Josef Klička

Josef Klička (1884)

Josef Klička (born November 15, 1855 in Klatovy ; † March 28, 1937 there ) was a Czech violinist , organist , composer , conductor and teacher . He is considered to be the founder of the Czech tradition of modern organ improvisation and interpretation and, as a composer, the Czech organ symphonist in the era of Czech musical romanticism.

life and work

As a child he learned to play violin, his first teacher was his father Mansvet Klicka (1829-1887), who as choirmaster worked in Klatovy. He completed his violin studies at the Prague Conservatory with A. Bennewitz and earned his living as a violinist in the theater orchestra. At the same time he studied organ at the organ school in Prague.

He was then organist in the Trinity Church and in the Emaus Convent in Prague. In 1876 he became Kapellmeister at the P. Švanda Theater Directorate and began teaching singing. From 1878 to 1881 he worked as 2nd Kapellmeister at the Prague Interim Theater.

In November 1889 he was appointed organ teacher at the Prague Conservatory. As a teacher he represented Antonín Dvořák from 1892 to 1895 , who was in the United States during this time. Klička's pupil was the later Viennese organ professor, Hofrat Max Springer . From 1890 to 1897 he also worked as a conductor of the Prague Choral Society Hlahol . In 1920 he became head of the master class for organ, which he held until his retirement in 1924.

During his studies he was also active as a composer, creating choral songs, cantatas and orchestral works. He also composed for the harp, especially for his son Václav (1882–1953), who was celebrated internationally as a harp virtuoso under the stage name Klička , and for his daughter Helena Nebeská-Kličková (1878–1951), also an important representative of her field. But he had the most success as a composer of great neo-romantic organ works, which he allegedly wrote down from his experiences while performing on the recently completed Sauer organ in Prague's Rudolfinum .

Even if he is not well known, Klička was one of the best Czech musicians of his time. The cities of Prague and Klatovy made him an honorary citizen , the Prague Hlahol and other musical collaborations made him an honorary member.

Works

• Opera Spanilá mylnářska (The Beautiful Miller's Woman ), Prague 1888
• Stage music
• Cantatas and choral music
• Songs
• Church music (including 7 masses)
• Orchestral works
• Chamber music
• Compositions for harp (including 2 fantasies about national songs, rhapsody about the Czech national anthem, fantasies about Serbian songs)

His works for organ became important

• 10 Preludes and Fugues
• Fantasy in C minor, Op. 59
• Concert Fantasy in F sharp minor op.36
• Legends in D major op.49, D minor op.54, B minor op.98
• Fantasy on Smetana's symphonic poem Vyšehrad op.33
• Concert fantasy about the St. Wenceslas Choral , Prague 1890

Web links

• Literature by and about Josef Klička in the catalog of the German National Library
• Literature and other media by and about Josef Klička in the catalog of the National Library of the Czech Republic
• Sheet music and audio files by Josef Klička in the International Music Score Library Project