Theodor Schaefer (23 January 1904 â 19 March 1969) was a Czech composer and pedagogue.
Life
Theodor Schaefer was born in TelÃÂ, Moravia, Austria-Hungary on 23 January 1904. During 1922âÂÂ1926, he studied composition with Jaroslav Kvapil and conducting with FrantiÃ
¡ek Neumann at the Brno Conservatory. He continued his music education at the Prague Conservatory where he studied composition under VÃÂtÃÂzslav Novák (1926âÂÂ1929). During 1930âÂÂ1934, he taught at the Municipal Music School in Kutná Hora. In 1934, Schaefer moved to Brno where he taught composition and music theory, first at the private music school of Václav Kaprál (1934âÂÂ1940) and later at the Brno Conservatory (1940âÂÂ1959). In 1959, Schaefer became a professor of composition at the JanáÃÂek Academy of Music in Brno. For several years he also conducted BrnÃÂnské orchestrálnàsdruÃ
¾enàand Brno Radiojournal Ensemble. During 1960s he served as chair of the Union of Czechoslovak Composers (Brno branch) and was instrumental in founding the Brno International Music Festival. Theodor Schaefer died on 19 March 1969 in Brno.
Selected works
Stage
- Ã
 vanda dudák (Ã
 vanda the Bagpiper), Children's Opera (1925); libretto by F. Tomek
- Honza dobrák, Children's Opera (1923); libretto by F. Tomek
- MauglÃÂ (Mowgli), Incidental Music to the play by Rudyard Kipling for piano (1932)
- Legenda o Ã
¡tÃÂstà(Legend of Happiness), Ballet, Op. 23 (1950âÂÂ1953)
Orchestral
- TÃ
Âi ÃÂeské tance ve starém slohu (3 Czech Dances in Olden Style) (1930)
- Scherzo Piccolo, Op. 9 (1937)
- ValaÃ
¡ská serenáda (Wallachian Serenade), Symphonic Poem, Op. 12 (1939)
- JanoÃ
¡ÃÂk, Ballad-Overture, Op. 15 (1939)
- Legenda o Ã
¡tÃÂstà(Legend of Happiness), Suite from the ballet, Op. 23b (1950âÂÂ1953, 1955)
- Pekelné tance (Infernal Dances) from the ballet Legenda o Ã
¡tÃÂstÃÂ, Op. 23c (1950âÂÂ1953, 1958)
- TÃ
Âi ÃÂásti (3 Sections) from the ballet Legenda o Ã
¡tÃÂstÃÂ, Op. 23d (1950âÂÂ1953, 1955)
- TaneÃÂnÃÂ suita (Dance Suite) from the ballet Legenda o Ã
¡tÃÂstÃÂ, Op. 23f (1950âÂÂ1953, 1958)
- Symphony, Op. 25 (1957âÂÂ1961)
- Rapsódická reportáÃ
¾ (Rhapsodic Report), Op. 28 (1959âÂÂ1960)
Concertante
- Concerto for piano and orchestra, Op. 10 (1937âÂÂ1943)
- Sinfonia pastorale concertante alla maniera di stile classico for flute, oboe, bassoon and chamber orchestra, Op.23a (1954); from the ballet Legenda o Ã
¡tÃÂstÃÂ
- Diathema for viola and orchestra, Op. 24 (1955âÂÂ1956)
- Barbar a rÃ
¯Ã
¾e (The Barbarian and the Rose) for piano and orchestra, Op. 27 (1958âÂÂ1959)
- Glosae instrumentale for 2 pianos and chamber ensemble, Op. 32 (1965); unfinished
Chamber music
- String Quartet No. 1 in D minor, Op. 2 (1929)
- Suita pro hoboj a klavÃÂr (Suite for oboe and piano) (1929âÂÂ1930)
- Violin Concerto for violin and piano, Op. 4 (1933)
- Wind Quintet for flute, oboe, clarinet, horn and bassoon, Op. 5 (1934âÂÂ1935)
- String Quartet No. 2, Op. 16 (1940âÂÂ1941)
- Slavnostnàfanfáry (BrnÃÂnská konzervatoÃ
Â) (Festive Fanfares for Brno Conservatory) (1943)
- String Quartet No. 3, Op. 21 (1944âÂÂ1945)
- Divertimento mesto, Octet for flute, oboe, clarinet, horn, bassoon, violin, viola and cello, Op. 22 (1946âÂÂ1947)
- Slavnostnàfanfáry pro Univerzitu Palackého v Olomouci (Festive Fanfares for Palacký University of Olomouc) (1948)
- Cigánovy housle (The Gyspy's Violin) for violin and piano, Op. 29 (1960âÂÂ1961)
- Fanfáry pro JanáÃÂkovu akademii múzických umÃÂnàv Brnà(Fanfares for the JanáÃÂek Academy of Music and Performing Arts in Brno) for 4 trumpets, 3 trombones and tuba, Op. 30 (1961)
Piano
- Sonatina, Op. 6 (1935âÂÂ1936)
- Romantické skladby (Romantic Pieces); 6 Pieces, Op. 7 (1936)
- KlavÃÂrnàetudy (Etudes for Piano), Suite in 5 movements, Op. 8 (1936âÂÂ1937)
- KlavÃÂrnàetudy (Etudes for Piano), 2 Dances, Op. 11 (1937âÂÂ1938)
- Index, 16 Pieces in 2 books, Op. 13 (1938)
- Elegie za ZdeniÃÂku (Elegy for ZdeniÃÂka), Suite in 5 movements, Op. 20 (1944)
Choral
- Anemonky (The Anemones) for male chorus; words by Jaroslav Vrchlický
- PoÃ
¡tovnàschránka (Mail Box) for mixed chorus, Op. 3 (1932); words by JiÃ
ÂÃÂ Wolker
- TÃ
Âi muÃ
¾ské sbory (3 Male Choruses), Op. 14 (1939)
- Vlast LibuÃ
¡ina (LibuÃ
¡e's Homeland), 3 female choruses a cappella, Op. 17 (1940); words by Alois VojkÃ
¯vka
- Zimnàkantáta (Winter Cantata) for soprano, mixed chorus and orchestra, Op. 19 (1943âÂÂ1945); words by Kamil BednáÃ
Â
- Dva madrigaly (2 Madrigals) for female chorus a cappella, Op. 26 (1957)
- SvÃÂtské requiem (Secular Requiem), Op. 33 (1964); unfinished
Vocal
- Jaro pÃ
Âicházà(Spring Is Coming), 3 Songs for female voice and piano, Op. 1 (1925); words by M. Kaulfusová, Josef Václav Sládek and A. Nováková
- Podivný svÃÂt (Strange World), Cycle of 5 songs for tenor and piano (1925âÂÂ1926); words by A. Kraus and M. Kaulfusová
- Ukolébavka (Lullaby) for voice and piano (1931); words by L. Beková
- Julie aneb SnáÃ
 (Julie, or The Dream), Melodrama in 3 acts for soloists, chamber orchestra, jazz instruments and piano (1933âÂÂ1934); words by Georges Neveux in Czech translation by JindÃ
Âich HoÃ
ÂejÃ
¡ÃÂ
- Milostné balady (Love Ballads), 5 Songs for female voice and piano, Op. 18 (1943)
- Bithematicon, 4 Songs for baritone and piano, Op. 31 (1967)
- RaÃ
¡enàfor voice and piano; words by FrantiÃ
¡ek SerafÃÂnský Procházka
- HvÃÂzdám for voice and piano; words by Jaroslav Vrchlický
- SeÃ
¾loutla ta lÃÂpa for voice and piano; words by Jaroslav Vrchlický
- Balada horská for voice and piano; words by Jan Neruda
- Balada dÃÂtská for voice and piano; words by Jan Neruda
- ÃÂerevený kvÃÂt for voice and piano; words by Petr BezruÃÂ
- Má matka hrála for voice and piano; words by Karel HlaváÃÂek
Students
References