Thomas Symphony Soirée: 4th

Event Information

Venue(s):
Steinway Hall

Conductor(s):
Theodore Thomas [see also Thomas Orchestra]

Event Type:
Choral, Orchestral

Record Information

Status:
Published

Last Updated:
8 March 2019

Performance Date(s) and Time(s)

13 Feb 1869, Evening

Performers and/or Works Performed

2)
aka Ouverture, Scherzo und Finale, orchestra, op. 52, E major. Andante con moto
Composer(s): Schumann
3)
Composer(s): Palestrina [Prenestino, etc.]
4)
aka Choral fantasy
Composer(s): Beethoven
5)
Composer(s): Tausig
6)
aka Lamento e trionfo; Klage und Triumph
Composer(s): Liszt

Citations

1)
Announcement: New-Yorker Musik-Zeitung, 28 November 1868, 264.

Program included.

2)
Announcement: Dwight's Journal of Music, 30 January 1869, 390.
3)
Advertisement: New-York Times, 10 February 1869, 7.

Includes program.

4)
Review: New York Herald, 14 February 1869, 7.

“The fourth in the series of symphony soirees by Theo. Thomas was given last evening at Steinway Hall.  There was an unusually large attendance, and the musical performances, embracing a specially brilliant and varied programme of select as well as rare and difficult music, elicited the most unbounded and unqualified admiration.  First came the overture, scherzo finale, op. 52, by Schumann, by the grand orchestra, bringing out the full power of the orchestra with magnificent effect; then the double chorus, Fratres ego enim, by Palestrina, sung by the Mendelssohn Union with their accustomed brilliancy of execution.  After this Beethoven’s fantasia, Op. 80, by Mr. Mills, which was played with marvelous power as well as delicacy of touch, and, as the closing piece, the symphonic poem ‘Tasso Lamento e Trionfo,’ by Liszt, by the orchestra—a musical gem, and most artistically and exquisitely performed.”

5)
Review: New York Post, 15 February 1869.

Mr. Thomas’s fourth symphony soirée at Steinway’s on Saturday night was unusually successful.  The programme was specially attractive, including an overture by Schumann, and a ‘symphonic poem’ by Liszt, for the orchestra, a Beethoven fantasie, played on the piano by Mr. Mills, with orchestral accompaniment, and some good singing by the members of the Mendelssohn Union.”

6)
Review: New-York Daily Tribune, 15 February 1869, 5.

“Thomas’s Third Symphony Soiree. Mr. Theodore Thomas’s third Symphony Soirée on Saturday evening, at Steinway Hall, called forth a good audience, though the programme was composed only for people of rather highly cultivated musical taste. The concerts seem to grow steadily in favor, and the performers, as they acquire more and more practice in the best musical compositions, play with greater delicacy, feeling, intelligence, and correctness. The following was the order of the entertainment on Saturday . . . .

“The Schuman composition betrays the flavor of genius, although parts of it, especially the finale, are somewhat dry. The scherzo, however, is spirited and melodious, and the finale itself winds up with a short but taking theme treated with remarkable breadth of effect. What a strange and beautiful contrast to this work was the sacred chorus of grand old Palestrina, which came immediately afterward! It is a motet, in the fugue style, sung without accompaniment by two full choruses answering each other from opposite sides of the stage. Its melody is simple and severe, but the contrapuntal treatment is extremely rich, and as the choruses were strong and well trained, the effect was impressive in the highest degree. In the next piece, Beethoven’s Choral Fantasia, the singing was not so good, the sopranos especially being out of tune; still, the work as whole was well executed, and Mr. Millis’s part in it was played perfectly, with a refined beauty of expression that did full justice to the sunny and delightful composition. In the vocal part of this fantasia, Beethoven’s mind was filled with the same idea that inspires the grand final movement of the Choral Symphony, only here the joy and happiness which the music expresses is of a simple human character, while in the Symphony it is the exaltation of a spirit lifted above all earthly things. The Symphony, in fact, is this Fantasia intensified to a degree which is almost painful.

“Taussig’s Gypsy Music, which opened the second part, is striking in character, and as a composition deserves strong praise, though we liked it less than the audience generally seemed to, the texture, to our mind, being hardly worth the elaborate embroidery bestowed upon it. It was elegantly played, and Mr. Mills was recalled after it, replying with a little piece of Chopin’s. Liszt’s ‘Tasso’ is one of the truest and most beautiful of all the Abbe’s bizarre works. There is tinkle and tinsel in it, the braying of much brass, and the rattling of cymbals; but there is real melody and sweetness also.”

7)
Review: New-York Times, 22 February 1869, 5.

“More than a passing reference is due to Mr. Theodore Thomas’ third symphony soirée.  It was certainly one of the best of the series, and we were glad to notice that it attracted an unusually large audience.  There was not much novelty in the programme, but each of the numbers was in itself good.  Schumann’s ‘Overture, Scherzo, and Finale’ is now an established favorite with the public.  It is youthful and spirited without being overlaid.  The style is popular, and Mr. Thomas has often played it with his small orchestra, and it seemed to us better than on this occasion.  Nevertheless, it was a fine and enjoyable rendering of an acceptable production by one of the most powerful minds of the last generation.  The Choral Fantasie, by Beethoven, opus 80, is also well known to the public, especially the Muso Allegro, which has been dished in every possible way, and was finally served up by the master himself, disguised as the ‘Hymn of Joy,’ in the Ninth Symphony.  Beethoven was always anxious to bring around him all the musical elements, feeling pretty sure that he could control them.  In the ‘Choral Fantasie’ he introduces the piano-forte, as well as a chorus and orchestra.  The effect is felicitous, but it may be questioned if the piano, on the whole, does not have the best of it.  To a certain extent it leads all the others.  The culminations are, of course, very good, and the score is filled with those ingenious episodes of thought and sentiment for which Beethoven was and always will be famous.  Usually the work is played carelessly, for it does not present inordinate difficulties.  On this occasion it was admirably interpreted.  The orchestra played thoroughly well, and without too much claim for itself.  The members of the Mendelssohn Union did not find themselves overtaxed, and sang clearly and in good time and tune.  The piano part was intrusted [sic] to Mr. Mills, who played it with his usual power and remarkable wholeness of artistic ease and effect.  The same gentleman played a piece by the eminent pianist, Herr Tausig, the great modern European light—he ought to be called the great European heavy—of piano-forte playing.  The piece enjoys the airy and glittering title of the Ungarische Zigeunerweisen, and is, as this brief whisper indicates, another rehash of the eternal Hungarian Gypsy melodies, to which we would gladly say good-by.  Herr Tausig has picked out the most crocked of the lot, and has wrought them together in a wonderfully skillful manner.  A very ingenuous and patient mind is perceptible throughout, but there is no imagination, and no other form of the ‘divine afflatus’ that we can detect.  Of course, Herr Tausig knows the resources of the instrument and of his own wonderful executive powers.  There is not an effect that he cannot chase out of the piano.  The piece is probably the most difficult ever written’ and herein is its charm, for it is not likely to be heard very often in public.  Mr. Mills, we fancy, will monopolize it.  No one could play it better—not even the composer himself.  Every passage was traced with the accuracy of a master; the melodies were revealed with clearness, and every note was delivered with perfect roundness.  The finale is brilliant, and this was played with such superlative power that Mr. Mills literally brought down the house.  There can be no doubt that for showing off a pianist, or a piano, the work is important—and the piano (Steinway’s) was one of the finest we have ever listened to, albeit somewhat out of pitch in the Fantasie.  As an encore Mr. Mills played Chopin’s posthumous etude in C sharp minor. Liszt’s symphonic poem of ‘Tasso’ was again repeated by Mr. Theo. Thomas.  It is a work of great musical interest, and brought the concert to a close.  The members of the Mendelssohn Union also sang Palestrina’s beautiful and melodious double chorus, ‘Fratres ego enim,’ with much effect.  Altogether the soirée was very acceptable.”

8)
Review: New York Musical Gazette, March 1869, 36.

“Theo. Thomas’ third symphony soiree was an unusually fine concert, and we are glad to announce that it was much better attended than any of the previous ones of this series.  Beethoven’s ‘Choral Fantasie,’ opus 80, was one of the chief attractions of the evening.  It will be remembered that in this work there is a unique combination of orchestra, chorus and pianoforte.  The Mendelssohn Union sang the chorus distinctly and well; and when we say that the pianoforte part was rendered by Mr. S.B. Mills, it is quite unnecessary to add that it was played conscientiously and artistically.”

9)
Review: Dwight's Journal of Music, 13 March 1869, 416.

“The choruses were done by the Mendelssohn Union, and Mr. Mills was the pianist.  The concert was unusually well attended, and the programme one of uncommon interest.”