with the advent of the Gretchen theme in the third movement he made an electrifying effect.”
_Boston Daily Advertiser_ (Louis C. Elson):
“Musical Boston was waked up last night! Those who braved the elements were rewarded by a concert which for novelty, for excitement and for educational value has seldom been equaled even in our symphonic city.
“The Philadelphia Orchestra proved itself to be the best that has visited Boston since Theodore Thomas brought his band here.
“Its conductor, Fritz Scheel, is an orchestral genius. He evidently knows his Brahms thoroughly, and by the time he had finished the first movement of the D major symphony, he was clasped to the Bostonian heart. To win a triumph in Brahms in a city where all our conductors are Brahms scholars (and our auditors too, for the matter of that), means very much. Mr. Scheel was recalled with enthusiasm.... The Philadelphia Orchestra has proved itself one of the important orchestras of the United States.”
A delightful anecdote is told about this visit to Boston. After the success of the evening concert, Dr. Strauss, full of enthusiasm, told Mr. Scheel that he must play the Domestica Symphony at its first performance in New York, and they arranged to play it together on the piano from the orchestral score in Symphony Hall the next morning. Scheel took the score home with him and the next morning the first playing of the Domestica in America began, Dr. Strauss taking the treble and Scheel the bass. In Strauss’s excitement he knocked the music off the rack just as the fugue started in the bassoons, but Scheel continued to play. Strauss turned to watch him, but still he played. The music was replaced and they finished the symphony. Dr. Strauss then discovered that Scheel had spread the score on a trunk and studied it all night, only closing the book at daylight.
Shortly after this Dr. Keffer received the following letter:
“Esteemed Doctor Keffer:
“You wish from me a leaf for your Album. I could not give same a more beautiful contents than to give again expression of my greatest pleasure over the splendid performance of the Philadelphia Orchestra, with which I was so fortunate to obtain such extraordinary successes in Philadelphia and in Boston.
“But the greatest merit of this success belongs to your excellent Kapellmeister Fritz Scheel, who had trained his young and music-loving orchestra so eminently, and who had prepared so well for my concerts, that I was able to give the performance, satisfying my strongest wishes, of my difficult works, after _only one_ repetition. Therefore, to Mr. Scheel, my special thanks and felicitation to which I join my heartiest wishes for further flourishing and prospering of the Philadelphia Orchestra under his energetic guidance.
“With especial esteem and best greetings also from my Wife,
“Yours sincerely devoted, “(Signed) DR. RICHARD STRAUSS “New York, the 28th of March, 1904.”
The next event out of the ordinary in which the orchestra took part was the Special Concert conducted by Felix Weingartner, about a year later.
THE PHILADELPHIA ORCHESTRA FRITZ SCHEEL, _Conductor_ Special Concert, February 16th, 1905 FELIX WEINGARTNER, _Guest Conductor_
LISZT Symphonic Poem “Triumph and Death of Tasso” WEINGARTNER Symphony No. 2, E flat major GLÜCK Overture “Iphigenia” MOZART Overture “Zauberflöte” WEBER Overture “Oberon”
He was well received by the audience and by the critics, one of whom wrote thus:
_Public Ledger_, February 17th, 1905:
“WEINGARTNER CONCERT” GERMAN COURT CONDUCTOR’S FIRST APPEARANCE HERE DIRECTS PHILADELPHIA ORCHESTRA IN HIS OWN “SECOND SYMPHONY” AND OTHER WORKS
“One of the incidental advantages of a permanent concert orchestra is the opportunity afforded from time to time to invite distinguished musicians to conduct performances of their own compositions, or of other works for which they may have a particular penchant. We had an interesting example of this last season in the concerts of the Philadelphia Orchestra at which Richard Strauss directed that expert band of executants in his own interpretation of some of his tone poems. Last evening in the Academy of Music, Felix Weingartner—less widely known as a composer than as a chief orchestral authority in Germany at the present day—similarly conducted the orchestra in a performance of his latest symphony, with an accompanying programme of his own choice, representing classic, romantic and modern music.
“In the remarkable organization of accomplished and enthusiastic musicians which has grown up within a few seasons under Fritz Scheel’s masterful direction, the leader of the Berlin Court Orchestra found a perfect instrument of expression ready to his hand. It is not, of course so large an orchestra as that to which he is accustomed, but there could be no doubt that it played the music exactly as the conductor wished it played. While last evening’s concert was thus in one sense a glorification of the Philadelphia Orchestra and its distinguished leader, the interest of the occasion was centered entirely in the guest and what he might have personally to express.
“Herr Weingartner is a tall, slim man, erect and precise, but with a winning personality that puts him at once in harmony both with the orchestra and his audience. His manner in conducting is usually quiet and firm, but he employs a great variety of detailed gesture that is expressive and obtains its results. He plays everything with a strongly marked accent, with more care for clarity and precision than for suavity, and makes very strong and abrupt contrasts with tremendous climaxes and with sharp periods. There is not a great deal of attention to grace of phrasing or delicacy of nuance, but evidently the strong effects he gets are what he thinks important.”
* * * * *
“Weingartner owes much to Liszt and the Weimar days and it is natural that he should give a fine performance of the “Tasso” with which the concert opened. This symphonic poem is one of so great dignity and beauty as to deserve more frequent hearing. The illness of Saal, the first ’cellist, left a note lacking in the beauty of the performance, though the intrinsic worth of the music made it a pleasure to hear.”
* * * * *
“After the concert a reception was given to the guest conductor at the home of Mrs. Spencer Ervin.”
During this season Mr. Scheel presented his first programme of House Music at a reception held in his honor, and the next winter he gave six such concerts at the residence of Mrs. Spencer Ervin, as a compliment to the Women’s Committee. These concerts much resembled the concerts given by Francis Hopkinson and his friends in the early days of Philadelphia, but were a complete and delightful novelty in 1905.
The most important evening of this kind was the concert given by Mr. Scheel and Philadelphia Orchestra musicians for Mrs. Roosevelt and her guests.
PROGRAMME House-Music Concert THE WHITE HOUSE, WASHINGTON, D. C. Monday Evening, January 29th, 1906
VOLKMANN Serenade No. 3, D minor, Opus 67. Violoncello Solo: Alfred Saal BEETHOVEN Rondino for two Oboes, two Clarinets, two Horns and two Bassoons MOZART From the Quintet, Opus 108. For Clarinet and String Quartet SVENDSEN From the Octet, Opus 3, for four Violins, two Violas and two Violoncellos STRAUSS Serenade (E flat major) Opus 7, for two Flutes, two Oboes, two Clarinets, four Horns, two Bassoons, and Contra-Bass or Bass Tuba
* * * * *
“DIRECTOR SCHEEL AND THIRTY-TWO MEMBERS OF PHILADELPHIA ORCHESTRA DELIGHT MR. AND MRS. ROOSEVELT AND GUESTS AT WHITE HOUSE CHARM PRESIDENT BY THEIR MUSIC
“Thirty-two members of the Philadelphia Orchestra, and Director Fritz Scheel, made a big impression on administrative, diplomatic and social Washington last Monday evening, when they gave one of their house-music concerts in the White House, and if you ask anyone of those thirty-three men what they think of President Roosevelt you will hear enough compliments to fill several bulky volumes.
“They had a delightful time, did these Quaker City symphony players, and so favorably were they received, that it is probable that they will be heard in the White House several times before the big orchestra disbands for the summer and the members scurry away to all parts of the earth.
“The full orchestra was not taken to the White House. Instead Director Scheel took his baby orchestra, consisting of six first violins, four violas, four cellos, two double basses, two flutes, two oboes, two clarinets, one bass clarinet, three bassoons and the horn quartet, and in that party there was but one American. Most of the players were Germans. The horn players were Frenchmen.
“President and Mrs. Roosevelt gave a small dinner party and afterwards a musicale. The dinner guests numbered about twenty, while over four hundred came for the musicale, including many of the most prominent men and women in Washington. It was a gay scene with all the army and naval officers, and the members of the various Diplomatic Corps in their gaudy full evening dress. The only Philadelphians there were Mrs. A. J. Dallas Dixon and Miss Frances A. Wister.
“The orchestra men drove to the White House at 9.30 P. M. and at 10.15 they entered the East Room, where all the guests were assembled. President Roosevelt and Mrs. Roosevelt sat in the front row and listened with the gravest attention.
* * * * *
“Then Mr. Scheel played his rat-a-tat-tat baton solo on his stand, and the thirty-two men broke into harmony as easily and gracefully as a flock of sea gulls lights upon the ocean.
“The concert was to last one hour—no more and no less—and during that hour the audience was treated to Volkmann, Mozart, Svendsen, Beethoven and Strauss in solos, quintets, octets, sextets and altogethers. Alfred Saal was the soloist—he with the long blonde hair and the marvelous cello. He played as only Saal can play and his serenade in D minor by Volkmann was one of the most delightful numbers of the evening.
* * * * *
“Immediately after the closing number, President Roosevelt expressed the wish to meet the musicians, and so one by one the men marched up and shook hands with the greatest American of the day. Each man received some kind word from the President, especially Director Scheel, and to the latter he expressed his deepest thanks and congratulations for having furnished such a delightful concert.”
* * * * *
“The next afternoon the full orchestra played a concert in Columbia Theatre before an audience that crowded the house and again won decided success. Just before the concert, Director Scheel received a huge box of roses and carnations from President and Mrs. Roosevelt.”
All was not smooth sailing during the early years or for years to come. Scheel had enemies, so did the orchestra. Many people were not pleased when plans other than their own succeeded, and there was unpleasant comment from time to time. This was gradually overcome by the sincere attitude and the industry of the conductor and the improvement in the playing of the orchestra. The Beethoven Cycle, the Strauss concerts and the appearance of Weingartner were helps to popularity, not a sudden popularity, but one achieved by real worth. Scheel was fast making a place for himself in the musical life of the city, and in 1905 he was engaged as leader of the Orpheus Club and of the Eurydice Chorus to succeed Dr. Frank Damrosch. This put added burdens onto him, but it was not understood then that the strain of leading an orchestra is enough for one man.
Recognition also came from outside of Philadelphia. Scheel had the compliment paid him of being invited to lead two concerts in New York in place of Theodore Thomas, who had recently died, which concerts were to mark the semi-centennial of Thomas’s connection with the Philharmonic Orchestra. Unfortunately, conflicting dates made acceptance impossible. He was even spoken of as a possible successor to Thomas by Mr. Louis Elson, of Boston, who said:
“There is a most thorough and progressive musician, who is perfectly fitted for the Chicago position—Mr. Fritz Scheel of Philadelphia. This conductor, although he has been in America but a short time, has already won his spurs and proved his right to the highest orchestral position. He is not too conservative, an essential point with an orchestral conductor of the present.”
In the meantime the concerts in Philadelphia were constantly improving, and the number had increased from six single concerts to eighteen pairs in six years. Out-of-town concerts in nearby places had been attempted with varying financial results. The Board of Directors, the Executive Committee and various Sub-committees worked hard to advance the interests of the orchestra.
The standard of excellence was kept at a high point. Fritz Scheel, ever ambitious for this venture in America, and possessing a keen artistic sense, produced programmes of excellence, which equalled and sometimes surpassed those of older American orchestras.
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