Invitation Concert: 4th

“One of the most elegant musical receptions, of the season took place at Irving Hall last night, when the Mendelssohn Glee Club gave their fourth invitation concert. The hall was crowded, and as almost all present were in evening dress, the reception seemed to felicitously unite the grace of private hospitality with the fascinations of a public entertainment.

The gentlemen who form the Mendelssohn Glee Club comprise many of our best resident vocalists. Under the training of Mr. Mosenthal they have attained a high degree of perfection. Last night they sang a variety of very charming selections. Two Styrian melodies by Herbeck were excellent specimens of part-singing and were characterized by graceful and peculiar melody. ‘Gone’ by Möring, received a solid interpretation. It is a rather ambitious attempt at dramatic or rather descriptive writing, two of the stanzas being quite susceptible of such treatment.

So stood the tree while spring yet tarried,

In shining green of splendid hue;

Its head a crown of flowers carried,

It seemed to life awakened new.

But now without its leaves it shivers,

They fell, they died, one after one;

Behold! all desolate it quivers

With fear of death its beauty gone.

In the music set to these lines the iteration of the words “so stood the tree’ is very striking.

The programme contained other features of interest including Liszt’s delicate setting of the words:

Over all the tree tops is rest!

Mid all their boughs is scarcely heard the faintest breath.

The birds are hushed—silent the forest!

Only wait! shortly thou too shall rest.

and the chorus of armorers from Wagner’s ‘Rienzi.’ Mr. W. C. Baird was the only soloist of the evening, singing with admirable taste one of Abt’s most pleasing melodies. M. Wieniawski was also down on the programme for two displays of his marvelous skill, and, altogether, the concert was one of those rare and delightful entertainments which are a genuine pleasure to all concerned.”