First Performances in Massachusetts
Musicologist Roger Hall has prepared a list of first performances of Mozart's music in Massachusetts, arranged in chronological sequence, compiled from H. Earle Johnson's book, First Performances in America to 1900, and information from Stoughton historical records. What follows are first performances in Boston and Stoughton, Massachusetts during the 19th century...
Boston
Symphony No. 41 in C ("Jupiter"), K. 551 (1788) -
7 January 1843, Academy of Music, Henry Schmidt, conductor
Symphony No. 40 in g minor, K. 550 (1788) -
21 December 1850, Tremont Temple, Musical Fund Society, George J. Webb, conductor
[This symphony was played from a manuscript copy presented by Charles Perkins]
Requiem in d minor, K. 626 (1791) -
18 January 1857, Music Hall, Handel and Haydn Society, Cal Zerrahn
Madame d'Angri, Mrs. Long, Sig. Morelli, Mr. Arthuson, soloists
["Many were drawn by Mozart's Requiem...Upon the whole it was a very successful performance."-- Dwight's Journal, 24 January]
Piano Concerto No. 22 in Eb, K. 482 (1785) -
26 February 1859, Philharmonic Society, Carl Zerrahn, conductor
Benjamin J. Lang, piano (cadenza by Lang)
Symphony No. 35 in D ("Haffner"), K. 385 -
30 November 1859, Music Hall, Orchestral Union, Carl Zerrahn, conductor
Symphony No. 36 in C ("Linz"), K. 425 (1783) -
28 March 1860, Music Hall, Orchestral Union, Carl Zerrahn, conductor
Clarinet Concerto in A, K. 622 (1791) -
5 March 1862, Mendelssohn Quintette Club, Thomas Ryan, clarinet
Concerto for Two Pianos in Eb, K. 365 (1779) -
21 November 1867, Music Hall, Harvard Musical Association, Carl Zerrahn
Benjamin J. Lang and J.C.D. Parker, pianos
Piano Concerto No. 26 in D ("Coronation"), K. 537 (1788) -
17 February 1870, Music Hall, Harvard Musical Association, Carl Zerrahn
Hermann Daum, piano (cadenza by Reinecke)
Piano Concerto No. 15 in Bb, K. 450 (1784) -
2 January 1874, Music Hall, Harvard Musical Association, Carl Zerrahn
J.C.D. Parker, piano
Violin Concerto No. 4 in D, K. 218 (1775) -
26 February 1874, Harvard Musical Association, Carl Zerrah
Camilla Urso, violin
Concerto for Flute and Harp in C, K. 299 (1778) -
7 November 1875, Music Hall, Thomas Orchestra
Carl Wehnrer and Adolphus Lockwood, soloists
Sinfonia Concertante in Eb, K. 364 (1780) -
20 November 1875, Music Hall, Harvard Musical Association, Carl Zerrahn, conductor
C.N. Allen and H. Heindl, soloists
*Piano Concerto No. 21 in C, K. 467 (1785) -
16 February 1876, Music Hall, Theodore Thomas Orchestra
William Mason, piano
["This (Concerto) from which we had expected much, did not somehow prove effective, perhaps because both music and interpreter were not in their right sphere. Mr. Mason's nice manipulation, and very even, finished, quiet style of execution which might have have made all delightful in a small room, seemed to lack force and vital accent here; it was like remembering music in one's sleep" -- Dwight's Journal, 4 March]
Additional Comments: 
The serene Andante movement of this piano concerto has become best known by its subtitle: "Elvira Madigan." This is a confusing designation. The subtitle is taken from a 1967 Swedish film which used the Mozart slow movement on its soundtrack. The problem isn't with the film -- it's with the record producers. The recording used in the film was by pianist Geza Anda and the Camerata Academica of the Salzburg Mozarteum [see illustration]. It received a Grand Prix Du Disque. It remains one of the best recordings of this sublime piano concerto. Almost immediately after the film became a big hit, the record company (Deutsche Grammaphon) replaced the original LP album cover, which had a handsome old color print, with a cover showing the beautiful Pia Degermark, the actress who played Elvira Madigan in the film. At least the LP cover stated that it contained the theme used in the film. But since then many record companies have largely ignored explaining that Elvira Madigan comes from the film not the composer. The record companies make more money with that subtitle on it. What deceit!
Piano Concerto No. 23 in A, K. 488 (1786) -
19 December 1878, Music Hall, Harvard Musical Association, Carl Zerrahn
H.G. Tucker, piano
Ein Mussicalischer Spass (A Musical Joke) for Strings and Horns, K.522
5 December 1879, Music Hall, Philhamonia Orchestra, Bernard Listemann, conductor
[Repeated on 8 January 1880 at Sanders Theatre in Cambridge, MA]
Serenade No. 12 in C, K. 388 (1782) -
22 March 1881, Music Hall, Philharmonia Orchestra, Bernard Listemannn
["First time in America"]
Serenade in Eb, K. 375 (1781) -
5 April 1895, Music Hall, Boston Symphony, Emil Paur, conductor
["So rich in melody and harmony, so perfect in form and working out, in a word so full of genius is this modest little work that one felt none of that sugary, 'cloying' of the musical palette which is so often the effect of extended compositions of wind instruments" --William Apthorp, Boston Transcript, 8 April.]
Symphony No. 25 in g, K. 183 (1774) -
27 October 1899, Music Hall, Boston Symphony Orchestra, William Gericke, conductor.
Stoughton
The Overture to Mozart's The Magic Flute, was performed in the Centennial Concert of the Stoughton Musical Society on 9 June 1886. This is an excerpt from a Stoughton newspaper:
"At 10 o'clcok [a.m.], the orchestra of 48 performers, under the leadership of E. A. Jones of Stoughton, and a chorus of 250 voices, the whole under the direction of Mr. Hiram Wilde of Randolph, were in their places, ready for the commencement of the celebration of the centennial of our venerable and honored Society. At the fall of the baton in the hands of Mr. Wilde, the orchestra sounded forth Mozart's overture, "Magic Flute," with a melody that was pleasing to the ear and appropriate to the occasion, while the audience applauded in the heartiest manner."
The 1886 Centennial Program is found at Singing Stoughton
The Old Stoughton Musical Society is now the oldest one of its kind in the United States, founded in 1786, one year before the U.S. Constitution was written. Most of the choral music they have performed over the past two centuries has been by American composers, especially those born or residing in Massachusetts.
For more information about them, click on this link:
Old Stoughton Musical Society History
In 1896, the Stoughton newspaper column "Sentry Box Notes" mentions the weekly Friday "instrumental nights" at the home of violinist and composer Edwin A. Jones on Pearl Street. Among the works performed were these by Mozart:
Clarinet Quintet in A Major
Divertisements for String Quintet and Two Horns
String Quartet in D minor [ possibly K. 421]
The newspaper columnist also mentions that "the quintets of Mozart and Mendelssohn are special favorites."
Mozart Music Available
Copies of the two vocal arrangenets of Mozart's music performed in Boston in the 19th and 20th centuries are available with a cost for copying and postage:
- "Almighty God" -- from the 1872 World's Peace Jubilee Festival.
- "Alleluia" (arr. by Roger Hall) -- from the 1997 Glass Music International Music Festival in Boston, Massachusetts.
To order copies, write to:
Massachusetts Music
Are you interested in a music program for your organization? Then look at
Music Lectures and Workshops
To read New England's Top 40 music from the distant past click on this link:
New England Music Archive
For those interested in joining web groups devoted to preserving music, go to:
Society for Earlier American Music [SEAM]
The Tune Lovers Society [TLS]
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