THE OLD GERMANIA ORCHESTRA. 
103 
the entire summer. Indeed, for six succes- 
sive seasons the musicians found themselves 
regularly coming back to Newport again 
from their various wanderings ; and it would 
not be too much to say that the popularity 
of Newport was quite as much due to their 
presence as to any other influence. 
During this first season their plan was to 
play twice a week as one band; the rest 
of the time they were divided among the 
different hotels. The guests, among whom 
were many of their former friends from Bal- 
timore, listened most attentively to the mu- 
sic, even going so far as almost to give up 
dancing during the entire summer. The 
cozy evenings at the “Atlantic” and “Belle- 
vue ” are still recalled with great pleasure by 
the surviving members. The entertainments 
resembled promenade concerts. Regular 
programmes were made out by the musical 
portion of the guests, and the playing drew 
crowds of listeners, filling parlors, halls, and 
piazzas with an audience far more attentive 
than could have been expected under the 
circumstances. 
The numerous Baltimoreans who were at 
Newport that summer had by no means for- 
gotten the musicians, nor the warmth with 
which they had greeted the orchestra in its 
day of obscurity. Now that its reputation 
was insured, they were no less anxious to 
participate in its triumphs. A subscription 
was set on foot, and very soon raised, for a 
series of thirty grand concerts to be giveii in 
Baltimore during the coming season, thus 
insuring the stay of the orchestra during the 
entire winter. This unprecedented series of 
concerts was given between November 27, 
1849, and April 6, 1850. They were all well 
attended, and awakened an interest, not only 
popular, but unmistakably genuine. 
During this long stay in Baltimore, the 
members had formed numerous personal 
friendships, and the time of parting did not 
arrive without bringing many regrets. The 
hearts of the young men had not been un- 
impressed. It was said in those -days, and 
widely believed, that the Germania member, 
who should marry, forfeited his membership. 
This was not literally the case ; but, recog- 
nizing the difficulty of maintaining domestic 
ties in a life necessarily so nomadic, the 
members, for a long time, refrained from 
such ties. The director and the drummer 
liad been benedicts before the orchestra came 
into being ; the rest remained single. 
When the day of departure at length 
came, numerous friends assembled to bid 
them farewell, and the good wishes of 
the* entire community went with them on 
their way. 
Now followed a tour throughout the East- 
ern States and Canada. Splendid success 
was met with everywhere. An overwhelm- 
ing demonstration greeted them at Mon- 
treal, where seven concerts were given. 
The best portion of the citizens filled the 
house nightly, and the officers of the English 
regiments stationed there showed their ap- 
preciation and hospitality by giving the 
members a standing invitation to their mess, 
besides letters of introduction to their bro- 
ther officers at other military stations. 
The tour which they were now making was 
extended to nearly nil the cities of Western 
New York, and lasted until the Newport 
season opened. It was, at this time, the 
custom of the orchestra to give seldom more 
than three concerts per week, and thus the 
members had large opportunities for social 
recreation, as well as for visiting points 
of interest in the various places through 
which they journeyed. In this way they 
gained a most thorough knowledge of the 
whole country, and it would be difficult to 
select an equally numerous. group of Ameri- 
can citizens who know so much of the geog- 
raphy of their own country, as did these 
peripatetic Germans. 
The second season at New York began 
and ended with nothing eventful to record. 
At the close of the summer, the season of 
I ^S°“ 5 I was again passed in Baltimore, 
where a second series of thirty concerts had 
been subscribed for. At the close of these 
concerts, which were fully as successful as 
those of the previous winter, the orchestra 
went on a four weeks’ trip to the Southern 
States with Parodi, Amalia Patti, and Stra- 
kosch. Following this engagement was one 
with Jenny Lind, for whom they played in 
nearly thirty concerts, and when these were 
concluded, they repaired to Newport for 
the third summer. 
At the close of the subscription concerts 
in Baltimore, Mr. Lenschow, the original 
director of the orchestra, had tendered his 
resignation, and Mr. Wilhelm Schultze, the 
leader of the violins, was chosen conductor 
ad interim. This arrangement continued 
with excellent results until the beginning of 
their Newport season, when the talents of 
Carl Bergmann- — then in New York — becom- 
ing known to the members, he was elected 
to and accepted this important position. 
During the season at Newport it was re- 
solved to spend the following winter in Bos- 
ton. While this resolution was pending, 
