FAMOUS CROATS, Juro Tkalčić

Juro Tkalčić In the history of Croatian musical interpretation, the cello does not have a large number of distinguished artists, especially not those with an international career. Among this small number of musicians, Juro Tkalčić (Zagreb, 13 February 1877–Zagreb, 15 December 1957) is regarded a kind of founder, who after primary education in Zagreb and later in Vienna, went to Paris, where he started playing in various orchestral and chamber ensembles while continuing his additional education, but also performed as a soloist with his brother, pianist Ivo Tkalčić (1875–1937). His reputation was gradually growing, so as a member of chamber and orchestra ensembles, he took part in tours throughout Europe. In 1900, he settled in Paris. At first he played in café orchestras, but soon became one of the most prominent chamber musicians in Paris and played in prominent chamber ensembles performing in Paris and other French cities. In 1904, he started teaching at the Conservatory in Versailles. In 1914, he returned to Zagreb, where he performed as a soloist and chamber musician, and was employed as a professor at the conservatory. With the founding of the Royal Academy of Music in 1922, he continued his career as a professor at that higher education institution and became its first rector already during the first year. He later worked in Belgrade, then in Dubrovnik before finally returning to Zagreb. Writing about his performances, critics of the time emphasized the exceptional virtuosity and beauty of his tone. His compositional oeuvre belongs to the late-romantic concept of music, the miniatures mostly have a salon character. However, it is important to point out that Tkalčić is the author of the first Croatian concerto for cello and orchestra, and the works for chamber ensembles are more ambitiously composed. Tkalčić died in 1957. At that time, Antonio Janigro was already living and working in Zagreb, and soon Marijan Jerbić would also make his debut. A few years later, the star of Valter Dešpalj and then Monika Leskovar will shine. One might conclude that Tkalčić plowed an artistic furrow that continues today. Erika Krpan, musicologist and member of the Croatian Composers' Society