Installation of the New Archbishop of the Metropolitan See of New York, John Mc Closkey

Event Information

Venue(s):
St. Patrick's Cathedral (Mott Street)

Conductor(s):
Gustavus Schmitz [organist/composer]

Event Type:
Choral

Performance Forces:
Instrumental

Record Information

Status:
Published

Last Updated:
8 November 2011

Performance Date(s) and Time(s)

21 Aug 1864, 9:30 AM

Program Details

Gustavus [Schmitz] Schmidts, director and composer (organist of the Cathedral)

Performers and/or Works Performed

2)
Composer(s): Unknown composer
3)
aka Grand pontifical high Mass
Composer(s): Schmitz [organist/composer]
4)
Composer(s): Caccio

Citations

1)
Review: New-York Times, 22 August 1864, 8.

“As the Cathedral was not sufficient to have held the tenth of those who would seek admission, a resort was had to the issuing of tickets, first to the pewholders, and they being provided for, next to other citizens and their families.  The demand for tickets was beyond all precedent. . . .

 

No plans had been spared to make the music worth of the occasion.  It was grand an impressive, and in all respects fully up to the requirements of high musical art.  The whole was arranged under the direction of Mr. Gustavus Schmidts, the organist of the Cathedral, and who is well-known as one of the most talented and skillful of our resident performers and composers.  The music of the Grand Pontifical High Mass, which was sung, was composed for the occasion by Mr. Schmidts, and was replete with splendid artistic effects.  It was fortunate in having the presence of a quintette of solo artists capable of giving superior expression to the productions of the composer.  The principal solo performers . . . were sustained by a well-schooled and talented chorus.

 

At 7½ [sic] o’clock a voluntary was performed on the organ. . . .

 

The choir then sang in Latin the Te Deum . . . .

 

The music to which the Te Deum was sung, was that of Caccio.  It was sung with great feeling and effect. . . .

 

The music of the mass has already been alluded to in general terms.  The ‘Kyrie Elison,’ ‘Gloria in Excelsis,’ ‘Gratius Aginus,’ ‘Domin Deus,’ ‘Qui Tailis,’ and the ‘Spiritu Santu’ and ‘Amen,’ were the finest musical gems of the two parts first sung.”

COMMENT: The review says the organ voluntary began at 7 ½, but this must be a misprint, as it stated in the paragraph above that the procession began at 9:30 am.