Thomas Orchestra: Anna Mehlig Benefit

“Our readers have had the due warning of the approach of Theodore Thomas and his melodious company. For two seasons he has wandered over the continent, cheered in all the great cities by crowded and clamorous audiences, and stirring up in such severely critical communities as Boston a perfect fever of musical enthusiasm. His triumph in some of these distant centers of culture has been truly wonderful. He has given nightly concerts of orchestral music, and the interest of the public has seemed inexhaustible. In Boston, if we remember aright, he gave eight symphony concerts in a single week, and the Music Hall—the largest hall in the city—was constantly thronged. Every part of the United States has been quick to realize what New-York never quite understood,—that Theodore Thomas commands an orchestra of which any city in the world might be proud, and that he is rendering more brilliant service to the cause of true art than any other musician or any musical organization on this continent. That such a man should have been driven into the provinces for recognition which the metropolis withheld, is a shameful and humiliating [illeg.]. Still we are beginning to open our eyes, and fortunately before it is too late. It is the public custom not to honor a true artist until he is dead. Mr. Thomas luckily is not dead; he is only absent. He [illeg.] for a few hours, just touching New-York in [illeg.] traveling concert troupe night touch Albany [illeg.]. ‘Tis humiliating to find ourselves so low in the [illeg.], but we hope Mr. Thomas will receive such [illeg.] welcome at his two concerts this week that he may be tempted to return, and before long to resume those delightful Symphony soirees which he used to give us every Winter.

In greeting Mr. Thomas we shall have an opportunity to greet the admirable artist, who comes in his company. Miss Anna Mehlig has been traveling with the Thomas Orhcestra for several months, and the concert on Friday night will be especially for her benefit. It is unnecessary to [illeg.] upon her merits, for she is warmly appreciated in New-York, and is certain of a cordial reception. [Lists pieces she will play.] The programme is a peculiar one.”

Announcement: New York Post, 26 January 1871, 2.

“Two of the most enjoyable concerts of the winter ill doubtless be those of Friday and Saturday evenings, at Steinway Hall; the only ones to be given this winter in New York by Theodore Thomas’s company.

[Lists programs.]

Miss Mehlig’s reputation, first established in America by her successes in New York last winter, has how been widely extended by one of the most brilliant series of concerts through the country every given; and the press of every section confirms the cordial and enthusiastic verdict of admiration which she first won here. She will doubtless, on this occasion, be welcomed by one of the most intelligent, critical and appreciative audiences that New York can furnish.”

Announcement: New York Herald, 27 January 1871, 6.

“After a prolonged absence from the city the admirable orchestra over which Theodore Thomas presides appears to-night and to-morrow evening at Steinway Hall. [Lists programs.] Thomas’ orchestra has now played in all the principal towns in the West and East, and, by introducing everywhere a taste for good music, has done an incalculable amount of good. Mr. Thomas, at the outset of his career, chose for himself the direct but rugged path that alone leads to the temple of art. He has never departed from the high standard of music with which his early efforts were associated, but has gone on steadily through sunshine and shadow, being regarded most of the time as an apostle of music, a very unremunerative line of business. After years of labor and experience, added to the magnetic influence of a capable, painstaking and conscientious conductor, his orchestra has reached a point as near perfection as any body of musicians that can be found in Europe or America. Their influence on music is one of the most beneficial character, and the immense musical public of the metropolis should testify by a crowded house this evening their recognition of that influence.”

Review: New York Post, 28 January 1871, 2.

“The best instrumental concert of the season was that given last night at Steinway Hall for the benefit of Miss Mehlig, the pianist, by Theodore Thomas’s orchestra. The audience was intelligent and critical; the programme was well selected and attractive; and the performers were united by a bond of personal sympathy and by that practical cohesion which results from long study and practice together. Mr. Thomas was received with applause. He is becoming more dignified—even Julien-esque—in appearance than he was a few seasons ago; and he proved last night that his is the best orchestra in the country. It contains many new faces. A great proportion of the members are young men, who, in this tuneful band, are passing through a course of instruction which will be to them of untold value.

They played exquisitely. The shading was perfect. More delicate and yet audible pianissimos we have rarely heard. The string instruments had that preponderance which they should have, and in which so many of our orchestras are deficient; and, whether by accident or design, we know not, the selections for last night were such as to call forth with peculiar effect the powers and capabilities of the violins and cellos. These selections included the ‘Tannhauser’ overture, a movement from Beethoven’s ‘Prometheus’ music, a scherzo by Goldmark, Beethoven’s quartet No. 5, Schubert’s Cavalry March instrumented by Liszt; and for an encore piece the very popular ‘Traumerei’ of Schumann. The latter seemed especially to suit the fancy of the audience.

Miss Mehlig played Liszt’s concerto in E flat, Bach’s prelude and fugue in E minor, and a polonaise by Weber, with orchestral instrumentation by Liszt. They were all superbly rendered. The Bach fugue was a marvel in its neatness of execution and as an exemplification of manual endurance. The Weber polonaise—a most brilliant and melodious number—completely captivated the audience; while an encore piece of a lighter and more delicate texture showed that Miss Mehlig can display the elegant dexterity of Wehli and the tender grace of Gottschalk.”

Review: New-York Times, 28 January 1871, 4.

“The first of two concerts (the second taking place this evening) occurred yesterday at Steinway Hall, Mr. Theodore Thomas’ orchestra supplying the larger portion of the music, and Miss Anna Mehlig, who benefitted by the entertainment, contributing the solos. It is rather late to express admiration for Mr. Thomas’ orchestra. Its performances during the Summer months called forth unqualified praise, and it was only to be expected that a long and successful series of rehearsals throughout the country would better its good qualities. We have had besides, few opportunities of listening to orchestral music at miscellaneous concerts, lately, so that a welcome of unusual cordiality to Mr. Thomas and his musicians, is neither untimely nor undeserved. Last night the orchestra interpreted the whole programme with rare accuracy and appreciation. Performers of talent are abundant enough to swell Mr. Thomas’ forces to thrice their number, but of late years no organization of equal strength has been formed, in which the results of personal and combined experience have been so clearly and agreeably manifested. We prefer this evening’s bill, while recording the fact that yesterday’s afforded great satisfaction. The overture to ‘Der Tannhaeuser’ was capitally executed. Beethoven’s ‘Prometheus’ was represented by the adagio movement, in which the effect of the harp, violoncello, clarionet, flute and bassoon obligati, was made as charming as that of the tutti passages was made striking by a recitative eloquent and precise. A scherzo, by Goldmark, whose works are fast becoming popular in Europe, seemed, at its first hearing, freighted with great richness of harmony and slight significance. Miss Anna Mehlig played with a distinctness and vigor of touch most remarkable, even in a performance of that accomplished lady, Liszt’s concert in E flat, which has been already alluded to here. The second part began with the introduction to the third act of Cherubini’s ‘Medea.’ Miss Mehlig afterward interpreted Liszt’s arrangement for piano of Bach’s organ fugue, in G. To this composition no artist here can give the same coherence and massiveness. Beethoven’s quartet No. 5, in A, followed as a medium for displaying once again the sympathy and unity characterizing the work of the stringed instruments. A superb delivery of Weber’s ‘Polonaise Brillante,’ opus 9, with sonorous and appropriate instrumentation by Liszt, resulted in an unanimous recall (the second) for Miss Mehlig, whose sensibility and taste, no less than her purely physical gifts, gave the pieces, which is not noticeable for novel ideas or treatment, a freshness and dash of immense power on the audience. Schubert’s ‘Cavalry March’ was the last number.”

10)

Review: New-York Daily Tribune, 28 January 1871, 10.

“Mr. Theodore Thomas had a cordial and well-deserved welcome last night at Steinway Hall from an audience in which musical and fashionable circles were both largely represented. He has made such a brilliant tour with his 63 performers during the past two seasons that his return to New-York was something in the nature of a triumph. Certainly there are few artists to whom we owe a [heavier?] tribute of admiration. Even our Philharmonic Society, splendid as its record is and grand as its performances always are, has not done more for art than this young, enthusiastic, and scientific leader, who does every night in the week some such work as the Philharmonic Society does six times in the year. It is not fair to expect that an orchestra which travels so much and performs so incessantly that it has no time to practice, should play with the same exquisite finish as an organization that has abundant leisure and frequent rehearsals; but we can safely say that the Philharmonic orchestra never played better than Mr. Thomas’s did last night; in spirit, vigor, exactness, and refinement, the performance was almost above criticism. The following was the programme [lists program].

This gave us one of those rarest of good things, a concert in which there was not a weak nor a tiresome number. It was all delicious. To begin with, the orchestra contains a great many admirable solo-players. The harp, bassoon, ‘cello, double bass, tuba, trombone (Mr. Letsch, we suppose), and flute were especially well handled. Then the whole band, by long association together, has become perfectly homogeneous and sympathetic. It plays like one man. There is no straggling, no uncertainty, no getting out of tune. Those who know Theodore Thomas only by his summer-garden concerts have no idea whatever of the perfection to which his sixty men have now been brought. The ‘Tannhauser’ overture was never given better in New York than they gave it last night. The exquisite adagio from Beethoven’s ‘Prometheus’ ballet with the intricate obbligato passage for harp ‘cello, clarionet, flute, and bassoon, was the quintessence of poetry, and a perfect example both of smooth playing and [illegible] interpretation. The Goldmark Scherzo (which is quite new to this city) tested the proficiency of the orchestra in another way for it begins in a wayward, we might almost say fantastic style, calling for the utmost spirit, combined with the greatest precision of tempo and delicacy of shading, and opens, into a broad movement in the composer’s richest and most elevated manner. This also was given with hardly a flaw. The selection from ‘Medea,’ and the familiar Beethoven quartette, amplified to the strength of all the 1st and 2d violins, violas, and ‘cellos, were played with characteristic care, and on being recalled after the latter, Mr. Thomas gave the popular ‘Träumerei’ of Schumann. The audience testified their approval of this selection by an emphatic round of applause as soon as they recognized it.

But Miss Mehlig after all deserved the place of honor in our notice, for the concert was for her benefit. We need hardly say that she was warmly greeted by a public with which she has always been a prime favorite. She played the Liszt concerto with all that perfect finish, that sentiment, and that absolute self-command for which we have so often admired her, and we do not believe the graces of this fascinating composition could be more charmingly exhibited than by the fingers of this charming artist. In Weber’s Polonaise, to which Liszt has added a beautiful orchestral accompaniment, she was hardly less admirable; but it was in the Bach Fugue (originally written for the organ, and transcribed for the piano by Liszt) that she achieved the most genuine success. We know of nobody except Miss Krebs who can play a fugue with such absolute finish, and make it at the same time so beautiful and apparently so free. It is unnecessary to compare the two artists; they are so different that comparisons would only mislead; each is delightful in her own way. For an encore Miss Mehlig played a piece of Schubert’s transcribed by Liszt.

The concert closed with Liszt’s arrangement for orchestra of Schubert’s ‘Cavalry March,’—a superb crown to a superb entertainment. For our part we went away regretting that the concert was not an hour longer, and looking forward with impatience to the second (and alas! the last) performance, which is promised for this evening.”