• Žofín Academy: participating institution, vv
• ZVONAŘ, Josef Leopold: director of institute, conductor

The programme is reproduced in performance order according to the Dalibor 1/12/1860 report. The subsequent unsigned review of this concert that was published by Dalibor 10/12/1860 described the works in two categories, namely, works in ‘precise’ style, and ‘modern’ works, rather than in the order in which they were actually performed. However, this review made clear that minor details of the previously reported programme had altered following the publication of the earlier Dalibor announcement. Thus, reference by the review to the opening work, by Trojan, made no mention of a ‘motett’, ‘Vítej sladký Těšiteli’ [Welcome, sweet Comforter]. Whether this music was simply an integral section of ‘Modleme se Otci svému’ [We pray to our Father] and was performed as such, or whether the early report referred to two separate works, the second of which, ‘Motett’, was not actually performed, cannot be ascertained. The review clearly notes that only one German folksong was performed by the women students, although the title of this song was not specified. Both Dalibor articles misquoted the titles of the Scandinavian folksongs, the first song mistakenly being titled ‘Rosa lila fjente pä Konungends Gärd’, the second ‘Skammel han boer sig or i Thy’. 

The Dalibor 10/12/1860 review praised the quality of the performances, excepting only that the female choir initially struggled with the ‘srbská’ (Lusatian) folksong owing to their ‘timidity.’ The critic related that ‘all’ the Czech compositions performed ‘received such applause that they had to be repeated. This is evidently a hint to the honoured committee, as to which compositions the public desire. The works of Genée and Rubinstein were received less favourably.’

A review, signed ‘!!’, was published by Prager Zeitung 4/12/1860. The correspondent remarked that ‘The Vocal-Concert, which the Žofín Academy arranged for its members on Saturday, offered almost too much that was interesting. The new director of the Academy, Mr Zwonař [Zvonař], as well known from his previous activities at the Organ School, combined the most praiseworthy energy and zeal with his specialist knowledge in the sphere [of musical endeavour] that so well matches his musical and technical knowledge. The programme was a polyglot, in that it contained mostly folksongs in the Czech, German, Sorbian, Danish and Swedish languages. There were enthusiastic calls for the encore of the Czech songs arranged by Veit, Žežulinka and Tluču as well as the item composed for male voice choir by Zvonař Šumí Labe dolem plání; this stemmed from their intrinsic worth as much as from their rousing execution. Of the mass of other material [performed], we may only mention in brief the other numbers. An old chorale by Johann Troján from the sixteenth century, with (as it seemed) its hypoaeolian-sounding mode, the Fugue In te domine speravi by Karl Franz Pitsch, and then the closing chorus from the Cantata Ich hatte viel Bekümmerniß by Joh. Seb. Bach, represented the classical elements of musica sacra, whereas we cannot count similarly the Psalm by Bernhard Klein on account of its profane crude counterpoint. The Meerestille by Rubinstein had only its title in common with the poetic tone-pictures composed by Beethoven and Schubert. A pearl in this concert was the ravishing performance of the Don Juan-Fantasie of the harp virtuoso Miss Maria Mösner [Mösnerová]. Upon stormy applause the debonair artiste played the Feentanz by Jäll [probably Jäell]. In contrast, the Achilles heel of the occasion was the singing of the oung girl singer, still too bashful and far from secure in her notes.’ Finally, the critic reported that popularity and enthusiasm for the new rôle being taken by Zvonař in directing the Academy was demonstrated by the noisily enthusiastic reception by the numerous audience to his arrival on stage.