Fredrick Bergner Annual Concert

Brief. “Mr. Bergner, the distinguished violincellist, will give a concert at Irving Hall next Tuesday night, aided by Messrs. Mills, Inten, Singer, Thomas, Hess and Matzka, with Miss Hofle as the vocalist.”

“Mr. F. Bergner, our best resident violon-cellist, will give his annual concert to-morrow evening, at Irving Hall, and deserves to have a full house.” Lists performers; calls them “an unusually fine array of talent.”

“The rivalry between two eminent piano-forte firms was the most prominent feature of Mr. Bergner’s concert at Irving Hall last night. Mr. Von Inten played on one piano, and Mr. Mills, the other pianist of the evening, played on another. The moving to and fro of these articles of concert furniture, and the elaborate display of the names of the rival manufacturers, excited much comment.

Apart from this, the concert was admirable, the selections being entirely of the German school, though one American composer, Mr. Bassford, was represented by a song sung in German by Miss Hoflé. Mr. Bergner was cordially received, and he executed with his usual delicacy of touch and exquisite tone two pleasing and tasteful selections. Everybody who knows anything about music in New York knows that Mr. Bergner is the best solo violoncellist we have, or that we can wish to have. His annual benefit is a just tribute to a conscientious and gifted musician.”

Mr. Bergner—our admirable violoncellist—gave a most enjoyable concert on Tuesday evening at Irving Hall. He was assisted by Mr. Von Inten, S.B. Mills, Theo. Thomas, Otto Singer, Matzka, Hess, Eller, and Miss Josey Hofle. I quote the special attractions:

 Piano Trio, D minor op. 49….Mendelssohn

Von Inten, Thomas, Bergner

Theme and Variations from Quartet op. 18…Beethoven

2 [sic] Romanzen, Oboe and Piano…Schumann (Messrs. Eller and Singer)

Ungarische Zigeunerweisen…Tausig

S.B. Mills

“The beautiful Trio, with the delightful Scherzo, was capitally played, as were also the Theme and Variations from one of Beethoven’s early Quartets. The Romances for oboe and piano were thoroughly Schumann-like, and consequently enjoyable. Mr. Mills played Tausig’s ‘Gipsy-music’ in a style that was wonderful in its force and decision. He received a merited encore and responded thereto with Schumann’s delicious ‘Des Abends’ (from op. 12). Of Mr. Bergner’s own playing there is but little to be said; his rare merits as an artists are so well known and appreciated that one hesitates to repeat stereotyped words of praise; suffice it to say then, that his performance (both in his solos and in the Trio and Quartet) fully justified his well established reputation, and that he was greeted with much enthusiasm by a disgracefully small audience.”