Prague Concert Life, 1850-1881

Event title:

Second 'Kaiserfest', musical entertainment arranged by Swoboda [Svoboda]

Venue: Žofín Island (Žofín Gardens)

Event type: Popular social musical and dance events

Date: 03/07/1850

Season: Summer

Programme including:

General participants:
  • ensemble of Imperial First Field Artillery Regiment of Franz Joseph: participating ensemble
  • ensemble of Infantry Regiment of Count Ceccopieri: participating ensemble
  • ensemble of the Royal 16th Rifles Battalion: participating ensemble
  • SVOBODA, František Václav: director of ensemble
SVOBODA, František Václav : Tone-picture [Tongemälde] Die Schlacht bei Novara und Mortara, orch

Commentary:

A notice was published by Bohemia 2/7/1850 announcing that ‘Wednesday 3rd July on general demand of the esteemed Prague public will take place the second “Kaiser-Fest” [Kaiserfest] on the Žofín Island’. There would be performed the ‘characteristic tone-painting, The Field-marshal Radetzky, or: The Battle at Mortara and Navarre [Feldherr Radetzky, oder: Die Schlacht bei Mortara und Novara]’ by the three regimental bands of the Artillery [1st Artillery Regiment of Franz Joseph], Ceccopieri and Jäger. Also to be given would be ‘many new and favourite pieces’. Admission cards were available for purchase for 6kr at the ‘Art and Music Shop of Mr Johann Hoffmann’.

Indicative of the competitiveness and fashionable popular musical tastes of the 1850s Prague summer season was the staging of a similar event recorded by Bohemia 5/7/1850 as having taken place on 3/7/1850 in Zdekauer’s Garden and including the ensembles of the Regiments of Wimpffen and Dom Miguel directed by Em. Whit. This event also contained a ‘Tongemälde’ in similar patriotic, battle vein, entitled
Die Schlacht bei Moor. Neither of these events was listed in contemporary Bohemia Tagesanzeiger texts; neither received pre- or post-event reports by this leading newspaper.


Summary of sources:

Bohemia (02/07/1850)