Five Thousand Seattleites Turned a Chamber-Music Festival Into a Social Event
O. E. Pettis’s three-night midsummer festival drew crowds, six concerts and hours of after-concert conversation—proof that music had become a civic occasion.
The story, cleaned up
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The midsummer musical festival given by O. E. Pettis at his chambres de musique on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday of last week was a remarkable success. It was attended by at least 5,000 people, and aside from a mere musical view, it was a complete social success. After each of the six concerts Mr. Pettis and a corps of assistants served refreshments to all, and for hours the people sat around and chatted over musical matters and other things of interest. Wednesday was given up to the Ladies' Musical Club, Thursday the Conservatory of Arts had its time, and on Friday night the Evening Musical Club reigned supreme. It would indeed be impossible to say which organization presented the most attractive programme, for each has its friends, and all so excellent that there was indeed but small difference between them. The programme took on a wide range and each number was given with care and ability. The effect of the festival has been to do much for music in the city and to add to the reputation of Mr. Pettis.
“It was attended by at least 5,000 people, and aside from a mere musical view, it was a complete social success.”
A 5,000-person chamber-music festival sounds improbable now, but in 1892 Seattle’s small elite made music a public ritual and a marker of urban maturity. The city was still selling itself as cultured, not just a resource town.
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