Deutscher Leiderkranz Musical Soiree

Notes that Herr von Inten will make his debut (at Steinway Hall) during the fall season.

Complete program. Notes that the piano is provided by George Steck & Co.

At the private Liederkranz musical soiree [on the 25th] at the Liederkranz Hall, a new grand piano from the Geo. Steck company was played well by Mr. von Inten, although he was quite nervous. This grand piano is clearly the best one manufactured by this company. It excels not only with its pleasant and consistent sound quality, but also with a vigorous and powerful sound, which makes it very appropriate for concerts. We have seldom listened to a more beautiful grand piano.

The event attracted a large audience. The performances were all good. The amateur orchestra, directed by Paur, is becoming more and more perfect. It even dared to perform 3 movements of Beethoven’s difficult C minor symphony. Except for minor flaws in nuancing and dynamics, it was performed satisfactorily. The men’s chorus of the Liederkranz followed with Brambach’s “Nacht am Meere”, which was done very well. Mr. Inten played a polonaise by Liszt on the new concert grand piano. Von Inten was educated at the Leipzig Conservatory. His excellent technique and sensitively nuanced playing are evidence of a fine pianist. The violinist Kopta performed with excellence as well. A terzett sung by Miss Frerichs, a chorister with a beautiful voice, and Mr. Lotti and Mr. Steins was executed flawlessly, and received lots of applause and a request for da capo. As a finale, the cantata “Vom Pagen und der Königstochter”, which we have not heard in a very long time, created a dignified finish for the interesting and pleasurable soiree.

“The programme was very fine, denoting taste and discrimination. Many were the enjoyments derived from the music and from most of its rendering; and in this latter respect we must not omit to mention the orchestra, composed of amateurs. Considering the task they had essayed—no less than the performance of three parts of Beethoven’s symphony in C minor—the result must be pronounced highly satisfactory, reflecting great credit upon the leader of the society, Mr. A. Paur. The vocal performances, including Schumann’s cantata, ‘Page and King’s Daughter,’ were also creditable, though the last-named composition offered many technical difficulties as well as those of conception and style. The ‘Page and King’s Daughter’ consists of four ballads, written at a period in the life of the master which was by no means a happy one. The impression produced by the work was, on the whole, unfavorable; but this was partly owing to the fact that the orchestral accompaniment was supplanted by one for the piano. To musically illustrate such subjects, as laid down in these four poems by Geibel, the orchestral coloring is indispensable. The soloists of the concert, Mrs. Zimmermann, Miss Ferrichs, Miss Pfaffman, and Messrs. Lotti, Steins, Ferdinand von Inten, and Wenzel Kopta, distinguished themselves in their respective spheres. Mr. Inten made his first appearance before a New York audience. He is one of the latest arrivals from Germany, and in every respect a promising one. In fact he already stands in the foremost rank of our pianists. He has a great amount of solid technical power, which he uses with tact and discrmination. His touch is good and can produce varied shades of expression. His conception is poetical, and if he does not always carry out his intentions, he gives abundant proof that at no distant day he will do so.”