Thomas Central Park Garden Concert

Event Information

Venue(s):
Central Park Garden

Conductor(s):
Dudley Buck

Price: $.50; $1 & $2 extra, private boxes

Event Type:
Orchestral

Record Information

Status:
Published

Last Updated:
7 July 2025

Performance Date(s) and Time(s)

15 Jul 1875, 8:00 PM

Performers and/or Works Performed

2)
aka The Magic Flute; Zauberflote, Die
Composer(s): Mozart
3)
Composer(s): Beethoven
4)
Composer(s): Bruch
5)
aka Festmarsch zur GoetheJubiläumsfeier; Festmarsch zur Goethe-jubiläumsfeier; Goethe-Festmarsch; Göthe-Marsch
Composer(s): Liszt
6)
Composer(s): Hofmann
7)
aka Guglielmo Tell; William Tell; Introduction
Composer(s): Rossini
8)
aka Méditation sur le 1er Prélude de piano de J. S. Bach; Meditation, prelude, for piano, organ and cello; Meditation on Bach's Prelude No. 1
Composer(s): Gounod
9)
Composer(s): Wagner

Citations

1)
Advertisement: New-York Times, 15 July 1875, 7.

Includes program. 

2)
Article: New York Post, 15 July 1875, 2.

Commentary on the program for the forthcoming concert.

3)
Advertisement: New York Herald, 15 July 1875, 1.

Includes program. 

4)
Review: New-York Daily Tribune, 17 July 1875, 7.

“The concert at the Central Park Garden on Thursday evening opened with a beautiful performance of Mozart’s overture to ‘The Magic Flute,’ a great masterpiece of which one never tires. It was succeeded by an early work of Beethoven’s, quite in the Mozart style, which has not been played here until within the last few days, at least in its present form. This is the ‘Serenade,’ Opus 8, written as a trio for violin, viola, and violoncello, and now arranged for full orchestra by Gustave Janke. We believe some portions are omitted in the performance. As played on Thursday it comprises five short movements, namely, an Allegro, an Adagio, with Scherzo, a Polacca, a characteristic and familiar Andante with variations, and a repetition of the Allegro for the finale. Thus it approaches a symphony in plan and dimensions. Formerly the name Serenade was often given to chamber music constructed on this scale, and of late it has been applied by Brahms to orchestral compositions which have rather more variety than the symphony, with perhaps rather less serious character. This bright and charming work of Beethoven’s is admirably adapted for the purpose to which Janke has applied it, and the audience received it with great satisfaction. The first part of the programme also contained the Vorspiel to Bruch’s ‘Loreley’ and Liszt’s ‘Goethe Festival” March, which certainly presented a remarkable contrast to the two pieces that preceded them; and the second part consisted of Hofmann’s picturesque and highly interesting ‘Frithiof’ symphony, a beautiful work most beautifully played. Mr. Thomas will return to town next week and resume his accustomed place.”

5)
Review: Dwight's Journal of Music, 21 August 1875, 79.

“The ‘Frithjof’ symphony was first performed at one of the symphony concerts last winter and recognized with that glad surprise which greets a work of true genius. There is something in the instrumentation of this Symphony which approaches the wonderful style of Raff; but the spirit of the composition is entirely original. The delightful intermezzo (‘Elves of light and Frost Giants,’) is a picturesque, half-comical delineation, which has already become a frequent and welcome addition to the repertoire of the Garden Concerts.”