Blog Post 6
Looking at a concert program from November 3rd, 1881, there a many fascinating aspects. The first I would like to mention is throughout the 9 page program, there are various different advertisements. Looking at them really brings my into the time period of this concert. Many of the advertisements seem to be for various different piano companies. As well as advertisements piano repair companies, vocal and instrumental lessons, restaurants, etc. This makes sense given the viewers of the program are most likely musicians or music enthusiasts. I have viewed various different concert programs from around this time period and this is the first one I found that is filled with advertisements. Most I have seen do not have any. I wonder if this is something specific to Steinway Hall programs? Or perhaps they are one of the first to start doing this? From looking around I stumbled upon a different concert program produced by another company with advertisements.
On the next page of the concert program, I see two different concerts listed. These are completely different concerts from the one listed on the front page. A new concert name, pieces performed, different dates, and performers. From what I can tell the performers are also different. The dates for these two concerts are for November 21st, 1881 and January 16th of the following year. I wonder if the listed concerts are also an advertisement? This could be a way to inform people of the upcoming performances that are put on by this company. I also think it is possible that these concerts are listed because one program was used for all three different concerts. This could explain why it is a 9 page long program.
The concert on the first page, there are many wonderful pieces listed. One of which is the piece “Symphonie Fantastique” by Hector Berlioz. Comparing this to when the piece was preformed during it’s world premiere, a similarity that I can think of is the both concerts the songs were performed from start to finish. I mention this because often in concerts with various different works performed, rarely is every piece performed all the way through. The program will list which movements or sections of the piece that will be played that night. However, for this concert, the program does not specify so I can only presume the piece will be played in full.
