Page 18 - Glasbenopedagoški zbornik Akademije za glasbo v Ljubljani / The Journal of Music Education of the Academy of Music in Ljubljana, leto 9, zvezek 18 / Year 9, Issue 18, 2013
P. 18
AN ADAMIÈ (1912–1995)
He performed as a soloist or with an orchestra, but mostly he appeared as the piano
accompaniment for popular singers at music contests and radio broadcasts, among which
Veseli tobogan stands out. Veseli tobogan was a very popular radio broadcast, designed
for discovering young singing talents and Adamiè worked with them for many years as a
composer, arranger and accompanying pianist; his participation most probably began
when the broadcast started in 1963. The show brought Adamiè immense popularity with
the young, confirmed by the numerous letters he received from the audience as well as the
performers’ commendations. He also took part in a similar broadcast titled Znam – znaš at
Zagreb radio.46
For many decades and besides all his other engagements, he also strove for composers’
and entertainers’ authorship protection. He wanted to put his critical observations into
practice, so he undertook a commitment as the first president of the Association of Light
Music Composers (1956); he later became president of the Slovenian Composers’
Society, which he led for 8 years (1976-1984). Zveza skladateljev lahke glasbe (1956);
following this he became president of the society Društvo slovenskih skladateljev, which
he led for 8 years (1976-1984). He was one of the few people to stand up for entertainers’
rights, and more importantly, he strove for the introduction of jazz into the Slovenian
education system, which was only implemented at secondary level during his lifetime.
Similarly, he publicly campaigned for the accordion to be held in higher regard; he was
convinced that it should be treated in the same manner as other instruments.47 It was only a
few years ago that the accordion was introduced into the curriculum of the central
Slovenian post-secondary institution that is the Academy of Music in Ljubljana; until then
talented Slovenian musicians had to go to universities abroad, mostly in Germany and the
Soviet Union or Russia. Adamiè had great respect for the accordion, besides the guitar and
tamburitza and wrote compositions for them, especially for orchestra ensembles.48
Although his career led him away from classical music, he continued creating in this
spirit and was the author of a number of significant compositions. Among his
compositions for symphonic and chamber ensembles, the following should be mentioned:
Koncert za klavir in orkester (‘Concerto for Piano and Orchestra’, 1948), 1. in 2. suita za
simfonièni orkester (‘1st and 2nd Suite for Symphonic Orchestra’, 1950), Drugi klavirski
koncert, Ljubljanski klavirski koncert (‘Second Piano Concerto’, ‘Ljubljana Piano
Concerto’, 1972), Rapsodija, Sedem preludijev za klavir in orkester (‘Rhapsody’, ‘Seven
Preludes for Piano and Orchestra’, 1960), Suita za klarinet in godala (‘Suite for Clarinet
and Strings’, 1963), Nalepke za pihalni kvintet, Po Ribniško (‘Labels for Wind Quintet,
‘In Ribnica Style’), and Tinkarin rojstni dan (‘Tinkara’s Birthday’ for clarinet and piano).
In addition, he composed various suites on folk themes, as well as other classical works.
As Adamiè found ballet especially attractive, he worked with the renowned Pino Mlakar
to write music for the choreographies Bela Ljubljana (‘White Ljubljana’, 1957) and Moje
ljubljeno mesto (‘My beloved city’, 1959).49 In 1951 he created incidental music for the
radio play Sneguljèica (‘Snow white’),50 which he most probably used as the introduction
46 Ibidem, the folder containing postcards and letters.
47 Ibidem, folder Razmišljanja B. Adamièa [Reflections of B. Adamiè], his note titled “Harmonika”
[Accordion].
48 Compare NUK, Music collection, B. Adamiè legacy, holdings of compositions.
49 Ibidem.
50 NUK, Music collection, B. Adamiè legacy, folder: Pogodbe [Contracts].
18
He performed as a soloist or with an orchestra, but mostly he appeared as the piano
accompaniment for popular singers at music contests and radio broadcasts, among which
Veseli tobogan stands out. Veseli tobogan was a very popular radio broadcast, designed
for discovering young singing talents and Adamiè worked with them for many years as a
composer, arranger and accompanying pianist; his participation most probably began
when the broadcast started in 1963. The show brought Adamiè immense popularity with
the young, confirmed by the numerous letters he received from the audience as well as the
performers’ commendations. He also took part in a similar broadcast titled Znam – znaš at
Zagreb radio.46
For many decades and besides all his other engagements, he also strove for composers’
and entertainers’ authorship protection. He wanted to put his critical observations into
practice, so he undertook a commitment as the first president of the Association of Light
Music Composers (1956); he later became president of the Slovenian Composers’
Society, which he led for 8 years (1976-1984). Zveza skladateljev lahke glasbe (1956);
following this he became president of the society Društvo slovenskih skladateljev, which
he led for 8 years (1976-1984). He was one of the few people to stand up for entertainers’
rights, and more importantly, he strove for the introduction of jazz into the Slovenian
education system, which was only implemented at secondary level during his lifetime.
Similarly, he publicly campaigned for the accordion to be held in higher regard; he was
convinced that it should be treated in the same manner as other instruments.47 It was only a
few years ago that the accordion was introduced into the curriculum of the central
Slovenian post-secondary institution that is the Academy of Music in Ljubljana; until then
talented Slovenian musicians had to go to universities abroad, mostly in Germany and the
Soviet Union or Russia. Adamiè had great respect for the accordion, besides the guitar and
tamburitza and wrote compositions for them, especially for orchestra ensembles.48
Although his career led him away from classical music, he continued creating in this
spirit and was the author of a number of significant compositions. Among his
compositions for symphonic and chamber ensembles, the following should be mentioned:
Koncert za klavir in orkester (‘Concerto for Piano and Orchestra’, 1948), 1. in 2. suita za
simfonièni orkester (‘1st and 2nd Suite for Symphonic Orchestra’, 1950), Drugi klavirski
koncert, Ljubljanski klavirski koncert (‘Second Piano Concerto’, ‘Ljubljana Piano
Concerto’, 1972), Rapsodija, Sedem preludijev za klavir in orkester (‘Rhapsody’, ‘Seven
Preludes for Piano and Orchestra’, 1960), Suita za klarinet in godala (‘Suite for Clarinet
and Strings’, 1963), Nalepke za pihalni kvintet, Po Ribniško (‘Labels for Wind Quintet,
‘In Ribnica Style’), and Tinkarin rojstni dan (‘Tinkara’s Birthday’ for clarinet and piano).
In addition, he composed various suites on folk themes, as well as other classical works.
As Adamiè found ballet especially attractive, he worked with the renowned Pino Mlakar
to write music for the choreographies Bela Ljubljana (‘White Ljubljana’, 1957) and Moje
ljubljeno mesto (‘My beloved city’, 1959).49 In 1951 he created incidental music for the
radio play Sneguljèica (‘Snow white’),50 which he most probably used as the introduction
46 Ibidem, the folder containing postcards and letters.
47 Ibidem, folder Razmišljanja B. Adamièa [Reflections of B. Adamiè], his note titled “Harmonika”
[Accordion].
48 Compare NUK, Music collection, B. Adamiè legacy, holdings of compositions.
49 Ibidem.
50 NUK, Music collection, B. Adamiè legacy, folder: Pogodbe [Contracts].
18
