George Morgan Organ Concert: 6th

R: NYH 05/21/66 – “Irving Hall was crowded last evening almost as much as at the Choral Festivals on occasion of the sixth of the popular sacred concerts.  Miss Fanny Stockton sang “He was Despised and Rejected of Men,” from the Messiah, and an Ave Maria admirably. Her voice last night was splendid, and entitled her to a place among the many distinguished native artists who have appeared in the metropolis this season.  Mr. Morgan’s duets, with Mr. Coby [sic] for organ and piano—a Meditation, ‘First Prelude,’ by Bach, and an ‘Adagio’ by Kalliwoda—were admirably rendered.  The piano on this occasion blended better with the organ than when we last heard these two instruments together.  Mr. Campbell sang O Salutaris, by Ritter. This solo just suited the fine baritone voice of Mr. Campbell, and he did it full justice.  Mr. Castle was not so successful in Haydn’s “In Native Worth.”  However good this gentleman may be in ballad music, he is not competent to sing such a piece as this chef d’oeuvre of the Creation.  His rendering is too tame and spiritless. We have heard Reeves in the same piece, and the effect was so different that we could recognize but few features of it in Mr. Castle’s hands.  Mr. Morgan played an introductory fantasie from the Huguenots and the overture to the Magic Flute in his own brilliant and masterly style.  There were two pieces announced on the programme which were changed, probably at the caprice of the artists. A duet from Flotow’s Martha was substituted for a duet by Verdi, and a trio from Verdi’s Attila for a trio by Donizetti. Now, this is unpardonable, and has become a nuisance of late. If artists would venture to insult an audience in Europe by capriciously substituting whatever they pleased for the programme made out by the director of a concert they would be hissed off the stage. It is a positive insult to an audience for a vocalist to come forward and without a word of explanation change the piece set down for him on the programme.”