Mason-Thomas Chamber Music Soirée: 4th

Event Information

Venue(s):
Dodworth's Hall

Price: $1.50

Event Type:
Chamber (includes Solo)

Performance Forces:
Instrumental

Record Information

Status:
Published

Last Updated:
18 March 2015

Performance Date(s) and Time(s)

23 Feb 1864, 8:00 PM

Program Details

Spring-Dawn was an encore piece.

Performers and/or Works Performed

4)
Composer(s): Mason
Participants:  William Mason
5)
Composer(s): Mason
Participants:  William Mason

Citations

1)
Announcement: New-York Times, 22 February 1864, 4.

2)
Advertisement: New-York Times, 23 February 1864, 7.

3)
Review: Musical Review and World, 27 February 1864, 68.

Gives program. “Schuman’s [sic] Piano Quartett belongs to the series of those compositions which he wrote in 1841 and 1842, that is, soon after his marriage with Clara Wieck. They have the stamp of his genius and that peculiar freshness of thought, which at no other period of his life was so readily at his disposal. Perhaps the first part of this quartet offers and exception to this remark, as its chief motive is not so striking and happily conceived, as we are used to find in his pieces of this period, but the melodies of the other parts are so much the better. How sprightly and humorous is the Scherzo! What depth of feeling, what beautiful strain of pure, original melody do we find in the Andante cantabile, a song without words, and yet so easily understood in its general meaning! How fresh and lively, how fluent and genial the fourth part! And then again how tasteful and artistic the treatment of the whole! There is not one moment of forgetfulness on the part of the author in the whole work with regard to artistic dignity, the modulations are refined and never common. Everything is lofty and pure, inspired by the earnest wish to do the best, in fact to do only that, for which he needs not blush when met by men of taste, refined feeling and knowledge.

            Tartini’s Sonate pleased mostly on account of its Largo-movement, which is certainly very fine and much in advance of its time. Mr. Theodore Thomas played the Sonata in fine style that is to say in that style, which is the only acceptable one for this class of compositions.

            Mr. William Mason had again a great success with his Ballad, as artistical a composition as has been written by any composer, during the last ten years on this side of the Atlantic as well as on the other. It is, however, less a ballad, than a lyric thought beautifully wrought out. As an encore he gave his ‘Spring Dawn.’

            Beethoven’s grand quartet, op. 130, attracted of course considerable curiosity, just as it had done thirty-eight years ago, when it was performed for the first time. Everybody, who at that time in Vienna felt interest in quartett [sic] music, had come, to listen to this composition, upon which the strangest rumors were in circulation. Let us see, what the first impression of this gigantic work was, as evinced by the correspondent of the ‘Allgemeine Musikalische Zeitung’ in Leipzig:

            ‘The first, third, and fifth part are of a serious, gloomy, mystical character, perhaps also occasionally odd, uncouth and capricious; the second and fourth full of petulancy, cheerfulness and roguishness. With all this we find, that the composer, who in his latest works seldom knows how to keep within bounds, has spoken in an uncommonly short and concise language. With stormy applause the repetition of both these parts was demanded. But the meaning of the finale fughato I do not dare to unfathom. For me it was incomprehensible, chinese [sic].’

            This impression, at least with regard to the last part, must have been pretty general, for Beethoven was induced to write anoter [sic] finale, the one, which is found in the printed edition, and which was played by our New York artists. (The original finale was published separately under the title ‘Grand Fugue tantot libre, tantot recherchée, op. 133.) The above finale is the last composition he wrote and in its style recalls his earlier quartets.

            The impression the work made upon the New York audience seemed to be somewhat similar to that upon the Vienna audience nearly forty years ago, the finale and also the Cavatina (fifth part) however excepted. For our own part we must confess, that this quartet, which in its manner of treatment is eminently dramatic, that is modern, lacks however that unity of style, which seems to us more than ever the real and perhaps only acquisition, modern musical art can boast off [sic]. The performance reflected great credit upon our artists.”

4)
Review: New-York Times, 29 February 1864, 5.

“The programme opened with Schumann’s piano-forte quartette in E flat major, opus 47, a work which exhibits the peculiarities of the composer and his wide range of feeling in an exceedingly fresh and agreeable manner. Mr. Thomas followed with Tartini’s sonata for violin in E minor, and played it excellently. The slow movement was received with particular favor. Mr. Mason gave us one of his thoroughly exquisite ballades for the piano—little gems that never lose their lustre. It was the one in B major, and was played with such charming delicacy of touch and poetry of feeling that the audience insisted on an encore. Mr. Mason responded in his ‘Spring-Dawn.’ Beethoven’s extreme quartette, op. 130, in B flat major, concluded the evening’s entertainment. It was finely performed, but did not impress the audience very favorably.”