Jaromír Weinberger (8 January 1896 – August 8, 1967) was a Bohemian-born Jewish subject of the Austrian Empire, who became a naturalized American

composer A composer is a person who writes music. The term is especially used to indicate composers of Western classical music, or those who are composers by occupation. Many composers are, or were, also skilled performers of music. Etymology and def ...

Biography

Weinberger was born in

Prague Prague ( ; ) is the capital and List of cities and towns in the Czech Republic, largest city of the Czech Republic and the historical capital of Bohemia. Prague, located on the Vltava River, has a population of about 1.4 million, while its P ...

Austria-Hungary Austria-Hungary, also referred to as the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the Dual Monarchy or the Habsburg Monarchy, was a multi-national constitutional monarchy in Central Europe#Before World War I, Central Europe between 1867 and 1918. A military ...

, into a family of Jewish origin. He heard Czech folksongs from time spent at his grandparents' farm as a youth. He started playing the piano aged 5, and composing and conducting aged 10. He began musical studies with Jaroslav Křička, and later teachers included Václav Talich and Rudolf Karel. He became a student at the Prague Conservatory at age 14, as a second-year student, where he studied composition with Vítězslav Novák and . Later, at

Leipzig Leipzig (, ; ; Upper Saxon: ; ) is the most populous city in the States of Germany, German state of Saxony. The city has a population of 628,718 inhabitants as of 2023. It is the List of cities in Germany by population, eighth-largest city in Ge ...

, he studied with

Max Reger Johann Baptist Joseph Maximilian Reger (19 March 187311 May 1916) was a German composer, pianist, organist, conductor, and academic teacher. He worked as a concert pianist, a musical director at the Paulinerkirche, Leipzig, Leipzig University Chu ...

, who influenced Weinberger on the use of

counterpoint In music theory, counterpoint is the relationship of two or more simultaneous musical lines (also called voices) that are harmonically dependent on each other, yet independent in rhythm and melodic contour. The term originates from the Latin ...

. In September 1922, Weinberger moved to the United States where he took up a position as an instructor at

Cornell University Cornell University is a Private university, private Ivy League research university based in Ithaca, New York, United States. The university was co-founded by American philanthropist Ezra Cornell and historian and educator Andrew Dickson W ...

. Between 1922 and 1926 he was professor of composition at the Ithaca Conservatory (now the music school of

Ithaca College Ithaca College is a private college in Ithaca (town), New York, Ithaca, New York. It was founded by William Egbert in 1892 as a Music school, conservatory of music. Ithaca College is known for its media-related programs and entertainment program ...

), New York. When he returned to Czechoslovakia he was appointed director of the National Theater in

Bratislava Bratislava (German: ''Pressburg'', Hungarian: ''Pozsony'') is the Capital city, capital and largest city of the Slovakia, Slovak Republic and the fourth largest of all List of cities and towns on the river Danube, cities on the river Danube. ...

, and later received appointments in

Eger Eger ( , ; ; also known by other #Names and etymology, alternative names) is the county seat of Heves County, and the second largest city in Northern Hungary (after Miskolc). A city with county rights, Eger is best known for Castle of Eger, its ...

, Hungary, and Prague. In 1926 Weinberger completed ''

Schwanda the Bagpiper ''Schwanda the Bagpiper'' (), written in 1926, is an opera in two acts and five scenes, with music by Jaromír Weinberger to a Czech libretto by Miloš Kareš, based on the drama ''Strakonický dudák aneb Hody divých žen'' (''The Bagpiper of S ...

'' (''Švanda Dudák''), which became highly successful, with thousands of performances in hundreds of theatres including the

Metropolitan Opera The Metropolitan Opera is an American opera company based in New York City, currently resident at the Metropolitan Opera House (Lincoln Center), Metropolitan Opera House at Lincoln Center, situated on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. Referred ...

in New York City. His operetta ''Frühlingsstürme'' was first performed at the Theatre in Admiralspalast in Berlin on January 19, 1933, with Jarmila Novotná and Richard Tauber in the leading roles. Mary Losseff took over from Novotná in February, but the show was closed down by the Nazi government in March. His subsequent European works include the ''Passacaglia'' for orchestra and organ, ''Six Bohemian Dances'' for violin and piano, the opera ''The Outcasts of Poker Flat'' and a grand oratorio ''Christmas'', though none of them matched the success of ''Schwanda the Bagpiper''. In 1939, after extensive travels to the

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

, Bratislava and

Vienna Vienna ( ; ; ) is the capital city, capital, List of largest cities in Austria, most populous city, and one of Federal states of Austria, nine federal states of Austria. It is Austria's primate city, with just over two million inhabitants. ...

, he left Czechoslovakia to escape the

Nazis Nazism (), formally named National Socialism (NS; , ), is the far-right politics, far-right Totalitarianism, totalitarian socio-political ideology and practices associated with Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party (NSDAP) in Germany. During H ...

and settled in New York state, teaching there and in

Ohio Ohio ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders Lake Erie to the north, Pennsylvania to the east, West Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Indiana to the ...

. He wrote a number of works on commission from American orchestras. He became an American citizen in 1948. In January 1949, Weinberger moved to St. Petersburg, Florida. In later life, he developed cancer of the brain. This, together with money worries and the neglect of his music, prompted him to take a lethal sedative overdose in August 1967. His wife, Jane Lemberger Weinberger (also known as Hansi), died on July 31, 1968. In 2004 Czech pianist Tomáš Víšek and cellist František Brikcius organized a tour celebrating Weinberger's work.

Major works

Weinberger composed over 100 works, including operas, operettas, choral works, and works for orchestra. Until recently, the only one which remained even on the fringe of the repertoire was the

opera Opera is a form of History of theatre#European theatre, Western theatre in which music is a fundamental component and dramatic roles are taken by Singing, singers. Such a "work" (the literal translation of the Italian word "opera") is typically ...

'' (''Švanda dudák''), a worldwide success after its première in 1927. The opera is still performed occasionally, and the ''Polka and Fugue'' from it is often heard in a concert version. The artists of the Walt Disney studio considered making it into a segment for ''

Fantasia 2000 ''Fantasia 2000'' is a 1999 American animated musical anthology film produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation. Produced by Roy E. Disney and Donald W. Ernst, it is the sequel to Disney's 1940 animated feature film '' Fantasia''. Like its p ...

'', but instead chose Shostakovich's Piano Concerto No. 2 in F major, in the form of

Hans Christian Andersen Hans Christian Andersen ( , ; 2 April 1805 – 4 August 1875) was a Danish author. Although a prolific writer of plays, travelogue (literature), travelogues, novels, and poems, he is best remembered for his literary fairy tales. Andersen's fai ...

's "

The Steadfast Tin Soldier "The Steadfast Tin Soldier" () is a literary fairy tale by Hans Christian Andersen about a tin soldier's love for a paper ballerina. The tale was first published in Copenhagen by C.A. Reitzel on 2 October 1838 in the first booklet of ''Fair ...

". Recent revivals of ''Frühlingsstürme'' (2019, Berlin Komische Oper and DVD/Blu-ray) and ''Wallenstein'' (2012, Wiener Konzerthaus and CD) indicate a renewed interest in his distinctive work. Weinberger used a varied musical language. His studies in Prague and Leipzig stressed formal control and contrapuntal mastery; following the example of his teachers, Křička, Novák and Reger, Weinberger's works exhibit control, but are also playful. This combination received both praise and criticism.

List of works

;Opera and operetta * ''Švanda dudák'' (Schwanda the Bagpiper), Opera in 2 acts (1926); libretto by Miloš Kareš after Josef Kajetán Tyl * ''Milovaný hlas'' (The Beloved Voice; Die Geliebte Stimme), Opera in 3 acts (1930); libretto by the composer after the 1928 novel by Robert Michel * ''Lidé z Pokerflatu'' (The Outcasts of Poker Flat), Opera (1932); libretto by Miloš Kareš after the 1869 short story by Bret Harte * ''Jarní bouře'' (Spring Storms; Frühlingsstürme), Operetta in 3 acts (1933); libretto by Gustav Beer * ''Na růžích ustláno'' (A Bed of Roses), Operetta (1933); libretto by Bohumír Polách and Jiří Žalman * ''Apropó, co dělá Andula?'' (By the Way, What Is Andula Doing?), Operetta (1934); libretto by Bohumír Polách and Jiří Žalman * ''Císař pán na třešních'' (The Emperor Lord of Cherries), Operetta (1936); libretto by Bohumír Polách and Jiří Žalman * ''Valdštejn'' (Wallenstein), Musical Tragedy (Opera) in 6 scenes (1937); libretto by Miloš Kareš after

Friedrich Schiller Johann Christoph Friedrich von Schiller (, short: ; 10 November 17599 May 1805) was a German playwright, poet, philosopher and historian. Schiller is considered by most Germans to be Germany's most important classical playwright. He was born i ...

; German translation by Max Brod ;Stage * ''Únos Evelynion'' (The Abduction of Evelyne; Die Entführung der Evelyne), Pantomime in 1 act (1915); libretto by František Langer * '' Kocourkov'' (Schilda), Puppet Show (1926); libretto by František Smažík * ''Saratoga'', Ballet (1941); libretto by the composer ;Orchestral * ''Lustspiel'' (Veseloherní ouvertura), Overture (1914); with popular song ''"Pepíku, Pepíku"'' as the main theme * ''Three pieces'' for small orchestra (''Tři kusy pro malý orchestr'') (1916) * ''Don Quijote'' (1918) * ''Scherzo giocoso'' (1920) * ''Kocourkov'' (1923–1924) * ''Overture to a Marionette Play'' (Puppenspiel Ouverture; Předehra k loutkové hře) (1924) * ''Polka and Fugue'' (Polka a fuga z opery Švanda dudák) from the opera ''

'' (1926, published 1928) * ''Furiant'' (Furiant z opery Švanda dudák) from the opera ''

'' (1926, published 1931) * ''White Mountain Ouverture'' (''Předehra k Bílé hoře'') (piano arrangement 1926) * ''Dance rondo'' (Taneční rondo, 1927) * ''Vánoce'' (Christmas; Weihnachten) for orchestra and organ (1929) * ''Neckerei'' for chamber orchestra (1929); also for piano * ''6 Czech Songs and Dances'' (České písně a tance) (1929); also for violin and piano * ''Overture to a Chivalrous Play'' (Ouverture zum einen ritterlichen Spiel; Předehra k rytířské komedii) (1931) * ''Passacaglia'' for orchestra and organ ( UE 1932) * ''Chant hébraïque'' (Canto ebraico; Neima Ivrit; Hebrejský zpěv) (piano reduction 1936) * ''Valdštejn'' (Wallenstein), Suite from the opera (1937) * '' Under the Spreading Chestnut Tree'' (Pod košatým kaštanem), Variations and Fugue on an Old English Tune (1939, revised 1941) * ''Legend of Sleepy Hollow'', 4 Movements from

Washington Irving Washington Irving (April 3, 1783 – November 28, 1859) was an American short-story writer, essayist, biographer, historian, and diplomat of the early 19th century. He wrote the short stories "Rip Van Winkle" (1819) and "The Legend of Sleepy ...

's Sketch Book (1940) * ''Song of the High Seas'' for chamber orchestra and organ (1940) * ''Prelude and Fugue on a Southern Folktune'' (1940); also known as ''Prelude and Fugue on "Dixie"'' * ''A Bird's Opera'', Symphonic Suite (1940) * ''Česká rapsódie'' (Czech Rhapsody) (1941) * ''Lincolnova symfonie'' (The Lincoln Symphony) (1941) * ''Préludes Réligieux et Profanes'' (1952); composed in 8 parts, part 4 is titled Hymne an St. Wenzeslaus * ''Aus Tirol'', Folkdance and Fugue (1959) * ''A Waltz Overture'' (1960) ;Concert band * ''Homage to the Pioneers'', Triumphant March (1940) * ''Mississippi Rhapsody'' (1940) * ''Prelude to the Festival'', Concert March (1941) * ''Afternoon in the Village'' (1951) ;Concertante * ''The Devil on the Belfry'' for violin and orchestra * ''Concerto for Timpani'' with 4 trumpets and 4 trombones (or 4 trumpets, 3 trombones and tuba) (1939) * Concerto for alto saxophone and orchestra (1940) * ''The Raven'' for cello, bass clarinet, harp and string orchestra (published 1942) ;Chamber music * String Quartet * ''Colloque sentimental'', Prelude after the Poem by

Paul Verlaine Paul-Marie Verlaine ( ; ; 30 March 1844 – 8 January 1896) was a French poet associated with the Symbolism (movement), Symbolist movement and the Decadent movement. He is considered one of the greatest representatives of the ''fin de siècle'' ...

for violin and piano (1920) * ''Une cantilène jalouse'' (''Žárlivá kantiléna'') for violin and piano (1920) * ''3 Pieces'' (Tři skladby) for violin and piano (1924) :# ''Banjos'' :# ''Cowboy's Christmas'' (Cowboyovy Vánoce) :# ''To Nelly Gray'' (Na Nelly Gray) * ''6 Czech Songs and Dances'' (České písně a tance) violin and piano (1929); also for orchestra * ''10 Characteristic Solos'' for snare drum with piano (1939–1941) * Sonatina for bassoon and piano (1940) * Sonatina for clarinet and piano (1940) * Sonatina for flute and piano (1940) * Sonatina for oboe and piano (1940) * ''Der Rabe'' for cello and piano ;Organ * ''Bible Poems'' (1939) * ''Sonata'' (1941) * ''6 Religious Preludes'' (1946) * ''Meditations'', 3 Preludes (1953) * ''Dedications'', 5 Preludes (1954) ;Piano * Sonatina (1908) * Sonata, Op.4 (1915) * ''Étude in G major on a Polish Chorale "Z dymem pożarów"'' (1924; included in the 1942 collaborative album '' Homage to Paderewski'') * ''Rytiny'' (Engravings; Gravures), 5 Preludes and Fugues ( UE 1924) * ''Drei Klavierstücke'' (Tři klavírní kusy) (1924) * ''Spinett-Sonate'' (Spinet Sonata) ( UE 1925) * ''Neckerei'' (1929); also for orchestra * ''Dupák'', Folk Tune (1941) * ''Five-Eighths'', Etude (1941) ;Vocal * ''Hatikvah'' for voice and piano (1919) * ''Písně s průvodem klavíru'' (Songs with Piano Accompaniment) for low voice and piano (1924) :# Má první láska byla Olympia (My First Beloved Was Olympia); words by Miloš Kareš :# Rozhovor (Conversation); words by Miloš Kareš :# Námořnická; words by the composer * ''Psalm 150'' for high voice and organ (1940); Biblical text * ''The Way to Emmaus'' for high voice and organ (1940); Biblical text * ''Ecclesiastes'', Cantata for soprano, baritone, mixed chorus, organ and bells (1946), premiered May 13, 1947 by the John Harms Chorus in New York's

Town Hall In local government, a city hall, town hall, civic centre (in the UK or Australia), guildhall, or municipal hall (in the Philippines) is the chief administrative building of a city, town, or other municipality. It usually houses the city o ...

."Record of the Year 1947 in the Organ World in Review" (PDF). The Diapason. 39 (2): 6. January 1, 1948. * ''Of Divine Work'', Anthem for mixed chorus (1946); Biblical text from ''Ecclesiastes'' * ''Five Songs'' from ''Des Knaben Wunderhorn'' for soprano and piano (1962) * ''Ave'', Rhapsody for chorus and orchestra (1962) * ''Tři písně'' (3 Songs) for children's chorus and piano * ''Volnost'' for 4 voices; words by Josef Václav Sládek * ''Dvě písně'' (2 Songs) for voice and piano :# Pan Vrchní; words by Pavel Maternov :# U Vrátek; words by Josef Václav Sládek

Notes

References

External links

The OREL Foundation- Jaromír Weinberger's biography and links to bibliography, discography and media.
* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Weinberger, Jaromir 1896 births 1967 suicides American male classical composers American classical composers American people of Czech-Jewish descent Czech classical composers Czech male classical composers Jewish American classical musicians Jewish classical composers Czechoslovak emigrants to the United States Drug-related suicides in Florida Composers from Prague American opera composers Male opera composers 20th-century classical composers 20th-century American composers 20th-century American male musicians Naturalized citizens of the United States 20th-century American Jews 1967 deaths Prague Conservatory alumni