Gilmore at Central Park Garden

Includes program. 

“Mr. P. S. Gilmore and his band rushed in last night to fill the void left at the Central Park Garden by the departure of Theodore Thomas. A large audience assembled to hear them. Habitues of the Summer Concerts listened during the early part of the evening with doubtful expression of countenance, which gradually gave place to one of satisfaction as piece after piece was smoothly and spiritedly played. The selections were of a lighter character than the Central Park Garden is accustomed to, but they were all received with great favor. The waltz music was given with some clever imitations of the Strauss orchestral effects; Lefebre and Arbuckle had solos; and two bits of Wagner—a fantasie on ‘Lohengrin’ and the overture to ‘Tannhäuser,’ were hailed with particular delight.” 

“It was a risky enterprise for any chef d’orchestre to succeed Theodore Thomas, especially after the magnificent ovation tendered to him at his farewell on Tuesday night. Mr. P. S. Gilmore was eminently fitted for such a daring feat, and last evening he proved himself worthy of the arduous task. His superb military band, carefully selected from the best musical materials in America, never appeared to better advantage. Two works in particular on the bill were strikingly attractive. They were the ‘Tannhäuser’ overture and a clever arrangement of themes from ‘Lohengrin.’ The rendering of the finest overture ever penned by composer was looked for with much interest. It was considered doubtful that clarinets could take the place of violins in the fanciful figure that frames the Pilgrims’ chorus. But Gilmore’s men faithfully did their work. The well known figure that, spray-like, dashes itself against the granite-like measures of the hymn, came out with full effect. The clarinets did their share of the labor with remarkable spirit and élan. The ‘Lohengrin’ arrangement was the best that has been presented in this city. Instead of mere selections from the opera the adapter evidently sought—and successfully accomplished—placing before the audience a tone picture in which the four principal characters—Elsa, Ortrud, Lohengrin and Frederic—are strongly and distinctly portrayed. All of those personages in the opera have a distinguishing theme that can never be mistaken while they are on the stage. The four subjects are artistically combined in the fantasias played by Gilmore last night. The rest of the programme was as follows [see above].”