František Brož was a Czech violist

Viola

The viola is a bowed string instrument. It is the middle voice of the violin family, between the violin and the cello.- Form :The viola is similar in material and construction to the violin. A full-size viola's body is between and longer than the body of a full-size violin , with an average...

, 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...

, conductor

Conducting

Conducting is the art of directing a musical performance by way of visible gestures. The primary duties of the conductor are to unify performers, set the tempo, execute clear preparations and beats, and to listen critically and shape the sound of the ensemble...

 and music educator.

Biography

Brož studied violin

Violin

The violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....

 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 :...

 with Jindřich Baštař. He later studied composition with Josef Bohuslav Foerster

Josef Bohuslav Foerster

Josef Bohuslav Foerster was a Czech composer of classical music. He is often referred to as J. B. Foerster. The surname is sometimes spelled Förster.- Life :...

 and 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...

, and conducting under Otakar Ostrčil

Otakar Ostrcil

Otakar Ostrčil was a Czech composer and conductor. He is noted for symphonic works Impromptu, Suite in C Minor, and Symfonietta, and in his opera compositions Poupě and Honzovo království.-Compositional career:Ostrčil was born in Prague, where he spent his entire life, as it was the center of the...

 and Václav Talich

Václav Talich

Václav Talich was a Czech conductor, violinist and pedagogue.- Life :Born in Kroměříž, Moravia, he started his musical career in a student orchestra in Klatovy. From 1897 to 1903 he studied at the conservatory in Prague with Otakar Ševčík...

. He played viola in the Czech Philharmonic as well as orchestras in 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...

 and Istanbul

Istanbul

Istanbul , historically known as Byzantium and Constantinople , is the largest city of Turkey. Istanbul metropolitan province had 13.26 million people living in it as of December, 2010, which is 18% of Turkey's population and the 3rd largest metropolitan area in Europe after London and...

, and was choirmaster of various choral societies in Prague.

For several years Brož was active in Hranice in Moravia

Moravia

Moravia is a historical region in Central Europe in the east of the Czech Republic, and one of the former Czech lands, together with Bohemia and Silesia. It takes its name from the Morava River which rises in the northwest of the region...

 conducting the symphony orchestra and choir. He returned to Prague in 1940 where he taught music and conducted the Studio Opera Company. From 1945, Brož taught music theory

Music theory

Music theory is the study of how music works. It examines the language and notation of music. It seeks to identify patterns and structures in composers' techniques across or within genres, styles, or historical periods...

 at the Prague Conservatory, and was also a lecturer at the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague

Academy of Performing Arts in Prague

The Academy of Performing Arts in Prague is a university level school of music, dance, drama, film, TV and multi-media studies.- Faculties :*Film and TV School - FAMU*Music Faculty - HAMU*Theatre Faculty - DAMU-Notable alumni:...

 from 1947 to 1950.

Brož's compositions include a ballet

Ballet

Ballet is a type of performance dance, that originated in the Italian Renaissance courts of the 15th century, and which was further developed in France and Russia as a concert dance form. The early portions preceded the invention of the proscenium stage and were presented in large chambers with...

, music for orchestra, chamber music, as well as songs and choral works. In 1948 he published a book on basso continuo and figured bass

Figured bass

Figured bass, or thoroughbass, is a kind of integer musical notation used to indicate intervals, chords, and non-chord tones, in relation to a bass note...

 musical notation

Musical notation

Music notation or musical notation is any system that represents aurally perceived music, through the use of written symbols.-History:...

.

Selected works

Stage

• Pokušení sv. Antonína (The Temptation of St. Anthony), Ballet-Pantomime, Op. 7 (1934, première in Ostrava
  Ostrava
  Ostrava is the third largest city in the Czech Republic and the second largest urban agglomeration after Prague. Located close to the Polish border, it is also the administrative center of the Moravian-Silesian Region and of the Municipality with Extended Competence. Ostrava was candidate for the...
  
   1937)

Orchestral

• Bohatýnská tryzna, Preludium a dvojitá fuga (In Commemoration of Heroes), Prelude and Double-fugue, Op. 23 (1954)
• Orchestrální variace (Orchestral Variations), Op. 7
• Orchestrální suita (Orchestral Suite), Op. 10 (1937)
• Petr Vok, Symphonic Poem
• Sinfonia, Op. 22 (1953)

Concertante

• Chromatické variace (Chromatic Variations) for accordion and orchestra (1956)

Chamber music

• Sonata for violin and piano, Op. 1 (1923)
• String Quartet No. 1 in F minor, Op. 6 (1928)
• Woodwind Quintet, Op. 15 (1944)
• Suite for violin, Op. 17 (1945)
• Jarní sonáta (Spring Sonata) for viola and piano, Op.18 (1946)
• Sonata for cello and piano, Op. 25 (1957)
• String Quartet No. 2 (1960)
• Piano Trio for violin, cello and piano
• Preludium a variace (Prelude and Variations) for violin solo

Organ

• Fantasie a fuga (Fantasy and Fugue), Op. 20 (1948)

Piano

• Prostá hudba (Plain Music), Op. 4 (1925)
• Tři capriccia (3 Capriccios), Op. 12 (1936)

Vocal

• Lidové pisně s průvodem klavíru (Folk Songs with Piano Accompaniment) (1961)
• Boží zahrada (God's Garden), Cycle of 4 Songs for voice and piano
• The Skylark for coloratura
  Coloratura
  Coloratura has several meanings. The word is originally from Italian, literally meaning "coloring", and derives from the Latin word colorare . When used in English, the term specifically refers to elaborate melody, particularly in vocal music and especially in operatic singing of the 18th and...
  
   soprano and orchestra

Choral

• Vigilie (The Vigils), Cantata da camera for chorus and orchestra, Op. 5 (1928); words by Otokar Březina
  Otokar Brezina
  Otakar or Otakar Březina ; pen name of Václav Jebavý.; was a Czech poet and essayist, considered the greatest of Czech Symbolists.-Biography :...
  
  
• Tři milostné písně (3 Love Songs), Op. 16
• Tři písně (3 Songs) for children's chorus, 3 violins and piano

Literature

• Generálbas a continuo (Generalbass and Continuo) (1948)

Sources

• Gardavský, Čeněk (editor), Contemporary Czechoslovak Composers, Panton, Prague (1965), pages 71-72.