A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Boston Musical Societies
BOSTON MUSICAL SOCIETIES. The following societies, which give, or have given, concerts regularly for the edification of the public in Boston (U.S.A.), are described in the order of their age.
Handel and Haydn Society. [See vol. i. p. 659.] Since that article was prepared the society has produced the following works:—
Berlioz's Flight into Egypt(1879); Sullivan's Prodigal Son (1879); Handel's Utrecht Jubilate (1880); Mendelssohn's Psalm xliii (1880); Saint-Saëns' Deluge (1880); Graun's Death of Jesus (1882); Gounod's Redemption (1883); Rubenstein's Tower of Babel (1883); Paine's Nativity (1883); Cherubini's D minor Mass (1883); Bruch's Arminius (1883); Bach's Ein' feste Burg (1883); Gounod's Mori et Vita (1886); Bach's B minor Mass (1887).
The fifth triennial festival was given in May, 1880, and the sixth in May, 1883. The bicentenary of Handel's birth was celebrated on Feb. 22, 1885, by a concert of selections from several of Handel's oratorios. Mr. Carl Zerrahn has remained as conductor, and Mr. B. J. Lang as organist.
Harvard Musical Association. [See vol. i. p. 693.] The fifteenth and sixteenth seasons of symphony concerts were given in the Music Hall, in 1879–80 and '80–81 respectively, and the seventeenth in the Boston Museum (a theatre) in '81–82, since which the Association has with-drawn from the concert-field, it being found that the Boston Symphony Orchestra furnished all the high-class orchestral music that the public demanded. Mr. Carl Zerrahn remained as conductor until the end.
Apollo Club. Formed in July, 1871; incorporated by act of the State Legislature in March, 1873. It is composed of male voices, and is supported by assessments levied on associate members, among whom the tickets for the concerts are divided, none being sold to the public. Membership as an associate is perpetual so long as the assessment is paid. Most of the concerts have been given in the Music Hall, and Mr. B. J. Lang has been conductor from the beginning.
Boylston Club. Formed in 1872. Supported after the manner of the Apollo Club. It was originally intended for male voices, but shortly after the retirement, in April, 1875, of the first conductor, Mr. Joseph B. Sharland, and the election of a successor, Mr. George L. Osgood (who is still in charge) female voices were added, though the male chorus was retained for portions of each programme presented. Nearly all of the concerts have been given in the Music Hall.
The Cecilia. Formed in 1874, under the patronage of the Harvard Musical Association, for the purpose of presenting choral works for mixed voices at the symphony concerts. In 1876 it became an independent organisation and has been supported on the associate system. Mr. B. J. Lang has been conductor since the formation of the club.
The Euterpe. Formed in December, 1878, 'for the encouragement of music.' Its concerts so far, given in various small halls, have consisted of chamber music by string bands of from four to eight. Tickets are distributed among subscribing members, whose rights are secured, after election, by annual payment of assessments. At the concerts the players occupy a stage in the centre of the apartment, the audience being seated so as to face the stage from all points.
Arlington Club. Formed in October, 1879. Male voices and supported on the associate system. In the first three seasons, 1879–82, Mr. William J. Winch was conductor. For the two succeeding seasons Mr. George W. Chadwick served. The concerts were given in the Horticultural Hall. Of late the club has given few signs of life.
Boston Philharmonic Society. Formed in 1880. Devoted to concerts of symphonies and other high-class orchestral music. Mr. Bernhard Listemann was the conductor for the first season (1881), Dr. Louis Maas for the second (1881–82) and Mr. Carl Zerrahn for the third (1882–83). The Society has since followed the example of the Harvard Musical Association, and for the same reason. The concerts were all given in the Music Hall, and tickets were distributed among subscribing members, after the system described in the account of the Euterpe. Tickets for the public rehearsal which preceded each concert were, however, sold to the public.
Boston Symphony Orchestra. See vol. iv. p. 43. And add that after the third season Mr. Wilhelm Gericke of Vienna succeeded Mr. Henschel as conductor; and at the beginning of the fifth season Mr. Franz Kneisel, also of Vienna, took Mr. Listemann's post of leading violin.
Boston Orchestral Club. Formed in 1884 for the purpose of encouraging the study of orchestral works by young players, professional and amateur, who form a complete orchestra. Support of the enterprise comes from associate members (as in the case of the Apollo Club), to whom the orchestra gives in return several concerts in the course of a season. The concerts have been given in the Horticultural Hall under the direction of Mr. Bernhard Listemann.
Boston Chamber Music Society. Formed in 1886. Supported by subscriptions exactly as described in the case of the Euterpe. The concerts so far have included examples of chamber music in the larger forms and for instruments other than the string quartet, and have been given in Association Hall.
Orpheus Musical Society. Formed in 1853, and consisting chiefly of German members: that has been the tongue employed in the concerts. Of late the chorus of the Society (male voices) has only appeared in public for charitable purposes or on other special occasions. The Society has apartments fitted and furnished like a club house, and as the social element is now most prominent, this description is separated from the accounts of the other musical organisations, the chief purpose of which is, or has been, the cultivation of some peculiar branch of the art of music.
The Clefs. A social club, formed in 1881, limited at first to sixty, afterwards to a hundred members, three fourths of whom must be professionally connected with music. It holds monthly meetings during the six months beginning in November. The only permanent officer is that of secretary. At the beginning of each season the club elects six members to serve in turn as Masters, one for each social meeting. The Master is endowed with autocratic powers. Men only are eligible to membership.
Concerning the clubs supported on the associate membership principle it should be understood that the following have supplied the performers from their ranks of active members: Apollo, Boylston, Cecilia, Arlington, and Orchestral Club. The others (Euterpe, Philharmonic, and Chamber Music Society) have hired the performers for their concerts. The associate membership in each organisation is limited.