Liederkranz Sacred Concert

“The fourth subscription Concert intended to be given on Tuesday, April 14, at Irving Hall, has been postponed to Sunday evening, April 26, on account of extraordinary preparations to produce a most attractive historical programme.”

 “It’s the last [concert] of the season.”

Says tickets are .75. Performers, pieces

 Gives program.

 Time, prices, performers, etc. Says tickets are .50.

 “The house was filled by a large and appreciative audience. The performances were much applauded. The grand orchestra, under the direction of Mr. A. Paur, played with remarkable ensemble several beautiful overtures. The great attraction of the evening was the masterly performance of Mr. J.N. Pattison, a pianist of rare talent. He played the ‘Campanella,’ by Listz [sic], with exquisite taste and skill. This artist’s execution is really very fine. His touch is firm but delicate. He executes the most difficult passages with an ease and grace which place him in the front rank of his profession. He won well deserved applause. The concert was certainly a great success.”

[Lists program and performers.]

            “The Grand Piano used on this occasion was from the manufactory of Steinway & Sons.

            This last concert, under the direction of Mr. A. Paur, followed in the path of the so-called historical concerts, which have of late become more frequent in Germany than before. There is no question that these concerts must have a beneficial influence upon musical culture, provided the selections are really such, which will illustrate the peculiarities of style in the different epoques [sic] of musical art. In this respect the specimens, offered on this occasion, were pretty satisfactory. Whether it would not have been better, to give us also one of the less known chorusses [sic] by Handel, and a fragment from Beethoven’s Grand Mass (as promised) we will not decide for the present. Bach too might have been illustrated in some music of his more impressive. There are some portions of the ‘Passions-Musik,’ which would have been better enjoyed by the audience, and still given a perfect illustration of his style. ‘Fratres ego,’ by Palestrina, was performed in one of the previous concerts. There is a purity of sentiment, a truth and loftiness of expression in this piece, which touches our heart and imagination, although the means of expression, the harmonic progressions, etc., are rather old fashioned. The selections from the ‘Requiem,’ by Mozart, were ‘Tuba mirum, Rex tremendae, Dies irae and Lacrymosa,’ all of them making a very deep impression, and for this very reason we will not inquire which of these parts were Mozart’s own, or Sussmayer’s additions.

            The ‘Credo’ from the ‘Graner Mass,’ by Liszt, coming so immediately after the ‘Lacrymosa,’ which for well-soundedness and primitiveness of feeling cannot be surpassed, sounded, of course, very odd and uncouth. For this reason it would have been better to prepare the ears of the audience by some of the so-called crudities, which are offered, for instance, in Beethoven’s ‘Missa Solemnis.’ There are certain links in the chain between Mozart and Liszt, which cannot be overlooked. We will not question the propriety of making Liszt the representative of modern church music, while Schumann too has left us a Mass, portions of which are said to be as beautiful as anything he has written, but if it was necessary to give us the very last stage of mass-writing, it was equally necessary not to make us hear it after the sublime effort of Mozart in his ‘Requiem.’ No mistake, Liszt’s music is eminently modern, the means of expression are huge (even the size of the score is somewhat formidable), and the result is also extremely—huge. This music is certainly a very unexpected end of what Palestrina began; but just because everything in it is unexpected we are unable at least, for the present, to have a conclusive opinion about it. There are various routes to Rome, and that, chosen by Liszt in this mass, may perhaps be as good as a great many others, which have been traveled oftener, and are consequently better known. The question iswhether [sic] the music is sufficiently attractive, to make us follow the author in these unheard-of regions. As this to ascertain undoubtedly requires more faith and time than we can spare for the present, we leave the task to others more ambitious in this respect than we are, and drop the subject with the assurance, that we enjoyed the Credo—hugely.

            In conclusion let us say, that the Liederkranz and their leader deserve thanks for the concerts, that they have given us during the winter. We have heard good and new music, and this too in as creditable a manner as can be reasonably expected from amateurs. The experiment has been made, and we feel confident that next winter it will bear still better fruits.”