ster, for which post the Government engaged the composer
Carlo Evasio Soliva, a pupil of Asioli and Frederici.

The musical taste and culture prevailing in Poland about 1819 is pretty
accurately described by a German resident at Cracow. So far as music was
concerned Poland had hitherto been ignored by the rest of Europe, and
indeed could lay no claim to universal notice in this respect. But the
improved culture and greater insight which some had acquired in foreign
lands were good seeds that began to bear fruit. As yet, however, the
greater part of the public took little or no interest in the better
class of music, and was easily pleased and satisfied with polonaises,
mazurkas, and other trivial things. In fact, the music in Cracow,
notwithstanding the many professional musicians and amateurs living
there, was decidedly bad, and not comparable to the music in many a
small German town. In Warsaw, where the resources were more plentiful,
the state of music was of course also more prosperous. Still, as late
as 1815 we meet with the complaint that what was chiefly aimed at in
concerts was the display of virtuosity, and that grand, serious works
were neglected, and complete symphonies rarely performed. To remedy this
evil, therefore, 150 amateurs combined and organised in 1818 a concert
institution. Their concerts took place once a week, and at every meeting
a new and entire symphony, an overture, a concerto, an aria, and
a finale, were performed. The names of Beethoven, Haydn, Mozart,
Cherubini, Spohr, Mehul, Romberg, &c., were to be found on their
programmes. Strange to say, there were no less than seven conductors:
Lessel, Lentz, Wurfel, Haase, Javurek, Stolpe, and Peschke, all good
musicians. The orchestra consisted in part of amateurs, who were
most numerous among the violins, tenors, and violoncellos. The solo
department seems to have been well stocked. To confine ourselves to one
instrument, they could pride themselves on having four excellent
lady pianists, one of whom distinguished herself particularly by
the wonderful dexterity with which she played the most difficult
compositions of Beethoven, Field, Ries, and Dussek. Another good sign
of the improving taste was a series of twenty-four matinees given
on Sundays from twelve to two during the winter of 1818-1819 by Carl
Arnold, and much patronised by the highest nobility. The concert-giver,
a clever pianist and composer, who enjoyed in his day a good reputation
in G