Concert

“This promising young pianist gave her annual concert at this hall last night before a large and enthusiastic audience. She played Liszt’s ‘Rhapsodie Hongroise, No. 2;’ Thalberg’s fantasia on ‘Norma,’ with Mr. Pinner, and Wollenhaupt’s fantasia on ‘Traviata.’ She has made wonderful progress since we last heard her, and has fulfilled all the high expectations formed of her by those who attended her debut, two years ago. Liszt’s work was a rather ambitious undertaking for one so young, as was Thalberg’s great work. She displayed in both remarkable facility in execution, delicacy of touch and a certain command of expression. She was received very warmly and encored in each of her selections. Mme. G. Frankau Hess sang a cavatina from ‘Ione’ without any remarkable expression or feeling. She has a pleasant voice, but a crude manner of using it. A tenor of the most primitive style, named Mr. Schoo, created much amusement, by quite an original rendering o ‘M’appari,’ from ‘Martha,’ during which his attention seemed to be divided between balancing a roll of music between his fingers and trying to follow Mr. Mora’s peculiar organ accompaniment. Mr. Wenzel Kopta played a polonaise by Wieniawski and ‘Hungarian Airs’ in his characteristic brilliant style, and the everlasting overture to ‘William Tell’ was played in a style which would cause one to exclaim , ‘O temps! O, Mora!’ It lacked spirit, dash and brilliancy.”

“Miss Markstein gave a pleasant concert on Monday evening at Association Hall. The young lady has been well taught, and plays well. Her touch is firm, her execution good, and her phrasing [illegible] excellent taste. There was rather too much organ playing, even taking into consideration the fact that there was so good a player as Mr. Morra [sic]. The organ is a heavy paced instrument at best, and only under exceptional circumstances, and in the hands of an exceptional player, is it heard with pleasure. Mr. Morra’s pedal playing, however, was spirited enough to excite the admiration if not the pleasure of the listener.”

“Miss Markstein’s concert, which was given at Association Hall, on Monday, attracted a very large audience. The young lady was assisted by Mr. Kopta, violinist; by Prof. Pinner, pianist; by Mr. Shoo, tenor, and Mme. Hess, soprano. In clearness of execution a marked improvement was made manifest in Miss Markstein’s performance, and, in fact, her command of the technique of the piano is almost complete. It is imprudent, however, to compel Miss Markstein, who in years is still a child, to render Liszt’s ‘Rhapsodie Hongroise.’ Compositions of this kind ought to be played in the spirit as well as in the letter.”