Pattison Soiree Musicale: 4th

     Pattison “will give, for the first time in this country, illustrations of piano-forte music of the sixteenth century, upon an instrument made in Germany over one hundred years ago.”

     “Mr. Pattison . . . will perform upon a harpsichord-piano—a curious double instrument two hundred years old.”

     “In addition to compositions of his own, Mr. Pattison will illustrate the works of some of the early writers for the piano, or rather for its progenitors, the ‘Spinnet’ and the ‘Harpischord.’

     To carry out this idea practically, Mr. Pattison has succeeded in procuring from Chickering & Songs of Broadway, an instrument manufactured in London one hundred and twenty years ago, which Mr. Jonas Chickering, the founder of the house half a century ago, purchased as a curiosity.

     This has been loaned to Mr. Pattison, and he will present to his audience the music of the 17th century after the manner and in the same class of instrument that it was played upon at that day.  It will be curious to contrast the old music with the new—the modern with the ancient.”

     “His fourth soirée, however, completely outshone the rest. Here you have printed what he proposed to do, and what he actually accomplished:

     Mr. Patterson [sic] takes pleasure in announcing that, in addition to the modern works for the Pianoforte, he proposes to present to the public (for the first time in this country). Illustrations of the earlier schools of Pianoforte compositions extant in the 16th century, commencing with selections from Scarlatti, Chambonieres, Pergolese [sic], Rameau, and Balbostre, he having secured an instrument similar to those used at that time to aid him in the more perfect representation of the music of that date.  The instrument used was made one hundred and twenty years ago, in London, and is the Harpsichord and Piano combined.  It was purchased by Mr. Jonas Chickering (the founder of the house) half a century ago as a curiosity, and is kindly loaned for these Soirées by Chickering & Sons. . . .

     The reader will perceive that a century more or less does not matter to him. He advertises to commence with compositions extant in the 16th century, and yet Chambonniéres, Scarlatti and Bach were born in the 17th. . . . We heard the spinet; we heard Mr. Pattison play the compositions of the old masters thereon; and we convinced ourselves in that moment, that there is but one step from the sublime to the ridiculous. Pattison has not even an idea how to handle these old, and in their way, characteristic compositions. He renders the history of the piano as ridiculous as that of piano-forte composition. An old recollection came over us as we first  listened to the sound of the spinet; a pleasant one, because it reminded us of the days of our first student years, when, free from care and duties, we had to play our not always conscientiously practiced Sonatas of Pleyel, Kozeluch, and Clementi, variations of Steibelt, Sterkel, Mozart, Nicolo, on such an instrument, to our worthy teacher, the grumbling, stubborn old Cantor; unpleasant, because with their recollection, a certain burning of the ears returned to us, and we involuntarily started back; for we feared lest Pattison’s playing might conjure up the angry spirit of the departed Cantor. Had it done so, we are very sure that the modern pianist would have received such a chastisement, as would have entirely deprived him of the slightest desire to parody these works in such a manner in future.”