Every week the Town Crier blog will look back at Seattle’s near forgotten Town Crier magazine to see what was happening then and talk about what’s happening now. One of the largest sections of the original Town Crier was “What People Are Doing,” highlighting things like, “It is Captain Edmund R. Bowden now, the word of his promotion having been received by his parents recently,” and, “Mms. Schirmer, assisted by her daughter, Mrs. Hankins, gave the first of her season’s musicales at her home on Capitol Hill.” In this new series we’re revisiting the old column and tying it to our community’s current happenings, asking: “what are people doing?”Today’s entry…
It was decided at a board meeting that $100,000 should be raised, according to the November 23rd, 1918 edition of the Town Crier, for the next three years to cover the activities of the Seattle Symphony Orchestra. “While it requires more than money to make an orchestra of the first class,” the story reports, “yet it is one of the prime necessities and the Philharmonic has been sadly handicapped during its existence for lack of funds, which meant lack of sufficient rehearsals and, naturally, of a membership thoroughly balanced in numbers and musicianship.” The story concludes, “With the new organization there springs the hope that these grave defects will pass and that we may enjoy to the full an orchestra worthy of this city.”
Seattle Symphony 1903 – Photo Courtesy of MOHAI
Today, we have an orchestra worthy of this city. The Seattle Symphony is now one of America’s leading symphony orchestras and is internationally acclaimed for its innovative programming and extensive recording history. The orchestra has made nearly 150 recordings and has received two Grammy Awards, 21 Grammy nominations, two Emmy Awards, and numerous other commendations.
Their holiday season is fast approaching. Concerts include Holiday Pops, Handel’s ‘Messiah,’ and Beethoven’s 9th Symphony.
Learn more about their coming events here.
