Hugo Bussmeyer Historical Soirée Musicale

“This evening Parepa appears at Steinway Hall, with Nordblom, the new tenor, Mr. Rosa, violinist, and Mr. Pease. This evening, also, Mr. Bussmeyer gives his concert at the same place—at least his advertisement says so, though, of course, there must be some mistake.” [Though the advertisements read “Steinway Hall” for this performance, the review in Dwight’s Jounral of Music makes clear that the event took place in Steinway’s Rooms.]

“I omitted to mention that on Wednesday evening, Mr. Hugo Bussmeyer gave an ‘Historical Soiree Musicale’ in Steinway’s ware-rooms.  He was assisted by Mr. Kopta, Mr. Von Inten, Mlle. Orloff, and Mme. Werner.  There were Sonatas by Corelli, Scarlatti, and Tartini, and other morceaux by Mozart, Handel, Schumann, Mendelssohn, Wagner, Liszt, and Gounod. Mr. Bussmeyer played among other thigns, Handel’s ‘Harmonious Blacksmith’ and Jaglied by Mendelssohn (Lieder ohne worte, Bk. I, no. 3); the former he did tolerably, by the latter was inconceivable bad; he hammers and pounds the keys and uses the loud pedal with perfect looseness.”