Thomas Sunday Sacred Concert: 9th

“Mr. Theodore Thomas’s concert at Steinway Hall last evening was one of the best of the series, and we are pleased to record that the attendance was abundantly large. The programme was rich, and the performance almost all excellent. The orchestra played the ‘Midsummer Night’s Dream’ overture, the second and third movements (andante con moto and scherzo) from Schubert’s Symphony in C major, a very effective fantasia on ‘Tannhauser,’ the overture to ‘William Tell,’ a Nachtgesang of Vogt’s, and the march from Liszt’s ‘Mazeppa.’ All were well done, especially the first overture, the ‘Tannhauser’ and the Nachtgesang. This last is a deliciously delicate and harmonious little composition, for stringed instruments alone, and was enthusiastically encored.  Miss Josey Hofié, a young German soprano, made her first appearance in New-York with very marked success. She has a rich, sweet, and powerful voice, of pleasant quality and good compass, and a sound dramatic method. She sang the well-known scena and prayer from’Der Freischutz’ and the Jewel Song from ‘Faust,’ and a little German ballad for a recall. Mr. J. E. Haner, the young pianist, played Prudent’s Danse des Fees, and though he played it well, it fell dead, as it always ought to. Afterward he gave his own Reverie d’un Inventeur, which was much better, and procured an encore.” 

“Mr. Thomas’s 9th Sunday Concert added one to the long list of excellent musical entertainments which he has furnished to us at a very moderate price. The programme was unusually good, and I subjoin most of the orchestral selections. [Programme given] . . . As an encore to the ‘Nachtgesang’ the orchestra played, very delicately, an arrangement of Schumann’s heavenly ‘Evening Song.’  Mr. Hauer (pianist) and Miss Josey Hofle were the soloists; the latter has a soprano voice of good quality and an excellent style.”