Church of the Messiah Sunday Service

Event Information

Venue(s):
Church of the Messiah (1867-1930)

Event Type:
Choral

Record Information

Status:
Published

Last Updated:
26 April 2022

Performance Date(s) and Time(s)

01 May 1870, Morning

Program Details

For complete list of performers, see New York Herald review. Music in Gotham assumes the soprano “Mrs. Ficker” cited in the New York Herald review to be Johanna Ficher, some years prior a singer with the Maretzek Italian Opera.

Performers and/or Works Performed

1)
LIST OF PERFORMER(S)/ORGANIZATION(S)
Participants:  Church of the Messiah, choir;  Johanna Ficher;  Edward, Jr. Howe [composer-org];  Charles [tenor] Whiting;  [vocalist] Rushby
2)
Messiah, "He shall feed his flock"
Composer(s): Handel
Participants:  Edward, Jr. Howe [composer-org]
3)
Te Deum, unidentified
Composer(s): Thomas
4)
"Love divine"
Composer(s): Donizetti
5)
"Blessed are the merciful"
Composer(s): Howe [composer-org]
Participants:  Charles [tenor] Whiting

Citations

1)
Review: New York Herald, 02 May 1870, 3.

“…The organist began playing a voluntary on the organ—‘He shall find his flocks’ [sic]—from Handel’s ‘Messiah,’ filling the vast interior of the sacred edifice with the sweetest melody of sounds, when suddenly an unusual episode occurred. [Explains that a woman charged the pulpit and needed to be removed by police officers.]…

“The music was unusually excellent. The Te Deum by J. R. Thomas, with solos by Mrs. Ficker, Miss Rushley and Mr. Clapp exquisitely sung, and so, too, ‘Love Divine,’ a duet by Donizetti, sung by Mrs. Ficker and Mr. Clapp. After this was sung ‘Blessed are the Merciful’ (with tenor solo by Mr. C. F. Whiting), a short anthem by Mr. Edward Howe, Jr., the organist. After reading a portion of Scriptures was sung a congregational hymn.”