This was the first of three appearances by this ensemble in the Pštroska Summer Theatre performing in the intervals between acts of a play. The Prager Morgenpost 6/10/1858 advertisement noted the date, venue and basic detail of the first event, and relayed that the Scottish bell-players (Glockenspieler meaning bell-players and not to be confused with the glockenspiel), consisted of 7 performers dressed in their national costume. Apart from noting the associated performance of the play by Restroy, no further details of the event were given by this newspaper. A differently worded advertisement was published in Der Tagesbote on both 5/10/1858 and 6/10/1858. In addition to the general information provided by Prager Morgenpost details were also included of the works to be performed by the ensemble. The advertisement published in Bohemia 6/10/58 was interesting in that it noted the performance of the bell ensemble but not that they were appearing as entr’acte entertainment during the course of a play. This text noted that this first concert of the Scottish Bell-players [Schottischen Glockenspieler] would commence at 4pm and would end at 6pm, that it comprised 7 persons in national costume and was led by Sawyer, and noted details of the programme. Unlike the Tagesbote advertisement which announced the performance of only the Gypsy Chorus from Il Trovatore, this Bohemia insert stated as the fourth item the performance of the Gypsy Chorus [Zigeunerchor] and Aria of Azucena from that same opera.

On 10/10/1858 Prager Zeitung published a brief review and description, signed ‘!!’, of the Scottish Bell-player ensemble. This followed their third and final performance in the Pštroska Summer Theatre. The text remarked that bell-players were already known in Prague, and that the bells of this particular ensemble covered 4 octaves ‘vom großen bis zum dreigestrichtenen G’. The bells of the lower octave ‘on account of their elastic clappers sounded a pleasant, slightly muted clang, whereas the upper octave was brighter.’ The sound they produced had a mellow, lingering tone. All of the group were dressed in Scottish plaid. Mr Sawyer directed and at the same time played the bells of the lower octave. Three younger peformers in the middle octaves provided the accompaniment, and the three youngest ‘vied’ for the melody in the highest register. The critic noted that dexterous passage-work and trills were all immaculately executed and ritardandos were fittingly sympathetic. The audience was absorbed by the playing and called for encores of two of the pieces on the programme. Restroy’s 2-act farce Ein Mädel aus der Vorstadt was said to have had a similar effect upon the audience as the freezing temperature outside.