• Aëde: participating ensemble, vv

Prager Morgenpost 9/11/1863 published news of this event, reporting: ‘The Schiller Festival [Die Schiller-Feier], which is being held by the musical society Aëde, takes place tomorrow (Tuesday) at 7pm in the Hall of „Bohemia“. The programme is as follows: 1. Prologue, spoken by Mr Kohn; Dithyrambe, by Schiller, for male voice chorus, composed by R. Pohl; 3. Piano piece; 4. Wolfram, the Landgrave and the Singer from Tannhäuser, by Wagner; 5. Declamation; 6. Adagio and Rondo from the 1. Concerto for Violin by Vieuxtemps; 7. Recitative and Choral, Huguenottenlied from „Hugenotten“ by Meyerbeer; Sailor’s chorus from the opera „Der fliegende Holländer“ by R. Wagner. Individual pieces were performed only by members of the Society. After the end of the concert a Commers [drinking session] takes place.’ No further details of the event were given by this source. Given that Aëde was a modestly sized singing society, the concertante and opera items were almost certainly accompanied at the piano. The soloists were unspecified but, given the description in the source text, were most likely performed by members of Aëde.

An unsigned review was published by Prager Morgenpost 12/11/1863. The correspondent reported: ‘Schiller Celebration by the „Aëde“. The German „Aëde“ choral society marked Schiller’s birthday two days ago in the hall of the „Bohemia“ with an appropriately solemn celebration. An unusually large audience had gathered in the hall, which was festively decorated with the bust of Schiller. Those present included Government [Landestag] representative Professor Schrott and many doctors of the various [Prague University] faculties, the actors Mr Fischer and Mr Sauer and many more. The celebration began with a truly energetic prologue (compiled by Mr A. Frank), which Mr H. Kohn performed with warm expressiveness. Schiller’s Dithyrambe for male voice choir, composed by K. Pohl, was performed with great precision by the members of society and was justly applauded. The same applied to all the pieces that followed, most of which had to be repeated: Wolfram, the Landgrave and the Singer („Als du im kühnen Sange“) from Tannhäuser by Wagner, the Adagio and Rondo from the first concerto for violin by Vieuxtemps, the recitative and chorale and Hugenottenlied from Meyerbeer’s „Hugenotten“ [Les Huguenots], and the Sailors’ Chorus from Wagner’s opera Der fliegende Holländer. It deserves mentioning that all the pieces were performed solely by members of the society, which testifies honourably to its musical capabilities. The concert itself, which lasted until about nine o’clock, was followed by a festive evening in which true German conviviality and a fresh, cheerful atmosphere prevailed. It need scarcely be mentioned that many toasts were proposed on this occasion. The proceedings began with a heavily applauded toast to the health of His Majesty the Emperor, which was followed by rendering of the national anthem. Then followed warm toasts to the prosperity of the society that had organised this fine celebration, to the leader of society, to the German societies in Prague, to the representatives present from the stage, etc. The already jolly atmosphere was further lifted when with his usual mastery Mr Fischer declaimed Schiller’s „Der Handschuh“ and Mr Sauer performed a scene from Laube’s „Carlsschülern“ in his characteristically fiery manner, to which the listeners kicked up a veritable storm of applause. The choir of the society performed yet more songs, including the „Oesterreicherlied“ by Neumann, individual members sang or played, and not until about midnight did the festive gathering, which included many ladies, break up.’