Mendelssohn Union Annual Moonlight Excursion

Event Information

Venue(s):
Chicopee (steamer)

Price: $3, lady and gentleman; $2 gentleman; $1 “extra lady"

Event Type:
Choral, Orchestral

Record Information

Status:
Published

Last Updated:
8 November 2017

Performance Date(s) and Time(s)

31 Jul 1866, 6:00 PM

Program Details

6 p.m. to 3:30 a.m.

Performers and/or Works Performed

2)
Composer(s): Wallace

Citations

1)
Advertisement: New York Herald, 25 July 1866.
2)
Advertisement: New-York Daily Tribune, 28 July 1866.
3)
Advertisement: New-York Times, 30 July 1866, 7.
4)
Announcement: New-York Times, 31 July 1866, 4.
5)
Advertisement: New-York Times, 31 July 1866, 7.
6)
Review: New York Herald, 02 August 1866, 4.

“The annual moonlight excursion and concert of the ‘Mendelssohn Union’—always looked forward to with such pleasurable anticipations by the votaries of pleasant recreations and the lovers of classic music—came off Tuesday evening last, with considerable éclat but contrasted w was comparatively but a tame affair. To say that the music was of the highest order, and was excellently rendered, that the guests were very select and fashionable and that the excursion passed off without accident or incident occurring to mar the pleasure of those present, is to express in a few words everything favorable which can possibly be said concerning the festival. That some of the committee sadly neglected their duties is a fact too palpable to be easily overlooked. Inst4ead of having a surprise of programmes, or orders of dance, there was not a sufficient number to supply those who were present, and as a natural result of such carelessness, very many persons were kept during the entire evening in the most blissful ignorance of what was going on around them. The Mendelssohn Union is too well known to be considered parsimonious, and this [illeg.] make the question still the more perplexing, why there were not enough programmes on hand to supply each of the four hundred persons present with one so that they might be enabled to comprehend the nature of the exercises.

The steamer Chicopee was chartered for the occasion and about seven o’clock in the evening cast off her lines from the pier foot of Christopher street, and having in tow a double deck barge steamed slowly up the Hudson. Owing to some hitch or oversight, the amusements of the evening were delayed unnecessarily, and the boat was well on her way before they were commenced. After the overture by the band, the ‘Hunting Chorus’ and ‘Sail On, Sail On,’ from Lurline, were given with fine effect by the male and female voices of the Union, and failed not to receive a hearty and well merited applause, the latter air, especially, being a full recompense for the tardiness in inaugurating the festivities. Dancing followed, but with the exception of the immediate vicinity of the orchestra, the dancing deck of the barge was destitute of even so much as a farthing rushnight, nor was the oversight corrected until long after dark and the dancing had been going on for some time. On the after portion of the deck it was as dark as Erebus, where some few enjoyed the obscurity and tripped(?) the light fantastic toe with much ease; but many others remained in their seats until lights were procured. After this everything went on smoothly, and the dancing being interspersed with singing and instrumental music both of the highest order, and the night was passed very pleasantly by all on board. Not a loud or angry word was heard during the evening; and about three o’clock in the morning, after a delightful sail of sixty miles on the silvery waters of the Hudson river, the Chicopee landed her human freight safely in this city. The faults spoken of that occurred in the fore part of the evening are but small and trifling in themselves, but still much better arrangements were expected form an organization whose name is synonymous with everything pertaining to fun, and whose entertainments have been heretofore second to no others in this country.”

7)
Review: New-York Times, 03 August 1866, 4.

"Mendelssohn Union.--The annual moonlight excursion of the Mendelssohn Union was a great success. The cheerful party left at 6 P.M. and returned the next day at 3:30 A.M. To Mr. Harrison, of Irving Hall, the Union was largely indebted for its success."