Prague left bank

The imposing St. Vitus cathedral was built from 1344 until 1929 (!) ─ Franco-Flemish renaissance composers like Luython and Monte, later the Czech masters Brixi, Koželuch, Vitásek worked here as choirmasters and/or organists; Liszt conducted a performance of his Graner Messe in 1856.

Dalibor tower, built end 15th century. The knight Dalibor of Kozojedy was imprisoned and tortured here (1498); the people in the street mistook his cries of pain for violin playing. This legend is the subject of Smetana's opera Dalibor (1867).

In this house the violinist František Ondříček was born in 1857 ­─ his father held an organ school here, at which Dvořák studied.

Loreto church with an organ by J. Helwig, 1734, 2 man., 19 stops, two organ cases. Dutch carillon from 1695 with 27 bells; Liszt played on it.

Strahov monastery is famous for its magnificent library, including many musical manuscripts. Jan Lobelius Oehlschlägel worked here as choirmaster and organ builder (1755-88) and renovated the organ from 1727 in 1784. Mozart and Bruckner played it, Jan K. Kuchař was the organist from 1790 to1829.

The Lobkowicz family, in particular Joseph František Maximilian, was very music-minded (sponsor of Beethoven). An extensive collection of manuscripts, old prints and nice instruments are kept in this marvellous castle museum.

The young Jan Nepomuk Vitásek lived here in the service of the Lobkowicz family (other branch).

The balls in the Bretfeld palace were meeting points of artists. Possibly Mozart and Casanova met here on 11.I.1787 (see letter to Jacquin from 14.I. (Perhaps the meeting took place in the Konvikt, à 2.26)

In this house three Edlinger worked as violin makers; their sculptured 'trade mark' adorns the façade.

house of the organist and composer F. X. Brixi (1732-1771) during his last years.

In the garden pavilion of Hartig palace, a private orchestra played of which Jan Dismas Zelenka was a member.

In the Thun palace - now British embassy - Mozart stayed in January 1787 as a guest of count Thun Hohenstein.

Josefa Dušková, a singer and a friend of Mozart, died here in 1824. Opera- and Singspiel performances were given from 1781 to 1794, after the palace theatre was burnt down.

Beethoven composed Ah, perfido and some mandolin pieces here in 1796 for countess Josephine Clary. The palace has housed the Society of Czechoslovak composers during the 1980s.

The composer Václav Tomášek lived here from 1823 until his death in 1850. Many colleagues visited this so called kontrapunktiská rezidence [residence of counterpoint], including Liszt in 1840 and Berlioz in 1846.

In 1944, the erection of a Dvořák monument had to be postponed because of the war; only a circle of stone blocks was realised. It was placed here in 1991, after the definitive moment (>2510) was erected.

Jiří Třanovský (also called Tranoscius) lived here from 1611 to 1613; he created Cithara Sanctorum, the basic hymnbook of the Czech protestants, and other church music.

St. Nicholas church has three organs by Th. Schwarze S.J.: III/p/43 (1746); II/p/17; I/-/13. Mozart has played the first one. Shortly after Mozart’s death, on 14.XII.1791, a memorial service in honour of the composer was held. The same occurred after Beethoven’s death, on 27.VII.1827.

Today many concerts are given in this monumental baroque church.

This Hartig palace, with its concert hall Sála Martinů, is an annex of the music department of the academy of musical arts.

The first Mozart biographer F.X. Niemetschek lived here, 1792-97; Mozart’s son Carl stayed with him.

In the 'Black Eagle' F.X. Dušek lived - visits by Mozart and Beethoven. The house was demolished in 1888; there is a pharmacy now.

The famous singer Ema Destinová/Emmy Destinn lived here from 1908 to 1914.

Plaque of the horn player and composer Giovanni Stich-Punto (1746-1803), who died in this street.

Possibly Stich-Punto died in 1803 at this address, the former hotel 'Schwarzer Löwe'. In any case Weber stayed here in 1812 and was visited by Dussek and Vitásek.

The music collections of the National Museum, since 1990 scattered over several locations, were brought together in 2004 into the former Maria Magdalena church. The rich collection of instruments is nicely presented, but the objects and archivalia in relation to Prague music history are not yet displayed. Also an archive of 70.000 recordings (from wax cylinder to cd). cf. www.nm.cz/ceske-muzeum-hudby

Mozart appeared here in October 1787; the harpsichord which he played is in Muzeum Hudby (previous item).

In this palace, the composr Josef Bohuslav Foerster was born in 1859 and lived here until 1861.

The composer Jan Václav Tomášek lived here during the winters of 1806-23 in the service of Count Bucqoy. Now French embassy (Paul Claudel has worked here, 1909-12).

This palace was used by the music department of the National Museum from 1951, until it had to be returned in 1990 to the rightful claimants, the Maltese Knights; in 2004 the instrument collection finally found a fine accommodation in the former Maria Magdalena church (>1330). The garden wall has been filled with graffiti in honour of John Lennon; in communist times it served as a political statement and was repeatedly painted over by the authorities.

In hotel 'Zum goldenen Einhorn', the musical reporter Charles Burney (in 1772) and Beethoven (February-April 1796) stayed. Afterwards spiritualists met here, trying to record new compositions from Beethoven's mouth...

House with memorial tablet of the violoncellist Ladislav Zelenka (1881-1957).

Mozart is said to have drunk numerous black coffees in this old tavern during his stay in 1787.

The composer Bohuslav Martinů (1890-1959) lived in the 'Golden Rose' during his study; the bust was placed in 1984.

Two water mills, from 1726 in possession of the family of the composer Josef Mysliveček (1737-1781); now Kampa museum.

In the Petřinské sady, a monument for the composer Vítěslav Novák (1870-1949) was erected after his ashes were dispersed here in 1950. Nearby is the Seminářská zahrada with a monument for Ferdinand Laub, a violin virtuoso and a friend of Liszt.

House with memorial tablet of the violinist Ferdinand Laub (1832-75).

From 1926 residence of the Umělečká Beseda (artists´ club). A museum and archive of popular music Hudebni klub Popmuzeum was established here in 2000; with live music, but verification in 2010 didn't bear fruit.

In this stately house, the composer Erwin Schulhoff (1894-1942) was born.

The composer Otakar Ostrčil lived here from 1897 until his death in 1935; plaque on the street corner.

The socialist-realistic composer Vít Nejedlý was born here in 1912. He died in 1945 on the battlefield.

This Villa from 1725 was a concert hall in the 19th century; appearances by Dvořák and Fibich, début of the Czech Quartet (with Josef Suk a.o.).

Graves of Václav Tomášek, the couple František Xaver and Josefa Dušek, Vitásek, Oehlschägel, Kuchař.

Mozart stayed in 1787 in the former 'Kolbischer Hof', the villa of František Xaver and Josefa Dušek. In the garden is the stone table on which Mozart worked at the completion of Don Giovanni. Formerly it housed a rich Mozart museum, but since November 2009 it is closed (cf. www.bertramka.com/lang-en ).

The Mill on the brook Šárecký potok formerly was in the possession of the Mysliveček family and is the most probable birthplace of Josef, the composer; today it is hardly accessible (gated community), moreover altered (see the old photo of its former state).

This huge building was erected in 1891 for a large industrial exposition. The first performance of Mahler's 7th symphony took place here on 19.IX.1908. It is still in use for fairs and other great events, incl. concerts.

Additional remarks cz2.--