Karel Komzák I (4 November 182319 March 1893) was a Bohemian composer, organist, bandmaster and conductor. He was the father of

Karel Komzák II Karel Komzák II (8 November 1850 – 23 April 1905) was a Bohemian-born Viennese composer famous for his dances and marches. He composed the ''Erzherzog-Albrecht-Marsch''. Komzák was born in Prague in 1850. After training under his father, Ka ...

and the grandfather of Karel Komzák III.

Biography

Karel Komzák was born in 1823 in Netěchovice, near

Týn nad Vltavou Týn nad Vltavou (; ) is a town in České Budějovice District České Budějovice District () is a Okres, district in the South Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic. Its capital is the city of České Budějovice. Administrative division Česk ...

, now in the

České Budějovice District České Budějovice District () is a Okres, district in the South Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic. Its capital is the city of České Budějovice. Administrative division České Budějovice District is divided into three Districts of the Cz ...

of the

Czech Republic The Czech Republic, also known as Czechia, and historically known as Bohemia, is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Austria to the south, Germany to the west, Poland to the northeast, and Slovakia to the south ...

. A memorial plaque now commemorates his birthplace. He learned the violin from his father, a blacksmith but also a popular folk singer and acclaimed violinist,zuskomzaka
and studied with Moritz Mildner and

Antonín Bennewitz Antonín Bennewitz (also Anton Bennewitz; 26 March 1833 – 29 May 1926) was a Bohemian violinist, conductor, and teacher. He was in a line of violinists that extended back to Giovanni Battista Viotti, and forward to Jan Kubelík and Wolfgang ...

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 ...

. allmusic
/ref> He studied at the School for Organists and became a village teacher. Later he was an organist at a lunatic asylum, the National Institute for the Mentally Ill, where he worked for 19 years. He was also a bandmaster of the Rifle Corps in PragueGrove's Dictionary of Music and Musicians, 5th ed (1954), Vol. IV, p. 818 and a theatre conductor in

Linz Linz (Pronunciation: , ; ) is the capital of Upper Austria and List of cities and towns in Austria, third-largest city in Austria. Located on the river Danube, the city is in the far north of Austria, south of the border with the Czech Repub ...

. He moved around frequently, staying longest at

Vienna Vienna ( ; ; ) is the capital city, capital, List of largest cities in Austria, most populous city, and one of Federal states of Austria, nine federal states of Austria. It is Austria's primate city, with just over two million inhabitants. ...

and

Baden Baden (; ) is a historical territory in southern Germany. In earlier times it was considered to be on both sides of the Upper Rhine, but since the Napoleonic Wars, it has been considered only East of the Rhine. History The margraves of Ba ...

. He formed a well-respected orchestra for opera performances at the Czech Provisional Theatre. In 1862 it was permanently attached to the Theatre. Among its players were

Antonín Dvořák Antonín Leopold Dvořák ( ; ; 8September 18411May 1904) was a Czech composer. He frequently employed rhythms and other aspects of the folk music of Moravia and his native Bohemia, following the Romantic-era nationalist example of his predec ...

(viola) and the composer's own son Karel Komzák II (violin). He was succeeded in this post by

Bedřich Smetana Bedřich Smetana ( ; ; 2 March 1824 – 12 May 1884) was a Czech composer who pioneered the development of a musical style that became closely identified with his people's aspirations to a cultural and political "revival". He has been regarded ...

.Verlag Dohr
/ref> In 1865 Komzák was appointed bandmaster in the 11th Infantry Regiment of the Austro-Hungarian Army 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 ...

. He served in this post for the next 15 years in a variety of locations. In 1876 he declined an offer to conduct at the World Exhibition in Chicago, followed by a concert tour of Boston, Washington and New York. In 1880 he moved to the 74th Infantry Regiment. Up until this time, he had warmed the hearts of his listeners by regularly including Czech folk songs in his concert programs, but from 1880 this music was forbidden. He retired in 1881, but only a year later was persuaded to join the newly formed 88th Infantry Regiment in Prague as a bandmaster. He retired in April 1888 to his birthplace, where he died in 1893, aged 69. He wrote more than 200 popular marches, waltzes, mazurkas, polkas, galops, quadrilles and other dances.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Komzak, Karel 1823 births 1893 deaths Czech male composers Czech composers Czech organists Male organists Organists from Austria-Hungary Czech conductors (music) Male conductors (music) Czech bandleaders 19th-century composers 19th-century conductors (music) 19th-century organists Prague Conservatory alumni