Church Music Association Closing Concert Rehearsal

“Last C. M. A. rehearsal at Steinway 4 p. m. Crowded. Oberon overture, Berthold, the Mass, and the 2^nd part of Oberon. This went admirably well. I am very glad to say that our nice friend Mrs. Brown was brilliant & forceful in her ‘Ocean’ scene, in spite of the raging orchestra against which she sang. People who remarked that they had heard Parepa sing it (before this lady began) & made the remark with a certain significance, seemed quite wild about the performance when it concluded. It was interrupted by frequent applause. Leggat was also effective in his ‘Ruler of this awful hour.’ I fear the Mass did not run quite so smoothly. Mrs. Kempton disconsolate & discouraged after the rehearsal. Pech says the principals seem afraid of their music. The portions of the Benedictus in which quartette & chorus work together were certainly obscure. The Dona came out splendidly with its brilliant orchestral effects, and the unaccompanied passage in the Sanctus, about which I was uneasy, went well. In the finale of the Berthold overture, I fear the attack of the chorus was not quite so precise & preemptory as at the first concert.”

“Steinway Hall was crowded yesterday afternoon with a very large audience formed of the subscribers and friends of this valuable organization. The occasion was the last public rehearsal of orchestra and chorus preceding the concert, which will take place this evening. The orchestra and chorus together could not have numbered less than three hundred performers, the entire stage, which has been considerably enlarged, being filled with singers and instrumentalists. Beethoven’s mass [sic] in C, and the last part of Weber’s ‘Oberon’ were rehearsed. The beauty and freshness of the voices in the choruses, and the admirable precision of the orchestra under Dr. James Pech’s precise and vigorous control, were prominent points of the afternoon’s rehearsal. All things gave good promise for this evening, when a large and most most [sic] distingué audience is expected. The solos in the mass will be sung by Mme. Salvotti, Mrs. Jennie Kempton, Mr. W. J. Hill and Mr. Joseph Jewett. The solos from ‘Oberon’ will be interpreted by Mrs. Imogene [sic] Brown—who made a highly favorable impression yesterday afternoon—Mme. Salvotti, Miss Jennie E. Bull, Mr. Leggat and Mr. Jewett. The orchestra performs the ‘Jubel’ overture and the overture to ‘Oberon,’ and did so yesterday with great correctness, spirit and effect.”