John Philip Sousa

The Chicago Orchestra’s 1892 Premiere of Tchaikovsky’s “The Nutcracker Suite”
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The Chicago Orchestra’s 1892 Premiere of Tchaikovsky’s “The Nutcracker Suite”

HISTORY

The Chicago Orchestra’s 1892 Premiere of Tchaikovsky’s “The Nutcracker Suite”

One of America’s most beloved holiday artistic traditions originated in imperial Russia and came to the United States through Chicago at the time of the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition. On October 22, 1892, an audience of Chicagoans—joined by distinguished guests in town for the World’s Fair Dedication Day exercises—gathered in the Auditorium to hear a concert by the Chicago Orchestra conducted by Theodore Thomas. During the third piece on the program, songs of waltzing flowers, terpsichorean reeds, and a [...]

By Scott|2025-12-02T09:28:00-06:00December 2nd, 2025|Categories: HISTORY|Tags: Auditorium, Bertha Palmer, Clarence Eddy, Daniel Burnham, Dedication Day, Edward Potter, Electricity Building, Exposition Orchestra, Festival Hall, George H. Wilson, Harry G. Selfridge, Joffrey Ballet, John Philip Sousa, Louis Sullivan, Manufactures and Liberal Arts Building, Marshall Field, Music Hall, Russia Day, Theodore Thomas, Walt Disney, Walter Damrosch, William Le Baron Jenney, Woman's Building|0 Comments

Opening Day, Part 4: Paine’s “Columbian March”

Paine’s “Columbian March” This is Part 4 of our series “Opening Day of the World’s Fair,” which explores the events of May 1, 1893, at the World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago. The full series can be found here. The Exposition Orchestra Under the main arch of the Administration Building, and in front of a great sounding board, sat the 150 musicians* of the Exposition Orchestra, under the baton of conductor Theodore Thomas. The grandstand beneath them filled with more [...]

By Scott|2018-05-25T15:59:38-05:00April 25th, 2018|Categories: AUDIO, OPENING DAY|Tags: Administration Building, Columbian March and Hymn, Dedication Day, Exposition Orchestra, John Knowles Paine, John Philip Sousa, May 1, Theodore Thomas, William Tomlins|1 Comment

The Music of Dedication Day

One hundred and twenty five years ago today, on October 21, 1892, marked Dedication Day of the World’s Columbian Exposition. “A surging sea of people,” reportedly “the largest assemblage that was ever brought together under one roof,” crowded into the Manufactures and Liberal Arts Building for the official ceremony. The lengthy program included several musical selections interspersed between the numerous addresses: 1. “Columbian March” (also known as “Columbus March and Hymn”) by John Knowles Paine, written by special invitation [...]

By Scott|2018-03-11T10:17:01-05:00October 21st, 2017|Categories: HISTORY|Tags: 1892, 1893, Beethoven, chicago, Columbian Chorus, Dedication Day, George W. Chadwick, John Knowles Paine, John Philip Sousa, Manufactures and Liberal Arts Building, The Columbus Ode, Theodore Thomas, William Tomlins, world's fair|1 Comment