• SCHULHOFF, Julius: soloist, pf

Prager Zeitung 5/5/1850 published news announcing that Schulhoff would, after having received many requests, give a concert next Thursday evening at 6.30pm in the Platteiss Hall [Platýz] to benefit the poor of the city. He would perform ‘very interesting pieces.’ Bohemia 5/5/1850 similarly published news that Mr Schulhoff would give a concert for the benefit of the poor of Prague [i.e. for the Prague Poor House] on 9th May at 6.30pm in the Platteyßsaale [Platýz]. No further details of the event were specified. Two days later the newspaper announced that Schulhoff would give the whole profit from his performance on Thursday 9th May at 12 noon to Prague poor. From listings of this event in the Tagesanzeiger texts published by Bohemia 7/5/1850 and 9/5/1850, the change of time probably related to a Czech play being given in the Estates Theatre at 4pm and a performance of Schiller’s play Don Carlos in the evening. The second of these Tagesanzeiger records confirmed the new time, venue and the date of the concert, and listed the programme in projected performance order.

A review of the event, signed ‘V.’, was published by Bohemia 12/5/1850. This confirmed that the complete profit for the concert was to be given to the poor of Prague [den Armen Prags], but that probably owing to a May downpour of rain the hall ‘was indeed filled, but not over-full’. The correspondent noted that between the ‘so receptive’ audience and the artist ‘of real substance [von echtem Schrot und Korn - lit. of true meal and grain] there existed a definite rapport which was evident in each number of the programme.’ Already in his review of the first of Schulhoff’s concerts the critic said that he had attempted to characterize the distinction between this pianist as an artist and those virtuosi of the contemporary period of ‘Sturm und Drang’ whose playing was characterized by effect but little aesthetic substance. Moreover, the seal of Schulhoff’s individual talent was noted to be proved not only by his playing but also by his compositions.

Of the works given in the concert, the review first related that ‘a rare pleasure was accorded in the performance of the Sonata for Pianoforte and Violoncello op.69 by Beethoven. This composition is for some of the common [gewöhnlich - common, vulgar, ordinary] concert-going public certainly a rather unusual occurrence in the productions of the modern virtuoso, and again here Schulhoff showed himself to be a true artist ....’ His performance was without any ostentation, ‘outlandish force’, and fitted perfectly with the ‘perfect, natural artistry ... [and] spirited, poetic content’ of the piece. The ’cello and the piano were thought to have sounded as though of one single, equal voice, united in expression, and this was particularly manifest in the ‘splendid scherzo’. Of the solo compositions by Schulhoff himself, the ‘pleasingly lyrical ... genre pictures “Dans les montagnes”, of which the first was new, moved as one could not otherwise expect from such an elegant, charming and precise performance.’ For the particularly stormy applause of the audience the reviewer noted that the ‘extraordinary’ trills in thirds were partly responsible - this effect was noted to have been utilized previously in the work Les trilles. Following these pieces Schulhoff played his Caprice on Irish and British folksongs, already performed in his first concert, with the ‘extremely difficult finale’ on God Save the Queen. After the closing number, ‘a mazurka, Notturno and Etude de Concert, his own composition’, he was repeatedly curtain-called and on general demand gave his Carnival di Venise. The solo singer in the concert, Mrs Hagen, ‘sang Weber’s great aria of Agathe and two Lieder, allegedly of Gumbert. The first was a yodelling song, the second a polacca.’ The description of the aria from Freischütz, suggests the piece was ‘Leise, leise, fromme Weise’ from act 2. The songs by Gumbert cannot be positively identified within his published song output. Finally, the review recorded that Mrs Fehringer should have appeared too in the concert but was denied permission to do so by the Theatre directorate.

The programme in the event record is reproduced in performance order according to the earlier Bohemia report. The final  programmed works performed by Schulhoff were probably a single unspecified mazurka, followed by the single composition Andante et étude, given by the sources either the title ‘Nocturne, thème et etude’ in the Bohemia 9/5/1850 record or ‘Notturno und Etude de concert’ by the later review.