While there were varying opinions about the musical value of this symphony, the manner of producing it evoked but one. In order to make the event national in character, prominent musicians from all parts of America were invited to be present at the first performance. Among the many notable persons from other cities were: Mr. and Mrs. Ossip Gabrilowitsch, Mr. and Mrs. Harold Bauer, Mr. and Mrs. Josef Hofmann, Mr. and Mrs. Ernest Hutcheson, Dr. and Mrs. Ernest Kunwald, Mr. and Mrs. Harold Randolph, Mr. and Mrs. Ernest Schelling, Mr. and Mrs. David Mannes, Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Untermeyer, Mr. and Mrs. Gustav Strube, Judge and Mrs. J. Butler Woodward, Mr. and Mrs. J. Fred Wolle, Mrs. Werrenrath, Mrs. William M. Bannard, Miss Kitty Cheatham, Dr. A. G. Rolfe, Oscar G. Sonneck, Albert Spalding, Kurt Schindler and Theodore Spiering. [Illustration: © Bell & Fischer THE PHILADELPHIA ORCHESTRA AND MAHLER CHORUS] _Public Ledger_, March 3rd, 1916: “MAHLER’S WORK AND STOKOWSKI SCORE TRIUMPH THOUSANDS AT ACADEMY OF MUSIC AROUSED TO HIGH PITCH OF ENTHUSIASM. NOTED MUSICIANS GIVE PRAISE TO PRODUCTION PROMINENT PERSONS FROM ALL OVER COUNTRY ATTEND RENDITION HERE “Every one of the thousands in the great building was standing, whistling, cheering and applauding, when Leopold Stokowski, his collar wilted, and his right arm weary, but smiling his boyish smile, finally turned to the audience in the Academy of Music last night. “He had scored, so famous musicians agreed, the greatest triumph of his career, the greatest triumph the Philadelphia Orchestra has known in its sixteen years of life and he had done it on a stupendous scale with the American première of Gustav Mahler’s Eighth Symphony. He carried along with him to triumph an orchestra numbering 110 pieces and a chorus of 958 singers, to say nothing of the city’s music lovers and scores of musical pilgrims from other cities. “For every one who is any one in musical America was here for the Mahler American première last night or will be here when the tremendous work is repeated this afternoon and tomorrow night. The boxes were filled with famous musicians and musical authorities. One and all stood, applauding Mr. Stokowski and the symphony, while the orchestra members blared a ‘touché’ in honor of their leader. “The scenes at the Academy set nerves tingling. Two weeks before the performance every seat had been sold. Fifteen minutes before Mr. Stokowski swung his baton upon his augmented orchestra and upon the great chorus, banked 24 tiers high, horns blew a fanfare in the foyer of the Academy of Music, following an ancient custom at Bayreuth. The curtain rose and the audience gasped. “The 958 singers filled the great stage from footlights to roof and the orchestra was upon an apron that has been built out into the house.