• Prague Conservatory: participating orchestra
• KITTL, Jan Bedřich: director of institute, conductor

Bohemia 17/4/1863 published news announcing: ‘(Concert). The day after tomorrow at 12 noon takes place in the Žofín Island Hall a concert for the Benefit of the Private Society for the Support of the Poor House. The pupils of the Conservatory will be participating.’

The Tagesprogramm daily almanac of Prague social events published in Bohemia 19/4/1863 noted: ‘12 noon in the Žofín Island Hall: Musical-Declamatory Academy for the Benefit of the Private Society for the Support of the Poor House’ [Musikalisch-declamaorische Akademie zum Besten des Privatvereins zur Unterstützung der Hausarmen’.

A review, signed ‘-y’, of this event was published by the German-language newspaper Prager Morgenpost 22/4/1863. The correspondent reported: ‘Concert. Sunday took place in the Žofín Island Hall the concert arranged for the benefit of the Society for the support of the Poor House [Unterstützungsvereines für die Hausarmen]. Mendelssohn’s Overture to „Ruy Blas“ served as an introduction. This magnificent composition is so well-known for me to comment especially upon its importance; but I cannot omit, to particularly stress, that the performance itself with the forces of the Conservatory under the leadership of the Director Mr Kittl, who also conducted the large instrumental items of this Academy [Akademie], was extraordinarily gratifying. The same applied to Akert’s [almost certainly J.J. Abert, Kittl’s pupil] Overture, that formed the conclusion [of the concert]. – Miss Rudolphine Sacher [Sacherová] played Mendelssohn’s G minor Concerto with orchestra accompaniment and testified to be an experienced [‘routinirte’ – experienced, slick] pianist. Wiith great skill she knew how to circumnavigate the technical difficulties that stood in the way and her playing revealed clearly her intensive, sustained study. In addition to this the young lady played two further compositions: Jaell’s „La fontaine“ and a Mazurka by Proksch (unless I am much mistaken – her tutor). Before Mr Brückner very pleasingly performed a Fantasie on themes from the opera „Anna Bolenna“. Participating in place of Mrs Kainz-Prause [Prauseová] as a soloist, Mrs Schmidt-Procháska [Schmidt-Procházková] came forward in a Duet with Mr Nachbauer. Miss Elise Brand declaimed the „Kindes Zuversicht“ by Saphir. All of the participants received the most vigorous applause. The attendance of the Academy was very numerous.’

The Mazurka noted by the Prager Morgenpost review may have been by Theodor Proksch (1843-76), who published Deux mazurkas as his opus 2. The correspondent’s reference to Sacherová’s tutor may have referred to Theodor rather than his father Josef who died in 1864. The individual ‘Brückner’ would almost certainly have been the Prague violinist by that name who frequently appeared in concerts in the city around this time. The composer of the Fantasie he performed cannot be identified.