František Zdeněk Xavier Alois Skuherský (July 31, 1830 – August 19, 1892) was a
Czech
Czech may refer to:
* Anything from or related to the Czech Republic, a country in Europe
** Czech language
** Czechs, the people of the area
** Czech culture
** Czech cuisine
* One of three mythical brothers, Lech, Czech, and Rus
*Czech (surnam ...
composer,
pedagogue
Pedagogy (), most commonly understood as the approach to teaching, is the theory and practice of learning, and how this process influences, and is influenced by, the social, political, and psychological development of learners. Pedagogy, taken ...
, and theoretician.
Born in
Opočno
Opočno (; ) is a town in Rychnov nad Kněžnou District in the Hradec Králové Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 3,100 inhabitants. Opočno is known for the Opočno Castle, one of the most magnificent examples of Czech Renaissance archi ...
to František Alois Skuherský, the doctor of Duke
Colloredo-Mansfeld and founder of the Opočno hospital. He graduated from the
Hradec Králové
Hradec Králové (; ) is a city of the Czech Republic. It has about 94,000 inhabitants. It is the capital of the Hradec Králové Region. The historic centre of Hradec Králové is well preserved and is protected as an Cultural monument (Czech R ...
gymnasium and studied philosophy and shortly medicine at
Charles University
Charles University (CUNI; , UK; ; ), or historically as the University of Prague (), is the largest university in the Czech Republic. It is one of the List of oldest universities in continuous operation, oldest universities in the world in conti ...
. Also 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 ...
, he graduated from an organ school.
In music, especially composing, he paid attention since childhood. He signed his first works in the pseudonym ''Opocensky.'' After his studies, he made a living by teaching people music in their homes. In the years 1854 to 1866 he was a theatre kapellmeister in
Innsbruck
Innsbruck (; ) is the capital of Tyrol (federal state), Tyrol and the List of cities and towns in Austria, fifth-largest city in Austria. On the Inn (river), River Inn, at its junction with the Wipptal, Wipp Valley, which provides access to the ...
and conductor of the town's singing choir, and later director of the University's cathedral.
During this time he composed six
operas
Opera is a form of Western theatre in which music is a fundamental component and dramatic roles are taken by singers. Such a "work" (the literal translation of the Italian word "opera") is typically a collaboration between a composer and a li ...
, some of which premiered at Innsbruck. After the death of his wife, who gave him three children, he came back to Prague where in 1866 he became the director of a prominent organ school until he retired in 1890.
This school was attended by such famous composers as
Leoš Janáček
Leoš Janáček (, 3 July 1854 – 12 August 1928) was a Czech composer, Music theory, music theorist, Folkloristics, folklorist, publicist, and teacher. He was inspired by Moravian folk music, Moravian and other Slavs, Slavic music, includin ...
and
Josef Bohuslav Foerster. At the same time he worked as a regenschori at a Prague cathedral, a teacher of music theory at a Czech University, and continued studying and composing Church music to the end of his life. He died in
České Budějovice
České Budějovice (; ) is a city in the South Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 97,000 inhabitants. The city is located in the valley of the Vltava River, at its confluence with the Malše.
České Budějovice is the largest ...
where he is remembered by a street named after him.
Selected works
Piano
* ''Pensées du soir'', Op. 10 (1854)
* ''Preghiera'' (1881)
* ''Vzpomínka na Zákupy'' Op. 19
Organ
* Studies, Op. 13, 14 (1867); Op 16, 17
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Skuhersky, Frantisek
1830 births
1892 deaths
19th-century Czech classical composers
Composers from Austria-Hungary
Conductors (music) from Austria-Hungary
19th-century Czech people
Czech choral conductors
Czech conductors (music)
Czech male conductors (music)
Czech opera composers
Czech male opera composers
People from Opočno
19th-century conductors (music)
Charles University alumni