František Brixi

František Xaver Brixi (2 January 1732 – 14 October 1771) was a Czech classical composer of the 18th century. His first name is sometimes given by reference works in its Germanic form, Franz.

Biography

Brixi was born in Prague, the son of composer Šimon Brixi. He received his musical education at the Piarist ''Gymnasium'' in Kosmonosy. His teachers included , a significant composer himself.

In 1749 Brixi left Kosmonosy and returned to Prague, where he worked as an organist at several churches. In 1759 he was appointed ''Regens chori'' (choir director) and ''Kapellmeister'' of St Vitus Cathedral, thus attaining, at age 27, the highest musical position in the city; this office he held till his early death. He wrote some 290 church works (of the most varied type), cantatas and oratorios, chamber compositions, and orchestral compositions. He was a prolific composer of music for the liturgy, and wrote more than 100 masses, vespers and motets, among others. He also composed secular music such as oratorios and incidental music, concertos and symphonies. His organ concertos, which have been recorded several times each, are his best-known pieces today.

Brixi died of tuberculosis in Prague in 1771, at the age of 39.

Style

Brixi was an important composer at the junction between Baroque and the Classical period.
Brixi's style is distinguished from that of his contemporaries by its fresh melodic writing, vivacious rhythm and lively bass lines, and from that of his predecessors by its simple yet effective instrumentation. During his lifetime his music was widely disseminated in Bohemia and Moravia.

Influence

Brixi's music made Prague's people receptive for Mozart's music (where Mozart was in high esteem even during times where he was shunned elsewhere).

Compositions

Brixi composed 500 works, in which sacred music dominated. None of his compositions were published during Brixi's lifetime.

Source:

* ''Missa di Gloria'' in D major (c.1758)
* ''Missa integra'' in D minor
* ''Missa brevis'' in C major for soloists, choir orchestra and organ
* '' Missa aulica'' in C major
* ''Missa pastoralis'' in C major
* ''Missa pastoralis'' in D major
* ''Missa solemnis'' in D major for soloists, choir, orchestra and organ
* ''Missa Dominicalis'' in C major
* 8 Organ Concertos
* Sinfonia in D major
* Oratorio ''Opus patheticum de septem doloribus Beatae Mariae Virginis''
* Oratorio ''Crux morientis Jesu Christi''
* Oratorio ''Filius Prodigus'' (Osek 1755)
* Oratorio ''Judas Iscariothes – Oratorium pro die sacro Parasceves'' (Osek c.1770)
* ''Litanie de seto Benedieto''
* ''Confiteor tibi Domine''
* ''Bitevní sinfonie''
* Fuga in A minor
* Pastoral in C major
* ''Preludium In C major''
* ''Regina coeli''

Notes

References

Further reading

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External links

František Brixi

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IMSLP

{{DEFAULTSORT:Brixi, Frantisek
1732 births
1771 deaths
18th-century Bohemian musicians
18th-century classical composers
18th-century keyboardists
18th-century male musicians
Catholic liturgical composers
Czech Classical-period composers
Czech classical organists
Czech male classical composers
Male classical organists
Musicians from Prague