Call Number:

Ms. Coll. 55

Repository:

German Society of Pennsylvania: Joseph P. Horner Memorial Library

Extent:

0.13 linear feet (1 box)

Language:

German

Preferred Citation:

Arion Singing Society letter book and ephemera (Ms. Coll. 55), Joseph P. Horner Memorial Library, German Society of Pennsylvania

Date:

1858-1870, 1907-1936

Form:

Admission tickets, Letter books, Printed ephemera, Programs (documents), and Souvenir programs

Abstract:

The Arion Singing Society (Gesang-Verein) was founded in 1857 by singers who had seceded from the Liedertafel der Deutschen Freien Gemeinde (later known as Harmonie), a singing society that began under the auspices of the Independent German Congregation of Philadelphia. This collection comprises a letter book of Arion, covering the period 5 May 1858 to 1 June 1870, and various ephemera dating from 1907 to 1957, including concert programs, one concert ticket, and four souvenir programs related to an annual bal masqué, or masked ball, that was a tradition of the society since 1865.

Arion Gesang Verein (singing society) of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was founded on 6 April 1857, by a group of singers who seceded from the Liedertafel der Deutschen Freien Gemeinde, a singing group that had been formed under the auspices of the Independent German Congregation (Deutsche Freie Gemeinde) of Philadelphia in 1855. Arion's founding members were Adolph Schöninger, F. W. Thomas, W. Flügel, Robert Schleicher, C. Dollinger, and R. Knapp. Schöninger was the first president. The first musical director of the group was William Fischer, who had also been the first director of the Liedertafel. (At the time that Arion was founded, the Liedertafel had just chosen a new director, F. W. Kuenzel.) Arion subsequently had friendly relations with the fellow singing society Liedertafel, which was later known as Harmonie (after 1869, when Liedertafel reestablished itself independent from the congregation).

The locale where Arion was founded was Robert Burckhardt's Tavern, at New Market and Callowhill Streets. Singing practices were at first held at the house of director Fischer. Later in 1857 the society met at Saranack Hall (9th and Callowhill Streets), and then at Worker's Hall (Arbeiter-Halle, later called Schuetzen Halle), on 3rd Street below Green. In 1859 it moved to a venue at 6th and Callowhill Streets. After occupying several other different venues, it moved to Gottlob Hammer's Hall on 3rd Street, in 1872; and to Griesheimer's on 4th below Callowhill, in 1877.

In June 1857, under the direction of Fischer, Arion participated in the 7th Allgemeines Sängerfest (general singing festival), in Philadelphia. In the latter part of 1857 Arion chose a new director, J. W. Jost, who remained with the group until 1862 [1]. In 1858 Arion performed Romberg's setting of Schiller's poem "Das Lied von der Glocke," the first time the composition was performed in the United States. When singing activities were revived after the Civil War, Arion participated in the 9th Allgemeines Sängerfest, in New York, in July 1865. In 1868 Arion became a member of the Northeastern Saengerbund (Nordöstlicher Sängerbund), the regional alliance of singing societies that organized the festivals (subsequently referred to as 'national Saengerfests'). Later, Arion was also a member of the local umbrella group United Singers of Philadelphia (Vereinigte Sänger von Philadelphia), founded in 1881.

Shortly after the founding of Arion a women's chorus (Damen-Chor) was formed; however, it lasted only until the early 1860s. Later on, in 1890, a women's auxiliary group was founded, known as the Arion Damen-Verein, or Ladies Society, made up of wives of Arion members. The group had 42 members in 1907, and over 170 members in 1940. It was still in existence in 1957, at which time it was called the Arion Ladies. The women's group held social events, including coffee and cake, dances and entertainment, and turkey dinners at Thanksgiving. Over the years it periodically presented Arion with monetary gifts as well as tokens of appreciation [2].

In 1870 the Arndt-Männerchor, a fellow Philadephia singing society, became integrated into Arion (i.e. it dissolved and its members joined Arion). The Arion Singing Society was incorporated in 1888.

Activities of the society through the years included concerts, picnics, summer-night festivals, evening entertainments, and excursions. Along with other singing societies, Arion participated in German-American festivities in the city, such as the peace festival of 1871 (following the end of the Franco-Prussian War) and the unveilings of monuments to Alexander von Humboldt, Goethe, and Schiller. It also took part in charity concerts, such as those to benefit victims of floods in the western part of the United States in 1883, and victims of a famine in Russia in 1892. Beginning in 1865 Arion held an annual mask ball (bal masqué).

After its frequent shift of headquarters, in 1890 Arion moved into a hall at 310 N. 4th Street, where it remained until 1909, when it bought a clubhouse at 1402 W. Oxford Street, known as Arion Hall. In September 1915 it was joined at that location by the Harmonie Singing Society; and in 1920 the Männerchor (Philadelphia's oldest singing society) moved there as well. In the 1920s renovations in the hall included the installation of a bowling alley, and the society apparently had a bowling team in subsequent years. The three singing societies remained united at Arion Hall until 1934, when both Harmonie and Männerchor took new quarters elsewhere.

In 1907 Arion celebrated its 50th anniversary with festivities held at Harmonie Hall (the headquarters of the fellow singing society Harmonie) over a period of three days (7 to 9 April). In the souvenir booklet published on that occasion it lists 67 active members (singers) and 112 passive members.

In 1927 to 1930 Arion president Josef Hassemer served as the president of the United Singers of Philadelphia.

The society sold Arion Hall (on W. Oxford Street) in 1954, and moved its headquarters to the clubhouse of the Franklinville Quartet Club, at 323 West Rockland Street. Arion celebrated its 100th anniversary, in April 1957, with a banquet and dance at the Philadelphia Rifle Club (8th and Tabor Road).

Footnotes

[1] Arion's 50th anniversary souvenir program ( Goldenes Jubiläum des Arion Gesang-Verein), of 1907, gives a complete listing of the presidents and the musical directors of the society until that time.

[2] For more information on the women's auxiliary, see the souvenir program for the group's 40th anniversary: 50 jaehriges Jubilaeum, Arion Damen-Verein (Philadelphia: Wm B. Graf & Sons, Printers, 1940; GAC Pamphlet AG 203.2), which contains a historical sketch by Paula Fritz.

References

"Geschichte des Arion." In: Goldenes Jubiläum des Arion Gesang-Verein [50th anniversary souvenir program]. Philadelphia, 1907. (GAC Pamphlet AG 203)

Moellhoff, William. "Arion Gesang Verein of Philadelphia ... an historical sketch." In: Arion Gesang Verein 100th anniversary, 1857-1957. Philadelphia, 1957. (GAC Pamphlet AG 203.1)

This collection comprises a letter book of the Arion Singing Society, covering the period 5 May 1858 to 1 June 1870, and various ephemera dating from 1907 to 1957, including concert programs, one concert ticket, and four souvenir programs related to an annual bal masqué, or masked ball, that was a tradition of the society since 1865. The letter book is in the hand of various corresponding secretaries of the society. Most of the letters are addressed to other singing societies; some are form letters with a list of singing societies to whom the letter was sent. Some letters are to other types of organizations, or to individuals. Many of the letters are invitations, or responses to invitations to events.