Thomas Central Park Garden Concert

Includes program. 

Discussion of selected works from the forthcoming program.

Includes program. 

“Since the sudden disappearance of the lessee of the Central Park Garden [John Koch] three weeks ago, leaving a number of claims unsatisfied, that favorite establishment has been beset with embarrassments. The public, however, has seen nothing of the internal perplexities; the performances—thanks to Thomas’s energy and pluck—have been kept at their usual high level; and now, all lovers of music will be glad to know, the troubles are over and the fortunes of the rest of the season are assured. It would have been an irreparable public misfortune if the concerts had been allowed to stop. Meanwhile, the programmes have been uncommonly rich. The plan of giving special nights to great composers has been pursued with brilliant results. Last Tuesday was devoted to Schubert, the Tuesday previous to Beethoven, and next Tuesday is set apart for Mozart, when some peculiar novelties are to be presented. On last Thursday, in spite of the rainy weather, there was a good house, with the following interesting bill [see above].

The first number on this programme is taken from the ballet-music which Gluck added to his ‘Orpheus’ when he revised that opera for the Paris stage. The three movements follow one another without break, and with a climax of force, interest, and beauty which the least experienced listener can hardly fail to appreciate. Such pure and noble music can never grow old. How finely, too, it was matched by the elegant and exquisitely finished overture of Cherubini’s, and how delightfully contrasted with Herbeck’s arrangement of the Schubert dances, and the superb Beethoven Septet, arranged for the orchestra. All these selections, as well as Schumann’s grand overture to ‘Manfred,’ were played with unusual spirit and refinement. The Mozart Symphony was in some respects the most interesting feature of the concert, not so much for its intrinsic merit, though that is very high, as because of a curious restoration which Thomas has been enabled to make to the score. He has added from an old and authentic manuscript copy in his possession, the parts for flutes and clarinets which Mozart wrote, but which have hitherto been omitted. Even the latest edition of Mozart’s Symphonies, by Breifkopf and Härtel, does not contain these important parts. The Symphony has not been heard recently in New-York, but it richly deserves frequent repetition, if only for the sake of the vigorous first movement. How Mozart's contemporaries must have wondered when they first heard these bold and original strains, so unlike the opening of every symphony before them. Even to-day, though their novelty has been taken away, their freshness remains, and the music is not less remarkable for strong effects than for that rare combination of dignity with an indefinable grace and loveliness which distinguishes all the best work of this charming master.” [Reprinted Dwight’s Journal of Music, 08/21/75, p. 79-80]