Massachusetts Institute of Technology - Technique Yearbook (Cambridge, MA)

Page 161 text:

Whitmore, Chase, Cooper, Hammond, Stockmayer, Hazeltine, Anderson, Buckwalter, Rich, Ray, King Dee, Dayton, Jordan, Cayce, Fox, Clement, Hughes, Sutton, Ford, D’Albora, Jaskelainen, Moore, Ehrlich. S Germond, Mahr, Stackpole, Sharpe, Brook Stevens, Henderson, Harper, Doyle, Woll Comins, Coleman, Webb, Lincoln, Williams, Heywood, Waxman CosE Ee CiUis This year has seen two changes of his- torical note in the organization of the clubs. The Instrumental club name was, due to the request of the members of that club, changed to the more appropriate name of The M.I.T. Orchestra. Also, because of the lack of enough capable young men at the Institute for the formation of the Tech- tonians this year, the dance orchestra of the organization was repudiated. It is the hope of the management and members that there will be the required talent next year for the re-forming of this group. An endeavor to work for the college and not merely for the members has continually been the goal of the management of the clubs. Accordingly, throughout its long history much work has been expended to present up-to-date programs of real merit. The excellent esprit de corps so developed has carried the organization through many a strenuous year and has been especially notable in the way the members have dis- played great cooperation in making this a successful year. © The general policy of the Clubs has never differed markedly from what it is today although the organization has radically done so. An endeavor to combine a good musical performance with the proper amount of entertainment for the men who participate in the rendition, and to increase the prestige of Technology in a social way, has been the goal. The Institute clubs have formerly felt it inadvisable to devote their entire efforts toward either serious music or toward a kind of jazz-popular program. As a result, a middle path has been followed since 1921 by the formation of programs containing a few non-classical numbers and devoting the remainder of the selections to tendencies of lighter vein. With the reorgan- ization of the Mandolin club into the In- strumental Club strictly classical work was undertaken, leaving the Banjo club to per- fect its rendition of light popular numbers. Acclaim from the student body indicates that the clubs are now- devoting their best efforts toward their respective tal- ents.

Page 160 text:

Max M . Levy Concert Manager EpGaArR B. CHIsWwELL, JR. General Manage Ortro E. ZwaNnzic Business Manager Ratpu B. Woo.ir Publicity Manager PARKER Haroitp W. Treasurer COMBINED MUSICAL CLUBS HE Combined Musical Clubs of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology opened their forty-ninth year with every prospect for a successful season. With a large number of veterans back to form a nucleus of well-trained musicians, the various clubs were quick in getting organized for the opening event of the 1933-34 season, the concert held at the Franklin Square House. Preceding this year was a half century of musical history. In 1883, as the result of a minstrel held the year before, the students recognized the need and advantage that could be gained from a musical organization. Accordingly, this student interest together with editorials in The Tech resulted in the formation of the Glee Club. The primary object of the new organization was musical culture for the members and pleasant re- unions among the student body. The members hoped that they would “be able to give some slight entertainment to their friends and thus draw friendship closer to alle The premiere of the Glee Club was at Berkeley Hall on December 28, 1883 where it was heralded as a worthy successor to the 1882 minstrels. Such selections as ‘The Three Chofers” and an original guitar solo by L. S. Steel opened the evening’s pro- gram. At a meeting on October 20, 1884, the “Technology Banjo and Guitar Club” was formed and its organization perfected. Twenty-five members and a professional leader were selected. By the year 1886 the Glee Club had reached some prominence in Boston circles and sang at such func- tions as the President’s reception. In 1888, due to lack of support, both clubs were dis- banded, but were reorganized in 1890. In that year a Mandolin Club also was organ- ized and the three clubs united under the constitution of the Combined Musical Clubs. Each Club retained its own leader and managers but was under the control of the organization. This form of the Combined Clubs con- tinued until 1921 at which time the Man- dolin and Guitar Club was reorganized as the Instrumental club, with the intent of presenting the more serious type of classical music. ‘Two years later the Techtonians, a dance orchestra, was founded for playing the more popular jazz programs and to assist in playing dance music following the concerts of the clubs.

Page 162 text:

Hawks, Smith, Schneider, Stockmayer, Rothen, Peters Jackson, Gilbert, Peterson, Di Salvatore, Bliss, Tudbury Kraus, Creighton, Wright, Baker (Leader), McCauley, Cresswell, Beckwith Tid Ee ORG GSEs isncA In accordance with the general policy of the clubs and with the custom of the two previous years, the clubs presented, during the middle of the second term, a series of the Faculty Club. The first of the series was given by the Orchestra with the presenta- two Sunday Concerts sponsored by tion of the more serious classical music. The Concert included such pieces as the Haydn Symphony No. 2 in D Major and Strauss’ Waltz ‘“‘Fruhlingsstimmen.”’ The entire con- cert was a great success and all the numbers were very enthusiastically received by the audience. The Orchestra through this con- cert has shown that it is capable of pre- senting a more serious and cultural musical entertainment for the student body. It was the opinion of several members of the cor- poration as well as the other members of the audience that the Orchestra has shown great improvement over their concerts of last year. This great advancement is due in part to its leader, William Baker ’34, and to its hard working and faithful coach, A. George Hoyen. 160 The second Sunday concert was pre- sented by the oldest club of the organiza- tion, the Glee Club, and merits its reputa- tion as the best known member. In keeping with the classical work presented by the Orchestra, the Glee Club outdid itself in its attempt to improve upon the concert given three weeks before. They were ably assisted by outside talent for the more difficult parts of the program. Credit is due to the members and their leader, Melville Ehrilich °33, for their co- Operation in the presentation of such a program. The Glee Club was particularly fortunate in having ‘Billy’? Weston, noted musical authority and teacher, as their coach again this year. Besides this Sunday Concert, the Glee Club gave two other semi-classical selec- tions with outside schools. The first of these was a Concert presented with the Glee Clubs of Colby Junior College at New London. Prior to the concert the girls en- tertained the Glee Club at dinner. The con- cert included such specialty acts as a xylo-