• Hlahol: participating institution, male vv

Národní listy 3/3/1863 reported this forthcoming event in its section of daily new: ‘Festival of Cyril-Methodius. On Monday 9th March, day of the consecration of the apostolic saints Cyril and Methodius, will be served a celebratory Mass in the ancient church in Vyšehrad, in which the Hlahol singing society will sing old-Czech chorales.’ The ‘ancient church on Vyšehrad’ referred to the church of St Peter and St Paul, not the small Romanesque rotunda of St Martin. Although rebuilt during the early Baroque and then again later in the 1880s, the St Peter and St Paul church with its Roman foundations constituted one of the oldest churches in the city. Národní listy 8/3/1863 reported: ‘Mass. On Monday 9th March in the Collegiate church on Vyšehrad performs the singing society „Hlahol“ on the occasion of the annunciation of the Slavonic saints Cyril and Methodius, a choral mass, Píseň sv. Vojtěcha [Song of St Vojtěch, ‘Hospodine, pomiluj ny’ – Lord, have mercy on us], and „Panis Angelicus“ by Palestrina.’ This issue of the newspaper also published a public notice from Hlahol asking as many performing members as possible to attend the festival of St Cyril and Methodius ‘which will take place on Monday at 10.30 in the Collegiate church of St Peter and Paul on Vyšehrad.’ On the next day, Národní listy 9/3/1863 reported again on this event: ‘Festival of the Holy Slavonic Saints [Slavnost sv. apoštolů slovanských]. Today at 10.30am will be served a festival mass in ancient Vyšehrad by the Reverend Provost of the local Chapter, in which „Hlahol“ will be singing an Old-Czech choral Mass and the Píseň sv. Vojtěcha [Song of St Vojtěch]. About 9.30am will be in the Church a festival sermon.’

The German-language newspaper Prager Morgenpost 9/3/1863 also published details, in a report signed ‘-o.’, of religious services taking placein Prague to celebrate this anniversary, including the event on Vyšehrad. The correspondent related: ‘Cyrill and Methodius Festival [Cyrill- und Methudfeier]. The thousand-year anniversary of the Holy Apostles Cyrill and Methud will be celebrated today (Monday, 9th March) with festival religious services in all Prague churches as well as in all local parish churches. In the Cathedral church [i.e. St Vitus] His Eminence the Cardinal-Archbishop Count Schwarzenberg will himself pontificate; on Wyschehrad [Vyšehrad] the Provost of the Wyschehrader Kapitels [Vyšehrad Chapter], at which the Czech singing society „Hlahol“ will perform the choral songs. In the Wyschehrad church a sermon will be preached at 9.30am.’

A brief review of events in Prague marking this anniversary was published by Národní listy 10/3/1863. The correspondent reported: ‘Thousand-year anniversary of the introduction of Christianity into the Czech-Slovak lands was celebrated yesterday in dignified fashion. In all the parish churches were celebratory religious services. That at our venerable Vyšehrad was especially numerously attended. At 9.30am the reverened Canon V. Štulc, well-known as an excellent preacher, gave the festival sermon. After that, as we previously related, the Provost of the Vyšehrad Chapter served a celebratory mass. A solemn old-Czech choral Mass, which was very successfully performed by „Hlahol“, inspired the many people present. After the religious service was an offering for the construction of the Karlín cathedral, after which many paid their respects at the graves of our Hanka, Němcová and Krolmus. Among those present we noted some deputies [of the Government].’

An identical report as that which appeared in Národní listy 3/3/1863 was published by Lumír 5/3/1863. In its issue of 12/3/1863 Lumír reported that the ‘Thousand year anniversary of the introduction of Christianity into the Czech-Slav lands was celebrated in a worthy manner. In all parish churches were festival religious services. Our venerable Vyšehrad was numerously attended. At 9.30 the reverend Canon V. Štulc, well-known as an excellent preacher, gave the festival sermon. After that the Provost of Vyšehrad chapter house gave the whole of the celebratory Holy mass. The solemn old-Czech chorale Mass which Hlahol very successfully performed, inspired the numerous assembly. Following the religious service was an offertory for the construction of the Karlín church, after which a good many visited the graves of our beloved Hanka, Němcová and Krolmus.’

The arrangement of the Píseň sv. Vojtěcha [Song of St Vojtěch] for male voices was almost certainly the recently completed setting by J.L. Zvonař.