Václav Neumann
Encyclopedia
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....
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...
, 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....
ist and 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...
player.
Neumann was born in Prague
Prague
Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Situated in the north-west of the country on the Vltava river, the city is home to about 1.3 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 2.3 million...
where he studied 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 Josef Micka (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....
), and with Pavel Dědeček and Metod Doležil (conducting
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...
). He co-founded, and played 1st violin in, the Smetana Quartet
Smetana Quartet
The Smetana Quartet was a Czech string quartet that was in existence from 1945 to 1989.- Personnel :1st violin* Václav Neumann , from 1943 to 1945* Jaroslav Rybenský, from 1945 to 1947* Jiří Novák , since 19472nd violin...
, before holding conducting posts in Karlovy Vary
Karlovy Vary
Karlovy Vary is a spa city situated in western Bohemia, Czech Republic, on the confluence of the rivers Ohře and Teplá, approximately west of Prague . It is named after King of Bohemia and Holy Roman Emperor Charles IV, who founded the city in 1370...
and Brno
Brno
Brno by population and area is the second largest city in the Czech Republic, the largest Moravian city, and the historical capital city of the Margraviate of Moravia. Brno is the administrative centre of the South Moravian Region where it forms a separate district Brno-City District...
. In 1956 he became conductor at the Komische Oper in Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
, leaving in 1964 he left to become conductor of the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra
Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra
The Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra is one of the the oldest symphony orchestras in the world...
. He stayed there until 1968 when he became principal conductor of the Czech Philharmonic, a post he held until 1990.
Neumann taught conducting at the Prague Academy for Music, where his students included Oliver von Dohnányi
Oliver von Dohnányi
Oliver von Dohnányi is a Slovak conductor. He is currently Intendant/Artistic Director of the Opera of the Slovak National Theatre in Bratislava, Intendant/Artistic Director of the Opera of the Moravian-Silesian National Theatre, Ostrava and principal guest conductor of the Slovak Radio Symphony...
and Vítězslav Podrazil.
Neumann was particularly noted as a champion of Czech music, and made the first studio recording of Leoš Janáček
Leoš Janácek
Leoš Janáček was a Czech composer, musical theorist, folklorist, publicist and teacher. He was inspired by Moravian and all Slavic folk music to create an original, modern musical style. Until 1895 he devoted himself mainly to folkloristic research and his early musical output was influenced by...
's opera The Excursions of Mr. Brouček in 1962.
External links
- František Sláma (musician)František Sláma (musician)František Sláma was a significant Czech chamber music performer. He was the first Czech cellist who focused on Early music.-Biography:...
Archive: More on the history of the Czech Philharmonic between the 1940s and the 1980s. Sections Conductors and The Czech Philharmonic and the people around it - Vaclav Neumann. A necrologue in The New York Times by Allan Kozinn. Published: September 06, 1995
- Review Digest for Performances by Vaclav Neumann on ClassicsToday