Liszt Festival

Event Information

Venue(s):
Steinway's Rooms

Event Type:
Chamber (includes Solo)

Performance Forces:
Vocal

Record Information

Status:
Published

Last Updated:
23 January 2022

Performance Date(s) and Time(s)

09 Apr 1870, Evening

Program Details

The performance was put on by music publisher and violist Julius Schuberth. Randolfi was scheduled to perform but refused when asked to sing a song by Liszt (for details, see New York Herald review of 04/11/70).

Performers and/or Works Performed

2)
Composer(s): Tausig
Participants:  Sebastian Bach Mills
3)
aka Polacca
Composer(s): Chopin
Participants:  Henri [pianist] Kowalski
4)
Composer(s): Thomas
Participants:  Franz Remmertz
5)
Composer(s): Rubinstein

Citations

1)
Announcement: New York Sun, 09 April 1870, 2.

“Mr. Schuberth, the well-known publisher, who has given to the world so many of the Abbé Liszt’s compositions, and has so genuine an admiration for that composer gives this evening, in his enthusiasm, a festival in his honor. Invited guests to the number of five or six hundred, comprising most of the artists and well-known amateurs of the city, will be present. The programme is one of classical merit. Besides the works of the Abbé, those of Schumann, Beethoven, Mozart, Bach, Rubenstein, and others are upon it.”

2)
Review: New York Herald, 11 April 1870, 5.

“Mr. Julius Schuberth, the music publisher, an ardent admirer of Abbé Franz Liszt, gave a very interesting soirée on Saturday evening at the smaller hall of Messrs. Steinway & Sons, which was attended by a large and thoroughly appreciative and musically intelligent audience. The best instrumental artists in the city appeared on the occasion. The feature of the entire programme—and it was indeed one of rare excellence—was the magnificent playing of Tausig’s wonderful transcription of Strauss’ waltz, ‘Soirée de Vienne.’ We doubt if there is another pianist in America who could give this exceptional work the clear, intelligent interpretation that Mr. Mills threw into it last night. Tausig imitates, in a style which must be heard to be understood, all the orchestral effects of Strauss, and calls for wrists of steel, and artistic appreciation and a perfect kaleidoscope of color which few pianists living can boast of. Mr. Kowalski played a Polonaise, by Chopin, in a brilliant, artistic manner, which left little to be desired. The other pianists were Messrs. Von Inten[,] Singer and Bussmeyer, Mr. Schuberth, viola; Wenzel Kopta, the renowned violinist; Charles Werner violoncello, and M. le Baron Von Breaning [sic] took part in the instrumental concerted pieces. The vocalists were Mrs. Emily Davidson and Miss Clara Perl, of whose voices we have spoken before, and who are only deficient in their respective schools. Mrs. Davidson has a charming soprano voice, but it sadly needs pruning in regard to the artistic rendering of the works she essays; and the German school of Miss Perl’s voice has this grave fault, that in passing from one register to another it assumes quite a different character. Miss Perl is gifted by nature with one of the finest contralto voices we have ever heard, but it is to a great degree uncultivated. Mr. Remmertz, the renowned baritone of the Arion Society, sang one of Thomas’ best selections from ‘Mignon’ in true artistic style. Mr. Randolfi was on the programme; but having an exceedingly ungrateful song set down for him, the author of which was the crazy Abbe, he sensibly refused to compromise his reputation by singing it. The vocal part, as may be seen, was the weakest thing on the programme. But the instrumentalists covered themselves with glory. Mr. Schuberth deserves great credit for the successful manner in which he did honor to his old confrêre and fellow student, Franz Liszt. As long as we are not compelled to listen to the orchestral howlings of this erratic genius we are also willing to do him homage. As a pianist he is, like Bayard, sans peur et sans reproche. Mr. Schuberth, in last night’s concert, did him more justice than Carl Bergmann, who, in the Philharmonic concerts, insists upon bringing out Liszt’s maniacal orchestral compositions. After the concert a very enjoyable social reunion took place at Schuberth’s rooms, during which a great many speeches were made appropriate to the occasion.”

3)
Review: New York Post, 11 April 1870, 2.

“Mr. Julius Schuberth, the music publisher of this city, gave a pleasant little entertainment at Steinway’s smaller hall last Saturday night. It was an exceedingly German affair. Neither Leipsic [sic] nor Berlin could have been more intensely Teutonic. All the selections were from German composers, the songs were sung in German, and those of the performers who were not German by birth, evidently deeply felt the misfortune. As to the audience, that was quite as German as possibly could be imagined.

“The programme was a very long one, enlisting the services of Miss Perl, Mrs. Emily Davison, S. B. Mills, Otto Singer, Wenzel Kopta, Charles Werner, Mr. Kowalski, Mr. Remmertz and others. The last part of the programme consisted of selections from the compositions of Liszt, which would have been more enjoyable had they come earlier in the evening. Mr. Schuberth himself won much applause by his skilful [sic] performance on the viola. After the concert a number of the audience repaired to Mr. Schuberth’s store on Broadway, where a banquet was spread, and pleas and speeches were made. During the evening the two large show-windows of the store were handsomely illuminated and draped, and contained life-size busts of Liszt, covered with laurel, while at the foot of the pedestals lay copies of his musical composition, including a piano-forte arrangement of the ‘Inferno’ symphony that was played at the last Philharmonic concert.”

4)
Review: New York Sun, 11 April 1870, 2.

“Mr. Julius Schuberth gathered about him a band of artists on Saturday evening, at Steinway’s smaller hall, to assist in doing honor to the Abbé Franz Liszt. The festival programme was one of unusual variety. Part I. was miscellaneous, and Part II. Was devoted to the works of the composer in whose honor the affair was given. Truth, however, compels us to say that Liszt’s part of the programme was decidedly the weakest, and that his compositions suffered decidedly by comparison with those of Mozart, Chopin, Beethoven, Schubert, and Schumann, that had preceded them. Mr. Schuberth himself took part in the performance, playing, with Mr. Von Breuning, an andante by Rubenstein, for viola and pianoforte, with a breadth of tone, accuracy of intonation, and intelligent and sympathetic phrasing, that showed him to be possessed of the true artistic fire. [Lists other performers.] Such an array of talent is seldom gathered. After the concert the invited guests attended a pleasant social entertainmen at Mr. Schuberth’s rooms on Broadway.”

5)
Review: New-York Times, 13 April 1870, 4.

“Mr. Julius Shuberth’s festival soirée on Saturday evening last was one of the finest concerts of the season. It was given in honor of Abbé Franz Liszt, and a considerable number of eminent artists aided in the programme. Among these were Mrs. Emily Davison, Miss Clara Perl, Mr. S. B. Mills, Mr. H. Kowalski, Mr. von Inten, Mr. C. Werner, Mr. Hugo Bussmyer and Mr. Julius Schuberth. The first part consisted of miscellaneous selections of a high order, and the second exclusively of the compositions of Liszt. A very delightful concert was followed up by an entertainment given by Mr. Schuberth at his rooms in Broadway, where a large company of invited guests were the recipients of his hospitality. In all respects the affair was creditably conducted, and will long be remembered to the honor of the gentleman who conceived and carried it into effect.”