Page 351 - Weiss, Jernej, ur./ed. 2023. Glasbena društva v dolgem 19. stoletju: med ljubiteljsko in profesionalno kulturo ▪︎ Music societies in the long 19th century: Between amateur and professional culture. Koper/Ljubljana: Založba Univerze na Primorskem in Festival Ljubljana. Studia musicologica Labacensia, 6
P. 351
the role and contribution of immigrant musicians to the music societies ...
monic Society, had to hire a military band for its concerts, which the com-
mittee felt was neither financially nor politically appropriate. The Music
Society therefore promoted the creation of a civilian concert and opera
orchestra. In July 1908, the young Prague violinist Václav Talich was ap-
pointed conductor of the Music Society’s orchestra (Društvena godba).
The orchestra was founded in 1900, and consisted mainly of amateur mu-
sicians, half of the orchestra’s members being Talich’s compatriots. The
success of the orchestra’s first performance on 23 July 1908 was the cata-
lyst for the establishment of a new professional ensemble in Ljubljana on
October 1908, named the Concert Orchestra of Ljubljana (Ljubljanski kon
certni orkester). Its members were mainly Czech musicians from the Mu-
sic Society (Glasbena matica). The orchestra also had to work within the
Slovenian provincial theatre system. Thus although it was to focus main-
ly on the performance of symphonic concerts, the musicians also had to
participate in promenade concerts of popular music and various dances.
The work of this type of concert ensemble led to the foundation of the Slo-
venian Philharmonic Orchestra in October 1908, which became a finan-
cially independent institution.49 As expected, the first conductor was Tal-
ich, the concertmaster was Jaromir Markucci from Litomyšl, and most of
the orchestra members were again Czechs.50 For this reason the orchestra
was nicknamed the “Second Czech Philharmonic Orchestra”. In its first
season, the orchestra gave 190 performances and also cooperated with the
Slovenian Provincial Theatre.51
Talich also endeavoured to perform chamber music in Ljubljana. For
this purpose he founded a string quartet with which he gave four con-
certs. He had a difficult task in the city, where his demanding manner and
discipline were not always well received. During Talich’s absence, when he
was studying abroad, he was replaced by Edvard Czajanek (1874–?) with
his assistant Franz Tamhina,52 and then the orchestra was led by Friedrick
(Fritz) Reiner (1888–1963). Talich left Ljubljana in 1912 and with him ten
other musicians, which further threatened the orchestra’s existence. Tal-
49 Weiss, Češki glasbeniki, 391.
50 Besides the concertmaster Markuzzi and the conductor Talich, other Czech violin-
ists in the Orchestra were: J. Režek [Jan Rezek], K. Tarter [Karel Tarter], K. Kučera
[Karel Kučera], Donner [Václav Doršner], Korál, Kazimour, Nechleba, Kratochvil,
and Klier [Anton Klier]. See also Metoda Kokole, “Václav Talich and the Slovenian
Philharmonic Orchestra (1908–1912),” Arti musices 27, no. 2 (1996): 189.
51 Weiss, Češki glasbeniki, 401.
52 Ibid., 404.
349
monic Society, had to hire a military band for its concerts, which the com-
mittee felt was neither financially nor politically appropriate. The Music
Society therefore promoted the creation of a civilian concert and opera
orchestra. In July 1908, the young Prague violinist Václav Talich was ap-
pointed conductor of the Music Society’s orchestra (Društvena godba).
The orchestra was founded in 1900, and consisted mainly of amateur mu-
sicians, half of the orchestra’s members being Talich’s compatriots. The
success of the orchestra’s first performance on 23 July 1908 was the cata-
lyst for the establishment of a new professional ensemble in Ljubljana on
October 1908, named the Concert Orchestra of Ljubljana (Ljubljanski kon
certni orkester). Its members were mainly Czech musicians from the Mu-
sic Society (Glasbena matica). The orchestra also had to work within the
Slovenian provincial theatre system. Thus although it was to focus main-
ly on the performance of symphonic concerts, the musicians also had to
participate in promenade concerts of popular music and various dances.
The work of this type of concert ensemble led to the foundation of the Slo-
venian Philharmonic Orchestra in October 1908, which became a finan-
cially independent institution.49 As expected, the first conductor was Tal-
ich, the concertmaster was Jaromir Markucci from Litomyšl, and most of
the orchestra members were again Czechs.50 For this reason the orchestra
was nicknamed the “Second Czech Philharmonic Orchestra”. In its first
season, the orchestra gave 190 performances and also cooperated with the
Slovenian Provincial Theatre.51
Talich also endeavoured to perform chamber music in Ljubljana. For
this purpose he founded a string quartet with which he gave four con-
certs. He had a difficult task in the city, where his demanding manner and
discipline were not always well received. During Talich’s absence, when he
was studying abroad, he was replaced by Edvard Czajanek (1874–?) with
his assistant Franz Tamhina,52 and then the orchestra was led by Friedrick
(Fritz) Reiner (1888–1963). Talich left Ljubljana in 1912 and with him ten
other musicians, which further threatened the orchestra’s existence. Tal-
49 Weiss, Češki glasbeniki, 391.
50 Besides the concertmaster Markuzzi and the conductor Talich, other Czech violin-
ists in the Orchestra were: J. Režek [Jan Rezek], K. Tarter [Karel Tarter], K. Kučera
[Karel Kučera], Donner [Václav Doršner], Korál, Kazimour, Nechleba, Kratochvil,
and Klier [Anton Klier]. See also Metoda Kokole, “Václav Talich and the Slovenian
Philharmonic Orchestra (1908–1912),” Arti musices 27, no. 2 (1996): 189.
51 Weiss, Češki glasbeniki, 401.
52 Ibid., 404.
349
