Private Musical Evening

“Our musical evening (Tuesday 11th) decidedly successful. No contretemps. Audience about 200. Admiral Godon, Gould Hoyt and the [illeg.] Mrs. Camilla, Johny’s friend Mr. Frank Work, Mrs. John Astor and Mrs. Wm. A. Palmer and Davis of T.C.V. (Music Committee) Rev. Dix, F. Vinton, Ogilby, and Oberly, and Pere Morrill. Wm. Schermerhorn, Mr. and Mrs. Brigham and Miss Chattie S.  Mr. S. W. Bridgebaum, Mrs. Christine Griffin, Pete Strong, Pete Marie B that nice Philadelphian Miss Beck, Miss Kitty Tracy, Mr. and Mrs. Wm. P. Lee, Mrs. R.L. Cutting, Willing Cutting who tells me his brother, poor Brock C., is in a bad way, etc. etc. etc.

Every one enthusiastic about the music and I must say that it was admirably rendered. ‘Orchestra’ was stringed 5tette, oboe, fagotto, 1st and 2nd horn, and piano. Its effects were gorgeous and instruments & voice did their work with musical accuracy and spirit. Mrs. Parson Stevens told C.E.S. that she had heard private music at the Tuileries & at palazzi of Cardinals, but had never heard any so good. She did not believe it could have been equaled by any but eleves of Conservatoire. Good for Dr. Pech. Several people came and thanked Ellie and me, quite seriously as for a personal kindness. (N.B. There’s a species of sneeze in the Dona Pacem, which I don’t like at all.)

N.B. The following named persons are hereby put on the black list and shall be left out in the cold if we can ever afford to give another musical party.  Charley Stebbins, Wm. Oliva Stone, M. Coiret, Miss. F.N.W., Miss A.T. (!), Miss M.V. (!!) They were garrulous as katydids on an August night B disrespectful to Mrs. G.T.S. who had taken such pains to get up this music for their enjoyment and to Miss Minnie Parker and the other ladies and gentlemen who were singing it, and to the memory of Joseph Haydn who wrote it. Didn=t get settled in bed until 3 next morning, and having stood or walked from 8 p.m to that hour, I was quite seedy next day.

Ellie was ‘down sick’ from fatigue and overwork in superintending changes and removal of parlor furniture, placing about 150 hired chairs about also (tho it sounds like affectation) from the intense excitement of singing these supreme words, the highest utterance of the Church Catholic, to the noblest music, against what may be called an orchestra, and with highly trained appreciative colleagues B and from doing this two days running. The glow and dash of the Kyrie and Gloria made her faint she said, nearly overcome. Still stronger is the magnificent finale of the Credo (not appreciated by me till I heard it more than once) B the ‘Et Vitum,’ where the chorus [illeg.: something like “the grand pause”?].  Miss Minnie’s soprano in it’s best note, begins its downward flight, ‘like the song of a descending seraph’ Pech said. And then the chorus responds, with the single voice always soaring and glowing above it, as it were an Angelic cry of rapture leading the whole church in a song of redemption and triumph, or the consummation of all things. I know few musical conceptions more intense & ‘dramatic’ [illeg. Latin] & yet so fitly married to the noblest words.  Haydn was among the greatest of commentators on the liturgy, tho’ he spoke in a language which all do not understand. I suppose his gift was command of musical language, not spiritual height. That gift seems consistent with dwarfed moral sense on religious instinct--witness the biographies of many notable composers.  Very notable is the work of the soprano embroidered on the tenor and bass in the Amen of the Gloria etc. etc. etc. etc. I think Pech got a certain amount of kudos. E & I sounded his praise as Director.

The soiree has got into newspapers, the Sun and Telegram. ‘Many encores.’ The ‘daughters of Mr. Parker’ ‘Magnificent drawing rooms filled with fashionables.’ (that is gratifying) ‘Grand full dress soiree musicale beyond doubt the finest ever given in the city.’ ‘Dancing (!) and an elegant supper.’”