Church of St. Francis Xavier Sunday Service

Event Information

Venue(s):
Church of St. Francis Xavier

Conductor(s):
William Berge

Event Type:
Choral

Record Information

Status:
Published

Last Updated:
7 December 2022

Performance Date(s) and Time(s)

04 Sep 1870, Morning

Performers and/or Works Performed

2)
Composer(s): Mozart
3)
Composer(s): Unknown composer
Participants:  Giuseppe Tamaro

Citations

1)
Review: New York Herald, 05 September 1870, 5.

“The preacher, after giving a brief description of leprosy, branched off into AN ATTACK on the religious notices given in every Monday’s Herald. He objected to having every denomination of religion noticed together, and was severe on the subject of criticisms on church music. He referred to the choir in rather disparaging terms, giving a burlesque criticism of it in such terms as these:--‘Miss So and so acquitted herself in a very creditable manner in the very difficult solo she selected, and the performance of Mozart’s Twenty-fifth Mass (there is no twenty-fifth Mass of Mozart’s) was excellent. Mr. Thingumbob presided at the organ with his usual skill.’

“The music yesterday was a complete success in an artistic point of view, and did not deserve the strictures of the reverend preacher. Mozarts ‘Mass No. 1’ was sung by the full choir, and chorus with all the perfection of ensemble and religious feeling it called for, and the beautiful Agnus Dei, soprano solo, received full justice at the hands of Miss Teresa Werneke. Signor Tamaro sang an ‘Ave Maria,’ tenor solo, at the offertory with sympathetic expression and tenderness. Music is one of the chief handmaidens of religion, and attracts more people to the church than the dreariest homily ever uttered in the pulpit.”