Famous Czech violinist Jan Kubelík

5th July 1880 Michle(now Praha) - 5th December 1940 Praha

Kubelík was born in Michle as the son of Josef Matěj Kubelík, a tailor. He was admitted to the conservatory at the age of twelve by Otakar Ševčík, earlier than the school rules allowed.

Regarding Kubelík's admission to Conservatory, an excited discussion broke out in the commission, the directorate was in favor of observing the rules, i.e. against admission. In the end, however, Professor Otakar Ševčík intervened with a decisive word, who categorically vouched for the future of Kubelík.

His professor applied his new method to him and within six years he became an accomplished artist. At the graduation concert in Prague in 1898, his interpretation of Paganini's violin concerto in D major caused astonishment. After the concerts in Vienna, music critics wrote about him that in the Middle Ages he would be "burned as a sorcerer".

He ruled with brilliant technique, achieving airiness and lightness of expression with the weight of a strongly tensioned bow. He played Stradivari's world famous "Emperor" violin from 1715.

Kubelík gradually visited many European cities. In England he was received by Queen Victoria, in Romania he received the highest order from Queen Carmen Sylva, in Rome he was a guest of the royal family and Pope Leo XIII. bestowed upon him the honor of Gregory the Great. The London Philharmonic Society named him an honorary member, Paganini's birthplace Genoa awarded him a gold medal.

        Kubelík with wife Marianne

In 1901, he went to the USA, where he performed 78 concerts accompanied by the world-famous Czech-born operetta composer Rudolf Friml. His performances were said to cause "rage", his playing was "full of diabolical obstacles". 100 thousand listeners listened to his Christmas concert in San Francisco on the square.

American turné in 1935 with his children

With the charming Countess Mariana Csáky-Széll they had eight children together. Kubelík visited America ten times. However, he also achieved great success in Argentina, Uruguay, Chile and Brazil. He also played several times in Australia, he performed 40 concerts in New Zealand, he gave concerts in Turkey, Palestine, India, China, Japan, the Philippines, Ceylon, he played in all the countries of North Africa, etc. Later, in 1928, he was the first Czech artist ever to give a concert even in Soviet Russia.

All his life Kubelík tirelessly promoted Czech music and helped Czech artists - not only with the weight of his authority, but his considerable income also allowed him to provide financial support to bodies such as the Czech Philharmonic, which he supported financially at first as a public, later as a hidden patron. In its early days, he pulled it out of a crisis by employing it at his own expense as a backing orchestra on his English tour, although it took him then two years to earn back the money he invested in it.  With his attitude and excellent mastery, Kubelík became a role model for future generations of Czech musical artists.

Kubelík composed as well 6 violin concertos  and other music.

Unfortunately the recordings are too old to have good sound quality. But you can still recognise the great art of this violinist.

Son of Jan Kubelík Rafael was a conductor who lived after 1948 in emigration and was engaged in Chicago symphony orchestra, Covent Garden in London, Bayrischen Rundfunk and Metropolitan opera. 

Enjoy listening, thanks for reading

                                                  Margaret

Source: Jan Kubelík – Wikipedie (wikipedia.org)

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