• Large Salon Orchestra of Komzák: participating orchestra

The Tagesanzeiger daily almanac of Prague social musical events published by Prager Morgenpost 23/9/1863 noted: ‘In the winter venue of Mr J.M. Schary takes place today the 1st concert of the Kapellmeister Komzák with his large orchestra. Amongst the new pieces to be performed will be Komzák’s 2nd Potpourri on Czech songs [2. Potpourri über böhmische Lieder] and Overture „Flotte Bursche” by Suppé.’

The above source was interesting in several respects. Unusually for a Tagesanzeiger entry of a social musical event, details were given about the programme with two compositions identified. This possibly derived from the fact that this seems to have been the first public performance by Komzák’s orchestra since it returned from a trip to Hamburg to play at the 1863 Agricultural Exhibition, and also from the airing of new pieces by then locally popular light music composers. Notable too was the rendition of Komzák’s name in its Czech form. Hitherto the newspaper tended to spell it in a Germanic form of ‘Komsak’. Perhaps this change resulted from the discontent that had been felt in some Prague circles over the issue of whether or not his band should have been performing in Hamburg in their customary national costume and performing patriotic native folk-related pieces.

That the event took place as specified in the ‘winter locality’ of Mr Schary and not in the garden of that venue indicates that the Prague summer season of social musical events was certainly over.

An advertisement for this event was also published by Prager Morgenpost 23/9/1863, relaying the same information as the Tagesanzeiger text but including the time of the event and the cost of admission. Interestingly, the advertisement used the form ‘Komsák’: ‘Today Wednesday takes place the 1st Concert of the Kapellmeister Komsák with his large orchestra in the winter venue of Mr J.M. Schary. Amongst the new pieces being performed is the 2nd Potpourri on Bohemian songs by Komsák, and the Overture „Flotte Bursche” by Suppé. Commencing 7 o’clock. Admission 10kr.’