Ranieri Vilanova’s Private Soirée Musicale

“A very select and distinguished audience, the greater number being ladies, filled Chickering Hall last night, on occasion of Mr. Ranieri Vilanova’s soiree musicale, in which he was assisted by Mme. Vilanova, a non-professional, but highly cultivated soprano, and about a dozen of his pupils, ladies and gentlemen. Mr. Vilanova has, since he came to this city, succeeded in establishing for himself an enviable reputation as a professor of music in the highest circles of society, and certainly it would be an extremely difficult matter to attract such an audience to any other musical entertainment. His system of instruction, judging from the result of last night’s soirée, is both thorough and yet so practical that it inspires each pupil with implicit confidence in his or her ability to master the arcana of musical science.

The programme, a bouquet of melodies from Italian and French composers, was felicitous in its variety and adaptability to the characteristic qualities of the executants. First came Adam’s overture, ‘Si j’etais Roi,’ arranged for two pianos (eight hands), which was followed by a vocal trio by Costa. Mr. Vilanova then played a nocturne of his own, ‘Tears of the Heart’ (Larmes de coeur), one of those tender, expressive soul-idyls, which he invested with a rare delicacy of sentiment. Liszt’s celebrated transcription of the Polacca, from ‘Puritani,’ gave him an opportunity to display his remarkable versatility, as nothing could be stronger than the contrast of style between the two works. In response to a double encore he illustrated two styles, again different, in a pöeme musicale and a barcarole of his own. The former is a quaint, odd production, having for its subject a wild Cuban melody. Mariani, a very popular romance composer of Milan, was next represented on the programme by a soprano solo, ‘Una Speranza,’ which was admirably rendered. We regret to be unable to give the names of the ladies and gentlemen who took part in the soirée, as, it being of a semi-private character, public mention of the names would not be expedient. A very beautiful nocturne and barcarolle, arranged in the form of a duet for mezzo-soprano and tenor, the work of Mr. Vilanova, and a Spanish duet for two sopranos by the same, were the vocal features of the evening, and were applauded to the echo. One of these ladies has a mezzo-soprano voice of an exceedingly rich and sympathetic quality, and she uses it like an artist. The same lady sang one of Pinsuti’s best arias, ‘Dormi Pure,’ in a style that in a grand public concert would have created a furor. Mme. Vilanova sang that wonderful, bird-like melody of Rossini, ‘Una Voce Poco fa,’ and of which it was once said that the composer must have written it for a nightingale. The quartet, ‘Mi Manca la Voce,’ from ‘Moses in Egypt,’ was rendered with spirit and expression. Regarding the instrumental part of the programme, aside from Mr. Vilanova’s solos, we can speak in terms of high praise of the playing of the symphony on Verdi’s opera (unpublished), ‘L’Assedio di Arlem,’ and the well-known (in Italy at least) ’Il Reggente,’ by Mercadante. Four young ladies took part in each of these works, and the ensemble in clockwork, precision, even in very trying passages, [illegible] unmistakeable evidence of a high order of training. A gentleman sang ‘Elle ne Croyait Pas,’ the romance in which Capoul made such a hit in ‘Mignon,’ and in response to an encore he gave Kucken’s ‘Good Night.’ 

These little soirees are exceedingly entertaining and enjoyable, as they partake more of the character of a drawing room soirée at one’s own house than of a formal public concert. The artists, or amateurs, and the auditors are on the happiest terms; in fact, many of them change places during the performance. We trust that Mr. Vilanova will shortly repeat his soiree and introduce some of his charming pupils on the little stage of Chickering Hall.”

“On Saturday night, Señor Vilanova supplied, with the aid of his pupils, a most agreeable concert. The affair was given at Chickering Hall, and was very fashionably attended. The pupils of Señor Vilanova did much credit, as was anticipated, to their professor, but the piano performances of Señor Vilanova, conspicuous for sentiment and for varied and finished execution, afforded especial delight, and were supplemented by far more liberal evidence of the gentleman’s talent than the bill of the evening gave reason to look for.”