• KÖNIGSLÖW, Otto von: soloist, vl
• WEBER, Jan: soloist, vl
• PAULUS, Alfred: soloist, va
• GOLTERMANN, Julius: soloist, vc

Mercy’s Anzeiger 30/11/1854 reported that ‘It is with a certain regret that we must announce that next Saturday (2nd Dec.) at the usual hour in the Konvikt Hall will take place the last of the Quartet Soirées of Messrs von Königslöw, J. Weber, Paulus and Prof. Goltermann. This hugely pleasurable evening will to the great regret of all music-friends conclude this series of productions. The following programme is scheduled: 1. Quartet by Louis Lee (A minor, manuscript) a. Introductione, Lento, Allegro. b. Scherzo, Presto. c. Andante. d. Finale, Allegro con fuoco. 2. Quartet by L. van Beethoven (F major Nr.7, op.59) a. Allegro. b. Allegretto vivace e sempre scherzando. c. Adagio molto e mesto. Allegro (Thême russe). 3. Quintet by F. Mendelssohn-Bartholdy (op.87, B-flat major (Oeuvre posthume). a. Allegro vivace. b. Andante scherzando. c. Adagio e lento. d. Allegro molto vivace. Mr Unger has kindly agreed to take the second viola part.’

Der Tagesbote 1/12/1854 reported the date, time and venue of this event, as well as listing the programme and participants, relating too that the second viola in Mendelssohn’s String Quintet was to be played by Mr Unger. The source also noted that Lee’s Quartet was played from manuscript.

Mercy’s Anzeiger 3/12/1854 published a brief review, signed ‘Z.’ The correspondent reported ‘Yesterday Königslöw, Weber, Paulus and Goltermann concluded their very interesting cycle of Quartet soirées. First we heard a quartet in A minor by L. Lee, a young music teacher in Hamburg. The composition flows in its standard form and has been worked on diligently: especially the essence of the imitation is worked out potently, so that the overall impression is a little troubled with monotony. In any case this first-time composition is noteworthy in so far as the composer proves his good schooling. Beethoven’s ingenious op. 59 in F major, the first of the Rassamowsky [Razumovský] quartets, was performed perfectly throughout and delighted the whole audience. As a dignified end [to the series] Mendelssohn’s posthumous Quintet, opus 87 in B-flat major, was performed, in which Mr Unger played the second viola. An encore was called for the charming Andante in G minor. The sensuous Adagio and the lively Finale were also received with lively approbation. This very interesting choice of programme therefore stood side-by-side with the so far given pleasures of art in this series. The art lovers of Prague are much obliged to the initiative of Mr Königslöw and the artistic alacrity of the other artists that made these soirées possible. We hope that we will soon have the chance to again encounter the united achievements of these artists.’

A review, signed ‘J.H.’, was published by Der Tagesbote 4/12/1854. Each of the three works received some comment from the newspaper’s critic. The quartet by Lee, ‘an as yet unknown composer, shows plenty of spirit, great compositional agility and sometimes imagination; yet there is also a lot of searching in this piece, which did not really convince and only achieved a ‘succès d’estime’. Beethoven’s composition, No.1 from the so-called Rasumovsky Quartets, was listened to by the educated musical audience with a breathless and devoted tension appropriate to the divine genius. The performance revealed deep and careful study as well as understanding insight into the original ideas of the master. This, together with the excellent technique [shown by the players], inspired the admiration of the audience. This critic would also have been satisfied had not a particular passage been misinterpreted.’ The passage in question was identified as the D-flat major cantilena in the Adagio where it modulates to F minor , this was ‘the culminating point of all feeling, to which the greatest expression should be applied, yet it was to [my] painful surprise recited mezza voce.’ Of the last work in the programme, Mendelssohn’s B-flat major String Quintet, the correspondent admitted to being ‘not a great admirer of the first and the fourth movement; yet the low points of the latter were made all the worse as they were performed in a frantic speed. The scherzo too, which was encored, required a slower tempo. Only the classical Adagio, which is worthy of Beethoven, was enjoyed by this critic. The artists, who were complemented by Unger in the Quintet, of course gained great applause’