Harrison Sunday Sacred Concert: 27th

“The twenty-seventh and last Sunday concert took place last evening at Steinway Hall, when there was the usual attendance—always a good one at these popular entertainments. The soloists were Mme. Gazzaniga, Mr. Leopold de Meyer, Mr. B. Listemann and Sig. Albano—Mr. Geo. W. Colby presiding at the piano, and Mr. Theo. Thomas in the orchestra. The programme was good and varied, but presented no novelties. It is sufficient that everything was rendered perfectly.”

“The concert last night at Steinway Hall brought to a close the series of 27 Sunday entertainments [ed. note: additional concert later announced] which, considering how long it has continued, has become usually varied and satisfactory. The end was becomingly pleasant and excellent. The most important portions of the programme, though we fear it would be too much to say the most popular, were assigned to the orchestra under Mr. Thomas. The overture to ‘Martha,’ the beautiful allegretto from Beethoven’s Seventh Symphony, and Strauss, ‘The Artists’ quadrille are too familiar to call for special remark.  Schubert’s overture to ‘Rosamunde’ is not so well-known to the frequenters of these concerts. It is a melodious and animated composition, full of inspiration, and deserved a much warmer reception than it received. The vocalist of the evening was Madame Gazzaniga, who gave with much sweetness and feeling Dachauer’s ‘Priez pour moi,’ a pathetic and well-written piece, the composer accompanying her on the piano, a ‘Salve Maria,’ and a scena from ‘Sappho.’ She did everything admirably, and after the ‘Sappho’ was twice encored, M. Bernard Listemann played the adagio and rondo from Paganini’s first violin concerto, and on being recalled favored the company with the ‘Carnival of Venice,’ which one or two of us had doubtless heard before. He won abundant applause, but we think he played neither piece very well; the rondo was the best. Mr. de Meyer performed his ‘Souvenir de Italie’ fantasia, his variations on themes from the Grande Duchesse, and an arrangement of the Ai nostri monti from ‘Trovatore.’ He played with more than his usual delicacy and good taste. Mr. Allano was set down on the programme for a harp fantasia on themes from the Grande Duchesse, but, in consequence probably of Mr. de Mayer’s selection, he changed it for Lucia. He is an accomplished artist whom we hope to hear often.”