Panama-Pacific International Exposition (1915 : San Francisco, Calif.)
But the engagements of Saint-Saens and Dr. Muck with his orchestra do
not sum up the important activities of the Exposition's music. There are
other features which challenge even these in popular estimation.
John Philip Sousa has spent a long season at the Exposition. A blunder
was somewhere made in dating the arrival of the March King and his
splendid instrumentalists, who came while yet the Boston Symphonists
were playing in Festival Hall. As a result the finest of bands was
placed in competition with the finest of orchestras. But nothing
disastrous happened. Those who desired, to the number of fifteen
thousand, heard Sousa at his opening concert in the Court of the
Universe; those who desired heard Dr. Muck's instrumentalists, to the
seating capacity of Festival Hall.
Featured concerts have been and are being given by massed bands composed
of Sousa's, Cassasa's, Conway's and other military or concert
organizations.
Briefly, and regardless of the importance of each item, here are some of
the attractions which make this Exposition vocal and harmonious: Edwin
Henry Lemare, of London, by general critical agreement declared the
greatest living organist, is expected here early in September, when he
will begin his series of one hundred organ recitals, to continue till
the Exposition closes in December. A unique episode of the Exposition
music must not be overlooked in the recital by Madame Schumann-Heink,
whose graciousness found another expression in her concert given
exclusively and gratuitously to the children. More than three thousand
of the little folk were in Festival Hall when the grandest of singers
sang for them alone. The visit already accomplished of Gabriel Pares and
his famous Republican Guard band of Paris; the engagement already begun
of the Ogden Tabernacle Choir of 300 voices; the Eisteddfod competitive
concerts; the long stay of the Philippine Constabulary band under the
leadership of Captain W. H. Loving; Emil Mollenhauer's big Boston band;
the concerts of the United Swedish Singers; the Apollo Music Club's
premised visit from Chicago--the organization is coming intact with all
of its 250 vocalists and its distinguished composer-conductor, Harrison
M. Wild; La Loie Fuller's spectacles, and the engagement of forty noted
organists to appear in Festival Hall in addition to Lemare and Clarence
Eddy, are a few of the accomplished or promised attractions. To this
list must be added the daily concerts given gratis at different periods
by various bands other than those named--the official Exposition band
of 45 players under the seasoned direction of Charles H. Cassasa;
Thaviu's splendid band of 50; Conway's military and concert band of 50,
and others yet to be had in the world of music will be spread for their
delecta-concerts are booked. As proof of the worth of these, let the
achievements of the recent past speak. We have heard the Alameda County
1915 Chorus of 250 voices under Alexander Stewart in a majestic
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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