• HOLMES, Alfred: soloist, vl
• HOLMES, Henry: soloist, vl

A review, signed ‘Z.’, of this concert was published by Mercy’s Anzeiger 3/1/1857. The critic reported that the violinist brothers ‘from London’ had recently performed at the Gewandhaus concerts in Leipzig and showed themselves to be technically highly accomplished performers, not only individually as soloists but also in playing together with ‘astonishing precision’ in an unspecified Duo by Spohr. The solo works they gave on this occasion were of their own composition. Alfred Holmes [their names were mis-spelt ’Holms’] played a ‘Partie Variationen... [and] excelled with particular virtuosity in pizzicato and flageolet’. Henry Holmes gave a Concertstück, a piece of as sterling content as the first, and ... [played with] warmth and great technical accomplishment.’ Both performers were received with applause and were curtain called. They played between the one-act plays Ich speise bei meiner Mutter and Die Familie Flidermüller in which appeared Mrs Lechner [Lechnerová] and Miss Müller [Müllerová]. The Theatre was said to have not been well attended.

An account, signed ‘-h.’, of this event was also published by Tagesbote aus Böhmen 3/1/1863. The correspondent reported: ‘Theatre. Yesterday in the evening performance we heard the violinist brothers Holmes from London. The virtuoso pair reported bring with them the warm recommendation of the old master Spohr from Cassel, yet their tone, bowing and style are substantially different from the famous virtuoso and teacher. Technique is the primary strength of both players; the younger brother Mr Henry has the advantage of outward calm and unpretentiousness. Also his composition, in the form of a free two-movement Fantasy [Fantasiestück] was more transparent [geklärter], interesting in its themes, and more reflected his broad tone and performance style than did the Concert-solo of the elder brother Mr Alfred, whose playing is of a Pagnini-like bizarreness, with certain eccentricities but without possessing any of the technical accomplishment and demonic power of the master... Mr Alfred Holmes turned upon its head the saying ‘All that is beautiful is difficult’ [Alles Schöne ist schwe]... Although the composer of the concert piece - except for in a few moments where his hands were running through the difficulties of his works like the tale of the enchanted broom - played very brilliantly, we would like to see in him the more genuine talent of his younger brother. Incidentally, the tone and the bowing of the two brothers was so similar, the ensemble playing in Spohr’s Concertante in A op.44 [op.48] (with Andante in C) was so extremely precise, that the two violins were barely distinguishable in the numerous passages of imitation in the first and third movements. The [audience] attendance and success [on the occasion] was moderate. Due to the indisposition of Mr Dietz, instead of the play „der Wohlthäter“ the evening was taken up by the little comedies „Ich spiese bei meiner Behör- Mutter“ and „Familie Fliedermüller“, in the latter of which the virtuoso performances of Miss Müller and of the comedian Mr Knaack were particularly amusing.’ The work by Spohr would have been the first of his two Symphonie concertante for two violins, op.48 in A major (with C major introduction and middle section).