Karel Janovický


Karel Janovický is a Czech composer, pianist, BBC producer and administrator who has lived in the UK since 1950, one of the youngest of the group of European émigré composers who came to live and work in Britain during the 1930s and 1940s to avoid persecution at home. He is the son of Bohuslav Šimsa, who was a baritone soloist at the Plzeň Opera.

Life

Janovický was born in Plzeň as Bohuš František Šimsa. Growing up under the German occupation, he studied piano from an early age and later composition with Josef Bartovský. In 1949 he was unsuccessful in applying to study at the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague for political reasons.. So in October of that year he left with his future wife Sylva Maiwaldová for Germany, arriving a year later in England. Once there he continued his studies: first at the Surrey College of Music, Fitznells Manor in Ewell, where Percy Turnbull taught him piano; then at The Royal College of Music where he completed a Master of Music degree; and also privately with Matyas Seiber and Jan Šedivka. Janovický joined the British Broadcasting Corporation in 1964, moving to the BBC World Service in 1967. During the 1970s he was an occasional broadcaster under the name Jack Allen, hosting programmes of modern Czech music. From 1980 until his retirement in 1990 he managed the BBC's Czechoslovak department.
Promoting Czech music in the UK, Janovický championed performances of Dvořák's vocal compositions and operas, Smetana's The Bartered Bride, Janáček's Katya Kabanova and Jenůfa, Martinů's Field Mass and other works in the original Czech language. He has been active in the Antonín Dvořák Society for many years. He has translated Czech music theory and music history texts into English, including the translation and revision of Jaroslav Vogel's biography of Janáček in 1983. And he continues to coach many singers and choirs, including the BBC Singers, in pronunciation of the Czech language.

Music

Janovický is a prolific composer with over 200 works in his catalogue, ranging from opera, choral works and songs through to orchestral, string and wind ensembles, chamber music and piano works. His earliest compositions were written while he was still in Plzeň. These include many solo piano works and a series of pieces for spoken voice and piano.
After his move to England he was awarded the Dutch Gaudeamus Foundation composition prize for his Piano Variations on the theme of Brigadier H. Smitke, Op. 7. In 1954 his Concerto for Violin and String Orchestra, Op. 10, was premiered at the Royal Festival Hall in London with Jan Šedivka soloist and the Kalmar Orchestra conducted by Colin Davis. On 14 February 1956 he made his debut at The Wigmore Hall with cellist Selu Trau, who also played his Sonata for Solo Cello, Op. 11. In 1957 he won the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra 'Garland for Shakespeare' competition with his Variations on a theme of Robert Johnson, Op.17, which was first performed by the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra under Sir Charles Groves.. The Utmost Sail is a one act opera on a science fiction theme inspired by the launch of the satellite Sputnik in 1957. It concerns the crew of a space ship flying into space and watching the Earth being consumed in a nuclear holocaust.
Although Janovický's rate of composition slowed down considerably from the early 1960s due to his heavy work commitments at the BBC, he resumed at full pace on his retirement in 1990. His Rain Songs cycle, setting poems by the Hungarian-born poet and translator George Szirtes, were written in memory of his teacher Mátyás Seiber. For his 90th birthday celebration the Prazak String Quartet had planned to perform the String Quartet No 4 at two concerts, in Leamington Spa, and in Barnes, London on the 20 and 21 March 2020. However, the performances were cancelled due to coronavirus.
His compositions include:
Recordings