František Kmoch

František Kmoch ( born August 1, 1848 in Zásmuky at Kolin, Bohemia, † April 30, 1912 in Kolin ) was a Czech composer and conductor.

His father was a tailor and clarinetist who performed folk music above all. How naturally František learned a musical instrument, namely the violin. Already with 10 years, he began to compose small pieces. In 1868 he studied at the Teachers College in Prague. Already in 1869 he became a teacher in Suchdol, Bohemia. In addition to his profession as a teacher, he has played very zealous in various ensembles, continued his education as a conductor and composer as well. In 1873 he was excluded from further conducting classes because he allegedly neglected his teaching, but especially because he appeared with ensembles at balls. Unofficially, it was certainly a political decision, because Kmoch made ​​no secret of his sympathies for the nationalist Sokol movement.

In 1868 he became conductor of the Sokol Wind Orchestra in Kolin. During the gymnastics festival in 1873 in Prague, Sokol Concert from Kolin had to fulfill an important mission during the opening ceremony. All visitors who attended the event were, spontaneously excited by the performances of the band; regardless of whether it is played compositions by Kmoch or arrangements of popular folk songs.

Meanwhile, he was married to Josefa Kahslova, the daughter of a locksmith from Kolin, and the marriage was blessed with five daughters.

Even the Urban Music Corps in Kolin chose him to become a conductor, and he immediately founded a music school, which was attached to this music corps. 1882 this music school was officially recognized by the state. Several cities, including Prague invited him to become conductor of the respective Municipal Wind Orchestra. But Kmoch preferring to stay in Kolin. With his excellent band he traveled to Vienna, Budapest, Krakow, and even a three-month journey through Russia.

In response to the military marches of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, he wrote marches, which were deeply rooted in Czech tradition, folklore and folk music. The central part, also known as a trio march, which Kmoch'schen marches was almost invariably backed with lyrics that were sung either by the musicians or choirs and a little later by the whole people. These texts were an important form of development of a national consciousness. In gratitude, the city of Kolin organized since 1961 every year a Kmoch - Kolin Festival ( Kmochův Kolin ), which attracts excellent band from all over Europe in three days. In the city park of Kolin is a sculpture with the image of František Kmoch, a river island is named after him, and a brass band in this city still bears his name. There is also a biographical film about Kmoch was filmed with the title He was a Czech musician. Likewise, there is an operetta entitled So lived and played Kmoch. 1998 was issued by the Czech National Bank on the 150th anniversary of his birth, a 200 crowns silver coin.

Kmoch is considered the most popular march composer of his country after Julius Fučík. His oeuvre comprises some 500 works, of which, however, a considerable portion is considered lost. At the beginning of the 1990s, appeared surprising and plenty of adventurous circumstances about fifty of the long-lost original scores again.

Works

Works for wind

• Andulko Safarova ( = Annie Shepherd, Andulka - march ), march
• Wind music plays on
• Brautschau - Polka, Polka
• Česká muzika, march
• Dechovka hraje
• This music, even the likes
• Duo pro dvě trubky ( = duet for two trumpets )
• Festivalový pochod ( = Festival March ), march
• Hoj, Marenko! , Marsh
• Jarabacek, march
• Jara Mládí ( = child of spring ), Marsh
• Kolíne, Kolíne ( = My Beautiful Homeland ), march: Koline, Koline, stojis v pekne rovine - Kolin, Kolin, you lie in a beautiful plain ... )
• Letem světem ( = flight through the world)
• Měsíček sviti, march
• Milý sen, concert waltz
• Můj Konícek ( = my hobby ), Marsh
• Moje krásná vlast ( My beautiful home = )
• Muziky, Muziky ( = music, music), Marsh
• Well motoru ( = the motorcycle Aufgalopp ), gallop
• Hrazdě Na
• Well střibropěnném Labi
• Nad Labem ( = An der Elbe ), Marsh
• Návštěva ve Vídni ( = visit to Vienna, A Visit to Vienna ), Konzertpolka
• Pilsner Pochod ( = Pilsener march, salute to Pilsen), Marsh
• Pochod havlickuv, march
• Po starodavnu
• Pod Nasima okny
• Pode Mlejnem ( = Under the mill, The Mill, the hours you never forget ), Marsh
• Posumavske strane
• Prekrasna Praho
• Romance per křidlovku ( = Romance for flugelhorn)
• Rozmarna, polka
• Roztomila
• Sli Panenky Silnici
• Sokol Nazdar!
• Sokolsky the
• Vraný koně, march
• Vy Hvezdicky
• Vždy mila
• Za sokolskym praporem
• Zastaveničko
• Zeleny Hajove! , Marsh
• Zlata Praha ( = Beautiful Prague, Golden Prague, Prague Greeting ), Marsh