Amateur Philharmonic Rehearsal

Event Information

Venue(s):
Clinton Hall

Conductor(s):
Leopold [violinist, conductor, minstrel] Meyer

Event Type:
Orchestral

Record Information

Status:
Published

Last Updated:
13 October 2025

Performance Date(s) and Time(s)

21 Nov 1872, Evening

Performers and/or Works Performed

1)
LIST OF PERFORMER(S)/ORGANIZATION(S)
Participants:  Amateur Philharmonic Society of New York
2)
Symphony, no. 2, op. 36, D major
Composer(s): Beethoven
3)
Semiramide, overture
Composer(s): Rossini

Citations

1)
: Strong, George Templeton. New-York Historical Society. The Diaries of George Templeton Strong, 1863-1869: Musical Excerpts from the MSs, transcribed by Mary Simonson. ed. by Christopher Bruhn., 21 November 1872.

“Tonight attended a rehearsal of Johny & Temple’s ‘Amateur Philharmonic’ at Clinton Hall (née Astor Place Opera House). About 40 instruments. Johny & General Vinton are celli, & Temple 2nd oboe, Meyer of the senior Philharmonic is leader. They did Beethoven’s 2nd symphony (how Mozartesque it is!) & Rossini’s charming brilliant Semiramis overture—which reminds one of some lively, fascinating & pretty but shallow & heartless woman. Execution rough, of course, lights & shades wanting, & the orchestra hiccupped & sneezed once or twice, in an alarmingly spasmodic way. But the work done was very creditable. That the Beethoven symphony should go at all, is so wonderful, that an occasional limp or stumble is hardly noticed.

The boys give much time to their musical hobby. Books are a little neglected, I fear. But any innocent hobby tends to keep them out of mischief, and they are so earnestly devoted to this, that I don’t think it wise seriously to discourage them.”