Břetislav Bakala
Břetislav Bakala | |
---|---|
Born | 12 February 1897 |
Died | 1 April 1958 |
Nationality | Czech |
Alma mater | Brno Conservatory |
Occupation(s) | conductor pianist composer |
Břetislav Bakala (February 12, 1897 in
Life and career
Bakala was born at Fryšták, Moravia. He studied conducting at the Brno Conservatory with František Neumann, and composition with Leoš Janáček at the organ school.[2] In 1922 he continued his studies at the Master school at the Conservatory with Vilém Kurz. From 1920 to 1925 and from 1929 to 1931 he worked as a conductor of the National Theatre in Brno, making his conducting debut in Orfeo ed Euridice.
Bakala discovered Janáček The Diary of One Who Disappeared in the composer's trunk in 1921 and first performed it (taking the piano part) in April that year.[3]
On 31 January 1925 he conducted the premiere of Bohuslav Martinů's ballet Kdo je na světě nejmocnější? (Who is the Most Powerful in the World?) in Brno.[4] From 1925 to 1926 he worked for a short time as an organist in Philadelphia in the United States, acting also as accompanist to Hans Kindler, with whom he had already successfully toured in Europe.
From 1926 he became a pianist and conductor of the Czech Radio Orchestra in Brno, and on the death of Neumann in 1929 became principal conductor of the
In 1951 he began teaching at the newly founded
Bakala's main interest was concentrated on the works of Janáček. In 1921 he staged the premiere of
Recordings
His recordings include the Glagolitic Mass, Sinfonietta and Lachian Dances by Janáček[4] as well as Igor Stravinsky's Feu d'artifice, Cyrano de Bergerac by Josef Bohuslav Foerster, and Otakar Ostrčil's symphonic poem Summer. During a visit of the Brno State Philharmonic Orchestra to Warsaw in 1956 Polski Nagrania made the first LP recording of Martinů's 3rd Symphony with Bakala conducting.[5] With the Vach Women's Choir he recorded Kašpar Rucký, while his wife Marie Bakalová features in Dvořák's The Cunning Peasant and in Říkadla.[3] Among rarer examples of 20th century music, Bakala set down recordings of Novák's Serenade in D, Petrželka's Pastoral Sinfonietta, Václav Kaprál's Lullabies, Vítězslava Kaprálová's Military Sinfonietta and the ballet suite The Spectre's Bride by Jan Novák.[3] The Brno Radio Archive contains further examples of Bakala's work.[5]
Compositions
Břetislav Bakala's small number of compositions are influenced by Vítězslav Novák and Janáček. They include a cello sonata, string quartet, Scherzo for orchestra, Christmas Lullaby, as well as arrangements of Janáček mentioned above.[4]
References
- ^ Němcová, A. Břetislav Bakala. In: The New Grove Dictionary of Opera. Macmillan, London and New York, 1997.
- ^ a b c Sinfonietta, The Fiddler's Child, Glagolitic Mass (CD). Leoš Janáček. Radioservis. 2004. CR 0269-2-031.
{{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)[1] - ^ International Classical Record Collector, Summer 1996, Vol 2, 5, p16-18.
- ^ a b c d e Simeone N. Bakala: Moravian Conductor. Czech Music, Vol 6, No 3, 1980.
- ^ a b c Lambert P. Martinů in his time, part 4. Classical Recordings Quarterly, Spring 2013, p39.
- ^ Králík J. Sir Charles Mackerras Interviewed. (translated Lisicka V) Czech Music, Vol 6, No 3, 1980, 7-12.