Newport, R.I., U.S.A., Dec. 7, 1899
Herr Rheinberger -
Dear Sir:
Our Society intend to give your „Montfort“[1] at our concert of the 18th of January 1900, and I am quite sure that it will be the first performance of the work in this country. In view of this fact, possibly you would like to send us a brief word, and, if so, I am sure the Society would appreciate it and preserve your letter in our records as coming from an eminent living composer whose beautiful composition we are glad to introduce to the music lovers of America.
We shall not, I am sorry to say, be able to have an orchestra, and the accompaniment will be given by the organ and piano combined. But we have a competent organist, who at the concert of January 19, 1899 played in fine style your beautiful sonate pastorale entire - and I have the Partitur, and by a careful study of it we get as much of the orchestral effect as possible, by a judicious combination of the organ and piano.
Our financial resources do not as yet allow us the luxury of an orchestra for our accompaniment - though we hope some day to be able to have an orchestra at all our concerts. Last season at concert of Jan. 19, 99, we gave Brahms' „Deutsches Requiem“ with piano and organ accompaniment and it was very effective.
I will mail you a program of that concert, and enclose herein an circular showing what we have done in the three short years of our existence. We were organized Dec. 10th, 1896, and most of our members had never before heard an oratorio, much less sung in one.
Hoping for a word from you, with great respect, I am
Yours sincereley,
Alfred G. Langley.
1. School St.Newport, R.I. U.S.A.
Conductor Philharmonic Society.
We were organized to study and perform only the best choral works of the best masters. I will send you a program of this concert of Jan. 18, 1900. -
______________
[1] your „Montfort“ = op. 145