• Society of Musical Artists: participating institution
• Žofín Academy: participating institution, vv
• Cecilia Society: participating institution, vv, orch
• Prague Men's Singing Society [Prager Männergesangsverein]: participating institution, vv
• pupils of the Prague Conservatory: participating institution, vv, orch
• Estates Theatre orchestra: participating orchestra
• unspecified amateurs: participating ensemble, vv, orch
• Estates Theatre chorus: participating ensemble, vv
• unspecified choristers from Prague churches: participating ensemble, vv
• JAHN, Vilém: participating ensemble, vv

Prager Morgenpost 22/3/1861 reported that ‘The Society of Musical Artists will, with the most pleasing participation of the gentlemen and ladies of the Žofín Academy, the Cecilia Society, of the Men’s Singing Society, the pupils of the local Conservatory, the members of the orchestra of the Estates Theatre, and many dilettantes, on Tuesday 26th March 1861 in the Hall of Žofín Island for the benefit of its Widows- and Orphans-Institute perform, for the first time [here in Prague]: Stabat Mater of G.B. Pergolese [Pergolesi]. Following that: Davide penitente, Easter cantata by W.A. Mozart. The solo parts have been pleasaingly taken by Miss Brenner [Brennerová], Miss Mik [Miková], Mrs Schmidt-Procházka [Schmidt-Procházková] and Mr Lukes.’ A virtually identical report published in the newspaper on 26/3/1861 added that the concert would begin at 5 o’clock.

According to the Dalibor 20/3/1861 report, participating in this concert were the ‘gentlemen and ladies of the Žofín Academy, members of the Cecilia Society and [... of other singing societies], as well as pupils of the local Conservatory, members of the [Estates] Theatre orchestra, and many amateurs.’ The Dalibor 1/4/1861 review, signed ‘E.’, briefly related the historical background of the two works, and noted that in this concert the Society was departing from its usual practice of presenting an oratorio. Concerning the success of the concert, the periodical’s correspondent was unusually restrained; this may in part have related to the standard of performance, for according to the critic the rendering of Mozart’s cantata was evidently poor. The review referred to the ‘great difficulty’ of the work, and that it required ‘frequent and thorough’ rehearsals. The individual entries of the divided sopranos in the central chorus were ‘uncertain and out of tune.’ In the final chorus the tempo was ‘exaggerated’, and following the final fermata, the singers stopped ‘one after the other.’ The review also remarked that the ‘best number’ of the composition, the terzetto for two sopranos and tenor, had to be omitted because the soprano Miss Brennerová objected to holding an extra rehearsal. The soloists in the performance of Pergolesi’s Stabat Mater were Mrs Josefa Schmidt-Procházková and Miss Emilie Miková. In Davide penitente the tenor solo was sung by J.L. Lukes, and one of the two soprano parts by Brennerová; the other soprano was almost certainly one of the two soloists who sang in the Stabat Mater, although the identity of the individual was not recorded by either Dalibor report. According to the earlier Dalibor source, Pergolesi’s work was receiving its first [Prague] performance.

A review, signed ‘**’, was published by Prager Morgenpost 28/3/1861. This noted that ‘The day before yesterday, the great concert of the Society of Musical Artists, which is given annually at Easter, offered two curious works of church-music literature that have not been heard here for many years. First, the celebrated “Stabat mater” by Pergolese [Pergolesi], one of the most beautiful monuments of old-Italian church music. Pergolesi, of the great pupils of Durante, one of the most excellent representatives of old classical neapolitanism from the school founded by Alessandro Scarlatti, composed this biblical text for the primordially bare scoring of two female voices with string quartet and organ accomanpiment, but the composition has in the modern era been arranged by Alexis Lwoff [Lvov], the author of the Russian national anthem for mixed-voice choir and full orchestra. In this arrangement was the performance the day before yesterday, and in which both solo voices were entirely proficiently executed by the ladies Mick [Miková] and Schmidt-Pochaska [Schmidt-Procházková]. Following [this] we heard the Easter cantata “Davide penitente” by Mozart. The great tone-poet here by no means keeps to a church[-music] style, as for example is so to be admired in his Requiem; on the contrary he adopts the general idiom of his time and often includes moments reminiscent of opera- and concert-style. Only two ensembles are... [cast in a high-art style]. The principal part of this cantata requires in range and technical ability a major soprano, as at present here only Miss Brenner possesses; it goes without saying that the esteemed artiste particularly excelled in a magnificent performance of this solo part. The other soli were sung by Miss Mick [Miková] and Mr Lukas [Lukes] in an equally praiseworthy fashion. The ensemble comprised members of the Žofín Academy, of the Cecilia Society and Men’s Singing Society, of the Theatre chorus and orchestra, of pupils of the Conservatory, of choristers and numerous dilettantes. The whole lot was conducted by Kapellmeister Jahn. The concert venue (the Hall on Žofín Island) was packed full.’

Prager Zeitung 28/3/1861 also published a review of this event, signed ‘!!’. The reviewer reported that ‘In its Easter concert this year, the Society of Musical Artists brought to our attention two musical works that are each important in their own way. Pergolesi’s Stabat mater, previously unknown to the people of Prague, is as typical for the style of composition in Italy at the beginning of last century as it is characteristic of Pergolesi’s own style. Palestrina’s polyphonic style was awkward for the singers, Scarlatti’s manner was dry and cumbersome. The Italians, grown used to the pleasure given to them by their mild climate, the luscious vegetation and the view of the forever joyful, deep blue firmament, also in church no longer wanted to be shocked and jolted by the dull tones in which the old masters lived and breathed. Consequently a sensibility crept into the hearts of the composers of the time that was already touched in many ways by worldly mirth, and this became the impulse for their successors to compose in the manner of opera. And so the Stabat mater is today far from giving that expression, being mpregnated with bitter accents, of the nameless anguish of the heart of the holy Mother of God as is indicated by the text. Rather like Carlo Dolce or Fiesole, Pergolesi is also not generous with his invention of ideas, yet captivating, careful in his sketching, but noble and gentle in his use of colour. Throughout the work the bright light of transfiguring clemency and ideal suffering shines forth. Most of the themes are simple to comprehend, free of pomp and not overburdened with counter-themes, with the exception of two fugal motifs; and almost entirely free of any so-called strict thematic treatment. The prevailing lightness and charm makes it possible to explain how the cocky Abbot Vogler, whose compositions are comparable with solutions to musical problems, let himself be deceived, among other things with his boastful declaration “What is Pergolesi’s Stabat Mater next to my Miserere?”. Our answer to this: “The scent of flowers next to stale air.”

The old tones of church music are built out from it, one encounters everywhere keys and tonalities, and harmonic progressions, such as are more than familiar to us today. Had this work of Pergolesi’s not been written back in 1736, a few days before the demise of the composer, we would have said that Pergolesi was mirroring the compositions of Mozart, Rossini, Meyerbeer and Halevy... It would have been better to have kept to the Latin text, instead of the empty, verbose translation, which conveys everything except the conception of the original. In Mozart’s Davide penitente, the second magnificent work of the evening, we may confine ourselves to a few notes, since the piece is already known in Prague. It shows that it appeared in the year 1785, that is, at the time when thoughts of the future Don Juan were already circulating in the great Mozart’s mind. Yet much of what it contains remains in the usual Mozart template, the arias absolutely concertante (entirely in the style of that of the Queen of the Night in the Die Zauberflöte), but with two truly imposing choruses. The performing forces were massed, including the ladies and gentlemen of the Žofín Academy, the Society of St Cecilia, the Male Voice Choral Society [Männergesangverein] and the pupils of the Conservatory, together with members of the orchestra of the Royal Estates Theatre and a large number of amateurs. From among the soloists, Miss Brenner [Brennerová], Miss Mik [Míková], Mrs Schmidt-Prochazka [Schmidt-Procházková] and Mr Lukes, Miss Brenner deserves all credit for her brilliant execution of the bravura fiorituras. Miss Mik seemed to be out of sorts, as suggested by both a number of deviations and an ongoing awkwardness in intonation. The overall performance, which, putting aside a few alterations in the soprano part, must be said to have been precise, is to the great credit of the conductor, Mr Kappellmeister Jahn.