Concert of Josefina Filomeno

Event Information

Venue(s):
Irving Hall

Price: $1.00; reserved is $.50 extra

Performance Forces:
Instrumental, Vocal

Record Information

Status:
Published

Last Updated:
8 March 2019

Performance Date(s) and Time(s)

13 Feb 1869, Evening

Performers and/or Works Performed

4)
aka Guglielmo Tell; William Tell
Composer(s): Unknown composer
5)
aka Vepres; I Vespri siciliani; Sicilian vespers, The
Composer(s): Verdi
Participants:  Domenico Paolicchi
6)
Composer(s): Gottschalk

Citations

1)
Advertisement: Courrier des États-Unis, 06 February 1869.
2)
Advertisement: New-York Times, 07 February 1869, 7.
3)
Announcement: New York Post, 08 February 1869.
4)
Announcement: New-York Daily Tribune, 08 February 1869, 5.
5)
Review: New York Herald, 14 February 1869, 7.

“Señorita Josefina Filomeno, a young pianist and violinist of rural fame, made her first appearance before a New York audience last evening, at Irving Hall.  The house was well filled, and the fair young debutant for metropolitan honors met with a warm and enthusiastic reception.  A good programme, consisting of vocal and instrumental music, was offered, and the manner in which the pieces selected for the occasion were performed gave general satisfaction.  Señorita Filomeno, after the singing of an aria from the Sicilian Vespers by Signor Paolicchi, made her appearance and gave a concerto by Chopin, upon the pianoforte, and at its conclusion was greeted with the heartiest applause.  Her fingering of the keys and the self-possessed manner in which she performed the most difficult passages of the music, evidenced a thorough acquaintance with the instrument and justifies her claim as a pianist of rare ability.  During the evening she favored the audience with a concerto, by Vieuxtemps, and a fantasia, with variations, from ‘William Tell,’ upon the violin, and succeeded in fairly carrying her audience by storm by the superb and masterly manner in which she bowed and manipulated the strings.  She is an exceedingly clever performer upon both the pianoforte and violin, though beyond a doubt the violin is her particular forte.  Señorita Josefina Filomeno is a native of Chile and is but fifteen years old.  She was assisted upon this occasion by the following named artists:--Mr. Hoffman, Signora Ghini and Signor Paolicchi.”

6)
Review: New York Post, 15 February 1869.

“Saturday night, at Irving Hall, Josefina Filomena [sic], a young girl from Chili, gave a concert at which she played both the piano-forte and violin, her performances in both cases exciting considerable interest. The young lady has every qualification for entire success in the concert room.”

7)
Review: New York Sun, 15 February 1869, 2.

“It is a pleasure to welcome to the musical fraternity of this city so remarkable a young artist as Miss Josafina Filomeno.  Nothing was known of her abilities previous to her concert at Irving Hall on Saturday evening last.  What we can gather is, that she is scarcely sixteen, and that she comes from the other side of the Andes, and is a true American of Chile.  Considering the advantages which her country affords for a musical education, it is quite unusual to meet with such excellence on two instruments in one so young, and a girl at that.  Her first essay was in a duet for two pianos with Mr. Ed Hoffman—the first concerto of Chopin.  It abounds in difficulties for the fingers, and required a grasp of his interpreters matured emotional natures, great digital dexterity, force as well as lightness, and a dash of the wizard, all combined and kept within proper bounds by an infallible sense of what is good taste in music.  Miss Filomeno combines about as many of these essential conditions as could be looked for in one so young.  Her playing was clear and exact, her diatonic runs and trills clear and pearly, her command and self-possession complete.  We cannot, however, in truth speak in praise of her mode of phrasing or declaiming on the instrument. It is intelligent, but sounds, as perhaps it should, like the immature expression of a very young lady.  As a violinist, Miss Filomeno has been excelled by certainly two other ladies, although what she could do on a more resonant instrument than the one she used on Saturday evening we could not say.  Generally her playing is accurate, agreeable, and not exaggerated.  The same defects, however, which mark her style on the piano, are found equality in her violin playing.  As the voice is the greatest instrument, and as the best singer is therefore the best exponent of style, it follows that a vocal style is to be sought for to produce the most pleasing results.  Our young artist has plenty of time to secure this needful passport to the temple of Fame, and has made so good a start in the race that we look for great results in her future career.

8)
Review: New-York Daily Tribune, 17 February 1869, 5.

“Miss Josefina Filomeno, a young artist recently arrived in this country, was introduced for the first time to a New-York audience on Saturday evening last. She is a native of Chili, and received her musical education in Paris, where she has studied under Alard and other celebrated teachers. She presented herself in the double capacity of pianist and violinist, and displayed  in both abilities considerably above the standard of our average concert performers. Her piano-forte playing is of the romantic school, and was illustrated by the First Concerto of Chopin and a grand concerto by Gottschalk. In both of these pieces she gave evidence of a remarkable musical talent, of which she seems herself somewhat unconscious. Her playing is characterized by a perfect ease, consummate grace and sentiment, accompanied by a precision of touch seldom found in the exponents of this school of music. So much praise cannot be awarded to her violin-playing, although it possesses some good qualities. It is graceful and easy in manner and execution; but the tone, though sweet, is greatly wanting in breadth and vigor. Miss Filomeno is sure to make her way here, in spite of the limited patronage bestowed now-a-days on artists of the concert-room. She was assisted by Mme. Ghieni, Signor-Paolicchi, and Mr. Ed. Hoffman as accompanist. The attendance was very slim, owing partly to the rival attraction of Theo. Thomas’s Symphony Soirée, and, in a great measure, to the young debutante being almost unknown here. The programme was rather worse than commonplace, with the exception of those pieces allotted to the beneficiare. We trust her next attempt will be more of a pecuniary success.”