Sunday Concert: 1st

Event Information

Venue(s):
Grand Opera House

Conductor(s):
Carlo Patti

Price: $.50; $1 reserved seat

Event Type:
Band

Record Information

Status:
Published

Last Updated:
11 August 2023

Performance Date(s) and Time(s)

01 Jan 1871, Evening

Performers and/or Works Performed

LIST OF PERFORMER(S)/ORGANIZATION(S)

Participants: Ninth Regiment Band

Egmont, overture

aka Egmont overture; Goethe's Egmont

Composer(s): Beethoven

Freischütz, Der, overture

aka Freischutz overture

Composer(s): Weber

Huguenots, Les, selection

Composer(s): Meyerbeer

Guillaume Tell, selection

Composer(s): Rossini

Attila, selection

Composer(s): Verdi

Text Author: Solera

Citations

Advertisement: New-York Times, 01 January 1871, 7.

Review: New York Sun, 02 January 1871, 3.

“The much talked-of Ninth Regiment Band gave its first concert last evening at the Grand Opera House. We congratulate it on not having announced its performance as a sacred concert. There has been evemuch waltz music played under that name on Sunday evenings.

The lamented Artemis Ward used to talk of the brigade that he proposed forming, none of the members of which should be under the rank of brigadier general. When Col. Fisk’s band filed on to the stage of the Grand Opera House last evening, it looked as though Ward’s brigade had really come at last. Such an imposing array of crimson, triple-buttoned, gold-epauletted uniforms it seldom falls to the lot of man to look upon all at once. The collected Field Marshals of the British army, arrayed in all their glory, could not have presented a more striking spectacle. What with their gorgeous coats and caps, and the glittering brass of their bright instruments, they fairly outshone the splendors of the ‘Black Crook’ itself.

Col. Fisk has undoubtedly gathered together the elements of a fine band. We say elements, because it will be a considerable time before this large body of musicians come to play well together. That is quite a matter of patient drill, as much as are the ensemble movements of a regiment. The band is said to number one hundred, but there are seventeen snare drums that are heard in only one or two of the pieces. Practically the number reduces itself for concert purposes to about seventy. Of course, even this is too great a number to be heard to advantage in an opera house. The tone is fairly overpowering. The band needs to be heard in the open air and at greater distance. Nor can one expect from a body of reed and brass instruments any such variety of tone-color as is obtained from an orchestra that includes strings.

The soul of orchestral music lies in the stringed instruments; the rest are merely acoustics. This was particularly noticeable in Beethoven’s Egmont overture, which in every other respect was excellently played. But certain pieces were given out last evening with telling effect; for instance, the long-drawn, solemn harmonies of Luther’s Judgment Hymn from Meyerbeer’s ‘Huguenots.’ There was a superb sonority in this as given by this fine body of players, especially the great, massive bass, sung by eight tubas, and shaking the house with its vibrant strength.

Signor Carlo Patti is an admirable leader, and he has many good musicians under him. He will doubtless make good use of his material, and discipline his army of musicians into the best military band in the country.”

Review: New York Post, 03 January 1871, 2.

“Some months ago the proprietor of the Grand Opera House endeavored to engage the celebrated band of the King of the Belgians for a concert tour in this country. Unable to complete the arrangements he then conceived the idea of establishing a similar organization from among New York musicians, and secured about one hundred performers, who, it is understood, will form the band of the Ninth Regiment. This band gave its first concert at the Grand Opera House on the 1st instant. On appearing on the stage in their bright, showy uniforms, the coup d’ail presented by the members was quite attractive, and drew forth hearty applause. Barring a few faults incidental to the first performance of such a large band the playing was unusually good, and does credit to the efforts of Signor Carlo Patti, the conductor; and if loud and continued plaudits be considered an index to the feelings of the audience, the concert was a brilliant success. The selections were well made, and taken from celebrated composers, including the overture to ‘Egmont’ and to the ‘Freischutz;’ selections from the ‘Huguenots,’ from ‘William Tell,’ and from ‘Atilla.’ Indeed, the selections, which despite a few which may be termed decidedly ‘popular,’ were worthy of a first class concert; and the result of this entertainment will warrant a series of similar entertainments.”