Grand Musical Festival: 2nd

Includes performers and program.

”The second night of Mr. Harrison’s grand festival at this hall showed no diminution in the attendance, for the crowd was as dense as the most sanguine manager would wish. The programme comprised Ritter’s Overture to Othello and the Forty-sixth Psalm and the Hymn of Praise, by Mendelssohn. The performance of the last mentioned work of one of the most amiable of composers, whose music possesses a tenderness and gracefulness of thought and imagery entirely individual, was deserving of the highest praise, and soloists, chorus and orchestra combined to do it ample justice. The overture is a work of no common order. It displays many clever features and intimate knowledge of orchestral effects; but we were disappointed in the Forty-sixth Psalm. Our limited space forbids the entering into an analysis of its composition. It is weak in its entirety, and there is but little originality of idea or treatment about it.”

“The second night of the musical festival at Steinway Hall brought together a very large audience, who patiently endured Mr. Ritter’s ‘Othello’ and ‘Forty-sixth Psalm’ for the sake of hearing Mendelssohn’s ‘Hymn of Praise,’ which came last.

     The Othello overture is a spiritless production, and the Psalm, composed by Mr. Ritter for this occasion, was only redeemed from failure by some creditable passages in the solos sung by Madame Fanny Raymond Ritter.  It was a relief from the tedious monotony of an hour and a half when orchestra and chorus began with Mendelssohn’s Hymn; the solos given by Madame Parepa-Rosa, Mrs. Emeline Reed and Mr. W. J. Hill.  The trio in the Hymn was so admirably sung as to elicit a warm encore, and the choral and one or two of the male choruses were effectively performed.  The profound sentiment of the music, in marked contrast to the vapid inanities of the earlier part of the programme, was fairly interpreted throughout, and the applause was hearty.”

“The Musical Festival at Steinway Hall…Although novelties, from the force of circumstances, must be rare at these entertainments, which chiefly aim at a suitable representation of classical standards, nevertheless Mr. Harrison has shown his willingness to accede something to the popular craving, and on the second evening of the festival two new musical works were performed. These were an ‘Overture to Othello,’ and a new ‘Forty-sixth Psalm,’ for mezzo soprano, chorus and orchestra. Both compositions were by Mr. F. L. Ritter. There are effective contrasts in the overture, notably a plaintive movement, and one of a somber threatening character.  But the new hymn offers little incentive to the jubilant emotions; that cannot be called a success by any means, for really we scarcely discovered a musical idea in the composition, from one end to the other, nor is the absence of invention atoned for by cleverness of treatment.  We will not dispute the policy of Mr. Harrison in giving his patrons a taste of such new art work, but we have little hope that his liberality and encouragement would be as willingly indorsed by an audience in case a repetition were to occur.  The solos in the psalm were appreciably given by Mme. Fanny Raymond Ritter.  To all who look for fresh thought and genuine melody, without alluding to other desirable things, Mendelssohn’s ‘Hymn of Praise’ (which came last on Tuesday’s programme) must have been, after the above, a godsend.  This is a composition—an inspiration of genius, indeed, if ever there was one—which should be particularly dear to the friends and laborers of the Press. The occasion which called it forth was the fourth centennial of the invention of printing in Germany. It is a passionate outburst of joy—a jubilee in music at the victory of light over darkness. The performance of this massive and sublime cantata last evening was, in so far at least as the choral and instrumental parts of it are concerned, and the solos in which Mme. Parepa Rosa was interested, (particularly in that thread of sweet sound, ‘Praise thou the Lord,’) the best we remember in Steinway Hall.  The Harmonic Society has seldom done itself more credit, or seldom received more enthusiastic demonstrations of approval, than in the spiritual exultation, ‘Proclaim it ye,’ and that eager jubilation, ‘The night is past.’  Mr. Ritter has never directed with greater solicitude, intelligence and decision than he did throughout this entire performance.  Mr. Hill and Mrs. Emeline Reed were the other soloists, and in the tenor aria ‘The sorrows of death,’ Mr. Hill was unexpectedly impressive.”   

“With Mr. Ritter’s Forty-Ninth Psalm and Mendelssohn’s Hymn of Praise, was ended last night the second chapter of the music festival. The former work was an uncommon enterprise simply because we have few composers among us who will do and dare in the high province of oratorio—few managers who will encourage them to be venturesome. To Mr. Ferdinand Ritter, conductor of the present choral feast, has fallen the happy chance of marshalling into sound a work of his own. The Forty-Ninth is the familiar Psalm, “God is our refuge and strength,” with which Mr. Ritter opens in a broad, strong chorus, more notable for unison than variety. The second number is a recitative followed by an aria—“Therefore we will not fear,” and “There is a river whose waters shall make glad” both requiring very marked sentiment and energy. The recitative is a dignified piece of writing, influenced not a little by the composer’s Handelian scholarship, but stockfish, rather, and not, of course, so able-bodied as to reach the stormy hight [sic] of the theme—mountains carried into the midst of the sea, the waters of which roar, and are troubled; mountains shaking with the swelling thereof; so reads the psalm. The text is big with opportunity, which only the masters know how to seize; but Mr. Ritter has at least approached his subject appropriately.  The air, which begins with a sweet pensive phrase, has an involved thrice-repeated sequel, which we like less. A double chorus follows with an uproar describing the rage of the heathens, to which succeeds a recitative, “He makes the wars to cease,” etc., to which the chorus last night seemed to make low and broken answers.  Number 5 is an aria, “Be still and know that I am God,” the most inadequate, and to our mind, the least impressive of the psalm. But in the finishing chorus, Mr. Ritter has been in earnest, and produced a score which fills the measure of effect. His chorus, “The Lord of Hosts is with us,” has mass and vigor of harmony, and was most competently voiced. Mr. Ritter has been so far successful as to show that if not a highly creative composer, he is a scholar of excellent aim and intellect. Of the creditable work he has presented, more might be heard and said in justice to the composer. His task has been altogether best rendered where most harmonic, and we must praise his orchestra. The accompaniment to the Psalm is quite faithful, and though never startling, is never inelaborate. Much better than this was Mr. Ritter’s overture to Othello, a somewhat Beethovenized performance, with some palpably good tendencies of his own. It needs to be said that the mezzo-soprano recitative of Mrs. Raymond-Ritter was bold and expressive. For the rest, we have but space to say that Mendelssohn’s grand and tender Lobgesang was well sung, thanks chiefly to the thrilling purity of Madame Parepa’s soprano, which was well seconded by Mr. Hill and Miss Reed.”  

The concert was just as filled as the first one. The program was more serious compared to yesterday’s. The first two pieces by Ritter were new, and they were deservedly received well by the audience, although the choral performance of the “Psalm” was not strong enough to do it full justice. Othello’s overture was not as liked, although the performance was mostly well done. The “Psalm” was much better performed by the singers than the “Messiah” the night before. Unfortunately this does not apply to the Mendelssohn piece. 

“Mendelssohn’s Song of Praise demands more attention that we could pay it yesterday. It was the best part of Tuesday night’s task, as the opening symphony was perhaps the completest part in performance of the Song itself. In the Lobegesang, we find this element of grandeur qualified by a sentiment of ideal tenderness highly characteristic of the composer whose very mannerisms were beloved. This preluding symphony of the master is a multiform inspiration, not so one and entire as we should hear from the greatest of the tondichters, yet withal a series of noble passages irresistibly fascinating. To the loud, stern character of the wind instruments in the first allegro, the opening in the second, and kindred part of the well-known beautiful motive cantibale scena too remote a contrast to be comprised in unity; but how finely the grandeur of the first chords are introduced by the religious adagio! The Hymn of Praise possesses subtle individuality, and it would be strange if an English singing chorus could not grow cordial in the task of uttering its immortal thanksgiving. It was for the most part brightly and powerfully sung, the duet ‘I waited for the Lord,’ by alto and soprano, followed by chorus, being remarkably its most taking number in point of delivery. Madame Rosa recited and concert [sic] with her accustomed mellifluity of phrase and alert declamation. She was pleasantly seconded by Miss Reed and by Mr. Hill, whose tenor has more geniality than some we might name, yet will, we think, ripen. In the choral hymn, ‘Let all men Praise the Lord,’ and the last chorus, ‘Ye Nations,’ the large force of eager singers under Mr. Ritter’s baton very nearly satisfied themselves.”

“(…) Ritter’s “Othello” lacks originality. He used, possibly subconsciously, parts of other compositions in his work, which were only meant for inspiration, but not for copying. Form and instrumentation of Ritter’s works, however, show the skill of the composer’s hand and his knowledge of orchestra effects. The “46^th Psalm” is a very appealing and melodious work, which was received well by the audience. Fanny Raymond-Ritter’s solos for mezzo-soprano were not sung satisfactorily.”

(…) Ritter’s compositions were interesting and well-done; however, they lacked the stroke of genius. To hear Mendelssohn’s “Praise Song” after the rather monotone pieces before, was a true pleasure to the ears. Parepa, Hill, and Reed sang with such perfection in the trio that the audience demanded an encore. (…)

“They were very well received, but we question the wisdom of devoting so large a portion of the evening to untried music.”