Prague Concert Life, 1850-1881

Event title:

Musical-declamatory academy [Musikalische-deklamatorische Akademie] given by Baron Klesheim

Venue: Platýz

Event type: Art music culture

Date: 25/05/1851 1pm

Season: Summer

Programme including the following musical items:

STORCH, Anton : duet Die Werbung, 2vv, pf
     • Knopp, ? : v Versing, Wilhelm : v
HÖLZEL, Gustav : unspecified song, v, [pf]
     • Fehringer, ? : v
LEWINSKY, ? : unspecified song, v, [pf?]
     • Fehringer, ? : v

     • Goltermann, Julius : vc
arr. unspecified, ?: F. Schubert: song Ave Maria , arr. vc, pf
     • Goltermann, Julius : vc

Commentary:

Advance notice of this event appeared in the Tagesanzeiger text of Bohemia 25/5/1851, reporting that at ‘1pm in Platteyßsaale: Musical-declamatory academy of Baron Klesheim and performance by Mr Herrmann.’

A review, signed ‘V.’, was published by Bohemia 26/5/1851. This reported that the event took place at 12 noon (the earlier Tagesanzeiger text stated 1pm) and was well attended. The musical part of the programme was noted as comprising a duet ‘Die Werbung’ by Storch and two Austrian songs of Klesheim, set to music by Hölzel and Lewinsky and sung by Mrs Knopp-Fehringer. Although their performances were reported as having been excellent and received applause from the audience, the works themselves were thought by the correspondent to have been commonplace and ordinary, of conventional and unadventurous material typically conceived by some Viennese composers. In addition, Goltermann [Julius Goltermann] ‘the splendid violoncellist, played a song [in arrangement] by Spohr and Schubert’s Ave Maria with his ‘peculiarly soulful and pithy tone, and once again showed himself to be a superb singer on this awkward instrument.’ The remainder of the text described and commented upon Klesheim, his style of declamation of poetry and readings, and the material given by him. Also participating in the event was the magician Mr Herrmann who performed card tricks and an act entitled the ‘bottomless bottle [unerschöpfliche Flasche]’.


Summary of sources:

Bohemia (26/05/1851)