Bergmann Promenade Concert: 7th

“The taste for popular music is increasing in this country with great rapidity. The vast number of people that flock to the Central Park on Saturday afternoons ‘to hear the music’ is proof of this. Thousands also flock to the Orchestral Gardens and to the Lion Park, where some of the finest works of the masters are performed in the open air, under the supervision of the best conductors in the City; for even Theodore Thomas and Carl Bergman [sic] do not consider themselves too great to give their services to the people at these places.  This growth of the love for out-door concerts of this character, is to be attributed in great degree to the efforts of the German element of our population.  In Berlin and other German cities, popular music forms a much more prominent feature of life than with us; and the people give up time and business for its enjoyment.  In this City, and indeed throughout the country, the greater part of our performers are Germans; and our German fellow-citizens always turn out in large numbers to the Parks and Gardens where music is given. The American people may well be grateful to the Germans for what they are doing for us in this direction.”

          “This beautiful park, situated at 110th street, was the rendezvous yesterday, as it is every Saturday, of large numbers of our Teutonic population. It is truly refreshing, after a week’s toil and labor in the city, where, for the last few days, we have been literally roasting, to repair to such a place as this where, surrounded by acquaintances and abundance of flowing lager, and listening to good music, we can enjoy a few hours’ perfect repose.  Judging from the appearance of the assembly yesterday, enjoyment seemed to be their sole object, and even one son of Erin so far forgot himself as to leave his habitual refreshment and fraternize with those of the Teutonic element.

          The proprietor of the park has spared no pains to make his place a delightful one for an excursion. The tasteful and elegant building is a model. The caged animals are a never ending source of delight to the numerous juveniles who teem on every side. Bowling alleys, shaded walks, great trees, abounding with leaves, and healthy, not puny and sickly, as we have them ‘downtown,’ form attractions for the elder pleasure seekers. Green grass is even a luxury. Some were tempted to make a nosegay of it as a variation to those insipid flowers retailed in what are called bouquets, all the beauty they ever had being crushed out of them by dirty fingers.

          Mr. Carl Bergmann and his thirty devoted followers gave some good music.  A march, by Carl Bergmann, the overture to Stradella; the Lustswarmer waltz, by Strauss, were given to the satisfaction of a large assembly. A selection from the everlasting Faust was not executed in as fine a style as might have been expected. The ‘Soldiers’ Chorus’ was not exactly new. The defects in the playing were many. The popularity of this opera is truly astonishing, as was proven by the applause given it, though the execution was not up to the standard of any other piece in the programme. Rossini’s magnificent overture to Guillaume Tell was given with great effect, and was vociferously encored. A cornet solo, ‘Wie schon bist der,’ by Heldt, was good. A few more miscellaneous pieces were given, among which might be noticed a pot pourri Figaro, the overture to Zanetta by Auber and a selection from Martha. The pot pourri was played rather carelessly. The others were very well given.

          The Belvidere Lion Park would seem to be that proverbial place where ‘the wicked cease from troubling, and the weary are at rest.’ Signs of ‘beware of pickpockets’ were nowhere to be seen. There appeared, in fact, to be an agreement between these gentry to respect the locality.”