Rokiškis Music School () was a music school sponsored by the
Tyzenhaus family that operated in
Rokiškis
Rokiškis () is a list of cities in Lithuania, city in northeastern Lithuania, close to the Latvia–Lithuania border, with a population of 11,606 (2023). The city is a capital of the Rokiškis District Municipality with a population of 28,715 (20 ...
(present-day
Lithuania
Lithuania, officially the Republic of Lithuania, is a country in the Baltic region of Europe. It is one of three Baltic states and lies on the eastern shore of the Baltic Sea, bordered by Latvia to the north, Belarus to the east and south, P ...
) from 1873 to 1904. While it focused on preparing church organists, several prominent Lithuanian interwar musicians were its alumni (e.g.
Mikas Petrauskas
Mikas Petrauskas (1873–1937) was a Lithuanian composer and choirmaster best known as the author of the first Lithuanian Birutė (opera), opera ''Birutė'' (1906). He was an elder brother of the singer Kipras Petrauskas.
Petrauskas learned to p ...
,
Juozas Gruodis,
Juozas Tallat-Kelpša, etc.).
History
The first music school was transferred to Rokiškis from
Hrodna
Grodno, or Hrodna, is a city in western Belarus. It is one of the oldest cities in Belarus. The city is located on the Neman River, from Minsk, about from the border with Poland, and from the border with Lithuania. Grodno serves as the ad ...
by the
Tyzenhaus family in 1785, but information about this school has not survived.
[ The Tyzenhaus family reestablished a music school in 1873.][ The family had similar music schools in Aknīste (present-day ]Latvia
Latvia, officially the Republic of Latvia, is a country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is one of the three Baltic states, along with Estonia to the north and Lithuania to the south. It borders Russia to the east and Belarus to t ...
) and Pastavy (present-day Belarus
Belarus, officially the Republic of Belarus, is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe. It is bordered by Russia to the east and northeast, Ukraine to the south, Poland to the west, and Lithuania and Latvia to the northwest. Belarus spans an a ...
) that were closed in 1883 once the school in Rokiškis became more professional.[
It first taught orchestra and choir. In 1883, it added ]fortepiano
A fortepiano is an early piano. In principle, the word "fortepiano" can designate any piano dating from the invention of the instrument by Bartolomeo Cristofori in 1700 up to the early 19th century. Most typically, however, it is used to ref ...
, church organ
Carol Williams performing at the West_Point_Cadet_Chapel.html" ;"title="United States Military Academy West Point Cadet Chapel">United States Military Academy West Point Cadet Chapel.
In music, the organ is a keyboard instrument of one or mo ...
, and hymns sections, but four years later it was downsized to just teach church organs. The school also had a branch in Obeliai, but it closed around 1884.[
The school was located in a one-floor building near the and had only two rooms.][ The school was tuition-free][ and taught boys and girls from Rokiškis and neighboring towns. More gifted students were provided residence and a stipend of six silver ]rubles
The ruble or rouble (; rus, рубль, p=rublʲ) is a currency unit. Currently, currencies named ''ruble'' in circulation include the Russian ruble (RUB, ₽) in Russia and the Belarusian ruble (BYN, Rbl) in Belarus. These currencies are su ...
a month by the Tyzenhaus family. The school had its own orchestra and mixed choir which performed at Rokiškis Manor
Rokiškis Manor () is a former residential manor house, manor in Rokiškis, north-eastern Lithuania. From 1940 to 1942 and again from 1952, the manor house is used by Rokiškis Regional Museum.
Architecture
The original manor house from the 1 ...
and the Church of St. Matthias.[ In 1878, the school performed oratorio '' The Creation'' by ]Joseph Haydn
Franz Joseph Haydn ( ; ; 31 March 173231 May 1809) was an Austrian composer of the Classical period (music), Classical period. He was instrumental in the development of chamber music such as the string quartet and piano trio. His contributions ...
which was translated into Lithuanian by . The school also searched for Lithuanian translators of ''Te Deum'' by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (27 January 1756 – 5 December 1791) was a prolific and influential composer of the Classical period (music), Classical period. Despite his short life, his rapid pace of composition and proficiency from an early age ...
and works by Robert Führer.[
In 1883, Czech was hired to run the school. He was son of organist and composer and was educated 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 ...
by organist .[ Liehmann expanded school curriculum and hoped to reorganize the school into a conservatory, but the Tyzenhaus family were not receptive to the idea and the curriculum was reduced to just church organs in 1887.][ Liehmann improved the school and obtained two church organs and a piano for its needs.][ The education lasted four years and was focused on practice. Liehmann organized the schedule so that each student would practice organs and piano every day. It meant that students practiced from early morning (6 or 7 a.m.) to late night (9 p.m.). Music theory (]solfège
In music, solfège (British English or American English , ) or solfeggio (; ), also called sol-fa, solfa, solfeo, among many names, is a mnemonic used in teaching aural skills, Pitch (music), pitch and sight-reading of Western classical music, W ...
, harmony, basic music theory, basic singing theory, history of musical instruments) was taught for 1.5 hours and singing for one hour a day.[ According to a 1887 report by Liehmann, the students could perform 30 different operatic ]aria
In music, an aria (, ; : , ; ''arias'' in common usage; diminutive form: arietta, ; : ariette; in English simply air (music), air) is a self-contained piece for one voice, with or without instrument (music), instrumental or orchestral accompan ...
s and 22 masses. The repertoire included works by Robert Führer, Julius Otto Grimm
Julius Otto Grimm (6 March 1827 in Pernau, Livonia, now Pärnu, Estonia – 7 December 1903 in Münster) was a German composer, conductor and musician who spent the majority of his professional life in Westphalia. He is most-often remembered toda ...
, František Zdeněk Skuherský, as well as two Easter hymns by Liehmann.[
The school diminished and was closed after Liehmann's death in 1904.][ A music school in Rokiškis was reestablished in 1958 and was named after Liehmann in 2011.][ Courses for church organists were introduced by Rokiškis Culture School (now part of ) in 1991. Since 2000, the school organizes annual church organ festivals.][
]
Directors
The school was headed by:[
* Antanas Kulikauskas (1873–1876)
* Jonas Krupskis (1876)
* Glemitas (1876–1877)
* Pranciškus Matužinskis (1877)
* (1883–1904)
]
Notable alumni
More than 200 students graduated from the school under Liehmann's leadership, among them several musicians who became prominent figures in Lithuanian music during the interwar years:[
* ]Mikas Petrauskas
Mikas Petrauskas (1873–1937) was a Lithuanian composer and choirmaster best known as the author of the first Lithuanian Birutė (opera), opera ''Birutė'' (1906). He was an elder brother of the singer Kipras Petrauskas.
Petrauskas learned to p ...
* Juozas Gruodis
* Juozas Tallat-Kelpša
*
*
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Rokiskis Music School
Educational institutions established in 1873
1873 establishments in the Russian Empire
Educational institutions disestablished in 1904
1904 disestablishments in the Russian Empire
History of education in Lithuania
Music schools in Lithuania
Schools in the Russian Empire