Pfeiffer and Altieri Concert

“These distinguished artists, who have just arrived from Rio Janeiro [sic] where Mr. Pfeiffer, who is a son of Madame Ida Pfeiffer, the celebrated traveller, was the leading pianist gave a séance yesterday afternoon at their residence, in Ninth street, to a select number of critics and teachers of the musical world. The pieces selected for the occasion were very difficult and charming, all of them being the composition of Mr. Pfeiffer, whose precision and taste in execution elicited the hearty applause and approval of those present. That gentleman’s characteristics are a remarkable severity of style, perfect purity in the most difficult passages, great delicacy in fingering and extraordinary vigor in rendering the ‘bravura’ parts. Madame Pfeiffer, better known as Signora Jiuditta Altieri, the eminent prima donna, sung the romanza from ‘Il Ballo’ with great effect. Her voice is fresh, clear, and fully developed and her dramatic rendering very fine and powerful. It is the intention of these artistes to appear before a New York audience in a very short time either in concerts or (more probably) in opera.”

Part of announcement for multiple events. “Amusements are progressing steadily, and with fair indications of improvement. . . . The latest accession to the profession [of new pianists] is in the person of Mr. Oscar Pfeiffer, son of the celebrated traveler Mme. Ida Pfeiffer. . . . He is a fine bravura player, possessing a vast amount of execution and a thorough knowledge of effect. . . . Mme. Oscar Pfeiffer is known to the operatic stage as Jiuditta Altieri [sic], and will probably sing at her husband’s concerts. She possesses a fine soprano voice, and is destined to win a high place in the esteem of the musical community.”

“A private matinée, given on Saturday by Mr. and Mrs. Pfeiffer, invited critical attention to two artists of good reputation, who are comparative strangers to New York. Mr. Oscar Pfeiffer will be remembered as the son of Madam [sic] Ida Pfeiffer, an accomplished and able woman, celebrated in her day as a traveler; and Madame Altieri Pfeiffer comes to us along with her husband, after a brisk musical experience in Italy, Germany, and South America. Both of these artists have evidently fair claims to the public favor. Mr. Pfeiffer is a pianist of skill and cultivation; and in two or three fantasias of his own composition on Italian themes, showed the vigor, precision, and nerve of a positive style. Few pianists entertain us with the highest musical interpretation, and we are not surprised to hear that Mr. Pfeiffer, like Mr. Gottschalk, plays his own compositions principally. The pianist has a right to prove his creative capacity, and to set forth his individuality in works of his own, provided, of course, that he has enough individuality to float him safely over the keyboard. Mr. Pfeiffer’s compositions are ingenious and graceful, and embody the features of his style as a pianist. The delivery of the Scena and Aria, in the opening of the second act of the Ballo in Maschera, by Madame Pfeiffer, concluded the matinée. Her voice is well-developed, her manner free and certain, her enunciation dramatic; and these qualities will be a recommendation to public favor when Madame Pfeiffer appears in opera. Both performers have a measure of merit and ability that will win them regard.”

“Oscar Pfeiffer is a student of Liszt and it shows. He is technically very skilled, displays taste in his presentation and a rare confidence in managing difficult passages in compositions. We have no doubt, he will be very successful in New York.”

“Every new day brings its new calamities and its new pianist.  The latest of the latter is a Mr. Oscar Pfieffer [sic], who comes all the way from Rio Janeiro, leaving tracks of wonderful music every step of the way and proposes to make some new impressions here. He is accompanied by his wife, who is of the opera and operatic. The two gave a private rehearsal of their abilities on a recent morning to pleasure of a goodly company of connoisseurs. The lady’s voice, as far as might be judged in a parlor, is a very excellent one, of soprano quality. Mr. Pfieffer’s playing is very free and eminently dramatic. He performed nothing but his own composition, and it is perhaps difficult to say how good or how bad he might be in the performance of the works of other composers. He is altogether admirable in his own, which are written to display his love for bravura. These artists will both shortly appear in public.”

“A new pianist, Mr. Oscar Pfeiffer, has just arrived in town from Rio Janiero. He is said to be a fine bravura player, and to possess great execution. He will doubtless receive some attention, from other than musical considerations, as he is a son of the celebrated traveler, Mme. Ida Pfeiffer. His wife is already somewhat known in the operatic world as Signora Juidetta [sic] Altieri, and as the owner of a fine soprano voice.”