Reading the old news paper clipping was a challenge. I used a magnifying glass and retyped the whole program to the best of my ability. The date of the news paper and the name of the paper were cut off.

              I compared this story to other stories regarding Saengerfests (singing events) and know now that the story is about the Saengerfest which took place September 1 – 4,  1910.

 

The  Pacific Saengerbund (Singing Society) was founded in 1905 and in 1910 the first Saengerfest was celebrated in great style as we can read in the following article.

 

The story allows us an inside look into the musical activities of the German communities in the San Francisco Bay Area almost 100 years ago.

 

Retyped: Saturday, January 8, 2005.

Maria Brand

 

 

FAMOUS SINGERS TO AID LOCAL SOCIETIES

 

Six Days’ Music Promised by Chorus of 1,000 Voices and

Big Orchestra

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  Concerts and Contests Will Be Held in Auditorium and Greek Theater

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              Singers and singing societies all over the United States are making preparations for the Pacific states Saengerbund, the great musical festival which will be held in the Auditorium in this city and at Piedmont park September 1 to 6.  The program for the carnival promises practically six days of continuous music, with singers of international fame and great chorus and orchestral work under well known leaders.

              It has been estimated that the festival will bring more than 10,000 persons to the city. German singing societies from the largest cities of the country and from nearly every state will be represented. Many of the singers who have never been in the west before will bring their families with them. Such a flood of visitors is expected that special arrangements have been made with the railroads in all parts of the country.

             

                                                        PRIZES FOR SINGING CONTESTS

              Prize singing contests between the various societies will be features of the festival. The chorus of more than a 1,000 voices will be under the leadership of Arthur Classen of New York, assisted by Joseph R. Riegger of San Francisco. The orchestra of 100 pieces will be directed by Paul Steindorff. (Riegger is sometimes spelled with one g. M.B.)


 

              Sunday, September 4, will be Oakland day, and it will be marked by the greatest contest of voices of the entire fest at Piedmont Park for the handsome cup donated by Emperor Franz Joseph, Austria. Prizes competed for during the festival will be distributed Monday, September 5th in the Greek Theater at Berkeley.

              Chief among the star soloists who will participate in the concerts are Mme. Marie Rappold, soprano; Miss Margaret Keyes, contralto; Daniel Beddoe, tenor, and Allen Hinckley, basso.

 

                                                PARTICIPANTS IN CARNIVAL


                                          The local societies that will take part are:

 


Verein Arion,

Alpenroesli,

Harmonie,

Teutonia Gesangsektion,

Gruetli Verein,

Hessen Gesangverein,

San Francisco Maennerchor,

Freundschaft Saengerbund

Walhalla Gesangverein,

St. Antonius Maennerchor,

Bayernbund Gesangsektion,

Eintracht Gesangsektion,

 

San Francisco Turnverein

Gesangsektion,

 


           

           The Societies of other cities that will take part in the festival are:

 

         Sacramento - Turner, Harmonie; StocktonStockton Turnverein, Gesangsektion;

Los Angelas - Arion Gesang  Verein; Germania Turnverein Gesangsektion and Fedelia Maennerchor. Bakersfield - Germania Saengerbund; Oakland – Oakland Maennerchor, Oakland Turnverein, Gesangsektion; Vallejo – Lodge Hermann Sons’ Gesangsektion; Chehalis, Wash.–Chehalis Liederkranz; Tacoma, Wash.- Tacoma Saengerbund; Walla Walla, Wash.- Walla Walla Maennerchor; Portland,Ore. - Portland Arion singing society; Portland Social Turn Verein Gesangsektion; Everett , Wash.- Everett Liederkanz; Bellingham - Bellingham Concordia; Spokane, Wash. - Harmonie singing society; Seattle, Wash. - Seattle Liederkranz; Lewiston, Idaho -Lewiston Liederkranz;

 

Societies in the East that will be presented are:

            Washington, D.C. – Washington Saengerbund; St. Louis, Mo. Liederkranz Club; New York City- Deutscher Liederkranz; Brooklyn, N.Y. Arion Singing Society; San Antonio, Texas, Beethoven Maennerchor;


.

 

                                                       

 


                                                                Program of Music                                        

 

                                                  The program as far as arranged follows:

          Reception Concert:

Soloists- Mme. Marie Rappold and Miss Margarete Keyes, United singers of San Francisco in  chorus, San Francisco symphony orchestra, Arthur Classen, Joseph R. Rieger, Paul Steindorff, directors.

 

                        The program as far as arranged follows

 Reception Concert:

 

Soloists- Mme. Marie Rappold and Miss Margarete Keyes, United singers of San Francisco in  chorus, San Francisco symphony orchestra, Arthur Classen, Joseph R. Rieger, Paul Steindorff, directors.

Fest Overture: …………………………………………………………………………E.Lassen

 

                                                                      Orchestra:


 

 Hymnus: “An die Tonkunst” Joseph Rhineberger, Entire chorus and orchestra

  

Soprano solo: “Dieu Theure Halle” ( Tannhaeuser, ………………………………………Wagner)

                                                             Mme. Marie Rappold

Rapsodie;……………………………………………………………………………………..List

                                                                     Orchestra

Contralto solo: “O don fatale” Miss Margaret Keyes…………………………………………

“Soldatenbraut”…………………………………………………………………………..W. Speeder

Magdalena”……………………………………………………………………….. .Arthur  Classen

                                                    United Singers of San Francisco

Duet, Stabat Mater………………………………………………………………………...…..Rossini

                                                                   Mme. Rappold

                                                                   Miss Margareta Keyes

 “Einzug der Gaeste”(Tannhauser)……………………………………………………...…….Wagner

                                                             Mixed chorus and orchestra

 

                                                     

                                                   Friday Afternoon, September 2

Soloist –Mme Marie Rappold, Margarete Keyes, Daniel Beddoe, Allen Hinckley, director Arthur Classen, Joseph R. Rieger, Paul Steindroff directors.

 

“Ruy Blass”…………………………………………………………………..…………Mendelssohn

Contralto solo, “Hellstrahlender Tag” (“Odysseus”)………………………………..………Mr. Bush

                                                                Miss Margarete Keyes

Tenor solo: “ Preislied aus Die Meistersaenger”……………………………………………...Wagner

                                                                        Daniel Beddoe

Sopran solo, “ Elsas Traum” (Lohengrin)…………………………………………………….Wagner

                                                                  Mme. Marie Rappold

Basso solo “ Wotans Abschied” (Die Walkuere) ………………………………………….....Wagner

                                                                       Allen Hinckley

“Traum Musik” Haensel und Gretel…………………………………………………….Humperdinck

                                                                             Orchestra

Quintette”Die Meistersinger”…………………………………………………………………Wagner

                                                                             All Soloists

“Slavischer Tanz”…………………………………………………   ………………….Tschaikowsky

                                                                             Orchestra

Quintette “Rigoletto”………………………………………………………………………...…..Verdi

              Mme. Marie Rappold , Miss Margarete Keyes, Daniel Beddoe,  Allen Hinckley,

 

                                                           

 

 

                                                             Friday, September 2, 8 P.M.

                                                            First Grand Festival Concert

Soloists Margaret Keyes, contralto; Daniel Beddoes, tenor; Allen Hinckley ; bass. San Francisco symphony orchestra; Musical directors- Arthur Classen, Paul Steindorff and J.R. Rieger.

 

                                                                          PROGRAM

Overture, “Der Freischuetz” …………………………………………………………...………Weber

                                                                              Orchestra

“Consecration of Song” ………………………………………………………………...…Baldamus

                   Massed chorus of Pacific Saengerbund, Orchestra, contralto, Margarete Keyes

Address of Pogner “Die Meistersaenger” ……………………………………………….……Wagner

                                                                             Allen Hinckley

Introduction to “Perseus” ……………………………………………………..………Theodore Vogt

                                                                     Directed by the composer

                                                        Massed Chorus of Pacific Saengerbund

Polonaise ………………………………………………………………………………………….List

                                                                                        Orchestra

Aria from “Der Freischuetz”(Through the Forest”)……………………………………..……..Weber

                                                                                      Daniel Boddoe

 

                                                  Massed chorus of Pacific Saengerbund

Duet from “Troubador”………………………………………………………………….………Verdi

                                                     Margarete Keyes and Daniel Beddoe

“Frederic Barbarossa”……………………………………………………………………..Podbertsky

                                            Massed chorus of Pacific Saengerbund and orchestra

 

                                             Saturday Afternoon, September 3,

                                     Prize singing, commencing at 2 p.m by 18 societies in Groups of three

 

           Group A ( 12 to 20 singers) will render Van der Stuecken’s “Uebers Jahr mein Schatz.”

                                          San Francisco Maennerchor, Director Johannes C. Raith.

 

Seattle Liederkranz: Director: Alfred Lueben,

 

Walhalla, San Francisco, Director: Ph. Friedrichs,

 

Tacoma saengerbund, director Fred Hermann,

 

Gruetli Verein, San Francisco, Director

Joseph C. Raith,

 

Santa Cruz Turn Verein, Director Ernst Wenzel,

 

Bayern Bund, San Francisco, Director Joseph R. Riegger,

 

 

Group B (21 to  31 singers) will render Attenhofers “ Abendfeier”

 

Freundschaft Saengerbund, San Francisco, Director J. R. Rieger,

 

Oakland Turnverein, Director G. Albrecht,

 

Maennerchor Fidelia, Los Angeles, Director Siegfried Hagen,

 

Alpenroesli, San Francisco, Director J.R. Riegger,

 

Sacramento, Turnerharmonie, Director A. Banz,

 

Teutonia, San Francisco, Director, J.R. Riegger,

 

 

Group C (35 singers) will render Hegar’s “ Fruehling im Walde”.

 

San Francisco Turnverein, Director J. Albrecht,

 

Germania Turnverein, Los Angeles, Director Ludwig Thomas,

 

Oakland Maennerchor, Director J. K. Belling

 

First prize contest competition, “ Neue Heimat,” A. Buechse, sung by the ”Arion,” under the leadership of Frederick Zech,

 

Second prize contest compositon, “ Wo das deutsche Lied erklingt”.Teodore Vogt,

sung by -----------( Part of paper clipping is lost)

 

Continue with:

Saturday Evening, September 3.

“Die Meistersaenger"………………………………………………………………………Wagner

Orchestra

“Allmacht” …………………………………………………………………………………Schuster

                                                        Grand chorus, Pacific Saengerbund

Tenor Solo, “Liebeslied” From “Die Walkuere” …………………………………………..Wagner

                                                                      Daniel Beddoe

Grand chorus,”Spinn, Spin”…………………………………………………. Arranged by van Feyhl

 

“Heideroeslein” …………………………………………………………………………...…..Werner

                                                           Grand Chorus, Pacific Saengerbund

Soprano solo, “Nie nahte mir,”from “Der Freischuetz”………………………………………..Weber

                                                                       Mme. Marie Rappold

Overture, ”Leonore  Nr. 3”……………………………………………………………..…..Beethoven

                                                                                Orchestra

“Der Lindenbaum”…………………………………………………………………..……….Schubert

                                                              Grand chorus, Pacific Saengerbund

“Terzett” (“Faust”) ……………………………………………………………………...……Gounod

                                                     Mme. Rappold, Daniel Beddoe, Allen Hinckley.

“Weib, Wein und Gesang”……………………………………………………………..……….Srauss

                                                                                    Orchestra

“Star Spangled Banner”

Soloist, Pacific Saengerbund and Orchestra

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