• Music Institute of Josef Jiránek: pupil(s) of institute

Tagesbote aus Böhmen 1/8/1857 reported: ‘The annual Examination Production of Jiranek’s [Jiránek] Music Teaching Institute takes place on 3rd August at 3pm, on 4th August at 10am, and on 5th at 10am and 3pm on the Žofín Island.’ No further details were given by this souce.

A review, signed ‘–e–’, of these examinations appeared in Tagesbote aus Böhmen 8/8/1857. The correspondent related: ‘A more worthy conclusion to the musical examination productions of the Prague Music Institutes could hardly have been found than at the Institute of Mr Jiranek [Jiránek]. This took place on 3rd, 4th and 5th August in the Hall of Žofín Island, and had a programme of 53 numbers. These provided ample opportunity to show how versatile and thorough classes are conducted in this Institute by its Director and teachers. The attendance at the productions also illustrated the merit [of the Institute], as the large Hall was filled by a very distinguished audience, and in particular the solo performances stood out of: the Misses Sophie Dittrich, Emma and Marie Mildner, Gabriele Skraup [Škroup], Letti and Marie Faber, Anna Pypota, Therese Corda, Langfort, Holub, and Anna Wawra [Vávra], as well as the gentlemen Kunz, Kirschbaumer, Mnina, Faber and Altschul. Many solo numbers, as well as the excellent ensemble arrangements for 8 pianos had to be encored to comply with the stormy approbation, but we must confess that cannot condone this habit transplanting from the theatre and the concert hall to the examination hall, as it extends the examination time unduly and thus the greater part of the audience have left the hall by the final numbers. This we note applies to the productions of other Institutes too.

To conclude, we should mention the unison performance of the Sonata by Beethoven and Weber’s Invitation to the Dance, Wilhelm Graf’s Idylle and Mazurka, Mendelssohn’s Lieder ohne Worte and Jiranek’s [Jiránek] Sonata Rondo, performed by 8 students as one.’