Boston Music Hall (December 22, 1863)

Carreño performed in a Tenth Birthday Concert (with B.J. Lang who introduced the newly acquired organ) in Boston's Music Hall. She performed Marche de Nuit (Gottschalk, Louis M.), Paraphrase de concert sur Rigoletto, S.434 (Liszt, Franz), Grand Caprice on "La Sonnambula," op. 46 (Thalberg, Sigismond), an Impromptu [possibly Une larme op. 5] and La Emilia Danza (Carreño, Teresa). 

Advertisement: Boston Evening Transcript, 18 December 1863, 3.

Announcement: Boston Evening Transcript, 19 December 1863, 1.

Review: Boston Evening Transcript, 22 December 1863, 2.

Review: Dwight's Music Journal, 26 December 1863, 159.

Review: Musical Review and Musical World, 2 January 1864, 10.

Boston Evening Transcript, December 18, 1863: 3.

Boston Music Hall. Teresa Carreno's First Grand Concert of the Season, Tuesday Evening, Dec. 22. Teresa Carreno, the celebrated Child Pianist, will give a Grand Concert as above, on which occasion the Great Organ will be used, and its powers displayed by B. J. Lang, Organist of the Old South Church. Tickets $1. Reserved Seats, without extra charge, may be secured at Oliver Ditson & Co.'s music store, No. 277 Washington street, after 9 o'clock Saturday morning, December 19th.

Evening Saturday Gazette, December 19, 1863.

Teressa [sic] Carreno.--This marvel of pianists, so young and so gifted, gave a matinee yesterday to representatives of the press and invited guests. She performed the most difficult music with marvellous correctness and force, banishing forever all childish plea for the performance, though the performer attains only her tenth birth day on Tuesday. She has improved greatly since last here, and now executes the most intricate music with matured taste and effect. She will give a concert at the Music Hall on Tuesday evening.

Boston Evening Transcript, December 19, 1863.

Theresa [sic] Carreno, the wonderful little artiste, is announced to give a grand concert at the Music Hall, on Tuesday evening next, the 22d inst. Her visit to Boston last season created unusual interest and excitement in musical circles, and she comes now better fitted than ever to astonish by her truly wonderful powers. She has acquired a greater degree of physical force in the meanwhile, and now performs the most difficult compositions of Liszt, Chopin, Beethoven, Thalberg, and Gottschalk. He [sic] has also composed some beautiful pieces, which will be heard in Boston for the first time. The little artiste has generously offered to contribute to the organ fund, and one half the proceeds of the concert on Tuesday evening will be given for that purpose. The powers of the organ will be exhibited on the occasion, by an accomplished performer. Altogether there will be a very attractive entertainment for the patronage of the musical public.

Boston Evening Transcript, December 22, 1863.

Last evening the little Teresa Carreno gave her first concert at the Music Hall to an excellent audience. She is as attractive as ever, and played charmingly, with a little more breadth and energetic command over executive difficulties than she has yet exhibited; her happiest efforts being rather in the lighter character of music selected, than in the more elaborate fantasias or operatic themes.

The organ illustrations by Mr. Lang were peculiarly rich and effective, and almost subordinated the piano performances, good as they were; the disparity in fulness of tone and effect to the ear, being as provokingly marked as the diminutive appearance of the Chickering "grand" to the eye, measured by the towering proportions of the great organ.

On Saturday evening the little pianist gives another entertainment at the Music Hall, when she will be assisted by Miss Houston, Mr. Wheeler and Mr. Daum.

This afternoon another organ concert takes place in aid of the organ fund, with a reduced price of admission; to be followed by similar entertainments on Thursday and Friday evenings. The number and character of the performers upon the instrument (Messrs Tuckerman, Paine, Lang, Wilcox and Thayer participating) are sufficient guarantee of the superior character of these concerts, and they certainly come very apropos for holiday enjoyment.

Dwight's Journal of Music, December 26, 1863.

Teresa Carreno. This uncommonly gifted child pianist, whose playing and, we may add, whose whole appearance produced such a sensation here a year ago, has returned to us. The interval has been spent in Cuba, partly in giving concerts, partly in solid practice, the result being that she has gained in physical strength, in musical skill and understanding, and has added largely to her repertoire both classical and of the virtuoso kind. On Tuesday evening she celebrated her tenth birthday by a concert in the great Music Hall, playing in alternation with the Great Organ. 
In an artistic point of view the two things do not match nor in any way go well together; it is hard to establish any relationship between them, except a mutually damaging one; the piano sounded feebler after the organ, the organ sounded to no purpose, a strange non sequitur, after the piano. Then the Music Hall is far too large a place for unaccompanied pianism, especially for the best or even a fair appreciation of the powers of such a child. Then again it dwarfed the pretty act to nothingness, to see it there, not relieved against, but rather extinguished by the grandeur of that gigantic Organ front,--for front it will be, and not background to any thing that is not of a kindred greatness, that is to say, to anything less than an oratorio chorus or an orchestra; and even these must be engaged in the rendering of music which is intrinsically great, or still the grandeur of the Organ, Beethoven, also will look cold and spectral, with an unreal and disturbing presence; whereas the moment the inspired, great music is begun, the ice begins to thaw and the whole Organ and Beethoven look instinct with life and thrill in unison. On little things that Organ looks down chillingly; there is no help for it.
These things we mention as so many disadvantages under which charming little Miss Teresa appeared that evening. No wonder if the audience, the house seemed cold, and “influenza” unrestrainable in the assertion of its presence; the time too not quite fortunate, falling just on the reaction from a long and great excitement, that of the glorious Sanitary Fair. If therefore under all those drawbacks the young maiden made a fine impression and won plentiful applause, as indeed she did, it was so much the more to her own credit, say what we may of the arrangement. The programme, divided between herself and Mr. J. B. Lang, between the Chickering grand piano and the Organ, was as follows:

Part I.
1. Prelude and Fugue in C - Bach
2. Marche Le Nuit - Gottschalk
3. Overture to “Egmont” (Transcribed) - Beethoven
4. Paraphrase de Concert, sur Rigoletto de Verdi - Liszt

Part II.
1. Pastoral Symphony (Transcribed) - Handel
2. Grand Caprice sur la Sonnambula de Bellini - Thalberg
3. Overture to “De Freischutz” (Transcribed) - Weber
4. (a) Impromptu, (b) La Emilia Danza - Teresa Carreno

Teresa’s selections were not so interesting as she could easily have commanded. The Gottschalk March is empty, the Liszt and Thalberg opera fantasias are show pieces; but they exhibited her remarkable clearness, firmness, brilliancy and grace of execution. She has gained much in power, in certainty and ease in executing difficulties, in intelligent conception too, while her touch has a fine vital, sympathetic quality. Among her encore pieces, she played the Funeral March of Chopin, wonderfully for her, but not quite as it should be. After all, what struck us as most fresh and individual in her playing was the two little compositions of her own, which really show music to be the world which she is most at home in. She has lost nothing of her lively, natural, childlike manner, although she has grown somewhat.

Musical Review and Musical World, January 2, 1864.

Teresa Carreno, the wonderful little pianist, gave a concert at Music Hall, Tuesday evening, Dec. 22, her tenth birth-day, when she was assisted by Mr. B. J. Lang. 

Programme:—Part I. —1. Prelude and Fugue in C, Bach; by B. J.. Lang.—2. March de Nuit, Gottschalk; Teresa Carreno. —3. Overture to "Egmont," [transcribed,] Beethoven; by B. J. Lang.—4. Paraphrase de Concert, sur Rigoletto de Verdi, Liszt; Teresa Carreno. Part II.—1. Pastoral Symphony, [transcribed,] Handel; B. J. Lang.—2. Grand Caprice, sur la Sonnambula de Bellini, Thalberg; Teresa Carreno.—3. Overture to "Der Freischutz," [transcribed,] Weber; B. J. Lang.—4. a. Impromptu, b. La Emilia Danza, Teresa Carreno; Teresa Carreno. 

Miss Carreno was greeted by a large and enthusiastic audience has gained much in strength and vigor since her last appearance here, and has also improved much in style and execution. Her executive ability as well as her power of appreciation is certainly wonderful for a child of ten years. Miss Carreno was advertised to play again on Saturday evening, but on Saturday morning she was obliged to withdraw the announcement and return home on account of an incipient felon which appeared on one of her thumbs.