Sunday Evening Concert: 13th

Event Information

Venue(s):
Steinway Hall

Manager / Director:
H. L. [impressario] Bateman
Lafayette F. Harrison

Conductor(s):
Theodore Thomas [see also Thomas Orchestra]

Price: $.50; $1 reserved

Event Type:
Orchestral

Performance Forces:
Instrumental, Vocal

Record Information

Status:
Published

Last Updated:
6 December 2017

Performance Date(s) and Time(s)

25 Nov 1866, 8:00 PM

Performers and/or Works Performed

2)
Composer(s): Mendelssohn-Bartholdy
Participants:  Thomas Orchestra
3)
aka Poptpourri from Il Trovatore
Composer(s): Verdi
Participants:  Thomas Orchestra
4)
Composer(s): Weber
Participants:  Thomas Orchestra
5)
aka Ah, mio figlio; Beggar's song; Prophete. Ah! mons fils
Composer(s): Meyerbeer
Participants:  Marietta Gazzaniga
6)
aka Ave Maria; Ellens dritter Gesang; Hymne an die Jungfrau; Serenade
Composer(s): Schubert
Text Author: Scott
Participants:  Marietta Gazzaniga
7)
Composer(s): Niedermeyer
Text Author: Lamartine
Participants:  Marietta Gazzaniga
8)
Composer(s): Rossini
Participants:  Signor Fortuna
9)
aka Souvenir d'Haydn
Composer(s): Léonard
Participants:  Carl Rosa
10)
Composer(s): Bach
Participants:  Sebastian Bach Mills

Citations

1)
Announcement: New York Herald, 19 November 1866, 5.

Brief; at conclusion of review of the twelfth concert in the series. "The thirteenth Sunday concert will take place at Steinway Hall on the 25th."

2)
Advertisement: New York Herald, 22 November 1866.
3)
Advertisement: New-York Times, 22 November 1866, 7.
4)
Advertisement: New-Yorker Staats-Zeitung und Herold, 23 November 1866, 6.
5)
Review: New-York Times, 26 November 1866, 4.

“The thirteenth Sunday concert was given last evening at Steinway Hall. The building, as is usual on such occasions, was crowded. The programme contained twelve pieces, which were played without a moment’s delay. Three members of the Bateman troupe assisted—Signor Fortuna, Mr. S. B. Mills and Mr. Carl Rosa. Of these gentlemen it is sufficient to say that they separately and collectively maintained the high reputation they have already won here. Mme. Gazzaniga was the soprano. The lady has been stranded unluckily on our shores, and until last night has barely had a chance of recalling the pleasant memories of past seasons when she was the prima donna of our best affections. Her reception last night was enthusiastic. The pieces allotted to her were rendered with admirable breadth of style, and with that singular intensity of expression and earnestness of phrasing which characterizes all her efforts. Mme. Gazzaniga's voice has not suffered by disuse. It is stronger and richer than ever. We are glad to know that we shall have many opportunities of hearing her during the coming season. Mr. Theodore Thomas’ orchestra is the popular attraction of the Sunday concerts, and the selections last evening were of a character to sustain its high reputation.”

6)
Review: New York Herald, 27 November 1866, 7.

“The thirteenth Sunday concert at the above hall showed no diminution in point of numbers in the audience. The principle feature of the concert was the appearance of Madame Gazzaniga, the celebrated prima donna. She sang Ah! Mon fils, from the Prophet, Le Lac and Schubert’s Ave Maria. The first is a piece which few artists are successful in, as it requires a great deal of dramatic power, and a voice of sympathetic expression and high training. Such qualities Madame Gazzaniga possesses to the fullest extent, and her rendering of this grand aria was fully equal if not superior to anything we have had in the concert hall this season. It was received by the audience with the most enthusiastic applause, and an encore was loudly demanded. The Ave Maria was sung by her with rare delicacy and intense expression, the phrasing being clearly and earnestly defined. Her voice in both selections displayed richness, power, and thrilling sweetness to a higher degree than even during last season. She will appear again on Sunday, and frequently during the season, and will prove a welcome accession to our numerous concert singers. Messrs. Mills, Rosa and Fortuna also assisted in the concert.”

7)
Review: Courrier des États-Unis, 27 November 1866.

“We strongly advise lovers of good music to follow the popular concerts given Sunday night, for 50 cents, at Steinway Hall, under the auspices of MM. Bateman and Harrison. The orchestra, under the direction of M. Th. Thomas, is of the first order, the soloists are among the justly famous, and the selections, generally taken from the classic repertory, are chosen admirably.

Last Sunday’s concert, in particular, was excellent. An overture by Mendelssohn, a potpourri from ‘Trovatore’, the overture to ‘Preciosa’ by Weber, and the Turkish march of Mozart were given with as much precision as vigor by the orchestra. Mme Gazzaniga sang, with the taste and soul for which she is known, the ‘Lac’ of Niedermeyer and the ‘Ave Maria’ of Schuberth [sic]. She didn’t want to reappear despite the bravos and demands for an encore that hailed the latter piece. In this time of screaming, when feeling and expression in singing are so rare, it’s good fortune to be able to hear Mme Gazzaniga.

We didn’t hear the first selection, played by M. Carl Rosa, the violinist, but he gave us great pleasure with the ‘Souvenir d’Haydn’ which made up part of the second half of the program. His bow is of incomparable accuracy, and he is considered a master by virtue of conquering difficulties.

It’s too rarely that we hear, in concert, piano pieces like the one played by M. Mills; that is to say, a prelude and fugue by Bach. Pianists play, in general, their own works, in place of returning to the masterpieces of the masters. M. Mills has a thousand reasons to break with this tradition, and success has repaid him. It’s true that not everyone can understand and perform Bach’s music.

It’s impossible, on Sunday, to pass a more agreeable evening than at these concerts, which are destined to become for New York what the popular concerts of M. Pasdeloup are for Paris. A little good music surely does more good for the soul than all the sermons of the Smyths and other preachers of the same stamp.”

8)
Review: New-York Daily Tribune, 28 November 1866, 8.

“Messrs. Bateman and Harrison’s thirteenth evening concert took place at Steinway Hall, before an audience of over 2,000. It was a success, artistically and pecuniarily. The artists on the occasion were Mme. Gazzaniga, Herr Rosa Fortuna [sic], and Mr. S. B. Mills, beside Thomas’ fine orchestra.

Mme. Gazzaniga, remembering that the dulcet voice of Parepa was last heard here, seemed to be upon her metal, for we never heard her more brilliant, even on the operatic stage. He voice was in fine order, and she threw that dramatic energy into her singing, without exaggeration, which rendered it wonderfully effective. She was applauded to the very echo, and was called out several times after each aria, although she only acknowledged the encore once.

Signor Fortuna, in the bass aria ‘Propeccatis [sic],’ from Rossini’s Stabat Mater, made a good impression. His voice lacks weight for such a song, but he sang it in a smooth, artistic manner, very agreeable to hear. Carl Rosa was very cordially received. This young artist shows an earnest ambition in his profession and continues to afford evidence of steady improvement. We were better satisfied with his performance on this occasion on the points of force and breadth of expression, than we have ever been before, and the warm applause he received showed that he had reached the public sympathy. Mr. S. B. Mills played finely as usual, as also did Thomas’s compact and efficient orchestra. These concerts are now fully and successfully established and are looked for as regularly as are the Philharmonic and the Symphony Soirees.”