Highbrow Hoe-Downs
May 23, 2001
 Listen  Historian's Notes Resources Transcript
Historian's Notes
This Almanac subject attracted me because of the obvious love of music held
by the early day settlers of Oklahoma Territory. It's an interesting thought that one of the most important
priorities of these people was getting their music programs in order!
Resources
The Angie Debo Papers are held at OSU's Special Collections & University Archives.
Material for this week came from a variety of Oklahoma history texts.
Almanac Transcript
This week highbrow hoe-downs on the Oklahoma Audio Almanac.
Hello, I’m Steven Kite.
Many people think just because Oklahoma leads the nation in the number of flip-flops per capita that
its residents do not have an appreciation of elegance and refinement. Nothing could be further from the
truth. During the winter of 1889 after the first land run, many people were still living in wagons, tents,
dug-outs or sod houses. Streets, where there were any, were seas of mud making travel close to impossible.
In the middle of this mud and snow filled chaos residents of Oklahoma City formed the Oklahoma City
Philharmonic Society. Sixty members presented mainly choral works in a series of well attended concerts
given during the winter and spring. It was two years after settlement that a concert was presented in
Oklahoma City revealing how far the philharmonic had progressed. On May 20, 1891 Oklahomans from far and
wide flocked into the City to hear a concert featuring the works of Haydn, Handel and Beethoven, as well
as popular arias and choral works.
The concert hall was packed, and people loved the featured pianist, Maude Richards. Miss Richards moved
to Oklahoma from Iola, Kansas and once here gave a much needed boost to the state's music program. Richards
gave weekly recitals, taught lessons and served as the principle pianist of the Philharmonic Society.
With the arrival of Miss Richards came also a new look for the city.
Henry Overholser, by 1891, had financed the construction of several large buildings, most notably
the Overholser Theater. For a number of years the theater was the center of artistic life in the young
community. A glance through newspapers reveals that Oklahoma City was not alone in its appreciation for
the arts. The microscopic community of Sheridan, just west of Hennessey and currently a ghost town, was
widely known for its concerts and musical productions held in the local church. The night the Guthrie
opera house held an oratorical competition, the venue was "standing room only" with people turned
away by the dozens at the door.
Oklahoman’s today still appreciate art and culture and in that sense they are carrying on a tradition
as old as Oklahoma itself.
I'm Steven Kite.
The Oklahoma Audio Almanac is a production of the OSU Library and Oklahoma's
Public Radio.
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