William J. Hill Concert

“The large and friendly attendance at Mr. W. J. Hill’s concert last night, at Steinway’s, proved that that gentleman is held in high personal and artistic esteem. He offered a very pleasant programme interpreted by singers and players of genuine ability. Mr. Sarasate, who is fast becoming the favorite violinist of the New York public, played a fantasia of his own from ‘Faust,’ and an encore piece of less interest. Miss Antoinette Sterling sang several solos. She has, as everybody knows, a noble voice and uses it well; but her selections are too often of a lugubrious character, which seems inappropriate to the brilliancy of a popular concert room. Mrs. Martinez and Mrs. Barron, with a quartet of men’s voices, all rendered good assistance, and Mr. Hill himself was, of course, enthusiastically received. The part-singing was specially enjoyable. Sullivan’s ‘Hush thee, my Baby,’ was very sweetly sung by a mixed quartet, and the very melodious and unique ‘Image of the Rose,’ sung by Miss Sterling, with a refrain for four men’s voices, was one of the most notable features of the evening, and will ever be welcome on a concert programme.”

“Mr. Hill’s concert at Steinway Hall, on Tuesday was largely attended. A very lengthy programme was interpreted by the bénéficiare and other artists of note. The magnificent violin performance of Señor Sarasate was the artistic incident of the entertainment.”

“On Tuesday evening Mr. W. J. Hill, a tenor of great popularity, had a benefit concert at the same hall [Steinway], of which Mr. J. N. Pattison, pianist; Señor Sarasate, violinist; Madame Martinez, soprano; Miss Sterling, Miss Barron, and Messrs. Gilbert, Thatcher, Baird and Remmertz were the interpreters. The part singing of the vocalists, Miss Sterling’s rendering of songs by Schubert, Schumann and Mendelssohn, and Pattison’s magnificent description of a storm at sea, in his last piano work, ‘The Stormy Petrel,’ were the distinguishing features of this concert.”