A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Crystal Palace Saturday Concerts
CRYSTAL PALACE SATURDAY CONCERTS, of orchestral and vocal music. These concerts were begun on Sept. 22, 1855, and assumed their present well-known character in 1860, after the construction of the concert-room. They have been throughout under the direction of Mr. Manns, their present conductor. The concerts begin with the first Saturday in October, and last, with an interval at Christmas, till the end of April. The orchestra consists of 16 first and 14 second violins, 11 violas, 10 cellos, and 10 double basses, with single wind, etc. The chorus, who appear only occasionally, are 300 strong. The solo players are the greatest who can be obtained. The programmes usually contain 2 overtures, a symphony, a concerto, or some minor piece of orchestral music, and 4 songs. The distinguishing feature of the concerts is their choice and performance of orchestral music. Not to mention the great works of Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, Mendelssohn, Spohr, Weber, and other time-honoured classics, the audience were familiar with Schumann's symphonies and overtures, and with Schubert's symphonies and Rosamunde music, at a time when those works were all but unknown in the concert-rooms of the metropolis. Mendelssohn's Reformation Symphony was first played here; so was his overture to Camacho; Brahms's Symphony, Pianoforte Concerto, Variations on a theme of Haydn's, and Song of Destiny; Raff's Lenore and G minor Symphonies; Wagner's Faust Overture; Sullivan's Tempest Music and Symphony in E; Benedict's Symphony in G minor, and many other works were obtained (often in MS.) and performed before they were heard in any other place in the metropolis. Bennett's 'Parisina' was first played there after an interval of a quarter of a century.
A disposition is apparent in the managers of these concerts to present the audience with pieces of special interest; such as the MS. works of Schubert, and of Mendelssohn; Beethoven's arrangement of his Violin Concerto for the piano, and his Leonora Overture, 'No. 2'; an alternative Andante written by Mozart for his Parisian Symphony; the first version of Mendelssohn's Hebrides Overture, and other rare treasures of the same nature.
The performances are of that exceptional quality which might be inferred from the ability, energy, and devotion of the conductor, and from the fact that owing to the wind and a portion of the strings of the orchestra being the permanent band of the Crystal Palace, Mr. Manns has opportunities for rehearsal which are enjoyed by no other conductor in London.[ G. ]