Seger (also Seeger, Seegr, Segert, Zeckert, etc), Josef (Ferdinand Norbert)

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Seger (also Seeger, Seegr, Segert, Zeckert, etc), Josef (Ferdinand Norbert)

Seger (also Seeger, Seegr, Segert, Zeckert, etc), Josef (Ferdinand Norbert ), eminent Czech organist, pedagogue, and composer; b. Řepin, near Mělnik (baptized), March 21, 1716; d. Prague, April 22, 1782. He studied organ with Czernohorsky, counterpoint with Jan Zach and FrantiŠek Tuma, and thoroughbass with Felix Benda in Prague, where he also was a graduate in philosophy from the Univ. He was active in Prague as a violinist at St. Martin’s and as an organist at the Crusader’s Church (1745–82); also served as organist at the church in Tyn (17417–82). He was greatly esteemed as a teacher of composition, numbering among his most important pupils Josef Jelinek, Karl Kopřiva, J.A. Koželuch, Jan Kuchař, Vincenc Mašek, Josef Mys-liveček, and V´clav Pichl. He composed many preludes, toccatas, and fugues for organ; D. Türk ed. 8 toccatas and fugues (1793; modern ed. in Musica Antiqua Bohe-mica); he also wrote sacred music and pedagogical works.

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire