Schildkret Hungarian Orchestra: Sam Schildkret

              191?
Fifteenth Season in America

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SAM SCHILDKRET Director
Schildkret Hungarian Orchestra
A SLAYTON ATTRACTION



Schildkret Hungarian Orchestra
The BUREAU, in again presenting Schildkret's Hungarian Orchestra to the lyceum public, feels that it is the best organization of its kind that has been exploited in this country since the extended tour of the Archduke Joseph's Hungarian Gypsy Band, some twenty-five years ago, by this same Bureau.

Schildkret's Hungarian Orchestra was brought over from Hungary during the World's Fair year, and was especially engaged for concert work in Chicago at that time through Mrs. Potter Palmer, Chairman of the Ladies' Committee at the World's Fair, and played at many of the most important concerts and social affairs during that memorable year.  They were also especially engaged for a season at Old Vienna and received the first grand gold medal for their work.  Since that time they have played all through the East, returning to Chicago in time to play for Prince Henry on his tour through this country some years ago.  While in Washington Mr. Schildkret played at Washington Park Club, attended by Miss Alice Roosevelt, so it is not surprising that he was summoned to Washington to play at her wedding.

Mr. Schildkret is without a peer as a leader, has studied the wants of the lyceum people and knows what to give the public in the way of concert programs.  The company includes as soloists, a pianist, violinist and flutist, Mr. Schildkret himself being one of the greatest flute soloists in the world.

The Bureau most highly commends this attraction and guarantees that the lecture committees have never been offered any foreign orchestra that will equal it.  The past two seasons have been a series of musical triumphs and every committee without exception tell of the unprecedented success of the Schildkret concerts.


The Bedford (Ia.) Times of Oct. 31, 1907, voices a general sentiment:
The people of Bedford had heard Hungarian orchestras before, and while they are usually fairly good musical companies, there was nothing about the name to particularly impress the average theatergoer.  There are many Hungarian orchestras, but there is only one Schildkret Hungarian orchestra, and no one who ever hears it will ever again make the mistake of confounding it with any organization with a similar name.  Every member of Schildkret's company is an artist.  The leader in the concert used both the flute and the piccolo, and is the master of both.  Encore after encore greeted his solos.  Scarcely second to Mr. Schildkret as a musician was the first violin of the company.  Many of those present had heard Hans Albert, and were competent judges of violin playing, and the first violin of Schildkret's company suffered none in comparison with this celebrated artist.  The clarinet player was also an artist, as was every member of the company, and the whole entertainment was one long feast of melody.


FT. SMITH (ARK.) TIMES, of Dec. 1, 1907.
—The first number of the Apollo musical course gave Ft. Smith the rare treat of listening at home to the world-famous Campanari in song; the second number, Saturday night, duplicated the treat in the famous Hungarian orchestra.  It is safe to say that the lovers of music in the audience never before were so delightfully entertained by a similar musical instrument treat.  Three violins, a cello, a bass viol, clarinet, piccolo, flute and dulcimer, each in the hands of a solo artist, all in a perfect ensemble; these were the instruments with which the orchestra strung a rare necklace of the pearls and gems of music, classical, operatic, popular, rag-time, pathetic, inspiring; changes following each other in a charming flow of harmonies which held the audience and swayed it from breathless silence to enthusiastic applause.  Any attempt at reportorial dissection of such a program by such artists would be an affront to those who were delighted listeners.  It is sufficient that it was such a rare
musical treat as only such a course could bring to the city, and for it the people who heard, owe to the Apollo club a vote of thanks for the opportunity of hearing.





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Late Press Appreciations

PERRY (OKLA.) NEWS, Nov. 11, 1907.
—The Perry Lecture Course opened Saturday evening with the Hungarian Orchestra, and if this number is a criterion of the quality of the numbers to follow, we can now say to Professor Smith, Well done; the course is a success.  Schildkret and his Hungarians played.  The large audience was music hungry.  Encore after encore followed the various selections, and Schildkret was not stingy.  He caught the popular feeling, and after a few numbers seemed to know what the audience wanted.  So it was played.  For nearly three hours it was a program varying from Orpheus to ragtime, diversified impromtus of popular airs, old fashioned American tunes that the most acute of the critics or the whistler of the one tune of Turkey in the Straw could have been but satisfied.


SAN MARCOS (TEX.) ADVOCATE, Nov. 19, 1907.
—Last night at the Normal School was given one of the most delightful musical entertainments San Marcos has listened to.  With the single exception of Ellery's Band it is safe to say it was the finest musicale the town has yet had.  The members of the orchestra were all musicians to their finger tips, and under Mr. Schildkret's skillful leadership their music was most delightful.  It was evident that Mr. Schildkret was thoroughly in touch with his audience, as there was music for every taste—from the Spring Song, the overture of Orpheus and Eurydice to Dearie.  All the selections were most beautifully rendered.  The Miserere, especially so.  Schubert's Serenade, that classic which even ragtime lovers claim as their own, was also superbly interpreted.  Of course the enthusiasm of the audience reached the highest bounds at Dixie and Mr. Schildkret seemed to get more out of it than ever seemed in the good old soul-stirring tune before.  Mr. Schildkret had kindly promised that he would render all special requests as encores.


TAYLORVILLE (ILL.) BREEZE, Oct. 17, 1907.
—Schildkret's Hungarian Orchestra appeared at Vanmeter hall Saturday night and was greeted by a large audience of our music-loving people.  The audience was delighted with the orchestra and all who attended are of the opinion that it was the finest musical entertainment ever given in this city.  A return engagement would pack the house until there would not be standing room.


HOOPESTON (ILL.) CHRONICLE, Oct. 8, 1907.
—The first number of the public library lecture course was given last evening by Sam Schildkret's Hungarian Orchestra, a bunch of handsome young Hungarians who know considerable about music.  Mr. Schildkret played a flute or a piccolo, whichever he wanted, when he wasn't using the piccolo for a baton, and he certainly knew how to play them; another man played what appeared to be a dulcimer of a third to half a century ago, and the instrument certainly looked the part, only they called it a cymbalum on the program; three men put in their time on violins, and there were two big fiddles and a clarinet besides.  And every man was onto his job.  They played a whole lot of classical stuff, which a great many of the audience pretend to understand, and it was certainly good enough to bring out a lot of applause, which was given enthusiastically and unstintedly.  It was certainly marvelous how the leader could switch the orchestra from one tune to another in an entirely different key and time without missing a note, and the versatility of the leader was really astonishing.  He could play a flute, piccolo or fiddle or mimic a mocking bird to perfection.  And the boss fiddler also demonstrated his ability to the entire satisfaction of the audience.  The clarinet player distinguished himself by tricks of fingering and tongueing and by taking his instrument all apart and playing tunes on the pieces.  He did it so nicely that the audience would not have been surprised to see one of the fiddlers take his instrument to pieces and play a piece or two with the bow across the bridge or the sounding post.  The applause for the classical pieces was somewhat perfunctory, even if vociferous, but when the orchestra played A Bunch of Rags, composed of such pieces as The Mocking Bird, Dixie, The Last Rose of Summer and A Hot Time in the Old Town, the people began to sit up and take notice.  The last number on the program, a Medley of American Airs, including My Old Kentucky Home, Rally 'Round the Flag, In the Prison Cell I Sit, Tramp, Tramp, Tramp, Marching Through Georgia, Yankee Doodle, and ending with America, while the Stars and Stripes were waved aloft and the audience rose to its feet and applauded to the echo.  Many people present announced that they had already received the worth of their season tickets and that the balance of the course would all be velvet.  The management certainly did a wise thing in opening the course with Sam Schildkret's Hungarian orchestra, for if this number is a sample of the balance then the whole course will certainly be a hummer.


AUDUBON (IA.) REPUBLICAN, Oct. 30, 1907.
—Music-loving people expected much from this company and we are glad to say they were not disappointed.  The program was a delight from start to finish.  Mr. Schildkret is not only a skillful musician but is a master hand as a leader.  His playing on the flute and piccolo excited much enthusiasm.  We are informed that the club is making an effort to have them return.  We trust they will succeed.  If they come again they will receive an enthusiastic welcome by a large audience.

Direction Slayton Lyceum Bureau, Chicago



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MANZ ENGRAVING COMPANY
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