Annals of Music in America Part 7

1847. June 12. Pacini's opera "Saffo" presented at the Park Theatre, New York City, by the Havana Opera Company.

1847. Aug. 4. Madame Anna Bishop, noted English singer, made her American debut at the Park Theatre, New York City.

1847. Nov. 14. Mozart's Third Symphony (E flat major) and Bristow's Concert Overture (Opus 3) given by the Philharmonic Society of New York City.

1847. American debut of Teresa Truffi, soprano, in "Ernani" at the Astor Place Opera House, New York City, which was opened in this month under the management of Patti, Sanquirico and Pogliano.

The company included Clotilde and Antonio Barili, Benedetti and Sanquirico.

1847. Dec. 5. Handel's oratorio "Judas Maccabeus" given by the Handel and Haydn Society in Boston.

1847. Mozart Society organized in Chicago, under the direction of Frank Lumbard.

1848. Jan. 8. Beethoven's Seventh Symphony (in F,) given by the Musical Fund Society, Boston.

1848. Feb. 1. Bellini's opera "I Capuletti e Montecchi" presented at the Astor Place Opera House, New York City, for the debut of Caterina Barilli Patti, as _Romeo_.

1848. Feb. 14. Mercadante's opera "Il Guiramento" presented at the Astor Place Opera House, New York City, with Truffi, Benedetti, Rossi and Beneventano.

1848. April 4. Verdi's opera "Nabucco" presented at the Astor Place Opera House, New York City, with Truffi, Amalia Patti.

1848. April 11. Schumann's secular cantata, "Paradise and the Peri," given in New York City, by the Musical Inst.i.tute, Henry C. Timm conducting.

1848. April 29. Spohr's Symphony in E flat, given by the Philharmonic Society, New York City.

1848. May 4. Wallace's opera "Maritana" given by the Seguin Company in Philadelphia.

1848. May 14. Mendelssohn's "Midsummer Night's Dream," music given by the Germania Orchestra in New York City.

1848. Oct. 2. American debut of Maurice Strakosch, noted conductor and impresario, at the First Grand Musical Festival of the season, at the Broadway Tabernacle, New York City, given by the "Italian Opera Company of the United States."

1848. Oct. 5. The Germania Orchestra, consisting of German revolutionary refugees, organized and gave their first concert in America at Niblo's Garden, New York City.

1848. Nov. 16. Gungl's Orchestra of twenty-five players gave their first concert in New York City, at the Broadway Tabernacle, after which they made a tour of the United States, playing chiefly dance-music.

1848. Dec. 2. W. Sterndale Bennett's overture to "Die Waldnymphe"

given by the Philharmonic Society, New York City.

1848. Edouard Remenyi, noted Hungarian violinist, made first American tour, and Richard Hoffman was the first noted pianist to visit Chicago.

1848. Musical Convention held in Chicago for the first time.

1848. During this season the Havana Opera Company again visited America bringing Steffanone, Bosio, Tedesco (soprani); Vietto (contralto); Salvi, Bettini and Lorini (tenori); Badiali, Setti, Marini, and Coletti (ba.s.si)--the best company heard in America up to that time.

Also Max Maretzek arrived in New York and began his career as impresario. His company included Madame Laborde, and Truffi (soprani); Amalia Patti (contralto); Benedetti and Arnoldi (tenori); Giubeli, Rossi and Salvatore Patti (ba.s.si). Also, later, Teresa Parodi. His first public appearance was on Oct. 5, at the Chestnut Street Theatre, Philadelphia, conducting "Norma."

1849. Nov. 24. Beethoven's Fourth Symphony (B flat major) given by the Philharmonic Society, New York City, also Mendelssohn's Violin Concerto (E minor) with Joseph Burke as soloist.

1849. Dec. 10. Donizetti's opera "Marie de Rohan" presented in New York City, on which occasion Giuletta Perrini, Italian soprano, made her American debut supported by Patti, Forti, Giubelei and Beneventano.

1849. Dec. 16. Donizetti's opera "Il Poliuto" performed as an oratorio (The Martyrs) by the Handel and Haydn Society, Boston.

1849. Saengerfest held in Cincinnati, O.

1849. Musikverein founded in Milwaukee, Wis.

1849. The Artists' Union Opera Company formed in New York City, including Bosio, De Vries, Bettini, Lorini, Badiali, and Coletti. They gave what they claimed was the first performance in America of Meyerbeer's opera "Roberto il Diavolo." (See April 7, 1834).

1849-1874. Sacred Harmonic Society, New York City.

CHAPTER V

1850-1875

During this period musical events moved forward quite rapidly, and though there was a pause during the years of the Civil War--from 1861 to 1865--after that time increasing energy was in evidence.

Possibly one of the most significant events was the establishment of "Dwight's Journal of Music," in Boston, the first journal in America devoted entirely to musical matters. It was published every two weeks, and while the greater part of the s.p.a.ce was devoted to musical affairs in Europe, yet there were letters and reports from various centres in this country, which make the Journal something of a history in itself.

Moreover, John S. Dwight helped very materially in bringing to the American people something in the way of musical criticism, which was sadly needed. Indeed, anyone who takes the trouble to look over the reports of concerts and operas in the daily papers of these times will be surprised at the absurdity of the comments on the performances of the noted musicians. Ritter, for instance, quotes a criticism of a pianoforte recital where the critic was much pleased by a "double run on the chromatic scale, in which the semitones were distinctly heard."

With singers the chief point was whether the singer of this season could sing louder than the singer of last season. John S. Dwight was the pioneer of musical criticism in America,--an intellectual man, one of the noted band of idealists who were in the "Brook Farm" movement.

"Dwight's Journal of Music" went out of existence in 1881. Musical criticism has since become a specialized art.

Musical societies were multiplying,--Cincinnati and Milwaukee had them, and in Chicago the "Philharmonic Society" was organized. In 1850 also the Worcester (Ma.s.s.) "Festivals" began, and in 1858 the Peabody Inst.i.tute concerts, in Baltimore.

In 1858 the "Mendelssohn Quintet" was formed, and for many years toured the country giving concerts of a high standard, and doing much to raise the level of musical taste. This organization had its beginning in Boston, but it traveled so widely that it may be said to have belonged to the nation.

Towards the end of this period the "Apollo Club" was organized in Chicago, and it is today one of the most excellent clubs in America. The following year the "Cecilia Society," in Boston, was organized and likewise still exists and flourishes. But these are only a few.

The American composer was beginning to show himself--perhaps not yet very brilliantly in comparison to the great men of Europe--but he was beginning to be heard from. William H. Frye, besides his two operas, composed several symphonies, which were played by Jullien's Band in 1853. Also a "Grand Symphony" in 1855 and "The Pilgrims' Cantata" by C.

C. Perkins, were performed in Boston, and we have record of an oratorio, "The Cities of the Plains," by Dawley, in 1855. Apart from these efforts the American composer seems to have been inconspicuous. In fact there were no facilities for the study of music or for the hearing of music which could be compared, as a training school for composers, with the musical centres of Europe, so that the efforts of these earlier composers may be considered, in some respects, premature, and prompted by energy and ambition rather than by scientific preparation.

The story of grand opera of this period is one of perpetual striving for the unattainable. In Chicago the first performance of grand opera was given in 1850. Chicago is now a rival of New York in matters of opera.

San Francisco heard its first opera in 1853. The gold fever of 1849 drew people of all kinds to California, and among them were musicians. Henri Herz, the French pianist, reached California in 1849 when the excitement was at its highest, and he gives an interesting account of his adventures. It may also be well to mention here Signora Biscaccianti, who went to San Francisco in 1852, and was there more or less till 1864.

Signora Biscaccianti was one of the first American singers to achieve a measure of success in Europe. She was the daughter of a musician named Ostinelli, was born in Boston, where she met with some success as a singer, went to New York and thence to Europe. Another American who was, perhaps, better known in her own country was Miss Isabella Hinkley who appeared in 1861, but another who appeared in New York in the same year, became still better known and was prominent for many years, Clara Louise Kellogg. Eighteen hundred and fifty-nine was the year of Adelina Patti's debut.

The list of great singers who were imported during this period is long.

We can but touch on it,--there was Jenny Lind in 1850, then came Marietta Alboni in 1851. Two years later Sontag, and the next year Grisi and Mario. In 1865 came Parepa Rosa, and in 1870 Christine Nilsson. In 1873, Maurel and Campanini. In 1855 Brignoli appeared, and was for many years a great popular favorite.

We find efforts in New York to promote German opera. Operas by Germans--"Fidelio" for instance--had been heard together with operas by Italians, and others, but now Wagner came above the horizon, and German opera began to mean Wagner. So we find a "Tannhauser" and "Lohengrin" in New York in 1859,--quite inadequate performances according to the opinion handed down to posterity,--but yet, performances. They were followed in 1862 by "Der Fliegende Hollander," all worthy but inadequate efforts. Maretzek and Strakosch were the chief figures in grand opera during this period, but there were spasmodic efforts by others which need not be recorded.

Pianists were not so numerous as later. Alfred Jaell had appeared and, in 1854, Dr. William Mason returned from Europe and established himself in New York, but was not known as one of the traveling virtuosi. He had a great influence in musical education, for many years. Anna Mehlig visited America in 1869.

In 1862 Louis M. Gottschalk, a native of New Orleans, returned to America after a brilliant career in Europe, and he appears to have been the first American to have made a career as a piano virtuoso.

Violinists were few in comparison to singers,--Miska Hauser, Pablo Sarasate, in 1850, and Camilla Urso in 1852. Then a s.p.a.ce of twenty years without any great virtuoso.