SACRED CONCERT ON THE PAGEANT GROUNDS

SACRED CONCERT ON THE PAGEANT GROUNDS

At the 200th Anniversary of the Town of Stoughton

One of the greatest events in the history of our two oldest existing musical societies in America occurred August 22, 1926, when the 200th Anniversary Celebration of the Town of Stoughton was opened by a Sacred Concert on the Pageant Grounds at three o'clock in the afternoon, in which the "Old Stoughton Musical Society" and the "Musical Society in Stoughton" joined. A beautiful day made it possible to give the concert in the open. There were over 150 in the chorus, including singers from the surrounding towns, and 35 in the orchestra. Among those in the orchestra were:

Mace Gay, Director

Violins Clarinets

George E. Shepard, No. Easton Chester L. Hayward, W. Bridgewater

F. William Kempf Marshall Stevenson, No. Easton

Esther Kelle Wilbur C. Howes, Easton

Corinne F. Tileston, Randolph

Bella Porter Bassoon

Gwendolyn Dean Fred Bettoney

Beulah Rideout

Ralph Iervolino, Brockton

John Walsh, Lynn Horns

Maurice Greenberg William C. Gebhardt

Miss Georgie A. Chapman Albert Gilcher, Boston

Viola Piano

James C. Wood, Whitman Laura S. Gebhardt

Reuben L. Willis

Cellos

Ellis B. Porter, Hingham Tuba

Wilmer E Comstock James F. Doherty

Bass Trumpets

B. Frank Gardner, No. Easton Lester Morrill, Brockton

C. Fred Lyons, Randolph

Flutes Miss A. Marie Warfield, Brockton

Etta M. Bailey Lawrence Gurney, No. Easton

Charles E. Abbott, Needham

Trombone

Carl Hampe, Stoughton

Harry Kummer, Brockton

Drums

Franklin Linfield

Pageant Group—S. Minot Crane, Frank W. Crane, W. Elmer .Crane, all of Avon

An audience of nearly three thousand people filled the seats and the applause was generous to the numbers on the program. Assistant Chorister Eugene M. Toomey conducted in absence of Chorister George Sawyer Dunham, of Brockton. The solos were masterly rendered and the chorus work was pleasing to the conductor, showing the result of his long and patient drilling. The orchestra, with Mace Gay directing, rendered Edwin A. Jones' "Lockinvar Overture" in a pleasing manner. Mr. Gay was a close friend of Mr. Jones from boyhood. The purpose of the old societies, - "to practice and perpetuate the music of native composers" was carried out in the arrangement of the program. Music from the oldest to the latest composer found place among the numbers.

A particularly pleasing number was the chorus, "The Flag of All Our Country," composed and conducted by a fellow-member, Mrs. Laura Shafer Gebhardt, sung in public for the first time. The words were written by Henri L. Johnson, who was also a member, and who expected to be present but owing to an accident was detained at home. The flag was borne by a Legion man (Mr. Morton Bird) in front of the chorus during the number, and the applause was great.

Reverend Charles J. Ring, of Boston, a Stoughton boy, was present, as well as the Reverend Charles E. Beals, of Manchester, N. H., also a Stoughton boy. Mr. Beals pleased his audience with a reminiscent address. Miss Fanny Buck, one of the Society's prima donnas, came from Washington, D. C, to attend the exercises. A copy of the program follows:

The Program

Sunday Afternoon, August 22, 1926

Lochinvar Overture Orchestra Edwin A. Jones

Mace Gay of Brockton, Director

Invocation Rev. Charles J. Ring of Boston

1. Chorus a. Old Stoughton 1886, E. A. Jones

b. New Bethlehem, prior to 1800, E. French

c. Jehovah's Praise, White

Soloists, Miss Holmes, Mrs. Gebhardt

2. Contralto Solo Allelujah, Mozart

Miss Elva Boyden of Brockton

3. Chorus a. Turner 1802, Maxim

b. Invitation 1793, Kimball

c. Rainbow 1790, Swan

d. Chester 1770, Billings

4. Recitative Now Is Christ Risen 1886, E. A. Jones

Air Rouse Thee, O Zion

Mr. Toomey

Chorus Sing We to the Lord, 1886, E. A. Jones

Solos Miss Holmes

5. Bass Solo Up from Somerset

Robert A. T. Nelson of Brockton

6. Chorus The Flag of All Our Country Laura S. Gebhardt

Words by Henri L. Johnson, 1908

NOTE: Sung for the first time in public and conducted by the composer, Mrs. Gebhardt.

7. Address Rev. Charles E. Beals, Manchester, N. H.

8. Chorus a. Majesty previous to 1800, Billings

b. Sons of Zion, Naumann

c. Victory 1793, Read

9. Contralto Solo, The Bird of the Wilderness, Horsman

Miss Boyden

10. Chorus Jerusalem, My Glorious Home 1849, Mason

Hail, All Triumphant Lord 1886, E. A. Jones

Everybody join in singing -

America, Auld Lang Syne, Star Spangled Banner

Soloists

Miss Pearl V. Holmes of Stoughton

Mrs. Laura Shafer Gebhardt of Stoughton

Miss Elva Boyden of Brockton

Mr. T. Francis Toomey of Stoughton

Mr. Robert A. T. Nelson of Brockton

Concert Conducted by

EUGENE M. TOOMEY, Chorister

of the Musical Society in Stoughton

At the close of the program all joined in singing America, Auld Lang Syne, and Star Spangled Banner, thus ending one of the finest concerts in the history of the Society.

The early history of Stoughton and the history of "Early Concert Life in America" are not complete without considering Stoughton's "music clubs;" consequently the musical societies were invited to take part in the Pageant, re-enacting, as episode 9, the friendly musical contest in 1790 between the Old Stoughton Musical Society and the Dorchester Choir, in which the Stoughton Society was victorious. Those members representing Dorchester were:

Sopranos

Mrs. Edwin D. Adams

Eleanor Buckley

Helen Curtis

Hilda Durbeck

Mrs. Laura Gebhardt

Frances Gitto

Pearl V. Holmes

Mrs. Blanche Hammond

Helen Hanley

Ruth Kelle

Mrs. Hazel Lothrop

Mrs. Lillian Merrick

Miss Adelaide Washington

Mrs. Blanche White

Mrs. Alice Hodges

Altos

Mrs. Olive Bisbee

Mrs. Frank Burnham

Mrs. Charles E. Dodge

Mare Harvey

Constance Leonard

Mrs. Elmer Maltby

Miss Hazel Waite

Tenors

W. Elmer Crane, Avon

S. Minot Crane, Avon

Harry Curtis

William H. Cushing

Dr. E.S. Tracy, Brockton

E. Bronson Gay

Basses

Charles Bisbee

Willard Emery

G. Lester Gay

Arthur Martin

Charles S. Porter

The Stoughton Society of male voices was represented by:

1st Tenor 1st Bass

Charles Abbott Morton A. Capen

Heber Capen Wilmer E. Comstock

John P. Estey, Brockton James Dean

Bernard Marron Arthur McCarthy

Walter Mueller William Russell

John Quill George Sprague, Sr.

Wallace Reynolds, Avon

Arthur L. Willis, Brockton 2nd Bass

Herbert Dodge

2nd Tenor Herbert D. James, Brockton

Frank Crane, Avon Frank Reynolds

Merrill Hill T. Francis Toomey

George Richmond Ernest B. Southworth

Reuben Willis William H. Capen

William Healy

There had been good rehearsals under the guidance of Mrs. Gebhardt and Reuben Willis. The male chorus sang Edward French's "New Bethlehem" without music, and Handel's "Hallelujah Chorus" (abridged) with notes. The mixed chorus sang "Majesty" and "Chester." With bright, showy, Colonial costumes and well rendering of the music, the Old Stoughton Musical Society proved itself still to be a lively organization contributing in no small measure to the wonderful success of the three nights of the "Pageant, Old Stoughton."

(1) Rev. Paul Sperry, Brockton; (2) Joseph P. Draper, Canton; (3) George W. Currier, Braintree; (4) Lewis Alden, Holbrook
(5) Henry S. Porter, Brockton; (6) Corinne F. Tileston,  Randolph

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