Poznanski Brothers Grand Concert: 1st

Event Information

Venue(s):
Irving Hall

Conductor(s):
Augustus Buechel

Price: $1.00; $1.50 reserved seats

Event Type:
Chamber (includes Solo)

Performance Forces:
Instrumental, Vocal

Record Information

Status:
Published

Last Updated:
19 January 2015

Performance Date(s) and Time(s)

03 Feb 1866, Evening

Program Details

Anschütz was announced to conduct, but he had an accident earlier in the week and did not attend the Benefit Concert for the German Hospital that evening either. Buechel is listed in a review as having conducted the Poznanski concert.

The piece by Prudent was an encore.

Performers and/or Works Performed

2)
Composer(s): Mendelssohn-Bartholdy
Participants:  Joseph Poznanski [piano]
3)
Composer(s): Prudent
Participants:  Joseph Poznanski [piano]
4)
Composer(s): Beriot
Participants:  Joseph Poznanski [piano]
5)
Composer(s): Vieuxtemps
6)
Composer(s): Vieuxtemps
7)
Composer(s): Poznanski [violin]
8)
aka Caprice on The star-spangled banner
Composer(s): Poznanski [piano]
9)
Composer(s): Vieuxtemps, Wolff [composer]
10)
Composer(s): Poznanski [piano]
Participants:  Joseph Poznanski [piano]
11)
Composer(s): Poznanski [piano]
Participants:  Joseph Poznanski [piano]
12)
aka Perpetual motion; Moto continuo
Composer(s): Weber
Participants:  Joseph Poznanski [piano]
13)
Composer(s): Poznanski [piano]
Participants:  Joseph Poznanski [piano]
14)
aka Robert! Robert! toi que j'aime ; Robert toi que j’aime; Robert, all I love!
Composer(s): Meyerbeer
Text Author: Scribe, Delavigne
15)
aka Harp that once thro' Tara's halls, The
Composer(s): Stevenson
Text Author: Moore
16)
aka Carlo lo muojo
Composer(s): Verdi
18)
Composer(s): Donizetti

Citations

1)
Advertisement: New-York Times, 21 January 1866.
2)
Announcement: New-York Times, 22 January 1866, 4.

     “The Brothers Poznansky [sic] give a grand concert at Irving Hall on Saturday next.  One plays the violin and the other the piano.”

3)
Announcement: New-Yorker Musik-Zeitung, 29 January 1866.
4)
Announcement: New York Post, 29 January 1866, 2.

     “We might add that the Poznanskis, spite of their outlandish name, are natives of America; they were born in Charleston, S.C.”

5)
Advertisement: New York Herald, 30 January 1866.
6)
Announcement: New-York Times, 30 January 1866, 5.

     “The Brothers Poznanski (piano and violin) will give their first concert at Irving Hall on Saturday evening next, assisted by Mme. Williams Reville, (soprano from the Royal Academy of Music, London,) Signor Fossati, and a full orchestra under the direction of M. Carl Anschutz.”

7)
Announcement: New York Herald, 02 February 1866.

     “These gentlemen are natives of Charleston. Report speaks in the highest terms of their talent. Joseph, the pianist, is distinguished as being an eminent performer, while the executive ability of his brother, Isaac, as a violinist, is remarkable for brilliancy and precision.  They have had the advantage of a first rate musical education, we believe principally in Paris. They will be assisted on this occasion by Madame Williams Reville, from the Royal Academy of Music, London, a vocalist of celebrity, of whom our European contemporaries speak in eulogistic terms. Signor Fossati, an efficient basso, from La Scala, will assist at the concert, a full orchestra being under the direction of Herren Anschutz and Bachal [sic].”

8)
Announcement: New-York Daily Tribune, 02 February 1866, 4.

     “much interest and curiosity are centered around the debut of these two American artists”

9)
Announcement: New-York Daily Tribune, 03 February 1866, 1.

     “The Poznanskis are admirable artists, and their performance will prove their claim to be ranked high, and will sustain the reputation which as American artists they have honestly earned abroad.”

10)
Advertisement: New-Yorker Staats-Zeitung und Herold, 03 February 1866.
11)
Review: New-York Times, 05 February 1866, 5.

     “The attendance was all that could be desired.  The brothers, however, do not impress us as being remarkable on their respective instruments—the violin and piano.  Their execution is clear and musical, but it lacks breadth of style and the largeness of tone which we have a right to expect in public performers.  The vocalist, Mme. Reville, sang tamely and out of tune.  Signor Fossati and an orchestra also took part in this concert.”

12)
Review: New-York Daily Tribune, 05 February 1866, 5.

     On Saturday evening last these young American artists gave their first concert in Irving Hall, before one of the most crowded and brilliant audiences of the season. The Hall was filled in every part, so that many were compelled to content themselves with a standing place in the passage. In our advance notices of this concert we have stated that the studies of the Poznanskis were completed abroad, Vieuxtemps instructing the violinist and Wolff the pianist. Their studies have been very thorough in all the branches of their art, so that both mentally and practically they are accomplished artists. The piano compositions of Joseph Poznanski display a vigorous and elegant talent. They are characterized by grace, sentiment and brilliance, and if they are not startlingly original, for they are somewhat tinged by the Chopin tone of thought, they are well made, beautiful in melody and rich in harmony.  The only violin piece which we have heard by I. B. Poznanski exhibits a skilful hand in the composition and arrangement. The first piece he selected was a Concerto by De Beriot, ‘Fantasie Ballet,’ which he played neatly and gracefully, the execution throughout being clear, rapid, well phrased and defined. It lacked in marked force, so that the coloring was not as strong as it should have been, but in grace, ease and fantastic finish, it was admirably executed. Vieuxtemps’s solo, ‘The Nightingale,’ was executed with a charming grace of manner, and gained a warm encore. His popular pieces, Vieuxtemps, St. Patrick’s Day, and his own ‘Star-Spangled Banner,’ touched the audience greatly, the latter being vehemently encored, when he played with much grace and expression the delicious little ‘Berceuse,’ which Paul Jullien made so popular years ago. Mr. I. B. Poznanski’s method is strict and pure, exhibiting the best points of his renowned master. His tone is clear and pure throughout the whole range of the instrument, his intonation is infallibly correct, never failing in his stopping even to a hair’s breadth; in all the graces and phrased fioriture, he exhibits the most exquisite delicacy and perfect finish; his staccato bowing is light, prompt and sharp, and his coups d’archet are clear and well defined. His taste is unimpeachable, being free from any attempt at clap trap. His style lacks breadth in expression, and yet is too pure to be small.  His great need is impulse, abandon; but this he will gain with the experience which will result from observing the effect he makes upon various audiences.  Art, by well considered emphasis, can simulate passions, and this can be acquired; but we believe that when Mr. Poznanski is settled to his work, and embarks seriously in the career of an artist’s life, he will develop [sic] the points in which he is now deficient.

     Mr. J. Poznanski selected for his first piece a concerto, by Mendelssohn, which has been frequently played in New-York, by our first-class players. In some respects it has never been better played; the Andante, for instance, was rendered with exquisite taste and feeling, and was specially impressive from his intelligent and appreciative reading. He attacked the rapid movements with firmness and brio, and displayed clear, rapid and delicate executive power. The nervousness, consequent upon a first appearance, was very apparent, and some defects which were observable, might justly be attributed to that cause. But as a whole the concerto was finely played, and the applause which followed it compelled the artist to re-appear, when he played a charming piece by Prudent, with fluency and grace. His next selection, ‘Tarantelle’ (a) and ‘Caprice Arabe,” (b) both clever compositions by himself, were well rendered, the ‘Caprice Arabe’ especially offering him scope for the display of a profound expression and a power of cantabile which made the piano sing with a perfect vocal portamento. His other solo, ‘Le Calme du Soir,’ a thoughtful and delightfully sentimental composition by himself, was expressively and effectively played, and was followed by a movement, ‘Perpetual Motion,’ the finale of a concerto by Weber. The movement is indeed perpetual, never coming to a rest or close until the final chord. It is a brilliant, effective and scientific movement, and requires a dexterous and rapid manipulation. In this Mr. Poznanski was eminently successful; the intricate passages were phrased with great exactness, and the whole movement was played with marked bravura.

     Mr. Poznanski is unquestionably a true artist in feeling and sentiment. His interpretations are always intelligent and refined, and his playing exhibits much passionate abandon. His style is based upon pure taste and his touch is brilliant and sympathetic. His manner is somewhat fitful, and his execution on Saturday evening was not always perfectly clear, probably for the reason above stated [nervousness], but his playing proved him to be in every way an admirable artist, who will assuredly win his way with the public.

     The grand duo on Don Giovanni by Wolfe and Vieuxtemps, was very finely played by the brothers Poznanski, and was very cordially applauded. We consider their debut was a decided success, and hope to hear them soon gain in the concert room.

     Madame Reville, who assisted, sang very fairly. She vocalizes well, her voice is sweet but small, and the upper notes in the staff are very much worn. She is not an effective singer, but is passable. Signor Fossati sang smoothly and without much sentiment, and was well received. Mr. Buchell [sic] conducted a very heterogeneous orchestra with much ability, accompanying the solos with care and delicacy. He is a welcome addition to our force of conductors.”

13)
Review: New-Yorker Musik-Zeitung, 07 February 1866, 73.

     The brothers Poznanski are still very much students according to their skill level. They have talent, but their training must not have been very good.

14)
Review: New-Yorker Musik-Zeitung, 07 February 1866, 74.

     The concert was overcrowded and almost all pieces were requested da capo thus the concert seemed like a “double concert.” The two young Poznanski brothers did not give the impression of being first class musicians.