Beethoven Centennial Festival: Concert: 10th

“Five thousand Sabbath school children, and a grand national finale, with eight thousand voices, the children, the combined choral societies, the great orchestra, the drum corps, the military bands, the organ and the electric artillery.” States that selections from Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony will be performed; unclear when or why this was scrapped.

Simply notes the participation of the children's choir.

This evening paper was able to publish a review of that day’s afternoon performance. “The weather is warm. Everybody knows that. The crowds occupying the chorus seats at the Coliseum to-day were very forcibly impressed with this fact, for the sun seemed to beat down with unusual fierceness on the low wooden roof just over the choristers’ heads.

Then there were children too, all neatly dressed but all looking hot and uncomfortable. They were numbered by the scores, by the hundreds, by the thousands. A number our leading Sunday schools were represented, and under the care of Mr. George S. Weeks they sang with excellent effect. They were on the programme for only two pieces—the familiar hymn ‘Beautiful River’ and ‘Gates Ajar;’ and had they sung three or four besides the audience would have been well pleased.

At this late hour of waiting we can only add the programme of this afternoon: [lists program].

This evening a large audience is expected for the Gilmore benefit.”

“BEETHOVEN MUSICAL FESTIVAL.

Sixth Day—Close of the Jubilee.

There were many exceedingly interesting features at both concerts yesterday. The attendance was very small in the afternoon, although there were some of the strongest attractions of the entire festival brought out on that occasion. The singing of the Sunday school children was admirable. Their fresh young voices produced a deeper impression on the minds of the audience, although this impression was not visibly expressed, than the combined efforts of the operatic and other choruses. Their selections, however, were rather monotonous and ill chosen for such an occasion. The concert commenced with the ‘Fra Diavolo’ overture, which was given with remarkable spirit and brilliancy, under the direction of Gilmore. Carl Rosa next led Haydn’s well known string variations on the ‘Austrian National Anthem,’ which, however, was ineffective on account of the weakness of the force that followed his baton. The overture to ‘Der Freischutz’ was much better, and Mr. Rosa achieved a marked success by his spirited handling of the orchestra in Weber’s chef d’œuvre. The ‘Anvil Chorus,’ with all its sensational effects, was repeated, and excited the usual enthusiasm. Miss Kellogg sang the florid polacca, from ‘Puritani,’ with all that pearly distinctness and purity of tone which tell so well in those light, graceful Italian melodies, and that she possesses to such an eminent degree. In the ‘Miserere’ and duo from ‘Poliuto’ she was assisted by Signor Lefranc, and repeated her former triumphs in both selections.”

“The final regular performance of the Beethoven Centennial was given yesterday afternoon to a numerous and gratified audience. The programme consisted, in great part, of repetitions, and in view of this fact, together with the large space we have already accorded to accounts of these concerts, our readers will forgive brief mention of the concluding one. Among the principal artists who assisted yesterday afternoon were [lists performers]. The chief pieces undertaken were ‘Vive l’America,’ by Miss Clara Louise Kellogg, and great chorus, the great trio from ‘Tell,’ the duo from ‘Puritani,’ the Miserere from ‘Trovatore,’ the ‘Anvil Chorus,’ with the usual electric artillery, anvil corps, &c. Besides the artists named above there participated all the singing societies and several thousand Sabbath-school children, in grand anthems; Gilmore’s Band, and the Great Orchestra.”

“The Musical Festival dwindled away steadily after the ‘Elijah’ night, and on Saturday evening [illeg…] and general debility. Its last hours were disturbed by the clamors of unpaid artists and impatient auditors, and hardly a friend remained to close its eyes. Friday and Saturday were both devoted to miscellaneous programmes, mainly repetitions of operatic selections which we have already noticed, and of Mr. Gilmore’s cannon specialties, for which the popular affection remained to the last unshaken…On Saturday afternoon Miss Kellogg reappeared, and there was some tolerable singing by about two hundred Sunday-school children.”