• Prague Conservatory: participating orchestra, orch

Bohemia 7/5/1850 announced that on 12th May at noon in the Waldstein Hall a concert would be given in aid of the Private Society for the Support of the Poor House. The performers were listed as Mrs Fehringer, Messrs Haase, Strakaty [Strakatý], Gottwald and also the celebrated pianist Schulhoff.

A concise review of the concert, signed ‘ζ ’, was published by Bohemia 12/5/1850. This began by noting that the programme comprised ‘a mere five numbers, of which the ensemble items admirably performed by the young orchestra of the Conservatory particularly attracted our interest. Beethoven’s Prometheus Overture and Gottwald’s Symphony in C minor made up the beginning and end of the good-cause concert.’ Of the Symphony the critic related that a review of this ‘native and important’ composition had already been published in Bohemia following the performance of the work in the second of the year’s Conservatory concerts, therefore only facts would be related about its being given in this event. ‘The gifted composer conducted ... the work himself, and was not only very warmly received on his appearance before the audience, but also at the finish vociferously called. The success was as favourable as had been the first performance. The very succesful and highly poetic scherzo had to be repeated.’ Only brief comments were made upon the remainder of the event. Mr Haase declaimed G. Seidel’s Ballade Das erste Bild. Mr Strakatý is well known for his performances of Czech songs. Mrs Fehringer also gained deserved applause through her spirited singing of compositions by Truhn and Hoven. The hall was reasonably full.’

The database programme record is reproduced in order in which the works were described by the Bohemia review as having been performed. No indication was given by the specified sources as to the identity of the conductor of the overture by Beethoven. Given that the orchestra was that of the Conservatory, this was most likely the Conservatory’s then director, Kittl.

According to news published by Bohemia 9/5/1850 a military music concert to be given by the Imperial Artillery Regiment had also been planned to take place on 12 May in the garden of the Waldstein Palace, but this was postponed until a later date. Although the Waldstein Hall and Garden are in close proximity within the complex of the Waldstein Palace, the reason for the postponement of the outdoor event was not apparently due to any conflict between that and the concert in the Hall. Bohemia 18/5/1850 contained a report suggesting that the cancellation had given rise to general confusion, and that the reason for the garden event not taking place was due to the illness of the Countess Waldstein. The Regiment’s ensemble instead appeared on 12th May on Žofín Island.