The First Plymouth Philharmonic Concert
by Judy Fosdick with contributions from Tom Hurley, Deb Cox, Elizabeth Pineault, Steven Karidoyanes
The temperature never reached 32 degrees on December 28 that
year. It was impossible to hear a weather forecast on radio in Plymouth or its
surrounding towns. It was 1913 and the first commercial radio broadcast wouldn't
take place until 1920.
G. Herbert Clarke gathered his baton, his musical scores, and
slid into his winter overcoat, and gloves. He left his house at 20 Summer Street
in Kingston, walked to the trolley, and arrived at the high school building in
Plymouth at around 2 PM. At 3 PM, Clarke, a violin teacher and piano tuner,
would conduct the amateur musicians he had recently recruited for what would be
the premiere performance of the newly formed Plymouth Philharmonic
Orchestra.
The program included the Overture from "The Beautiful Galatea"
by Suppe, Morceau Characteristique, "The Dawn of Love" by Theo Bendix, excerpts
from a new comedy opera (1912) "The Firefly" by Frimi, two pieces by Gillet, and
ending with the "Coronation March" from the Opera "The Prophet" by Meyerbeer.
Two days earlier, on December 26, 1913, the Old Colony Memorial predicted, "
Every lover of good music will be glad to have the opportunity to hear this
class of music, and there is no doubt but what a big audience will be present to
enjoy the program. " That was G. Herbert Clarke's hope for his new
orchestra.
The conductor and his musicians may have been anxious as they
tuned up for the concert. This was a group of musicians who enjoyed the
fellowship of making music together, but they were not professional musicians.
They were adults and high school students who had taken music lessons in school
or from Clarke, or played in a community band. Clarke took a gamble on what to
play. Audiences can be finicky. But records indicate that the music touched the
hearts and minds of all who attended. The audience showed warm appreciation for
the hard work of the musicians and their conductor. On January 2, 1914, The Old
Colony Memorial reported, "It was a pleased crowd which left the building and
now they are inquiring when the next concert will take place."
Those who attended the 1913 concert could not predict that the
Plymouth Philharmonic Orchestra would perform concerts for appreciative
audiences 100 years later. This first concert marked a commitment to serving the
community with classical music that the towns of Plymouth, Kingston, Duxbury,
and later many other South Shore communities have supported through years of
fluctuating economic conditions and unpredictable social winds of change. G.
Herbert Clarke led the Plymouth Philharmonic Orchestra from 1913 to 1932.
Eight conductors followed Clarke. There were challenges for each
of them, including sustaining audiences during the depression years (1930s) and
having to suspend concerts for two years during World War II. By the early 1950s
the orchestra had a board of directors, but none of the musicians were paid.
Clarke had started a tradition of recruiting amateur community players, and that
tradition carried through to the mid-1970s.
Today the Plymouth Philharmonic Orchestra is a fully
professional organization. Music Director Steven Karidoyanes celebrates his 20th
season this year. His professional musicians come from across the South Shore,
Boston, and beyond. Executive Director, Deb Cox and her small staff of loyal
part-time miracle-workers attend to the myriad details concerning operations,
production, budget, marketing, ticket sales, budget, special events,
development, volunteers, and musicians.
If G. Herbert Clarke were alive today, he would be awed to
witness what this regional orchestra has become. He most likely would relish
going to Memorial Hall to hear the orchestra play Beethoven, Bernstein, Brahms,
Copland, Ives, Mozart, Stravinsky, and many other classical and modern
composers. Today's Phil audiences attract over 800 people for classical
performances and more than a 1,000 for each of its Holiday Pops and Spring Pops
shows. There is an annual family concert that brings multi-generations together
to enjoy and learn about music. Clarke's first concert probably drew less than
100 people, but it was the beginning of a century of fine music making.
The Plymouth Philharmonic Orchestra will celebrate its 100th
season in 2015-2016, but it is appropriate to pause and remember the date of
that first concert on December 28, 1913. The forecast for the Phil
today looks clear and sunny. The communities the orchestra serves reap the
benefits of what has become a premiere cultural institution. Today the
Phil presents exceptional music throughout the year and offers countless
enriching musical programs to the South Shore. It is an orchestra that is as
connected and committed to the community today as G. Herbert Clarke intended it
to be on that cold winter day 100 years ago.
* * *
Sources:
Beyond Plymouth Rock, America's Hometown in the 20th Century
Volume II, A Welcoming Place, "Classic Music for Plymouth" by Robert Knox,
pp.104-109, The Plymouth Public Library Corporation, 2010, Plymouth, MA
Old Colony Memorial, December 26, 1913; January 2, 2014 microfilm
from the Plymouth Public Library
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