Ján Cikker
Encyclopedia
Ján Cikker was a Slovak
composer, a leading exponent of modern Slovak classical music. He was awarded the title National Artist in Slovakia
, the Herder Prize
(1966) and the UNESCO
Prize (1979).
, today Slovakia, in Banská Bystrica
. His first music teachers were his mother, Mária Psotková, and Viliam Figuš-Bystrý
. After he graduated from the high school, he studied at the Prague Conservatory
from 1930 to 1935, where he attended courses of composition of Jaroslav Křička
, of conducting and organ. He then studied at the Master's School of the Prague
Conservatory from 1935 to 1946, where he was a student of Vítězslav Novák
. Later on, he moved to Vienna
, where he studied with Felix Weingartner
from 1936-1937.
From 1939 to 1949, he taught at the Bratislava
Conservatory. At the same time he was a repertory advisor of the opera of the Slovak National Theatre
from 1945 to 1948. He was forced to leave this post after the communist takeover of Czechoslovakia in 1948. Finally, he worked as professor for composition at the Bratislava Academy of Music and Dramatic Arts (VŠMÚ
), where he was the teacher of many Slovak composers. He died in Bratislava
, where a museum in his name has opened.
Slovaks
The Slovaks, Slovak people, or Slovakians are a West Slavic people that primarily inhabit Slovakia and speak the Slovak language, which is closely related to the Czech language.Most Slovaks today live within the borders of the independent Slovakia...
composer, a leading exponent of modern Slovak classical music. He was awarded the title National Artist in Slovakia
Slovakia
The Slovak Republic is a landlocked state in Central Europe. It has a population of over five million and an area of about . Slovakia is bordered by the Czech Republic and Austria to the west, Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east and Hungary to the south...
, the Herder Prize
Herder Prize
The Herder Prize, established in 1963 and named for Johann Gottfried von Herder, was a prestigious international prize dedicated to the promotion of scientific, art and literature relations, and presented to scholars and artists from Central and Southeastern Europe whose life and work have improved...
(1966) and the UNESCO
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
Prize (1979).
Life
Cikker was born in former Austria-HungaryAustria-Hungary
Austria-Hungary , more formally known as the Kingdoms and Lands Represented in the Imperial Council and the Lands of the Holy Hungarian Crown of Saint Stephen, was a constitutional monarchic union between the crowns of the Austrian Empire and the Kingdom of Hungary in...
, today Slovakia, in Banská Bystrica
Banská Bystrica
Banská Bystrica is a key city in central Slovakia located on the Hron River in a long and wide valley encircled by the mountain chains of the Low Tatras, the Veľká Fatra, and the Kremnica Mountains. With 81,281 inhabitants, Banská Bystrica is the sixth most populous municipality in Slovakia...
. His first music teachers were his mother, Mária Psotková, and Viliam Figuš-Bystrý
Viliam Figuš-Bystrý
Viliam Figuš-Bystrý was a Slovak composer, teacher and author of the first Slovak national opera Detvan....
. After he graduated from the high school, he studied at the Prague 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 :...
from 1930 to 1935, where he attended courses of composition of Jaroslav Křička
Jaroslav Kricka
Jaroslav Křička was a Czech composer.He was born in Kelč and died in Prague.In 1936 he won a bronze medal in the art competitions of the Olympic Games for his "Mountain Suite".-External links:*...
, of conducting and organ. He then studied at the Master's School of the 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...
Conservatory from 1935 to 1946, where he was a student of Vítězslav Novák
Vítezslav Novák
Vítězslav Novák was one of the most well-respected Czech composers and pedagogues, almost singlehandedly founding a mid-century Czech school of composition...
. Later on, he moved to Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
, where he studied with Felix Weingartner
Felix Weingartner
Paul Felix von Weingartner, Edler von Münzberg was an Austrian conductor, composer and pianist.-Biography:...
from 1936-1937.
From 1939 to 1949, he taught at the Bratislava
Bratislava
Bratislava is the capital of Slovakia and, with a population of about 431,000, also the country's largest city. Bratislava is in southwestern Slovakia on both banks of the Danube River. Bordering Austria and Hungary, it is the only national capital that borders two independent countries.Bratislava...
Conservatory. At the same time he was a repertory advisor of the opera of the Slovak National Theatre
Slovak National Theatre
The Slovak National Theatre denotes:* the oldest Slovak professional theatre consisting of 3 ensembles ,* a Neo-Renaissance theatre building in the Old Town of Bratislava, Slovakia, which formerly housed two of the theatre's ensembles , and* the theatre's large modern theatre building in...
from 1945 to 1948. He was forced to leave this post after the communist takeover of Czechoslovakia in 1948. Finally, he worked as professor for composition at the Bratislava Academy of Music and Dramatic Arts (VŠMÚ
Academy of Performing Arts in Bratislava
The Academy of Performing Arts in Bratislava is a university founded on June 9, 1949.The university consists of three faculties:*Theatre Faculty...
), where he was the teacher of many Slovak composers. He died in Bratislava
Bratislava
Bratislava is the capital of Slovakia and, with a population of about 431,000, also the country's largest city. Bratislava is in southwestern Slovakia on both banks of the Danube River. Bordering Austria and Hungary, it is the only national capital that borders two independent countries.Bratislava...
, where a museum in his name has opened.
Characteristics
His pronounced style is characterized by a typical richness of contrasting moods and characters (dance, expressive, lyrical pronunciation), and by the emphasis on humane and ethical conduct. His first creative works were prevailingly instrumental, from the 1950s he added opera pieces.Major works
- cycle of symphonic poems O živote – Leto, Vojak a matka, Ráno (About life – Summer, Soldier and Mother, Morning; 1941-1946)
- operas: Juro Jánošík (1950-1953, libretto by Štefan HozaŠtefan HozaŠtefan Hoza was a Slovak operatic tenor, actor, librettist, educator, music publicist and historian....
), Beg Bajazid (1955-1956, libretto by Štefan Hoza), Mister Scrooge (1958-1959, alternative name Tiene /Shadows/, after Charles DickensCharles DickensCharles John Huffam Dickens was an English novelist, generally considered the greatest of the Victorian period. Dickens enjoyed a wider popularity and fame than had any previous author during his lifetime, and he remains popular, having been responsible for some of English literature's most iconic...
's A Christmas CarolA Christmas CarolA Christmas Carol is a novella by English author Charles Dickens first published by Chapman & Hall on 17 December 1843. The story tells of sour and stingy Ebenezer Scrooge's ideological, ethical, and emotional transformation after the supernatural visits of Jacob Marley and the Ghosts of...
), VzkriesenieVzkriesenieVzkriesenie is an opera by Ján Cikker. It is based on Leo Tolstoy's last novel, Resurrection ....
(1960; Resurrection, after TolstoyTolstoyTolstoy, or Tolstoi is a prominent family of Russian nobility, descending from Andrey Kharitonovich Tolstoy who served under Vasily II of Moscow...
's novelResurrection (novel)Resurrection , first published in 1899, was the last novel written by Leo Tolstoy. The book is the last of his major long fiction works published in his lifetime . Tolstoy intended the novel as an exposition of injustice of man-made laws and the hypocrisy of institutionalized church...
), Hra o láske a srmti (Play of Love and Death, after Romain RollandRomain RollandRomain Rolland was a French dramatist, novelist, essayist, art historian and mystic who was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1915.-Biography:...
), Coriolanus (1970-72; after Shakespeare's playCoriolanus (play)Coriolanus is a tragedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written between 1605 and 1608. The play is based on the life of the legendary Roman leader, Gaius Marcius Coriolanus.-Characters:*Caius Martius, later surnamed Coriolanus...
), Obliehanie Bystrice (1969-1971; The Siege of BystricaBanská BystricaBanská Bystrica is a key city in central Slovakia located on the Hron River in a long and wide valley encircled by the mountain chains of the Low Tatras, the Veľká Fatra, and the Kremnica Mountains. With 81,281 inhabitants, Banská Bystrica is the sixth most populous municipality in Slovakia...
after Kálmán MikszáthKálmán MikszáthKálmán Mikszáth de Kiscsoltó was a major Hungarian novelist, journalist, and politician.-Biography:Mikszáth was born in Szklabonya, Upper Hungary into a family of the lesser nobility...
), Zo života hmyzu (1983-86; after Karel ČapekKarel CapekKarel Čapek was Czech writer of the 20th century.-Biography:Born in 1890 in the Bohemian mountain village of Malé Svatoňovice to an overbearing, emotional mother and a distant yet adored father, Čapek was the youngest of three siblings...
's and Josef ČapekJosef CapekJosef Čapek was a Czech artist who was best known as a painter, but who was also noted as a writer and a poet. He invented the word robot, which was introduced into literature by his brother, Karel Čapek.- Biography :...
's play Pictures from the Insects' LifePictures from the Insects' LifePictures from the Insects' Life , also known as Insect Play or The Life of the Insects, is a satirical play in the Czech language written by the brothers Karel Čapek and Josef Čapek. It was published in 1921 and premiered in 1922...
), Antigona (1987-89, unfinished; after SophoclesSophoclesSophocles is one of three ancient Greek tragedians whose plays have survived. His first plays were written later than those of Aeschylus, and earlier than or contemporary with those of Euripides...
's playAntigone (Sophocles)Antigone is a tragedy by Sophocles written in or before 442 BC. Chronologically, it is the third of the three Theban plays but was written first...
)) - chamber and orchestral pieces: Slovenská suita (1943; Slovak suite), Spomienky (1947; Memories), Meditácie na Schützovu tému (1964; Meditations about the Schütz theme), Štúdie k činohre (1944; Studies for a theatre play)
- song cycle: O mamičke (1940; About Dear Mum)
- adaptations of folk songs
- theatre and film music (Varúj!)
- music for folk dance groups, e.g. for SĽUK (Slovak Folk Art Collective), Lúčnica and VÚS.