Word: davisons
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...first concert was more, however, than the start of a new association between the symphony and the Glee Club and Choral Society; it was also the start of a new association between the two singing groups. Ever since Davison had become conductor of the Harvard and Radcliffe singers, he had attempted to bring the two groups together. But the Glee Club members refused to have anything to do with Radcliffe. Consequently Davison had to start his plan in the University Chapel where, as choirmaster, he was in absolute control of the male singers...
...Christmas carol service of 1913, President Lowell was stunned to see Radcliffe girls singing with the choir. He told Davison afterwards. "The University choir is perfectly adequate for the Chapel. I trust you will not invite the young ladies from Radcliffe to sing in the carol services again...
...very next year, however, the young ladies from Radcliffe again sang in the carol service with the choir. Davison was taking a calculated risk, but he won. Lowell never said another word about the carol services. Indeed, shortly after the Harvard-Radcliffe performance with the BSO in 1917, Lowell requested Davison to have the Glee Club sing at a ceremony honoring Marshall Joffre. His closing remarks to Davison were, "and don't forget to invite the ladies from Radcliffe...
Once Glee Club members had sung with the Choral society, Davison found it easy to persuade the whole glee Club to start rehearsing with Radcliffe. Until Muck's surprise appearance, no one except Davison thought the two groups would ever give a concert together, but the singers enjoyed rehearsing the songs for mixed voices...
Following the first concert, Boston critics gave rave notices to the Harvard Radcliffe singers. Penfield Roberts of the Boston Globe described Davison's method of introducing serious music to the singers: "He simply says, informally, words to this effect: 'Fellows, I've got a dandy new piece for you-listen.' Then he sits down and plays and sings it for them, and instead of being bored they like...