Venue(s):
Steinway's Rooms
Manager / Director:
Frédéric Louis Ritter
Event Type:
Chamber (includes Solo)
Performance Forces:
Instrumental, Vocal
Status:
Published
Last Updated:
12 February 2019
“A series of three Historical Recitals are announced to be given at Steinway Hall, on the afternoons of Saturday, the 6th and 27th March, and Saturday, April 17, at 2:30 P. M. The plan of these recitals is capital. It owes its origin, we believe, to Mr. F. L. Ritter, whose accomplished wife takes part in the vocal pieces. It is intended to illustrate all the ancient and modern schools of music—the illustrations being both vocal and instrumental. There is abundance of music for the purpose, which has been carefully edited by Mr. Ritter. All the piano pieces will be played by Mr. S. B. Mills. Apart from the valuable instructions afforded by these recitals, there will be an opportunity of hearing much quaint music, and many pieces of the best modern school. We wish the enterprise success.”
“Mr. F. L. Ritter, who is well known to be one of our most learned resident musicians, has devised an admirable plan for a series of concerts illustrating the history and progress of the four principal schools of vocal and instrumental music—the English, Italian, French, and German. With the assistance of his wife as vocalist, and Mr. S. B. Mills and Mr. S. P. Warren as pianists, he purposes giving three afternoon performances, at Steinway Hall. The first, on Saturday of next week, will present specimens of the old English and old Italian schools; the second will be devoted to the old French and classic German compositions; and at the third the modern German styles, ranging from Beethoven to Liszt and Wagner, will monopolize the programme.”
“Something new in a musical way is promised. A series of three historical recitatives are to be given at Steinway Hall…The various schools of music, ancient and modern, are to be illustrated vocally by Mrs. F.L. Ritter and instrumentally by Mr. S.B. Mills. Many novelties and much quaintness will doubtless be brought out at these recitals, which are to be under the general supervision of Mr. F. L. Ritter.”
“There was a small audience at Steinway’s smaller hall on Saturday afternoon to hear the first of the series of Historical Recitals of Vocal and Piano-forte Music arranged by Mr. F. L. Ritter. The slim attendance, however, ought not to be taken as a discouragement, for the day was stormy, and Miss Kellogg was singing in ‘Faust’ at the Academy of Music. We have already given an explanation of Mr. Ritter’s plan in these entertainments. The idea of illustrating the history of the art and the characteristics of different national schools by selections from the works of comparatively unknown masters was worthy of the cultivated musicians from whom it emanated, and it has been successfully carried out. We say successfully, because the programme has been carefully and methodically arranged, and the selections are generally judicious; but the executions on Saturday were only half good. The piano music was interpreted by Mr. S. B. Mills, and was all done admirably; the songs were given by Mrs. Ritter, and were unexceptionably bad. Her voice is strong and rich, but not true, and her method of singing is vociferous. A worse method for most of the music she attempted on this occasion, especially the specimens of the Old English School such as ‘The Captive Crusader’ of Orlando Gibbons, and Henry Carey’s ballad. ‘Sally in our Alley,’ could hardly be imagined. The concert began with the Old English School, the best examples of which were unfortunately in song, Mr. Mills having nothing but a Prelude and ‘The Carman’s Whistle,’ by William Byrde (1591), and an arrangement of the Hundredth Psalm, by Dr. Henry Blow (1680). The Old Italian School fared better; and besides that, its intrinsic richness and freedom of expression are incomparably greater. Mr. Mills made a decided impression by his excellent performance of ‘The Cat’s Fugue,’ by Domenico Scarlatti; and even the Fourteenth or Fifteenth century canticle ‘Alla Trinita beata,’ the dramatic and impassioned ‘Dolce amor’ of Francesco Cavalli (1640), and Marcello’s ‘O di che lode,’ were enjoyable, although the singing of them was a sample of everything that singing ought not to be. The third part consisted of Folk Songs of different times and nations—English, French, Swiss, Spanish, Suabian, &c., several of which were highly curious and interesting, both for their form and their venerable age—and a mazurka, waltz, and polonaise of Chopin’s which, being founded on popular national melodies were not, as it might at first appear, out of place in such company. Mr. Ritter’s first experiment has no doubt kindled a public desire to hear more of his archaic treasures, and we shall await his second matinée, three weeks hence, with considerable impatience.”
“New York. March 8.—Mme. Raymond-Ritter and Mr. Mills gave their first Historical Recital of vocal and pianoforte music, at Steinway Hall, last Saturday afternoon, before an intelligent and appreciative audience. This first programme consisted of rare selections from the old Italian and English schools, taken from the works of some of the most prominent composers who flourished between 1500 and 1740, Mme. Ritter brought to her task a fine fresh voice, intelligent method, naturally warm expression, and more uncommon linguistic acquirements. Of Mr. Mills’s fine technique and spirited manner of playing, so well known and recognized, it is needless to speak.
Among the many pleasing as well as musically fine numbers, nearly all of which were performed for the first time in public in America, many of them expressly arranged from old scores by Mr. F.L. Ritter (and some of the Folk-songs by Mme. Ritter herself) were Dr. Blow’s elaborate and elegant ‘Song to Pan’; Bird’s quaint variations on ‘The Carman’s Whistle’ (1591); Scarlatti’s Sonata and ‘Cat’s Fugure’ (encored), of which so many stories have been related; the lovely little canticle ‘Alla Trinita’ (A.D. 1400); Marcello’s splendid setting of the 8th Psalm—many readers will remember the effect with which George Sand writes of one of Marcello’s psalms, on the occasion when her heroine Consuelo sings in the Venetian Church; and a fine Sonata by Galuppi, Gibbons, Purcell, Porpora, Pergolesi, etc., had also a place on this programme,
The Folk-songs were a fine addition, possessing great original and melodious charm, and most of them taken from the rarest sources. How superior are such genuine poetic songs to be the trashy ballads so commonly foisted on the concert public! In this part of the programme Mr. Mills displayed his vigorous modern technical superiority in compositions by Chopin founded as these are on the Folk-song form. Though, indeed, strictly speaking, every musical form has sprung from the primal germ, the Song—and necessarily the Folk-song is the song of songs. And how is it that our pianists almost entirely neglect the fine old pianoforte compositions of Scarlatti, Durante, and others? Do they fancy that they are all old, quaint, tiresome? What an error! Some of the oldest things are the youngest, and some of the youngest, oldest; nay, in the eyes of a true artist, a composition written yesterday, perhaps bristling with modern fashionable difficulties, perhaps a fantasie on any fearfully popular opera, is haggard, wrinkled, grey faded out, without a single spark of youth’s buoyancy to bear it ever the breakers of the next incoming fashion.”
“Since the madrigal concert, which took the City by storm, there has been nothing so effectively presented as the historical recitals of Mrs. F. L. Ritter and Mr. S. B. Mills. A scholar has again delved in mines of forgotten wealth and recovered lost treasures. The programme is so curious that we cannot resist the temptation of putting it on record [see above].
Mrs. F. L. Ritter rendered the vocal music with a great deal of vigor—sometimes, it seemed to us, with more than was needed. The lady’s voice is powerful, and in some portions rough. Exercised to its full extent, it is overwhelming, especially in pieces where simplicity and purity are needed. It must be conceded, however, that she is an artiste of rare accomplishments, and invariably seizes the spirit of the composition—singing in all languages and all schools with equal facility. In the folk songs Mme. Ritter accompanied herself. Concerning Mr. Mills we find the following judicious remarks in the Weekly Review, which we reproduce and fully indorse:
‘Mr. Mills, our acknowledged pianist par excellence, sustained, even strengthened, his reputation as a thorough and finished artist. Though capable of mastering the most difficult compositions written for the pianoforte, with an ease such as no one else here possesses, he placed his great technic at the service of these seemingly simple old pieces, really so full of peculiar difficulties. Certainly there was no opportunity in these old English and Italian pianoforte pieces for modern technical display, and yet, to do them justice, the artist must possess great experience and an acquaintance with all the different styles of pianoforte music. Mr. Mills acquitted himself here, as on all other occasions, with aplomb and spirit. Every number of the programme received hearty applause.’”
“First Programme (New York, March 6):
Old English School
1. Prelude, and the Carman’s Whistle with Variations…….William Byrde, 1591
2. The Captive Crusader. Song. Orlando Gibbons, 1612
I attempt from Love’s sorrows to fly. Henry Purcell, 1680
3. The Hundredth Psalm, set as a lesson for Pianoforte…..Dr. Blow, 1680
4. Song to Pan……Dr. Blow, 1700
Sally in our Alley, as originally written. Henry Carey, 1715
Old Italian School.
5. The Cat’s fugue and Sonata in D major. Domenico Scarlatti, 1730.
6. Alla Trinita beata. Composer unknown. 14--.
Dolce amor….Cavalli, 1640
7. Fugue in B flat major…Porpora, 1737
8. O di che lode (The Eighth Psalm). Marcello, 1720.
9. Sonata in D major….Galuppi, 1740.
10. A Serpina penserete (from ‘La Serva Padrona,’)…..Pergolesi, 1730.
Folk Songs and Pianoforte Compositions Founded on That Form.
The influence of national, of Folk-songs, upon the development of music during the middle ages, and even before that time, until our day, can scarcely be even before that time, until our day, can scarcely be exaggerated. As genuine products of the unknown poet hearts from which they sprung, as the wild flower is of its native soil, they will never lose their primeval freshness…” [article continues for an additional three columns]
“The first of the historical recitals to which allusion was made in our last took place March 6th, at Steinway Hall, with Mme. Ritter as vocalist and Mr. S.B. Mills at the pianoforte. It was a highly interesting occasion. We give the programme in full. Our readers can obtain a better idea of the character of the entertainment from reading that than from any description we could give:
THE OLD ENGLISH SCHOOL
1. Prelude, and the Carman’s Whistle, with Variations…William Byrde…1591
2. The Captive Crusader; song…..Orlando Gibbons..1612
I attempt from Love’s sorrows to fly….Henry Purcell..1680
3. The Hundredth Psalm, set as a lesson for pianoforte…Dr. Blow..1680
4. Song to Pan….Dr. Blow..1900
Sally in our Alley, as originally written…Henry Carey…1715
OLD ITALIAN SCHOOL
5. The Cat’s fugue and Sonata in B Major…Domenico Scarlatti…1730
6. Alla Trinita boata….Composer unknown…14—
Dolce Amor….Carilli…1640
7. Fugue in B flat major….Porpora…1737
Sonata in D major…Galuppi..1740
8. O di che lode (The eighth Psalm)…Marcello…1720
A Serpina Penserote (from ‘La Serva Padrona’)..Pergolesi..1730
FOLK SONGS AND PIANOFORTE COMPOSITIONS FOUNDED ON THAT FORM
9. Sumer is icumen in……Ancient English Folk Song
Bin Fryh e werthi Tacchter gay…Old Swiss Wedding Song
With all the Heavenly Host…Ancient English Christmas Song
Colin prend sa hotte…Arab French Song
10. Mazurka Opus 6, No. 1, and Valse, Opus 64, No. 2…Chopin
11. El Contrabandista…Spanish National Song
Lisetto…Negro French Song
Rosestock Holderbluth…Suabian Song
12. Polonaise in E flat, opus 23…Chopin” (wrong op. number)