• DOPPLER, Antonín: soloist, vl

The unsigned Národní listy 14/12/1861 report drew attention to the fact that two concerts were being given at the same time on the same day, noting that ‘Tomorrow at 12 noon in the Konvikt hall will be a concert by the excellent Polish violinist Antonín Doppler. By very peculiar chance Mr Decker [actually Jan Becker], also a violinist whose last concert was on Thursday, has determined to arrange one more concert at Žofín on this same day [as Doppler] and at the same hour, in order that the public should be given some choice. Long live competition and artistic collegiality!’ Národní listy 29/11/1861 had first published news of the intention of Doppler to arrange a Prague concert, but did not specify when this was to take place. However, it attempted to draw the attention of the public to the forthcoming production, commenting that the concert ‘promises to be very interesting.’ The announcement by the Národní listy 14/12/1861 report of the violinist as ‘Decker’ was probably a result of confusion with the Viennese pianist Franz Decker who had appeared and performed in Prague at the beginning of December 1861. There can be little doubt that the violinist was Jan Becker, who had already given concerts in the city with the baritone Monari-Rocca, on 5/12/1861 and 12/12/1861. The two artists did not perform at the same time on the same day; Prager Morgenpost 14/12/1861 published news that Mr J. Becker had postponed his departure from Prague to Frankfurt by a day. Thus the farewell concert of Messrs Becker and Monari-Rocca would not take place on Sunday at midday but on Monday evening at 5pm in the Konvikt Hall. A detailed unsigned review of the concert was published by Prager Morgenpost 16/12/1861.

An unsigned review of this concert was published by Lumír 19/12/1861. The correspondent reported that the ‘Concert of Mr Doppler, who is well-known as a virtuoso in Poland and in Russia, on Sunday in the Konvikt Hall went very well. This artist who has resided for a time among the inhabitants of Prague, is well-schooled and has a firm technical command of his melodious instrument. At the opening he was - perfectly for no reason at all - as if a little awkward [v rozpacích - shy/diffident/awkward], but soon he gathered his playing together so excellently that he gained universal applause and had to give an encore. His playing has Slavic features, it is mainly calm, tender, elegaic, yet he knows how to powerfully thunder across the strings. He performed most prettily the compositions by Mendelssohn and Vieuxtemps. Miss Miková, the singer Mr Bachmann and the pianist Mr Altschul entertained in between the [playing of] the concert giver.’

A review, signed ‘!!’, of this concert was published by Prager Zeitung 17/12/1861. The critic enthused about Doppler’s playing, considering that the violinist particularly excelled in the pieces by Vieuxtemps and Artôt. His performance of Mendelssohn’s concerto was thought to be of such an achievement that the correspondent felt that further description would invite comparison with the violin virtuoso Becker, also performing in Prague at this time, and would therefore be inappropriate. Particularly striking was felt to be the soloists lyrical tone and phrasing, however his playing of virtuosic passages also drew praise from the critic.