Anna Mehlig’s Concert: 1st

Includes programme.

Includes programme.

Includes programme.

“There is hardly a city in the world so prolific of good pianists as New York. Hence the disappointment and surprise of European artists after their arrival when they find a host of their equals and many of their superiors, perhaps, already in the field before them. Miss Anna Mehlig, a young lady from Stuttgart, and a pianist who studied under Liszt and in the conservatoire of her native place, and is a recent arrival in this country, gave her first concert last night in presence of a very large and extremely critical audience. A severer test of her powers could not be selected than the programme. First one of Beethoven’s inimitable trios (Opus 9) for piano, violin and cello, in which she was assisted by Messrs. Kopta and Bergner, a little waif of musical poetry in the shape of a Chopin nocturne, a Bach prelude and fugue, ‘pianized’ by Liszt; a carnival medley by Schumann, and a truly magnificent Polonnaise, one of the crazy Abbé’s finest compositions. Miss Mehlig at once established herself as a favorite with the audience, and we can unhesitatingly say that she has no superior as a pianist in America. The terrible test of the Bach fugue was triumphantly overcome, and she communicated to it a spirit, fire and expression which very few artists are capable of giving to such a work. Her touch is something we have never heard from a lady artist before, with the sole exception of Arabella Goddard. She induces the tone instead of forcing it, and consequently produces every shade of expression she wishes. In the most faultless technique she adds an ease and grace and pearly distinctness peculiarly her own. The action of her arm in playing reaches only to the elbow, not like that of other lady players—Miss Topp, for instance, whose power comes from the shoulder, as well as the arm and fingers.

“The result of this perfect mechanism in touch is a complete command over the piano. One artist out of a hundred possesses it. Miss Mehlig plays a Beethoven concerto at the next Philharmonic concert. The lady vocalist, on this occasion, Miss Carlati, gave evidence of having a very poor voice and a worse school. She sang repeatedly out of time, and although evidently suffering from a cold, yet, making all allowances, we cannot regard her as an artist suitable for the concert hall.”

“One of the most brilliant triumphs ever obtained by a single performer in this city was won by Miss Anna Mehlig, in her piano concert last evening. The great hall was filled to its utmost capacity, some scores of listeners standing throughout. The assistance given to the young pianist was not of the first class; except that of Mr. Wenzel Kopta, with his violin, which was acceptable and effective. Miss Mehlig, however, carried out the programme brilliantly to the end, although it was one to tax the powers of endurance of any player, and established herself as a prime favorite, both with musicians, who were present in unusual numbers, and with the public. The variety of her powers of expression, her command over every style of execution—from the most delicate tenderness aimed at by Chopin to the difficult complications of Bach, in which each hand, almost each finger, seems to need an independent intelligence for its guidance, and the harmonious result aspires to rival an orchestra—was something scarcely heard in New York before. As soon as the wonderful fugue by Bach was finished, Ole Bull rose conspicuously to his feet, near the stage, and enthusiastically led in many successive rounds of applause, in which he was joined by the entire audience.

“Miss Mehlig’s playing promises to give a strong stimulus to the taste for parlor music, which has been falling into the background of late years here; and if it stirs the ambition of our amateurs to reflect more of the school of Liszt, in which she has been trained, the most masterly and expressive which has ever yet chosen the piano for its instrument, it will confer a substantial benefit upon lovers of music.”

“Miss Anna Mehlig’s concert at Steinway Hall may be remembered on account of some individual performances, but will certainly not be borne in mind for its attractiveness in respect of selections. Programmes, combining classical and popular elements in nice proportion, are much fewer than the ease with which it seems to us they could be formed would warrant one in expecting, but that interpreted yesterday was unusually deficient in variety and in the interest which clusters about much worthy and wearisome music. Beethoven’s trio for pianoforte, violin and violoncello, (Op. 97,) was first given by Miss Mehlig and Messrs. Kopta and Bergner. An unending Lied by Schubert, (‘Im Freien’,) and a ‘Neapolitanisches Lied’ followed, Mme. Eliza Carlati singing these with a fresh, but uncultivated soprano voice, and with flat intonation almost throughout. Miss Mehlig then played Chopin’s ‘Nocturne’ with much sentiment and delicacy, and executed magnificently Bach’s Prelude and Fugue in G minor, arranged for the piano—and for one performer out of a thousand, spite of the inferior qualities of a piano for such compositions—by Liszt. Vieuxtemps’ ‘Variations Brillantes’ were deliciously executed on the violin by Mr. Wenzel Kopta, whom we would only like to see possessed of a more perfect repose of manner. Miss Mehlig afterward rendered R. Schumann’s ‘Carneval,’ a series of character pieces which she certainly did not redeem from an appearance of puerility, and from the bad effect of excessive length. Mme. Carlati sang ‘Bel Raggio’ in a very uneven manner, and the concert ended with Liszt’s ‘Grand Polonaise,’ to which, we imagine, more sound and brilliancy could be given. The audience was quite numerous, and Miss Mehlig had abundant proof of their admiration of her talent.”

“A new pianist has come among us. She has been heard several times in public, but only as an accessory, and not as the central point of interest. Each time, however, that she has appeared, the good impression that she first produced has been strengthened, and the belief confirmed that her abilities are of no ordinary means of excellence.

“Last evening, this young lady gave her first concert, at Steinway Hall. The programme was addressed rather to musicians than to a general audience, and the selections were made with a view doubtless of showing the great scope of Miss Mehlig’s studies in her art and the results that she has attained. The recital of the pieces that she played will illustrate the variety of her subjects and styles: [Programme: see above]

“Here we have a programme that is calculated to test the powers of the most consummate pianist. To play it one must be master of every style, of the breadth and repose necessary to the interpretation of Beethoven, of his nervous sensibility, capriciousness of mood, and poetic subtlety that belong to Chopin; of the dramatic intensity, restlessness, fire, and passion that characterize Schumann; of the steadfastness, and strength, and firmness that are essential to the playing of the fugues of Bach; of the transcendent execution that Liszt requires of those who would conquer his most difficult works.

“That all these gifts should be centered upon one performer it would be too much to expect, and yet Miss Mehlig has so far possessed herself as to entitle her to be considered a really great artist. No one could hold an audience of connoisseurs such as that gathered last evening so long and so firmly, for some of the pieces were certainly ‘caviare to the general’ and such as one looks rather to hear in a quiet music-room, with a handful of listeners, than in a public concert hall. Of this character was Schumann’s description of the Carnival, a composition we should hardly think less than 40 pages in length, and requiring at least 20 minutes to play; but it was listened to not only with patience but with interest, and its close was followed by the applause of those unmistakably pleased.

“The sentiment with which the nocturnes of Chopin were played was of the right quality, not exaggerated into sentimentality on the one hand nor held with too much strictness on the other. The fugue by Bach illustrated the accuracy of Miss Mehlig’s playing and the mechanical finish to which she had brought it, for in a fugue there is no room for sentiment and nothing tells but inexorable exactness. Four melodies are being twisted and interwoven, and still are to be kept distinct, and a false note ruins everything. The fugue that Miss Mehlig played was the one in G minor, composed for organ and arranged by Liszt for the piano. The arrangement is one of great excellence, the pedal part being finely worked in. Miss Mehlig played it grandly, with a downright exactness that befitted the composition and with a clearness and force and a distinctness of the themes that did her the greatest credit. That it might be seen how far she had overcome the final possibilities of the instrument as summed by the grand headmaster of the school of difficulties, the young artist played for a closing piece Liszt’s Grande Polonaise. This composition was, we have heard, studied by her under the personal direction of the composer, and Miss Mehlig certainly rendered it with wonderful nerve and power, and a technical skill that at once set at rest all question as to her being entitled to hold a foremost rank among the pianists of the present day.” [reprint, DJM 02/12/70, pp. 191-92]

“New York, Jan. 25.—On Wednesday evening of last week Mlle. Mehlig gave a very interesting concert at Steinway Hall, assisted by Messrs. Kopta and Bergner, and by a female vocalist. I quote the instrumental numbers: [see above]

“The fine Trio, with its wonderfully beautiful Adagio, was well played, but the hall is too large to admit of one's enjoying anything in the way of chamber-music. Mlle. Mehlig seemed at times a little tame, especially in the first movement; but it was impossible to say as much with regard to her performance of the extremely difficult Fugue which she certainly gave with most admirable force and vigor. This was also true of the “Carneval,” in which she showed herself a really great artist. The scope for expression and shading is so vast, and the changes of tempo and character are so frequent, that none but a thoroughly competent and self-poised artist should ever attempt to play these little gems which Schumann called “Carneval.” At times indeed we could desire more abandon, but then one cannot have everything, and her touch is certainly exquisitely delicate and yet firm. I did not exactly approve of her manner of playing the Chopin Nocturne, for she certainly took too much liberty with the tempo, and her indiscriminate use (or misuse) of the pedal was quite painful.

“Mr. Kopta played delightfully. His tone is so good and accurate that one is delighted with its purity, albeit a little more strength would be agreeable. He played several double note passages in a masterly manner.

“Mr. Bergner played carefully and well, but at times his 'cello seemed the least bit out of tune.

“As for the “Vocalist”—who evidently sang her two solos in order to “fill out” the programme—in simple charity let me decline to say anything more than that she has neither voice nor method, and cannot sing at all.

“The audience numbered something like 1,800 people, and most of them (not being Americans) paid marked attention to the programme as it was performed.”