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104 
THE OLD^&MH'TmA ORCHESTRA. 
there was much difficulty in making it unani- 
mous, and six of the members resigned. An 
agent, however, was at once dispatched to 
Germany to supply their places, and the new 
players arrived just at the close of the New- 
port season. A two-months visit through 
the Eastern, States served to convert the fresh 
arrivals into valuable members, and, thus 
equipped, the orchestra began its season in 
Boston. By careful management, and the 
exertions of friends, a sufficient number of 
subscribers was obtained for twenty orchestral 
concerts. It was by far more difficult here 
than in Baltimore. The Musical Fund Society 
and the Boston Quintette Club, two well estab- 
lished instrumental organizations, had each 
a large subscription list, for the entire winter, 
and the Handel and Haydn Society, which 
also had its regular subscribers, would of 
course employ the home musicians for its 
oratorios. Great rivalry now took place be- 
tween the organizations. The Germanians 
being the better performers, and enjoying, 
as a result of their varied experiences, far 
more practical management, gradually got 
the better of the Musical Fund Orchestra. 
Even the Handel and Haydn Society finally 
engaged the Germanians for its concerts, 
and from that date their professional status 
in Boston was unquestioned. 
It was at this time that the so-called 
“ public rehearsals,” destined to be so ex- 
traordinarily popular, were first undertaken, 
and here the great contralto, Miss Adelaide 
Phillips made her first public appearance, 
singing at nearly all of the afternoon con- 
certs. These so-called “rehearsals” were 
thus named, in part, at least, from the fact 
that they were given in the afternoons, and 
to avoid using that frequently absurd anach- 
ronism, matinee. But the word was doubt- 
less shrewdly chosen also, in deference to 
that well pronounced disposition of the hu- 
man mind to enjoy everything that seems to 
be exclusive, or which the masses are presum- 
ed not to have the privilege of enjoying. It 
was remarked by Charles Dickens that the 
greatest happiness of the average human 
being, was to go “ dead-head ” to the theater. 
It was no doubt partly owing to this tenden- 
cy that these “ rehearsals ” were so popular. 
At the close of the winter of 1851-52 
in Boston, the Germania formed a connec- 
tion with Ole Bull, traveling with him very 
extensively in the North and West, for 
nearly four months. Then, again, a delight- 
ful summer (the fourth) at Newport. During 
the leisure hours of this summer, plans were 
laid of a more ambitious character than here- 
tofore, with a view of spending the winter 
again in Boston. The Boston Music Hall was 
now nearly completed, and in the anticipation 
of an increased general interest in the subject 
of music, it was determined to enlarge the 
orchestra to thirty members, besides securing 
additional attractions in the way of soloists. 
At the close of the season in Newport, 
the month of October was spent in Phila- 
delphia. Their arrival was somewhat early 
in the musical year, but they were welcomed 
with a plentiful display of enthusiasm. They 
gave five concerts alone, and seven in com- 
bination with Madame Sonntag. These 
were the most brilliant concerts that the 
orchestra ever gave in Philadelphia, and to 
use the words of a member, “ they were a 
most astonishing contrast ” to those hapless 
entertainments which took place there in 
their earlier days. 
The Boston Music Hall was now quietly 
engaged for every alternate Saturday even- 
ing, and for every Wednesday afternoon 
during the whole winter. An engagement 
with Alfred Jaell, the pianist, and Camilla 
Urso, the talented lady violinist, was per- 
fected, and thus well prepared the Ger- 
mania entered upon the most successful 
year of their organization, and one of the 
most brilliant in the history of music in 
America. In addition to the regular W ednes- 
day “ rehearsals ” and ten grand subscription 
concerts in Boston, series of three or four 
each were given in Charlestown, Taunton, 
New Bedford, Lowell, Newburyport, Provi- 
dence, Hartford, Worcester, New Haven, 
and Portland, with single concerts at smaller 
places. Numerous performances were also 
given in connection with other artists, Al- 
boni, Sonntag, etc., and with the Handel 
and Haydn Society. 
The success of the public rehearsals on 
Wednesday afternoons was something pro- 
digious. At one of them there were 3,737 
tickets taken at the door, by actual count. 
True, the price was low — eight tickets for 
one dollar. At one time there were more 
than ten thousand tickets issued and in the 
hands of the public, while their use was so 
general that they have frequently been 
given and taken in “ making change.” It is 
a curious fact that seven hundred dollars’ 
worth of these tickets were never redeemed, 
although a fund was reserved for a long 
time by the members for that purpose, even 
after the orchestra had finally separated. 
Occasionally afternoon and evening con- 
certs were given on the same day, but the 
crowds continued undiminished. 
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