• unspecified Salon Orchestra of Karel Komzák: participating orchestra

Prager Morgenpost 7/11/1863 gave notice of this event in its Tagesanzeiger daily almanac of Prague social and musical entertainments, announcing: ‘Concert of the Salon Orchestra of Mr Carl Komsák [Karel Komzák] in the Hall of Mr J. Schary.’ This newspaper published in the same issue an advertisement for this ‘Concert’ – described as such rather than a ‘musical entertainment’ –.relating: ‘Today, as well as each successive Saturday Great Concert of the Kapellmeister Carl Komzák with his large Orchestra in the Hall of Mr J.A. Schary. Commencing 7 o’clock. Admission 10kr. NB. Noteworthy pieces: Flügelhorn Concerto and a new Potpourri: Čech a Němec [Czech and German] by Komzák.’ The advertisement was unusual for an event of this type in relating specific details of the programme. Such content was an indication of the popularity and drawing power of Komzák himself, his orchestra and his dance compositions. The new Potpourri represented then the most fashionable genre of contemporary light music; the Flügelhorn Concerto (the composer of which was unspecified and no such work seems to be extant in Komzák’s output) played on the popular appetite for virtuoso display pieces. Komzák’s composition of a Potpourri entitled Čech a Němec suggests the composer was playing upon social and national currents then dominating Prague life. The work, perhaps through name rather than any descriptive musical content, was probably titled to emphasize a utraquist cosmopolitanism.