“The man who really made The Philadelphia Orchestra from a musical standpoint is Fritz Scheel. I never knew him personally, but he must have had very high musical ideals. They are evident in everything he did. Also, he must have had a wonderful faculty for choosing the highest type of artists for the orchestra; he set a standard then which has been difficult to live up to musically. Such artists as Rich, Horner, and Schwar (to mention only a few of the many who are still remaining in The Philadelphia Orchestra from Fritz Scheel’s time) are absolutely in the first rank for their instrument, not only in America but in the whole world. It was Scheel’s vision that laid such a wonderful foundation for this orchestra; that was very difficult, but in most cases I feel that we have at last succeeded; but we never can sufficiently recognize the debt we owe to Fritz Scheel; the good work he did and the influence of his ideals seem to live on forever. LEOPOLD STOKOWSKI.” PART II CHAPTER I THE NEXT STEP The Board of Directors was now obliged to find a new conductor for the Philadelphia Orchestra. A survey of America did not bring fruitful results. Orchestral conductors were few in this country in those days, and the Board was determined to engage no man but one competent to carry on the work so well begun. Therefore it was decided to send the business representative of the Association, Charles A. Davis, abroad on this quest. After visiting Steinbach in Cologne and Mottl in Munich, who both recommended Carl Pohlig, Mr. Davis went to Stuttgart, where Pohlig was the director of the Court Orchestra of the King of Würtemberg. After consultation with the officers, an offer was made to him to become the leader of the Philadelphia Orchestra for a term of three years, which was accepted. Carl Pohlig was born at Teplitz, Bohemia, in 1864. Like Robert Schumann, he was the son of a bookseller. His first musical studies were at the piano. Early in life, while attending the gymnasium at Weimar, the talented boy was cordially received by Franz Liszt, and was permitted to accompany the master on his journeys to Rome, Budapest and other cities, this privilege being shared only by Tausig, von Bülow and Rubinstein. He thus learned many Liszt traditions. After having toured Germany, Austria, Russia, Scandinavia and Italy, he became Kapellmeister at Graz. Later he was associated with Mahler at the Opera in Hamburg: then at Covent Garden, and Bayreuth, where he trained artists for the Wagner Festival. Pohlig conducted symphony concerts following this operatic experience and appeared in Coburg, Stuttgart, Berlin, Frankfort, Munich and other cities. Finally he was offered the position of First Court Kapellmeister to the King of Würtemberg, whence he came, by permission, to Philadelphia.