Arcadia Publishing Manuscript Music Hall: Cincinnati Courtney Todd

Contents Query Letter ............................................................................................................................................................................... 3 Interview ..................................................................................................................................................................................... 4 Author Biography .................................................................................................................................................................... 5 Music Hall: Cincinnati ............................................................................................................................................................ 6 Exterior of Music Hall ....................................................................................................................................................... 7 Interior of Music Hall ........................................................................................................................................................ 8 The North Hall: Machinery Hall .................................................................................................................................... 9 South Hall: Art Hall........................................................................................................................................................... 13 The Music ............................................................................................................................................................................. 14 Floor Plans ........................................................................................................................................................................... 16

Query Letter

Arcadia Publishing, I recently had a chance to meet the Arcadia author Christene Mersch in my Writing Cincinnati course. She explained the process of writing an Arcadia history book including the communication with an editor and the overall gathering of information and research. Since then, I came up with an idea that I thought would suit Arcadia Publishing well. Let me know what you think. Many people have wondered who and what took place in the historical Music Hall of Cincinnati. Many famous people sat in the grand Springer Auditorium to catch a glimpse of the beautiful organ, gorgeous chandelier and mural paintings. It will be undergoing renovations in spring 2014 which leads much to the imagination. Why not help readers catch a glimpse of the past of a historical landmark while we can? My Arcadia Book Music Hall: Cincinnati will take readers back to the past on Elm Street where everything began. The Paupers cemetery, the first performance, and sitting next to Reuben Springer. It is a collection of photos that represent the ambience of a historical landmark that many Cincinnatians would love to have. Please let me know if youd like more information on my idea. Thank you, Courtney Todd 513-675-9616

Interview An Interview with the Author of Music Hall: Cincinnati How did you come up with the idea for the book? I was born and have lived in Cincinnati for the majority of my life and still have not seen every interesting and thought provoking part of the city. Speaking with my aunt who performs in the May Festival Choir inspired me to learn more about the historical landmark and its many uses from the past. The amount of things that took place in Music Hall is extraordinary which helped me gather photos to include in my book. How long did the project take? I started researching Music Hall at the beginning of April. Since then I have been in touch with the Cincinnati Historical Society and the University of Cincinnati Rare Books and Archives Library. I researched photos and had them scanned. My manuscript was finished by the beginning of June. What new things did you learn about your subject from researching the book? Did anything surprise you? Did you uncover any lost hidden treasures or secrets? I was very surprised that Music Hall was used for so many different things other than Music festivities. At one point the major gathering at Music Hall was due to boxing events and expositions. Music Hall was built on a Paupers Cemetery and it is known to be haunted. Around 1928 during a renovation, bodies and tombstones were brought up proving existence of ghosts for many of the Music Hall regulars. Today, they conduct ghost tours. Why do you think people will enjoy the book? With old books and photos, I learned a great deal about Music Hall and its past history. It has brought in many influential people not only for music, but other social gatherings. A lot of people who live in Cincinnati do not know the history of Music Hall. Without seeing photos of Music Hall being used for expositions I would have never known it was a huge business venture started by Reuben Springer. Before reading the history I only saw a building used for music, after research I realized that Music Hall is a historical landmark and rightfully so. I think whoever reads this book will understand the significance it has had as part of American History due to its music and industry. Please feel free to add anything else you think is pertinent for readers to know. For me, learning is based off of extensive research and understanding. I did that as I looked through old archives on a meaningful place to many people: Music Hall. Understanding the meaning behind history is what keeps generations growing smarter and stronger because we understand how everything came to be before us, for the most part. There is always a question left behind, but that is why these books are so interesting. They take us back in time to help us understand a little more about ourselves and how we came to be, although we may never truly know.

Author Biography About the Author of Music Hall: Cincinnati Courtney Todd, 22, is a native of Cincinnati. Shes lived in West Chester her whole life until attending the University of Cincinnati. After speaking with her aunt, she realized that Music Hall is a treasure many people do not know about. She is currently still working towards her Bachelors degree in English Lit.with a certificate in Rhetoric and Professional Writing at the University of Cincinnati. She was pleased by the chance to find and help bring to public photographic history with the help of University of Cincinnati Rare Books and Archives Library and the Cincinnati Historical Society. Todd is very active with her studies and is hoping to graduate in fall of 2013. After, she would like to attend the University of Cincinnati Graduate program to obtain a Masters in Professional Writing. She would also like to teach ESL to International adults with a certificate from UC.

When not studying, Todd loves reading books, going to the movies, and being with family. She hopes this book will show the memories shared in Music Hall from the past and inspire people to begin new memories.

Music Hall: Cincinnati

The Front of Music Hall (1878-1955) Many Cincinnatians believed Music Hall should not be used for different things, but rather for one sole purpose. A Cincinnatian stated before the hall was constructed, We are a mechanical people, not a race of fiddlers. However, Music Hall became a house for both disciplines: music and industry.

Exterior of Music Hall

Above is Music Hall before the North and South Wings were built (1878) located in the center of the lot. The structure was plain and symmetrical and many people believed it looked off balance. Later, Reuben Springer, a wealthy merchant would build onto Music Hall which would soon be the house for his business expositions.

A subway was to run behind Music Hall on Elm Street and Central Parkway where the canal once flowed in the 1930s. Before the subway preparations, Music Hall was undergoing renovations in 1927 which led to literally bringing up real ghosts. From the Jubilee program in 1928, a man named Arthur Franklin was digging a connecting tunnel from North Hall to the auditorium when he exposed three graves. This continues the belief that the historical Music Hall is one of the most haunted places in America.

In 1888, a fence stood in front of Music Hall. With its new look on Central Parkway; Music Hall became the center of affairs including business, art and education.

Interior of Music Hall

On May 11, 1978 Music Hall turned 100 years old. President Jimmy Carter congratulated Cincinnati on keeping the artistic life of the city. The Chandelier is from Czechoslovakia, Patricia and J. Ralph Corbett found the elegant chandelier and had it shipped back to Music Hall in 1969. It is said to be the queen of the hall.

The North Hall: Machinery Hall

One of the busiest places in Cincinnati, Music Halls North Hall had grand ceremonies. It could seat a total of 5,700 people comfortably. On the first floor 3,700 people and on the balconies located on the east and west ends could be seated 2,000 people.

North Hall was home to a three-ring circus. The audience was comfortably seated on elevated chairs. There was no use for bleachers.

Here is what looks like a school room in North Hall that would have seated 1,800 people. It was completely air-conditioned for the comfort of its pupils.

A home show takes place in North Hall containing a full-size house with a lawn and shrubbery. The concrete floor with unlimited load capacity came in handy.

North Hall was notorious for its exhibit space. Above, the space is being used for heavy industrious equipment.

Music Hall was used for the Cincinnati Southern Railway in 1880 during the Grand Banquet. This picture features a model locomotive onstage. The two wings were built just in time for the

exposition which brought the total cost for Music Hall to $ 446,000. Reuben Springer continued to support Music Hall both monetary and spiritually which left a special place in Cincinnatians hearts.

U.S. President Hayes opened the 1879 Industrial Exposition in the North Wing of Music Hall. Similar to the exposition he held as the governor of Ohio. Businessmen of Cincinnati believed Machinery hall was a great exhibition spot for them to advertise their crafts. By 1910, the fair expanded into the first official Ohio Valley Exposition.

South Hall: Art Hall

1,800 people could be comfortably seated in Music Halls elegant ballroom which was home to the famous Topper Club. Its name came from its location which was at the top of Music Halls South Wing. Nowadays, we call it the Critics Club.

Here is the same ballroom set up for an exposition. It had wide aisles and bright lighting which led to a great event. By the next day the ballroom could be transformed back into a club with softer lights and music. It had one of the worlds largest installations of the strobe light to help with dramatic effects for shows and dancing.

The Music

Lohengrin opened Cincinnatis first Opera Festival and John Rettig, the painter of the Cinderella scenery designed a temporary proscenium for this event. The main purpose for the remodeling was to house the newly formed Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra. However, the orchestra did not play until after Theodore Thomas death (1905) because it was believed he did not want his May Festival to have a rival.

The Permanent Proscenium was added in 1894 while the wood lining was demolished. Many people compared it to the inside of a violin and were scared the resounding walls would muffle the beautiful music. However, to this day the acoustics remain comparable to that of 1878, the year the hall opened.

The Organ was expected to be the biggest and best ever made by Cincinnatians. Reuben Springer donated an extra $10,000 dollars to start the Organ Society. Hastings received the contract and started to build the instrument and had it installed by May 1, 1878. It took all, but one year to complete the construction. In the picture, you can see that the organists mirror blocks the extensive woodcarving which would continue to do so for many more years.

Floor Plans

Above is the first floor plan of Music Hall made by George E. Scwatz and Associated Architects. From Elm Street is the main entrance which would lead you into the Grand Foyer where the coat rooms are located. Straight ahead is the Springer Hall Auditorium where the entire art of music takes place while to the left is extra storage, dressing rooms, lounges and offices.

The Second Floor plan consists of the ballroom to the left where lavish parties, banquets and expositions took place. To the right is Upper North Hall where locomotives, auto-shows and circuses arrived. The center is a shot of the Foyer Balcony looking down on the notorious organ.

The simplest floor plan is the third floor which consists of an overhead shot of the stage that is home to the May Festival previously the (Saangerfest) and Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra. The balcony leaves for a breathtaking view of the festivities below.