A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Pischek, Johann Baptist
PISCHEK, Johann Baptist, a fine baritone singer, born Oct. 14, 1814, at Melnick in Bohemia, made his début on the boards at the age of 21. In 1844 he was appointed Court-singer to the King of Wurtemberg at Stuttgart, an appointment which he retained until his retirement July 1, 1863. He entered on his duties May 1, 1844. At a later date he was also made 'Kammersänger.' Pischek travelled a great deal, and was known and liked in all the principal towns of North and South Germany, especially at Frankfort, where we find him singing, both on the stage in a variety of parts, and in concerts, year after year from 1840 to 1848. In England he was a very great favourite for several years. He made his first appearance here on May 1, 1845, at a concert of Madame Caradori Allan's; sang at the Philharmonic on the following Monday and thrice besides during the season there. He reappeared in this country in 1846, 47, and 49, and maintained his popularity in the concertroom, and in oratorio, singing in 49 the part of Elijah at the Birmingham festival with great energy, passion, and effect. On the stage of the German opera at Drury Lane during the same year his Don Juan was not so successful, his acting being thought exaggerated. He was heard again in 1853 at the New Philharmonic Concerts. He died at Stuttgart, Feb. 16, 1873.
In voice, enunciation, feeling, and style, Pischek was first-rate. His repertoire was large, embracing operas and pieces of Gluck, Mozart, Méhul, Beethoven, Spohr, Weber, Donizetti, Harold, Lachner, Kreutzer, Lindpaintner. In his latter days one of his most favourite parts was Hassan in Benedict's 'Der Alte vom Berge' (Crusaders); others were Hans Heiling, Ashton (Lucia), and the Jäger, in the 'Nachtlager von Granada.' He also sang Mendelssohn's Elijah, as already mentioned. As an actor he was prone to exaggeration. But it was in his ballads, especially in Lindpaintner's 'Standard-bearer,' that he carried away his audience. His taste, as in Beethoven's 'Adelaide,' was by no means uniformly pure, but the charm of his voice and style always brought down the house. His voice was a fine rich bass, with a very pure falsetto of 3 or 4 notes, which he managed exquisitely. He does not seem to have attempted any of the songs of Schubert, Schumann, or Mendelssohn, which are now so well known.