Promenade Concert: Benefit for the Soldiers’ Library

Event Information

Venue(s):
Twenty-Second Regiment Armory

Conductor(s):
Charles Rehm

Event Type:
Band

Record Information

Status:
Published

Last Updated:
9 June 2016

Performance Date(s) and Time(s)

28 Mar 1866, Evening

Performers and/or Works Performed

2)
aka Freischutz overture
Composer(s): Weber
4)
Composer(s): Rehm
5)
aka Wild wood polka
Composer(s): Rehm

Citations

1)
Advertisement: New York Herald, 27 March 1866.
2)
Advertisement: New-York Times, 27 March 1866.
3)
Review: New York Herald, 29 March 1866, ?.

“One of the best military promenade concerts of the season was given last night at the spacious and handsome armory of the above well known organization by the Governor’s Island band, in aid of their library. Mr. Charles Rehm was leader. The band only numbered some twenty-six pieces—hardly more than half the number of our National Guard bands. The best piece on the programme was the magnificent overture to the Freischutz, and the worst, the selection from La Forza del Destino.  The Freischutz overture is a most trying test of the capabilities of a military band, and we have rarely heard it played with such precision and élan as last night. The Incantation scene, the beautiful theme following, and the crashing finale were performed in a manner we little expected to hear from one of our military bands. The Forza del Destino was also well rendered; but nothing could redeem this latest monstrosity of Verdi. No one who has heard Giuseppe’s earlier works could ever dream that he could degenerate to such an extent as to palm off on the public this puerile, disconnected piece of nonsense as an opera. We do not wonder that it proved a failure in Europe, as it must here if any manager is ever unlucky enough to bring it out. Mr. Rehm had a large number of his own compositions on the bill; but fortunately they were of a nature to warrant it.  His model is exclusively the German school. The most acceptable of his works which he gave last night were the Leonora Waltz, a charming little morceau, in imitation of Strauss, and an ingenious arrangement called the Wild Woods Polka. The rest were barely passable. Verdi’s Traviata and Trovatore formed a marked contrast to the work we have spoken of above. It is a pity that this eminent composer should descend to such trash as he has been lately in the habit of giving us. When he was struggling up against the most formidable obstacles to fame, his genius shed light on the Italian school; but now he furnishes a hybrid mixture of irredeemable nonsense and plagiarism from his contemporaries.  We have not heard any military band in New York that deserves more credit in the rendering of the really difficult programme of last night than the Governor’s Island band.”