Prague Concert Life, 1850-1881

Event title:

Benefit concert arranged by Marie Seebach in aid of the Private Society for the Benefit of the Franz-Josef Children's Hospital [Franz-Josef-Kinderspitals]

Venue: Žofín Island (Žofín Hall)

Event type: Art music culture

Date: 05/05/1857 12noon

Season: Summer

Benefactor: Seebach,Marie

Programme including:

CHOPIN, Fryderyck Franciszek : unspecified Ballade, pf
     • Wollmann, Julie : pf
SCHUBERT, Franz Peter : song Ave Maria, v, pf, D839
     • Schmidt, Emilie : v
WIENIAWSKI, Henryk : Variations on an original theme, vl, pf, op.15
     • Hoffmannová z Wendheimu, Gabriela : vl Mildnerová, Emilie : pf
SCHUMANN, Robert Alexander : Ballade for narrator and piano Schön Hedwig, v, pf, op.106
     • Seebach, Amalie : v Wollmann, Julie : pf
SCHUMANN, Robert Alexander : melodrama for narrator and piano Ballade vom Heideknaben, v, pf, op.122
     • Seebach, Amalie : v Wollmann, Julie : pf
MENDELSSOHN-BARTHOLDY, Felix : song [Lied] Auf der Wanderschaft no.5 from 6 songs [Sechs Lieder], v,pf, nr.5, B minor, op.71
     • Schmidt, Emilie : v
SCHUMANN, Robert Alexander : song Frühlingsnacht no.12 of song collection Liederkreis, v, pf, op.39
     • Schmidt, Emilie : v
ERNST II, DUKE OF SAXE-COBURG GOTHA, Ernst August : poem (melodrama) Liebeslied, v, vc, pf
     • Seebach, Amalie : v Wollmann, Julie : pf Goltermann, Julius : vc

Commentary:

Tagesbote aus Böhmen 2/5/1857 published detailed news of this event arranged by Marie Seebach in aid of the Private Society for the Franz-Josef Children’s Hospital. The report noted: ‘Miss Marie Seebach is arranging [and] with her own participation, on Tuesday 5th May at 12 noon in the Hall of the Žofín Island an Academy [Akademie] for the benefit of the Private Society [for the Poor House] and for the Franz-Josef Children’s Hospital [eine Akademie zum Besten des Privatvereins und des Franz-Josef-Kinderspitals]. Below we have the highly interesting programme.
1. „Das Lied vom Frauherzen“. Poem by Saphir, spoken by Miss M. Seebach.
2. Ballade for the pianoforte by Chopin, performed by Miss Julie Wollmann.
3. „Ave Maria“. Lied von Schubert, sung by Miss Emilie Schmidt.
4. „Théme original varie“ for violin by Wienawsky, performed by Miss Gabriele Hoffmann von Wendheim.
5.a) „Schön Hedwig“, b) „Der Haiderknabe“. Ballades by Hebbel, with music by Schumann, spoken by Miss Amalie Seebach, at the pianoforte accompanied by Miss Julie Wollmann.
6. a) „Auf der Wanderschaft“. Lied by Mendelssohn. b) „Frühlingsnacht“. Lied by Schumann, sung by Miss Emilie Schmidt.
7. „Liebeslied“ Hungarian poem with pianoforte and violoncello accompaniment by His Highness the reigning Duke of Coburg-Gotha, spoken by Miss Amalie Seebach, accompanied by Miss Julie Wollmann and Prof. Goltermann.’

The Tageskalender daily almanac of Prague social events published by Bohemia 5/5/1857 noted: ‘Tuesday 5th May... 12 noon Musical-declamatory Academy [Musikalisch-declamatorische Akademie] of Miss Seebach in the Žofín Island Hall.’

A substantial (taking up almost a quarter page of the newspaper) advertisement for this event appeared in Tagesbote aus Böhmen 5/5/1857. The source announced: ‘Musical declamatory Academie of Marie Seebach for the benefit of the Private Society for the Poor House and for the Franz Joseph Childrens Hospital. Tuesday 5th May 1857 at 12 noon in the Žofín Island Hall. Programme...’ The programme details were then related verbatim from the above-mentioned Tagesbote aus Böhmen 2/5/1857 report. Follwing this, the source noted that Misses Gabriele Hoffmann von Wendheim, Emilie Schmidt and Julie Wollmann, and Professor Goltermann had all promised to participate out of respect for the good cause. Details were then relayed about tickets for the concert: ‘Circle 2fl., Hall 1fl., Gallery 30kr. are to be obtained: In the Old Town at the Court Apparel shop of Mr E. Löschner, at the apothecary of Mr Proskowetz. In the New Town in the bistro of Mr von Geitler. In ths Little Quarter in Ebenberger’s apothecary, and on the day of the Academie at the box office.’ An identical advertisement was published in Bohemia 5/5/1857.

A review, signed ‘-h.’, of this event appeared in Tagesbote aus Böhmen 6/5/1857. The correspondent remarked: ‘Miss Marie Seebach’s declamatory-musical Academy [declamatorisch-musikalische Academie], the profit from which was dedicated to the Private Society for the Poor House and to Löschner’s Childrens Hospital, was in the distinction and elegance of its mainly female attendance the most brilliant concert we can remember in years. The triumvirate alone who took to the stage would through their number and their noblesse have made the concertgiver happy. As a declamator, just as she is as an actress, Miss Seebach at once appears as a highly distinguished manifestation of spellbinding singularity and brilliant enthusiasm. From Safir’s well-known
Lied von Frauenherzen“ she created a complete series of dramatic images through the complete range of sensations from the most melting softness to the most powerful energetic force and ferocity in the portrayal of jealousy. All the facial expressions of the artiste are so masterfully studied, as beautifully eloquent as her speech. Of the two melodrama poems of Hebbel-Schumann Schön Hedwig“ and „Der Haiderknabe“, the presentation of the latter was particularly interesting in the depth and skill of the scary dark tone and the sharp contrast of the individual characters. To conclude, Miss Seebach also spoke a melodrama, translated from a Hungarian Liebeslied, the composition of the Duke of Coburg in which in a very original and poetic manner the words are interwoven with a melodious Reverie for piano and ’cello. The support [Umgebung – lit. surroundings, environment] of the artiste was excellent in this concert. Miss Julie Wollmann took the piano part in Schumann’s melodramas and in the composition by the Duke of Coburg, and played Chopin’s immensely difficult   Ballade“ in G minor. Unusually, the young lady, in whom we seem to have an artist who is not only a ’specialist’ but a true professional, has great elasticity of touch balanced in the right amount with consistent delicacy in the force of attack in full chords, as well as rapidity with very beautiful sparkling, running passages. These predisposed the Theme and the Intermezzi of the peculiar composition by Chopin to perfect clarity and an intellectual penetration of the difficult textures, and demonstrated in the accompanying besides the purest performance a great delicacy in being secondary and subordinate to the Declamator. Miss Schmidt delighted us again in her Classical choice of songs just as much by her dignified and expressive performance. Schubert’s Ave Maria“, Mendelssohn’s Wanderschaft“ and Schumann’s Frühlingsnacht“ lie precisely in the most beautiful part of the compass of Miss Schmidt’s voice; the last of these had on stormy requests be encored. Miss Hoffmann v. Wendheim played, with the oft-celebrated decisiveness of her tone and the skill of her technique, the Variations on an original theme by Wieniawsky for violin. Miss Mildner accompanied this piece with great precision.’ The review concluded by noting that the audience was very animated in their approval of the performances and for the excellence of the occasion, rewarding the artists in all numbers with several curtain calls. 


Summary of sources:

Tagesbote aus Böhmen (02/05/1857)
Bohemia (05/05/1857)
Tagesbote aus Böhmen (05/05/1857)
Bohemia (05/05/1857)
Tagesbote aus Böhmen (06/05/1857)