• Cecilia Society: participating institution, vv, orch
• APT, Antonín: director of institute, conductor

The German-language Prague newspaper Tagesbote aus Böhmen first published on 14/4/1857 news of the fourth annual concert to be given by the Cecilia Society in the 1856-1857 season. Although not relating the date of the forthcoming concert, the source released what were evidently considered to be noteworthy details of the programme: ‘In the forthcoming 4th concert of the Cecilia Society are the following novelties to be performed: the 114th Psalm with concluding Allelujaby Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy, and the Overture to Calderon’s „Dame Kobold“ by Reinecke, which has been given specifically to the Society for performance. Among the other numbers of the programme are found Beethoven’s „Meeresstille und glückliches Fahrt“ and Richard Wagner’s fragment from his opera Rienzi.

Tagesbote aus Böhmen 28/4/1857 published details of this concert, reporting: ‘The 4th Concert of the Cecilia Society [Cäcilien-Vereins], which takes place on Wednesday 29th April at 4.30pm in the Hall of Žofín Island, contains the following numbers in its programme: 1. Overture from the opera „Der Beherrscher der Geister“ by C.M. Weber, op.27. 2. „Meeresstille und glückliches Fahrt“ by Göthe, set to music by Ludwig van Beethoven op.112. 3. Terzett for female voices from the opera „Zemire und Azor“ by Louis Spohr. 4. Psalm 114 for 8-voice choir and orchestra by Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy op.57. 5. Overture to Calderon’s „Dame Kobold“ by Karl Reinecke op.51. 6. Finale to the opera „Rienzi“ (Hommage of Rienzi to the Tribune) by Richard Wagner. As a special favour Miss Chaloupka, Miss Friedmann and Miss Günther [Güntherová], as well as Messrs Fektér and Strakaty [Strakatý], taken the solo parts.’

A substantial review, signed ‘-h.’, appeared in Tagesbote aus Böhmen 30/4/1857. The correspondent reported ‘Yesterday’s Concert of the Cecilia Society was a great success in both content and production. Amongst the old and the new of the programme Wagner this time gained the victory; the repetition of the great Hommage Scene from Rienzi blazed brightest. Choir and Orchestra came across with imposing energy, as too the very well–cast solos by Miss Chaloupka with her ample and sustained soprano, and by Mr Fekter whose pithy tone in the baritone aided by the good acoustics of the hall was excellently suited to the voice part of Rienzi. Through Miss Chaloupka’s winning performance of the song (at the Lateran [Church - this may be alluding to the part of Irene in act I outside the Lateran Church]) was more secure and stronger than in the earlier performance. Of the previous five programme numbers, the Overture to Calderon’s Comedy „Dame Kobold“ was new to us. Reinecke’s music is that mixture of Romantic outlook in Idea (theme) and colour (orchestration), with German-kapellmeister-ish fossilized form [‘deutsch-kapellmeisterlicher Formverknöcherung’] achievements of which we find in Nicolai, Riess and others. The „Kobold“ [lit. goblin] portrayed [‘steckt’ lit. stuck, pinned] by Reinecke is like a jack-in-a-box, harmless in the box of the old worn-out form of the overture; both themes, the first lively, the second broad, were presented conscientiously to us twice; the development section is very thorough and so cleanly worked that it has to be conceded that there is no material the composer himself does not make use of. The whole work has pretty themes, a lot of skill, but not a spark of the fantasy that is indispensible for the romantic style. The concert offered only three ensemble pieces: to begin with Weber’s Overture to „Beherrscher der Geister“ with its lively fire and the pompous theme first in the slight woodwind section and then in the heavy brass. The performance was excellent, especially in the important nuances as well as in the loudness of sound. Then followed the wonderfully descriptive and moody „Meeresstille und glückliches Fahrt“ for orchestra and choir by Beethoven, abounding in awesome, striking details of tone-painting in the best sense of the word. The meritoriousness of Director Apt in familiarizing us with the treasures of Mendelssohn’s Psalms increased substantially through the presentation yesterday of Psalm 114. In three movements, distinct in mood, in the character of the choral themes, as well as in the increasing vitality of the agitated orchestral accompaniments, it concludes with the recurrence of the first, broad choral „Halleluja“ of Handelian grandeur and clarity. A contrast was introduced in the great ensemble of a ladies quartet from „Zemire und Azor“, the real essence of Spohr with its direct echoes of „Jessonda“, and most interesting in the vocal movement in E-flat major. In addition to the ladies Chaloupka and Günther, there was interwoven in the topmost voice a new phenomenon, the young singer Miss Friedmann (who also in „Rienzi“ sang the part of Adrian). Her soprano voice has tone and power, and she only needs to consolidate the upward and downward fluctuations in intonation, and her pronunciation to be made clear, before the young lady interrupts her education to emerge into the public eye.’