• Cecilia Society: organizing institution, vv, orch
• ABT, Franz Wilhelm: director of institute, conductor

Prager Morgenpost 11/1/1863 reported that ‘The 2nd concert of the Cecilia Society [Cäcilien-Verein] takes place at the end of this week.’ A few days later Prager Morgenpost 15/1/1863 reported news of this event: ‘Cecilia Society [Cäcilien-Verein]. The second concert of the Cecilia Society [Cäcilien-Vereins], which takes place on Saturday 17th January in the Hall of Žofín Island at 3.30pm, offers the following programme: 1. Symphony in A major by. S. Badassohn [Jadassohn] (Manuscript – for the first time). 2. Aria: „Ah! rendimi quel core“ nell’ opera „Mitrane“ comp. dell’ Abbate Francesco Rossi (1686). For the first time. 3. Frühlings-Fantasie. Concertstück for four solo voices, pianoforte and orchestra by Niels Gade, op.23. The solo parts performed by Mrs Kainz-Prause [Kainz-Prauseová], Mrs Prochaska-Schmid [Schmidt-Procházková], Messrs Petak [Peták] and Vihlídal, the pianoforte played by Miss Sofie Dittrich. 4. Concert aria by Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy op.94, performed by Mrs Kainz-Pause [Kainz-Prauseová]. 5. Dithyrambe, poem by Schiller, for male voices (chorus and solo) and orchestra, composed by Julius Rietz, op.20.’ No further details of this event were given by this source.

The Czech-language newspaper Národní listy first carried news of this event on 15/1/1863. The section of daily news contained the brief report: ‘Second concert of [the] „Cecilia Society“ will take place on Saturday, 17th of this month at 3.30pm in Žofín Hall.’

A review, signed ‘M.’, was published by the German-language newspaper Politik 19/1/1863: ‘Concert. Yesterday, in its second concert in the Žofín Island Hall, the Society of St Cecilia brought us five smaller but highly interesting pieces, of which the first two were heard here for the first time. With the exception of only one number, all the compositions reminded us, directly or indirectly, of the great, sadly prematurely departed composer Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy. He was himself represented in his Concert Aria op. 94; three other items represented epigones of his school or, as it is called, his direction: Jadassohn with a new symphony, Gade with his exciting „Frühlingsfantasie“ that this ambitious society has previously performed here, and Julius Rietz with his „Dithyrambe“ , likewise brought to us some years ago by Mr Apt. The exception referred to, the second new piece in the concert, consisted of a musically most worthy and valuable aria from the opera „Mitrane“ by Abbate Francesco Rossi. This composer was a canon at the Metropolitan Church at Bari in Naples who brought his compositions into public knowledge in 1686, including some church pieces published in Venice and a few operas. The new symphony by Jadassohn, to tell the truth, moved us little; we had expected, after his first symphony of last year, something fresh, even original, but found – with the exception of the adagio, noble in its melodic and polyphonic aspects but rather short – mostly routine material in its conventional form. The large orchestra held together with great care in this work as in all the others. The soloists performed most worthily: the ladies Procházka [Schmidt-Procházková] in the aria and Kainz [Kainz-Prauseová] in the Mendelssohn vocal piece, and then both ladies and the truly virtuous young pianist Miss Dittrich and the men: Peták and Vyhlídal in the Gade work, and the male quartet in Rietz’s Dithyrambe. The concert was attended en masse; at the end, the director Mr Apt was called back on stage. The ladies were similarlz recalled. One might add, as general artistic interest, that in the next, the third and final concert this year of the Society, Schumann’s third section of music „Scenen aus Faust“ , will be performed.’

Prager Morgenpost 20/1/1863 also published a review, signed ‘ý.’ of this concert. The correspondent was more enthusiastic in his appraisal of Jadassohn’s Symphony, considering that the best parts of the piece were the second movement and the D minor Scherzo. The first movement (A major) despite its length and diversity of ideas was considered to be less inspired. The final movement was praised for the ‘freshness of the themes and their elegant development. The entire composition is enlived by a rare blaze of colour [eine seltene Farbenpracht] and of a content that is born only of real talent. Following this novelty as the second [number] was an aria from the opera „Mitrane“ by Abbe Rossi, ascribe to 1686.’ The work was considered to offer considerable technical difficulties, which were surmounted effortlessly by the soloist Mrs Schmidt-Procházka. Noting that Gade’s Frühlings-phantasie was known to the audience, the critic praised the pianist Miss Dittrich for her successful performance in this piece. Following this Mrs Kainz-Prause [Kainz-Prauseová] expressively sang a Concert Aria by Mendelsson. After the final item, Rietz’s Dithyrambe, the director Mr Abt received vociferous applause.’ The Žofín Hall was said to be very full.

This event was remarkable for the early performance from manuscript of Jadassohn’s Symphony in A major. The date hitherto attributed to this work, assigned the opus number 28 by the composer, was 1865. The Symphony may well have been receiving its first ever performance. The unspecified aria attributed to ‘Francesco Rossi’ was probably ‘Ah, rendimi quel core’. This aria, the real composer of which still remains unidentified, was first given in 1833 in a historical concert arranged by F.J. Fétis, and subsequently appeared as a popular item in concert programmes throughout Europe. Its author was reported to be ‘Rossi’, but no such work is known to exist by a composer of this name. The unsigned Dalibor 1/2/1863 review included brief notes about Salomon Jadassohn, recording that he was born in Wrocław on 15/9/1831. His teachers in Leipzig were Hesse, Lüstner and Brosig. The correspondent considered Jadassohn to be ‘happiest in lesser compositions... [in] songs, piano works, and violin sonatas.’ The source also noted that the symphony was performed from manuscript and was being given [in Prague] for the first time.