Widows and Orphans of Charleston, SC, Benefit

NOTE: The organ is by Odell and the piano is by Chickering.

...Carmelina Poch and Mazzoleni sang very well. Miss Toedt has improved significantly and performed with confidence and taste. Poznanski played the fantasy over themes of Elisir d’Amore accurately and fluently. Miss Henne was received well by the audience for Weiland’s song. The Beethoven Chorus has several beautiful and fresh voices among the members and performed its pieces nicely. The concert was unfortunately not well attended.

 “[list of participating artists] The most enjoyable and truly artistic part of the concert was Miss Toedt’s violin pieces. This lady seems to improve at every concert and is fast acquiring that breadth and purity of tone which, combined with her powers of execution, will place her in an enviable position among the violinists of this city. Senorita Poch sang Il Bacio of Arditi in a spasmodic manner, which destroyed the brilliancy of this charming little waltz song.  The accompanist, Mr. Ernst Eberhard, seemed determined on testing the powers of endurance of the grand piano to their utmost limit; for some of the chords he struck made us fear that there would not be a hammer or key fit for use after the concert. It was a trying ordeal for the instrument and the audience too. Miss Henne has a very good voice, but her method is rather amateurish and unfinished. Signor Mazzoleni sang a ridiculous affair by Verdi, entitled L’Esule. We will charitably suppose that Verdi never revised this song. If he had it would probably have been consigned to the waste basket or the fire. There is not an intelligible idea in the entire piece. Mr. Joseph Poznanski played Thalberg’s fantasia on L’Elisir d’Amore. This young pianist has still a great deal to learn and to practice in his profession before he can be considered as anything more than a second rate artist.  He labors too much, aesthetically speaking, in his playing, and consequently his style is uneven and indistinct. The Beethoven Maennerchor would be much improved if the quality of the tenors was less nasal and shrill. The rest of the artists did fairly.”