Die New York Tribune Nr. 21502 berichtet auf S. 7 vom Konzert am 28.9.1905, signiert "H. E. K." [Krehbiel]:

"                             MUSIC.

           [By Telegraph to The Tribune.]

     Worcester, Mass., Sept. 28.–The second day [... öffentliche Probe am Vortag besser besucht als das Konzert ...].

     The evening concert was artistically the most interesting in the festival scheme, [... über die entscheidende Rolle des Chores bei solchen Festivals ... über das Nachmittagskonzert unter Kneisel (ausführlich über Lalos Violinkonzert) ...].

     The choral novelty of the festival was brought forward in the evening. It was Anton Bruckner's "Te Deum," which had had only two [sic] performances before in America. The first of these took place in St. Louis in 1891, at the golden jubilee of Archbishop Kendrick; the second at  the Cincinnati May Festival of 1892. Bruckner's was a new name even among the majority of musicians in America at the time, though three of his symphonies had been brought forward in New-York by Walter Damrosch, Anton Seidl and Theodore Thomas. The public attitude toward his music in the metropolis may be guessed from the fact that when Mr. Thomas played the E major symphony, then the composer's latest and finest orchestral work, fully two-thirds of the trained, serious and seasoned Philharmonic audience left the concert room before the beginning of the last movement. New-York has been indifferent to Bruckner ever since. I fancy the attitude of the city's music lovers would have been different had the "Te Deum" been chosen as the medium for his introduction. It is a work of remarkable originality and power, splendidly sonorous, and marked by some of the characteristics of the symphonies–especially a fondness for pedal points–in which the master organist discloses himself–and daring harmonies.

     The "Te Deum" was preceded by the overture from Bach's Suite in D, and followed by Beethoven's Choral Symphony, a plan marked by harmony and dignified propriety. It also called to mind the fact that Bruckner, with a vanity which was perhaps pardonable in a man of his vast abilities and peasant origin, was fond himself of associating the work with Beethoven's in his thoughts. To be esteemed worthy of a place close to the master was his dearest ambition. It inspired him to write a ninth symphony, and when he found himself unable to supply the last movement he comforted himself with the reflection that his "Te Deum" might serve the same purpose in his last symphony that the choral finale does in Beethoven's ninth. I do not know if the experiment has ever been tried, but one thing is certain: the almost rude, sledgehammer vigor of the "Te Deum" would dispel the somnolence that the seemingly interminable three movements are so well calculated to produce. The praise of this hymn is the shout of a great multitude and many thunderings. If it did not reach the ears of the summer dwellers about Lake Quinsigamond this evening it was certainly not the fault of either the chorus or the orchestra. It prompts me to dismiss the subject in the manner of Heine writing about the first performance of the stentorian duet in "I Puritani": "It is unnecessary to say anything about it, because all my readers must have heard it for themselves." Nevertheless, it was a fine achievement, and showed a gain under the inspiriting direction of Mr. Goodrich.

     The Solo quartet, composed of Mrs. Marie Kinkel Zimmerman, Mrs. Helen Allen Hunt, Clarence B. Shirley and Mr. Witherspoon, was superior in effectiveness to that of the first evening. The same singers took part in the choral symphony, doing good work, but laboring, as all singers must, with the all but insuperable difficulties of Beethoven's music.

     As for the chorus, it put to its record a performance that it can well be proud of. In all the climaxes it was quickly responsive. [... Solisten waren während der ganzen Symphonie auf der Bühne (Weingartners Vorbild: Adagio und Finale zusammenbinden) ...]. But he made a pause, and the only benefit derived from bringing in the singers early was their enjoyment of the instrumental music and the audience's longer enjoyment of their gowns.
                                                  H. E. K." (*).

 

Kurze Erwähnung des Konzerts in The Boston Globe Nr. 91 auf S. 6 (unmittelbar nach Sportmeldungen):
"    BY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA.
[...]
     WORCESTER, Mass Sept 28–The third concert of the music festival was given tonight, when a brilliant rendition was given of the "Te Deum," by Anton Bruckner, and Beethoven's "Ninth Symphony."
     The soloists were Mrs Marie Kunkel-Zimmerman, Mrs Helen Allen Hunt, Clarence B. Shirley and Herbert Witherspoon. [... Bach-Suite ... kurz zum Nachmittagskonzert ...]." (**).

 

Eine Besprechung erscheint auch in The New York Times Nr. 17415 auf S. 9: "WORCESTER FESTIVAL'S SECOND DAY'S SUCCESS

[...]
    WORCESTER, Mass., Sept. 28.–The second day of the musical festival has been favored with most of the conditions making for success. The first of the afternoon orchestral concerts provided matter more diverting for the festival audience than the choral works which are the backbone of its programmes and the real reason for its existence, and there was a large attendance.

     A violinist new to this country made her first appearance at the concert. [... Lalos Violinkonzert und die anderen Programmnummern des Nachmittagskonzerts ...].

     For the wayfaring visitor to the festival the most interesting contribution to its programme was made to-night in Brucknow's "Te Deum," because it is the only work given this year which is practically unknown to Eastern concert goers. It shared a place upon the programme with the first movement of Bach's suite in D and Beethoven's ninth symphony. So far as the records show it has been performed only twice before in this country, once at the Cincinnati festival of 1892 and once at a church celebration in St. Louis. Yet it is in Germany one of the composer's most popular productions, and has overshadowed all his other choral works. It cannot help making an overpowering immediate impression from its sheer dashing power. It reaches, in fact, almost the limit of unbridled physical force in numerous passages expressive of the spirit of praise and rejoicing in the text. But it shows certain strongly marked limitations in the composer's ability to write for the voices. He makes them sing much in unison at the top of their lungs, the orchestra meanwhile filling out the harmonies with long and insistent repetitions of certain figures. When he untertakes a more highly developed style of writing he falls into plain dullness, and the commonplace character of many of his themes is not hidden by the gorgeousness of some with which thea are presented.

     In these days the old distinctions of ecclesiastical form and spirit have not been much regarded. This "Te Deum" goes as far as any of the most modern composers of churchly themes in casting them overboard. It is imposing, it is grandiose in many passages, but there is much in it to justify the description of it by some of Bruckner's opponents as a "Peasant's Te Deum." The chorus sang it with all due energy and followed Mr. Goodrich's enthusiastic lead in working themselves up on it.

     A good account was also given of the ninth symphony. The circumstances did not make for a distinguished performance, but the chorus engaged bravely with their difficulties in the last movement. The solo quartet consisted of Mrs. Marie Kunkel Zimmerman, Miss Helen Allen Hunt, Mr. Clarence B. Shirley, and Mr. Herbert Witherspoon." [keine Signatur] (***).