Karel Kovařovic (9 December 1862 6 December 1920) was a Czech composer and conductor from Prague.
Life
From 1873 to 1879 he studied clarinet, harp and piano at the Prague Conservatory. He began his career as a harpist. In 1900 Kovařovic became the conductor of the national theatre in Prague, due mostly to the success of his opera The Dogheads, after the novel of the same name (about Jan Sladký Kozina) by Alois Jirásek. His engagement at the National Theatre lasted twenty years, until 1920. He composed seven operas.
Kovařovic is most remembered today for the revisions he made to Leoš Janáček's Jenůfa for its premiere in Prague, and it was in his version that the opera was heard for many years.
A recording of The Dogheads, featuring Beno Blachut, exists.
Compositions
Orchestra
1880 Předehra veseloherní (Comic overture) 1883 Únos Persefony, symphonic poem 1887 Concerto in f mineur, for piano and orchestra, op. 6 1892 Předehra dramatická (Dramatic overture) 1900 Fantasie from the opera "Prodaná nevěsta" of Bedřich Smetana Deux suites de ballet Gavotta, for violin and string quartet, op. 4 Havířská polka (Miners' polka) from play Mr Brouček's excursion to the Exhibition (1894) Valčík (waltz), for chamber orchestra
Works for wind band
1911 Lustspiel Ouverture
1914 Vzpomínky
Havířská polka
Theatre
Operas
Ballet
Incidental music
1918 Loutkářův sirotek, melodrama – text: Svatopluk Čech "Ve stínu lípy" Zlatý kolovrat, melodrama – text: Karel Jaromír Erben
Vocal music
Works for choir
1890 Královničky; staré obřadné tance moravské se zpěvy, for women (SSAA) en piano (of harmonium)
Song
1880 Osmero písní, for soprano and piano, op. 1
1885 Tři žertovné písně (Three humorous songs) 1887 Jarní květy (Spring blossoms), for soprano and piano, op. 7 1892–1893 Čtyři písně (Four songs), op. 18 Der Abendstern – text: August Heinrich Hoffmann von Fallersleben Gottes Nähe Frühlings Mahnung – text: August Heinrich Hoffmann von Fallersleben Im Arm der Liebe schlummre ein – text: Georg Scheurlin 1897–1898 Dvě písně (Two songs), for soprano or tenor and piano 1915 Slovácká píseň, for high voice and piano – text: Ema Destinnová 1919 Svítání (Dayspring), for voice and orchestra – text: Vojtěch Martínek
Chamber music
String quartet No 1 (1885) String quartet No 2 (1887) String quartet No 3 (1889) Romance for violin and piano, op. 2
Works for piano
1885 Co ti to napadá, polka
1910 Deux valses, 1910 Polka 1910 Deux mazurkas Čtverylka, quadrille Národní tance Pasačka Starodávný Holuběnka Naše vlast, fantasie
Notes
References
External links
Works
1862 births
1920 deaths
Czech classical composers
Czech male classical composers
Czech conductors (music) Male conductors (music) 19th-century conductors (music) Czech opera composers Male opera composers 19th-century classical composers 20th-century classical composers 20th-century conductors (music) Composers from Prague Prague Conservatory alumni 20th-century Czech male musicians Composers from Austria-Hungary
