Evening Star Newspaper, December 9, 1934, Page 92

6 e THE SUNDAY STAR, WASHINGTON, D. C, DECEMBER 9, 1934. SAENGERBUND WAS LEADER IN SINGING One of the First District Societies Devoted to Music. Celebrated 40th Anniversary in 1891— Early Officers and Members—Sousa Directed Rival Organization. BY JOHN CLAGETT PROCTOR. O DOUBT there have been many singing societies in Washington during the last 100 years. However, but few survived for any consider- able time, and hence it is hard to ascertain just what was the first soclety of this kind formed here. Within the recollection of many there will be recalled the Philharmonic Society, Wash- Masonic Choir, Georgetown Masonic Choir, Amphion Glee Association, B. B. Choir Association, Germania Maennerchor, Washing- ton Operatic Association, Amphion Glee Club, Arion Singing Society, Choral Society, Dam- rosch Society, the Washington Saengerbund and many others of more recent date. Back in 1878, E. H. Saylor was president of the Philharmonic Soclety; R. H. Willett, vice president; E. A. Pratt, secretary; Josiah Bellows, librarian; C. Storrs, treasurer, and Dr. J. P. Caulfield, musical director. Robert Ball was then president of the Wash- ington Masonic Choir; William H. Browne, vice president; J. P. Patterson, secretary; B. P. Lloyd, treasurer, and E. Holmes, leader. The Georgetown Masonic Choir had as presi- dent Edward H. Spang; H. Augustus Pond, musical director; C. F. Shekell, secretary; Wolfe Nordlinger, treasurer, and H. A. Gross, organ- ist and second leader. The Amphion Glee Association met at 1008 Pennsylvania avenue southeast, and had as president and director J. Will Cross; M. J. Touhy, vice president; Henry Kahlert, treas- urer, and A. McKenzie, secretary. Henry King, jr., was president of the B. B. Choir Association, and L. Stern leader, and the meetings were held every Sunday afternoon and Wednesday evening at Baier's Hall, Eighth and E streets northwest. In 1885, Joseph Colignon was president of Board of Directors of the Washington Saengerbund in 1908. Front row, left to right—Richard Brauner, F. Carl, John Wald- man, A. Lepper and A. Joerss. Back row—Fred Dieterich, H. Scheuerman, unidentified, Rudolph Schneider, Henry Xander, Carl Xander and Hugo Schulze. the Germania Maennerchor, the other officers being Prederick Duehring, secretary; Ada Koehler, treasurer, and Emilie Mori, leader. HE Washington Operatic Association, which was then in existence, had E. B. Hay as presiding officer. W. H. Dsaniel, probably a son of Prof. Joseph H. Daniel, who taught vocal music in the public schools for many years, was vice president; L. J. Myers was sec- retary, and Dr. Joseph Jouy was financial secre- tary. The celebrated march king, John Philip Sousa, was musical director; Miss Hattie L. Richey, later a well-known soprano, was li- brarian, and had as assistant E. J. Whipple. W. H. Hazzard was pianist, and W. H. Fuller, custodian. . By 1900 the Amphion Glee Club had come into existence with Henry Lewis as director; P. B. Williams, president; Louis Ambler, vice president; James H. Washington, secretary; Charles A. Champ, treasurer, and W. W. Orme, lbrarian. Meetings were held at 1619 Corcoran street northwest every Wednesday evening. The Arion Singing Society met at 430 Eighth street northwest. August Schmidt was presi- dent; Henry Wassman, vice president; Matthew Seibert, financial secretary; R. Maul, recording and corresponding secretary; Willlam Berger, treasurer; H. Daiker, jr., librarian; A. Ras- taetter, color bearer, and Emil Holer, leader. The well-known Prof. Josef Kaspar at this period was the director of the Choral Society, with William Bruce King as president. J. P. Lawrence was the pianist; Edwin Hill, secretary; H. M. Paul, financial secretary; Stasius Meade, treasurer. Rehearsals were held on Mondays at 7:30 pm, in Carroll Institute Hall, at 912 Tenth street northwest. The Damrosch Society met at 1224 F street northwest. George S. Cooper was president; William M. Domer, vice president; James G. Traylor, for many years employed at the Smith- sonian Institution, and recently deceased, was secretary. George Scharf was treasurer; E. H. Parry, librarian; Edmund A. Varela, director, and Archibald Olmstead, accompanist. ROBABLY the earliest of the singing so- cieties in the District was the Washington Saengerbund, founded April 20, 1851. Its use- fulness covered a period of 8Q years, and it went out of existence only three years ago. On Sunday, April 19, 1891, it celebrated its fortieth anniversary at the Academy of Music. The building, under a different name, is still standing at the northeast corner of Ninth and D streets northwest. Recently, when the writer was in Tampa, Fla., and while he was listening to a band conocert, he was recognized by Herman Rayerman, a former member of this old German organiszation, who is living in that Southern city with his wife and family for his health. It was a very pleasant meeting and, of course, Mrs. Proctor and the writer must visit the home of their old Washington friend, where they met his de- lightful wife and family, and after they had finished dining—for that most naturally was a part of the hospitality offered—our host brought out an old picture he had treasured these many years of the Saengerbund. It was a group picture taken at an oyster roast at Buena Vista, on the Potomac near Washington, about 1901. It contains such well- known Washingtonians as Herbert Levi, Adolph Levi, Samuel Gompers, the great labor leader; William H. Santelmann, late leader of the United States Marine Band; Dr. Christian Strack, editor of the Washington Journal; Mr, Rockar, Mr. Burkhart, Herman Rayerman, Walter Harrison, Sol Minster and two of his Julius Albrecht, Fritz Hohoff, another Harrison, Mr. brothers, Mr. Bruehl, Carl Xander, Endres, and others not identified. ="+ the scanning of this picture gave ‘A Washington Seengerbund reunion in the early eighties at Abner’s Summer Garden, south side of E street befween Seventh and Eighth streets northwest. First row, left to right—H. Schmidtman, F. Knoop, Mrs, Morrell, E. Mori, E. Holer, Augustus Donch. Second row—Anna Brill, unidentified, Miss Buxman, Miss Morrell, Mrs. Bushman, Miss Heider, Bertha Ceron, Anna Dieterich, Augusta Bergman, Miss Mamie Hartbrecht, Mrs. Bachschmid, Miss Josephine Hartbrecht, Henry Donch. Third row—Anna Lutz, Miss Rosafy, unidentified, Louise Boesenberg, Miss Devantier, Anna Boesenberg, Miss Bachschmid, Louise Donch. Fourth row—Unidentified, Paul Bachschmid, Louis W aldecker, S. Hartbrecht, A. Lepper, F.Carl, unidentified, Rudolph Schneider, J. Viedt, J. Richmond, S. Sawtel, E. Stolpe. Fifth row—H. Stein, unidentified, unidentified, Mr. Spangler, W. Donch, Mr. Lepper, W. Hageman, Maj. Kirby, A. Behrend, Charles Donch, H. Meier, 1. Steinem, W. Lutz, John Waldman, Karl Xander, C. Herbert, W. Lutz, Prof. Frank, F. Claudy, M. Altschu. Sixth row—Charles Pfanne, unidentified, unidentified, John _Donch, Paul Schulze, O::Schilling. P. Havenstein, E. Schmitt, i 2 SRR e uca - Mr. Zimmermann the writer the thought to combine business with pleasure, and when he returned home he got in touch with his ever-obliging friend, William C. Zimmerman, in order to locate some one who could add an early picture or two. kindly suggested Adolph Schneider, president of the D. Ballauf Manu- facturing Co. of this city, who was unusually courteous, and put several good pictures at his disposal. Mr. Schneider is a high type German, who came to this country when 16 y~>rs of age and has not only made good, but hit become a valuable American citizen as well. ‘lis father, in the old country, was a doctor, and the son had opportunities not afforded the rank and file. The passenger list given him at the time he set sall shows he was the only one of his party who crossed the ocean with first cabin sccommodations. E FIRST went to Baltimore, but soon found employment in Washington, where he has resided for more than half a century, and soon after coming here became & member of the Saengerbund. His card, identifying him as & member, shows he was admitted as such on April 6, 1884. Fred Carl, father of the “Call Carl” brothérs, was then secretary of that organization and P. Claudy was president. Mr. Schneider also served as secretary, and later, for & number of years, as a member of the board of directors, and his familiarity with the membership, gained over a long period, made it possible for him to identify nearly all of those appearing in the group pictures. While talking the old days over with Mr. Schneider, the writer also met his good wife, who was as keenly interested in the Saengerbund as it she had been an active member, and, as a mat- ter of record, did take part in some of their entertainments and helped them bring back trophies to the District. The Washington Saengerbund was organized in the old German Hall that stood for many years at 606 Eleventh street northwest. Its record was one worthy of the traditions of the District, and to repeat what The Star said in 1891, at the time of its fortieth anniversary, would be just as fitting now as it ever was. It was this: “ & + + A musical society which has clung to existence with a persistency thoroughly char- acteristic of the nation whence the Washing- ton Saengerbund derived its membership. Other societies that had dedicated themselves to vocal endeavor have come and gone, and in their places new ones have sprung up, but the Wash- ington Saengerbund flourishes to an extent not known in its previous history.” Its first director was Charles Walter and the other officers of the association were: George Bremer, president; Herman Blau, secretary, and Anton Eberly, treasurer. The active members were Fred Schmidt, L. Streb, A. Kiesecker, G. Einolf, J. Koebel, Julius Veidt, August Sell- hausen, F. Hausam, Andrew Gross and A. L. Meiners. The early meetings of the society were held in the various homes of the members, which included some of the more prominent German- American citizens of Washington. In 1876 the organization moved to Dismer's Hall, 708 K street northwest, over the restaurant of Charles Dismer, one of its members, whose crabs, beer and “lamp” stew will be recalled by many, and here it remained until it moved to 314 C street northwest, in the Municipal Center, where it remained until the building was re- moved. THERE were three classes of members—active, honorary and passive. The first class ate tended to the singing, the second achieved its position by the performance of some signal service in connection with the bund, and the third had the privilege of annually subscribing for a season concert ticket. During the first * 40 years the organization had on its rolls 350