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Josef Slavík (26 March 1806 – 30 May 1833), also known as Josef Slawjk or Joseph Slawik, was a Bohemian violin virtuoso and composer, who was expected by Viennese musical critics to become Paganini's successor after composing a supposedly unplayable Concerto in
F-sharp minor F-sharp minor is a minor scale based on F, consisting of the pitches F, G, A, B, C, D, and E. Its key signature has three sharps. Its relative major is A major and its parallel major is F-sharp major (or enharmonically G-flat major). ...
and teaching himself to play Paganini's "La Campanella" after a single hearing.


Career

The first son of Barbora (born Krásová) and Antonín Slavík, teacher and musician, who started to teach Josef violin in the age of four. Later on, he was a student of violin by
Friedrich Wilhelm Pixis Friedrich Wilhelm Pixis (1786 – 20 October 1842) was a German violinist. He became professor of violin at Prague Conservatory and was important in the musical life of Prague. Life Friedrich Wilhelm Pixis was born in Mannheim in 1786. His father ...
and music theory and composition by Friedrich Dionys Weber at the
Prague Conservatory The Prague Conservatory () is a public music school in Prague, Czech Republic, founded in 1808. Currently, the school offers four- or six-year courses, which can be compared to the level of a high school diploma in other countries. Graduates c ...
. Pixis wondered how anyone could write down such mad, unplayable stuff after seeing some of Slavík's compositions (a concerto, variations, etc.). Before leaving Prague, Slavík proved at a farewell concert at the Prague Conservatory that there was at least one who could play the mad stuff. He went to Vienna in 1825 and became a sensation. He was then a young man of nineteen, but already technically superior to other violinists that had been heard in the Austrian capital. The celebrated Mayseder called him a second Lipinski.
Frédéric Chopin Frédéric François Chopin (born Fryderyk Franciszek Chopin; 1 March 181017 October 1849) was a Polish composer and virtuoso pianist of the Romantic period who wrote primarily for Piano solo, solo piano. He has maintained worldwide renown ...
who heard Slavík on several occasions described his skills as: "With the exception of Paganini, I have never heard a player like him. Ninety-six staccatos in one bow! It is almost incredible! He plays like a second Paganini, but a rejuvenated one, who will perhaps in time surpass the first. Slavík fascinates the listener and brings tears into his eyes... he makes humans weep, more he makes tigers weep."
Franz Schubert Franz Peter Schubert (; ; 31 January 179719 November 1828) was an Austrian composer of the late Classical period (music), Classical and early Romantic music, Romantic eras. Despite his short life, Schubert left behind a List of compositions ...
composed two
violin sonata A violin sonata is a musical composition for violin, often accompanied by a keyboard instrument and in earlier periods with a bass instrument doubling the keyboard bass line. The violin sonata developed from a simple Baroque music, baroque form wi ...
-like pieces for Slavík and pianist Carl Maria von Bocklet: the '' Rondo in B minor, D 895'' (
1826 Events January–March * January 15 – The French newspaper ''Le Figaro'' begins publication in Paris, initially as a satirical weekly. * January 17 – The Ballantyne printing business in Edinburgh (Scotland) crashes, ruining noveli ...
), and the '' Fantasy in C major, D 934'' (
1827 Events January–March * January 5 – The first regatta in Australia is held, taking place in Tasmania (called at the time ''Van Diemen's Land''), on the River Derwent at Hobart. * January 15 – Furman University, founded in 1826, b ...
).Richard Wigmore
Liner notes
t
''Schubert: Complete works for violin and piano''.
Hyperion CDA67911/2, 2013.
His last performance was in 1833 in Vienna, immediately prior to a scheduled tour to Hungary. He was suffering from influenza and played while ill. Shortly after arriving in Budapest, the fever came back and Slavik passed away, at the age of 27.Smolka, J., et al. (1983) ''Mala Encyklopedie Hudby'', Supraphon


Works

* Variations in E major (1820) * Violin Concerto No.1 in F-sharp minor (''Conservatory graduation work'', 1823) * "Caprice" in D major, for violin solo (1824) * "Grand-Potpourri" in E major, for Violin and Orchestra (1825/26) * "Rondino" for violin and piano (1826) * Violin concerto No.2 in A minor (''orchestration Decledek'', 1827) * Piano Polonese in D major (1828) * Variations "Il Pirata" (Vincenzo Bellini) on the G-String for Violin and Piano (1832)


References


Sources

*


External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Slavík, Josef 1806 births 1833 deaths Musicians from the Austrian Empire 19th-century classical violinists Romantic composers People from Příbram District Burials at Vyšehrad Cemetery Prague Conservatory alumni