Page 11 - Glasbenopedagoški zbornik Akademije za glasbo v Ljubljani / The Journal of Music Education of the Academy of Music in Ljubljana, leto 10, zvezek 21 / Year 10, Issue 21, 2014
P. 11
ja Koter, SAMO VREMŠAK: ARTIST AND PEDAGOGUE
(between 1971 and 1973 the choir successively took first place).21 They made successful
guest performances in several European cities and hosted international choirs in Kamnik.
The choir received excellent reviews and commendations. The repertoire of the “Lira”
was exceptionally varied, as it comprised the compositions from the period of Gallus up to
contemporary Slovenian composers, as well as original folk song arrangements.22
Vremšak was able to select cogent compositions that matched the choir’s capabilities,
resulting in an effective sound. He dedicated some of his own compositions to the choir,
such as Napis na velikem zvonu pri sv. Joštu (An Inscription on the Large Bell at St. Jošt)
and Pevcu (To the Poet), both based on the text by France Prešeren. During Vremšak’s
conductorship, one of the most prominent features of the choir was the thematic concerts
in honour of individual composers or dedicated to selected themes. The brilliant vocal
technique of the choir generated a stable choral blend and balance, clean intonation,
careful diction, excellent phrasing and musical persuasiveness.23 Under Vremšak’s
leadership the choir also recorded two LP records entitled Hodil po zemlji sem naši (1977)
in Gremo v Korotan (1983). The singers admired Samo Vremšak and were extremely
devoted to him, even though he was known for his rigorousness and consistency. It was
said that he was a brilliant chronicler, storyteller, a vigorous and sharp collocutor, and last
but not least, an excellent imitator of distinct characters and personalities.24 In 1972 he
received the Gallus’ plaquette for his long conductorship of the “Lira”.
As a vocal soloist, Samo Vremšak particularly distinguished himself in the concert
sphere. He was one of the few graduates of the Academy of Music who decided to devote
themselves to concert singing. The Academy educated a fairly large number of solo
singers, but on the whole they decided on careers in opera. As a baritone, Vremšak was a
member of two important vocal ensembles: the Komorni zbor RTV Ljubljana (Chamber
Choir of RTV Ljubljana) from 1960 to 1967 and from 1978 the Slovenski oktet (Slovenian
Octet) led by Samo Nanut. During that time the Slovenian Octet gave a number of concerts
and also recorded a medley of Slovenian toast-songs in which Vremšak proved successful
as one of the soloists. His abilities were best expressed in the popular folk song En starèek
je ivel from Lower Carniola.25 Throughout his life, Samo Vremšak was very fond of
spiritual music, even though he spent the better part of his life exposed to the communist
mentality, which, in Slovenian society also, was wholly opposed to sacral art. The end of
socialist Yugoslavia and the independence of Slovenia brought several changes, one of
which was a more relaxed view toward sacred music - reflected also in the concert sphere.
As a result, for almost a decade and a half from 1994 onwards, Vremšak directed the
Musica Aeterna festival in his hometown; he performed there on a regular basis with the
ensemble Slovenski pevci sakralne glasbe (Slovenian Singers of Sacred Music), which he
both founded and conducted. The festival, which featured the performances of several
renowned artists from Slovenia, became an important part of musical life in Kamnik. In
21 Cp. memorial miscellany dedicated to the centenary of the society: Lira 1882–1982 (texts by: A. Èebulj,
M. ontar, S. Vremšak), Kamnik: Kulturni center, 1982, pp. 41–42.
22 Cp. Samo Vremšak, »Umetniška in programska usmeritev LIRE v 110-letih njenega obstoja«, Lira
1882–1992, op.cit., pp. 45–71.
23 Leon Engelman, »Kultura petja. Koncert kamniške Lire v Ljubljani ob 90-letnici njene ustanovitve –
Skrivnost uspehov na mednarodni ravni«, in: Lira 1882–1982, op. cit., p. 49.
24 Janez Majcenoviè, »Im memoriam: Samo Vremšak (1930–2004)«, Naši zbori (2005), 55(1), p. 12.
25 Boris Pangerc, Slovenski oktet, Ljubljana: Tiskarna Hren, 2007, p. 78.
11
(between 1971 and 1973 the choir successively took first place).21 They made successful
guest performances in several European cities and hosted international choirs in Kamnik.
The choir received excellent reviews and commendations. The repertoire of the “Lira”
was exceptionally varied, as it comprised the compositions from the period of Gallus up to
contemporary Slovenian composers, as well as original folk song arrangements.22
Vremšak was able to select cogent compositions that matched the choir’s capabilities,
resulting in an effective sound. He dedicated some of his own compositions to the choir,
such as Napis na velikem zvonu pri sv. Joštu (An Inscription on the Large Bell at St. Jošt)
and Pevcu (To the Poet), both based on the text by France Prešeren. During Vremšak’s
conductorship, one of the most prominent features of the choir was the thematic concerts
in honour of individual composers or dedicated to selected themes. The brilliant vocal
technique of the choir generated a stable choral blend and balance, clean intonation,
careful diction, excellent phrasing and musical persuasiveness.23 Under Vremšak’s
leadership the choir also recorded two LP records entitled Hodil po zemlji sem naši (1977)
in Gremo v Korotan (1983). The singers admired Samo Vremšak and were extremely
devoted to him, even though he was known for his rigorousness and consistency. It was
said that he was a brilliant chronicler, storyteller, a vigorous and sharp collocutor, and last
but not least, an excellent imitator of distinct characters and personalities.24 In 1972 he
received the Gallus’ plaquette for his long conductorship of the “Lira”.
As a vocal soloist, Samo Vremšak particularly distinguished himself in the concert
sphere. He was one of the few graduates of the Academy of Music who decided to devote
themselves to concert singing. The Academy educated a fairly large number of solo
singers, but on the whole they decided on careers in opera. As a baritone, Vremšak was a
member of two important vocal ensembles: the Komorni zbor RTV Ljubljana (Chamber
Choir of RTV Ljubljana) from 1960 to 1967 and from 1978 the Slovenski oktet (Slovenian
Octet) led by Samo Nanut. During that time the Slovenian Octet gave a number of concerts
and also recorded a medley of Slovenian toast-songs in which Vremšak proved successful
as one of the soloists. His abilities were best expressed in the popular folk song En starèek
je ivel from Lower Carniola.25 Throughout his life, Samo Vremšak was very fond of
spiritual music, even though he spent the better part of his life exposed to the communist
mentality, which, in Slovenian society also, was wholly opposed to sacral art. The end of
socialist Yugoslavia and the independence of Slovenia brought several changes, one of
which was a more relaxed view toward sacred music - reflected also in the concert sphere.
As a result, for almost a decade and a half from 1994 onwards, Vremšak directed the
Musica Aeterna festival in his hometown; he performed there on a regular basis with the
ensemble Slovenski pevci sakralne glasbe (Slovenian Singers of Sacred Music), which he
both founded and conducted. The festival, which featured the performances of several
renowned artists from Slovenia, became an important part of musical life in Kamnik. In
21 Cp. memorial miscellany dedicated to the centenary of the society: Lira 1882–1982 (texts by: A. Èebulj,
M. ontar, S. Vremšak), Kamnik: Kulturni center, 1982, pp. 41–42.
22 Cp. Samo Vremšak, »Umetniška in programska usmeritev LIRE v 110-letih njenega obstoja«, Lira
1882–1992, op.cit., pp. 45–71.
23 Leon Engelman, »Kultura petja. Koncert kamniške Lire v Ljubljani ob 90-letnici njene ustanovitve –
Skrivnost uspehov na mednarodni ravni«, in: Lira 1882–1982, op. cit., p. 49.
24 Janez Majcenoviè, »Im memoriam: Samo Vremšak (1930–2004)«, Naši zbori (2005), 55(1), p. 12.
25 Boris Pangerc, Slovenski oktet, Ljubljana: Tiskarna Hren, 2007, p. 78.
11
