Bergner Annual Concert: 4th

“If a large and well-pleased audience, and smoothness and finish in the performance, are marks of a successful concert, then Mr. Bergner’s last night at Irving Hall must be termed a very successful one. The artists who assisted Mr. Bergner are all old friends of the public, and need, therefore, no special mention here. Messrs. Thomas, Mills, Mosenthal, Matzka and Letsch have established reputations, and last night fully sustained them. Miss Brainerd, as the soloist, sang the ‘Wanderer’s Song,’ by Schumann, the ‘Dedication,’ by Franz, and the charming romanza ‘Non è ver,’ Mr. Bergner was enthusiastically received and heartily recalled, after his superb playing of Piatti’s Russian Fantasie. Altogether it was a very pleasant concert.”

“On Thursday evening, April 2nd, Mr. Fr. Bergner gave his 4th Annual Concert in Irving Hall. He was assisted by Messrs. S. B. Mills, Theo. Thomas, Mosenthal, G. Matzka, Liesgesang, Pfeiffenschneider, F. Letsch, and Miss Maria Brainerd. The interesting features of the programme were two movements from one of Mendelssohn’s early quartets (Op. 12, written in 1828), and the Andante with variations from the Beethoven Quatuor, op. 18, No. 5.

Mr. Bergner in his two solos displayed the same ease and carefulness of execution, together with the fine, pure tone, which have always been the most noteworthy characteristics of his artistic excellence. His best effort was his performance (as an encore) of Gounod’s Meditation upon Bach’s Prelude in C Major. Mr. Mills gave us the wearisome Liszt Fantasia upon Lucrezia Borgia and a potpourri of his own. The audience numbered some five hundred.”