Ivan Medek, "spiritus agens" české hudby [Ivan Medek, “Spiritus Agens” of Czech Music]

Pages	5-16
Citation	KADLEC, Petr. Ivan Medek, "spiritus agens" české hudby [Ivan Medek, “Spiritus Agens” of Czech Music]. Acta Musei Nationalis Pragae – Historia. Prague: National Museum, 2016, 70(1-2), 5-16. ISSN 2570-6845 (print), 2570-6853 (online). Also available from: https://www.nm.cz/en/periodicals/amnph/70-1-2/ivan-medek-spiritus-agens-ceske-hudby-ivan-medek-spiritus-agens-of-czech-music

Acta Musei Nationalis Pragae – Historia | 2016/70/1-2

Ivan Medek was an exceptional personality on the Czech music scene, especially in the period from 1945 to 1989. Medekʼs career in the field of music was built despite both the interests of certain people and political events. After World War II, he co-founded the Czech Chamber Orchestra which attained great success with Václav Talich as conductor. After 1948, the orchestra was given an ultimatum and subsequently decided to terminate its activities. Even the group of music journalists, that Medek was part of, ended after the communist coup in 1948. In the 1960s, Ivan Medek became the closest friend and co-worker of chief conductor Karel Ančerl. However, the wake of normalization and the cowardice of his superiors left no place for a person of Medekʼs calibre. After his signing of Charter 77, Medek lost his job at Supraphon. In spite of that, Medekʼs mark on Czech music scene remained unique.

ISSN 0036-5335_2016_1-2_p5-16.pdf