Grand Organ Concert

Event Information

Venue(s):
West Presbyterian Church

Performance Forces:
Instrumental, Vocal

Record Information

Status:
Published

Last Updated:
9 June 2016

Performance Date(s) and Time(s)

11 Dec 1865, 8:00 PM

Program Details



Performers and/or Works Performed

3)
Composer(s): Mendelssohn-Bartholdy
Participants:  George Washbourne Morgan

Citations

1)
Advertisement: New York Herald, 11 December 1865, 7.
2)
Announcement: New York Post, 11 December 1865.

     “Mr. Morgan will perform on a new organ by Stuart—an instrument which is said to possess some original features.”

3)
Review: New York Post, 12 December 1865.

     “CITY INTELLIGENCE. Another New Organ. An exhibition of the organ recently erected by Stuart in Rev. Mr. Hasting’s church on Forty-second street, near Fifth avenue, took place last evening. Mr. Morgan, assisted by Mr. Mould, the architect of the building, and by the organist of the church, displayed to advantage the instrument, which seems specially noticeable for reeds and solo stops, rather than for mere body and volume of tone. It is peculiarly arranged, being divided into two distinct parts, one on each side of the church. At the end of the west gallery is the swell organ, and at the end of the east gallery the great. In a gallery over the pulpit is the keyboard, and the organist can produce responsive effects as is often done in those Italian churches where there are several distinct organs with different keyboards requiring different performers. For the extended action required to bring so expanded an instrument under the control of one player, the builders deserve hearty praise. The mechanism, though so complicated, works clearly and neatly, without any perceptible ‘clicking’ or other unpleasant noise.

     The programme of the evening was varied by the singing of Miss Hutchings and Mr. Rockwood.”

4)
Review: New-York Times, 13 December 1865, 5.

     Program.  “ORGAN CONCERT.—The West Presbyterian Church, in West Forty-second-street, a noteworthy recent addition to the church architecture of this city, was on Monday night the scene of an interesting musical entertainment; the occastion being the exhibition of a new and very beautiful organ, just completed for the edifice by Mr. L. U. Stuart, of Houston-street. The instrument has been built on a novel plan, necessitated by the architectural requirements of the building, being situated in the rear of the pulpit, the great organ and swell divided by a space of some 60 feet, the manual in the centre between the two. The organ contains 30 stops, 10 being on the upper register, 13 on the principal register, 2 on the pedals, the rest being couplers, and a very fine vox tremula. Its admirable qualifications were shown off to the greatest advantage by the skillful hands (and feet) of Mr. GEORGE W. MORGAN. The chief attractions of the programme were, a Fugue in G major, by BACH, magnificently played; the overture to the ‘Midsummer Night’s Dream,’ by MENDELSSOHN, which displayed the charming antiphonal effects of the instrument, and the exquisite andantino grazioso of Gade’s symphony in C Major, arranged for four hands, and, and [sic] performed by Mr. MORGAN and Mr. T. WREY MOULD, the architect of the church, who, to his well-known proficiency in his own art of architecture joins a most genuine love and taste for the sister art of music. Miss HUTCHINGS and Mr. ROCKWOOD assisted in the vocal department, and the accompaniments were felicitously handled by the conscientious rendering of Mr. GEO. W. COLBY. We soon [sic] happy to see the church crowded by an attentive and appreciative audience.”