National Saengerfest of the Northeastern Saengerbund of America: 12th

Complete list of participating societies.

“At the rink in the evening the audience numbering fully [illegible]. On the stage were about 2,500 singers and an orchestra of 100, Mr. Agricola Paur being the leader. The programme consisted of the following works [see above].

Regarding this concert we cannot say much for it in a musical point of view. No worse building could be chosen than the Rink, for a musical performance of any kind. Its great size, low roof, utter absence of acoustical qualities and the hubbub among the inattentive audience preclude the possibility of giving a detailed criticism of the performance. The symphony was inaudible to at least half the audience, and from the entrance we would imagine that Mr. Paur was waving his baton to no purpose whatever.

The most interesting work was the chef d’oeuvre of Max Bruch, a pupil of Ritter, who has been an [industrious?] worker in his profession at Cologne.” [remainder of review is illegible]

“The scene at the Rink (Sixty-third street) in the evening was imposing in the extreme. The immense building, beautiful in the simplicity of its wealth of graceful arches, was tastefully adorned with flowers, flags and evergreens, while at the back of the stage the portraits of the great composers and one or two allegorical statues were relieved against a great screen of blue, spangled with stars, which from the entrance showed like the firmament itself, while calcium lights sent their clear white rays over the clustered groups of orchestra and chorus. The programme was like the building, simple but massive—the noble Fifth Symphony, Rietz’s beautiful ‘Morgenlied,’ by the entire chorus of nearly three thousand singers, and Bruch’s cantata, ‘The Frithiof’s Saga,’ with full chorus and soli by Mme. Lichtmay and Herr Vierling. They should have been by Messrs. Candidus and Steins and Frau Rotter-Dieffenbach, but in matters musical we may be excused for quoting—a little altered—the old apothegem Man proposes and the artists dispose.

Herr Vierling sang with taste, and with meritorious execution, in view of the very short time he had had for rehearsal. Mme. Lichtmay’s fine vibratory tones were extremely effective in the great building, in which a weaker organ would have been almost inaudible. Our reservation as to those faults of method by which she sometimes, while settling upon her note, succeeds in creating a sort of chromatic discord for several seconds at a time, has been sufficiently made before. But the chorus would have made amends for these or more serious defects. Nothing could well be grander than the mighty swell of three-thousand well-trained voices, rising in majestic volumes of sound  like the thunder of the ocean, in the stern, sad utterances of the People’s Curse, or echoing and dying in the antiphonic wailing of Frithiof’s Farewell. This fine music, beautiful in construction as in execution, only enforces the lesson of the first jubilee, that in great numbers well managed, we attain, not great noise, but fullness, richness and smoothness of tone. While we deprecate the rage for monster concerts simply as such, we cannot help hoping to see the two or three thousand voiced chorus developed to its utmost capacity, with the feeling that certain magnificent effects and inestimable qualities are attainable in this way and no other.”  

“The evening concert in the Rink was very largely attended. Much taste and labor had been expended in decorating the immense building with flags, draperies, and evergreens. Many thousands were present in chorus and orchestra, the house being about three-fourths full.

The chorus singing was by the united societies of the Bund. The programme estimated the number of singers at three thousand. This was probably a liberal estimate, but the number doubtless came near that mark.

There had been, we believe, but one general rehearsal, but the choruses were nevertheless admirably given, the whole body of singers holding well together. In such a mighty mass all minor defects are covered up. If a hundred sing out of tune it will be offset by the thousands who sing in tune. The intonation of these large choral masses is always true.

An encore. The opening vocal piece was a four-part song by Rietz, and this went so completely to the satisfaction of the audience that its repetition was clamorously called for. To this succeeded a long cantata for male voice chorus, with soprano and baritone solos by Max Bruch, entitled ‘Frithiof’s Saga.’ It was founded on an old Norse legend. The music is very strong and noble, and was beautifully sung. The volume of tone was grand, sonorous, and imposing. There are certainly richer, deeper, and grander effects in these vast choruses for male voices than are obtained from any other musical source. The solos were sustained by Madame Lichtmay and Mr. Edward Vierling. The latter is a singer of much power and acquirement. The Rink, however, tested his powers to the utmost, and before the evening was over he was evidently over-taxed.” [Followed by a description of post-concert activities]

“An afternoon entertainment, whereof prize-singing by eighteen competing societies supplied the attraction, and an evening concert, with a programme of vocal and instrumental music intrusted [sic] for interpretation to the masses taking part in the festivities, were the incidents of the Saengerfest yesterday [review of the afternoon session excluded here; see entry for that event].

At 8 o’clock, at the Rink, the public was in part reassembled. The spacious building was about half filled at that hour, and until 8 ½, when three-fourths of its seats were occupied, there was an unceasing stir. Under such circumstances a stronger orchestra than Mr. A. Paur had at his disposal would have had little attention. As it was, the musicians were too few to fill Rink with sound, and the delicate passages of Beethoven’s superb symphony in C minor never reached the ears of a majority of the listeners. The last movement, though its hearing yesterday would have never prompted Goethe to saying that it seemed as though the ‘house were tumbling about his ears,’ was at least audible. Throughout, the rendering of the symphony was not marred by [illegible], but it was by no means animated. The second number of the bill proved more [illegible]. The full chorus of the Saengerbund, said to include 3,000 voices, sang Rietz’s ‘Morning Song,’ and did so with an effect on the audience which resulted in a recall. Mr. Paur cannot be too highly complimented for this achievement. An equal number of singers has never been better kept in hand. The choral share in the last effort of the night was capitally sustained also. Max Bruch’s cantata of ‘Frithjof-Sage’ is a work poor in thought, and distinguished only for a fullness and a very infrequent felicity of instrumentation after that manner of Wagner, of which the score in ‘Lohengrin’ is the type. Mme. Lichtmay and Herr Vierling sang the solos in ‘Frithjof-Sage,’ the voices of both artists being quite equal to the task, though the lady’s is alone to be set down as invariably proof against falseness.”

[The review is preceded by an article describing the day’s activities for visitors not engaged in the business of the Fest prior to the concert and activities to take place tomorrow] “The grand concert by the united societies, last evening, at the Empire Rink, was not in all respects a triumph of art, yet it was certainly brilliant. Even as a spectacle it had its appropriate glories. The vast building was crowded, and the chorus of two or three thousand men, filling the gaily lighted and decorated stage, was worth looking at, to say nothing of its singing. There was a so-so performance of Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony, which must have been almost inaudible except by persons near the stage. From the first measure to the last there was a constant tramp of feet, a rustling and chattering of late comers, a running about of people who could not find their seats, and of ushers who had lost their reckoning. But quiet came after a while, and the singing was duly enjoyed. There were only two vocal pieces, both of them gems. The first was a delicious Morgenlied by Rietz, which was enthusiastically encored. The honor was well deserved, for it is a noble song, and it was well sung. In the performance of the societies separately during the afternoon individual defects were always more or less conspicuous and the quality of the voices was not often agreeable. But when the whole force combined the effect was very different. Roughnesses were smoothed away. Nasal tenors and rasping basses mingled their good and bad qualities in the great ocean of tone, and the bad somehow seemed to get swallowed up and lost. They made an admirable chorus, and though it is impossible that a choir composed as this was of many distinct organizations, should not wander a little into devious paths, it was kept pretty well in hand by the bundesdirigent, Mr. Paur, and did itself credit.

For the performance of Max Bruch’s ‘Frithiofs Saga’ we feel that we owe the Sängerbund our hearty thanks. Here is romantic music of the most exquisite kind—solid, rich, and glowing with feeling. There are two solo parts—soprano, rendered on this occasion by Madame Lichtmay, and baritone by Mr. Vierling—both well done, and both beautiful; and there is a long succession of choruses full alike of grandeur and of sentiment. It would be easy to find fault with the orchestra as well as the chorus for the execution of some parts of the work; but we prefer to remember that in the nature of things there cannot be thorough rehearsal of a Sängerfest concert, and to compliment Mr. Pauer and the men under his direction for their general success in presenting a composition of such a high character.” [List of participating societies and number of members in each follows] 

From the Weekly Review, July 1: “In the evening the first so-called Monster Concert took place at the Rink. The place is only fit to be used for fairs, skating and trotting. The consequence was, that Beethoven’s fifth symphony was lost in the vast dimensions, and begged in vain to be comforted. Not much better fared the ‘Frithjof’s Sage’ by Max Bruch. All the finer touches of the composition became lost, and the meaning of the production was hidden behind the banners and emblems, with which the building was decorated. Of the soloists—Mme. Lichtmay and Mr. Vierling gave satisfaction. The best impression was produced by the spirited rendering of the ‘Morgenlied’ by Rietz, a very effective composition, which seemed to delight the audience.”