Thomas Popular Garden Concert: 1st

Event Information

Venue(s):
Central Park Garden

Proprietor / Lessee:
7th Ave. between 58th and 59th Sts. Central Park Garden

Conductor(s):
Theodore Thomas [see also Thomas Orchestra]

Event Type:
Orchestral

Record Information

Status:
Published

Last Updated:
22 May 2022

Performance Date(s) and Time(s)

09 May 1870, 8:00 PM

Performers and/or Works Performed

Citations

1)
Advertisement: New York Herald, 09 April 1870, 9.

“CENTRAL PARK GARDEN. The regular season of Garden Concerts, under direction of THEODORE THOMAS, will open MONDAY, MAY 9. Restaurant and Barrooms now open.”“CENTRAL PARK GARDEN. The regular season of Garden Concerts, under direction of THEODORE THOMAS, will open MONDAY, MAY 9. Restaurant and Barrooms now open.”

2)
Announcement: New-York Daily Tribune, 18 April 1870, 5.

Brief.

3)
Announcement: New-York Daily Tribune, 27 April 1870, 5.
4)
Article: New-York Times, 30 April 1870, 7.

Long article on the reopening of Central Park for the summer season. "The somewhat gaudily painted music stand was covered in during last Winter to preserve it from the weather, and now that its outer casing or overcoat has been taken off, it looks as bright as a new dollar, or at any rate as fine as paints and gilding can make it. The concerts will be resumed, weather permitting, about the middle of next month. In selecting the programmes for these concerts, the endeavor has been to vary them as much as possible. Those who prefer dance music and martial airs will find some in each programme, and those, again, who think that listening to selections from the classic operas of Mozart, Meyerbeer, Verdi, Wagner and Weber the height of human felicity, will find some of these in each programme. Nor are Wallace, Offenbach, Balfe, Costa and the lesser lights forgotten. All are represented in turn. Those who profess to be learned in such matters assert that the al fresco concerts of The Central Park will compare favorably with those given in any of the public parks of Europe. However this may be, it is quite certain that they give pleasure to many thousands of our citizens, both rich and poor, during the Summer months.”

5)
Announcement: New York Herald, 02 May 1870, 7.

Brief. “Theodore Thomas and his renowned orchestra will be at the seature [sic, likely should be “feature”] at Central Park Garden this summer.”

6)
Advertisement: New York Herald, 08 May 1870, 8.
7)
Advertisement: New York Herald, 09 May 1870, 2.
8)
Announcement: New York Herald, 09 May 1870, 7.

 “The lovers of music will be delighted at the announcement of Theodore Thomas’ concerts at Central Park Garden. His inimitable orchestra will take their seats in this beautiful summer retreat this evening, and the well known chef d’orchestre will wield his baton with his usual skill. He has secured many novelties for his programmes, and the Koch Brothers have done everything possible to render the Garden attractive to the public.”

9)
Announcement: New-York Daily Tribune, 09 May 1870, 5.

“When the swallows homeward fly, or perhaps a little later, it is safe to expect the return of Theodore Thomas to the glittering bowers of the Central Park Garden. There, amid the rattle of spoons, the clink of beer-glasses, the patter of wandering feet, and the prattle of innocent young persons to whom the gas-lighted groves are visions of elysium, and the illuminated fountains are splendors of fairy-land, he begins today his Summer season of concerts. For months he has been wandering about the land with his forty fiddles and things; he has conquered the provinces and brought Boston to his feet; he has won the fame which is rightly his of being the most enterprising and (with only one or two exceptions) the best orchestral conductor in America. In the Boston Musical Hall he gave eight symphony concerts in a single week, and the room, which holds as many as our Academy of Music, was filled at every concert. So he comes back loaded with the laurels of victory, and on the principle that nothing succeeds like success we ought to give him such a welcome as he never had before. Seriously, his Summer concerts are a boon to New-York, and their opening is a matter of deep public concern.”

10)
Announcement: New York Post, 09 May 1870, 2.

“In view of the cool—almost chilly—weather, the reopening by Theodore Thomas’s orchestra of the Central Park Garden to-night seems almost premature; but there is no doubt that the music will be excellent. The Central Park Garden is under the superintendence of the Messrs. Koch; and will this season prove one of the most attractive of our places of resort to those who enjoy first-class orchestral music.”

11)
Announcement: New York Sun, 09 May 1870, 2.

“The Central Park Garden opens for the season under Koch Bros. The popular concerts are directed by the favorite Theodore Thomas.”

12)
Review: New York Herald, 10 May 1870, 7.

“The reopening of this popular and fashionable place of amusement last evening was a brilliant success. A select and appreciative assemblage—as many, indeed, as could be comfortably seated within its spacious music hall—here passed an evening of most exquisite enjoyment, listening to the well chosen and superbly performed music of the admirably organized orchestra, under that unrivaled maestro, Theodore Thomas. The programme—which was divided into three parts—presented a most pleasing variety of the most refined and beautiful music. Such was the delight of the audience that at the end of nearly every piece they were clamorous for an encore. As regards the musical entertainment, it was only a magnificent fulfillment of the splendid promises of the past, a charming continuation of the most enjoyable musical treats of last season, which attracted so many thousands of people here, and made this the most popular and pleasant place of summer resort in the city, and which is also certain to keep up the same enlivening and exhilarating interest through the coming season. They have been far ahead of us in Europe in the ample facilities for musical recreation of this kind. The magnificent musical gardens of the Kursaals and Dresden are known the world over. Characteristic of our true American genius, we are not only coming up to them, but boldly taking the lead. There is nowhere a more spacious, sumptuous and gorgeously appointed musical garden than the Central Park Garden, as revivified and refurnished under the tasteful direction of its new managers, Messrs. John Koch & Brothers. So thorough and extensive have been the alterations that the habitués of last season would hardly recognize the place. In the first place, the entrance has been wholly changed, being now by a spacious and richly decorated corridor, so that the audience will not be disturbed by people coming and going away. There has been an entire remodeling of the interior, and the walls and ceilings have been frescoed in the most exquisite style of modern art. Most admirable taste has been shown in laying out the garden. The dark alcoves have been removed, a broad promenade encircles it paved with a material which will not soil the dresses of promenaders; every part is open to the air and eye, and all is gay with myriad lights and fragrant flowers and the music of falling waters mingling with the deeper and richer melodies of the orchestra, which permeates everywhere and gives added beauty and life to all. The whole place is lit up with elaborate chandeliers and reflectors, after the style of the White House.”

13)
Review: New-York Daily Tribune, 10 May 1870, 5.

“Yesterday evening was not exactly balmy; nevertheless a great crowd of people went to the Central Park Garden in search of Summer, and if they did not find warm zephyrs, and soft moonlight, and yearnings for ice-cream, they found at any rate Theodore Thomas and his forty men; they found a Grand Inauguration March, they found the Tannhaüser, and the Freischütz, and William Tell, and Lurline; they found Strauss still waltzing On the Beautiful Blue Danube; and they found many other things too numerous to mention, and too pleasant to be reproduced with types and printers’ ink. Mr. Thomas has gained great glory, and, we are happy to believe, much money, since he went away from us; nevertheless he is not spoiled, and he purveys good music with as much zeal as ever, and directs it with the same calm countenance and genteel good-manners which we have admired so much in former years. We notice a number of new faces among his forty players, but the principal men are the same. Matzka, Bergner, and a dozen others more or less famous [?] are still there, and we hope for as much good music from them as we have had in former seasons. The Messrs. Koch, who manage the gross material part of the Garden—the beer, gas, ice-cream, admission tickets, cigars, waiters, patent pastry, beef-steak, and soda-water—have introduced certain changes tending to make the Garden more select—such as closing the communication between the bar-room and the street—and certain others sending to make it more popular—such as admitting tobacco to the balcony boxes. The hall is more spacious than of old; the frescoes are fresh and gorgeous; and there are sundry other decorations which to be appreciated must be seen. Altogether the Garden promises to be a pleasant and profitable Summer resort, and we strongly recommend those of our friends who are not squeamish about smoke to go there every night and take all their acquaintances with them.”

14)
Review: New York Post, 10 May 1870, 2.

“A pleasant concert of good, enjoyable music was given by Theodore Thomas and his admirable orchestra at the Central Park Garden last night. Weber, Wallace, Wagner and Rossini furnished the principal features of the programme, and a large attendance of music-lovers listened with gratification to the performance, although the weather was hardly adapted to the current idea of summer entertainments. The hall presents several improvements in fresh fresco paintings, and the arrangements for the absorption of food and drink. As to the music, that under the baton of Theodore Thomas is always unexceptionable.”