Jaroslav Řídký (25 August 1897 – 14 August 1956) 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
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 ...
,
conductor
Conductor or conduction may refer to:
Biology and medicine
* Bone conduction, the conduction of sound to the inner ear
* Conduction aphasia, a language disorder
Mathematics
* Conductor (ring theory)
* Conductor of an abelian variety
* Cond ...
,
harp
The harp is a stringed musical instrument that has individual strings running at an angle to its soundboard; the strings are plucked with the fingers. Harps can be made and played in various ways, standing or sitting, and in orchestras or ...
ist, and music teacher.
Life
Řídký was born at Reichenberg, now
Liberec
Liberec (; ) is a city in the Czech Republic. It has about 108,000 inhabitants, making it the fifth largest city in the country. It lies on the Lusatian Neisse River, in a basin surrounded by mountains. The city centre is well preserved and is pr ...
. From 1919 to 1923 he studied 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 ...
with
Josef Bohuslav Foerster
Josef Bohuslav Foerster (30 December 1859 – 29 May 1951) was a Czech composer and musicologist. He is often referred to as J. B. Foerster, and his surname is sometimes spelled Förster.
Life
Foerster was born in Prague. His ancestors were of ...
,
Karel Boleslav Jirák, and
Jaroslav Křička
Jaroslav Křička (; 27 August 1882 in Kelč, Moravia – 23 January 1969 in Prague) was a Czech people, Czech composer, Conducting, conductor, and Music education, music teacher. He was the brother of poet Petr Křička:de:Petr_Křička, e...
. Besides teaching at the Conservatory from 1924 to 1949, he also played the harp for the
Czech Philharmonic Orchestra
The Czech Philharmonic () is a symphony orchestra based in Prague. Its principal performing venue is the Rudolfinum concert hall.
History
The name "Czech Philharmonic Orchestra" appeared for the first time in 1894, as the title of the orche ...
between 1924 and 1938, and conducted the Philharmonic
choir
A choir ( ), also known as a chorale or chorus (from Latin ''chorus'', meaning 'a dance in a circle') is a musical ensemble of singers. Choral music, in turn, is the music written specifically for such an ensemble to perform or in other words ...
from 1925 to 1930.
In 1928 Řídký attended as a conductor the premiere of
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 ...
´s chamber composition
Capriccio. He died at
Poděbrady
Poděbrady (; ) is a spa town in Nymburk District in the Central Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 15,000 inhabitants. It lies on the Elbe River. The historic town centre is well preserved and is protected as an Cultural monument ...
.
Style
He composed seven
symphonies
A symphony is an extended musical composition in Western classical music, most often for orchestra. Although the term has had many meanings from its origins in the ancient Greek era, by the late 18th century the word had taken on the meaning c ...
and one
sinfonietta, one
string
String or strings may refer to:
*String (structure), a long flexible structure made from threads twisted together, which is used to tie, bind, or hang other objects
Arts, entertainment, and media Films
* ''Strings'' (1991 film), a Canadian anim ...
serenade
In music, a serenade (; also sometimes called a serenata, from the Italian) is a musical composition or performance delivered in honour of someone or something. Serenades are typically calm, light pieces of music. The term comes from the Ital ...
,
concerto
A concerto (; plural ''concertos'', or ''concerti'' from the Italian plural) is, from the late Baroque era, mostly understood as an instrumental composition, written for one or more soloists accompanied by an orchestra or other ensemble. The ...
s for
violin
The violin, sometimes referred to as a fiddle, is a wooden chordophone, and is the smallest, and thus highest-pitched instrument (soprano) in regular use in the violin family. Smaller violin-type instruments exist, including the violino picc ...
(1),
piano
A piano is a keyboard instrument that produces sound when its keys are depressed, activating an Action (music), action mechanism where hammers strike String (music), strings. Modern pianos have a row of 88 black and white keys, tuned to a c ...
(1), and
cello
The violoncello ( , ), commonly abbreviated as cello ( ), is a middle pitched bowed (sometimes pizzicato, plucked and occasionally col legno, hit) string instrument of the violin family. Its four strings are usually intonation (music), tuned i ...
(2),
chamber music
Chamber music is a form of classical music that is composed for a small group of Musical instrument, instruments—traditionally a group that could fit in a Great chamber, palace chamber or a large room. Most broadly, it includes any art music ...
, pieces for piano,
cantata
A cantata (; ; literally "sung", past participle feminine singular of the Italian language, Italian verb ''cantare'', "to sing") is a vocal music, vocal Musical composition, composition with an musical instrument, instrumental accompaniment, ty ...
s, and also prepared his own
arrangement
In music, an arrangement is a musical adaptation of an existing composition. Differences from the original composition may include reharmonization, melodic paraphrasing, orchestration, or formal development. Arranging differs from orchestr ...
s of
folk songs
Folk music is a music genre that includes traditional folk music and the contemporary genre that evolved from the former during the 20th-century folk revival. Some types of folk music may be called world music. Traditional folk music has be ...
. His work is composed rather in traditional style, first compositions are influenced by
romanticism
Romanticism (also known as the Romantic movement or Romantic era) was an artistic and intellectual movement that originated in Europe towards the end of the 18th century. The purpose of the movement was to advocate for the importance of subjec ...
, later he composed in traditional, neo-classical style. His oeuvre contains 47 numbered opuses, both in chamber and orchestral instrumentation. Řídký composed also violin, piano and two violoncello concertos. In 1954 he was awarded National Prize for his Piano Concerto Op. 46.
Selected works
;Orchestral
* ''Symfonietta'' in C minor, Op. 1
* Symphony No. 1 in C minor, Op. 3 (1924)
* Symphony No. 2 in D minor for orchestra with obbligato cello, Op. 4 (1925)
* Symphony No. 3 in A major, Op. 8 (1927–1928)
* Symphony No. 4 in A major, Op. 10 (1928)
* ''Předehra (Ouvertura)'' (Overture), Op. 11 (1929)
* Symphony No. 5 in E (C?) minor, Op. 17 (1932)
* ''Malá suita'' (Little Suite), Op. 18 (1931–1932); original version for cello and piano
* Symphony No. 6, Op. 35 (1938); incomplete: movement I in sketch form
* ''Serenáda'' (Serenade) in E major for string orchestra, Op. 37 (1941)
* ''Symfonietta'' for chamber orchestra, Op. 40 (1945–1946)
* ''Slavnostní pochod'' (Marcia festiva) (1947, 1950); 1947 version for wind orchestra
* Symphony No. 7, Op. 47 (1955–1956)
* ''Smuteční fanfára''
* ''Dvě suity z hudby k filmu „Mánes“'' (Mánes: 2 Suites from the Film)
;Wind orchestra
* ''Slavnostní pochod'' (Marcia festiva) (1947)
* ''Milada'' (1951)
;Concertante
* Concerto for violin and orchestra, Op. 7 (1927)
* Concerto No. 1 in F minor for cello and orchestra, Op. 14 (1930)
* ''Nocturne'' for cello and orchestra, Op. 19 (1931–1932)
* Concerto No. 2 for cello and orchestra, Op. 36 (1940)
* Concerto for piano and orchestra, Op. 46 (1952); written for his wife Jaroslava Řídká, who gave the premiere in 1953
;Chamber music
* Sonata in E minor for cello and piano, Op. 2 (1923)
* Quintet in A major for clarinet and string quartet, Op. 5 (1926)
* String Quartet No. 1 in G minor, Op. 6 (1927)
* String Quartet No. 2, Op. 9 (1929)
* ''Serenata appasionata'' in C minor for violin and piano, Op. 12 (1930)
* ''Adagio'' for cello and piano (published 1932); also for viola and piano
* ''Furiant'' in G major for cello and piano, Op. 15 (published 1932)
* String Quartet No. 3 in A major, Op. 16 (1932)
* ''Malá suita'' (Little Suite) for cello and piano, Op. 18 (1931–1932); also orchestrated
* ''Pět snadných kusů'' (5 Easy Pieces) for cello or violin and piano (1932)
:# Ekloga (Eclogue)
:# Alla marcia
:# Valse moderato
:# Scherzino
:# Menuet
* ''Nokturno a gavota'' (Nocturne and Gavotte) for cello or violin and piano (1932)
* String Quartet No. 4 in G major, Op. 20 (1933)
* ''Capriccio'' for cello and piano, Op. 21 (published 1933)
* ''Alla polka'' for cello and piano (published 1933)
* ''Andante a allegretto'' (Andante and Allegretto) for cello and piano (published 1933)
* ''Cantabile a menuetto'' (Cantabile and Menuetto) for cello and piano (published 1933)
* ''Ukolébavka a groteska'' (Lullaby and Grotesque; Berceuse et grotesque) for violin and piano, Op. 26 (published 1933); ''Ukolébavka'' also for viola and piano
* ''Polka-fantasie'' for violin or cello and piano (published 1933)
* ''Čtyři snadné skladby'' (4 Easy Pieces; 4 Morceaux faciles) for violin and piano, Op. 28 (published 1934)
:# Polka-capriccio
:# Air; also for cello and piano
:# Chanson
:# Marche grotesque
* ''Melodia a marcia'' (Melodie and Marcia) for cello and piano (published 1934)
* ''Pohádka máje
. maj' (Fairy Tale: In May; En mai), Trio for violin, cello and piano (published 1934)
* ''Čtyři skladby pro mládež'' (4 Pieces for Young Players) for violin and piano
* ''Čtyři malé skladby'' (4 Little Pieces; 4 Morceaux petites) for cello and piano, Op. 29 (1934)
:# Elegie
:# Capriccietto
:# Barcarolla
:# Menuetto
* ''Čtyři skladbičky'' (4 Bagatelles) for cello and piano, Op. 31
:# Ukolébavka (Berceuse)
:# Český tanec (Danse bohème)
:#
Sousedská The sousedská is a semi-slow Bohemian dance in three quarter time. It has a calm, swaying character and it is usually danced in a pair.
The dance was used by some Czech composers, including Antonín Dvořák
Antonín Leopold Dvořák ( ; ; 8 ...
(Danse rustique)
:# Pochodem (En marche)
* Nonet No. 1 in F minor for flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, horn, violin, viola, cello and double bass, Op. 32 (1934–1935)
* String Quartet No. 5 in A minor, Op. 34 (1937)
* Nonet No. 2 for flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, horn, violin, viola, cello and double bass, Op. 39 (1943)
* ''Kvintet pro dechové nástroje'' (Wind Quintet) for flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon and horn, Op. 41 (1945)
* ''Radostná sonatina'' (Sonatina gioiosa) for violin and piano (published 1953)
* Sonata No. 2 for cello and piano, Op. 43 (1951)
* Piano Trio, Op. 44 (1950–1951)
;Piano
* ''Klavírní skladby'' (Piano Pieces), Op. 13
* ''Rytmus a melodie'' (Rhythm and Melody), 10 Instructive Pieces, Op. 23
* ''Tři polky pro klavír'' (3 Polkas for Piano)
:# Poetická polka II.
:# Polka pro Jarušku
:# Polka in C
;Choral
* ''Zimní pohádka'' (A Winter's Tale) for chorus and orchestra, Op. 33 (1937)
* ''Rodnému kraji'', Cantata for mixed chorus and orchestra, Op. 38 (1941); after a Poem by
František Branislav (1900–1968)
;Film scores
* ''Mánes''
References
*''Čeští skladatelé současnosti.''Praha: Panton, 1985
External links
Commemorative website (in Czech)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ridky, Jaroslav
1897 births
1956 deaths
Czech classical composers
Czech male classical composers
Czechoslovak classical composers
Czech male conductors (music)
Czech classical harpists
Musicians from Liberec
Prague Conservatory alumni
Academic staff of the Prague Conservatory
20th-century Czech conductors (music)
20th-century Czech male musicians
Players of the Czech Philharmonic