• ŠÁLEK, Antonín: soloist, zither

An advertisement was published for this event in Der Tagesbote 22/8/1854. The source announced: ‘Thursday 24th August. Concert on the zither of Anton Schalek with the obliging participation of local artists, in the Konvikt Hall. Details on the day of the concert.’ However, on 24th August Der Tagesbote reported that the already advertised concert of the zither player ‘J. Schalek’ had been cancelled owing to the artist having to travel to Reichstadt to play before the Emperor [the deposed Ferdinand]. Der Tagesbote 17/9/1854 announced that ‘The Zither-player Ant. Schalek had the honour on 13th September of playing in Reichstadt before His Majesty the Emperor. The artist will in one week return to Prague and then once more arrange a concert.’ Evidently Schalek had other plans; not until 31/10/1854 did Der Tagesbote report that the artist was now in Prague and would arrange a concert ‘in the course of next week.’ Finally, on 8th November the same newspaper announced that ‘Tomorrow at 5pm the zither virtuoso Mr Anton Schalek [Šálek] gives a concert in the Konvikt Hall. Mr Schalek is well known as a master of his instrument, and recently had the honour of being invited to Reichtadt to play before His Majesty the Emperor Ferdinand. The concert in addition promises to be very interesting through the participation of Miss Daun and Hermine Corsini. The last named is a very well renowned young singer and will be making her debut here in front of a large audience.’ Particularly interesting was the declamatory part of the production; Miss Daun declaimed (engaged for the first time in the concert hall) two poems by Grün and Seidl in a very appealing manner. The concert was somewhat poorly attended.’

A large advertisement for this concert was published by Der Tagesbote 9/11/1854. The source noted the date, venue and time of the concert and also the programme in detail. No admission prices were noted. Mercy’s Anzeiger 9/11/1854 published details of the concert in its section of daily Prague news, relating identical details of the programme and participants as published by in the Der Tagesbote advertisement.

Der Tagesbote 12/11/1854 published an unsigned review of this concert. The correspondent remarked how ‘Mr Schalek brings a great virtuosity to his instrument ... [yet even he cannot quite convince us] that the zither is not quite suited to being a concert-instrument. His performances of Swiss, Czech and Styrian folksongs were excellent and received abundant applause. Miss Daun spoke her declamations with consumate grace and mastery, as we are accustomed to from her. Miss Corsini showed herself to be a beautifully promising young singer.’ No further details of the event were recorded by the source. A more substantial and more critical review, signed ‘Z.’, was published by Mercy’s Anzeiger 10/11/1854. The correspondent reported ‘Yesterday the zither player Mr Anton Schalek gave a concert in the Konvikt Hall. This delicate and slight instrument is itself not well suited for performing in a large room and its construction is not given to brilliant technical manipulation and can the latter because only in one and the same respect practicable, to the extent it leaves only a monotonous impression. We may not speak much more appreciatively about the technical ability of the concert-giver. All eight of the pieces he performed from the well-known „gemüthlichen Weisen“ in three acts met with applause. In addition we heard Miss Corsini sing here [in Prague] for the first time. She gave a song [Lied] „der Blinde“ by Keller, then Lucretia’s first aria [the first aria from Lucretia Borgia]. Her voice is a mezzosoprano of rare fullness. The firmness of her entries in forte, the execution of trills and passages testifying to her good training, in the future from this training she will attain a smoothness in softer voice and more volubility in coloratura, and also restrain her prevalent tremolando [vibrato]. She was twice curtain called, particularly in the closing part with the powerfully sung imposing aria. Four members of the Žofín Academy sang a pretty quartet by Vogel; one of these [members] also gave Beethoven’s „Nachruf“.

The programme is given in performance order according to the advertisement published by Der Tagesbote 9/11/1854. The arrangements for zither were most likely by the performer, Schalek. Miss Daun gave two declamations, a poem by Grünig, Das eigene Herz, and one by Seidl, Ich setze nur den Fall.