Rudolf Brucci
Encyclopedia
Rudolf Brucci (March 30, 1917 – October 30, 2002), was a composer
of Croatian and Italian origin, born in Zagreb
. He was married to the famous Yugoslavian opera singer, Olga Brucci.
He began his artistic life playing viola
in various orchestras, ranging from the cabaret
to the symphonic
. After moving to Belgrade
, at the age of 30 he began his music studies as the only student of the composer Petar Bingulac. (He himself was a student of the French composer Vincent d'Indy
.) Years later (1953), he took composition lessons with the Viennese dodecaphonist
Alfred Uhl
, at the Vienna Music Academy (O'Loughlin 2001).
A crucial moment in his work was winning first prize at the Queen Elisabeth Music Competition
for composers in Brussels
in 1965 with his symphony "Lesta". This prize was won in competition with other 250 composers from 26 countries.
In 1970s Brucci did a lot to improve Academy of Arts in Novi Sad
, where he was the first dean, an Academy with best Music Department in ex-Yugoslavia. He was one of the most important composers of Novi Sad, he urged the building of the new opera house there (Opera of Serbian National Theatre
)), he was one of the founders of Vojvodina
Academy of Arts and Sciences, Philharmony and Music High school.
In the middle of his art-work was symphonic orchestra. He wrote many symphonies, among others "Lesta" and (his best work) "Third Symphony", then symphonic poem "Maskal", "Metamorfosis B-A-C-H
" for Strings, ballets "Katarina Ismailova", "Golden Demon", "Circa", cantata "Vojvodina" (text by Miroslav Antić) and operas "Prometheus" and "Gilgamesh".
Brucci's musical language is deeply embedded in the musical traditions of Balkans
, from unique Istrian scale
in his "Third symphony" to Bulgarian musical structures in "Maskal".
Brucci’s style is basically conventional, but attempted to incorporate new ideas, such as bitonality, polytonality, and atonality. On occasion he employed serial techniques, but never completely or strictly. His use of such devices was always thoughtful, and often propelled by a strong rhythmic energy and brilliant orchestration (O'Loughlin 2001).
He died in Novi Sad
on October 30, 2002 at the age of 85.
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...
of Croatian and Italian origin, born in Zagreb
Zagreb
Zagreb is the capital and the largest city of the Republic of Croatia. It is in the northwest of the country, along the Sava river, at the southern slopes of the Medvednica mountain. Zagreb lies at an elevation of approximately above sea level. According to the last official census, Zagreb's city...
. He was married to the famous Yugoslavian opera singer, Olga Brucci.
He began his artistic life playing viola
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...
in various orchestras, ranging from the cabaret
Cabaret
Cabaret is a form, or place, of entertainment featuring comedy, song, dance, and theatre, distinguished mainly by the performance venue: a restaurant or nightclub with a stage for performances and the audience sitting at tables watching the performance, as introduced by a master of ceremonies or...
to the symphonic
Symphony
A symphony is an extended musical composition in Western classical music, scored almost always for orchestra. A symphony usually contains at least one movement or episode composed according to the sonata principle...
. After moving to 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...
, at the age of 30 he began his music studies as the only student of the composer Petar Bingulac. (He himself was a student of the French composer Vincent d'Indy
Vincent d'Indy
Vincent d'Indy was a French composer and teacher.-Life:Paul Marie Théodore Vincent d'Indy was born in Paris into an aristocratic family of royalist and Catholic persuasion. He had piano lessons from an early age from his paternal grandmother, who passed him on to Antoine François Marmontel and...
.) Years later (1953), he took composition lessons with the Viennese dodecaphonist
Twelve-tone technique
Twelve-tone technique is a method of musical composition devised by Arnold Schoenberg...
Alfred Uhl
Alfred Uhl
Alfred Uhl was an Austrian composer, violist, music teacher and conductor.-Biography:Uhl studied with Franz Schmidt at the Vienna Music Academy, receiving a diploma in composition with honours in 1932. He subsequently worked as Kapellmeister of the Swiss Festspielmusik in Zürich...
, at the Vienna Music Academy (O'Loughlin 2001).
A crucial moment in his work was winning first prize at the Queen Elisabeth Music Competition
Queen Elisabeth Music Competition
The Queen Elisabeth Music Competition, a founding member of the World Federation of International Music Competitions has been, since its foundation, considered the world over to be one of the most prestigious and most difficult. It is devoted to violin , piano , to composition and to singing...
for composers in Brussels
Brussels
Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
in 1965 with his symphony "Lesta". This prize was won in competition with other 250 composers from 26 countries.
In 1970s Brucci did a lot to improve Academy of Arts in Novi Sad
Novi Sad
Novi Sad is the capital of the northern Serbian province of Vojvodina, and the administrative centre of the South Bačka District. The city is located in the southern part of Pannonian Plain on the Danube river....
, where he was the first dean, an Academy with best Music Department in ex-Yugoslavia. He was one of the most important composers of Novi Sad, he urged the building of the new opera house there (Opera of Serbian National Theatre
Serbian National Theatre
The Serbian National Theatre , located in Novi Sad, is one of the major theatres of Serbia...
)), he was one of the founders of Vojvodina
Vojvodina
Vojvodina, officially called Autonomous Province of Vojvodina is an autonomous province of Serbia. Its capital and largest city is Novi Sad...
Academy of Arts and Sciences, Philharmony and Music High school.
In the middle of his art-work was symphonic orchestra. He wrote many symphonies, among others "Lesta" and (his best work) "Third Symphony", then symphonic poem "Maskal", "Metamorfosis B-A-C-H
BACH motif
In music, the BACH motif is the motif, a succession of notes important or characteristic to a piece, B flat, A, C, B natural. In German musical nomenclature, in which the note B natural is written as H and the B flat as B, it forms Johann Sebastian Bach's family name...
" for Strings, ballets "Katarina Ismailova", "Golden Demon", "Circa", cantata "Vojvodina" (text by Miroslav Antić) and operas "Prometheus" and "Gilgamesh".
Brucci's musical language is deeply embedded in the musical traditions of Balkans
Balkans
The Balkans is a geopolitical and cultural region of southeastern Europe...
, from unique Istrian scale
Istrian scale
The Istrian scale is a distinct hexatonic musical scale in the regions of Istria and Kvarner in Croatia. It is used in Istrian and Kvarnerian folk music. The scale could approximately be notated as: E-F-G-Ab-Bb-Cb- See also :* Music of Croatia...
in his "Third symphony" to Bulgarian musical structures in "Maskal".
Brucci’s style is basically conventional, but attempted to incorporate new ideas, such as bitonality, polytonality, and atonality. On occasion he employed serial techniques, but never completely or strictly. His use of such devices was always thoughtful, and often propelled by a strong rhythmic energy and brilliant orchestration (O'Loughlin 2001).
He died in Novi Sad
Novi Sad
Novi Sad is the capital of the northern Serbian province of Vojvodina, and the administrative centre of the South Bačka District. The city is located in the southern part of Pannonian Plain on the Danube river....
on October 30, 2002 at the age of 85.
Sources
- O'Loughlan, Niall (2001). "Bruči, Rudolf". The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, second edition, edited by Stanley SadieStanley SadieStanley Sadie CBE was a leading British musicologist, music critic, and editor. He was editor of the sixth edition of the Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians , which was published as the first edition of the New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians.Sadie was educated at St Paul's School,...
and John TyrrellJohn Tyrrell (professor of music)John Tyrrell was born in Salisbury, Southern Rhodesia in 1942. He studied at the universities of Cape Town, Oxford and Brno. In 2000 he was appointed Research Professor at Cardiff University....
. London: Macmillan Publishers. - Radović, Branka (2005). "Two orients in Rudolf Bruci's opera Gilgamesh". Muzikologija, Issue 5, pp. 153-165 (in Serbian with English summary)
- Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts. Rudolf Brucci (Bruči)