Franko Family Debut Concert

Announces concert. “…The older of the lads, in particular, possesses a freedom of execution and a power of expression altogether remarkable in a child only 10 years of age. At a private entertainment given by them last Saturday evening, their various performances were received with many manifestations of encouragement and approval.”

“In the latter part of this month a concert will be given at Steinway Hall by a family of five children, American by birth, Franco [sic] by name, and German by education; this family consists of three girls and two boys, Jelma [sic] aged fourteen, Jeanette aged twelve, Rachel aged nine, Sam aged ten, and Nahan aged seven. They all play the piano-forte and violin with a skill and precision that argues well for their future fame. Master Sam shows in his performance a taste and spirit quite unusual in one so young. All of them are pleasing in appearance, and their musical ability will soon be tested before a New York public, which is always ready to accord a welcome to deserving merit.”

“The Franko Family are five children, whose ages range from seven to fourteen years, lately arrived in this country from Berlin with their parents. They gave a private performance in this city to representatives of the press on Saturday evening, the 4th inst., when they astonished all present by their wonderful performances on the violin and piano, playing some of the most difficult music in a manner that would have astonished some of the oldest living musicians. They were born in New Orleans of German parents, but received their musical education in Berlin. They will shortly give a concert at Steinway Hall.”

“A musical novelty is announced to appear at Steinway Hall on the 17th inst., under the name of the ‘Franko [sic] Family,’ consisting of five children, from seven to fourteen years of age, three girls and two boys, Americans by birth, who are all said to be phenomena on both the violin and piano.”

“The Franko Family, consisting of three girls, aged respectively nine, twelve and fourteen years, and of two boys, aged seven and ten—who are among the musical prodigies of the world—will give a grand concert at Steinway Hall on next Friday evening. Each of the children plays on the violin and piano, and that, too, with more than mere mechanical skill. They are natives and to the manner born, but have never before appeared before a New York audience, having been absent in Germany for a number of years, where they performed with much success. A good programme is offered and a hearty welcome will doubtless be accorded the youngsters by our music loving citizens.”

“Notice.—The Franko Family are all native Americans, born in New Orleans, but their musical studies were perfected in Berlin, where, and in other German cities, their wonderful talent created the most unprecedented furor.”

“The Franko family will make their first appearance in America at Steinway Hall to-morrow night. The programme is one of unusual excellence and a strong test of the abilities of the five gifted children. The names of Vieuxtemps, Weber, Alard and Artot are a sufficient indication of the merit of these selections.”

Program.

“[A]t the Steinway Hall, the Franko Family, consisting of five children, ‘each and all violinists and pianists,’ states the bill, will give their first public concert, with the coöperation of Mr. Habelmann.”

“The performances of the so called ‘infant prodigies’ are, as a rule, both tedious and uninteresting, which arises from the fact that generally the only claim children have for the public patronage is their extreme youth and the paucity of very young people upon the stage or platform. An entertainment was given last night by a family of children at Steinway Hall which was quite an exception to the rule stated above. The Franko family, consisting of five young people, varying in age from seven to fourteen years, and called on the programme the ‘musical wonders of the world,’ made their debut before a New York audience at the above Hall, and created a genuine sensation by their wonderful musical powers. The family consists of five children—Nahan, aged seven years; Rachel, nine years; Sam, ten years; Jeanette, twelve years, and Selma, fourteen years. All of these are performers on the violin and piano, and exhibit an amount of musical culture, which is truly wonderful in children of such tender age. The programme last night introduced all the members of the Franko family, and also Herr Theodore Habelman, the German tenor. The performance commenced with a caprice for the violin, excellently rendered by Sam Franko, accompanied by Jeanette. In this piece the young boy exhibited excellent taste and a thorough mastery of his instrument, and his subsequent performances, both upon the piano and violin, proved him a musician of no mean order. Misses Selma and Jeannette played one of Weber’s rondos very skillfully, and secured a highly flattering reception. Jeanette and Sam played a symphony, arranged for two violins, to the piano accompaniment of Selma, and the children concluded the entertainment with ‘God Save the Queen,’ arranged with variations for four violins, Miss Selma playing the piano accompaniment. Herr Habelman sang three songs in his usual excellent style.

“The house was well filled, and the audience gave unmistakable signs of delight at the wonderful performances of its young entertainers. The whole entertainment was a genuine musical treat.”

“An interesting concert was given last evening at Steinway Hall by the Franko family. The Franko family consists of five children, whose ages range between seven and fourteen years, and each of whom plays on the violin and on the piano. The most skilled of the five is little Sam Franko, who has a perfect mastery over the violin, and only lacks at present a strength of wrist that will come with advancing years to cope with the best violins. Jeannette, too, is quite practiced as a violiniste [sic], and her brother Nathan [sic] and her two sisters are competent performers. The youth of the artistes being taken into consideration, their entertainment is unquestionably a very attractive and delightful one. It was pronounced so last evening, at all events, when little Sam Franko bore off the honors by his execution of one of Vieuxtemps’ caprices; and the verdict will doubtless be reaffirmed wherever the quintet appear. The only contribution to the music furnished by them yesterday was made by Herr Habelmann, who sang songs by Esser and Schmidt, and ‘In Terra Solo,’ from ‘Don [sic] Sebastian,’ and was much applauded.”

“The concert given last evening, at Steinway Hall, by this family of young musicians was attended by a tolerably numerous and an extremely well-disposed audience. The children are five in number, and their instruments are the violin and piano-forte. The chief among them is a lad of ten years, whose skill as a violinist is really remarkable for his age, and who exhibits not only greater dexterity and precision, but a far greater amount of intelligence than would be anticipated. The performances of the other children are good, but not by any means phenomenal. In fact all that they are at present able to accomplish is valuable only on account of its promise for the future. In the meantime, the entertainment they afford excites interest from the sincerity and earnestness as well as, on the whole, the cleverness with which the young people fulfill their various duties.”

““The Franko children, five in number, of whom we had recently occasion to speak, appeared last night at Steinway Hall, and performed a variety of solos and duets. The pianists of the family manfiests a talent which is prospective rather than present, for their performances remind the hearer too strongly of those at boarding school exhibitions. One of the girls plays the violin with precision and fair mastery of the instrument. The boy Sam, a lad ten years of age, manifests more artistic spirit than the others, and bids fair to become a shining ornament to the musical profession. It is really very charming to note the earnestness of these gifted children, who at so tender an age have acquired a proficiency in their art which very few of even mature years can boast of. They will soon be heard again in the concert room.”

“The Franko Family—consisting of five boys and girls, varying in age from seven to fourteen—gave their first public concert in America at Steinway Hall, on the 17th inst., to a fair house. The boy Sam is the most expert and scientific performer, and his handling of the violin astonished all present, for one of his age. He played selections from Vieuxtemps, and Yankee Doodle with variations, in a manner that elicited the most hearty applause.”