The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1867-07-16
TEE NATIONAL sAEMGERFESr.
sos.lAt rELseaAs TO TIE HERALD

| EGird Day of tao Convention of Germsu
| siagers ia Phiadclphia-The Firss Gro Z
| C"nceri-Ons Thousand singers and an % -
| chssirn OF sixty Performers in che Acndem y
| of hSu,ie.
| PlaADErG-fl, jug I5 1857
| Il 80 o'Ciosk F. N.
Io-hsht Tie hrst grand CONCERT OF Saengerfest took
place at the Academy of Music Tho stage wss arranged
with platforms for singers rising ons abovs the other
an usorokon lac from the fooght3 The scene repre-
sented aforss and the appearance Of bodybuilding .
night, both on tho stage and the auditorium was
very brilliant One thousand singers and an orchcstrs
OF sSy performers ana an audience OF about about
thousand people made the. Academy look ike ROAD
temple OF music
Tbs concer: commenced with the overture n
"Oberon" the frs. director, Leopold Engelke, weld.
ing the baton. The sixty Instruments wers very badly
balanced, the brass element being so much in the
ascendant that of the most beautiful string
passages In the overture entirely drown ned The
violin players we're decided amateurs to judge from
the hungling manner in which they executed some OF
the rapid runs of the Thofe want OF
color throughout, and Weber's immortal work az rom
derod by Thorn resemblsd a sign painters dauh
than the artistic masterpiece OF great Inner of orohes
Next followed Herder's 'Hymn to Her,ha," which
was sung by all the New York societies. under the drec
made this selection or not but worse one
e mae 70 EXHIBIT the qualifications Of the singers Il
Dialogues and has defined character or PURPOSE ABBOTT
H. me sudden lauses occurring at the end OF every
hM dozeh measures arc also destructive OF all method
ana UNITY OF idea II WAS very well sung, however ana
the New Workers deserve credit making 10 much or
ungra'eful subject
Then came truly grand work entitled "Harmonys
IN which ono thousand singers took part with an accom-
panimont OF brass and reed The com posor
Ia Tschnch band master Of the Prussian Guides bands
Tho Ideas both regards the words and music arc in
the true oraorio spirit phe frequent modulations ana
Changes are always used with towards effect
massive power The choruses in general we'll reu-
dered although they lacked that clock work precision
and clear sharp decisive ring that might be hoped for
yet the elect was grand IN volume. and gave pretty
good idea OF tue sublime character of the work.
Tho next piece the Twenty fourth Psalm, bY
Otto and Was sung by the combined societies OF BaIt-
more under the direction OF Charles Leushow. 1t is
admirable work and may DO ce ssed among the master
pieces Of the popular composer
The next piece was eyecroblo selection from tho
"Hugueno!s, played by tho orchestra. The first fow
measures Of the overture, part of the banquet scene
then jump aud the fnate Of the last act and
a retroyade movement TO the conjunction chorua
by irrelevant music of the arranger himself.
formed pot porri which would have driven Meyerbeec
crazy. The introduction Of romanza such occa-
sion was also 10 bad taste grand chorus somethine
like Harnony, entitled Hail the Goddess Of Song
and tho Hallsujsh chorus also rendered by the
entire body OF singers
The Philadelphia societies sang one OF Abt beautiful
-FOUR part songs and acquitted themselves very
The only s0ios, in the Mr. JAG 10 Graf who
sang the CAva.na in Harmony" and for he
got through it pretty we'll His voice, he sever by
no means suited for such piece, harsh, pierced
and destitute OF all expression. The brass Instruments
that accompanied the coruses horribly out OF tune
and lnsutordinate TO tbe leaders, baton.
The Philadelphia saengerbund and New York Lieder-
kranz went this morning on picnic TO Engel & VOLTS
Farm, and the Baltimore societies. with some OF the
smaller societies. spent the day at Svsrburg in tha
suburbs of the city.
Tomorrow night the prize concert will take place.