St. George’s Church Organ Exhibition: 2nd

Event Information

Venue(s):
St. George's Church (Stuyvesant Square)

Price: $1

Performance Forces:
Instrumental, Vocal

Record Information

Status:
Published

Last Updated:
26 April 2022

Performance Date(s) and Time(s)

28 Apr 1870, Evening

Program Details

“DR. WILLCOX will perform his celebrated representation of a Storm on the Organ.” Program also included unidentified “instrumental selections” by Mendelssohn, Battiste, Haydn, Wely, and Auber.

Performers and/or Works Performed

3)
aka "With verdure clad"; Schopfung, Die. Nun beut die Flur das frische Grun
Composer(s): Haydn
Participants:  Mme. [soprano] Manzocchi
5)
Composer(s): Handel
Participants:  Mme. [soprano] Manzocchi
6)
aka Angels ever bright and fair
Composer(s): Handel
Text Author: Morell [librettist]
Participants:  Mme. [soprano] Manzocchi

Citations

1)
Announcement: New York Post, 21 April 1870, 2.

“As the spring season passes on and there are event hints of the summer—that period when the voice of the concert singer is mute—there is manifested a sudden activity on the part of concert givers. Several interesting entertainments are announced…

“On Thursday evening, the 28th, there will be a second exhibition of the new organ of St. George’s Church, Stuyvesant Square. Several distinguished organists will assists, and a well known prima donna will provide the vocal music.”

2)
Advertisement: New York Herald, 25 April 1870, 9.

“Messrs. WHITELY, WILLIAMS and JARDINE, the builders of the organ, will play.”

3)
Advertisement: New-York Times, 25 April 1870, 7.
4)
Announcement: New York Herald, 27 April 1870, 10.

“A grand organ concert will be given at St. George’s church on Thursday. Dr. Willcox and Messrs. Williams (organist of the church), Whitely and Jardine will appear, and Madame Manzocchi is the vocalist.”

5)
Advertisement: New York Herald, 27 April 1870, 10.

“A grand organ concert will be given at St. George’s church on Thursday. Dr. Willcox and Messrs. Williams (organist of the church), Whitely and Jardine will appear, and Madame Manzocchi is the vocalist.”

6)
Advertisement: New York Herald, 27 April 1870, 15.
7)
Announcement: New-York Times, 27 April 1870, 5.

“The second exhibition of the great organ in St. George’s Church, in Rutherford-square, will be offered to-morrow. Several organists will display the qualities of the instrument, Dr. J. H. Willcox contributing through their medium, a musical representation of a thunderstorm, and Mme. Manzocchi will sing.”

8)
Announcement: New York Post, 27 April 1870, 2.

Brief. Notes the concert “appeals to all those who are interested in the noblest of instruments.”

9)
Review: New York Herald, 28 April 1870, 7.

“There was a goodly array of the congregation of St. George’s church last night to hear Williams, Willcox and Whitely perform on Jardine’s new organ. The instrument is a truly magnificent one, having over sixty stops, and entirely faultless in regard to the quality of tone in each combination. The organists, to which we may add the talented builder, brought out all the resources of the organ to the fullest extent; and Madame Manzocchi excelled herself in her rendering of oratorio selections. Her fine soprano voice was one of the principal features of the concert.”

10)
Announcement: New-York Daily Tribune, 28 April 1870, 5.

“The new organ of St. George’s Church, said to be the largest in the city, will be exhibited at a concert this evening by Mr. J. H. Willcox, Mr. W. F. Williams and other performers.”

11)
Review: New-York Times, 29 April 1870, 4.

“A second exhibition of the new organ of St. George’s Church was given last night in presence of a pretty numerous audience. The feature of the entertainment was the representation of a thunder-storm by Dr. J. H. Willcox. Dr. Willcox’s production is not great in themes or in treatment, and as Rossini, in his overture to ‘William Tell,’ has dealt with the same subject as the programme presented as Dr. Willcox’s canvas, and has handled it with unapproachable effect so far as the pastoral music is concerned, and with an ill success as regards the storm which would hardly encourage an attempt in a like direction, the weakness of the latter work is hardly to be wondered at. The composition, though, displayed to the full the variety of the organ’s qualities, and the verse

“‘From Alp to Alp leaped the live thunder,’

“was illustrated with great impressiveness. Besides Mr. Willcox, who is a very skillful and tasteful performer, Mr. W. F. Williams, Mr. S. B. Whitely and Mr. E. G. Jardine tested the instrument, and Mme. Manzocchi sang.”

12)
Review: New-York Daily Tribune, 29 April 1870, 5.

"A second exhibition of the great organ in St. George’s Church, built by the Messrs. Jardine & Son, was given last evening. Dr. J. H. Willcox of Boston, S. B. Whitely of Liverpool, Edward G. Jardine, and W. F. Williams officiated as organists. Madame Manzocchi sang the airs ‘With Verdure Clad,’ ‘Let the Bright Seraphim,’ and ‘Angels Ever Bright and Fair.’ She was hardly equal to the demands of Handel, the immense auditory, and Mr. Willcox’s powerful accompaniment. The instrumental selections were from Mendelssohn, Battiste, Haydn, Wely, and Auber, with improvisations by Mr. Willcox, and were excellently rendered. A numerous audience was present, though most of the individuals composing it were more bent on cultivating their conversational powers than improving their knowledge of organ music.”

13)
Review: New York Post, 29 April 1870, 2.

“A heavy shower at an early hour last night sufficed to render the streets damp and muddy, and deterred many intended visitors from going to the various concerts announced. At St. George’s Church the magnificent organ built by Jardine & Son was exhibited by several organists of repute, Mr. Willcox, of Boston, having the most prominent part on the programme. The organ is generally acknowledged to have proven a great success, and to be a work to which Jardine & Son, the eminent builders, may refer with special pride. The interior of the fine church—which is but rarely opened in the evening, or seen under gaslight—presented last night a noble appearance. We should add that the organ playing was varied by the pleasing vocalization of Madame Manzocchi, who sang Haydn’s ‘With verdure clad,’ and Handel’s ‘Angels ever bright,’ and ‘Let the bright seraphim.’”