Prague Concert Life, 1850-1881

Event title:

Second annual Conservatory concert

Venue: Konvikt

Event type: Art music culture

Date: 30/03/1862 12noon

Season: Lent

Programme comprising:

General participants:
  • Prague Conservatory: participating institution, orch
  • KITTL, Jan Bedřich: director of institute, conductor

Part 1:

MENDELSSOHN-BARTHOLDY, Felix : Symphony Italian, orch, nr.4, A major, op.90

Part 2:

BLODEK, Vilém : Concerto for flute and orchestra, fl, orch, D major
     • Svoboda, Josef : fl
SPOHR, Louis : aria of Kunigunde from opera Faust, v, orch, WoO51
     • Pecklová, Johanna : v
ROMBERG, Bernhard Heinrich : unspecified Concertino, 2vc, orch
     • Peer, Ludevít : vc Michálek, Václav : vc
GADE, Niels Wilhelm : Overture Hamlet, orch, C minor, op.37

Commentary:

Advance news of this event was published by the Czech language newspaper Národní listy 28/3/1862. This report noted the date, time, venue, programme in performance order and the participants. Similar news was published by Prager Zeitung 29/3/1862.

Prager Morgenpost 29/3/1862 reported that ‘Tomorrow at noon the second annual concert of the Conservatory takes place in the Konvikt Hall.’ In the course of listing the programme the source noted that the Concerto by Blodek and the Overture Hamlet were ‘new’ [i.e. previously unheard in Prague]. A review, signed ‘-ý’ was published by the newspaper on 1/4/1862. The correspondent reported that ‘Again it was a symphony that formed the first section of the [Conservatory] concert, namely that in A major by Mendelssohn. The performance of this magnificent work under the leadership of the [Conservatory] Director Mr Kittl was accurate and dignified. Of even more credit to these promising pupils than the actual playing of the piece was the ensemble and their clear and intelligent interpretation of this composition. It was a pity that in the third movement,  in the place where only the horns together with the bassoons provide the harmony, that a small discrepancy in the tuning affected the wonderful effect. This might be attributed solely to the temperature of the hall, which has a crucial influence, especially on the brass instruments. By contrast, the pupils indulged with visible joyousness in the blossoming ‘wonder garden [Wuntergarten]’ of the fourth movement. Performers and listeners alike were equally inspired by the sublime inspiration. The conductor was [curtain-]called after the symphony, which was vivaciously applauded. The second part [of the concert] comprised amongst other items two concertante pieces. Wenzel Swoboda [Václav Svoboda], who was admitted [to the school] in 1858, played a concerto by Blodek in a pure and noble tone, with surety and with a soulful delivery. The composition is indeed difficult for students, but at least grateful and within the realms of [the technically] possible. The pupils Ludwig Peer [Ludevít Peer] and Wenzel Michálek [Václav Michálek] performed an extremely difficult concertino for two ’cellos. Their playing and the performance allow us to hope that they will become able artists under the guidance of Professor Schmitt [Heinrich Schmidt]. From the singing school it was upon this occasion Miss Johanna Pekel [Peklová] who appeared before the public. Coupled with the preceding recitative she sang the great aria of Kunigunde from Spohr’s opera Faust; a difficult task for a beginner. As I do not know for how long the young lady has enjoyed lessons, I cannot therefore classify reliably the standard of her performance. Yet for the time being this much can be said with certainty: that Miss Pekel, once she has completed the actual course (which sure enough might take some years), may tread with reassurance upon the important stages of the world; unless an incompetent teacher would spoil everything. Miss Pekel has a bright-sounding soprano, which is even appealing in the higher registers and which up to the E on the... [top space of the treble stave] is relatively balanced throughout her compass. From the E downwards the voice lessens in fullness and sonority, but down to middle C is still sonorous enough. Overall her voice is supple and flexible, but it would be too daring of me to suggest whether the young lady is more suited for coloratura or more lyric-dramatic work. I would rather decide upon the latter, as in the lady’s interpretative manner dramatic ability is already now notable. And where nature has bestowed this virtue it would be amiss to give the voice to the... [former, coloratura], which is only calculated for effect. A new concert overture to Hamlet by Gade formed the finale. It was well-pleasing and incidentally has the same musical value as the overture by the same composer Nachklänge aus Ossian. The concert was very numerously attended.’

The unsigned Dalibor 10/4/1862 review commented ‘If the success of the first [Conservatory] concert was very favourable, the second concert deserves to be termed magnificent. The delightful, vigorously overflowing and poetic Mendelssohn Symphony in A major, also titled „Roman“, was excellently performed by the youthful orchestra under the prudent directorship of Director Kittl. We were particularly astonished by the artistic ardour, the great enthusiasm and skilfully executed dynamics in the performance of this ingenious work, after which the well-renowned conductor was noisily [curtain-]called.’ Gade’s Overture Hamlet with its ‘interesting orchestration and many poetic moments’ was noted to have received ‘a completely successful’ performance. Of the soloists appearing in this concert, the review commented that Josef Svoboda’s performance of Vilém Blodek’s ‘pretty and grateful’ flute concerto was ‘successful’ and testified to the performer’s ‘considerable technical ability’. The singing by Johanna Peklová of a ‘difficult’ aria from Faust received ‘not a little applause’ from the audience; the critic noting that Peklová ‘has a strong, resonant voice, an agreeable demeanour and serious execution, with assiduous study she is assured a favourable future.’ The audience attendance was ‘numerous’.

The programme is reproduced in performance order according to the Národní listy 28/3/1862 report and the Prager Morgenpost 29/3/1862 report.


Summary of sources:

Národní listy (28/03/1862)
Prager Morgenpost (29/03/1862)
Prager Zeitung (29/03/1862)
Prager Morgenpost (01/04/1862)
Dalibor, časopis pro hudbu, divadlo a umění vůbec (10/04/1862)