CHORAL SOCIETIES. Associations of ama teur singers formed for the purpose of perform ing large choral works are of comparatively re cent (late. During the Middle Ages, and down to the end of the Eighteenth Century, vocal works were performed exclusively by profes sional musicians, who composed the regular church choirs, or were attached to some royal or aristocratic chapel. Public concerts were of rare occurrence. The chief musical interest after the beginning of the Seventeenth Century was the opera. As operatic performances were prohibited during Lent, performances of oratorios and other works of a sacred character were in stituted. With the growth of musical culture musie-lo•ers were no longer satisfied with the few public performances, but met together for the purpose of studying concerted works. For the instrumental parts the services of professional musicians were enlisted. Although the absence of any high standards or lofty aims did not al low these early attempts of amateurs to reach a high degree of perfection, these meetings, nevertheless. did prepare the way for the estab lishment of choral societies with artistic aims. The sudden and rapid growth of instrumental music, beginning with Haydn and Mozart, and resulting in the perfection of the modern orches tra, also created a desire for a higher standard in the performance of vocal music.
The merest accident led to the establishment of the first permanent choral society, which is still in existence to-day and world-famous as the Berliner Singakadem ie. Ka rl Christian Pasch (1736-1800) had settled in Berlin as a singing-master. In 1783 Reichardt. at that time royal chapel-master, submitted to Fasch the score of a sixteen-part mass by Benevoli. In a spirit of rivalry Fasch at once set to work to compose a similar mass, which he attempted to perform with a chorus of twenty singers se 1(44(1 from the royal chapel in Potsdam. This attempt proved a failure, and the work was laid aside. Meanwhile the number Of Fasch's pupils had increased considerably. Among these were
the daughter and step-daughter of the Privy Councilor von 31ilow. who were so much inter ested in their teacher that they persuaded a number of fellow-students to form a little chorus for the purpose of performing Fasch's mass. This was in the autumn of 1790. During the winter the meetings were discontinued; but in the following spring. a meeting was called. twenty-seven members were present. A record of the meetings was then kept. and from the date of the first of these (May 27. 1791) the foundation of the Singakademie is reckoned. These singers entered heart and soul into the task they had undertaken, and when the mass had been successfully performed they did not disband, but decided to remain together under the able leadership of Easel. In 1793 the so ciety numbered forty-three members, and per mission was obtained to hold their meetings in the Royal Academy of Science and Art. Fasch then formally organized the society. Ile retained absolute control over all musical affairs, while the administrative duties were vested in a hoard consisting of three men and three women. Each member paid twelve grosehen a month, while the professional instrumentalists were exempt from dues in consideration of their services. At first the meetings of the society were strictly private. On April 8, 1794, a limited number of persons were invited, who were so much im pressed with the excellence of the work done that a demand for public concerts was created. Accordingly, several concerts were given every season. Admission was only by invitation. When, in 1800, Zelter succeeded nisch, a regular scale of admission prices was adopted. By that time the chorus of the society had increased to 115 voices. In 1802. the membership was 200; in 1813, 300; in 1827. 400; in 1833, 500. At present the membership is about 600. Among the proudest achievements of the Singakademie is the performance of Bach's Saint llatthew Passion, under the direction of Mendelssohn, in 1829.