Thomas Popular Garden Concert: 6th

“There is no artist in the metropolis who has labored more faithfully in educating the people to an appreciation of really good music than Mr. Thomas. His symphony soirees, concerts of chamber music and many other musical entertainments for years past are a proof of this. His last enterprise in music is in giving a series of garden concerts at Koch’s Terrace Garden, at the corner of Third avenue and Fifty-eighth street. He commenced last Monday, and achieved from the beginning a most unexpected and extraordinary success. The handsome grounds, fitted up for those concerts by the six brothers Koch, were crowded every night, and the music was such as might be expected from Mr. Thomas; orchestra. Yesterday he gave the first Saturday afternoon concert at four o’clock. It was also very well appreciated. The audience which attends each of Mr. Thomas’ concerts is composed of the wealth and fashion of the metropolis. Every evening a number of Fifth avenue carriages are drawn up on the avenue opposite the garden, and the Messrs. Koch are called upon principally for green seal, a good test of the character of their visitors. The orchestra numbers thirty performers and the music is, in general, light and pleasing. Yesterday afternoon the sixth of those popular orchestral concerts took place. It opened with the dashing overture to Masaniello, one of Auber’s happiest efforts. Next came a characteristic waltz, by Joseph Gungl, one of those dreamy, melting German strains in which theme follows theme with an exquisite flow of tenderness and sentiment. Müller’s Terrace Garden gallop, the fourth on the programme, is a showy meretricious piece, in which every ornament in music is introduced. The overture to the Merry Wives of Windsor, by Nicolai, commences with a beautiful andante movement, in which the plaintive dialogues of the strings and reeds are particularly noticeable. The allegro in 2-4 time is joyous and fitful, and in it one hears the mocking laugh of the merry dames and sees the good humored countenance of the burly knight whom they so mercilessly humbug. The Steyrer Ländler—S’Hömweh[sic], by Lanner, is one of those charming German melodies of which Gungl’s ‘Sounds of Home’ is a worthy representation. Mr. Thomas played it with rare delicacy and feeling, and was most enthusiastically encored. Those concerts will be given every evening during the present week except on Saturday, when the performance will commence at four P.M. Friday’s programme will contain some of the best classical selections, interspersed with light salon music, adapted to the present season. Such a treat in music has never been offered before during the summer in New York, and it deserves the attention of all true lovers of the art.”