Recent and Fashionable Songs, a PR Pitch from 1794

Yesterday, in anticipation of today's snowmageddon here in NYC possibly closing many facilities, I went to New York Public Library's main Schwarzman Building on 42nd Street and 5th Avenue to do some music research. And in my searching I unexpectedly came across a concert announcement/poster from 1794. I thought it was so interesting how different advertising was back in the day (and how much was the same), I wrote down the entire text from the poster. Here's what it said:

Mr. and Mrs. Solomon
Vocal performers from the Southward, having performed their CONCERTS in South-Carolina, Georgia, Virginia, Boston, Portsmouth, and Salem, with great applause, have now the honour of waiting on the Ladies and Gentlemen of Newburyport, for the purpose of performing them an amusement worthy the patronage of the Public.

This Evening (Tuesday) April 22.
A CONCERT
OF VOCAL AND INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC
will be held at the UNION HALL, consisting of
RECENT and FASHIONABLE SONGS and DUETS,
Interspersed with the
RECITATION of Several PIECES, PROSAICS in VERSE
From the most celebrated AUTHORS and the SONGS connected with them.
The concert to be divided into three parts, at the end of the first Part of the
concert will be delivered a 
MORAL LECTURE
in three parts called the
PROVOK'D HUSBAND
OR THE
REFORM'D WIFE.
By Mr. Redfield, Miss Brown
Mr. Solomon and Mrs. Solomon,
The Favourite Song of the "[can't read the word] Headed Plough Boy" by Mrs. Solomon,
The much admired Air, "The [can't read the word] of Richmond-Hill" by Miss Brown
A favourite Scotch Song, called "Bonny ?em of Aberdeen" by Mrs. Solomon
The much admired Song of Heaving the Anchor, Short, called "Hoe Heo."By Mr. Solomom

At the end of the third part of the Concert will be delivered a
MORAL LECTURE.
With original songs and Duets, called
THOMAS and SALLY.
OR THE
SAILOR'S RETURN.
By Mr. Redfield, Mr. Solomon,
and Mrs. Solomon.
The favouite [sic] Duet of "The Rose Tree" By Miss Brown.
Dibdin's Favourite Song of the "Greenwich Performer or the Disabled Tar."By Mr. Solomon.

TICKETS at 3 (some symbol I didn't recognize) each for Ladies and Gentlemen, and Children under 12 years of age 1/6, may be had at the place of performance, and at the Star Printing-Office. Doors to be opened at 6 o'clock, and the Curtain to rise at 7.

Greg Sandow and his readers are trying to work on solutions to classical music's "concert problem". Well, this poster points a way 'back to the future': more MORAL LECTRES with the original songs! That'll get all of the cool kids back into the hall. Seriously, just reading the poster made me wonder who Mr. and Mrs. Solomon were, how they were able to produce such events up and down the East Coast, and what it would have been like to be at one of their concerts. I would have loved to have been there to hear the PROVOK'D HUSBAND or REFORM'D WIFE. Actually scratch that, I probably would not have been allowed in the town, let alone the concert but I still wonder what it would have been like nonetheless.

POSTED BY NUMINOUS AT 3:49 PM