Arion Gesangverein Annual Concert

Event Information

Venue(s):
Steinway Hall

Conductor(s):
Carl Bergmann

Price: $1; $2 reserved seats

Event Type:
Choral

Record Information

Status:
Published

Last Updated:
18 May 2019

Performance Date(s) and Time(s)

14 Nov 1868, 8:00 PM

Program Details

Orchestra of sixty performers.

Performers and/or Works Performed

2)
Composer(s): Bargiel
Participants:  Orchestra, unidentified
3)
Composer(s): Bazzini
Participants:  Wenzel Kopta
4)
aka Twenty-third Psalm; Psalm 23; Lord is my shepherd
Composer(s): Schubert
Participants:  Arion Gesangverein
5)
aka Grand polonaise, op. 22, E-flat major
Composer(s): Chopin
Participants:  Sebastian Bach Mills
6)
aka Gebet des Rienzi; Rienzi's prayer
Composer(s): Wagner
Participants:  William Candidus
7)
Composer(s): Veit
Participants:  Arion Gesangverein
8)
aka Leonore overture, no. 3; Leonora overture, no. 3
Composer(s): Beethoven
Participants:  Orchestra, unidentified
9)
aka Clochette
Composer(s): Paganini
Participants:  Wenzel Kopta
10)
aka Hymne an die Tonkunst
Composer(s): Billeter
Participants:  Arion Gesangverein
11)
Composer(s): Mayer [composer]
Participants:  Sebastian Bach Mills
12)
aka Marche aux flambeaux; Torch song; Torch dance; Fackeltanze
Composer(s): Meyerbeer

Citations

1)
Advertisement: New York Herald, 08 November 1868.
2)
Announcement: New-York Times, 09 November 1868, 5.
3)
Advertisement: New-York Times, 09 November 1868, 7.
4)
Announcement: New York Post, 12 November 1868.
5)
Announcement: New-York Daily Tribune, 13 November 1868, 5.
6)
Announcement: New-Yorker Musik-Zeitung, 14 November 1868, 233.
7)
Announcement: New York Post, 14 November 1868.
8)
Review: New York Herald, 15 November 1868, 5.

“Steinway Hall was so well filled last evening at the grand vocal and instrumental concert given by the Arions and it will readily be perceived from the programme given below that the audience enjoyed an exquisite musical treat.”

9)
Review: New York Post, 16 November 1868.

“The Arion Society on Saturday night gave a concert at Steinway’s Hall, which attracted a large attendance of our German citizens. Nothing could exceed the lugubrious appearance of the members of the society, as, all arrayed in unimpeachable black broadcloth, they stood in funereal groups on the stage. At the same time, nothing in its way could surpass the precision and excellence of their chorus singing. Mr. Candidus, their leading tenor, was much applauded for his vocal efforts in a long and difficult extract from Wagner’s ‘Rienzi.’ Mr. Mills, pianist; Mr. Kopta, violinist, and a good orchestra, led by Bergmann, added to the interest of the occasion.”

10)
Review: New York Sun, 16 November 1868, 2.

“The Arions gave their first concert of the season on Saturday evening, at Steinway Hall.  The programme was an excellent one, opening with an overture by Bargiel, a clever painstaking writer, who we have know hitherto only through his pianoforte works. Mr. Kopta played tow violin pieces. It is a pity that such a fine artist with a noble orchestra at his back, should not have made better use of his opportunities than to play an ‘Allegro de Concert’ by Bazzini, and a filigree rondo by Paganini. We have no praise for efforts, however skillful, made only for the display of the performer, and not for music’s sake. These pieces illustrated Kopta’s mastery over his instrument; they failed to indicate any great respect for his art. Mr. Mills did better. He played Chopin’s famous polonaise for piano and orchestra, and a brilliant fantasie on ‘La Muette,’ by Charles Meyer, both of them compositions of great merit, the first of the very highest, and both were played faultlessly.

“The Arion Society itself mustered about forty voices, perhaps forty-five. Two of the three pieces sung by them were for chorus and orchestra. To our mind, the orchestra always destroys charm of male voice singing; it introduced a new element, a new character of tone, and the pure human element that gives such an indescribable sensation coming from voices alone, without any aids, is gone when the tones of brass and wood instruments are added. The Society is able to give works of greater scope in this way, but they may be certain that in so doing they at the same time throw away the most powerful hold they have on the sympathies of an audience. The simple little song by Kinkel, ‘The Knight’s Farewell,’ that they sang at the Philharmonic last winter, was more effective and better appreciated than any piece they sang Saturday evening, though really of inferior merit, because it was sung without accompaniment, and gave the peculiar and satisfying effect of voices alone.

“The Society is not well-balanced. It has not foundation enough. There is no richness, fullness, or body of tone in the second basses. The other parts are good, especially the first tenors, who are very strong, so strong that they make the Society seem top-heavy. The Arions can sing with expression. The pieces they selected for this concert had no light and shade to them, and so gave no opportunity for expression, but they displayed one excellence of their Society to advantage, their fine unity of tone; the words were sung together with wonderful precision, and the notes before the rests cut off clean and sharp. Bergmann has worked the Society up to a high standpoint, but we have heard them sing to better advantage than they did Saturday evening.”

11)
Review: New-York Daily Tribune, 16 November 1868, 5.

“The concert of the Arion Vocal Society Saturday evening was attended by a fair-sized audience, mainly of Germans. The Arion chorus, numbering about eighty, sang four pieces, and the programme was filled out by Mr. Wenzel Kopta, Mr. S. B. Mills, and Mr. Candidus, an excellent tenor soloist of the Arion. There was also a fair orchestra, and Mr. Bergmann was the conductor of the concert. The singing of the chorus was very pleasing, and was warmly applauded. The excellence of the talent and training of the Arion vocalists is well known. Their rendering of Schubert’s ‘Psalm 23d’ was round and sweet, and yet also strong and impressive, while in the ‘Hymne an die Tonkunst,’ and in Veit’s ‘An die Hoffnung,’ the light and shade of expression were obtained with unerring accuracy, not a single stray or lagging voice slurring the desired effect. Mr. Bergmann’s conducting was vigorous, yet skillful and delicate.  Mr. Candidus, the tenor, made a favorable impression in his solo, (Prayer from ‘Rienzi,’) displaying a strong, high, clear organ, which had been well cultivated and whose only defect was in being a little unsympathetic. Mr. Kopta captivated all with that combination of [his?] warmth, and thorough workmanship which distinguishes this brilliant young artist. Mr. Mills was also warmly received, and performed his part of the event with his wonted precision and power.”

12)
Review: Dwight's Journal of Music, 21 November 1868, 348-49.

“The Arion Society gave a capital entertainment at the same hall on Saturday. I quote the principal numbers of the excellent programme:

Overture, Medea………………….Bargiel

Allegro de Concert (W. Kopta)……Bassini

23d Psalm, G……………………...F. Schubert

Polonaise, op. 22 (S. B. Mills)……Chopin

Overture, Leonore…………………Beethoven

“Mr. Kopta played the attractive Allegro in a very easy, fluent style and his double note passages were artistically done. His tone is, unfortunately a little thin, but his execution and expression are artistic and praiseworthy.  

“Mr. Mills was at his best in the superb Polonaise, and his charming treatment of the Andante Spianato was most enjoyable; just enough abandon, just enough expression, everything accurately balanced, and the whole ably executed. I have never heard the Andante so well played, and I desire to record the fact that Mr. M’s playing moved me for almost the first time. My head almost always admires his ability, but my heart is rarely touched. The Chopin Polonaise was played by Mr. Mills—not—Mr. Mills played the Chopin Polonaise. Mr. M’s individuality was—as it should have been—subordinate to that of the composer.

“The orchestra played fairly, except in the short prelude to the Polonaise, and that was shocking.”

13)
Review: New-Yorker Musik-Zeitung, 21 November 1868, 248.

The concert attracted a large audience. The Arion’s performance of Schubert’s psalm, Veit and Billeter was regarding the precision and the consistency excellent including the tender and cleanly nuanced piano accompaniment. The guest performers gave their best to support the chorus with brilliant performances. Candidus performed the “prayer” from Wagner’s Rienzi, which is a difficult and strenuous piece. He managed to overcome the challenges of the composition, and deservedly received much applause.