As with Muck, Davison had to find a way to overcome Koussevitzky's prejudice. The task this time, however, was considerable easier. Even before the new conductor arrived in Boston, Davison had decided to have his chorus sing Brahms' German Requiem with the BSO. Monteux had never suggested such an ambitious choral piece, but Davison arranged to hire 60 members of the symphony for two performances of the work in April, 1925. He had planned to conduct these concerts himself, but at the last moment asked Koussevitzky to take his place, maintaining that although he liked to train choruses, he preferred to listen to the final performance.

This provided a perfect opportunity to introduce Koussevitzky to the Harvard and Radcliffe singers. At first the conductor did not want to accept Davison's offer; he though something must have gone drastically wrong in rehearsals and that Davison wanted to escape blame at the actual concerts. He finally agreed to conduct, however, and after the concerts wrote; "Harvard has the best trained chorus I have ever heard in any country of the world."

Sheer Aplomb and Bravado

The sharp attack and bright tonal qualities of the chorus perfectly suited Koussevitzky's temperament. He liked working with a large, enthusiastic group of singers, and he often used the chorus before his retirement in 1949 he would have only two joint rehearsals before each concert, and although these usually went quite poorly, he had the personal magnetism to make all the performances exciting musical experiences, despite any inaccuracies in the choral parts.

In 1933, G. Wallace Woodworth '24 succeeded Davison as conductor of the chorus as he was later to succeed him as James Edward Ditson Professor of Music. But under the present conductor of the Boston Symphony, Charles Munch, the Glee Club and choral society will never again perform pieces in the same grandiose manner to which they became accustomed under Koussevitzky. The change came in 1950, shortly before they were to assist the BSO in a Pension Fund performance of Beethoven's Missa Solemnis.

The size of the chorus was about 350- average for Koussevitzky. But Munch was nervous at the first joint rehearsal with the orchestra. Although the session went as well as any joint rehearsal Koussevitzky had held, Munch was for from satisfied. He liked to feel he had everything under control before a concert, rather than have to make the performance a success through sheer aplomb and bravado.

"When I am Nervous"

Halfway through the second and final rehearsal, Munch was obviously rattled. The soloists were giving him trouble and he feared he would not even get to the choral parts. The Koussevitzky self-confidence was missing. Much slowly turned to the orchestra. "You know," he said, "I never get nervous," Then, raising his hands to his head, he added in a loud, quavering voice, "But when I am nervous-."

The concert was not overly successful. Ever since, Munch has limited the size of the chorus to a comfortable, controllable 150 members. He has used such a chorus much more frequently, however, than Koussevitzky ever used the larger group. Eleven joint concerts have been scheduled for this year and ten were given last year.

As the Glee Club and Choral society given their 100th performance with the Boston Symphony tomorrow night they can look back on a proud record and look forward to maintaining high standards of choral singing. As Munch said last week:

"I have conducted choruses in many pairs of the world, but never with the pleasure that I fund in working with the Harvard Glee Club and Radcliffe Choral society. They are young, intelligent, and, above all, enthusiastic. From their remarkable conductor, G. Wallace Woodworth, they have learned to lover music and to love to sing. I am proud to conduct their 100th concert with the Boston symphony Orchestra. It is a joy to make music with them."