Deutscher Liederkranz Concert

Brief.

“The Liederkranz Society gave the first of its series of Winter concerts at the Club-house, in Fourth street, last evening. These entertainments have many traits to commend them. The programmes often include important works rarely recited elsewhere, and, while the choral-work is always of the best kind, solo performances of particular merit are occasionally enjoyed. Yesterday’s concert was a very good one, and especially attractive because of its variety. A respectable recital of Beethoven’s ‘Pastoral’ symphony opened the proceedings, and violin and vocal solos and choral singing filled it out. The violinist was Herr Ernst Schiever, whose neat execution we recently adverted to when the gentleman appeared at the Philharmonic Society; he rendered, last night, Beethoven’s well-known romance, and a polonaise by Laub, in the delivery of which, however, the requisite dash and power were quite wanting. Miss Isabella Brush, the songstress of the evening, proved to be an exceedingly pretty young lady with a pleasant voice and a rather immature style. Miss Brush sang the ‘Scène des Bijoux,’ from ‘Faust,’ and a lied by Hoelzel.”

“The first concert of the Liederkranz Society took place at their hall on Fourth street last evening, before a crowded house. The choral and orchestral selections were very interesting, some for their novelty, such as the choruses from Liszt’s ‘Prometheus;’ ‘The Ring,’ by F. Brandeis, founded on a poem of Uhland and spoiled on this occasion by the unaccountable absence of the orchestral parts; the Pastoral Symphony of Beethoven and a fine, spirited effective work by Möhring, ‘Vorbei,’ for male chorus, with tenor and baritone solos. The last mentioned work exhibited in the best light the high cultivation and finished style of singing for which this society has long been famous, and the expressive, sympathetic baritone voice of Herr Steins lent an additional attraction to the efforts of the chorus. Miss Isabella Brush, a young American artist, who has lately returned from Italy, sang ‘Le Roi de Thule’ and ‘L’Air des Bijoux’ from ‘Faust,’ and, despite the unfavorable circumstance of having only a piano accompaniment, she made a decided success. Her voice is a soprano of considerable compass, the tone pure, fresh and endowed with dramatic power, the lower notes being particularly strong and resonant, and her school is of the most approved Italian pattern. Mr. Graf sang a tenor song, by Storch, and was encored, and Mr. Schiever played a couple of violin solos with the same neatness of execution that characterized his performance at the first Philharmonic concert. He is better adapted for chamber music or orchestral playing than for the rôle of a virtuoso.”

Brief. The concert was “thoroughly enjoyed by all who were so fortunate as to be present.”