Radim Drejsl

Radim Drejsl (29 April 1923 – 20 April 1953) was a Czech composer, pianist and conductor. He is considered an important composer of politically engaged songs promoting visions of Czechoslovak communist regime in the 1950s. Drejsl applied the ideas of socialist realism in his music.

Biography Drejsl was born on 29 April 1923 in Dobruška, Czechoslovakia. Following his graduation at the gymnasium in Rychnov nad Kněžnou in 1942 he continued his studies at the Prague Conservatory. From 1942 to 1946 he studied composition with Karel Janeček and Pavel Bořkovec; and conducting as a pupil of Pavel Dědeček. Later (from 1946 to 1950) he deepened his musical skills at the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague. In 1949 he became director of the Vít Nejedlý Army Artistic Ensemble (Armádní umělecký soubor Víta Nejedlého) in Prague. In April, 1953, shortly after his return to Prague from the Soviet Union, Drejsl committed suicide. He was allegedly so disappointed by the terrible life conditions in the Soviet communist world that his enthusiastic devotion to the communist ideas was destroyed. However, the speculations of murder were unproven.

His alleged suicide has been identified by communists as "an expression of personal weakness, cowardice, and especially the reluctance to participate in building socialism."

Drejsl, together with Vít Nejedlý and Ludvík Podéšť, is considered one of the leading exponents of integrating socialist realism into Czechoslovak music.

Selected works

Piano Studentská předehra (Student Overture, 1940) Pochod Šenkýřovy hudební školy (1941) Polka zamilovaného dráteníka (1942/43) Bajky (four movements, 1943) Dvě polky (Two Polkas, 1943/44) Menuetto (1943/44) Tance (Dances) (1943/44) Šest tanečků (Six Little Dances) (1943/44) 1st Suite (1945) 2nd Suite (1946) Sonata (1946)

Chamber Maličkost (Bagatelle for string quartet and piano, 1941) Malá suita pro klarinet a klavír (Little Suite for clarinet and piano, 1943/44) Sonatina for flute and piano (1947) Sonatina for bassoon (1948) Dechový kvintet (Wind Quintet, 1948) Dožínková suita (The Harvest-Home Suite) for oboe (also English horn) and piano (1949/50, published 1959)

Orchestral Pozdě k ránu (symphonic novel for piano, harmonium and 19 instruments, publ. by K. Hlaváček, 1942) Symfonie pro smyčce (Symphony for Strings, 1948) Koncert pro klavír a orchestr (Concerto for Piano and Orchestra, 1948/49) Tance z Velké Kubry (Dances from Velká Kubra, 1949) Jánošíkovský tanec (1950)

Songs Česká modlitba (Czech Prayer, 1944) Dík za vítězný mír (1945) Krajiny dětství (cycle, words by František Halas, 1946) Čtyři pijácké písně (Chinese poetry, 1947)

Military songs Armádě zdar (words by Miroslav Zachata) Sláva tankům (words by Miroslav Kroh) for soloist, choir and orchestra Voják úderník (words by Miroslav Kroh, 1950) for soloist, choir and orchestra Písnička na vojně (words by Miroslav Kroh, 1950) Kandidát (1951) Za Gottwalda vpřed (words by Miroslav Zachata, 1951) Voják a sršeň Ve jménu Jana Žižky, Military song (In the Name of Jan Žižka, 1953); words by Miroslav Kroh Tankistům, March (published 1954)

Choruses Jarní sbory (Spring Choruses, 1948) Vlaj, naše vlajko (words by J. Hájek, 1948) Hymna STM (1949) Píseň o Fučíkovi (Song of Fučík, words by Miroslav Zachata, 1951) for soloist, choir and orchestra Píseň o Stalinovi (Song of Stalin) for soloist, chorus and piano (published 1952); words by Miroslav Kroh and Miroslav Zachata Píseň čs. – čínské družby for soloist, chorus and orchestra (published 1952); words by Miroslav Zachata Píseň kulometných čet (words by Pavel Kohout); for soloist, chorus and piano Země krásná (Mír musí být a bude zachován) (1952)

Cantatas Sláva mé zemi (words by Miroslav Zachata) Kantáta o vrchním veliteli (words by Stanislav Neumann, 1952)

Incidental music Sněm duchů na Turově (play by K. Michl, 1943) Russian People (for piano and 11 instruments) Babička (Grandmother, 1948/49)

Opera Jan Želivský (an unfinished opera)

Other Pětiletka (melodrama)