News of this event was first published by the German-language newspaper Tagesbote aus Böhmen on 21/4/1857. The source related: ‘The Concert for the Benefit of the Josefov Small-Children’s Institute, which takes place on Sunday 26th, has every prospect of the most lively attendance though its promotion of this humanitariian Institute currently enjoying the highest standing of public sympathy, as though the brilliant forces participating. Mr v. Adelburg, who in the shortest time has become the darling of the Prague concert[-going] public, and the oft-proven pianist Mr Graf will appear in solo pieces, and unite in a Sonata by Mr v. Adelburg, a very interesting novelty; Miss Schmidt and Mr Wagner, the newly engaged member of our Opera, will take on the vocal pieces and the well-known oboe virtuoso Mr Müller, a Concertstück.’ The date given by this source for the concert was either incorrect or was subsequently changed. A subsequent advertisement and a review published by this newspaper related that the concert took place on Saturday 25th.

A detailed advertisement, noting the programme and other concert details, appeared in Tagesbote aus Böhmen 24/4/1857. The source related: ‘Programme to CONCERT taking place on 25th April 1857, 4pm, in the Hall of Žofín Island to benefit the Josefov Small-Children’s Institute. Part I: 1. Prologue, spoken by Mrs Allram-Lechner. 2. Sonata for pianoforte and violin by Count v. Adelburg, performed by Mr Wilhelm Graf and by the composer. 3. Am Meere [Am Meer from Schwanengesang] Lied by Schubert, sung by Miss Emilie Schmidt. 4. a. Improvisata by Stephen Heller. b. La fontaine by W. Paur. c. Tarantella (nr.2 from Scenes Napolitaine by Graf), performed by Mr Wilhelm Graf. Part 2. 1. a. La dramatique, b. La Priere. Études for violin by Ch. de Beriot, performed by Mr Count von Adelburg. 2. Variations for oboe on a theme from Der Verschwender, performed by Mr Cöl. Müller. 3. Thüringian Folksong, sung by Miss E. Schmidt. Tickets in the Circle for 2fl, in the Hall for 1fl, and for the Gallery at 30kr. are to be obtained in the music shops of Messrs Christop and Kuhe (Egidy-Gasse) and of Mr J. Fischer (in Eidengasse in the Karolinum), as well as on the evening of the concert from the box office.’ A similar advertisement was published by Tagesbote aus Böhmen 25/4/1857. This related again the above information about the event and the programme, but clarified some details. Thus, the source specified that the concert would help provide meals for the children. Of the works performed, the text noted that the work for oboe was by Th. Bauer. A piano from the firm of Tomaschek was provided for the occasion, which had been lent by the repository of Jakob Fischer. After noting the price of tickets, the list of establishments to obtain them was considerably longer than that which had been noted in the previous advertisement. They could be obtained ‘from Mr Wilhelm Weiß, paper merchant, Kolowratstraße, in the music shops of Mr Jak. Fischer (in Eisengasse, in the Karolinum), and Christoph and Kuhe (Egidy-Gasse), in the Pharmacy of Ebenberg Erben (Little Quarter, Mostecká ulice), as well as from the box office on the evening of the concert.’

Tagesbote aus Böhmen 25/4/1857 reported that ‘Today’s concert for the benefit of the Josefov Small-Children’s Institute [Josephstädter Kleinkinder-Bewahranstalt] is also the Farewell Concert for Count von Adelburg. From only the perspective of only his great compositions, his beautiful talent has earned the respect and sympathy of laymen and established experts here. Mr Adelburg has participated in several concerts, some for good causes, some as a favour to his fellow artists, and has given the now almost ended musical season a stimulus. The Composer has so quickly become naturalized amongst us that his departure from the local artistic circles will leave a substantial gap. Bold ambition, dignified will, and a decisive nature are so rarely to be found combined in the public voice of a young disciple of the arts, that they cannot be recognized unreservedly enough. All authoritative voices in Prague have been happily and vociferously agreed with this. And for the artist and composer himself... when he has achieved in life the best in art, Prague he will always cherish with grateful and happy memory as the significant starting point for him. As I have said, Mr von Adelburg will appear here today for the last time in the above-mentioned concert, in which he will present one of his most accomplished [gerundesten – lit. well-rounded] works. A few days later the young composer departs to travel via Vienna to Constantinople to visit his relatives. May his departure from Prague be temporary, and that we may welcome him with warmth again to our city to still greater honours and triumphs.’

On the day following this concert, Tagesbote aus Böhmen 26/4/1857 enthused upon the pecuniary success of the event. ‘We are pleased to report, that the net profit of yesterday’s concert for the Josefov Small-Children’s Institute was over 2000fl. That is a new testament of the sympathy of the public for this most admirably managed institution. The concert was attended notably by a large number of the most beautiful maidens and ladies of Prague.’ This issue of the newspaper also published a review, signed ‘-h.’, of the occasion. The correspondent remarked: ‘The Concert for the benefit of the Josefov Small-Children’s Institute (with particular provision for the fine new Free Meals Fund for the Children [Freitischstiftung für die Kleinen] appealed happily as much as many preceeding [concerts] to the inexhaustible humanitarianism of the Prague public. The large Hall of the island was crowded, on the podium there congregated a small circle of distinguished ladies. A prologue spoken by Mrs Allram-Lechner, which in the custom of Benefit Concerts proceeded in a very witty way playing with allusions to the charitable cause, opened the concert. There followed a – what for us was new – Sonata for piano and violin, played by the composer and Mr Wilh. Graf. The composition is very noble in expressive content and melody, and beneath its rapid, fiery flow lies a hidden current of deep, intimate countrapuntal working, as at the beginning of the second part of the first movement, and in the Scherzo („Un moment d’allegresse“). The most beautiful movement is the Adagio in D major („Consolation“) which contains an unusually noble great theme that is played first by the piano [‘zuerst von beiden Arpeggien des Claviers angeschlagen’ – translation dubious – played in octaves, or with arpeggio accompaniment], and then by the violin. The Scherzo is equally interesting through its piquant, touching subject, as well through its firm, clear form. In the first and the last movements the character of a serious chamber composition is sometimes lost when the leadership of the violin falls into the specifically virtuosic, especially in the passage of chord sequences played with very short, sharp bowing that is not in keeping with the character of the whole and is too often repeated. The composer directed from the violin part with perfection, and with particular depth and warmth in the Adagio; Mr Graf acquitted himself so honourably in the entirely splendid performance of the piano part, not written for any jobbing pianist [der Part von keinem praktischen Pianistem geschrieben]; even the most able artist would be surprised by the extraordinary difficulties, such as the rapid octave runs in the first movement and the still more rapid broken chords in the last, which without exception Mr Graf executed flawlessly. On the whole, yesterday the able artist was even more inspired than ever before; he played Stephen Heller’s lovely „Improvisata“ with the finest, most sparkling grace in the passagework, Paur’s „Fontaine“, then his own characteristically fiery Tarrantella and had, on general demand, to encore with his favourite „Gazelle“. Mr von Adelburg also performed with brilliant success two études by Beriot whose main technical difficult was the combination of the theme against accompaniment figures. Miss Emilie Schmidt presented the concert with expressively felt performance of two jewels of equally excellent Lieder: „Am Meer“ by Schubert and „Thüringisches Volkslied“ by Mendelssohn, and surprised us after repeated approbation through [an encore of] the splendid „Junge Grün“ by Schumann. Mr Cölest. Müller demonstrated his eminent skill in a set of Variations on the „Hobellied“.’ The „Hobellied“ is a couplet from Kreutzer’s opera Der Werschwender.

A public notice of thanks from the Committee arranging this concert was published by Tagesbote aus Böhmen 2/5/1857. The source remarked: ‘The charitable sense of our population and the generosity of our artistic circles that has been proven in the past, was proven in most brilliant fashion in the concert that has taken place on 25th April for feeding the small children in the Josefov Small Children’s Institute. For the extraordinary, soon to be published, results of this concert, thanks are due to the willingness of the participants, and the Committee arranging the concert feels obliged herein to utter the most deeply felt thanks to Miss Emilie Schmidt, Mrs Alram-Lechner, then Messers Count von Adelburg, Wilhelm Graf and Celestine Müller for their selfless participation in the concert, to the estate of Mr Novotný for the free provision of the hall, to Mr Carl Bellmann and M.J. Landau for the free procurement of printed materials, to the company C. Weiss for the delivery of the paper, to Mr. Jakob Fischer for the loan of the piano, and to all the benefactors. Prague, on 1st May 1857. Committee.’