Philharmonic Society of New York Public Rehearsal

“The ancient & garrulous Ureli Corelli Hill tells me the peace of the Philharmonic Society is disturbed. The late panic interfered with the sale of seats & boxes, so the next dividend will be but small. Hence grumblings and caucussings and talk of putting in a new board of directors at the annual meeting. If this purpose be entertained by any considerable number of members, I shall make my bow & decline another ‘presidential term.’ Another cause of dissatisfaction & desire for change is that Carl Bergmann is said to be lazy & negligent & always overcharged with lager; & I guess, moreover, that the Society feels sore because of Theodore Thomas’ triumphs & of the praises showered on him by the newspaper critics whom he knows how to manipulate. I don’t care what the Society does, being sick of everything just now from myself up.”

“Philharmonic rehearsal. The society appears to be in fermentation. Schaad tells me that Bergmann (our conductor) has ‘gone into bartnership’ [imitation of Schaad’s accent] with Theodore Thomas, and that there are mutterings & grumblings & caucussings among our members.”

“The more I think of it, the more I incline to cut the Philharmonic Society.”