Review article

Croatian Composers’ of Jewish Origin Motives and Stimuli within the Croatian Culture and the Croatian Musical Heritage

Tamara Jurkić Sviben orcid.org/0000-0003-4234-9385

Abstract

On the basis of archaeological findings dated to the late antiquity times the
paper briefly presents the history of Jewish communities on Croatian soil
within the context of the larger research entitled Motives and Stimuli of Other Cultures in the History of Croatian Culture. The mentioned archaeological traces confirm the constant presence of this population on the territory of modern Croatia. With Habsburg emperor Joseph II 1782. Edict on religious tolerance, and the Croatian Parliament adoption of the Law on full equality for Jews in Croatia 1873., the members of this minority start to participate in the founding of cultural and educational institutions on the territory of Croatia and Slavonia. The object of this paper is to prove the impact of Croatian composers of Jewish origin on the shaping of Croatian music culture on the basis of data regarding the foundation of cultural institutions such as the Croatian Music Institute in Zagreb, or the Music School of Osijek. The data concerning the existence of a synagogue choir in the Praška street Temple in Zagreb, where
some of the best artists such as Tomislav Neralić and Ančica Mitrović, otherwise employed at the National Theatre in Zagreb, have performed, or the organists Franjo Dugan and Franjo Lučić who played both in religious rites as well as in concerts and were at the same time official organists of the Zagreb cathedral, show a very high degree of cooperation between the two religious communities from the end of the 19th century to the 40s in the 20th century. The fact that top musicians of different origin performed together in the Zagreb synagogue choir confirms a high level of development and tolerance in Croatian society up until WWII. The works of art created by musicians of Jewish origin in the Croatian environment or the education given and received within Croatian educational institutions represent a great part and value in the entire
Croatian culture.

Keywords

Jewish musicians; synagogue choir; coexistence; tolerance

Hrčak ID:

60207

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/60207

Publication date:

27.10.2010.

Article data in other languages: croatian

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