The Philippine Concerts which occurred on March 29th and April 5th, 1900; and which were the forerunners of the Philadelphia Orchestra, were commemorated at the concerts of March 27th and 29th and April 3rd and 4th, 1925, by a notice in the programme and by the playing of certain numbers played at those concerts. They marked the first appearance of Fritz Scheel with an orchestra of professional musicians in Philadelphia. The Twenty-fifth Anniversary of the first concert on November 16th, 1900, is being celebrated at the concerts of November 13th and 14th, 1925, by simple ceremonies and a repetition of the first programme. It is a long way from the total of seven concerts in 1900, to the one hundred and five concerts arranged for this season. The road has been discouraging and difficult, but the twenty-fifth anniversary is a cause for rejoicing to all lovers of the Philadelphia Orchestra. Little did the small group of men in 1900 dream that the orchestra they founded would twenty-five years later be known throughout America and Europe. The “Road One Hundred and Fifty Years Long” has been worth traveling to Philadelphians, to reach the present milestone in the symphonic succession, so far the most important achievement in the city’s musical history. If Baedeker were to write a “Guide to Music in America” he would put three stars against the Philadelphia Orchestra. CHAPTER X THE POINT OF THE STORY “_Time Was unlocks the riddle of Time Is_. _That offers choice of glory or of gloom_: _The solver makes Time Shall Be surely his._” The point of the story is the music that the Philadelphia Orchestra makes. It would be a tragedy if after twenty-five years anyone could ask “Why?” A tragedy for the officers and directors, for the Women’s Committees, and for the reader and writer of this book. For the musicians and for Leopold Stokowski it would be more than a tragedy, the object of life would cease to exist. Beginning in 1912 the musical record becomes more and more interesting. The leader has poured out his talents for Philadelphia and the feast has been lavish. Programme after programme of the works of the great, interpreted by the brain of Leopold Stokowski have enthralled his audiences. Only a few special selections and occasions can be mentioned, but a perusal of the programmes for thirteen years shows that the average of Philadelphia Orchestra concerts is far above the usual average, for he is a master maker of programmes. 1912-13: Gustav Strube, “Puck”; Herman Sandby, Prelude to Act IV “The Vikings of Helgenland”; Edward Elgar, Symphony No. 1; Guiseppe Martucci, Symphony No. 1; Sigismund Noszkowski, “Die Steppen”; Richard Strauss, “Liesbes Scene” from “Feursnot,” “Salome’s Tanz”; Henri Rabaud, Symphony No. 2[42]; Ernest Schelling, “Légende Symphonic.”[43] [42] First performance in America. [43] First performance in America.