Page 340 - Weiss, Jernej, ur./ed. 2023. Glasbena društva v dolgem 19. stoletju: med ljubiteljsko in profesionalno kulturo ▪︎ Music societies in the long 19th century: Between amateur and professional culture. Koper/Ljubljana: Založba Univerze na Primorskem in Festival Ljubljana. Studia musicologica Labacensia, 6
P. 340
glasbena društva v dolgem 19. stoletju: med ljubiteljsko in profesionalno kulturo
concerts and operas. The Society also held private concerts at the home
of one of Austria’s most important politicians and diplomats, Prince Met-
ternich (1773–1859), where the crème de la crème of the nobility gathered.
Maschek conducted German and Italian theatre groups.8
When the dust settled after the Congress, a number of shortcomings
in the cultivation of musical life in the town became apparent again. The
shortage of employable violinists was such that it was impossible to form a
medium-sized orchestra in both church music and theatre without the par-
ticipation of amateurs. The shortage of musicians was also a result of the
downsizing of the cathedral’s music chapel, which forced its musicians to
move or seek employment in other professions.9 At that time violin lessons
were on a basic level in Ljubljana, given only at the Public Music School
and privately.10 It is therefore not surprising that the Philharmonic Soci-
ety strongly supported the foundation of the Violin School that the afore-
mentioned violin virtuoso Joseph Benesch planned to open. Benesch’s ac-
quaintance with the Proch family and Maschek’s older sister, Vinzenzia
Proch (née Maschek; 1782–1849), certainly influenced his decision to move
to Ljubljana. In October 1822, Benesch announced in the newspapers the
opening of the new Violin School, where he also taught fortepiano and gui-
tar. A few months later he married Maschek’s niece, the pianist Friederike
Benesch (née Proch; 1805–1872),11 who followed him to Ljubljana. During
8 Jernej Weiss, Češki glasbeniki v 19. in na začetku 20. stoletja na Slovenskem (Maribor:
Litera, 2012), 102–4.
9 “Einreichungs-Protokoll des k. k. Guberniums zu Laibach,” registratura VIII, fasc.
55 (1821–1822), no. 159, AS 14, Arhiv Republike Slovenije, Ljubljana.
10 Private violin lessons were announced sporadically in the newspapers from 1814
onwards. One of the first advertisements for private violin lessons was that of Mi-
chael Fackler, who was a singer, actor and composer in the travelling German op-
eratic troupe of Franz Xsaver Deutsch, active in Ljubljana between 1813 and 1815.
Fackler offered one hour of piano, violin and singing lessons daily, beginning on 1
April 1814. See: Anon., “Nachricht,” Intelligenzblatt zur Laibacher Zeitung, March
22, 1814.
11 Friederika Ernestina Theresia Proch was born in Vienna on 4 March 1805. She was
the granddaughter of the famous composer Vinzenz Mašek from Prague. Friederike
received her first music lessons from her mother, Vinzenzia Mašek (1782–1849), then
from the regens chori and headmaster Anton Herzog. She continued her piano and
composition studies privately in Vienna with Simon Sechter. In 1822 she met the vi-
olinist Joseph Benesch, who was teaching her brother Heinrich Proch. In April 1823
she married Benesch and moved to Ljubljana with him. In Ljubljana she gave private
piano lessons, and between 1823 and 1826 appeared seven times on the Philharmon-
ic Society stage as both a soloist and an accompanist to her husband. She later con-
tinued her career in Vienna, composing several piano pieces. She died in Vienna on
23 February 1872. See: Wien / Niederösterreich (Osten), Rk. Erzdiözese Wien, Ma-
338
concerts and operas. The Society also held private concerts at the home
of one of Austria’s most important politicians and diplomats, Prince Met-
ternich (1773–1859), where the crème de la crème of the nobility gathered.
Maschek conducted German and Italian theatre groups.8
When the dust settled after the Congress, a number of shortcomings
in the cultivation of musical life in the town became apparent again. The
shortage of employable violinists was such that it was impossible to form a
medium-sized orchestra in both church music and theatre without the par-
ticipation of amateurs. The shortage of musicians was also a result of the
downsizing of the cathedral’s music chapel, which forced its musicians to
move or seek employment in other professions.9 At that time violin lessons
were on a basic level in Ljubljana, given only at the Public Music School
and privately.10 It is therefore not surprising that the Philharmonic Soci-
ety strongly supported the foundation of the Violin School that the afore-
mentioned violin virtuoso Joseph Benesch planned to open. Benesch’s ac-
quaintance with the Proch family and Maschek’s older sister, Vinzenzia
Proch (née Maschek; 1782–1849), certainly influenced his decision to move
to Ljubljana. In October 1822, Benesch announced in the newspapers the
opening of the new Violin School, where he also taught fortepiano and gui-
tar. A few months later he married Maschek’s niece, the pianist Friederike
Benesch (née Proch; 1805–1872),11 who followed him to Ljubljana. During
8 Jernej Weiss, Češki glasbeniki v 19. in na začetku 20. stoletja na Slovenskem (Maribor:
Litera, 2012), 102–4.
9 “Einreichungs-Protokoll des k. k. Guberniums zu Laibach,” registratura VIII, fasc.
55 (1821–1822), no. 159, AS 14, Arhiv Republike Slovenije, Ljubljana.
10 Private violin lessons were announced sporadically in the newspapers from 1814
onwards. One of the first advertisements for private violin lessons was that of Mi-
chael Fackler, who was a singer, actor and composer in the travelling German op-
eratic troupe of Franz Xsaver Deutsch, active in Ljubljana between 1813 and 1815.
Fackler offered one hour of piano, violin and singing lessons daily, beginning on 1
April 1814. See: Anon., “Nachricht,” Intelligenzblatt zur Laibacher Zeitung, March
22, 1814.
11 Friederika Ernestina Theresia Proch was born in Vienna on 4 March 1805. She was
the granddaughter of the famous composer Vinzenz Mašek from Prague. Friederike
received her first music lessons from her mother, Vinzenzia Mašek (1782–1849), then
from the regens chori and headmaster Anton Herzog. She continued her piano and
composition studies privately in Vienna with Simon Sechter. In 1822 she met the vi-
olinist Joseph Benesch, who was teaching her brother Heinrich Proch. In April 1823
she married Benesch and moved to Ljubljana with him. In Ljubljana she gave private
piano lessons, and between 1823 and 1826 appeared seven times on the Philharmon-
ic Society stage as both a soloist and an accompanist to her husband. She later con-
tinued her career in Vienna, composing several piano pieces. She died in Vienna on
23 February 1872. See: Wien / Niederösterreich (Osten), Rk. Erzdiözese Wien, Ma-
338
