Twenty-Second Regiment Band Promenade Concert

Event Information

Venue(s):
Twenty-Second Regiment Armory

Conductor(s):
Patrick S. Gilmore

Price: $.50

Event Type:
Band

Record Information

Status:
Published

Last Updated:
9 April 2025

Performance Date(s) and Time(s)

15 Dec 1873, 8:00 PM

Program Details

The romanza from L’Éclair was arranged for “cornet and baritone, with obligato for flutes and clarionets.”

Lefebre’s saxophone solo, billed as a “bouquet of songs,” included “Sweet spirit, hear my prayer” from Wallace’s Lurline, an unidentified aria from Verdi’s Il Trovatore, and “The last rose of summer.”

The national potpourri that closed the program concluded with “My country ’tis of thee.”

Performers and/or Works Performed

1)
LIST OF PERFORMER(S)/ORGANIZATION(S)
Participants:  Twenty-Second Regiment Band;  Matthew Arbuckle;  Edward A. Lefebre
2)
Fra Diavolo, overture
Composer(s): Auber
3)
Éclair, L’, romance
aka Blitz, Der ; Eclair, L'
Composer(s): Halévy
4)
Festmarsch
aka Schiller fest march
Composer(s): Meyerbeer
5)
Facilite
Composer(s): Arban
Participants:  Matthew Arbuckle
6)
Grande duchesse de Gérolstein, La, selections
Composer(s): Offenbach
7)
INTERMISSION
8)
Raymond; ou, Le secret de la reine, overture
aka Raimondo
Composer(s): Thomas
9)
Bouquet of songs
Composer(s): Lefebre
Participants:  Edward A. Lefebre
10)
Fackeltanz, military band, unidentified
aka Marche aux flambeaux; Torch song; Torch dance; Fackeltanze
Composer(s): Meyerbeer
11)
Morgenblätter, op. 279
aka Morgenblatter; Melodische Depeschen; Morning flowers
Composer(s): Strauss
12)
National potpourri
Composer(s): Unknown composer

Citations

1)
Advertisement: New-York Times, 09 December 1873, 7.

Multiple small cards on this page.

2)
Advertisement: New York Herald, 11 December 1873, 2.
3)
Announcement: New York Post, 12 December 1873, 2.

“The rehearsals of this splendid organization are proceeding steadily and the performances are constantly improving. Mr. Gilmore has made an engagement to visit the West with his entire band some time next month. One of the large western cities is willing to pay $10,000 for the privilege of hearing this remarkable group of military musicians.”

4)
Advertisement: New York Herald, 13 December 1873, 2.

Program.

5)
Advertisement: New-York Times, 14 December 1873, 7.
6)
Announcement: New-York Times, 15 December 1873, 4.

“Mr. Gilmore’s forces are constantly improving in discipline, and ere long we are satisfied that he will have under his bâton an organization of exceptional proficiency and strength.”

7)
Review: New York Post, 16 December 1873, 3.

“This excellent organization under the able direction of its leader P. S. Gilmore, offered a very fine programme at the promenade concert last night. Judging from the large and elegant assemblage that was present, Mr. Gilmore can be said to have made a complete and deserved success in every sense of the word. The band when seated, presented a very showy appearance in their gorgeous new dress, and if the officers and soldiers of the Twenty-second are proud of their musicians, they have a perfect right ot be so, for they can justly say that theirs is the leading military band in America.

The principal success of the evening was the performance of Mr. Arbuckle, who essayed one of Arban’s difficult solos, and although he cannot compare with the Sylvestre [sic] and Levy in the triple ‘coup de langue,’ he certainly plays with as much if not more tste and finish than these two artists, and was therefore deservedly encored, playing an adagio in response. Next to him Mr. Lefebre deserves notice, his solo on the saxophone being very finely executed and winning a hearty encore.

Meyerbeer was the favorite last night, his ‘Schiller Marche Triomphale’ and ‘Marche aux Flambeaux’ being loudly applauded. They were nobly executed, the shading being worthy of Thomas’s orchestra. The overtures ‘Fra Diavolo’ and ‘Raymond,’ besides the other selections, were well played.”