Jaan Hargel

Jaan Hargel, oboist of the Symphony Orchestra of the State Broadcasting Company, September 1938. Jaan (Joann) Hargel (30 November 1912 – 30 January 1966) was an Estonian conductor, music teacher, oboe and flute player.

Education and career as an instrumentalist

Jaan Hargel's life as a musician began at the orchestra of Tallinn Secondary School of Science and continued at other orchestras in Tallinn where he played the piccolo, the flute, the oboe or the English horn. In 1940 he graduated from Tallinn Conservatoire (now the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre) specialising in oboe in the class of Mikhail Prokofiev. During his studies, he also furthered his education at Helsinki Conservatoire (now the Sibelius Academy) under Professor Eero Viiki and played in the Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra. From 1934–37 and 1941–44, he worked in the orchestra of the Estonia Theatre (now the Estonian National Opera) and from 1937–41 in the Symphony Orchestra of the State Broadcasting Company (now the Estonian National Symphony Orchestra). From 1946–49, he taught at Tartu Teachers' Training Institute (now the Institute of Educational Science at the University of Tartu) and from 1948–66 at Tartu Music School (now Tartu Heino Eller Music School) where his students were Heldur Värv, Alo Põldmäe (oboe), Jaan Õun, Peeter Rööp (flute), Ilmar Aasmets (bassoon), etc. ; his son Jaan Hargel (1948-2010) was an interior architect; his son Jüri Hargel (1952) is a flautist and flute teacher.

Awards Estonian champion in water polo, 1928 and 1929. White Cross of the Third Class of the Estonian Defence League, 1939. Merited Art Worker of the Estonian SSR, 1965.

Recordings LP Evald Aav. Opera Vikings. Scenes and arias. Melodiya, 1961. CD Evald Aav. Opera Vikings. SE & JS, 1997. CD Conductor Jaan Hargel. Compiled and produced by Jüri Hargel, 2012.

Numerous recordings in the archives of Estonian Public Broadcasting.

Media coverage Aare Allikvee. Põhitöö, „kohakaaslus“, kõrvalharrastused. Edasi, 26 May 1963. Elmar Uuk. ...on lõpuni kirjutatud. Edasi, 2 February 1966. Malle Elvet. „Tal oli täpne avalöök ja suurepärane muusikatunnetus“. Muusikaleht, November 1997. Tiiu Levald. Helisalvestis kui fakt, mälu toetaja ja tulevikusõnum. Sirp, 8 March 2013.