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:
2 July 2022

Performance Date(s) and Time(s)

22 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;  Charles [tenor] Whiting;  [vocalist] Rushby;  Charles F. [minstrel] Shattuck;  Johanna Ficher;  Edward, Jr. Howe [composer-org]
2)
Messiah, "He shall feed his flock"
Composer(s): Handel
3)
"Praise the Lord, o my soul"
Composer(s): Monte, de
4)
"Rock of ages"
Composer(s): Warren
5)
"Heavenly Father graciously hear us"
Composer(s): Loder

Citations

1)
Review: New York Herald, 23 May 1870, 3.

“…the low, soft tones of the organ, played with masterly skill by Mr. Edward Howe, Jr., the organist, filled the spacious interior of the beautiful temple of worship with their divine concord of sweet sounds, and the hearts of the worshipers with a sweet accord, in harmony with the exquisite, soul-enlivening music of the voluntary ‘He Shall Feed His Flocks,’ from Handel’s ‘Messiah.’ But what more inspiring to inner soul worship than the anthem, by De Monte, following—‘Praise the Lord, Oh My Soul!’—in which Mrs Ficker, soprano; Miss Rushby, alto; Mr. Whiting, tenor, and Mr. Shattuck, bass, each of whom sang with their accustomed sweetness and expression! The whole music, indeed, was unusually fine, and especially the ‘Rock of Ages,’ a quartette, by G. W. Warren, with solos by Mrs. Ficker and Mr. Whiting, and another quartette, the vespers after prayer, ‘Heavenly Father Graciously Hear Us,’ by George Loder.”