Jan Krtitel Kuchar
Encyclopedia
Jan Křtitel Kuchař, or also (March 5, 1751, Choteč
- February 18, 1829, Prague
) was a Czech organist, harpsichordist, music composer and teacher.
, where he lived out his childhood. He achieved basic music knowledge in Vrchlabí
with the organist Alex Thám. Later he studied at jesuit gymnasia in Hradec Králové
and Jičín
. He was a student of organist Josef Seger
. From 1772 he acted as organist in the Kostel sv. Jindřicha v Praze (Church of St. Jindrich in Prague). In Prague, he also began teaching music in the noble Hartig, Buquoy and Příchovský families. He was active in the teaching of singing, piano and composition.
Kuchař was among the first to recognize the genius of W. A. Mozart and started to propagate it. In the year 1786, he most likely played in the Stavovské divadlo at the premiere of The Marriage of Figaro
and in January 1787 he became acquainted with Mozart on his Prague visit. On October 28 in the same year, he played together with Mozart on harpsichord
at the premiere performance of Don Giovanni
. He wrote piano excerpts from both operas, as well as from the opera Così fan tutte
. In addition, he composed recitatives for an Italian version of The Magic Flute
.
In 1790, Kuchař left the church after being nominated as organist of the Monsastery at Strahov
, in the Kostel Nanebevzetí Panny Marie (Church of the Assumption), on September 1. He also began to perform stand-alone concerts. The influence of Mozart, who in 1787 improvised on the Strahov organ, is perceptible in Kuchař's music and it also led Kuchař to Freemasonry
in Prague. From 1791, he performed as harpsichordist of the Pražská operní společnost (Prague Opera Society). On September 6, 1791, he likely played at the premiere of Mozart's opera La clemenza di Tito
. In this period he composed a series of organ and chamber compositions, especially for the Strahov choir.
. However a few organ works include hints of early Romanticism
.
His most known works are two organ concertos, concert fantaisies, fugue
s, toccata
s and others.
Chotec (Jicín District)
Choteč is a small village in the Hradec Králové Region of the Czech Republic. It has around 180 inhabitants.-External links:*...
- February 18, 1829, Prague
Prague
Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Situated in the north-west of the country on the Vltava river, the city is home to about 1.3 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 2.3 million...
) was a Czech organist, harpsichordist, music composer and teacher.
Biography
Soon after his birth, Kuchař's parents moved to MlázoviceMlázovice
Mlázovice is a market town and municipality in Jičín District in the Hradec Králové Region of the Czech Republic. -References:...
, where he lived out his childhood. He achieved basic music knowledge in Vrchlabí
Vrchlabí
Vrchlabí is a town in the Czech Republic in the Giant Mountains . Nowadays it has about 13,000 inhabitants. It is notable for having a large Škoda Auto factory located there.-External links:***...
with the organist Alex Thám. Later he studied at jesuit gymnasia in Hradec Králové
Hradec Králové
Hradec Králové is a city of the Czech Republic, in the Hradec Králové Region of Bohemia. The city's economy is based on food-processing technology, photochemical, and electronics manufacture. Traditional industries include musical instrument manufacturing – the best known being PETROF pianos...
and Jičín
Jicín
Jičín is a town in the Hradec Králové Region of the Czech Republic. It lies approximately 85 km northeast of Prague in the scenic region of the Bohemian Paradise under the Prachov Rocks ....
. He was a student of organist Josef Seger
Josef Seger
Josef Seger was a Bohemian organist, composer, and educator...
. From 1772 he acted as organist in the Kostel sv. Jindřicha v Praze (Church of St. Jindrich in Prague). In Prague, he also began teaching music in the noble Hartig, Buquoy and Příchovský families. He was active in the teaching of singing, piano and composition.
Kuchař was among the first to recognize the genius of W. A. Mozart and started to propagate it. In the year 1786, he most likely played in the Stavovské divadlo at the premiere of The Marriage of Figaro
The Marriage of Figaro
Le nozze di Figaro, ossia la folle giornata , K. 492, is an opera buffa composed in 1786 in four acts by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, with Italian libretto by Lorenzo Da Ponte, based on a stage comedy by Pierre Beaumarchais, La folle journée, ou le Mariage de Figaro .Although the play by...
and in January 1787 he became acquainted with Mozart on his Prague visit. On October 28 in the same year, he played together with Mozart on harpsichord
Harpsichord
A harpsichord is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It produces sound by plucking a string when a key is pressed.In the narrow sense, "harpsichord" designates only the large wing-shaped instruments in which the strings are perpendicular to the keyboard...
at the premiere performance of Don Giovanni
Don Giovanni
Don Giovanni is an opera in two acts with music by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and with an Italian libretto by Lorenzo Da Ponte. It was premiered by the Prague Italian opera at the Teatro di Praga on October 29, 1787...
. He wrote piano excerpts from both operas, as well as from the opera Così fan tutte
Così fan tutte
Così fan tutte, ossia La scuola degli amanti K. 588, is an opera buffa by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart first performed in 1790. The libretto was written by Lorenzo Da Ponte....
. In addition, he composed recitatives for an Italian version of The Magic Flute
The Magic Flute
The Magic Flute is an opera in two acts composed in 1791 by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart to a German libretto by Emanuel Schikaneder. The work is in the form of a Singspiel, a popular form that included both singing and spoken dialogue....
.
In 1790, Kuchař left the church after being nominated as organist of the Monsastery at Strahov
Strahov
Strahov may refer to:* Strahov ** Strahov Monastery in Prague** Strahov Stadium in Prague* Strahov , Tachov* Strahov – a hill south from Železná Ruda, Bohemian Forest...
, in the Kostel Nanebevzetí Panny Marie (Church of the Assumption), on September 1. He also began to perform stand-alone concerts. The influence of Mozart, who in 1787 improvised on the Strahov organ, is perceptible in Kuchař's music and it also led Kuchař to Freemasonry
Freemasonry
Freemasonry is a fraternal organisation that arose from obscure origins in the late 16th to early 17th century. Freemasonry now exists in various forms all over the world, with a membership estimated at around six million, including approximately 150,000 under the jurisdictions of the Grand Lodge...
in Prague. From 1791, he performed as harpsichordist of the Pražská operní společnost (Prague Opera Society). On September 6, 1791, he likely played at the premiere of Mozart's opera La clemenza di Tito
La clemenza di Tito
La clemenza di Tito , K. 621, is an opera seria in two acts composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart to an Italian libretto by Caterino Mazzolà, after Metastasio...
. In this period he composed a series of organ and chamber compositions, especially for the Strahov choir.
Works
Despite his contemporary success, he is not a notable composer of Classical periodClassical period (music)
The dates of the Classical Period in Western music are generally accepted as being between about 1750 and 1830. However, the term classical music is used colloquially to describe a variety of Western musical styles from the ninth century to the present, and especially from the sixteenth or...
. However a few organ works include hints of early Romanticism
Romanticism
Romanticism was an artistic, literary and intellectual movement that originated in the second half of the 18th century in Europe, and gained strength in reaction to the Industrial Revolution...
.
His most known works are two organ concertos, concert fantaisies, fugue
Fugue
In music, a fugue is a compositional technique in two or more voices, built on a subject that is introduced at the beginning in imitation and recurs frequently in the course of the composition....
s, toccata
Toccata
Toccata is a virtuoso piece of music typically for a keyboard or plucked string instrument featuring fast-moving, lightly fingered or otherwise virtuosic passages or sections, with or without imitative or fugal interludes, generally emphasizing the dexterity of the performer's fingers...
s and others.