Massachusetts Music
Mozart in Early Massachusetts
2006 marks the 250th anniversary of Mozart's birth in Salzburg, Austria on 27 January 1756.
It is not generally known that many of Mozart's works received first performances in Massachusetts.
For example, for the World's Peace Jubilee and International Music Festival held in Boston in June of 1872, the bass aria and chorus "O Isis und Osiris" from Mozart's last opera, The Magic Flute (1791) was performed with a religious text in English: "Almighty God! when round thy shrine." It was published in the music collection for the 1872 Peace Jubilee. A copy of this beautiful aria and chorus is available at a small cost for handling and postage by writing to:
Massachusetts Music
Also, the Overture to Mozart's The Magic Flute, was performed at the beginning of the Centennial Concert of the Stoughton Musical Society on 9 June 1886. This musical group is now the oldest one of its kind in the United States. For more information, see
Old Stoughton Musical Society History
Music by Mozart may have been performed in other Massachusetts towns but they have not yet been documented.
Here is a list of first performances in Boston during the 19th century-- with dates, concert locations, and performers-- compiled from H. Earle Johnson's book, First Performances in America to 1900:
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]
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
Symphony No. 25 in g, K. 183 (1774) -
27 October 1899, Music Hall, Boston Symphony Orchestra, William Gericke, conductor
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
Ein Mussicalischer Spass (A Musical Joke) for Strings and Horns, K.522
5 December 1879, Musi 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]
Piano Concerto No. 22 in Eb, K. 482 (1785) -
26 February 1859, Philharmonic Society, Carl Zerrahn, conductor
Benjamin J. Lang, piano (cadenza by Lang)
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
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]
Piano Concerto No. 23 in A, K. 488 (1786) -
19 December 1878, Music Hall, Harvard Musical Association, Carl Zerrahn
H.G. Tucker, piano
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
Clarinet Concerto in A, K. 622 (1791) -
5 March 1862, Mendelssohn Quintette Club, Thomas Ryan, clarinet
Violin Concerto No. 4 in D, K. 218 (1775) -
26 February 1874, Harvard Musical Association, Carl Zerrahn
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
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]
Music Resources
The resources listed here include music collections and recordings as well as web links for further information.
For those interested in joining a web group devoted to preserving music, go to:
Society for Earlier American Music (SEAM)
If you have any questions, write to:
Massachusetts Music
The following publications and recordings include music from Massachusetts:
Web Links
Four Massachusetts Born Composers Worth Rediscovery
Choral Music
Popular Music
Local and Regional Music
