National Conservatory of Music Student Recital: 1st

Event Information

Venue(s):
Academy of Music

Conductor(s):
Edward Mollenhauer [viola-vn]

Event Type:
Chamber (includes Solo)

Performance Forces:
Instrumental

Record Information

Status:
Published

Last Updated:
30 August 2012

Performance Date(s) and Time(s)

23 Oct 1865, 2:00 PM

Program Details

Examination (Recital) of students of the National Conservatory of Music. Tickets at the conservatory, 244 E. 13th St.

Performers and/or Works Performed

Citations

1)
Announcement: New-York Times, 23 October 1865, 5.
2)
Announcement: New-York Daily Tribune, 23 October 1865, 3.

Gives starting time as 3 pm.

3)
Review: New York Herald, 24 October 1865.

“A concert was given by the pupils of this institution . . . yesterday afternoon, at which quite a number of young ladies made their debut as pianists. The Conservatory has been established just one year, and this is the first time that the qualifications of its students were tested before the public. The object of the Conservatory, we need not say, is to impart an artistic and scientific musical education, and if it accomplishes this successfully it will prove a very useful institution. It is under the direction of Mr. Edward Mollenhauer, the eminent violinist and composer. It could hardly be expected that a public performance of pupils only one year under the discipline of the Conservatory would be perfect, but it served to demonstrate to some extent the advantages of systematic study.”

4)
Review: New-York Daily Tribune, 24 October 1865.

“The National Conservatory of Music was established some 18 months since by Mr. Edward Mollenhauer, the well-known musician, violinst and composer, and is conducted by him under a thoroughly organized system of Professors in the various branches of the Musical art under his sole supervision.  In this brief time, it has grown to be an institution of considerable importance, its various classes numbering several hundreds of pupils in the departments of vocal music, piano, violin, violincello [sic], flute, cornet-a-piston and theory. Other instruments are taught, specially, as required, but professorships in all departments will be established progressively.

            The system of instruction embraces both private instruction, teaching in classes, and concerted performance vocally and instruments of the same class, such as pianos, or in the full orchestra.

            The pupils exhibiting on this occasion numbered some 30 young ladies; the majority were students of the piano, the rest vocal, violin and cornet or piston [sic].  The piano pupils played mostly in concerted pieces, duettes, quartettes, and octettes. Among them there are no very advanced pupils, but all that is attempted to be done, is done well. They all appear to be well grounded; their touch is good, and their performance indicates that they thoroughly comprehend the principles of time. In the unisonous pieces, the passages, slow or brilliant, were executed together with remarkable precision. The expression, too, was well defined, indeed, we should judge them to be well taught, when such results are shown after so brief a course of instruction. There are many advantages gained by the system pursued at the Conservatory, and some evils, but so far as the exhibition yesterday may be taken as a sample, it was most favorable in every way. The concerted pieces were performed upon the pianos adopted by the Conservatory, and manufactured by Weber of this city. They are square pianos, very elegant in form, full, sweet and rich in tone, and of considerable power, a fact which their capacity to be heard in the Academy of Music, illustrates undeniably, and justifies their selection by the Conservatory.

            The violin pupil, Master Bernhard, did great credit to his instructor, Mr. Mollenhauer.  He has a promising tone, a nimble finger, bows lightly and forcibly, and exhibits finish, taste and expression. This youth has talent which should be carefully trained; he has materials out of which to make a virtuoso, and Mr. Mollenhauer should pay him special attention.

            The second and last exhibition concert of the National Conservatory will take place at the Academy of Music at 2 o’clock this afternoon.”