The Winona Daily News from Winona, Minnesota • 246

THE WINONA DAILY NEWS Saturday, November 19. 1955 I Jl i 1 Hodges, IT. E. George and MV M. Blackman.

Mr. Grimm is present director of the club. The Winona Chrral Societv also was heard in "The Messiah" in 1SC9 under the direction of Horace G. Seaton. With the installation of pipe organs in Winona churches, concerts were given by local organists, among them Mr.

Lombard, Arthur T. Thompson, Mrs. Hillyer and Mr. Seaton who in 1933, gave his 161st recital in observance of the 50th anniversary of Richard Wagner's death. Special cantatas also have been presented at various churches and local singers, pianists and other instrumentalists have appeared in many program here.

Another attempt at a Winona Symphony orchestra was made in recent years and a Winona Civic Chorus also was formed. The latter revived the custom inaugurated by Miss Smith, the singirg of mas music at an outdoor concert just prior to the holiday. Varied music groups in Winona schools provide a series of concerts each season, both vocal and instrumental, and musicales are presented at St. Mary's College and the College of Saint Teresa. 4 a Left to right above posed coquettishly with opened fans behind their heads, are Miss Carrie Nerbovig, Miss Alvina Ludwig later Mrs.

Joseph Shackell), Miss Mabel Schmitx (later Mrs. W. A. Hubbard, Lake City, Miss Edith Ludwig (later Mrs. Thomas Hill), Miss Katie Petxer, Miss Mamie Ludwig, Miss Hatt' Pierce, Miss Lulu Bither, Miss Mamie Kienan and Miss Mildred Beyerstedt, later Mrs.

A. W. Hodges. VELVET AND SATIN DRAPED AROUND the hips In bustls ffect and spangled with embroidery costumed the above Fan Drill chorus when the opera, "Th Chimes of Normandy," was presented in Winona Aug. 20 and 21, 1890.

As far as is known, a professional company presented the opera but choruses were made up of singers from the town in which the opera was being presented at the time. First Winona Concert Given 100 Years Ago Music has occupied a major portion of the leisure time of Wino-nans from pioneer days when local talent gave the first concert in Winona Nov. 21, 1855, to the present when choruses, choirs, bands and orche'stras from city's three colleges, high schools and elementary schools give programs throughout the school year. That first concert was given in Laird's hall with the "doors open at 6Vi concert commencing at lz." The concert was given by N. H.

Bennett, assisted by Mrs: Sheardown, Dr. Alfred Welch, a dentist; S. II. Lombard, Miss M. A.

Lombard later Mrs. M. K. Drew, and Miss Wickersham, daughter of a pioneer druggist. On the program of songs were "I'm Dreaming of Thee," "Old King Time," "Bv the Sad Sea Waves," "We're All Dodging." "Little More Cider" and "The California Gold Hunters." The same year, 1855, the Gate City band was organized.

Herman Rohweder and George Story played with this pioneer band in 1857, and also played as a violin and harp duo at dances and receptions. In the fall of 1857, organized his own band, the Germania Band, which not only gave a series cf local park concerts but filled engagements in neighboring states. Singing Society The first singing society in Winona was organized by pioneer Germans with headquarters, as early as 1SG0, in the old Davenport" House. The society was known as the Maennerchor, and later met in Sanborn's Hall. The Germans also incorporated the Philharmonic Society in 1866, the -society chorus being directed by D.

Fakler. In advertising its concerts the society promised that "people from abroad will find the entertainment most enjoyable." The St. Cecilia Society was. one of the early prominent musical Organized in 1866. it gave its first concert in the old courthouse hall.

O. D. Adams was musical director and Miss Chorilla Hamblin later Mrs. George H. Doan; was accompanist.

Miss Hamblin also had a class of 50 music pupils at that early time. i if MRS. H. M. LAMBERTON above, wears the gown in which she sang the lead role of Santuzza in the concert version of "CavaKaria Rusticana," given by the Winona Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Carl Ruggles in 1912.

Blake O. Nevius sang the role of Alfio. The Symphony Orchestra Choral Society assisted. Mrs. Lamberton studied for the concert stag and opera under Madame Marches! and other instructors.

1 9 'J 7f 3' 4 A 'vr' i I Quality Mrs. E. E. Nash, Mrs. L.

C. Johnson, Annabelle Ross, Nellie Clow, Harry Busdicker, A. E. Rau, Em-mett Raymond and H. L.

Harrington. Mr. Ruggles and Mr. Lombard were among the leading figures in the music field here, the latter directing the "first annual music festival" in Winona with Mr. Ruggles as conductor when "The Holy City" was presented.

Mr. Ruggles later left Winona for the East, ard is considered one of the foremost exponents of modern music. His compositions have been played by leading symphonies and in Town Hall, New York City. His symphony, was chosen as an outstanding American composition one year, and played at the International Music Festival in Belgium. Municipal Band The Winona Municipal Band succeeded the Germania Band, and has continued to this day, appearing in parades and in a series of weekly concerts in the summer at the Winona Lake Park bandshell with Harold Edstrom as the present director.

The Winona Music Club flourished in 1923 directed by Walter Grimm and the Winona Male Chorus was conducted by Harold Cooke in 1932. A community chorus made up of women's voices was directed by Mr. Grimm for 13 years, and took a first place in a state choral contest sponsored by the Minnesota Federation of Women's Clubs. Later Dr. Fred King directed the chorus and then T.

W. Zuberbier. Among the members were Mrs. King, Mrs. Frank Allen Sr.

and Mrs. Elsie Behrens. Mrs. W. L.

Hillyer was accompanist. A previous community singing group has been directed by Miss Caroline V. Smith who also organized the Mendelssohn Club of Winona State Teachers College, at that time the Winona State Normal School. The club gave its first annual presentation of "The Messiah" in 1905. Soloists were Mrs.

Lamberton, Mrs. A. W. The- Echo Club of men's voices was" headed by George Simpson. The Mendelssohn Society was heard in 1893, in a concert version of The Erl King's Daughter.

Concerts were given by members of the Ladies Musical Club which was organized in 18S5. Among soloists were Mrs. Paul Baumgartner and Miss Genevieve Clark. The club was directed by D. F.

Colville. The Ladies Guild of St. Paul's Church sponsored a mu-sicale at the Charles Horton home, 254 E. Broadway in 1S92. Other Early Concerts Many of the early concerts were given in Normal Hall and then later others were presented at the Winona Opera House.

At the time of the San Francisco earthquake, a benefit, song recital at the opera house was given by Mrs. Jeanette M. Lamberton (Mrs. H. M.

Lamberton Sr.) who had studied under Madame Marchesi and other instructors and about whom musicians and critics said, "The concert and operatic. stage have lost, much. by. devotion of Lamberton to her home interests." The concert sponsored by the Musical Literary Society was transferred from St. Paul's Parish House to the opera house because of the large numbers wishing to attend.

Mrs. S. TBerthe was Mrs. Lamberton's accompanist. Mrs.

Lamberton also appeared in th role of Santuzza in the concert version of "Cavalleria Rusti-cana" given under the auspices of the Winona Symphony Orchestra assisted by the Symphony Orchestra Choral Society Feb. 7, 1912, at the opera house. Blake G. Nevius sang the role of Alfio. Carl Ruggles was conductor of the orchestra.

The orchestra included Stanley Gerlicher, Carl Holzinger, Burns McMillan and Joseph Wunderlich and the chorus. Myrtle Cross, Ida Abell, Florence Medbery, Violet Norton, Ida Von Rohr, Mary Vance, Mrs. Alfred Beinhorn, Mrs. W. D.

Abbot, Magina Carroll, Mrs. Frank Couche, Natalie Freer, MaybeL Floyd, Marie Kieckbusch, 4 and 4,4 'V. V. it CARL RUGGLES, famed composer, once directed a symphony orchestra and choral society in Winona. His compositions, in which he often is the exponent of modern music, have been played by leading symphonies of this country and -in Europe, and have won major prizes.

He is a violinist, critic and lecturer as well as composer and conductor, nd has been the subject of articles in leading magazines. i 1... "1 I I eauty has been ft V. our business since SHOP COMPARE THEN SAVE AT .5 1936 t- 1 1 4 Nineteen years ago, when we opened our beauty shop, we decided to have a policy of "personalized service." Therefore we have consistently strived to bring to our customers the very latest in beauty developments. Today our policy is the same.

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