• NĚMEC, František: soloist, vl
• KRÁL, Jan: soloist, va
• TRÄG, Anton: soloist, vc
• KÖCKERT, Adolph: soloist, vl

Bohemia 20/2/1851 published a report announcing that the year’s Quartet Soriées would take place in Count Clam’s Palace on the successive Mondays of 10th, 17th and 24th March. The programmes would contain ‘mainly items of classical chamber music literature and will therefore be interesting’. They would include two compositions by the ‘immortal Mendelssohn and a quintet by Gade, in which genre this ingenious composer will be heard here for the first time.’ An entrance card to all three events cost 2 fl. Individual events were 50 kr and were available from the music shop of J. Hoffmann.

News appeared in Lumír 13/3/1851 announcing that the ‘Programme of the second concert of Messrs Němec, Král, Kökert [Köckert] and Träg (12th March [actually 17th March]) is: Quartet in F minor from the posthumous compositions of Mendelssohn-Bartholdy, quartet in A major by Beethoven and quintet in E minor by Niels Gade.’ No further details of the event were published in that issue of the Czech periodical.

The Lokalzeitung of Bohemia 16/3/1851 announced the date and venue of the second soirée, and reported that the programme would comprise ‘a Quartet by Beethoven A major, two new numbers, [namely] a Quartet by Mendelssohn F minor and a Quintet by Gade E minor.’ The date, time and venue of the ‘Quartett-Soirée’ was reported in the Tagesanzeiger text of Bohemia 16/3/1851.

Lumír 20/3/1851 published a review, signed ‘L.R.’, of the entertainment comprising brief descriptions of each of the three compositions and a comment about the overall standard of performance throughout the concert. Mendelssohn’s F minor String Quartet was thought to be ‘very interesting’. The essential expessive content of each of the four movements was noted, as was the general expressive progression of the work: ‘The impact of this really poetic and fantastic production is not inconsiderably moving, ending with powerful expression giving way to plaintive and overwhelming despair.’ Beethoven’s Quartet was thought to ‘belong amongst the clearer, more easily understood works of this master, of engaging freshness in accordance with its key (A major). ... This quartet is as a whole excellently organic, from the piquant and tastefully spring-like first movement, through the capriciously exhuberant Menuet and unspeakably sweet andante to the fiery finale.’ The Quintet by Gade was considered not to be at the same level of the preceeding works. ‘After these two masterly compositions the following Quintet by Gade was a little languid in its effect, although we can credit the author with great sophistication and artistic skill. More flair in the sphere of form and in the whole more gnarled rigour would be wished of Gade, which of course reduces expression’. Of the playing in the entertainment, the critic remarked that the ‘performances were all excellent and we recommend that no friends of music miss the third production on 24th March.’

A review, signed ‘V.’, of this event was also published by Bohemia 21/3/1851. This included an appraisal of each of the three compositions given, in particular commenting upon the ‘interesting novelty’ of Gade’s Quintet. Mendelssohn’s late Quartet in F minor was noted to have been given its first performance in Prague.

The additional viola player was not identified by the specified sources.