HRON, KAREL (b. 1927)

Karel Hron is a Czech organist and composer born in 1927 who studied organ at the State Conservatory of Music in Prague under Professor Bedrich Janáček from 1948-1951. He continued his studies under Professor Jiří Rheinberger at the Academy of Music, Prague, from which he graduated in 1955. While studying at the Academy, he started giving public recitals which were most favorably received.

 

For Czechoslovak Radio, he made a number of recordings featuring old and contemporary organ music by both Czech and leading world composers.

 

A hallmark of Karel Hron's professional life has been partnership with other prominent Czechoslovak and foreign vocal and instrumental soloists and ensembles with whom he has made tours to France, Austria, the German Democratic Republic, the German Federal Republic, Spain and Denmark. He took part in the Prague Spring Music Festival, the Krnten Festival in Ossiach, the Handel Festival in Halle, and gave concerts in Dresden, Vienna, Salzburg, Chrartres, Rouen, Paris, and Bourges among other places.

 

Reviews consistently stress his sensitivity to sound colors, the purity of his playing style, his rhythmical accuracy and expressive performances. His repertoire includes masterpieces of baroque composers, mainly J. S. Bach, and romantic as well as contemporary Czech and foreign composers. He chooses his programs with remarkable inventiveness.

 

Among his recordings are Les orgues historiques de Prague, Charlin-Paris; Orgeln aus dem goldenen Prag, Schwann-Dusseldorf; and others for the Panton-Prague label.

 

Professor Hron has completed a lifetime of teaching at the State Conservatory of Music in Prague and of being the organist for Charles University. Since his academic teaching retirement, he continues an active professional life of music as a free-lance artist in cooperation with other artists.

 

Organ Works published by Alliance Publications, Inc. -

 

CHORALE for Trumpet (Trombone) solo and Organ - AP-00528

 

"Chorale" was written in 1994 based on the ancient chorale to the patron of the Czech Republic, St. Wenceslaus ("Svaty Vaclav," in Czech). He performed it in the original key of A minor with Professor of Trumpet, Josef Svejkovsky, playing a C-trumpet. For publication, it was lowered a whole step to accomodate many more performers of the Bb trumpet as well as the trombone.

 

CHORALE - Trumpet or Trombone solo/Organ - AP-00528 

 

MARIAN SONGS FROM BOHEMIA - C instrument & Organ (C Tpt, Vl, Fl) - AP-00542 / Viola - AP-00498

 

TEMPUS ADVENTUS - Organ & Trumpet (SATB -1 title in collection) - AP-05046

 

HUDBA NA SVATE HORE U PRIBRAMI (Music from Holy Hill, Pribram, Czech Republic) - Trumpet, Choir and Organ music from this famous Pilgrimage site - Josef Svejkovsky, Tpt; Karel Hron, Organ - AP-00007-CD