Henry Schmitz’s performances were frequently noted
in the press and by George Templeton Strong in his
diary:
On April 14 [1847], [George Templeton]
Strong attended Ureli Corelli Hills Grand Festival
Concert, the first of his two final appearances in New
York before leaving for England, where he hoped (in
vain) to promote his invention, a perpetually in tune
piano (at least, in theory), using bells instead of
strings. Among the assisting artists were debutant,
Henry Scmitz (a hornist, later a member and officer of
the Philharmonic)
[Lawrence, Strong on Music, v.I,
p.433]
Henry Schmitz, who was scheduled to play a quartet on
the French Horn, solo and simultaneously (Mirror,
April 6, 1848)
[Lawrence, Strong on Music, v.I,
p.538]
NY Philharmonic, March 17, 1849. Sinfonia Eroica, No.
3, in E-flat, Beethoven; ... Solo (with echo), for
French horn (performed and composed by Mr. H.
Schmitz); ...
[Krehbiel, (1892), p.103]
NY Philharmonic, May 12, 1849. Gran Septetto, for
pianoforte, flute, oboe, horn, tenor, violoncello, and
double-bass, Hummel (Messrs. Timm, Kyle, Weise,
Schmitz, Poppenberg, Boucher, and Jacoby); Overture, "
Der Freischutz," Weber.
[Krehbiel, (1892), p.103-4, also
featuring Sax horns with Mr. Distin and his sons,]
The final concert of the Philharmonics seventh season,
taking place on May 12, [1849] just after the Astor
Place Riot, understandably received scant notice in
the press.
[Lawrence, Strong on Music, v.I,
p.613]
Second concert of Philharmonics eighth season, January
12, 1850 Lindpaintners Sinfonia concertante, op. 2,
for flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, horn, and
orchestra. (Schmitz, horn) (Saroinis Musical Times,
January 12, 1850, p. 195; Message Bird, February 1,
1850, pp. 216-17)
[Lawrence, Strong on Music, v.II,
p.14]
On November 23, 1850, at the first concert of the
Philharmonics ninth season, Loder conducted his on
Marmion Overture and Niels Gades Symphony No. 1 in C
minor, works that he had introduced respectively, in
1846 and 1848. Appearing on the same program, the
Philharmonic hornist Henry Scmitz gave a brilliant
performance of a so-called Concertino for French horn
and orchestra by one H. Fuchs, a work that turned out
to be a set of virtuosic variations on Webers Last
Waltz by Reissiger;.
[Lawrence, Strong on Music, v.II,
pp.15-16]
April 30, 1851 Jenny Lind concert announced by P.T.
Barnum, the concerts to begin May 7. Julius Benedict
would conduct a Grand Orchestra of nearly 100,
comprising the best New York musicians combined with
the Germania Society [note 22: The orchestra included
the foremost members of the New York Philharmonic and
the entire Germania (which had been touring with
Parodi). Among the second violins Knaebel. A complete
listing of the orchestra personnel is found in the
Herald of May 11, 1851.
[Lawrence, Strong on Music, v.II,
p.149, n.22]
At her five following soires (November 4, 11, 18, 25,
and December 4 [1851]) Mrs. [Emma Gillingham] Bostwick
and her colleagues presented copious quantities of
solo and ensemble music, vocal and instrumental, to
virtually unanimous critical approval. The other
assisting artists included the Philharmonic hornist
Henry Schmitz.
[Lawrence, Strong on Music, v.II,
p.193]
NY Philharmonic, January 10, 1852. Third Symphony, Op.
55, in E-flat, Beethoven; Andante and Finale, from
Quintuor, No. 2, for flute, oboe, clarinet, horn, and
bassoon, Reicha (Messrs. Rietzel, Ohlemann, Drescher,
Schmitz, and Eltz); Overture, "Oberon," Weber.
[Krehbiel, (1892), p.106-107]
Beethoven’s Septet in the original form for clarinet,
bassoon, horn, violin, cello and contrabasso on
Eisenfeldt’s last classical soire in New York
[Dwights Journal, I, 4, May 1, 1852, p.
30]
(Strong) At Eisfeld’s [chamber music] concert
Beethoven’s Septour last night [May 8, 1852] its great
feature - a most magnificent composition. It was
played at the third Philharmonic [concert] of the
first season, and I then thought it a very abstruse
and rather tedious piece of profundity. Glad to find
that my faculty for the highest kind of music has
improved since then. I could follow and enjoy all of
it, except parts of the finale, last night.
Considering the scant material to which Beethoven has
limited himself, it may stand by the side of any of
his orchestral music. (Lawrence): Eisfelds group was
joined by their Philharmonic colleagues Jacoby (or
Jacobi) (doublebass), Kiefer (clarinet), Schmitz
(horn), and Eltz (bassoon).
[Lawrence, Strong on Music, v.II,
p.242]
The National Guard Band, its thirty-five members
resplendent in full military regalia, gave a third
concert of their series at Metropolitan Hall on
January 8 [1853] At their grand finale, on May 31 at
Castle Garden, the bands assisting artists were
Kiefer, the Philharmonic horn virtuoso Henry Schmitz,
and the opera basso Alessandro Gasparoni.
[Lawrence, Strong on Music, v.II,
p.424]
The doughty veteran Emma Gillingham Bostwick,
returning from another of her tours, announced a Grand
Concert at Niblos Saloon on May 30, [1853], with the
assistance of the hornist Henry Schmitz
[Lawrence, Strong on Music, v.II,
p.425]
At the final concert of their eventful twelfth season,
on April 22, [1854], the Philharmonic, in a huge
program, gave the first performance of the Symphony
No. 20 by the prodigiously prolific German composer
Friedrich Schneider (1786-1853), a work dedicated to
the Society in appreciation of the composers having
been elected an honorary member in absentia in 1853.
Additionally the Society yet again repeated Spohrs
ponderous Die Weihe der Tne and Beethovens Egmont
Overture.. Also on the program a Duo Concertante on
the Air Arabys Daughter by F. Baumann for two french
horns and orchestra played by Messrs. H Schmitz and S.
Knaebel. [note 46: Popular in the earlier nineteenth
century as set by the English composer George
Kiallmark (1781-1835) to a poem from Thomas Moores
Lalla Rookh (1817), the tune was later adapted to
Samuel Woodworths poem The Bucket, and retitled The
Old Oaken Bucket (c. 1833).
[Lawrence, Strong on Music, v.II,
p.492]
March 27, 1855, Eisfeld’s [fifth] concert, Beethovens
Septette in E-Flat [op. 20] [note 57: the Septet was
played by Noll (violin) , Reyner (viola), Bergner
(cello), Rehdner (double bass), Kiefer (clarinet),
Schmitz (horn), and Hochstein (bassoon)]
[Lawrence, Strong on Music,
v.II, p.565]
(Strong): January 14, 1856. The Philharmonic
[January 12 at Niblo’s Theatre] was a fair concert.
Overture to Euranthe good, of course, but theres
very little of it- its a flash of beautiful light
over in a minute [note 1: And that precious minute
was marred by the boisterous mass exit of the huge
audience, seemingly as avid to depart as they had
been to arrive. A frenzied American crowd, wrote
Gamma (Albion, January 19, 1856, pp. 31-32), had
stormed Niblos portals a full half hour before their
opening resulting in an inevitable demolition of
hoops, the current framework of feminine society.
This situation called loudly for atonement in the
form of a more spacious concert room. Indeed, it was
the general cry; more space was needed-if not for
the crinolines that were currently all the rage,
then certainly for the spectacularly increased
Philharmonic audiences.] Berlioz’s Francs-Juges is
ponderous. There were a couple of solos from
Mercadante and Verdi, better rendered than they
deserved, by Badiali. Also a dismal, flatulend
Concertino for the horn, by Weber [op. 45, in E
minor (1806, revised 1815) ], but suggestive only of
the murmurings and vocal cadences of ones alimentary
canal after an indigestible dinner: Concertino
pathtique: The Colon and its Functions; Andante con
variazioni:Beans! The program should have been
modified to state the composer in this piece for the
first time attempted, and succeeded, in producing
the effect of full chords on the instrument.[note 5:
As the Philharmonic program note explained, Weber’s
multiphonic effects require a technique of mingled
blowing and humming, or singing through the nose,
according to the Musical World (January, 19, 1856,
p. 25). However, two simultaneously sounded pitches
do not a triad make, and the disapproving reviewer
supplied musical examples of intervals to illustrate
that fact. According to Gamma, the work was
excellently well played by the Philharmonic hornist
Henry Scmitz, but some very appalling chords [and
thirds] were the result; Seymour, who in any case
disliked the French horn as a solo instrument,
described the effect as very unpleasant; Dwights New
York correspondent dismissed it as ludicrous
(Dwight’s, January 19, p. 127; Albion, January 19,
pp. 32-32; Times January 15, 1856).] and also of
sub-acute colic on a double-barreled
cock-rhinoceros, or a mild cathartic on the Siamese
Twins. Its binomial character was marked: what
seemed its chief feature was an uncertain, tremulous
duplication (a third below, or something of that
kind) of its forlorn, feeble, ventriloquial wail.
Whoso would hear Weber’s Concertino for the Horn,
let him stand awhile near one of Delmonicos tables
where two obese Frenchmen are picking their teeth
and glowering at each other in silent repletion
after a special little dinner, silent but vocal-
saying naught, but eloquent within. So Alp speaks
unto Alp. One might modify Tennyson’s Bugle Song
[note 6: Blow, bugle, blow, set the wild echoes
flying/ Blow, bugle; answer, echoes, dying, dying,
dying. Tennyson, The Princess (1847), Part III] to
suit Weber’s Concertino. I don’t think any
profession or art can furnish so many and so
stupendous specimens of idiocy and imbecility as
Music. Weber, who wrote Der Freischtz and Oberon and
Euranthe and Preciosa, actually perpetrated and
published this foppery! [Lawrence, Strong on Music,
vol. II, chamber: 242, 565n, 710n concerts: 193,
424, 425; with Lind, 149; Philharmonic soloist 14,
15, 492, 670n]
[Lawrence, Strong on Music,
v.II, p.669-670 n]
Mr. Schmitz played a concertino by Weber on the
French Horn which is, itself, a beautiful
instrument, reminding one, in its sound, of purple
velvet, but which is much better adapted to the
slow, massive, long drawn out notes than to rapid
variations and fioriture. The programme said that,
in this piece the composer has succeeded in
producing the effect of full chords on the
instrument; but I must own that this effect was
rather ludicrous than anything else; not at all
repaying either performers or listeners for the
evident difficulty of producing it. [Also on the
program:] The novelty of he evening was Berlioz’s
overture to Les Francs Juges; on of his earlier
works. Opinions vary considerably with regard to
this composition, hitherto unknown to u s, but I
cannot agree with those who were highly pleased with
it, and thought it the best part of the concert. Etc
[Dwights Journal, VIII, 15 (19 January
1856) p. 127]
Musical Correspondence New York, Feb. 10 Concert
Feb. 15, 1856: Charitable Concert, in behalf of the
German Ladies Society for widows and orphans at he
hall of City Assembly Rooms (mentioned in Dwights
Journal, VIII, 19 (9 February 1856) p. 148) Young
Schmitz, in his solo on the French horn, surpassed
himself, and received a well merited encore. The
composition which he played by Lorenz, was well
calculated to bring out the greatest beauties of his
instrument, and not, as the piece by Weber, played
at the last Philharmonic concert, its greatest
difficulties. The rich, mellow tones in which the
very pleasing themes of the composition cam forth,
filled the hall well, and the exquisite pp of the
last part was admirably executed.
[Dwights Journal, VIII, 21 (23 February
1856) p. 165]
December 23, 1856 Eisfeld’s soire, Henry Schmitz
plays a Nocturne for French Horn by W. Lorenx.
[Lawrence, Strong on Music,
v.II, p.710, n.144]
I regret all the more that I was unable to send you
a report of Eisfeld’s Second Concert last week The
concert was exceedingly satisfactory Mr. H. Schmitz
gave us in an admirable manner a Nocturne on the
French Horn, which was less valuable as a compostion
than as being calculated to bring out the best tones
of the instrument.
[Dwights Journal, X, 14 (1 January
1857) p. 108]
Apart from his duties at the Philharmonic, Bergmann
conducted a new series of biweekly Sunday evening
sacred and classical concerts at the City Assembly
Rooms a kind of continuation of his memorable series
in 1856.With the Philharmonic musicians H. Schmitz
(French horn) as soloists the Arion and Teutonia
singing societies conducted by E. Weber, and an
orchestra of forty, Bergmann’s first program, on
December 12 [1858] ranged from Beethoven’s Fourth
Symphony to Litolffs showy Robspierre
Overture.(Dwight’s, January 29.1859, p. 754)
[Lawrence, Strong on Music,
v.III, p.197]
To enumerate the remainder of Bergmann’s formidable
orchestral achievements for the year: at the third
of his Sunday evening sacred concerts on January 9,
[1859] he conducted the first American performance
of Anton Rubenstein’s Ocean Symphony, op. 42 ( a
work disappointing to Hagen); also Berliozs Carnaval
romain Overture and Weber’s Overture to Euryanthe;
and the four Philharmonic musicians played Weber’s
Quartet for French horns earning an encore. At his
[Bergmann’s] fourth Sunday concert (January 23) the
Philharmonic musicians Noll, Matzka, Boehm, Schmitz,
Eltz, Brannes, and Bartels played the variation
movement of Beethovens septet.
[Lawrence, Strong on Music,
v.III, pp.282-83]
Mason/Thomas series of matinee chamber concert’s
fifth program on April 26 [1859], closed with
Schubert’s Octet, op. 166, for string quartet,
contrabass, horn, clarinet, and bassoon, the bass
and wind instruments played by Messrs. Preusser, H.
Schmitz, Kuhlman, and Goepel.
[Lawrence, Strong on Music,
v.III, p.304]
Probably seeking to outdo Mason/Thomas, a group of
well-known musicians banded together and calling
themselves the Chamber Concerts Union- announced a
series of six soires at Goldbeck’s snug little hall,
to be performed on consecutive Tuesday evenings from
March 20 [1860] through May 1. the group drew upon a
fund of musicians from the Philharmonic: the cellist
Brannes, and the hornist Schmitz. Insufficiently
prepared and unenthusiastically received, the series
despite the high repute of the performers was not
renewed.
[Lawrence, Strong on Music,
v.III, p.374]
On April 29, [1857], Mrs.[John S.] Jamieon, at the
request of many friends, uneventfully appeared at
Dodworth’s Hall, with the assistance of the hornist
Henry Schmitz ..as accompanists.
[Lawrence, Strong on Music,
v.III, p.77]
For the final Philharmonic concert of the season, on
April 30, [1859] Bergman conducted Beethoven’s
Symphony No. 4, in B-Flat, Weber’s Overture to
Euryanthe, and Liszts Les Preludes (after Lamartine)
a work he (Bergmann) had introduced at his Sunday
concert on February 6. Ane excuse was made for the
non-appearance of Madam Amelia F. Inman; [note 11:
On May 18 the Post reported the death of Madame
Inman at the age of twenty-two.] she was replaced at
the last minute by a German male vocal quartet.. and
by Four Philharmonic musicians the brothers Schmitz,
French hornists, and Lotze and Schullinger,
versatile members of the viola section, who played
Webers Quartet for French horns, heard at an earlier
Bergmann Sunday concert.
[Lawrence, Strong on Music,
v.III, p.281]
To aid in paying the heavy debts of the German
Reformed Protestant Dutch Church (in Forsyth
Street), a concert of sacred and secular music was
given a the Cooper institute on April 12, [1860], by
Mesdames Zimmermann and Grosz, a Miss Albrecht (a
soparano), a Mr. Hartmann (a minor tenor from
Maretzek’s Havana company), and the Philharmonic
hornist Henry Schmitz; the conductor was Gustavus
Schmitz (Henry’s brother), organist of the Church of
Immaculate Conception.
[Lawrence, Strong on Music,
v.III, p.383]
January 23, 1861 Philharmonic rehearsal of Schumann
Symphony No. 3, Rhenish
[Lawrence, Strong on Music, vol. III,
400,401]
December 21, 1861 Philharmonic concert. Pietro
Centemeri sang a romanza by Donizetti, with horn
obligatto played by Henry Schmitz.
[Lawrence, Strong on Music,
v.III, p.431 n.109]
On February 23, [1862], a concert was presented at
the Convent of the Sacred Heart in suburban
Manhattenville. Under the direction of Gustavus
Schmitz, the gifted organist of the Church of the
Immaculate Conception (whose compositions were heard
on this occasion), the soloists were the soprano
Mesdames Chome and Grosz, the baritone Ridolfi, and
the Philharmonic hornist Henry Schmitz, Gustavus
Schmitz’s brother.
[Lawrence, Strong on Music,
v.III, p.537]
Philharmonic concert at Irving Hall on February 1,
1862: Henry Schmitz played La Solitude a nocturne
for French horn by Eisfeld, also a first
performance.
[Lawrence, Strong on Music,
v.III, p.469]
Mr. F.J. EBEN's concert at Irving Hall, on Saturday
evening, was an exceedingly agreeable affair. The
gentleman is well known and esteemed as one of our
best flute-players. His excellence on the instrument
was exhibited in a fantasia on themes from "Norma,"
which he played exceedingly well, and won and
merited an encore. With three amateurs, Mr. EBEN
also gave us an agreeable movement from a quartette
by KUHLAM, and performed, likewise, in a duo for
flute and plano, and in a romanza for flute and
horn, (the well-known moliere from "Le Clair.") The
remaining numbers of the programme were interpreted
by MISS HARRIS, who sings with more care than was
her wont; Mrs. J.H. BARCLAY, whose true and pure
contralto voice is always beard with pleasure; Mr.
S.B. MILLS, whose solo was of course encored; Mr.
ED. MOLLENHAUER, who suffered the same fate; Mr.
ERNEST PERRING, and Mr. SCHMITZ, Mr. GEO. F. BRISTOW
conducted.
New York Times, April 4, 1865
Theodore Thomas included this arrangement of the
[Anton Emil] Titl [1809-1882] Serenade on the
inaugral concert of his Central Park Garden series
on May 25, 1868, featuring Mr. Siedler and Mr.
Schmitz as soloists. Arrangement from flute and horn
with chamber orchestra; originally for violin and
orchestra.
[Rosenthal Archives of the Chicago
Symphony Orchestra, A. Theodore Thomas Music
Library, no. 8280ms. See
http://www.cso.org/publicsearch]
Mr. H. Schmitz performed a Solo for French horn
arrangement with [Theodore] Thomas on the October 8,
1870 Popular Programme as part of the Boston
Symphony Concert series;
[Rosenthal Archives of the Chicago
Symphony Orchestra, A. Theodore Thomas Music
Library, notation on record for Lanciers: de l’Opera
Lurline: arr. By G Wiegand (no. 8851b ms)
http://www.cso.org/publicsearch]
The personnel records and the programs reveal that
numbers of the best Philharmonic players were lured
away from time to time by artistic or financial bait
of by the temptation to appear as solo performers
with [Theodore] Thomass fine orchestra. F. Letsch,
the trombonist, and H. Scmitz and T. Lotze, the horn
players, were on the Philharmonic rolls for 1869-70,
but on November 27, 1869, while the Philharmonic was
presenting a concert in New York, they were making
music with Thomas in Chicago. ([Carl] Bergmann,
still the Philharmonics conductor at that time, must
have had mixed emotions about his three absentees
when, a few days later, in one of Thomass Chicago
concerts they took part in a trio composed by
Bergmann, himself.) The next year the names of
Letsch and Schmitz were qualified in the
Philharmonic roster by the phrase did not perform,
but anyone attending the Thomas concerts in Boston
in October of 1870 could have heard them there.
[Shanet, (1975), p.156 and note.]
| Horn players in the
Theodore Thomas Music Festival Orchestra,
May, 1882 |
| Pieper, C |
New York |
| Lotze, Ph [?] |
New York |
| Schmitz, H |
New York |
| Eller, A |
New York |
| Belz, A |
New York |
| Schulz, J |
New York |
| Schrickel, A |
Cincinnati |
| Mueller, C. |
Chicago |
| Schanz, H |
Chicago |
[Program of the Music Festival to be
held in the Seventh Regiment Armory, New York, May
2, 3, 4, 5, and 6, 1882 under the direction of
Theodore Thomas, The Music Festival Association,
1882, p. 131]
Theodore Thomas made his first trips to Chicago in
1856 and 1859 as a member of a troupe accompanying
basso Carl Formes.
[Rose Fay Thomas, Memoirs of
Theodore Thomas, Moffat, Yard & Co., New
York, 1911, p.21]
|
