Whit Monday Festivities

“In part, this festival will raise money for a new organ at St. Francis’ Church on W. 31^st St.”

Includes program.       

[Long opening on the presence of the German community on the religious holiday, Whit Monday. “At an early hour in the day large crowds of Germans, accompanied by their wives and children (for the genuine Deutschers go on no pleasure excursion unless the frauen und kinder are participants), might have been noticed wending their way to the park that was to be the principal scene of their festivities. . . . The Third avenue and Second avenue line of cars, in their uptown trips, were crowded with hundreds of passengers, whose facial contour, in each instance, gave unmistakable evidence of Teutonic extraction, and whose beaming countenances betokened anticipatory enjoyments that the Germans, above all other people, know so well how to appreciate. [More on their presence in the park.]  . . . There were present on this Pfingst Montag men and women of both high and low degree, youths and maidens; and even children in arms formed no inconsiderable portion of the assemblage. Rivers of lager and tubs of Rhein wine flowed freely down the throats of these pleasure seekers, and the only effect of the omnipresent imbibition seemed to be the rousing of the stolid German spirit to a point where innocent enjoyment met with full appreciation. Two excellent brass bands, in addition to the orchestra that furnished melody to which the willing feet of the dancers kept time, afforded harmony for the ever increasing crowds; and as these, stationed at either end of the park, gave forth their musical utterances, it was made fully apparent that, for this day at least, the grand old woods were to be devoted to giving equal homage to Orpheus and Terpsichore. This occasion was the tenth General Singer Festival, and, to make it what its name imports, thirty-seven singing societies were present. . . .

     The societies represented on this occasion were:--The Armenia, Euphonia, Harmonia, Liederkranz. Fidelia, Liedertafel, Liedertafel of the United Reformers, Mozart Verein, Melomanen, Quartet Club of Williamsburg, Rheinischer Saengerbund, Sing Academie, Special Reform Gesang Verein, Schwabischersaengerbund, Teutonia, Frauenlob, Beethoven Maennerchor, Frohsinn (Bloomingdale), Social Maennerchor, Mozart Maennerchor, Quartet Club of New York, Schwabischer Liederkranz, Concordia Maennerchoir, Sangerlust, Orpheus (Bloomingdale), Harmonie, Phoenix, Uhland Bund, Colonia Maennerchor, Bloomingdale Maennerchor, Brooklyn Saengerbund, Union Maennerchor, Hudson City Quartet Club, Social Reform Liedertafel and Harlem Maennerchor.

     At three o’clock in the afternoon, these societies assembled on the grand platform, which, up to this time had been devoted to dancing purposes, and, under the leadership of Herr Paur, and accompanied by a powerful orchestra, proceeded to execute the musical programme that had been arranged for the occasion. The unison of so many well trained voices, and the accompanying orchestration, made the woods ring with melody, while thousands found themselves willing listeners to the harmonies wafting all around. The programme was a short one; but it made up in quality what it lacked in quantity. It was as follows:--

1.      Overture—Tannhauser.

2.      Hymn and music—Lachner.

3.      Introduction to the oratorio of Judith.[sic]

4.       Psalm—“High in the Heavens”—Klein.

…..When the musical exercises were concluded, the vast gathering in attendance dispersed. . . . bearing with them most pleasing recollections of the Pfingst-Montag exercises of 1867—the largest and best musical gathering that out city has ever known, except the great National Saengerfest two years ago.”

More than 10,000 people attended the festival. (…) Unfortunately the concert took place on the dance platform which acoustically was not favorable for the sound. The high, curved ceiling caused only the people that stood near to hear the singers well. Lachner’s Hymn and Klein’s chorus piece “Hoch tut Euch auf” were performed excellently. The music of the Hirschmann band was also applauded enthusiastically.  

The revenue of this concert came to about $2,000, which will comfortably accommodate the travel expenses for the choruses to the Philadelphia Choral Festival. Paur conducted the main concert in the afternoon was conducted energetically and attentively. Although not all singers participated – which is a down side of all picnic concerts – the concert was well received by the large audience.