Page 187 - Weiss, Jernej, ur./ed. 2026 Skladateljska društva nekoč in danes.../Composers’ Societies Past and Present...

Between Music and Politics: The Role of Composers in Musical Societies …
in a job advertisement for a music teacher and Kapellmeister in Križev-
ci in 1853, in addition to regular duties as an organist and conductor, it was
stated:

For guidance and the information of applicants, it is noted that in ad-
dition to the aforementioned regular salary, the position also includes
the school stipend [Organisten-Stola] – and, due to the general lack of
such individuals in the entire area, the opportunity to earn a signifi-
cant supplementary income through various musical services and pri-
vate instruction. 76
While it is known that Franz Zihak (c. 1770–1817), the first music teach-
er in Karlovac, also composed music, no compositional output has been
77
preserved (or discovered) for the first teachers at the Križevci Music Insti-
tute – Franz Mann, Michael Pollischansky/Bollischansky, and Ignaz Skra-
bal/Škrabal. In Varaždin, the name of Leopold Ignaz Ebner (1769–1830)
stands out. Although he did not participate in the founding of the Varaždin
Music Institute, his work as a music teacher, organist, and skilled compos-
er laid the groundwork for its establishment. The figure most closely asso-
ciated with the Institute’s foundation was Johann/Ivan Gottfried Linden-
thal, who served as director of the newly established music school, led the
orchestra, and taught singing, violin, and piano. He also composed both sa-
cred and secular works. 78
The dominant musical figure in early 19 -century Zagreb was Georg
th
Karl (Juraj Karlo) Wisner von Morgenstern (1783–1855). He likely arrived in
79
Zagreb in 1818 as secretary to Count Erdődy (according to Nada Bezić, pos-
sibly Josip IV or Juraj V or VI). As the most highly educated musician in the
city at the time, Wisner became one of the founders of the Zagreb Music In-

76 “Službeni list. Br. 1230 Natiečaj,” Carsko-kr. službene narodne novine 19, no. 259 (12
November 1853): 781.
77 Based on a report from the Magistrate dated 1810, Ljiljana Ščedrov states that the
composer wrote 13 Masses, several symphonies, arias, and other sacred composi-
tions. Ščedrov, “Franz Zihak,” 263.
78 Ana Čizmić, “Lidenthal, Ivan Gottfried (Johann),” in Hrvatski biografski leksikon,
online edition, 2013, https://hbl.lzmk.hr/clanak/lindenthal-ivan-gottfried.
79 Cf. Anton Goglia, “Juraj Karlo Wisner pl. Morgenstern,” Sveta Cecilija 35, no. 374
(1941): 38; Sveta Cecilija 36, no. 1 (1942): 15–23; Nada Bezić, “Prilozi za biografiju
Georga (Jurja) Karla Wisnera von Morgensterna, uoči 159. obljetnice smrti,” Arti
musices 35, no. 1 (2004): 47–61; Benić Zovko, “Institucionalizacija glazbenoga obra-
zovanja u Zagrebu,” 690–1.

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