• Music Institute of Josef Jiránek: participating institution

News of the forthcoming evening musical entertainments arranged and given by the Music Institute of Jiránek appeared in Bohemia 6/3/1851. The dates and time of the six entertainments were listed, together with the venue.

Tagesanzeiger texts published by the newspaper Bohemia did not include details of any of these events. However the Lokalzeitung section of Bohemia 25/3/1851 included a combined review, signed ‘V.’, of the first three entertainments. The correspondent began by noting that the frequency of these entertainments combined with their success testified to the prosperity enjoyed by the school. This was attributed to the effective method of tuition following the same methods as used by ‘the celebrated school of the splendid Proksch. A fundamental advantage lay in the exercise of ensemble playing which achieves rhythmic precision and strict observance of tempi.’ Ensemble works [largely orchestral pieces given in arrangements for multiple pianos] given during the previous evening entertainments were then listed, although the specific events the works were performed in were not specified. The solo performances were also noted as having been worthy of attention and demonstrated the acquired skill and education of the pupils. Composers whose works were given were then listed, in addition to the most accomplished soloists.

The Bohemia 25/3/1851 review then reported that the entertainment given on 23rd March had included an interesting novelty in the ‘recently published’ [by Witzendorf in Vienna] of the Sonata, op.5 for piano by Ambros. The critic remarked that he would comment in more detail upon the work in a forthcoming article. Performing the work was ‘Roskoschny [J.R. Rozkošný]’, whose performance in the first movement and in the ‘poetic’ Andante showed him to be a ‘clear-thinking performer, and in the performance of the Finale as a well-educated pianist despite the difficulties of the composition and the tropical [tropischen] atmosphere’. The reference to ‘tropical’ presumably referred to the temperature in the venue. Appearing too in this entertainment were Misses Wáwra [Vávra], Marochetti and Mr Nedwěd [Nedvěd] ‘who performed many song compositions by R. Schumann, Thalberg, E.G. Schlik [Šliková], A. Stradella, Kücken and Jelen.’ All the performances were met with loud applause.