Philharmonic Society of New-York Concert: 1st

Event Information

Venue(s):
Academy of Music

Conductor(s):
Carl Bergmann

Price: $1.50 non-subscribers; $1 extra subscriber tickets; $8 subscription for 5 concerts and 15 rehearsals

Event Type:
Orchestral

Record Information

Status:
Published

Last Updated:
5 May 2013

Performance Date(s) and Time(s)

04 Nov 1865, 8:00 PM

Program Details

Lotti cancelled due to illness; he was scheduled to perform two arias. Orchestra of 80.

Weber: Euryanthe, “Unter bluhenden Mandelbaum” (Lotti) - Cancelled
Donizetti: Don Sebastian “Deserto in terra,” romanza (Lotti) - Cancelled

Performers and/or Works Performed

2)
Composer(s): Schumann
3)
Composer(s): Mozart
Participants:  Sebastian Bach Mills
4)
Composer(s): Liszt
5)
Composer(s): Chopin
Participants:  Sebastian Bach Mills
6)
Composer(s): Mills
Participants:  Sebastian Bach Mills
7)
aka Leonore overture, no. 3; Leonora overture, no. 3
Composer(s): Beethoven

Citations

1)
Announcement: New-York Times, 09 October 1865, 4.

2)
Announcement: New-York Times, 30 October 1865, 6.

3)
Announcement: New York Herald, 01 November 1865, 4.

4)
Advertisement: New-York Times, 02 November 1865, 7.

5)
Advertisement: New-York Daily Tribune, 02 November 1865, 3.

“Orchestra of Eighty Performers.”

6)
Advertisement: New York Herald, 03 November 1865, 7.

7)
Announcement: New-York Times, 04 November 1865, 6.

8)
Announcement: New-York Daily Tribune, 04 November 1865.

9)
: 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., 04 November 1865.

“Mr. Schumann’s Symphony No. 4 Op. 120.  Like all his music I’ve ever heard—or very nearly all—a painful parade of respectable, diligent dullness.  Mozart’s posthumous Concerto in C (Mills at the piano), which followed it, is clearly to be put in the second or third class of Mozart’s works, and is a sketchy composition written probably offhand and without revision, but it contrasted with Schumann’s inane scientific elaborations on light with darkness.  Every bar of its three movements was all alive with fresh significant beautiful melody.  Mr. F. Liszt’s ‘Mazeppa, Poeme Symphonique’ is certainly a work of the spasmodic or [illeg.] school.  It shows great talent and great command of orchestral effect and perhaps something more.  I never heard it before and can therefore only guess at its real merit or demerit but I should rather think it entitled to a place in Musical Art corresponding to that of the ‘Wandering Jew’ the ‘Mysteries of Paris,’ and ‘Les Miserables’ in Literature.  It being a piece of clap-trap laboriously worked up by a clever mechanic, in whom there was some little gleam or germ of genius.  Beethoven’s Overture to Leonora No. 3 in C. was played with spirit.  But it’s no fair specimen of Beethoven.  On the whole this was a second-rate concert.”

10)
Review: New York Herald, 05 November 1865, 4.

“CONCERT OF THE PHILHARMONIC SOCIETY. The first concert of the New York Philharmonic Society for the present season took place at the Academy of Music last night. The weather was very unpropitious, but, nevertheless, the house was pretty good; although by no means as crowded as is usual on such occasions. The programme comprised much that was attractive and a good deal that was positively excellent. While the orchestra was occasionally a little irregular, as though the elements composing it did not thoroughly harmonize—whether from some deficiency in the rehearsals or not we cannot say—yet the symphonies, under the skilfull [sic] direction of Carl Bergman [sic], were fairly rendered. The Poeme Symphonique (Mazeppa) of Liszt, which was played for the first time, was received with deserved applause, as was Schumann’s symphony No. 4, in D minor, with which the concert opened. The tenor solos from Euryanthe and Don Sebastian were omitted in consequence of the indisposition of Signor Lotti. Mr. S. B. Mills, the eminent pianist, received that hearty welcome and thorough appreciation of his talents which he never fails to meet with. He played a posthumous concerto of Mozart, arranged for piano and orchestra, which has never been played in this country before, except by Mr. Mills at the Brooklyn Philharmonic concert recently. The work, we believe, was found among the manuscripts of the great master after his death. Mr. Mills, who is always brilliant in execution and eminently classic in style, had a fine opportunity to display his power in the allegro and adagio passages of Mozart’s poetical work, which he successfully availed himself of. A notable feature in the performance was the manner in which he made the splendid instrument under his control maintain its power above the whole orchestra of eighty instruments which accompanied him—a feature which the audience did not fail to recognize and to very loudly applaud. Mr. Mills was equally happy in the etude from Chopin, and in his own composition, the Tarantelle No. 2. The concert was concluded by the Overture No. 3, in C, ‘Leonore,’ by the orchestra, which was given in admirable style.”

11)
Review: New York Post, 06 November 1865.

“The chilly unpropitious weather . . . did not prevent a goodly attendance . . . The programme was not of the most tempting character, and the interpretation of it in places gave evidence of a certain lack of rehearsal and acquaintance with the score.  The vocal part was altogether omitted, on account of the absence of Signor Lotti, an announcement to that effect being made by Mr. Bristow, the vice-president.  Mr. Mills, however, did not fail, and his performance, although short, was of the most painstaking nature, and received with favor . . . Mr. Bergmann conducted, and the concert passed off quite satisfactorily.”

12)
Review: New-Yorker Staats-Zeitung und Herold, 06 November 1865, 8.

“Small audience. Lotti did not perform due to indisposition. . . . The accuracy, refinement and ‘fire’ of the performance of the three orchestra pieces conducted by Bergmann captivated the audience, which we believe is the result of efficient rehearsals. We noticed that the violins seemed much more harmonious than last season.

            Mr. Mills played with elegance, technical skill and a good understanding.”

13)
Review: New-York Daily Tribune, 07 November 1865, 4.

“The twentieth-fourth season of the Philharmonic Society was ushered in amidst a pelting rainstorm, which materially diminished the numbers of the audience in the Academy on Saturday evening.  The selection for the first concert was very interesting . . .

            Schumann’s 4th Symphony had the place of honor and was played in splendid style. As a composition it contains some fine melodies, is harmonized very richly, and is ingeniously and variedly treated. Its many beautiful orchestral effects, especially the sudden crescendos, or strongly-marked sforzandos, were highly effective. There is an infinity of rich coloring in the several movements, which received full justice at the hands of the orchestra. We have rarely heard a better balanced performance, or one in which the delicacies and niceties of execution were more strictly observed.

            Mr. S. B. Mills played Mozart’s concerto . . . It was as finely executed [as his performance with the Brooklyn Philharmonic] and was cordially applauded. His other selections were an Etude by Chopin and his own Tarantelle, both of which were admirably played.

            The novelty of the evening was Liszt’s Poema Symphonic, ‘Mazeppa,’ a work which contains less of the startling eccentricities of that composer than we expected, and is in many respects both characteristic and beautiful. The story is told with great power; there are flashes of rich melody, and the Arab march with which it closes is full of character, and is treated in a most masterly manner. On the whole it is a composition that will well bear repeating, and is highly interesting.

            In consequence of the illness of Mr. Lotti, his two arias were necessarily cancelled.

            The finest work in the programme was left for the close of the concert, namely, Beethoven’s overture to Leonora, No. 3.  It is a composition grand in its conception, full of noble thoughts throughout, and more descriptive of the subject than either of the other overtures. The melodies are tender and impassioned, and the principal subject for the violins, recurring at the close, and so wonderfully treated, is full of wild, ecstatic joy. A startling and thrilling effect is produced, when, at a pause in the orchestra, the tones of a distant trumpet is heard. This, to those who know the plot of the opera, is the signal of delivery of the imprisoned husband, and adds an intense interest to the whole work. The execution was worthy of the work, and reflected the highest credit on Mr. Carl Bergmann.  The orchestra, thoroughly under his control, is a noble one, composed of the best resident instrumental talent, and cannot be equaled in any city on this continent.”

14)
Review: New-Yorker Staats-Zeitung und Herold, 12 November 1865, 5.

First Concert of the Philharmonic Society. . . . Well balanced program of classical and modern pieces. Mr. Mills performed with excellence.

            We did not find the Mozart piece a good choice, though. For a highlight it is too flat, and for a “musical piece too dry, despite its charming and in its simplicity much more effective instrumentation than compared to more modern composers such as Liszt.” Liszt’s “Mazeppa” is evidence of that fact. . . . Liszt seems to have “run out of creativity.” . . . Beethoven certainly can only portray perfection. No criticism about his overture here. Regarding the performance of the concert, we are delighted to have noticed young and new faces among the violinists that know how to lead their bow skillfully. The violinists played with exceptional harmony.

            A question for the directors of the society: Why are we not presented with a larger work of Niels Gade; “a man who combines modern forms of instrumentation with the classical style of our old masters in his compositions?”