Harrison Sunday Concert: 7th

“Last evening the seventh of Mr. Harrison's Sunday concerts introduced to a Steinway Hall audience, which filled every part of the immense building, the brothers Listeman [sic], whose début we have just noticed.  They exhibited the greatest ability in the concerto by Alard for two violins, although, as in the previous concert, Mr. Bernard [sic] was most rapturously recalled after his PAGANINI rondo. Mrs. Jenny Kempton was heard at this concert, besides other things, in a new ballad by Mr. Thomas, with words by Mr. G.H. Webb, called ‘Croquet.’ Mr. Pfeiffer’s piano playing and Mr. Warren's organ performances completed a programme of extremely interesting character.”

“Mr. Thomas and his orchestra have gone from Steinway Hall, but in their place Mr. Harrison has engaged several artists who seem to give unlimited satisfaction to his audiences, and to bring a good many dollars into the treasury. The novelty last night was the appearance of two new violinists, Bernard [sic] and G. F. Listermann [sic]. They are forcible and effective players, with great command of the technicalities of their art but a coarse style and a lack of feeling. They were enthusiastically applauded, however, and will doubtless be popular. They played together a concerto by Alard, with piano accompaniment, and afterward Mr. Bernard Listermann gave the adagio and rondo from Paganini’s first Concerto. Mr. Oscar Pfeiffer’s share in the evening’s entertainment comprised his spirited and graceful arrangement of the overture to Kreutzer’s ‘Night in Grenada,’ and his paraphrase on the Shadow Dance, from Le Pardon de Ploermel: these were by all odds the best things on the programme. The vocal portion of the concert was intrusted to Mrs. Jennie Kempton and Messrs. Simpson and Thomas, and Mr. Nathaniel P. Warren performed on the organ three pieces—Liszt’s transcription of ein feste Burg, a toccata by Hesse, and a fugue by Haupt, all which were too scientific for his audience.”

The concert was a big success…The violinist Bernhard Listemann caused quite a sensation among the audience with his perfect performance.