Sunday Sacred Concert: Benefit for the Poor

“Concert at St. Patrick’s Cathedral.—The concert given last evening at St. Patrick’s cathedral, under the direction of Mr. Gustavus Schmitz, organist of the church, proved to be a most decided success. The church was filled in every available part, and the proceeds, being for the benefit of the poor of the parish, will, no doubt, prove to be fully up to the expectations of those who have had charge of the entertainment. Of the concert itself, as a whole, but little can be said except in praise. The programme was generally well selected, and with the exception of one or two soloists, was creditable to the conductor as well as to the artists who assisted him. The concert opened with a finely arranged ‘Regina Coeli,’ by Mr. Schmitz, and comprised selections from Rossini, Beethoven, Mercadante, Alexandry, Schubert and Mariani, together with a sort of amalgamated composition of De Beriot’s for the violin, and a French horn piece by Lorenz, and closing with Wagner’s ‘Battle Hymn.’ The principal parts were sustained by Mesdames Chomé and Grosz, soprani; Mme. Werner, contralto; Signor Tamaro, tenor; Sig. Ardavani, baritone; Mr. A. Shost, basso. Mr. H. Schmitz performed a beautiful solo on the French horn; Mr. Hoch gave some artistic accompaniments on the violoncello, and Mr. Listemann worked very hard to show his fellow artists that he could perform a difficult piece of music in very quick time. This gentleman made the mistake very often made by artists seeking popularity. He performed a piece which might have been intelligible to his fellow musicians, but which was entirely unsuited to the occasion and unappreciated by his hearers. His professional wrigglings were all thrown away, and had he but remembered that he was expected to please a miscellaneous audience and had selected some of the popular arias, many of which can be found as replete with harmony as the nameless piece which he essayed, he would have produced a much better effect and have as fully sustained his professional reputation. The gem of the entertainment was the ‘Shepherd’s Song of Praise,’ of Schubert, sung by Mme. Grosz and accompanied on the French horn by Mr. H. Schmitz. Mesdames Chomé and Werner were in good voice and sang with much feeling. Signor Tamaro was in good voice, but Signor Ardavani was very weak. The chorus of forty voices was very well trained and sang in good time and with splendid effect, besides the opening piece, Beethoven’s Agnus Dei and selections from Schmitz’s exquisite mass No. 2.”