Mason and Hamlin Musical Recreation

“For a year or two past, during the season, Messrs. Mason and Hamlin have been in the habit of giving an invitation series of ‘musical recreations’ at their cabinet organ warerooms. So much cultivated talent has from time to time been attractively introduced at these informal recitals, that their strictly private character is almost overlooked by the throng of applicants for admission. At the last matinée, on Thursday, the exercises consisted of solos and choruses from the oratorio of ‘St. Paul’ (Mendelssohn), and a number of glees, part-songs, instrumental solos, etc. The singers were Mr. and Mrs. Bernard and the members of the Musical Union Chorus; and the instrumentalists, Mr. Levett, pianist, Mr. Feininger, violinist, and Mr. W. L. Tomlins, organist. Mrs. Bernard evinced great aptitude for the music of Mendelssohn, being especially fortunate in her rendering of the aria ‘Jerusalem, thou that killest the Prophets.’

The choral work was vigorously executed, and with a little more study would have been made irreproachable. How much refinement it is possible for a vocal force to attain was shown in the subsequent performance of Barnby’s ‘Sweet and low,’ by the same voices. It it is the design of Messrs. Mason and Hamlin to familiarize the public with the volume and manifold beauties of their cabinet organs, it must be admitted that they do so modestly—limiting the instrument to its own legitimate province in the programme. It proved ample for the requirements of the oratorio score, and in some special selections exhibited a fertility of resources almost beyond belief.

Mr. Feininger was heard advantageously in an arrangement of the ‘Träumerei’ for violin and organ.”