Ludvík Podéšť Explained

Ludvík Podéšť, pseudonym Ludvík Binovský (19 December 1921 in Dubňany – 27 February 1968 in Prague), was a Czech composer, conductor, music journalist and editor.

Life and career

Podéšť studied music composition at Brno Conservatory under Jaroslav Kvapil from 1941, graduating in 1948. He became a music reporter for the Czech Radio studio in Brno while studying musicology at Masaryk University under Bohumír Štědroň and Jan Racek. In Brno, he also worked as director of the Radost Youth Choir, for whom he wrote a large number of choral works. For the years 1953–1956, Podéšť replaced Radim Drejsl (1923–1953) as director of the Vít Nejedlý Army Artistic Ensemble (Armádní umělecký soubor Víta Nejedlého) in Prague, then during 1958–1961, he worked as an editor of music broadcasts for Czechoslovak Television. After 1961 he devoted himself exclusively to composition, only occasionally working as a freelancer. From 1966 until his death, Podéšť lived in Morocco with his wife, who was a doctor.

Podéšť composed two operas, five operettas, music for Czech feature films, orchestral music, vocal and chamber works. His first classical works were influenced by constructivism (such as the String Quartet No. 1, the piano fantasies Písně smutné paní, the Woodwind Quintet and Cello Sonata), but later found inspiration in folklore and in the work of the Moravian composer Leoš Janáček (for example the symphonic poem Raymonda Dienová, the orchestral rhapsody Advent and Maminka for children's chorus and orchestra). With the works created during his years in Morocco, Podéšť utilized elements of the local music culture and began to modernize his musical language (for example Hamada for orchestra and the Partita for strings, guitar and percussion).

His composing style contains contradictory elements; he composed classical music as well as popular songs promoting optimistic visions of the Czechoslovak communist régime. Following the suicide of Radim Drejsl he became one of the most important Czech composers of the politically engaged songs called "budovatelské písně".[1] Podéšť composed a number of songs within the genre of popular music and "trampská hudba". His songs are catchy, especially noted for their pleasing melodies and jolly optimism.

Podéšť is the author of several professional journal studies such as Za odkazem V. Nejedlého (Vít Nejedlý Legacy; Hudební rozhledy, Vol. 8, 1955), Harmonická práce L. Janáčka (The Harmonic Work of Leoš Janáček; Hudební rozhledy, Vol. 10, 1957) and Hovoříme o hudbě (Talking about Music; Blok, Vol. 3, p. 302).

Selected works

Stage
  1. Staré zlaté časy, t. pod názvem O úpadku doby (The Good Old Days)
  1. Svatá noc (Holy Night)
  1. Romeo a Julie (Romeo and Juliet)
Orchestral
  1. Odzemek
  1. Cigáň
Concertante
Chamber music
Piano
Vocal
Choral
Film scores
YearCzech title (original title)English titleNotes
1950Všední den
1952Písnička za grošA Song for a Pennydirected by Rudolf Myzet
1952Zítra se bude tančit všudeTomorrow, People Will Be Dancing Everywheredirected by Vladimír Vlček; constructivist film
1955Čínské jaroChinese Springdocumentary
1956Rudá záře nad KladnemRed Glare over Kladnodirected by Vladimír Vlček
1956Zaostřit, prosím!Focus, Please!a.k.a. Close Up, Please!; directed by Martin Frič
1956AdventAdventdirected by Vladimír Vlček
1957Florenc 13:30directed by Josef Mach
includes the song "Šoférská" sung by Josef Bek
1958Hořká láskaBitter Lovedirected by Josef Mach
1958La liberté surveilléeProvisional LibertyCzech language title: V proudech; directed by Henri Aisner and Vladimír Vlček
1959Zatoulané děloThe Lost Guna.k.a. The Missing Cannon; directed by Josef Mach
1960Pán a hvezdárThe Master and the Astronomerdirected by Dušan Kodaj
1961Floriándirected by Josef Mach
1961Valčík pro miliónWaltz for a Milliondirected by Josef Mach
includes the song "Babičko, nauč mně charleston" (Grandmother, Teach Me the Charleston)
1962Prosím, nebudit!directed by Josef Mach
1962Medailonograf Frantiska Filipovskéhodocumentary short; directed by Josef Mach
1963Tři chlapi v chalupědirected by Josef Mach
1968Objížďkadirected by Josef Mach

Sources

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Zítra se bude tančit všude. Pohl. Tomáš. FolkTime. 25 July 2010. "...vynikající skladatel se po sebevraždě Radima Drejsla stává uměleckým šéfem Armádního uměleckého souboru Víta Nejedlého, a po Drejslovi se stává i druhým mistrem tzv. budovatelských písní."
  2. http://www.ceskyhudebnislovnik.cz/slovnik/index.php?option=com_mdictionary&action=record_detail&id=5683 Czech Music Dictionary

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