The New York Choral Society, which devoted its energies to sacred music, seems to have done very notable work during the short time it lasted. It was founded in 1823, chiefly by Episcopal clergymen, and its first grand concert, given at St. George's Church on Beekman Street in 1824, is interesting enough to deserve citation:
First Part
Overture Jomelli
Air: 'Comfort ye my people,' from the 'Messiah' Handel
Chorus: Motetto, 'O God, when thou appearest' Mozart
Air: 'Thou didst not leave,' 'Messiah' Handel
Chorus: 'Lift up your hands' Handel
Duetto: 'Hear my prayer' Kent
Air: 'Oh! had I Jubal's Lyre' Handel
'Hallelujah Chorus,' from 'Mount of Olives,' Beethoven
Part Second
Overture from the Occasional Oratorio Handel
Recitative and Air Handel
Chorus: 'To thee Cherubim' Handel
Solo and Chorus: 'Thou art the King of Glory,' Handel
Air: 'Let the bright Seraphim'—'Judas Maccabæus' Handel
Chorus: 'Sing unto the Lord' Handel
Unfortunately contemporary critics were more enthusiastic than discriminating and it is impossible to tell what sort of performance was given of this excellent program. The effect of the forte parts of Mozart's motetto, one critic asserts, 'was almost overwhelming to a great number of the auditors, and will not be soon forgotten.' The same gentleman quite loses his balance over the 'sublime and majestic chorus from the oratorio of "Mount of Olives," which was another of the full pieces that had never before been presented to the musical public of this city. The connoisseurs and critics were watching with considerable solicitude to hear the splendid effort of genius, and which may be justly ranked among the first compositions of the present day. We believe we may assert with confidence that the expectations of all were fully realized, and, with regard to many of the audience, far exceeded. The effect was indeed grand, and was heightened by the trumpet of Mr. Petrie, and the kettle drums.'
In connection with Mr. Petrie's trumpet it may be of interest to note the extraordinary predilection of New Yorkers at that time for brass instruments. Dr. Ritter quotes the following from a contemporary critic: 'The uncommon partiality our citizens manifest for the noisy part of the orchestra has been lately much commented upon by strangers. The trumpet and trombone occupy, in our concerts, the posts of honor. True it is, Mr. Norton and Mr. Gambeti are excellent performers—but we hear them in concerts too often. In England they have Harper, a first-rate trumpet; and Germany has Schmidt, the best trombone that ever existed. This gentleman visited England and was heard occasionally, but at Niblo's Garden we will undertake to say that more trumpet and trombone concertos were played last season than have been heard in England and Germany for two years. If Mr. Young adds himself to this triumvirate next season, we may fairly expect New York will be blown away.'
The Choral Society seems to have been eclipsed and perhaps absorbed by the New York Sacred Music Society, which was founded in the same year. The latter owed its existence to the somewhat peculiar circumstance of a strike among church choristers. Considerable reputation attached to the choir of Zion Church, which was known as the Zion Church Musical Association. The association applied to the vestry for an increase of salary or permission to give a concert. Their request was refused, and, after some bickering, the choir resigned and formed The New York Sacred Music Society. The history of this society is one of brilliant accomplishment. At first its means and its membership were limited, and its artistic ambitions were hampered by the lackadaisical attitude of most of its members, to whom the meeting room of the society was merely 'a pleasant place in which to pass an evening, to see their friends, and hear a little music.' Nevertheless, a few years after its foundation it was already doing work of a standard that must give it a notable place in the history of New York musical organizations. In 1827 it gave a concert for the benefit of the Greek patriots, with a program on which figured the names of Handel, Mozart, Beethoven, Arne, and Jomelli. There was an orchestra of twenty-seven, a chorus of about sixty, and a number of distinguished soloists, which included the famous Madame Malibran. 'From this period,' says the New York 'Musical Journal,' 'the history of the progress of the highest species of sacred music in this city is identified with the history of the society.'
Four years later the Sacred Music Society produced the 'Messiah' in its entirety, under the leadership of Uriah C. Hill, whom we shall have occasion to meet later. There was an orchestra of thirty-eight instruments and a chorus of seventy-four voices. Encouraged by its success it gave Haydn's 'Te Deum' and 'Creation,' and in 1838 it produced Mendelssohn's 'St. Paul'—only two years after that work had made its first appearance at Düsseldorf. For reasons which we are unable to discover the Sacred Music Society ceased to exist in 1849. Possibly the musical public of New York were not overly inclined toward oratorio, and possibly also the society suffered from the competition of a number of rival organizations. Most of these, such as 'The Academy of Church Music,' were formed out of church choirs and very evidently aspired to rival the fame of the Sacred Music Society. None of them, however, attained any success. Their effect, indeed, was if anything, pernicious, for what New York then needed in its musical affairs was concentration rather than expansion.
For a short time New York possessed a Handel and Haydn Society which originated in a number of oratorio performances gotten up to finance the rebuilding of the Zion Church. This was before the day of the Sacred Music Society. The Musical Fund, already mentioned, seems to have been chiefly an orchestral organization, notwithstanding the fact that, as Dr. Ritter points out, it gave monthly rehearsals for 'the display of the glee and solo talent' of the city. A concert given by it in 1830 included the overture to Mozart's 'Magic Flute,' an overture of Winter, a pianoforte solo, a clarinet concerto, and a trumpet concerto(!). We find that at its concert in 1836 the Musical Fund had a very well balanced orchestra of thirty-eight instruments and performed, among other things, the overtures to Rossini's 'Sémiramide' and 'William Tell.' Handel, Haydn, Mozart, Gluck, Beethoven, Rossini, and Weber all figured on the society's programs, and on one occasion it presented Beethoven's 'Eroica,' arranged for septet.