Thomas Sunday Concert: 8th

“Judging from the large and critical audience who last night sat spell bound under the recherché entertainment given by Mr. Theodore Thomas’ combination of artistes, the Sunday night concerts are becoming a popular feature in this metropolis. The floor and galleries were well filled by a delighted audience, who know how to appreciate the able compositions of the German, Italian and French masters, whose creative genius has delighted the world. The programme embraces the best gems from Beethoven, Mendelssohn, Schubert, Herz, Meyerbeer, Storch, Bach, Dupont and A. Thomas. The orchestration was of a very high order of excellence, and under the touch of the able artistes who last night contributed to the entertainment of a New York audience, the old composers seemed to speak anew to the hearts of the mute listeners. The entertainment opened with the overture ‘egmont,’ one of Beethoven’s finest works, and was succeeded by Mendelssohn’s ‘Scherzo from the Reformation Symphony,’ Herz’s ‘Andante Espressivo,’ ‘Lurline,’ Meyerbeer’s ‘Robert’ and other choice selections. In ‘Robert’ the members of the orchestra especially distinguished themselves for exquisite touch and faithful rendition of the different parts of the compostion, and were gracefully received by the spectators. Herr C. Alves, the young tenor, made his first appearance, and the rich melody of his voice, that had been under careful training, his clear articulation and the spirit thrown into ‘Am Meer’ at once met a generous response from his hearers. Mr. J. A. Dawson, the pianist, was late in arriving, and on taking his seat labored under some excitement. At first his touch was tremulous and faulty, but in a moment it wore off and the grand piano in Herz’s ‘Andante Expressivo’—that contains many difficult passages—gracefully responded to his hands and mind. The audience generously rewarded him with a round of applause. Later in the evening Mr. Dawson gave Dupont’s ‘Galoppo di Bravura’ in a highly creditable manner. His execution is clear and natural and his touch powerful, yet full of feeling.  Between him and his instrument there seemed to be a sympathy and oneness of purpose.  Thomas’ ‘Polonaise Mignonne’ wound up one of the most interesting concerts of the series.”

“There were two good concerts last night, one at Steinway Hall by Theodore Thomas’s band, and another at Irving Hall by the Mendelssohn Orchestral Union, both of which were well attended.”

“At Steinway Hall, Mr. THEODORE THOMAS gave his eighth regular concert. The programme was good--calculated in every way to demonstrate the precision and fire of the orchestra. There were no novelties of an instrumental form, but we may refer to the scherzo from the ‘Reformation Symphony,’ by MENDELSSOHN, as an exquisite instance of delicate interpretation.  Mr. THOMAS had two soloists, Mr. C. ALVES, a gentleman who has a weak, colorless tenor voice, and Mr. J. A DAWSON, a pianist who was too nervous to do justice to himself, but who possesses feeling and much correct and delicate insight into the meaning of what he plays.”

“There were concerts last night at Steinway and Irving Halls, both well attended. At the former place Theodore Thomas presented one of the best programmes of the season. His orchestra played Beethoven’s overture to ‘Egmont’ and the scherzo from Mendelssohn’s ‘Reformation Symphony,’ a fantasia on ‘Robert,’ the overture to ‘Lurline,’ a stately aria by old Father Bach, and a polonaise from Ambrose Thomas’s ‘Mignon.’ The best executed of these pieces were the Beethoven overture, the overture to ‘Lurline,’ and the aria of Bach’s. A new tenor singer, Herr C. Alves, made a successful debut with Schubert’s Am Meer, and three other German songs.  He has a very sweet, expressive, and at the same time, a powerful voice, pleasant in all the registers, and generally true. He sings with feeling, but apparently is inclined to forget the difference between sentimentent and sentimentality. His ear for rhythm is imperfect, but this defect last night may have been aggravated by the nervousness inevitable at a first appearance, and he has some faults of method which he is quite young enough to correct.”

“Mr. Thomas’s 8th Sunday concert was very well attended and the orchestral selections were very good.”