Stevan Stojanovic Mokranjac
Encyclopedia
Stevan Stojanović Mokranjac (stê̞v̞aːn sto̞jǎːno̞v̞iʨ mo̞krǎːɲaʦ; Serbian Cyrillic: Стеван Стојановић Мокрањац)(January 9, 1856–1914) was a Serbia
n composer
and music educator. His work was essential in bringing the spirit of Valach Serbian unwritten folk poems into organized art.
. From the birthplace of his parents he drew the second last name Mokranjac (literally: resident of Mokranje
).
He graduated from the Belgrade
high school, and attended the natural science and mathematics section of the University of Belgrade. In 1879 he traveled to Munich
where he studied music in the class of Josef Rheinberger
. After a brief break, he continued to study in Rome
in the class of Parisotti, in 1884. Returning to Serbia
in 1884 he briefly became the conductor of the Kornelije Stanković
choir of Belgrade.
From 1885 to 1887 he studied music in Leipzig
, Germany
. Upon his return to Serbia in 1887 he became the conductor of the Belgrade singing society (Belgrade Choir). From 1887 to 1900 he taught music at the Belgrade high school, and in 1901 transferred to Bogoslovija (Belgrade Theological College) where he taught church singing. Together with Stanislav Binički
and Cvetko Manojlović, Mokranjac founded the first independent music school in 1899 - Serbian Music School in Belgrade. He remains the director of this school until his death. Today the school bears his name. His work as a melograph
bore many transcriptions of thus far unwritten folk songs.
Stevan Mokranjac died in Skopje
, Macedonia
(then Kingdom of Serbia
), aged 58.
Every year, the town of Negotin organizes a music festival in his honor called Mokranjčevi dani (Days of Mokranjac). The town also has a Mokranjac museum.
His life was highly influenced by church
and folk songs, and he used these two types of music as inspiration for his work. His most famous pieces are the fifteen Rukoveti (Potpourri; literally: "handfuls" or "bunches") - a collection of songs and music (orchestral suites) based on motives of Serbian folk music from Bosnia and Herzegovina
, Serbia Proper, Montenegro
, Kosovo and Metohija
, Macedonia
and Bulgaria
. His other prominent folk-based works include Primorski napjevi (Coastland tunes), and Kozar.
A significant number of his works were made for church services. Such as the Božanstvena Liturgija Svetog Jovana Zlatoustog
(The Divine Liturgy of St. Chrysostom), from which the Heruvimska pesma (Cherubic hymn
) is most famous. Another two famous religious pieces are Tebe Boga hvalim (Te Deum
) and Veličanije Sv. Savi (Megalynarion
to St. Sava).
Serbia
Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...
n composer
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...
and music educator. His work was essential in bringing the spirit of Valach Serbian unwritten folk poems into organized art.
Biography
He was born in NegotinNegotin
Negotin is a town and municipality in the Bor District of north-eastern Central Serbia. It is situated near the borders between Serbia, Romania and Bulgaria. It is the judicial center of the Bor District. The population of the town is 16,716 while municipality has 36,879.-Name:The etymology of the...
. From the birthplace of his parents he drew the second last name Mokranjac (literally: resident of Mokranje
Mokranje
Mokranje or Mocrani in Romanian is a village in the municipality of Negotin, Serbia. According to the 2002 census, the village has a population of 710 people....
).
He graduated from the Belgrade
Belgrade
Belgrade is the capital and largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers, where the Pannonian Plain meets the Balkans. According to official results of Census 2011, the city has a population of 1,639,121. It is one of the 15 largest cities in Europe...
high school, and attended the natural science and mathematics section of the University of Belgrade. In 1879 he traveled to Munich
Munich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
where he studied music in the class of Josef Rheinberger
Josef Rheinberger
Josef Gabriel Rheinberger was a German organist and composer, born in Liechtenstein.-Short biography:...
. After a brief break, he continued to study in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
in the class of Parisotti, in 1884. Returning to Serbia
Kingdom of Serbia
The Kingdom of Serbia was created when Prince Milan Obrenović, ruler of the Principality of Serbia, was crowned King in 1882. The Principality of Serbia was ruled by the Karađorđevic dynasty from 1817 onwards . The Principality, suzerain to the Porte, had expelled all Ottoman troops by 1867, de...
in 1884 he briefly became the conductor of the Kornelije Stanković
Kornelije Stankovic
Kornelije Stanković was a Serbian composer, said to have marked an era not only in Serbian, but also in South Slavic musical art.-External links:***...
choir of Belgrade.
From 1885 to 1887 he studied music in Leipzig
Leipzig
Leipzig Leipzig has always been a trade city, situated during the time of the Holy Roman Empire at the intersection of the Via Regia and Via Imperii, two important trade routes. At one time, Leipzig was one of the major European centres of learning and culture in fields such as music and publishing...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. Upon his return to Serbia in 1887 he became the conductor of the Belgrade singing society (Belgrade Choir). From 1887 to 1900 he taught music at the Belgrade high school, and in 1901 transferred to Bogoslovija (Belgrade Theological College) where he taught church singing. Together with Stanislav Binički
Stanislav Binicki
Stanislav Binički , was a Serbian composer, conductor, and pedagogue.Binički, who was born in Jasika, Kruševac, is considered to be one of the most famous representatives of Serbian classical music...
and Cvetko Manojlović, Mokranjac founded the first independent music school in 1899 - Serbian Music School in Belgrade. He remains the director of this school until his death. Today the school bears his name. His work as a melograph
Melograph
The Melograph, similar to the Melodiograph, is a mechanical apparatus for ethnomusicological transcription usually producing some sort of graph that can be preserved and filed, similar to a recording of music...
bore many transcriptions of thus far unwritten folk songs.
Stevan Mokranjac died in Skopje
Skopje
Skopje is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Macedonia with about a third of the total population. It is the country's political, cultural, economic, and academic centre...
, Macedonia
Republic of Macedonia
Macedonia , officially the Republic of Macedonia , is a country located in the central Balkan peninsula in Southeast Europe. It is one of the successor states of the former Yugoslavia, from which it declared independence in 1991...
(then Kingdom of Serbia
Kingdom of Serbia
The Kingdom of Serbia was created when Prince Milan Obrenović, ruler of the Principality of Serbia, was crowned King in 1882. The Principality of Serbia was ruled by the Karađorđevic dynasty from 1817 onwards . The Principality, suzerain to the Porte, had expelled all Ottoman troops by 1867, de...
), aged 58.
Every year, the town of Negotin organizes a music festival in his honor called Mokranjčevi dani (Days of Mokranjac). The town also has a Mokranjac museum.
Works
Religious music
Religious music is music performed or composed for religious use or through religious influence.A lot of music has been composed to complement religion, and many composers have derived inspiration from their own religion. Many forms of traditional music have been adapted to fit religions'...
and folk songs, and he used these two types of music as inspiration for his work. His most famous pieces are the fifteen Rukoveti (Potpourri; literally: "handfuls" or "bunches") - a collection of songs and music (orchestral suites) based on motives of Serbian folk music from Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina , sometimes called Bosnia-Herzegovina or simply Bosnia, is a country in Southern Europe, on the Balkan Peninsula. Bordered by Croatia to the north, west and south, Serbia to the east, and Montenegro to the southeast, Bosnia and Herzegovina is almost landlocked, except for the...
, Serbia Proper, Montenegro
Montenegro
Montenegro Montenegrin: Crna Gora Црна Гора , meaning "Black Mountain") is a country located in Southeastern Europe. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea to the south-west and is bordered by Croatia to the west, Bosnia and Herzegovina to the northwest, Serbia to the northeast and Albania to the...
, Kosovo and Metohija
Kosovo
Kosovo is a region in southeastern Europe. Part of the Ottoman Empire for more than five centuries, later the Autonomous Province of Kosovo and Metohija within Serbia...
, Macedonia
Republic of Macedonia
Macedonia , officially the Republic of Macedonia , is a country located in the central Balkan peninsula in Southeast Europe. It is one of the successor states of the former Yugoslavia, from which it declared independence in 1991...
and Bulgaria
Bulgaria
Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
. His other prominent folk-based works include Primorski napjevi (Coastland tunes), and Kozar.
A significant number of his works were made for church services. Such as the Božanstvena Liturgija Svetog Jovana Zlatoustog
Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom (Mokranjac)
The Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom is a work by the prominent Serbian composer Stevan Mokranjac , composed in 1895...
(The Divine Liturgy of St. Chrysostom), from which the Heruvimska pesma (Cherubic hymn
Cherubikon
The Cherubikon, or Cherubic Hymn, is the troparion normally sung at the Great Entrance during the Byzantine liturgy. The hymn is sung in the Eastern Orthodox Church and the Eastern Catholic Churches. The hymn symbolically incorporates those present at the liturgy into the presence of the angels...
) is most famous. Another two famous religious pieces are Tebe Boga hvalim (Te Deum
Te Deum
The Te Deum is an early Christian hymn of praise. The title is taken from its opening Latin words, Te Deum laudamus, rendered literally as "Thee, O God, we praise"....
) and Veličanije Sv. Savi (Megalynarion
Megalynarion
The term Megalynarion is used to describe several hymns in the Eastern Orthodox Church and those Eastern Catholic Churches which follow the Byzantine Rite...
to St. Sava).
Other
- Statija treća
- Tebe pojem
- Aliluja (AlleluiaAlleluiaThe word "Alleluia" or "Hallelujah" , which at its most literal means "Praise Yah", is used in different ways in Christian liturgies....
after the Cherubikon) - Aliluja (Alleluia after the TrisagionTrisagionThe Trisagion , sometimes called by its opening line Agios O Theos or by the Latin Tersanctus, is a standard hymn of the Divine Liturgy in most of the Eastern Orthodox Churches, Oriental Orthodox Churches and Catholic Churches.In those Churches which use the Byzantine Rite, the Trisagion is chanted...
) - Budi imja Gospodnje
- Cherubic Hymn (Heruvimska pesma)
- Dve pesme na veliki petak
- Akatist
- Opelo
- Tebe Boga hvalim
- Kozar
- Mnogaja ljeta
- Molitvami Bogorodici
- Njest svjat