New-York Conservatory of Music Classical Soirée: 2nd

“A concert of a very interesting character was given last evening by the Professors and pupils of the New-York Conservatory of Music at their hall, corner of Fourteenth-street and Fifth-avenue. The programme, which consisted of classical, instrumental, and vocal music, was liberal in the extreme, and brought before a very numerous audience those young persons who, of the many receiving instruction at the Conservatory, were deemed most competent to appear in public. In the performances of these few, indeed, lay for most of the spectators, the charm of the entertainment. A very cordial reception awaited them all, and very hearty applause followed the successful accomplishment of each one’s task. Those who took a particularly prominent part in the concert as soloists were Miss H. SAENGER, who sang with effect FESCIA’S [Fesca’s] “Zigeunermaedchen;” Miss AMELIA FRIEND, who played HELLER’S transcription, “La Truite;” Mrs. LILLIAN DEPEW, who gave an aria from CONCONE’S “Judith;” Miss CASSIE WOOSTER, who rendered RAFF’S “Polka de la Reine;” and Miss EMILY KOHL, who played MILLS’ etude caprice of “Fairy Fingers.” The execution of all the pupils indicated previous careful and intelligent tuition. Their performances, combined with those of Messrs. A. F. LEJEAL, R. ARNOLD, Cesar ALARD, F. KIRPAL, and other Professors of the Conservatory, whose ability needs no eulogy here, made the soiree a most agreeable one.”

“The professors and several of the more advanced pupils of the New-York Conservatory of Music, gave their second soirée of the season on Thursday evening, at the Hall of the Conservatory, No. 82 Fifth-ave. It was announced as a classical soirée, but we have our doubts as to the propriety of so styling it, seeing that the names of Verdi, Suppe, Concone, and Mills, occupied prominent places on the programme, and that polkas and fantasias came in for a good share of the evening’s applause. As regards the concert itself, the performance both of professors and pupils was good. The small size of the hall, however, although suitable for an effective interpretation of chamber music, precluded the possibility of forming a correct judgment as to the real power and quality of voice of the young ladies who appeared in the vocal selections. A thin, or light voice, will fill a small room as easily as will a powerful voice, and the true test of a singer’s strength is the capability of filling a large hall. Concone’s ‘Judith,’ sung by Miss De Pew, and the canon for six voices, from Nabucco, sung by Misses Wooster, Wells, and De Pew, Mrs. Nichols, and Messrs. Di Camp and Frost, were the best rendered and most noteworthy vocal efforts of the evening. Miss Cassie Wooster gave vigorous and artistic rendering of Raff’s Polka de la Reine. Mr. C. Alard performed a fantasia upon the violoncello and Messrs. Lejeal and Kirpal an impromptu of Reinecke’s and Bach’s Concerto in C minor, played upon three pianos by Misses E. Kohl and C. Wooster and Master A. Steinhaus, with a quartette accompaniment by Messrs. Aroule, Grube, Hallam, and Alard. Mr. A. F. Lejeal conducted the entertainment, and Mr. C. Marzo was the accompanist.”

The New York Conservatory of Music, which belongs to the better music institutes and is directed by Alois F. Lejeal, gave its second classical soiree recently. It had only one fault: it wasn’t classical. Some of the students performed very well, evidence of excellent teachers.

-- . . . . [A]nother skilled artist, M. César Alard/ / / is the lion of soloists this winter. There isn’t an outstanding concert unless his cello is heard there. The other day at the Conservatory he played his Danse Hollandaise, a delightful piece, with most original color and a level of difficulty that would make the strongest pale. . . . “