Edward Mollenhauer Conservatory Concert: 1st

“For this concert Mr. Mollenhauer has received the co-operation of some of the most distinguished artists in the country. It is to be the first of a series of grand concerts at which hereafter mostly classical music will be performed by a full orchestra.”

“Mr. Edward Mollenhauer, at the opening concert of his Musical Conservatory at Irving Hall last night, presented some very attractive vocal and instrumental pieces to his audience. The first piece, a duo for violin and violoncello, by F. A. Kummer, the celebrated violoncellist, was played with taste and power by the two brothers Mollenhauer. It is a Swiss air, with variations, in which each instrument has an individuality of idea which distinguished it the composition from a mere primo and secundo affair. The arpeggio passages of the violin in the first variation are particularly beautiful. Mr. Moeckelmann [sic] was announced as the pianist on the occasion, but from some unaccountable whim he refused to play, and thereby disappointed the audience.  When an artist will make an engagement to play in a concert and suffer himself to be advertised for it, and then capriciously withdraws, he deliberately insults the public. There was an excellent substitute, however, found in Messrs. Lejeal and Wallenstein.  The former played played Liszt’s transcription of the celebrated quartette from Rigoletto.  We doubt very much if there is a pianist who can interpret this remarkable and extraordinary piece in any kind of intelligible manner but the composer himself. There are some passages of beauty and power in it, but it in the hands of aught but Liszt, a great many very ridiculous ones. Mr. Lejeal played it much better than expected. He gave the chromatic passage in major thirds—an extremely difficult feat, requiring a species for prestidigitation in technique—with such cleanness and smoothness that few artists are capable of bringing out. There was a want of crispness and, if we might be allowed to use the expression, instantaneousness in his tone, which marred the execution of the forte passages in which some of those polyphonic chords of Liszt occur; but the graceful wreath of chromatics surrounding the theme was rendered by him in an artistic manner.  Madame Frederici sang ‘Robert, toi que j’aime.’ She has a voice of considerable power and thrilling sweetness, but as for style, training or execution, we have heard hundreds of amateurs superior to her. No girl in the public schools of this city would sing this air of Meyerbeer’s in such a manner. Out of tune, trembling and weak, and uncertain every minute whether to stop or finish this air, the vocalist left a painful and disagreeable impression on her hearers. If she will only study, and acquire ease and steadiness of voice alone, she may succeed, but otherwise she cannot compete with any artist of note on the American stage or off it. Mr. Charles Jahn has a harsh, shrill tenor voice, by which we could not judge of the merits of Mr. Lejeal’s Canto Sacra. Mr. Pollack, who made his début in America on this occasion, has an excellent, well cultivated baritone voice, which, with more confidence and less nervousness, will place him among our best artists.  He was so fearfully nervous last night, and chose such a dismal, churchyard lied by Luther, that we could only judge of his voice, which is very good. The rest of the programme was excellent. Mr. Henry Mollenhauer and his brother were in all cases unexceptionable.”

The performances were of a higher quality than in earlier years. Ed and Henry Mollenhauer performed excellently on their violin and cello. Himmer- Frederici still possesses a beautiful, strong voice; however, she also still lacks skill in the drama department. Mr. Pollack sang Luther’s “In dunkler Nacht” with sentiment. The program was well received by the audience.

Mr. Lejeal performed Rigoletto’s Fantasy with much skill. The baritone Mr. Pollack gave his debut and was well received for his accurate and tasteful performance. He is a student of probably the best German singer of songs, Mr. Stockhausen and has taken on his teacher’s sensitivity and tenderness in his performance style. Pollack will undoubtedly have a successful career here.

“There were some new artists of whom the Review reports: “The performances were satisfactory enough, with the exception of the piano performances of Mr. Lejeal. This gentleman substituted for Mr. Bockelman, and although it may have been very kind of him to have taken the latter gentleman’s place at a short notice, he should not have attempted to play Liszt’s fantasy on ‘Rigoletto,’ a piece played in this city by the most prominent concert players. A musician may be a very good teacher without possessing the qualifications for a virtuoso. In the same concert we listened for a virtuoso. In the same concert we listened with pleasure to the singing of Mr. J. Pollack, a young baritone from Dresden and a pupil of Julius Stockhausen, who is eminently qualified for concert singing and certainly will have good success in this country. The voice of the young artist is neither too strong nor of a very large compass, and he does not reach more than E in the high register; but the quality of the voice is exceedingly pleasing and he sings with an extraordinary warmth of feeling and a pleasingly sentimental touch of expression.”