• unspecified Salon Orchestra of Karel Komzák: participating orchestra, orch

Prager Morgenpost 9/3/1860 published news that ‘On Monday 12th March for the benefit of the fund for the blind takes place a musical-declamatory Academy, at which Mrs Burggraf will participate.’

Advance news of this concert then appeared in all four German-language Prague daily newspapers on 11/3/1860. Prager Zeitung simply reported that tomorrow would be a benefit musical and declamatory academy for the Institute for the Blind, and named the participating soloists. Der Tagesbote 11/3/1860 published similar information, but noted in addition that Tiefensee was to sing an aria from Ernani, specified the rôles of Kriesche and Fischer (pianist and viola d’amore player respectively), and that Miss Marschler would appear as pianist and singer (in the event accompanying herself in the songs she performed). Interestingly, the newspaper also stated that the ‘Theaterorchester’ would take part. This was however corrected by the newspaper in its subsequent review of the event published on 13/3/1860. Complete programmes to the concert, albeit not mentioning the identitiy of the orchestra, were then reported in Prager Morgenpost and Bohemia on the day of the event 11/3/1860.

Reviews were published by the German-language newspapers with the exception of Prager Morgenpost. The review by the Bohemia correspondent ‘V.’ appeared in the 13/3/1860 edition. This began by noting that ‘As with all benefit concerts which the Prague public always visit in great number, the Benefit for the Employment and Education of the Adult Blind given yesterday in the [Žofín] Island Hall was plentifully attended.’ However, the text noted that the room was awkwardly cramped due to the presence of staging intended for another event. There followed a description of the success of the various participating soloists, and these were reported in order based upon the degree of acclaim the critic thought they received from the audience. Miss Fischer von Tiefensee enjoyed the greatest approbation, her ‘performance of the Cavatina from Ernani brought repeated curtain-calls and consequently the encore of a German song. Second in rank with resepect to her brilliant success was Mrs Burggraf, whose recital of a reading under the title Lebenskizze from  “Verfasser der Bagatelle des Thierschutzvereines [Author of the Bagatelle of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals]” found equally substantial applause. Miss Marie Marschler appeared for the first time on the podium of a concert hall. She sang Kücken’s Himmelsthränenlied ... in place of a clarinet a violin (Mr Bennewitz) served as the obbligato instrumental accompaniment, and then Schubert’s Ave Maria and Frühlingslied by Mendelssohn.’ Her performance was thought to have been affected by the fact of this constituting her public debut, ‘nevertheless the manifestly sympathetic performance performance gained a warm reception. This similarly applied to the pianist Miss M. Kriesche, who is already not unfavourably known from many public performances. She played Seb. Bach’s [the other periodical sources note Handel] E minor fugue and an Etude militaire by Kullak, and in the first displayed a really good training, a clear and distinct performance; she only demonstrated, as we already indicated, a timidity and was therefore not too secure. Mr Fischer, who has already several times performed the viola d’amour [viola d’amore] in concert performances, gave a Fantasie ... with the same success as we mentioned of the earlier performances given by the Ladies, and likewise was curtain-called. The orchestra numbers of the production ... [were played by] the large combined orchestra of Mr Komsak [Komzák] with the utmost laudable precision and accuracy. The stringed instruments in particular warrant all praise.’

The brief Dalibor 20/3/1860 review, signed ‘-x.’, simply listed the works performed in the concert, adding scant information about the general success of the concert and its participants. Of the ‘wide-ranging’ programme specific mention was made only of Miss Tiefensee who, it was noted, made the greatest impression with a ‘beautiful’ performance of Elvira’s aria from Ernani. The song by Curschmann was noted as having been added as an encore. Finally, the text reported that the ‘Civilian orchestra of Mr Karel Komzák performed the instrumental works very accurately and received general appreciation. The audience was numerous.’