Josef Bohuslav Foerster
Encyclopedia
Josef Bohuslav Foerster (30 December 1859 – 29 May 1951) was a Czech composer
of classical music. He is often referred to as J. B. Foerster. The surname is sometimes spelled Förster.
. His was a musical family normally living in Prague
, where his father, a composer also named Josef Foerster, taught at the Conservatory
. (His father's students included Franz Lehár
.) His brother was artist Viktor Foerster
. Josef was educated accordingly, and duly studied there. He also showed an early interest in the theatre, and even thought of becoming an actor. From 1884 he worked as a critic, and he would prove to be a writer of distinction. In 1893 he married the leading Czech soprano Berta Lautererová
(Bertha Lauterer) in Hamburg
, during ten years making his living there as a critic, and she was engaged at the Hamburg Staatsoper. In 1901 he became a teacher at the Hamburg Conservatory. In 1903 Berta went to sing at the Vienna Hofoper, and so Josef moved there with her, continuing to make a living as a music critic. He returned to Prague on the foundation of the Czechoslovak Republic
in 1918, thereafter teaching at the conservatory and the university.
In 1946 he was declared a National Composer. He died in Nový Vestec
.
Foerster's opera Eva, is another example, like Leoš Janáček
's Jenůfa
, of a libretto based on a play by Gabriela Preissová
, though his treatment differs.
His compositions include five symphonies
(No. 1 in D minor; No. 2 in F, Op. 29 (1892-8) ; No. 3, Op. 36 ; No. 4 in C minor, Op. 54, "Easter Eve" (1905); and No. 5, Op. 141 (1929) ), other orchestral works including a symphonic poem
based on Cyrano de Bergerac
, much chamber music (including five string quartet
s (No. 1 in E, Op. 15; No. 2, Op. 39; No. 3 in C, Op. 61; No. 4 in F, Op. 182 (1943); and the last, written 1950-1, completed by Jan Hanuš
); three piano trio
s, two violin and two cello sonatas, and a several-times-recorded wind quintet
), at least five opera
s (notably Eva), concerto
s for cello (Op. 143) and two for violin (No. 1 in C minor, Op. 88 (1911) ; No. 2 in D minor, Op. 104), liturgical
music, among other works, over 170 published opus number
s in all.
Many of his works remember family members: the 2nd Symphony is dedicated to his sister Marie; his brother's death led to the cantata Mortuis fratribus; his son is commemorated in the Piano Trio and the 5th Symphony; and his mother is a theme throughout his oeuvre.
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
of classical music. He is often referred to as J. B. Foerster. The surname is sometimes spelled Förster.
Life
Foerster was born in PraguePrague
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...
. His was a musical family normally living in 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...
, where his father, a composer also named Josef Foerster, taught at the Conservatory
Prague Conservatory
Prague Conservatory, sometimes also Prague Conservatoire, in Czech Pražská konzervatoř, is a Czech secondary school in Prague dedicated to teaching the arts of music and theater acting.- Instruction :...
. (His father's students included Franz Lehár
Franz Lehár
Franz Lehár was an Austrian-Hungarian composer. He is mainly known for his operettas of which the most successful and best known is The Merry Widow .-Biography:...
.) His brother was artist Viktor Foerster
Viktor Foerster
Viktor Foerster was a Czech painter and mosaic artist.He was the son of the composer Josef Foerster and younger brother of the composer Josef Bohuslav Foerster....
. Josef was educated accordingly, and duly studied there. He also showed an early interest in the theatre, and even thought of becoming an actor. From 1884 he worked as a critic, and he would prove to be a writer of distinction. In 1893 he married the leading Czech soprano Berta Lautererová
Berta Foersterová
Berta Foersterová was a Czech operatic soprano active in Germany. The wife of composer Josef Bohuslav Foerster, she met him while appearing at the Hamburg State Opera...
(Bertha Lauterer) in Hamburg
Hamburg
-History:The first historic name for the city was, according to Claudius Ptolemy's reports, Treva.But the city takes its modern name, Hamburg, from the first permanent building on the site, a castle whose construction was ordered by the Emperor Charlemagne in AD 808...
, during ten years making his living there as a critic, and she was engaged at the Hamburg Staatsoper. In 1901 he became a teacher at the Hamburg Conservatory. In 1903 Berta went to sing at the Vienna Hofoper, and so Josef moved there with her, continuing to make a living as a music critic. He returned to Prague on the foundation of the Czechoslovak Republic
Czechoslovak Republic (1918–1938)
The First Czechoslovak Republic , refers to the first Czechoslovak state that existed from 1918 to 1938. The state was commonly called Czechoslovakia . It was composed of Bohemia, Moravia, Czech Silesia, Slovakia and Subcarpathian Ruthenia...
in 1918, thereafter teaching at the conservatory and the university.
In 1946 he was declared a National Composer. He died in Nový Vestec
Nový Vestec
Nový Vestec is a village and municipality in Prague-East District in the Central Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic. -References:*This article was initially translated from the Czech Wikipedia....
.
Style
Foerster produced numerous compositions. His music is not nationalistic in the sense of employing the idioms of Czech folk music. His work, words and music, is considered very subjective and personal, mystical and idealistic.Foerster's opera Eva, is another example, like Leoš Janáček
Leoš Janácek
Leoš Janáček was a Czech composer, musical theorist, folklorist, publicist and teacher. He was inspired by Moravian and all Slavic folk music to create an original, modern musical style. Until 1895 he devoted himself mainly to folkloristic research and his early musical output was influenced by...
's Jenůfa
Jenufa
Jenůfa is an opera in three acts by Leoš Janáček to a Czech libretto by the composer, based on the play Její pastorkyňa by Gabriela Preissová. It was first performed at the Brno Theater, Brno, 21 January 1904...
, of a libretto based on a play by Gabriela Preissová
Gabriela Preissová
Gabriela Preissová, née Gabriela Sekerová, sometimes used pen name Matylda Dumontová , was a Czech writer and playwright. Her play Její pastorkyňa was the basis for the opera Jenůfa by Leoš Janáček...
, though his treatment differs.
His compositions include five symphonies
Symphony
A symphony is an extended musical composition in Western classical music, scored almost always for orchestra. A symphony usually contains at least one movement or episode composed according to the sonata principle...
(No. 1 in D minor; No. 2 in F, Op. 29 (1892-8) ; No. 3, Op. 36 ; No. 4 in C minor, Op. 54, "Easter Eve" (1905); and No. 5, Op. 141 (1929) ), other orchestral works including a symphonic poem
Symphonic poem
A symphonic poem or tone poem is a piece of orchestral music in a single continuous section in which the content of a poem, a story or novel, a painting, a landscape or another source is illustrated or evoked. The term was first applied by Hungarian composer Franz Liszt to his 13 works in this vein...
based on Cyrano de Bergerac
Cyrano de Bergerac
Hercule-Savinien de Cyrano de Bergerac was a French dramatist and duelist. He is now best remembered for the works of fiction which have been woven, often very loosely, around his life story, most notably the 1897 play by Edmond Rostand...
, much chamber music (including five string quartet
String quartet
A string quartet is a musical ensemble of four string players – usually two violin players, a violist and a cellist – or a piece written to be performed by such a group...
s (No. 1 in E, Op. 15; No. 2, Op. 39; No. 3 in C, Op. 61; No. 4 in F, Op. 182 (1943); and the last, written 1950-1, completed by Jan Hanuš
Jan Hanuš
Jan Hanuš was a prolific Czech composer of the 20th century. Almost every category of composition is represented among his works, many of which are overtly political, expressing in turn anti-Nazi, anti-Fascist and anti-Communist sentiments.-Biography:Hanuš studied composition independently with...
); three piano trio
Piano trio
A piano trio is a group of piano and two other instruments, usually a violin and a cello, or a piece of music written for such a group. It is one of the most common forms found in classical chamber music...
s, two violin and two cello sonatas, and a several-times-recorded wind quintet
Wind quintet
A wind quintet, also sometimes known as a woodwind quintet, is a group of five wind players . The term also applies to a composition for such a group....
), at least five opera
Opera
Opera is an art form in which singers and musicians perform a dramatic work combining text and musical score, usually in a theatrical setting. Opera incorporates many of the elements of spoken theatre, such as acting, scenery, and costumes and sometimes includes dance...
s (notably Eva), concerto
Concerto
A concerto is a musical work usually composed in three parts or movements, in which one solo instrument is accompanied by an orchestra.The etymology is uncertain, but the word seems to have originated from the conjunction of the two Latin words...
s for cello (Op. 143) and two for violin (No. 1 in C minor, Op. 88 (1911) ; No. 2 in D minor, Op. 104), liturgical
Liturgy
Liturgy is either the customary public worship done by a specific religious group, according to its particular traditions or a more precise term that distinguishes between those religious groups who believe their ritual requires the "people" to do the "work" of responding to the priest, and those...
music, among other works, over 170 published opus number
Opus number
An Opus number , pl. opera and opuses, abbreviated, sing. Op. and pl. Opp. refers to a number generally assigned by composers to an individual composition or set of compositions on publication, to help identify their works...
s in all.
Many of his works remember family members: the 2nd Symphony is dedicated to his sister Marie; his brother's death led to the cantata Mortuis fratribus; his son is commemorated in the Piano Trio and the 5th Symphony; and his mother is a theme throughout his oeuvre.
Symphonies
- Symphony No. 1, in D minor, Op. 12
- Symphony No. 2, in F major, Op. 29
- Symphony No. 3, in D major, Op. 36
- Symphony No. 4, 'Easter Eve' in C minor, Op. 54
- Symphony No. 5, Op. 141
Other orchestral and concertante
- Cyrano de Bergerac, suite for large orchestra, Op. 55
- Slavnostní, overture (1907), Op. 70
- From Shakespeare, for orchestra, Op. 76
- Ballade for violin and orchestra, Op. 92
- Springtime and Desire, for orchestra, Op. 93
- Capriccio for flute and orchestra, Op. 193b
- Klekání, for chorus and orchestra, Op. 151
- In Den Bergen, for orchestra, Op. 7
Chamber music and solo works
- Scherzo for piano, Op. 11
- Erotikon for piano, Op. 23
- Fantasy for violin and piano, Op. 128
- Impromptu for organ, Op. 135
- Nonet, Op. 147
- Little suite for two violins, Op. 183
- String quartet no.1 in E major, Op.15 (1888-93)
- Cello sonata no.1 in F minor, Op. 45 (published 1905)
Choral works
- Te Deum Laudamus, Op. 32
- MissaMass (music)The Mass, a form of sacred musical composition, is a choral composition that sets the invariable portions of the Eucharistic liturgy to music...
in Honorem Sc. Methodii (pub. around 1884), Op. 35 - Choruses for male voices, Op. 37
- Missa bohemica, Op. 38
- Stabat mater for mixed chorus and organ, Op. 56
- Missa in honorem sanctissimae trinitatis (1940), Op. 170