Pattison Soiree Musicale: 5th

     “Another of Mr. Pattison’s agreeable musical soirees took place last night at Steinway’s rooms, the old spinet and harpsichord and a modern piano being used. Madame de Lussan and Signor Mongiardini were the vocalists. The soiree was in every way a success.”

     “[G]iving illustrations of the progress of pianoforte music from the sixteenth century, upon an instrument made over one hundred years ago.”

     “Pattison’s fifth soiree musicale took place at Steinway’s concert room last night.  The weather was unpropitious, yet the room was pretty well filled by a critical audience.  To begin fault-finding, we will say that Steinway’s grand pianos, calculated for large concert halls, are too loud for his piano room.  Sound is bred as rapidly and reverberated so immediately in that small well-sounding room, that the tones overlap each other which involved harmonic confusion, besides proving too sonorous in the limited space.  These inconveniences could be remedied in some measure, if the pianist would bear the above facts in mind and accommodate their strength to the space they have to fill.  Again, if it is too much trouble to put down the cover when vocal accompaniments have to be played why not have two pianos?  A square would be sufficient for all purposes of the voice.  Let it be remembered that pianos are plenty and accompanists rare, and that the few there are, are so desperately had the more their power for mischief is subdued the better.”