On a chilly night in New York in 1835, a fire ignited in a five-story Manhattan warehouse, resulting in the destruction of over 17 blocks. Three days later, Nathaniel Currier presented the New York Sun with a lithograph of the devastating blaze.
Pictures in newspapers didn't exist before then. The Sun printed extra editions featuring Currier's print; the issues sold out. The fad of printing pictures depicting up-to-date news was born. So was Currier's career.
After producing many lithographs for the Sun, Currier was introduced to James Merritt Ives, who first became his bookkeeper, then his close friend, and eventually his partner in Currier and Ives.
Over the next half century, the lithography firm of Currier and Ives produced hundreds of prints, most of them portraying aspects of typical American life, including many wintertime scenes such as the famous "Central Park, Winter—The Skating Carnival," which is pictured in the collage below.
The Springfield Museum of Fine Arts plays host to many of Currier and Ives' iconic prints in its permanent exhibit and many are highlighted this winter in Currier & Ives' Greatest Hits.
This winter, a venerable Valley institution is taking a century-old page out of the Sun's book and following its example: the Springfield Symphony Orchestra is collaborating with the Springfield Museum of Fine Arts to present a Currier and Ives Holiday Pops concert, featuring holiday music as well as many Currier and Ives wintertime prints.
The concert features the orchestra, led by guest conductor Matthew Savery, performing holiday staples such as "Sleigh Ride," "The Skaters' Waltz" and "I'll Be Home for Christmas." The 100-member Springfield Symphony Choir, directed by Nikki Stoia, is also performing a variety of songs, including a performance of a reprise from last year's holiday concert: "Musicological Journey Through the 12 Days of Christmas." This song features numerous musical styles, adding spice to this sampling of musical holiday fare.
The prints, projected behind the orchestra, are meant to evoke images of "over the river and through the woods," hearkening us all back to a time of sleigh rides, grandma's fruit cake and early American village life.
