Chapter XXXII: Appendix: N

LITERATURE OF EARLY DAYS
FIRST CIRCULAR ANNOUNCING THE PHILADELPHIA ORCHESTRA
MAILED IN SEPTEMBER, 1900, TO ABOUT 4000 PEOPLE

THE PHILADELPHIA ORCHESTRA
85 Performers
MR. FRITZ SCHEEL, Conductor

A series of six Symphony Concerts will be given at the
Academy of Music during the season of 1900-1901, on the
following dates: Friday evening, November 16; Friday
evening, December 14; Friday evening, January 18;
Friday evening, February 8; Wednesday evening, March 6;
Friday evening, April 19.

Soloists of the first rank will assist at the concerts,
and names will be announced as soon as pending
engagements have been made.

The prices of season tickets, with reserve seats to the
six concerts, are: Boxes with six seats $75; boxes with
four seats $50; other seats $8, $6 and $4; proscenium
boxes on application.

Sale of seats to holders of Patronesses’ Cards will
begin at Miss Harris’s office, No. 1115 Chestnut
Street, on Wednesday morning, October 10, at 9 o’clock.

The series announced above is the outgrowth of two
Symphony Concerts given last winter for the benefit
of sufferers by the Philippine War. The committee in
charge was the auxiliary to the committee of ladies who
supervised the Philippine concerts, and it is intended
that the management of the series of the coming season
shall be generally the same. To cover expenses of the
concerts a guarantee fund has been subscribed, the
amount of which is sufficient to meet the requirements
of the present undertaking; but it is hoped that our
people will give the concerts such liberal support as
to prevent a deficit at the end of the season.

* * * * *

The Philippine concerts proved the availability of
many of our resident musicians for work of the highest
grade, and the committee has undertaken the task of
organizing this series of concerts because it believes
that with a sufficient number of rehearsals, under
capable direction, our home players will be able to
render great orchestral compositions efficiently and
acceptably.

Mr. Scheel will insist upon frequent and thorough
rehearsals of the music; and no labor nor expense will
be spared to make the work of preparation complete and
the musical results wholly satisfactory.

The committee feels, however, that without a widely
spread interest among the people of Philadelphia, its
chief object would not be realized. That object is
largely to promote the musical culture of the city, and
to improve its status as a center of musical effort.

Therefore, an appeal is made to every Philadelphian
who understands what this undertaking may mean to the
city’s future musical life for active interest and
co-operation.

Most useful help can be given to the movement by
making its object known to friends and acquaintances;
all personal effort will be an effective aid to the
committee’s work.

Whether or not the receipts equal the expenses of the
concerts, it is the hope of the committee that this
movement for music in Philadelphia will receive hearty
encouragement and support from every one who has a
pride in the city’s artistic life.

Committee:
HENRY WHELEN, JR.
JOHN C. SIMS
EDWARD G. MCCOLLIN
OSCAR A. KNIPE
DR. EDWARD I. KEFFER
OLIVER BOYCE JUDSON
JOHN H. INGHAM, Secretary,
508 Chestnut Street.

* * * * *

CIRCULAR LETTER MAILED TO PATRONESSES WHO HAD NOT
PURCHASED TICKETS ABOUT TEN DAYS BEFORE SALE
TO PUBLIC, OCTOBER, 1900:

THE PHILADELPHIA ORCHESTRA
85 Performers
MR. FRITZ SCHEEL, Conductor

The Management of the Philadelphia Orchestra wishes
to inform those interested in the concerts that the
sale of season tickets has progressed most favorably.
Of the forty-nine boxes forty-one have been sold, and
about thirteen hundred seats have been taken. There
now remain unsold but 140 seats in the Parquet, 103
in the Parquet Circle and 76 in the Balcony. Prompt
application at Heppe’s Piano Rooms, 1115 Chestnut
Street, will be necessary to secure choice places.
Should these seats be disposed of, there will, of
course, be no sale of reserved seats for single concerts.

Such widespread support is the best proof that the
public of Philadelphia has undoubted faith, not only in
the musical ability of Mr. Scheel and his men, but also
in the value of this effort to advance the cause of
orchestral music in our community. The attitude of the
musical profession toward the project is clearly set
forth in the enclose circular.

Committee:
HENRY WHELEN, JR.
JOHN C. SIMS
EDWARD G. MCCOLLIN
OSCAR A. KNIPE
DR. EDWARD I. KEFFER
OLIVER BOYCE JUDSON
JOHN H. INGHAM.

CIRCULAR ISSUE ABOUT OCTOBER 15, 1900,
FOR PRESS AND FOR SOLICITING PATRONESSES, TO
BE ENCLOSED WITH OTHER LITERATURE:

THE PHILADELPHIA ORCHESTRA
MR. FRITZ SCHEEL, Conductor

Believing that the public would be glad to hear what
the Musical Profession in Philadelphia thinks of this
undertaking, the committee in charge has written to a
few of the leading musicians, asking for their views.
Extracts from their replies are given below.

The intelligent and keen critical standpoint from which
their life’s training enables them to judge, gives
weight to their words, and the complete unanimity of
opinion which they express is noteworthy.

* * * * *

From Mr. Thomas a’Becket, President, Pennsylvania State Music Teachers’ Association:

“Without a doubt the best man who has taken up
residence in Philadelphia during the past forty years.
This opinion is shared by the older of our orchestral
musicians; also by men who have recently played under
his conducting. It has been fully demonstrated, first,
that Mr. Scheel has wonderful ability in handling
musicians—amateur as well as professional—and drawing
from them their best work; second, that there is in
Philadelphia—which I have maintained for twenty-five
years—the nucleus for a good orchestra. The great need
has been the proper man to bring together conflicting
elements. (The movement) has, indeed, my heartiest
support.”

* * * * *

From Dr. Hugh A. Clarke, Professor of Music, University of Pennsylvania:

“I believe Mr. Scheel to be a leader of first-rate ability in every respect. His work during the past winter gives ample evidence of his high standing as a musician and a conductor. The movement for the establishment of an orchestra in Philadelphia has my most cordial support, as I am convinced that it has now taken the right shape and is in the hands of the right people.”

* * * * *

From Mr. W. W. Gilchrist, Principal of the Central Conservatory of Music, Leader of the Mendelssohn Club, Leader of the Harrisburg Oratorio Society, etc.:

“Those in whose judgment I have confidence speak very
highly of him. The movement has my cordial support.”

* * * * *

From Dr. Alfred C. Lambdin, Musical Editor, of “The Philadelphia Times.”

“To the broad musical knowledge, the imaginative
perception, the technical accomplishment that makes
up the interpretive artist of high rank, he seems to
add those peculiar personal qualities, the power of
expressing his musical ideas through the medium of
others, that differentiate the real ‘conductor.’ The
value of such a man in any musical community is
measured only by his opportunity. The great value of
Mr. Scheel’s work this winter has been in the fresh
and full artistic authority, which he has brought to
bear upon our disorganized musical forces here. The two
concerts at the Academy abundantly demonstrated what
can be done under such leadership and how it can be
done. The movement, therefore, to continue that work,
and develop it on the lines already laid down, commands
my most cordial support.”

* * * * *

From Mr. D. D. Wood, Organist of St. Stephen’s Church, Instructor at Philadelphia Musical Academy, Teacher of Harmony, Counterpoint, etc.:

“Mr. Scheel is possessed of all those rare
qualifications which go to make up a great leader.

“He is most excellent musician of large and varied
experience, an earnest and conscientious worker, a man
of great personal magnetism, and thoroughly capable of
making the very best of the means at his disposal. As a
conductor he deserves a place in the very first rank.

“The work accomplished by Mr. Scheel during the past
winter has been eminently successful, and deserves the
cordial recognition of all true lovers of musical art,
and of all who are interested in the progress of that
art in our city.

“I am in hearty sympathy with the movement set forth in
your circular.”