Bratislavská lýra was a Czechoslovak festival of popular songs that took place every year from 1966 until 1990 and was held 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. ...
. It was renewed in 1997 but cancelled again in 1998.
The festival involved national and international contests and concerts by international musicians.
History
The idea for the festival arose between 1964 and 1965 by composers Ján Siváček and
Pavol Zelenay, who went on to organize it. The event was first held in 1966 in the
Park kultúry a oddychu (PKO), under the name ''Medzinárodný festival tanečnej piesne Bratislavská lýra'' ("Bratislava Lýra International Dance Song Festival"), with sound provided by
Slovenský rozhlas (later Česko-slovenský rozhlas). Winners of the national contest received an award called ''Bratislavská lýra'' (Bratislava
Lyre
The lyre () (from Greek λύρα and Latin ''lyra)'' is a string instrument, stringed musical instrument that is classified by Hornbostel–Sachs as a member of the History of lute-family instruments, lute family of instruments. In organology, a ...
), which also became the festival's new name in 1968.
The national contest was organized for Slovak and Czech singers, who were awarded gold, silver, and bronze trophies. In 1966 and 1967, the festival involved an international contest entitled "Golden Clef"
(), in some sources translated as "Golden Key".
This contest, organized for members of the
International Radio and Television Organisation, was broadcast live via the Intervision network and aimed to compete with the
West-European Eurovision Song Contest
The Eurovision Song Contest (), often known simply as Eurovision, is an international Music competition, song competition organised annually by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) among its members since 1956. Each participating broadcaster ...
.
[ Other awards in the festival included the Critics' Award, Journalists' Award, Audience Award, Popular Award, and Lifetime Achievement Award.
Notable winners in the event's first year included famous Czech singer Karel Gott, together with composers Vieroslav Matušík and Eliška Jelínková, for the song "Mám rozprávkový dom". Throughout its years of existence, the festival showcased the talent of some of the biggest musical stars in Czechoslovakia, as well as various international celebrities, including ]The Beach Boys
The Beach Boys are an American Rock music, rock band formed in Hawthorne, California, in 1961. The group's original lineup consisted of brothers Brian Wilson, Brian, Dennis Wilson, Dennis, and Carl Wilson, their cousin Mike Love, and their f ...
(1969), Cliff Richard
Sir Cliff Richard (born Harry Rodger Webb; 14 October 1940) is a British singer and actor. He has total sales of over 21.5 million singles in the United Kingdom and, as of 2012, was the third-top-selling artist in UK Singles Chart histo ...
(1970, 1971), Boney M. (1977), Smokie (1983), Donovan
Donovan Phillips Leitch (born 10 May 1946), known mononymously as Donovan, is a Scottish musician, songwriter and record producer. He emerged from the British folk scene in early 1965 and subsequently scored multiple international hit singles ...
(1983), and Joe Cocker
John Robert "Joe" Cocker (20 May 1944 – 22 December 2014) was an English singer known for his gritty, bluesy voice and dynamic stage performances featuring expressive body movements. Most of his best-known singles, such as
"Feelin' Alright ...
(1998 – the last year of the event's revival).
In 1975, the festival won an award from the International Federation of Festival Organizations (FIDOF), being only the fourth festival worldwide to receive this honour, and the first in the Socialist Bloc
The Eastern Bloc, also known as the Communist Bloc (Combloc), the Socialist Bloc, the Workers Bloc, and the Soviet Bloc, was an unofficial coalition of communist states of Central and Eastern Europe, Asia, Africa, and Latin America that were a ...
.
Bratislavská lýra was discontinued in 1990, after the Velvet Revolution
The Velvet Revolution () or Gentle Revolution () was a non-violent transition of power in what was then Czechoslovakia, occurring from 17 November to 28 November 1989. Popular demonstrations against the one-party government of the Communist Pa ...
. Conductor and music director Vladimír Valovič purchased the trademark in 1996 and revived the festival the following year. The 1997 edition was used to select the Slovak representative for the 1998 Eurovision Song Contest. It was canceled once more in 1998, due to a lack of financial support and sponsorships. As of 2006, Valovič still had plans to relaunch the event at a later date.
Controversy
In 1989, Joan Baez
Joan Chandos Baez (, ; born January 9, 1941) is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and activist. Her contemporary folk music often includes songs of protest and social justice. Baez has performed publicly for over 60 years, releasing mo ...
invited Ivan Hoffman, who had recorded the anti-communist song "Nech mi nehovoria" (Stop Telling Me), to take the stage. After about a minute, however, the organizers muted his microphone.
References
{{Authority control
Song contests
Music festivals in Slovakia
Culture in Bratislava
Music festivals established in 1966
Music competitions
Awards established in 1966
Awards disestablished in 1998
1966 establishments in Czechoslovakia
1998 disestablishments in Slovakia
Slovakia in the Eurovision Song Contest
Eurovision Song Contest selection events