In his music education he studied as a self-taught man. Years later, he became a pupil of the prominent nineteenth-century Czech aestheticianOtakar Hostinský, and a protégé of the iconoclastic musicologist and critic Zdeněk Nejedlý.[1] In the years 1903–1906 he taught physics and mathematics at the High School in Domažlice. In the years leading up to the First World War Zich lived in Prague, actively participating in musical life as a critic. In this capacity he supported the efforts of Nejedlý's pro-Smetana faction against the intellectual descendants of Antonín Dvořák, especially during the so-called Dvořák Affair of 1911–1914, when he called into question the artistic integrity of Dvořák's compositional language.[2] These activities firmly allied Zich with Nejedlý's academic circle at Charles University, where, in 1924, he was appointed professor of Aesthetics. He held this position until his death in 1934.[3]
Styleedit
As a composer, Zich was largely self-taught, although he can be said to belong to the post-Smetana lineage of Czech composers (which includes Zdeněk Fibich, Josef Bohuslav Foerster, and Otakar Ostrčil, all connected in some way to Nejedlý). His main contributions to concert life in Prague were the operas Malířský nápad (The Artist's Idea, 1908), Vina (Guilt, 1915), and Preciézky (on Zich's own translation of Molière's Les précieuses ridicules, 1924). He also created several solo vocal and choral compositions. His musical style straddles the divide between late Romanticism and early neo-classicism, combining dense orchestration, Wagnerianleitmotifs, and an intensely linear counterpoint with a playful referentiality to past styles.[4] With the exception of Preciézky and a few individual shorter works, most of Zich's music remains unpublished.
Because of his association with Nejedlý, performances of Zich's music often met with bitter controversy in interwar Prague, where critics assessed new compositions based on factional allegiances. The lowest point of this was undoubtedly the premiere of Vina in 1922, which the arch-conservative critic Antonín Šilhan attacked in a vituperative article entitled Finis musicae (The End of Music). Šilhan's argument focused primarily on the opera's orchestral score, where the counterpoint occasionally borders on atonality.[5]
Zich was also the author of many folkloric studies and books on aesthetics: foremost among these are Estetické vnímaní hudby (The Aesthetic Perception of Music, 1911) and Estetika dramatického umění (The Aesthetics of Drama, 1931). In each of these he explored the application of phenomenology, derived from the work of Hegel and Husserl, to branches of the performing arts, and his theories are still the subject of debate in present-day Czech academic circles. As a musicologist he also devoted himself to the study of Smetana's life and works, with numerous analytical articles appearing in Czech-language music journals.
^Slonimsky, Nicolas (1978). "Zich, Otakar". Baker's Biographical dictionary of musicians (6th ed.). New York: Schirmer Books. p. 1945. ISBN0-02-870240-9.
^ abcdefghiŠtědroň, Bohumír (1963). Černušák, Gracián; Nováček, Zdenko (eds.). Československý hudební slovník II. M–Ž (in Czech). Prague: Státní hudební vydavatelství. pp. 989–991.
External linksedit
Source of biography (Czech)
Source of biography (English)
April 16, 2024
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Otakar Zich 25 March 1879 Mestec Kralove 9 July 1934 Oubenice u Benesova was a distinguished Czech composer and aesthetician Composer Otakar Zich Contents 1 Biography 2 Style 3 Selected works 4 References 5 External linksBiography editIn his music education he studied as a self taught man Years later he became a pupil of the prominent nineteenth century Czech aesthetician Otakar Hostinsky and a protege of the iconoclastic musicologist and critic Zdenek Nejedly 1 In the years 1903 1906 he taught physics and mathematics at the High School in Domazlice In the years leading up to the First World War Zich lived in Prague actively participating in musical life as a critic In this capacity he supported the efforts of Nejedly s pro Smetana faction against the intellectual descendants of Antonin Dvorak especially during the so called Dvorak Affair of 1911 1914 when he called into question the artistic integrity of Dvorak s compositional language 2 These activities firmly allied Zich with Nejedly s academic circle at Charles University where in 1924 he was appointed professor of Aesthetics He held this position until his death in 1934 3 Style editAs a composer Zich was largely self taught although he can be said to belong to the post Smetana lineage of Czech composers which includes Zdenek Fibich Josef Bohuslav Foerster and Otakar Ostrcil all connected in some way to Nejedly His main contributions to concert life in Prague were the operas Malirsky napad The Artist s Idea 1908 Vina Guilt 1915 and Preciezky on Zich s own translation of Moliere s Les precieuses ridicules 1924 He also created several solo vocal and choral compositions His musical style straddles the divide between late Romanticism and early neo classicism combining dense orchestration Wagnerian leitmotifs and an intensely linear counterpoint with a playful referentiality to past styles 4 With the exception of Preciezky and a few individual shorter works most of Zich s music remains unpublished Because of his association with Nejedly performances of Zich s music often met with bitter controversy in interwar Prague where critics assessed new compositions based on factional allegiances The lowest point of this was undoubtedly the premiere of Vina in 1922 which the arch conservative critic Antonin Silhan attacked in a vituperative article entitled Finis musicae The End of Music Silhan s argument focused primarily on the opera s orchestral score where the counterpoint occasionally borders on atonality 5 Zich was also the author of many folkloric studies and books on aesthetics foremost among these are Esteticke vnimani hudby The Aesthetic Perception of Music 1911 and Estetika dramatickeho umeni The Aesthetics of Drama 1931 In each of these he explored the application of phenomenology derived from the work of Hegel and Husserl to branches of the performing arts and his theories are still the subject of debate in present day Czech academic circles As a musicologist he also devoted himself to the study of Smetana s life and works with numerous analytical articles appearing in Czech language music journals Selected works editSongs 6 Pisne a pisnicky I II Songs I II 1900 1906 Ze srdce From Heart Op 4 1906 1907 Maticce To Mother Op 8 Stara balada Old Ballad 1909 Z melnicke skaly From the Melnik s Rock Op 16 1909 Dusicky Little Souls 1922 Strepiny dnu Fragments of the Days Op 13 1926 1927 Dvacet pet chodskych lidovych pisni Twenty five Folk Songs from Chodsko Region 1905 1906 Male choirs 6 Balada trikralova Ballad of the Three Kings Op 9a 1911 Pisen poutnika A Wanderer s Song Op 9b 1912 Princezna Lyoleja Princess Lyoleia Op 9c 1913 Podzimni motiv An Autumn Motif Op 18a 1932 Slzicky Little Tears Op 18b 1905 Kosmicka pisen Cosmic Song Op 18c 1931 Hajdalaci Slovens Op 18d 1918 Rodna zem Homeland Op 20a 1929 Zazdena Immured Op 20b 1929 Janu Nerudovi To Jan Neruda Op 20c 1934 Tricet sest vojenskych pisni Thirty six Military Songs 1924 Pet lidovych pisni Five Folk Songs 1933 Forman Carman 1934 Female choirs 6 Tri zenske sbory Three Female Choirs Op 17 Tri chodske pisne Three Folk Songs From Chodsko Region 1909 Mixed choirs 6 Modlitba na Ripu A Prayer on Rip 1905 Ura Hooray Op 15a 1929 Vajanske vatry Bonfires of Vojany Op 11 1921 Dva ctyrzpevy Two Choirs for Four Voices Op 19 1932 1933 Tri chodske pisne Three Folk Songs From Chodsko Region 1904 Cantata 6 Osudna svatba Fateful Marriage Op 1 1917 Paty hrobecek Fifth Grave Op 2 1906 Zimni balada Winter Ballad Op 3 1906 Polka jede Op 5 1907 Melodrama 6 Romance o Cernem jezere Romance about the Black Lake Op 6 1907 Opera 6 Malirsky napad The Artist s Idea Op 7 1908 Vina Guilt Op 10 1911 1915 Preciezky Op 12 1922 1924 Chamber 6 Ceska suita Czech Suite Op 14 1928 String Trio in E minor Op 1a 1930 Piano Trio in E minor 1899 1902 Chodska suita Chod Suite for octet or nonet Op 3a 1905 Orchestral 6 Overture Konrad Wallenrod Op 2a 1903 Zavadky Starodavne Lidove Tance Hanacke pro maly orchestr Ancient Folk Dances of the Hana Region for chamber orchestra References edit Locke B Opera and Ideology in Prague Polemics and Practice at the National Theater 1900 1938 ISBN 1 58046 228 6 Zich O Dvorakova umelecka tvorba 1911 Slonimsky Nicolas 1978 Zich Otakar Baker s Biographical dictionary of musicians 6th ed New York Schirmer Books p 1945 ISBN 0 02 870240 9 Locke B Opera and Ideology in Prague Locke B Opera and Ideology in Prague a b c d e f g h i Stedron Bohumir 1963 Cernusak Gracian Novacek Zdenko eds Ceskoslovensky hudebni slovnik II M Z in Czech Prague Statni hudebni vydavatelstvi pp 989 991 External links editSource of biography Czech Source of biography English Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Otakar Zich amp oldid 1218347995, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
