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 He was descendant of wide musicianly family of Praveček and Vacek, one of the most outstanding personalities of Czech wind-music. He was academically erudite violinist and conductor and organizer of events especially in military and later amateur wind-orchestras. He studied playing the violin at Stanislav Ondříček and then at masterly school of Prague Conservatory at famous violin virtuoso prof. Jaroslav Kocián, conduct at prof. Pavel Dědeček. In 1931, he became the youngest military drum major of the whole history of Czechoslovak Army. After WWII., he restored (as its chief) activity of Military musical school in Prague. In 1951, he developed organization structure of great representative military ensemble – Central music of Czechoslovak Army – and he was its chief and artistic chief. In 1956, he was mustered out of army (where he spent 27 years fulfilled with creative and organizational work) because of political undependability. He methodically cooperated with wind-orchestra of miner’s and metallurgical apprentices in Ostrava and shortly after he was called to artistic cooperation with wind-orchestra of youth in plant for musical instruments AMATI in Kraslice. He became its artistic adviser and together with conductor Karel Hájek he led this ensemble to the greatest victories in the world competitions. The most precious one is the first place in World Competition in Kerkrade in 1970. In these years, his organizational, composing, instrumentatory and conductor activities developed at full throttle. He worked as frequent visiting conductor at leading wind-orchestras in Bohemia, Moravia and in Silesia, he was member of many juries in national and international competitions and festivals and representative of Czechoslovakia in CISPM. At the congress of CISPM in Luxembourg (1972) he had inspiring professional presentation about unified terminology of wind musical instruments, its unified notation, variety of cast of wind-instruments and related problems for publishers, composers and conductors. His presented theoretical opinions based on long-time practice of performing musician became fundamentals to acceptance of these principals for involved national associations of wind-music.
His original composing style obvious after several few bars is unmistakable. Sense of national intonation, ardent melodiousness and masterly instrumentation for great wind-orchestra. He is conductor with inerrable, absolute pitch, with well arranged gesture, natural authority and king humor. He was experienced pedagogue of military and civil professional universities. He had invincible belief in his own strength and conviction of rightly selected way through life. He was conductor of hundreds of orchestras in his country and abroad as well. He was strict but always fair juror. Musical practician and theorist, author of vast works about wind-orchestras and instrumentation. He composed 159 opuses.
Jindřich Praveček topped off traditions of Czech concert wind-music. |
