Thomas Symphony Soirée: 1st

 “[The event] will mark the beginning of the full musical season, and will be an event of considerable interest. While a strictly classical programme will be adhered to, it will posses the desirable attraction of novelty.”

Venue [erroneously] announced as Irving Hall.

“To Steinway Hall for Theo. Thomas’ first concert (I beg his pardon—‘Sinfonie Soiree’). The little man begged the privilege of hearing the C minor. Programme uncommonly good—Bach, Suite No. 3 in D (three movements) was fuguey but forcible.  Its 3rd movement (a ‘Gavotte’) exceedingly rigorous and melodic. Mme. Parepa-Rosa sang a very charming aria from Gluck’s Armide. Then came a long orchestral movement from Cherubini’s Medea, which was melodramatic and suggestive of Infanticide and red fire behind the scenes. Then Mme. P. R. sang Deh Vieni non tardar from Nozze di Figaro, sang it exquisitely too, and was encored. Then followed two movements of an unfinished symphony by Schubert, quite brilliant in a sensational ‘scratch-cat’ way, but abounding in gracefully contrasted passages of melody. These sounded a little like reminiscences, however. The Second Part was that blessed, radiant, glorious C minor Symphony—the greatest of orchestral works. Compared with it, all others are nowhere. The matchless sun-burst of the Fourth Movement out of the vague weird passage that connects it with the third movement was nobly rendered. So was the whole movement, and it brought the audiences up to a hurray! at its close.  Had any proposed ‘three cheers for Beethoven,’ they would have been heartily given.”

“The first symphony soirée took place at this hall on Saturday night before a fair sized audience. The programme consisted of Bach’s suite in D, No. 3, the introduction to the third act of Cherubini’s Medea, and two movements, allegro moderato and andante con moto from Schubert’s unfinished symphony in B minor. Madam [sic] Rosa sang two arias. Mr. Thomas seems to have the same enthusiasm for Robert Schumann and Franz Schubert as Herr Mann displays at the Crystal Palace concerts in London. His programme generally contains one of the works of either composer. The symphony in B minor was composed the year 1822, and is far fresher and more musical than probably any orchestral work since brought before the public. We cannot but believe that Schubert began writing this symphony in a very depressed state of mind. The sadness of the allegro moderato is infectious. The sentiment pervading the movement is sad beyond expression. We can only liken it to the innocent prattle of a child in the midst of a chamber of sickness, of the signification of which the child is ignorant, although it is unconsciously influenced by the surroundings. It would be difficult to find a more spontaneously lovely melodic phrase, and it is a pity that it should be so brief and evanescent. The andante is a charming movement also. The two themes are accompanied by syncopated harmony for the string quartet (the double bass being omitted), and serve as foils to each other, representing different beauties of melody. The first is entrusted to the clarionet and the second to the oboe. Both themes are identical except as regards the coloring of the accompaniment. The manuscript of this symphony was discovered about two years since, and has been seldom played, even in Europe. It was found by Helmesberger at Vienna, and is undoubtedly the best of Schubert’s works. It was very finely played on Saturday night.”

“The first of Mr. Theodore Thomas’s Symphony Soirées was given at Steinway Hall on Saturday evening, to a large audience. We have not space for such a notice of the performance as it deserves, and can only say that it was enjoyed throughout as only the symphony soirées are. The programme presented a pleasing variety of the best music, beginning with a characteristic specimen [sic] of Bach’s style, and fitly culminating in Beethoven’s noble ‘Symphony No. 5 in C minor,’ which has never been more perfectly interpreted here. Madame Parepa-Rosa sang an aria from Gluck’s ‘Armide’ with precision, but without effect, the style evidently not suiting her, but she handsomely redeemed herself by her spirited singing of Mozart’s florid ‘Giunse alfin il momento.’ The orchestra has been much improved during the summer, and includes many soloists of the first class. It showed manifest evidence of thorough drill, and responded faithfully to every motion of Mr. Thomas’s gracefully wielded baton.”

“The first symphony soirée of the fourth season which took place on Saturday evening under the direction of Mr. THEODORE THOMAS, who cannot be too greatly praised for the perseverance he has shown in the cause of elevated music, was strictly a success. All went to perfection, as such indefatigably rehearsed entertainments as the symphony soirées ever must. The programme contained a great deal that was new to most ears, and all that it contained was good. We need scarcely record the hearty enthusiasm which greeted Mr. THOMAS as he made his appearance and took in hand his baton to direct the opening performances of his orchestra—BACH’S superb ‘Suite in D.’ It was not merely the greeting that welcomes a favorite artist, but something more.  Each of the three movements in this exquisite composition were given by the orchestra with positive faultlessness, and the lovely cavatina, which may be called its soul, drew forth a spontaneous and emphatic endorsement.  The introduction to the third act of ‘Medea,’ in spite of its scattered beauties, is, perhaps, one of CHERUBINI’S most labored and least fruitful works; nevertheless, its interpretation by the orchestra Saturday night was so uniformly careful, and exhibited much decided interest on the part of every individual member of the body, as to call forth a very decided recognition of the performance at least, if not of the matter performed. SCHUBERT’S unfinished (posthumous) ‘Symphony in B minor,’ brought the first part of the programme to a brilliant ending, uttered as it was by musicians who appeared to be wholly in sympathy with the composer’s sentiment. We cannot but believe that when began writing the Symphony in B minor, he must have been in a very depressed state of mind—a state, by the way rather normal than abnormal with him, but here in an exceptional degree. The sadness of the opening allegro moderato is infectious. It seems absurd, though, to call that ‘allegro’ which is not only ‘pensieroso,’ but gloomily ‘pensieroso;’ and to call that ‘moderato’ which in its outward expression of what must have been the inward mental condition of its author, is really immoderate. The delicious second theme of this symphony is, it seems to us—compared to the other—a mockery. We can only liken it to the innocent prattle of a child in the midst of a chamber of sickness, of the signification of which the child is ignorant, although unconsciously influenced by its surroundings. There is not, to our knowledge, a more spontaneously lovely melodic phrase in music, and it is a pity it should be so brief and evanescent—although, if it were larger it would certainly be out of sorts with the context, the somber complexion of which it is so speedily forced to adopt by sheer force of sympathy. No performance could be more melodiously engaging, nor could any more perfectly develop the art and general plan of a composition, than that by Mr. THOMAS’ orchestra, in this instance. BEETHOVEN’S ‘Fifth Symphony in C minor,’ may be said, without hyperbole, to have ‘electrified’ the audience. This was the concluding work of the night, and it was a genuine culmination of all that had gone before. How played we need not say. Saturday was not the first time this faithful band has been heard in the work. The whole three movements hung together just as Beethoven may have conceived in his mind while writing them down, but then that ought not to be a matter of surprise, considering Mr. THOMAS’ faith. He seems to believe in BEETHOVEN as gospel, and preaches him like a veritable St. Paul. The only singer at this concert was Mme. PAREPA-ROSA, who was heard in the great and ‘Le Nozze di Figaro,’ ‘Giunse alfin il Momento,’ in a manner fully to justify her choice, and also in the somber air from GLUCK’S ‘Armide,’ ‘Ah! si la Liberte.’” 

“The programme Mr. Theodore Thomas offered in his first Symphony Soiree last Saturday night at Steinway Hall, must be called an admirable one, covering almost every phase of progress, through which musical art has gone from Bach to Beethoven. Bach, Gluck, Mozart, and Beethoven are the landmarks of this period in the history of Music, and if Mr. Theodore Thomas added in his programme the name of Schubert, he was perhaps justified from the fact, that this contemporary of Beethoven became in his vocal music the founder of an epoch of what is called the German Song.

The concert opened with Bach’s Suite in D. It is a composition in three parts (Overture, Air, Gavotte), and written in that fugato style which represents the spirit of the period to which it owes its existence. The second part appeals more to modern taste on account of its lovely melody, ahtough the other parts are by no means barren of this heavenly gift. The orchestra did more justice to this composition than to some of the other pieces of the first part of the programme. Gluck’s aria, from ‘Armida,’ which followed, made little impression. It was taken from the third act of this opera (written in 1777, for Paris) which opens with a monologue by Armida, ‘Ah si la liberté one doit etre revie.’ It is, as most of Gluck’s music, out of place in the concert-room. Madam [sic] Parepa-Rosa seemed to lack the spirit to portray the grand simplicity of the music, but she fully redeemed herself in her truly artistic rendering of the beautiful aria from Mozart’s ‘Le Nozze di Figaro’ (performed for the first time in 1786). The purity of tone and expression, as given by Madam Parepa-Rosa in the rendering of this aria, ‘Giunse alfin il momento,’ could not be excelled, and we hardly wonder that the unfortunately not large audience insisted upon a repetition of this artistic feat.

Between the two arias just mentioned, the Introduction to the third act of ‘Medea’ by Cherubini was heard here for the first time. In the list of Italian maestri Cherubini stands like a giant, as to depth, originality of thinking, learning, and earnestness of purpose. The music heard on this occasion fully proved this, especially when we consider the time it was written. In bold traits it almost foreshadows what Wagner and Gounod attempt at the present day.

The two movements from the unfinished symphony in B minor, by Schubert, played after the aria by Mozart, are as lovely specimens of the genius of the unfortunate young composer as could be found in the very long list of his works. Rich in melody, recalling some motives, scattered in his numerous songs, abundant in modulations, fancy, and poetical feeling, they nevertheless suffer from that want of concentration of form which characterizes all his larger works. In the present instance the conception is rather small, and the treatment not, as we are wont to look for in a symphony, but the two movements are nevertheless so full of melodic charm and that euphony of sound, which seems to be the great privilege of the composers of the time, 40 years ago, that we willingly forego a criticism, and submit to its poetical influence.

The concert could not have been better concluded than by the production of that giant of symphonic works called Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony. The orchestra entered with the right spirit into this dominion of the loftiest aspirations, and Mr. Theodore Thomas thus finished the first part of his difficult and honorable task." 

A large and elegant audience attended the first Symphony Soirée. Thomas knows how to please everybody’s taste, because his programs are very diverse, Saturday’s possibly too diverse. Thomas and his orchestra certainly performed with excellence; the program was overwhelming, however. Parepa-Rosa, who will part from New York for a while, was received well and with gratitude by the audience. She undoubtedly is the most diligent concert-singer we have had in New York for years. We still prefer to hear her in a smaller concert hall, however, rather than on an operatic stage.

“Theo. Thomas’ first soiree was given Oct. 26th, with the following fine programme: Suite in D (first time), by Bach; Aria, Armide (first time), by Gluck, sung by Mdme. Parepa-Rosa; Introduction to the third act of ‘Medea’ (first time), Cherubini; Recitative and Aria, ‘Le Nozze de Figaro,’ by Mozart, Mdme. Parepa-Rosa; two movements of the unfinished Symphony in B minor (first time), Schubert; Symphony No. 5, in C minor, op. 67, Beethoven.

The splendid orchestra did their work nobly, showing the benefit of their all-summer’s practice at Terrace Garden. Mr. Thomas has a decided advantage over other conductors in thus keeping his players constantly in hand. The next soiree is to be given Dec. 7th, with Leopold de Meyer as an additional attraction, and we advise our friends who expect to visist the city about that time to take the opportunity of attending.”

No new comments in review.

 “New York.—Mr. Theodore Thomas gave his first symphony soirée at Steinway Hall on Saturday evening week. The programme was exceedingly attractive, skillfully selected, and faithfully rendered. The opening piece, a “Suite in D,’ (overture, air, and gavotte)  by Bach, and performed for the first time here, is a charming piece of melody, pure and simple, and was handled with delicacy and grace. Cherubini’s introduction to the third act of ‘Medea’ is a composition worthy of the great Italian master, full of originality, deep and earnest, boldly conceived and vigorously marked out. It received full justice from the orchestra. The movements (allegro and andante) from the unfinished ‘Symphony in B minor’ are genuine specimens of the genius of Schubert, rich, in melody, elaborate in modulation, and unmistakable in identity.  The great feature of the evening, however, was the production of Beethoven’s magnificent ‘Fifth Symphony’ (so well known to the lovers of music) which was grandly rendered. Never did Mr. Thomas’s orchestra bend more earnestly to their work than in the interpretation of this sublime poem. It was clearly a labor of love, and, from beginning to end, the execution may unhesitatingly be pronounced faultless. It was a fitting culmination to such a programme, and Mr. Thomas deserves credit for placing the symphony at the close of the soirée instead of at the beginning as formerly.  Mme. Parepa-Rosa was the soloist. She appeared in two operatic selections fully sustaining her well-earned reputation, and winning an [sic] unanimous encore in the aria from Mozart’s ‘Figaro.’ The audience was thoroughly appreciative, and though not as large as it should have been, yet, thanks to Mr. Thomas’s indefatigable endeavors to cultivate a classical taste, was larger than it was wont to be in previous seasons. The whole affair was a decided success. – Sund. Times”