Lhotka, Fran

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Lhotka, Fran

Lhotka, Fran, Croatian composer and teacher of Czech descent, father of Ivo Lhotka-Kalinski; b. Wozice, Dec. 25, 1883; d. Zagreb, Jan. 26,1962. He took lessons with Dvorak, Klicka, and Stecker in Prague (1899–1905). After teaching in Ekaterinoslav (1908–09), he settled in Zagreb as a member of the Opera orch. He then was conductor of the Lisinski Chorus (1912–20), and subsequently a prof. at the Academy of Music (1920–61), where he also served as rector (1923–40; 1948–52). He publ. a harmony manual (Zagreb, 1948). His music followed in the late Romantic style.

Works

dramatic: Opera: Minka(Zagreb, 1918); The Sea(Zagreb, 1920). ba11et:The Devil of the Village(Zürich, Feb. 18, 1935); Ballad of Medieval Love(Zürich, Feb. 6, 1937); Luk(Munich, Nov. 13, 1939). orch.: Sym.; Violin Concerto (1913); Concerto for String Quartet and Orch. (1924). other: Chamber music; choral works; songs.

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire