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Institution Details
Name: Cecilia Society
Commentary:According to the article ‘Nynější stav hudby v Čechách vůbec a v Praze zvlášť’ [The present state of music in Bohemia in general and in Prague especially], Lumír 15/10/1857, p.1001 the Cecilia Society was founded in 1840 by ‘F. [actually Antonín] Apt’ to perform both vocal and instrumental music in several annual concerts. The society was in the main made up of dilettante musicians who before admission as members were required to demonstrate their abilities as either singers or instrumentalists. For 25 years from its foundation the concerts of the Cecilia Society constituted a highlight of the city’s social-musical year. Apt vigorously championed an enormously eclectic repertoire ranging from early music through to the then most contentiously modern masters. The Society gave first performances in Prague of major works spanning Bach to Wagner and Berlioz. In 1865 however it was disbanded. Partly this was owing to the rising popularity of a plethora of popular, well-supported local choral societies, that drained the older institutions popular support. Partly it was due to the polarisation of the musical environment into opposite Czech- and German-factions to which Apt’s Society constituted an unacceptably neutral, apolitical and unsufficiently patriotic entity. The day prior to the publication of that Lumír text, the German-language Prague newspaper Tagesbote aus Böhmen 14/10/1857 reported ‘Friends of music will welcome the news that the concerts of the St Cecilia Society, which celebrates the 18th year of its existence, will commence during this year’s winter season. In the first concert comes the latest work of Ferd. Hiller, which was performed in Cologne, and it should be of great interest to know that if time will permit the composer, he intends to direct this work, which is still in manuscript, in person. At the same time there is news for the participating members that rehearsals for the Society concerts have already commenced, and are held every Monday for orchestra and Thursday for singers, both at 6pm’. The rehearsals were noted to take place in the rooms of the Society in Bartholomäigasse [Bartolomějská ulice] Nr.308 at the City of Jerusalem [Inn].
Ceclia Society - Cecilská Jednota / Cäcilienverein
Ceclia Society - Cecilská Jednota / Cäcilienverein