Central Park Garden Concert

Includes program; Beethoven’s symphony was performed in its entirety.

“This lovely summer resort was crowded last night on account of the extra classical concert of the week, and no one present, looking at the elegant toilet, beautiful women and general Academy appearance of the audience, would suppose that such places as Saratoga, Newport or the Branch were in the height of the season at this particular period. The programme was full of gems and novelties. Ferdinand David led off with a festival march, and was followed by the celebrated composer, Macfarren, in a melodious Mendelssohnian overture, ‘St. John the Baptist,’ which work deserves, on account of the great success it enjoyed at the great English festivals, to be reproduced here in its entirety. A delicious andante of Schubert and a sparkling capriccio of Gradener, a new comer, completed the first part. The fourth symphony of Beethoven, in B, with its fresh, genial themes, so wonderfully colored; its numerous episodes, like little surprise parties, and its masterly command of all that can charm the human ear, constituted the second part of the bill. In this symphony the great master shows his genius can take up a few simple themes and expand them into a parterre of orchestration over which the mind of the musical florist can long linger with delight. A new waltz of Strauss’, ‘Wo die Citronen Bluhn,’ headed the list in the third part. The magnificent work of Vieuxtemps, ‘Fantasie Caprice,’ played as only Thomas’ orchestra can play such a piece, and the stormy ‘Huldigungs Marsch’ of Wagner completed the feast of music. We are glad to see that Mr. Thomas has decided upon giving extracts from the works of English and American composers. They will serve as relief from the eternal Wagner and Liszt.”