Vaclav Vackar

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Václav Vačkář was born on 12 August 1881 in Dobřejovice u Prahy. Even as a child he showed extreme musical talent which local teachers of music helped him to develop. At the age of 13, he started playing the violin and fluegelhorn in a local band. However, he was unable to study at a music school owing to his family's social status. Therefore, after finishing compulsory school attendance, he enrolled as an apprentice with a military band. After three years of hard work and musical education, he was discharged owing to a hearing disorder. He then became a soloist in a concert orchestra in Russia. When he was 19 years old, he became a conductor in the theatrical company of Josef Faltys.

In 1903, he became a soloist and assistant conductor with a municipal band in Sibenik, Yugoslavia. A year later, he was appointed conductor on the Island of Korcula. Dalmatia is where Vačkář's son Dalibor was born, who not only inherited musical talent from his father but was also given the opportunity to study at a music school (violin and composition). Thanks to his quality training and education, Dalibor Vačkář became successful as a composer of film, symphonic and chamber music.

From 1908 – 1912, Václav Vačkář was a municipal band conductor in Boskovice. The four years he spent in Moravia had a highly beneficial influence on his musical production. Here, he learned to understand the folk music of Southern Moravia. This is when he composed some of his most successful pieces of work, which still survive. After a short assignment in the Krakow Theatre, he finally settled in Prague in 1913. He played the violin and later, solo trumpet with the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra. In 1919 he joined the orchestra of the Vinohrady Theatre, upon the invitation of Otakar Odstrčil, and two years later he joined the Šak's Philharmonic Orchestra. After this was dissolved, he took over as conductor in the Alma and Minuta cinemas in Prague. He succeeded in creating an excellent musical body, mastering even the most demanding repertoire. Therefore, many people in Prague went to cinemas particularly to hear Vačkář's band. His work in cinemas ended in 1930, with the introduction of sound motion pictures. From this time onward, Vačkář focused exclusively on his composing and organization work.

By that time, the name of Václav Vačkář had already become prestigious among popular musicians. There was hardly a brass or string band that did not include his compositions in its repertoire. These compositions excelled with their fresh and imaginative melodies, tasteful and distinctive harmonies and rich instrumental colours. His composition became a genuine manifestation of Czech musicality. It became popular in the best sense of the word. His compositions refused to age and they still attract musicians with their cleanness, sincerity and suggestive beauty.

During his lifetime, he wrote 332 compositions, most of which were printed by fifteen publishing companies. Vačkář was also an active organizer. As long-time chairman of the Union of Popular Musicians (from 1928), he was consistent, devoted and had a sense of justice, therefore he was widely respected and popular among musicians throughout the country. He remained the leader of popular musicians even after the organization was incorporated under the Revolutionary Trade Union Movement in 1948. He was also actively involved in OSA - the Performing and Authorial Rights Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers, which he helped to establish. He then worked in the Musical Estate Union, the Musical Union and the Union of Popular Music Authors. He was also a reviewer, presenting a series of articles in professional musical periodicals. One of his most popular pieces of work was the Theory of Popular Music (published in four volumes). Together with his son Dalibor, he wrote a book entitled Instrumentation of Symphonic Orchestra and Brass Music. For his rich and fruitful activities, Vačkář was appointed an honorary member of the Union of Czechoslovak Composers and in 1952 he received the City of Prague Award. He died on 4 February 1954. During the funeral service, national artists Jan Seidel and Václav Dobiáš gave the orations.

The importance of Václav Vačkář in Czech music is best described by the words uttered on the occasion of his funeral: "Even today, we could call Václav Vačkář a classic of Czech popular and dance music. This fame is built on the artistic quality and the general popularity of his compositions, including the legendary "Remembrance of Zbiroh" and other popular pieces of work, e.g. the marches "Swain" and "Awakening" as well as the "South Moravian Dances", the waltzes "Love Dream", "Evening on the Sea", any many others. Václav Vačkář gave Czech music much of his talent and the goodness of his heart. He was rewarded by seeing that his work was generally honoured and much appreciated and that he had ‘ploughed a good furrow.’ In this sense, he remains engraved in the history of our popular music for ever."

Musical Literature Editorial

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