František Xaver Brixi

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František Xaver Brixi (born January 2, 1732 in Prague ; † October 14, 1771 there ) was a Czech composer , organist and conductor .

Life

Brixi comes from a widespread North Bohemian family of musicians, in particular the composers and organists Jan Josef Brixi (1719–1762) and Viktorin Brixi (1716–1803), the Cistercian and Regens chori Václav Norbert Brixi (1738–1803) and above all Brixi's father Simon Brixi (1693–1735), an important Prague composer and rainbow choir, should be mentioned. Simon Brixi's cousin Dorothea, daughter of the village cantor Heinrich Brixi in Skalsko , married the linen weaver and musician Johann Georg Benda (also Jan Jiří Benda) in Benatek an der Iser in 1705 and thus became the ancestor of the famous musician family Benda , with whom Franz Xaver Brixi remained friends .

The autobiography of the musician Martin Vogt (1781-1854) also mentions Father Sebastian Brixi, who worked as choir director and organist in Regensburg around 1794 in the monasteries of St. Emmeram and St. Paul (former Jesuit seminary). As a teacher, Sebastian Brixi was important for Martin Vogt's musical development.

František Xaver Brixi was educated at the Piarist High School in Kosmonosy , which many Czech composers have outgrown. After completing high school, he went to Prague, where he served in various churches. Because of his extraordinary musical talent, he was appointed to the Regens Chori at St. Vitus Cathedral in Prague on January 1, 1759 . He held this most important position in Prague's musical life until his death.

Act

In Czech music, Brixi is an important figure in the transition from Baroque to Classical . Many elements of his music already point to Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and prepare the ground for the understanding and reception of Mozart's music in Prague. Czech folk music exerted such an influence on Brixi's melodies that its freshness has in many cases been preserved until today.

Vladimír Novák characterizes Brixi's style as follows: "... clear and cheerful melodies, pronounced and fresh rhythmic feeling, simplified and at the same time effective instrumentation and a flexible bass. Elements of Czech folk music can be found in his compositions. All these factors were widespread of Brixi's music during his lifetime all over Bohemia and abroad ... ". Around 400 compositions are known in contemporary copies, many of them in Bavaria, especially in Ottobeuren .

Works

  • 3 symphonies; several concerts for various instruments with orchestra; Organ music; Harpsichord music; Music for school dramas; Music to comic plays;
  • Church music: oratorios; Cantatas; over 100 masses, including the Missa brevis in C major ; Motets, graduals; Te Deum; Vespers.
  • Erat unum cantor bonus and Luridi Scholares , two humorous cantatas that parody rural church music and Latin lessons

literature

Web links

Commons : František Xaver Brixi  - collection of pictures, videos and audio files
personal data
SURNAME Brixi, František Xaver
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Brixi, Franz Xaver
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Czech composer, organist and conductor
DATE OF BIRTH January 2, 1732
PLACE OF BIRTH Prague
DATE OF DEATH October 14, 1771
Place of death Prague