Zdeněk Trnka se narodil 18

Zden k Trnka was born on 18th July 1925 in Újezd nad Zbe nem. From here, his
parents and he moved to Beroun.
In art school, he played the violin and later, he studied harmony with the director of
the art school in Beroun, Ferdinand Vodi ka (the graduate of a master school of composition
at Vít zslav Novák). Then, he applies for conservatory, major “violin”. He could not apply for
“composition”, because of the condition to be able to play the piano. He was accepted, but he
did not start, because the Nazis closed all secondary schools and universities. After high
school, he had to start working, he worked as an agricultural worker in the garden and at the
field of his parents, he mucked, spaded and cultivated the field, which had bad influence on
his hands and mobility of fingers, so that when the peace finally came, he could not take the
entering exam at the conservatory again.
So he graduated from another high school, teaching school this time and became a
teacher at General School in Vráž close to Beroun. He learned that this is a nice, but too
simple a job, so he stopped doing it and applied to study the Czech language at the Charles
University in Prague. He graduated and became a teacher.
But he was still composing. In the beginning, he composed small compositions for
children choir, for piano, for male choir, for female choir, for mixed choir, later songs for solo
singers and piano, string quartet, wind quintet, musical, operas …
In 1975, he was expelled from the educational system under the pressure of the
regional committee of the Communist Party, despite the fact that he was evaluated as the best
teacher at the High School in Trutnov. For the next six years, he worked manually in Strojtex
in Trutnov. Then, upon his own request, he was accepted again in the educational system as
an educator in Technical High School in Pilníkov. During this period, he intensively
composed music, in particular for choir, quartet and orchestra. He managed the orchestra and
choir in Pilníkov. Since people who knew his work at the Trutnov High School were in the
Regional National Committee, he was allowed to work as an educator a few hours a week at
the Technical High School in Pilníkov for Czech and Russian.
When he retired, he passed on his knowledge and taught the students to love and
honour the Czech language. He worked part time even when retired at high schools until his
80. Apart from that, he also gave lectures at the third age academy.
The need to compose led Zden k Trnka to study with professor Ferdinand Vodi ka, the
director of the art school in Beroun and during his university studies, with professor of the
Academy of Performing Arts, František Pícha.
But his studies of music never ended, since has been self-studying his whole life
everything related to music. His experience includes meetings with persons from the music
and literary world, for instance Václav Talich, Pavel Borkovec, Alexandr Plocek, professor
Hole ek, Václav Snítil, from the literary circles Jaroslav Seifert (Nobel Prize Laureat),
regional writer from the Beroun region František Hampl.
Irreplaceable inspiration for him was pedagogical practice at high school and
lecturing. This led to the attempt to go deeper and deeper to melody and the rhythm of the
Czech language and to the character of the common man. He earned this experience while
composing music.
For thirty years, he led the mixed choir Foerster-Smetana in Úpice, and for a long time
he played the viola at the string quartet in Úpice, he conducted the orchestra in Hostinné, and
he still leads the church choir in Úpice, he led student musical groups at schools where he
taught. He also composed and adjusted songs for those bodies.
Composition
Sacred Music
Ave Maria prayer, solo singer with piano or organ
“Nesem vám noviny” Christmas Mass for choir and small orchestra
Nevzdaluj se Biblical song for solo with piano or organ
Pieta St Matthew’s Gospel
Song for the end of the service for mixed choir
Váno ní zp v Biblical text for solos, mixed choir, 2 trumpets, 2 trombones, organ and string
quartet
Victime paschali laudes for solo and mixed choir
Music for Piano
ervnová nokturna sonata
Chopinesque melody for small pianists
Instructive compositions for piano (four hands)
Summer scherzo for piano for four hands
O bílém oblá ku song for piano
Song for Piano
Music for Orchestra
Scherzo
Czech Dream Cantata for solos and mixed choir, lyrics by Josef Kainar
Prelude and fugue
Chamber Music
6 string quartets
evá ky joke for three flutes
How the Spring Came small romance for three flutes
Music for Joy for violin 1 and two, viola, violoncello and double bass
Cannoneer rondo joke for small orchestra
Mateník for two flutes and bassoon
Partita inC for 8 brasses
The story of a Summer Night suite for brass orchestra
Verdiesque aria for the strings
Choirs without Accompaniment
Cvr ek song from a poem by Josef Kainar for mixed choir
Do zem se skrývá, D evá ky, ervená r ži ko, Haleka ka, M j mjilyj po vsi de, Na
stráni, Oj za hájem, Pásla ove ky, Pta í kapela, Tichá voda, Velebný pane, Vyjdu si já
na vrší ek, Vzkázala mjilenka, adjustments of folk songs and lyrics for mixed, female and
male choirs
íkadla, Cyklus písní V Lét (with piano), Zelení hájové, Znám já jeden krásný zámek,
adjusted folk songs and lyrics for children choir
Gaudeamus igitur, In silvis student songs
Nocturno own song and lyrics with solo and female choir accompanied by piano
O istém srdci básníkov cycle of female choirs, lyrics by Jaroslav Seifert
Píse o rodné zemi song for mixed choir, lyrics by Jaroslav Seifert
Po modrém blankytu song for male choir, lyrics by K. H. Mácha
Solo Songs
Balada o vlasech mojí paní song for baritone and piano, lyrics by Jaroslav Vrchlický
Hlas zvon song for solo and piano, lyrics by Jaroslav Vrchlický
Je ješt v mlhách song for solo and piano, lyrics by Jaroslav Seifert
Song Cycle singing and piano:
ilítlo jaro lyrics by Vít zslav Hálek
Kvetoucí Praha lyrics by Jaroslav Seifert
Již lu ina je zkosena text Jana Nerudy
Mamin ino zátiší song for solo and piano, lyrics by Jaroslav Seifert
Malá písni ka o veliké lásce song for solo and piano, lyrics by Jaroslav Seifert
Písn o jaru song for solo and piano, lyrics by J. V. Sládek
Jaro
Máje
Uspávanka se sn hem a krásnou paní song for solo and piano, lyrics by Jan Skácel
Ukolébavka song for solo and piano, lyrics by Jaroslav Seifert
Ej chodí sen lullaby for Karolínka for solo and piano, folk lyrics
Hajú, hajú lullaby for Edí ek for solo and piano, Slovak folk song
Operas
Atlantis
Libretto on the motives of a poem by Vít zslav Nezval “Dnes ješt zapadá slunce nad
Atlantidou”
Twelfth Night
Libretto on the motives of a comedy by William Shakespeare.
The Phantom Lady
Libretto on the motives of a comedy by Pedro Calderon
Musical
The Phantom Lady
Libretto on the motives of a comedy by Pedro Calderon
Projects
Project Concerts “Songs by Zden k Trnka & Poems by Jaroslav Seifert’’
We would like to organize music concerts with the music by Zden k Trnka in the
Czech Republic. The music composed for the poems of Czech writer, Nobel Prize Laureate
for Literature, Jaroslav Seifert, whom he knew personally, will make the teaching at schools
and universities more interesting. The concerts will show that the master’s generation can
have a friendly relationship with the young people, as was proven by the friendship of
Jaroslav Seifert and a generation-younger Zden k Trnka, then a student. Songs by Zden k
Trnka for the poems of Jaroslav Seifert will be played at the concerts for elementary school,
high school, university students and wide public. We would also like to release a CD called
“Songs by Zden k Trnka & Poems by Jaroslav Seifert” for educational purposes.
Gabriela Jelínková, a renowned soprano, expressed her interest to sing the songs.
Alfréd Strej ek’s voice will go well with Seifert’s poems.
This untraditional connection of poems and songs will surely become known internationally.
For this project, we are fundraising, looking for sponsors and partners.
We plan to execute it in April/May 2013.
“Zden k Trnka” Concerts Project
We would like to organize concerts in the Czech Republic, Canada, Japan, Poland and include
students and young performers from abroad. For now, we are negotiating cooperation of the
Tokyo College of Music in Japan and Musical Arts Program at the University of Toronto
Faculty of Music. Young and famous pianist Adam Zukiewicz from the prestigious university
in Toronto promised to participate. Currently, we are negotiating with vice president Shohei
Nomoto from Tokyo College of Music in Japan.
For this project, we are also fundraising, looking for sponsors, partners and others. We would
also like to release a CD as part of this project.
If we find sufficient funds and support with foundations, sponsors, partners, we plan the
execution for October/November 2013 or April/May 2014.
Some compositions of Zden k Trnka are currently in Tokyo College of Music in Japan,
in Musical Arts Program at the University of Toronto Faculty of Music and in King´s College
School in Wimbledon in London in the musical departments.
“Songs by Zden k Trnka & Poems by Jaroslav Seifert’’ Book Project
The book will contain the life stories of the music composer and describe the friendship of a
student and a master between Zden k Trnka and Jaroslav Seifert. It will also include the
poems by Jaroslav Seifert and their interpretations by Zden k Trnka. The author will be Karin
Venhauer, the illustrator Gabriela Venhauer, memory and author’s proofreading by Zden k
Trnka at the cooperation of Jana Ptá níková.
More information about this music composer can be found, in Czech for now at:
http://www.zdenektrnka.cz, we would like to provide English translation in the future.
Main initiators of the projects are: Karin Venhauer, Zde ek Trnka, Jana Ptá níková with
family.