• Orchestra of the Prague Civil Sharpshooters Corps: participating orchestra
• KOMZÁK, Karel: director of ensemble

Advance news of this event was published by Lumír 1/1/1857, the source reporting that ‘The Czech besedas will this year be on Žofín [Island] on 26th January and 9th February. Beginning at 8 o’clock [pm].’ No further details were given by the source. ‘On Žofín’ would have referred to the Hall on Žofín Island. On 15/1/1857 the periodical reported that tickets for gentlemen to the Czech besedas could be obtained daily from 9am until 1 pm from the first floor hostelry at the Platýz. This was also related in an advertisement published in both Czech and German languages in Mercy’s Anzeiger 14/1/1857 and 15/1/1857. However, this source specified that the purchase time for tickets was daily between 10 and 1 o’clock. The newspaper then published on 22/1/1857 a new advertisement showing revised opening hours of 9am until 2pm. This was published again on 23rd, 25th, 26th, 31st January, 1st, 5th, 8th and 9th February. Following a brief review of the first of these annual events, Mercy’s Anzeiger 28/1/1857 reported the date of the second beseda, and that that the music would be performed by the ensemble of the Royal Warranted Sharpshooters Corps under the able leadership of Mr Kapellmeister Komsak [Komzák].

The issues of Tagesbote dated 14/1/1857 and 15/1/1857 carried public notices announcing similarly the details for acquisition of gentlemen’s tickets to the event. Tagesbote aus Böhmen 17/1/1857 published a brief report in the section of daily news noting that ‘Gentlemen‘s tickets for the „Besedy“ taking place on 26th January and 9th February in the Hall of the Žofín Island for the benefit of the Czech Theatre Foundation, are available daily in the Platteis, 1st floor, nr.2 from 10am.’

A brief, unsigned review of this event appeared in Lumír 12/2/1857. The text reported that the ‘Second Czech beseda, 26th January [this date was incorrect, the second of the two events being on 9th February], surpassed the exquisite first with a more numerous and more select attendance. Some tasteful alteratons were made to the decor of the hall by the skilled upholsterer Mr Kustřický. Ladies who were seen with really beautiful bouquets obtained very pretty dance programmes with an illustration of the Žofín Hall decorated for the beseda.’ No further details about the occasion, or about its musical content, were noted by the source.

Mercy’s Anzeiger 12/2/1857 published a brief review, signed ‘-r’, of the second Beseda. The correspondent, signed ‘-r’, reported that on ‘Monday 9th February in the brilliant and tastefully decorated Žofín Hall the second of this year’s Besedas was performed, and obtained such a numerous attendance had not been encountered previously this year. Among those attending were many members of the high aristocracy, many notabilities from Czech literature, art etc.’ Present too were many well-attired ladies, and thanks to the excellent arrangements by the Beseda committee, the exceptionally numerous attendance was not detrimental to the organisation and execution of the dances. ‘The music was performed with perfect precision by the new Corps-band of the Royal Warranted Civil Sharpshooters Corps under the prudent direction of its Kapellmeister Mr K. Komsak [Komzák].’