Karel Kovařovic
Karel Kovařovic (Prague, 9 December 1862 – Prague, 6 December 1920) was a Czech composer and conductor.
Portrait by Jan Vilímek
Life
From 1873 to 1879 he studied clarinet, harp and piano at the Prague Conservatory.[1] He began his career as a harpist. In 1900 Kovařovic became the conductor of the national theatre in Prague, due mostly to the success of his opera The Dogheads, after the novel of the same name (about Jan Sladký Kozina) by Alois Jirásek. His engagement at the National Theatre lasted twenty years, until 1920.[1] He composed seven operas.
Kovařovic is most remembered today for the revisions he made to Leoš Janáček's Jenůfa for its premiere in Prague, and it was in his version that the opera was heard for many years.
A recording of The Dogheads, featuring Beno Blachut, exists.
Compositions
Orchestra
- 1880 Předehra veseloherní (Comic overture)
- 1883 Únos Persefony, symphonic poem
- 1887 Concerto in f mineur, for piano and orchestra, op. 6[2]
- 1892 Předehra dramatická (Dramatic overture)
- 1900 Fantasie from the opera "Prodaná nevěsta" of Bedřich Smetana
- Deux suites de ballet
- Gavotta, for violin and string quartet, op. 4
- Havířská polka (Miners' polka) from play Mr Brouček's excursion to the Exhibition (1894)
- Valčík (waltz), for chamber orchestra
Works for wind band
- 1911 Lustspiel Ouverture
- 1914 Vzpomínky
- Havířská polka
Operas
| Years composed | title | acts | première | libretto |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1882–1883 | Ženichové (The Bridgrooms) | 3 acts | 13 May 1884, Prague, Prague National Theatre | Antonín Koukl after Simeon Karel Macháček |
| 1885 | Cesta oknem (The Way through the Window), op. 4 | 1 act | 11 February 1886, Prague, Prague National Theatre | Emanuel František Züngel, after Eugène Scribe and Gustave Lemoine |
| 1890–1891 | Noc Šimona a Judy (The Night of Saint Simon and Jude) | 3 acts | 5 November 1892, Prague National Theatre | Karel Šípek after Pedro Antonio de Alarcón |
| 1891 | Edip král (Oedipus rex) | 3-act opera-parody | 19 March 1894, Prague Žofín Hall | August Vojtěch Nevšímal after Sophocles |
| 1895–1897 | Psohlavci (The Dogheads) | 3 acts, 6 scènes |
24 April 1898, Prague National Theatre | Karel Šípek after Alois Jirásek |
| 1898–1901 | Na Starém bělidle (At the old bleachery) | 4 scènes | 22 November 1901, Prague National Theatre | Karel Šípek afterBožena Němcová |
| 1905 | Slib (The Promise) | Prologue only | 9 December 1921, Prague, Prague National Theatre | Karel Šípek after R Zamrzla |
Ballet
| Composed in | title | acts | première | libretto | choreography |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1884 | Hašiš | 1 act, 2 scenes |
20 June 1884, Prague National Theatre (Národní divadlo) | Václav Reisingra | |
| 1889 | Pohádka o nalezeném štěstí (Fairy tale of found fortune) | 3 acts, 7 scenes |
8 April 1889, Prague National Theatre (Národní divadlo) | Augustin Berger | |
| 1889 | Královničky (Little Queens) | ||||
| 1889 | Sedm havranů (Seven Ravens) | ||||
| 1909 | Na Záletech (Love affairs) | 10 scènes | 1909, Prague | A. Viscusi |
Incidental music
- 1918 Loutkářův sirotek, melodrama – text: Svatopluk Čech "Ve stínu lípy"
- Zlatý kolovrat, melodrama – text: Karel Jaromír Erben
Works for choir
- 1890 Královničky; staré obřadné tance moravské se zpěvy, for women (SSAA) en piano (of harmonium)
Song
- 1880 Osmero písní, for soprano and piano, op. 1
- 1885 Tři žertovné písně (Three humorous songs)
- 1887 Jarní květy (Spring blossoms), for soprano and piano, op. 7
- 1892–1893 Čtyři písně (Four songs), op. 18
- Der Abendstern – text: August Heinrich Hoffmann von Fallersleben
- Gottes Nähe
- Frühlings Mahnung – text: August Heinrich Hoffmann von Fallersleben
- Im Arm der Liebe schlummre ein – text: Georg Scheurlin
- 1897–1898 Dvě písně (Two songs), for soprano or tenor and piano
- 1915 Slovácká píseň, for high voice and piano – text: Ema Destinnová
- 1919 Svítání (Dayspring), for voice and orchestra – text: Vojtěch Martínek
Chamber music
- String quartet No 1 (1885)
- String quartet No 2 (1887)
- String quartet No 3 (1889)
- Romance for violin and piano, op. 2
Works for piano
- 1885 Co ti to napadá, polka
- 1910 Deux valses,
- 1910 Polka
- 1910 Deux mazurkas
- Čtverylka, quadrille
- Národní tance
- Pasačka
- Starodávný
- Holuběnka
- Naše vlast, fantasie
Notes
- Dopisy o životě hudebním i lidském, p. 484
- Karel Kovarovic - Piano Concerto in F-minor, Op.6 on YouTube
References
- Suk, Josef; ed. Jana Vojtěšková (2005). Dopisy o životě hudebním i lidském. Prague: Editio Bärenreiter. ISBN 80-86385-31-0.CS1 maint: extra text: authors list (link)
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