"Roney's Boys" Concert Company of Chicago

              1909

HENRY B. RONEY Trainer and Manager

2358 Indiana Ave. Chicago. …

1888 21st ANNIVERSARY 1909

Old Cercular .

RONEY'S BOYS
Concert Company of Chicago
CHAS. L. SEBERN
Personal Representative
Address, VINTON, IOWA


Roney's Boys.

Only in dreams I've listened
To the music of the spheres
And harps, and songs of angels—
The voices of happy tears;
But now my prisoned fancy
Has an earnest of their joys,
For I've heard the earthly cherubs
That are christened 'Roney's Boys'.

—A.A.B.Cavaness.




The Original Roney Boy BLATCHFORD KAVANAGH, 1888



Figure


PHOTOGRAPHS BY THE ROOT STUDIO, CHICAGO

There is but one genuine company of Roney's Boys—that under Mr. Roney's personal training and management.  Others so claimed, appearing in vaudeville, tent shows, etc., are spurious and an imposition on the public, who will confer a great favor upon Mr. Roney by notifying him whenever and wherever these frauds are advertised.

EXCLUSIVE DIRECTION ALKAHEST LYCEUM SYSTEM, ATLANTA, GA.





Figure

Roney's Boys' Jubilee Anniversary
Twenty years of concert work by one company, over 4,000 concerts given to more than 2,000,000 delighted listeners, not including free concerts to about 75,000 inmates of penitentiaries, reform schools, insane hospitals, blind asylums, soldiers' homes, city hospitals, etc., and but two missed dates in the twenty years—snowbound in both cases—this is a record that affords peculiar gratification to the management of Roney's Boys.  It must command the admiration of all friends of tireless, conscientious endeavor.

To delight, to stimulate, to educate, to create and to gratify a taste for the highest forms of secular and sacred music, the compositions of the master minds—this has been the constant aim, and without these high ideals financial failure and disintegration would have followed.

And to do a musical missionary work, to show to lads and to their parents and friends as well, the possibilities that might lie in their own voices, through higher cultivation, has been not the least of our purposes.

Time was when boys' singing was understood to necessarily mean the forcing of harsh, metallic chest tones far above their range into the head voice, as so commonly heard in the public schools, in little tunes of the Sunday School order, which have neither musical value nor interest.  It has been a revelation to thousands to hear the velvety, flute-like tones of boy sopranos, and the rich, sonorous notes of boy altos, so trained as to sing solos, duets, trios, quartets, and even in five-part harmony, like prima donnas, with the interpretation of artists.

And it was a greater surprise to hear Roney's Boys render high-grade standard music from operas, oratorios and the great composers, every selection memorized, and frequently quartets and trios without accompaniment of any kind.  And the boy violinists, cornetists, trombonists, flutists, clarinetists and saxaphonists of past years, who have given such splendid variety to our programs, have been not a whit behind the singers in their wonderful mastery of their instruments.

The name Roney's Boys has always stood for the highest cultivation of the boy's singing voice, and the most masterful execution upon instruments by little fellows, the world has ever known.

Many boys have traveled three consecutive years with Roney's Boys, a few four and five seasons, but the average term of service is about two years.  The entire personnel of the company has changed a dozen times or thereabouts in the past twenty years, due principally to the inevitable change of voice, which, while averaging at about fourteen years, sometimes comes most unexpectedly.

Notwithstanding these incessant changes, sometimes one, sometimes three to five in a single season, the standard of Roney's Boys' programs has been constantly pushed higher.  The various costumes are elegant, appropriate to the music where possible, and historically interesting.  The boys are from different families in various states and are not related to Mr. Roney.



Roney's Boys at the White House
The Christmas concert given by Roney's Boys at the White House, upon invitation of President and Mrs. Roosevelt, to 500 of their invited guests, is a matter of history.  The young people of families of the Cabinet, the Supreme Court, the Foreign Legations, of Senators, Congressmen, Army and Navy officers, the accredited newspaper correspondents and of the highest official and social life at the nation's capitol were invited, the very flower of the land.  The historic East Room never beheld a fairer sight, and it was the largest function of its kind ever given within its walls, the assistance of the State and War Departments being enlisted to make the invitation list as complete as possible.

The honor conferred upon Mr. Roney and his boys was a high and distinctive one, rarely if ever before accorded, and was renewed when President Roosevelt a year later received the company in special audience in a busy hour, and, in thanking Mr. Roney for bringing them to see him, said: I would see these boys before senators, congressmen or anybody else.

Roney's Boys are unique, unrivaled and unapproachable as a popular attraction.  No other company appeals so equally and so irresistibly to old and young, for they are nothing less than a musical sensation.  These talented boys not only entertain, charm and fascinate, but they educate, stimulate and inspire the children everywhere by their marvelous accomplishments in music, especially vocal.  Every charming feature that long experience and ingenuity can suggest is embodied in these programs.




Henry B. Roney
Originator, trainer and manager of Roney's Boys, needs no introduction.  As vice-president for Illinois of the Music Teachers' National Association, choirmaster of the Chicago Diocesan Choir Association (thirty-two choirs and twelve hundred vested choristers), and as trainer of a large number of the most noted boy solo singers of the period, he has established a standard of merit which has become so proverbial as to inspire public confidence in whatever talent he introduces.  Upon his work as musical director of the National Peace Jubilee, Chicago, in October, 1898, which enlisted the services of sixty-three Chicago church choirs and an artists' chorus, composed of twenty professional male and female quartets, he was personally warmly congratulated by President McKinley.  The fame of the Roney Concerts now covers the entire United States.  The same unyielding high standard, original methods and conscientious attention to details which gave to the choir of Grace Episcopal Church, Chicago, a national reputation during the ten years—1887 to 1897—it was under Mr. Roney's direction as organist and choirmaster, and later, in Plymouth Congregational Church (Dr. Gunsaulus'), have stamped their impress upon all of the Roney Concerts during and since that time.  His field of operations now covers every state and territory and the Canadian provinces.



Spurious Concert Companies
From Lyceumite and Talent.

Every first-class article for human wear and consumption is counterfeited, but a spurious concert company booking dates and traveling on the well-earned reputation of another is something new; or was until a few years ago, when Henry B. Roney discovered that there were three or four companies traveling in different parts of the country under the name of Roney's Boys.

When it is known that Roney and his boys are out on their winter tour, these snide companies even steal 'round behind him and play in Chicago vaudeville houses as Rooney's Boys, giving on the bills a very common misspelling of the name, with intent to deceive the public, and just escaping prosecution by the technicality of adding an extra o to the name.  A Y. M. C. A. secretary recently refused to engage the company, because Roney's Boys, he said, had lately played there in a low vaudeville tent show, when, as a matter of record, the genuine company had not appeared in that town for six years.  And this, too, after Manager Roney has for

Figure
 years refused all overtures of the vaudeville circuits, and when offered great inducements and told it was not a matter of money at all, replied, Neither is it a matter of money with me.  You can't have 'Roney's Boys' on the vaudeville stage at any price.



Superb Musical Programs
Roney's Boys' programs show a remarkable growth in public musical taste in the past twenty years.  Each year has witnessed an uplift in the higher class of music given.  Judiciously interspersed with lighter music of the better class, the programs have reached a higher plane with each recurring season, and have wielded a decided educational influence throughout the country.

With absolutely nothing in common with the trashy effusions of the vaudeville stage, the company stands for the highest order of music and the most finished and artistic work possible to attain with talented boys.  It has carved out a niche of its own, stands in a class by itself in which there is no second, and yields to no considerations of policy to lower its musical standard and its prestige as a public educator in its line of work.  There is no company like Roney's Boys, or remotely approaching it in either America or Europe.

In support of the foregoing the following compositions have appeared upon Roney's Boys' programs, besides an endless number of lighter and popular selections by the best modern composers:



Changing Personnel
Owing to the inevitable changes in a juvenile Company, due largely to change of voice, it is impossible to have pictures, costumes and instruments always identical with the personnel of the Company.



SPECIAL NOTICE
Talented boy singers, players upon any instruments, or elocutionists, will, when desired, be given a free hearing by Mr. Roney and advised, if brought to him en route, or during the summer to his Chicago studio.

Address care of General Delivery in towns visited, or

HENRY B. RONEY, 2358 Indiana Ave., Suite 101, Chicago, Ill.





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Music of the Masters.
Some Selections From Former Programs.

BACH.—Come and Go.  Gavotte.
BACH.—My Heart Ever Faithful.  Trio.
BEETHOVEN.—Andante, from Fifth Symphony.  Violin, flute and piano.
BEETHOVEN.—Thro' the Old Cloisters.  Seventh Symphony.
BEETHOVEN.—The Heavens Resound.
WAGNER.—Wedding March and Bridal Chorus.  Lohengrin.
WAGNER.—Hail!  Minstrels All.  March.  Tannhauser.
WAGNER.—The Messengers of Peace, from Rienzi.  Quartet.
WAGNER.—Entrance of the Gods in Walhalla.  Rheingold.
WAGNER.—The Evening Star.  Tannhauser.  Trombone solo.
WAGNER.—Spinning Song, Flying Dutchman.
MENDELSSOHN.  Midsummer Night's Dream Music.  Violin, flute and piano.
MENDELSSOHN.—Concerto in E Minor.  Violin and piano.
MENDELSSOHN.—O for the Wings of a Dove.  Solo and chorus.
MENDELSSOHN.—Slumber Song.  Quartet.
MENDELSSOHN.—Lift Thine Eyes.  Trio.  Elijah.
MENDELSSOHN.—But the Lord is Mindful.  Solo.  Elijah.
MENDELSSOHN.—O Rest in the Lord.  Solo.  St. Paul.
MENDELSSOHN.—Spring Song.  Vocal quartet.
SCHUBERT.—Serenade.  Violin, flute and piano, also vocal quartet.
SCHUBERT.—The Bee.  Violin.
SCHUBERT.—The Twenty-third Psalm.  Quartet.
SCHUBERT.—Ave Maria.
SCHUBERT.—Military March.  Piano duet.
SCHUBERT.—Hark!  Hark!  the Lark.  Quartet.
SCHUBERT.—Am Meer.  Trombone.
SCHUMANN.—The Spanish Tambourine Girl.  Quartet.
SCHUMANN.—The Two Grenadiers.  Solo.
SCHUMANN.—Gipsy Life.  Quartet.
HANDEL.—Trust in the Lord (Largo).  Trio, with cornet.
HANDEL.—Angels Ever Bright and Fair.  Theodora.  Solo.
HANDEL.—He Shall Feed His Flock.  Messiah.
HANDEL.—He Was Despised.  Messiah.
BRAHMS.—The Gypsies.  Trio.
BRAHMS.—Barcarolle.  Quartet.
GOUNOD.—Sing, Smile, Slumber.  Quartet.
GOUNOD.—The King of Love My Shepherd Is.  Trio.
GOUNOD.—The Holy Temple.  Song.
DVORAK.—Confidence.  Duet.
RUBINSTEIN.—Night Song.  Trio.
MOHRING.—Legends.  Quartet.
CAMPANA.—Row Us Swift.  Trio.
VON WEBER.—The Bridal Wreath.  Der Freischutz.
DENZA.—Barcarolle.
DENZA.—The Girls of Seville.
CZIBULKA.—Love's Dream After the Ball.  Quartet.
CZIBULKA.  Once in a While.  Trio.
SULLIVAN.—The Lost Chord.  Quintet.  Cornet obligato.
ARDITI.—The Daisy.  Vocal polka.
GLUCK.—Live Without My Eurydice.  Orpheus.
LUCANTONI.—Springtime of Love.  Duet.
A. GORING THOMAS.—Winds in the Trees.  Trio.
GODARD.—Florian's Song.  Trio.
GILLET-HOUSELEY.—Echoes of the Ball (Loin du bal).
DONIZETTI.—Cornet Duet.  Lucia.
SARASATE.—Zigeunerweisen.  Violin.
PAGANINI.—Witches' Dance.  Violin.
POPPER.—Elfin Dance.  Violin.
WIENIAWSKI.—Second Polonaise.  Violin.
TERSCHAK.—Columbus.  American Rhapsodie.  Flute.
HARTMAN.—National Fantasie.  Flute.
HARTMAN.—Longing for Home.  Trombone.
KUMMER.—Concertina.  Violin and flute.
ROLLINSON.—Tramp!  Tramp!  Tramp!  Trombone.
BARNARD.—Old Folks at Home.  Trombone.
ROSSINI.—Inflamatus.  Stabat Mater.  Trombone.
BIZET-TOBANI.  Toreador Song.  Trombone.
HARTMAN.—National Fantasie.  Trombone.
LEVY.—Own Make Polka.  Cornet.



Beautiful Summer Home For Sale
Deer Lodge is a finely built log cottage of 8 rooms, on Gogebic Lake, Upper Michigan, in the heart of the cool North Woods—a select, high-class summer resort frequented by lovers of fine fishing and hunting, hay fever victims, and people of the best class.  It is near Mr. Roney's summer home, The Antlers, has large grounds of several acres in the midst of a magnificent grove of natural forest trees—birch, maple, balsam, hemlock, pine, etc. Has 3 large open fireplaces.  Interior has elaborate rustic finish in natural woods and bark.  First-class railroad service (C. & N. W. Ry.), with through sleeper from Chicago.  Drinking water from great spring flowing 2,500 gallons per hour, temperature 42 degrees.

Gogebic Lake, a superb body of cold water fed by springs, is 17 miles long, and noted for its fine bass, pickerel and brook trout fishing.  Deer, bear, partridge, wild duck and geese and game of every kind are plentiful.  Climate bracing and delightful; hay fever unknown.  Elevation about 1,500 feet.  Mr. Roney offers Deer Lodge for sale or lease to the right party and will give further information if desired.




One of Roney's Boys of 11 Years Ago