Karel Reiner
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Karel Reiner (27 June 1910 - 17 October 1979) was Czech composer and pianist, persecuted by Nazis as Jew and by communists as formalist. He was the only classical composer to survive the concentration camp in Theresienstadt.
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[edit] Life
He was born in Žatec into the jewish family. His father Josef was kantor in Žatec synagogue. He studied laws, acquired degree of doctor in 1934. In 1929 - 30 he also studied composition privately with Alois Hába and composed Fantasia for quarter - tone piano. In 1931 he graduated from the master school of composition with Orchestral suite, as the student of Josef Suk (composer). Reiner was also concert pianist, cooperated with Theatre of Emil František Burian (1934 - 38). During the World War II. he was imprisoned in German concentration camps - first in Theresienstadt (deported on 7 July 1947), he participated on musical activities there, created incidental music for play Esther, directed by Norbert Frýd. Later (28 September 1944) was deported to Auschwitz-Birkenau, to Landsberg and finally to Kaufering (part of Dachau). After the death march and liberation he returned to Prague, where he reunited his wife Hana (she also survived concentration camps). He had problems with czech citizenship after the war, even though as adult he considered himself always as Czech, not Jew or German.[1] He began to participate in music life again, but soon after the communist Victorious February in 1948 was accused of formalism. He was member of Communist Party of Czechoslovakia since 1948, but he leaved in 1969. He died in Prague in 1979.
[edit] Style
Reiner's musical output was created during fifty years, since 1928/9 to 1979, and was firmly connected with political situation in Czechoslovakia in 20th century.[2] First artistic period was influenced by his teachers and models (Alois Hába, Josef Suk, Emil František Burian, Erwin Schulhoff), it was part of czech artistic avant-garde, and it was later rejected by communists as formalist[3]. After the critic of the party he was forced to find new, more traditional and conservative ways of composing. This period lasted roughly to 1960. The last period (1960 - 79) is considered as most artistically valuable. The musical trends in Czechoslovakia were more free in that time and Reiner thus enforced his expressive musical thinking. He composed almost in all musical categories, created vocal works (songs, choirs), instrumental works (for solo instrument, chamber, symphonic), vocal-instrumental works (cantata, opera), film music, incidental music, composed popular dance songs at the start of his carreer, and was inspired also by jazz and folk music. He composed almost for all instruments, including bass clarinet, dulcimer, solo drums and for baritone saxophone e.g.
[edit] Selected works
- Nine Gladsome Improvisations for Piano (1929)
- Five Jazz Studies (1930)
- Suite for Large Orchestra (1931)
- Concert Suite for Wind Instruments and Percussions (1947)
- I. Symphony (1959)
- Symphonic Overture for Large Orchestra (1963)
- Trio for Flute, Bass Clarinet and Percussions (1964)
- Concert for Bass Clarinet, Strings and Percussions (1965)
- Music for Four Clarinets (1965)
- Concert Suite for Large Orchestra (1967)
- Concertino for Bassoon, Wind Instruments and Percussions (1969)
- Allocuzioni per orchestra da camera (1975)
- Three Symphonic Movements for Orchestra (1978)
[edit] External links
[edit] Notes
[edit] References
- Kuna, Milan: Dvakrát zrozený. Život a dílo Karla Reinera. Prague: H+H, 2008. ISBN 978-80-7319-078-1
- Vysloužil, Jiří: Hudební slovník pro každého II. Vizovice: Lípa, 2001. ISBN 80-86093-23-9
- Šormová, Eva: Divadlo v Terezíně 1941/1945. Památník Terezín, 1973.
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